Bleacher Report - Articles by Matt Petersen

Matt's Suns Rant: Signs of STAT, J-Rich Back, But Hold on to the Ball

Matt Petersen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:25:00 -0500

Week Two has come and gone, unlike the Suns' success, which was predicted to go after a brutal roadtrip (it concludes tonight in Philly).

The Suns did drop their first game of the season to an undermanned Orlando team, giving more beef to the rants of the week, but there was plenty to rave about, as well.

Phoenix rebounded from its Orlando loss to hand Boston their first "L" of the season (scoring 110 points in the process; yeah, the Suns as we know them are back), then showed they were capable of keeping focus after a big win, by dispatching the Wizards two nights later.

Now to the nitty gritty of what transpired:

Raves

1) Other than his scoreless debacle in Orlando, Jason Richardson showed why he's a valuable fit (besides the obvious lack of Leandro Barbosa due to injury). Barbosa is a speedster who has the tools to get around the defense for his points. Even his threes are in the corners, or spots where the defense is non-existent.

J-Rich is an in-your-face, take-it-to-the-teeth-of-the-defense scorer. It didn't show in his 0-for-4 night in Orlando. Maybe he thought the Magic without Rashard Lewis, and Vince Carter (more on this later) didn't deserve his offensive attention, and was saving it for Boston.

The writer's disdain for nights off aside, Richardson was nothing less than blistering the rest of the week, bombing Boston for 34 points (and just as important, 10 boards) from the outside, and then pounding Washington's small ball on the inside for 22 points.

The Washington effort was a comfort; the last thing the Suns need is Richardson jacking up contested threes all the time after a hot game. He's the only offensive option other than the Nash/Stoudemire pick-and-roll that can get its own points at a whim.

2) Everyone's waiting for it. Suns' staff is hoping for it (especially Steve Kerr, but for the wrong reasons). Opponents are fearing it.

Amare Stoudemire got off for 30-40 points, and announce the most-feared front-court scorer in the game is back. He will. He hasn't yet, but he will (wait for it).

Signs abound that the aforementioned game is coming. Sixteen points, and 11 boards at Miami. Twenty-five, and 14 against Orlando (the only starter to show that game). Twenty-two, and seven against Boston's defense. Seventeen, and 12 yesterday at Washington.

Maybe Stoudemire should keep teams waiting on the mammoth game. Maybe the Suns would rather see this kind of consistency, instead of the sporadic explosions (and subsequent hangovers). Seriously, you wouldn't be shocked to see those numbers next to a Tim Duncan recap, would you?

My buddy Nick is impressed. "I like his attitude this season," he said. "I wonder if his surgery had a profound, life-affirming effect on him."

It's possible. Maybe the eye-surgery made him see things differently. Go figure.

3) Ball movement is basketball. That's why the Suns were seen as saviors to purists when Phoenix burst onto the scene in 2004-05.

Case in point: Nash/Stoudemire pick and roll, Stoudemire is sealed off, so Nash fakes one direction, then slings a pass over to Richardson in the corner. J-Rich fakes the three (smart), then drives to the middle of the floor. Once the defense collapses, Richardson drops the beautiful no-look to Stoudemire (great no-show from the help-D by Boston), who slams the ball.

The best part: Phoenix didn't make a big deal out of it. It was just Exhibit 22A of how they want to play. It came against the vaunted (and previously undefeated) Boston Celtics defense. It's Phoenix Suns basketball, and thank the basketball gods it's back.

Rants

1) Ball movement is great, except when the ball moves into the hands of the opposing teams. Phoenix is third-best in the league at moving the ball to each other (the two better teams? Boston and...the Clippers . Not a typo).

Phoenix is also third-best at sharing the ball with their opponents (17.9 turnovers-per-game; the only two worse teams are Indiana, and Charlotte). Of the 10 worst turnover-prone teams in the league, only Philly and Phoenix are playoff-caliber.

Nash turns the ball over often (4.6 per game), but he handles the ball a lot, and makes up for it by churning out 11.9 assists-per-game.

The glaring culprit is Stoudemire. 3.3 turnovers-per-game from your power forward? Holy Kwame Brown.

STAT's main problem is not keeping control of the ball when he dives to the rim. He's so anxious for the slam that he forgets to squeeze the ball, protect it, and keep it high whenever possible.

As lethal as the Suns are now, imagine how much better they'd be if they swapped seven, or eight of those turnovers for actual shots? That's a swing of 10-20 points per game.

In other words: take care of the ball, y'all.

2) Orlando's a good team. An elite team. A championship contender.

This is true when they're healthy. Is the same true if their starters are Dwight Howard, Ryan Anderson, Matt Barnes, J.J. Redick, and Jameer Nelson?

NO. No disrespect to those guys (Nelson and Howard are All-Stars, but Anderson, Redick, and Barnes?), but that is a team Phoenix, with guys like Nash, Richardson, Stoudemire, and Hill, should beat.

Hill and Richardson should never combine for zero points and six rebounds . Jared Dudley (this isn't his fault), shouldn't be the team's second-leading scorer with 17 points. All that means is the game went to garbage time, and Dudley was the alpha dog on the floor.

When an elite opponent is vulnerable, jump on them, rip out their throat, let them use their excuses as to why they lost, instead of being unable to explain why you lost to their undermanned version.

That's that for the Rant. Adios from Planet Orange.

Matt's Suns Rant: Nash and Frye Step Up, Defense Doesn't

Matt Petersen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:14:24 -0500

Welcome to the first edition of Matt's Suns Rant, a weekly venture into Planet Orange.

Good and bad points from the previous week will be touched upon, with the reader assuming the writer 1) knows exactly what he's talking about and 2) is always right.

With that in mind, here's a look at Week One of the Suns' 2009-10 campaign:

Raves

1) Steve Nash is ageless.

Last season (and possibly before), the rest of the league had placed Nash in the backseat of the "Best Point Guards in the NBA" vehicle (with Chris Paul in the driver's seat and Deron Williams riding shotgun). Given the Suns' free-fall from playoff regular to lottery attendee, it's understandable.

Without Terry Porter's shackling him to the ground, Nash has taken off. The "past his prime" two-time MVP racked up 32 points and 34 assists in the last two games. That was after pulling closer duties against the Clippers in their home-opener (15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter for the 109-107 win).

Nash had the perfect response after his 20-dime display against Golden State Friday night: "I'll wait for you guys to decide when I'm over the hill."

Touché.

2) He doesn't rebound well for being 6'11". He's averaging less than a block per game over the first three contests. But man, Channing Frye can shoot the long ball. 13-for-20 from three-point range through three games? That's no one-game (or even three-game) fluke.

It's not just his shooting. It's Frye's ability to run. Instead of a rhinoceros (Shaq), the Suns have a thoroughbred (Frye) for their running game to flourish. Paul Coro from the Arizona Republic said it best:

"[Frye's] exactly the opposite of Shaquille O'Neal—which is exactly why he's the perfect fit for this team."

3) Grant Hill used the $92 million from his Orlando contract and bought/invested in/made a time machine. Seriously. That's the only way the 37-year-old is leading the team in scoring and rebounding (20ppg and 9.7rpg) through Week One.

As previously written , Hill is playing like it's 1999, not 2009. He just likes to play, and hopefully it'll rub off on the youngsters, as well as Stoudemire.

Rants

1) What can you rant about when the team in question gos 3-0? Number one: defense.

I know, it's the Suns' dead horse, their Achilles' heel, and their Trojan Horse (first time through I wrote "Horse of Troy," then my editor coreected me. History is my Horse of Troy). It killed them in the end every season (this goes way before Nash and D'Antoni).

New coach Alvin Gentry promised it would be different. He yelled at everyone during camp and the preseason when it wasn't adequate.

Keep yelling, Gentry.

Phoenix is scoring, sure, but so are their opponents. Through three games, every Suns' foe has topped the century mark in scoring. Golden State (101 points) is feasible, but the Clippers (107 points) and the Timberwolves (112 points).

You could argue Suns games contain more possessions, and therefore more chances to score. The argument here (remember, this is the right one), is fast breaks and fast play are spurred by defensive stops, not by letting them score and trying to blitzkrieg them afterwards.

2) It's true, another rant (last one). Gentry looked like he was setting out to use his bench more than his predecessors did (one of the biggest reasons the Suns never won a championship. Remember, the writer knows). Hasn't happened to the extent it needs to, yet.

Nash is averaging 37 mpg against three teams who won't make the playoffs this season. This is troublesome.

Meanwhile, his backup (who they've expressed confidence in through word and the almighty dollar), Goran Dragic, has snagged all of 12 mpg thus far. Again, the biggest reason the Suns never broke through is because Nash broke down at the end of every season (that and the Spurs broke their hearts).

Play Dragic more. Play Lou Amundson more. Frye is getting 5.3 boards a game in 32.0 mpg. Amundson is gettng 5.3 boards a game in 16.0 mpg.

Play Lou four more minutes a game, and you're getting another two-three boards. Sure, you may lose a three-pointer by Frye, but you're giving up two to three less second chances for the opposing team, as well as igniting your fast break.

That's that for the Rant. Ciao from Planet Orange.

Grant Hill's Injuries Benefit Suns, Extended Time and Desire Come to Light

Matt Petersen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:58:32 -0400

The athleticism and speed were back. The fundamental talent was back. Heck, even the hair was back.

In the Suns' 109-107 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers last night, Grant Hill looked and played like it was 1999 instead of 2009, scoring 19 points and grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds.

If Amare Stoudemire learns one thing from Hill in this pivotal contract year, hopefully it will be the desire to put his complete and unselfish effort in every aspect of the game (apparently the lesson is still unlearned; Stoudemire managed five rebounds when he and everyone in Phoenix knew rebounding would be essential against the Clippers' big front line).

Back to Hill, who apparently has gone back in time (get this) thanks to the injuries that ravaged him. Doesn't make sense? It will by the end of this.

Out of the possible 593 games (regular season and playoffs) Hill could have played during his time in Orlando, only 270 of them actually featured number 33. Ankle injuries and a sports hernia decimated what should have been his prime (not to mention the Magic's would-be contender status with Hill and a once-healthy Tracy McGrady).

Remember, this was a guy who averaged 20.2ppg, 9.8rpg and and 6.9apg his second year in the league - basically a less-imposing, better mid-range shooting version of LeBron a decade before King James showed up.

Fans in general were sympathetic over Hill's plight, while Orlando fans were enraged (they'd invested over $92 million over 7 years for a guy who'd play less than half the games for a team that never got out of the first round. Can you blame them?).

Phoenix fans now, however, should be grateful . While Hill's injuries dented his athleticism and robbed him of 323 games, it also saved him a couple years of meaningful play in his late thirties, which the Suns are now taking advantage of.

It's not just the tangibles of fresh legs and better-than-decent stats, either. Hill's forced absence from the game motivated instead of depressing him. He simply wants to play while he still can.

This was evident in the Suns' final regular-season game last season. The Suns were already eliminated from playoff contention. Coach Alvin Gentry wanted to take Hill out to safeguard against injury in a meaningless game, but Hill asked to play it out. He doesn't want to miss any more time.

That desire to give a complete effort for the love of the game is invaluable for this year's team. Young players (Earl Clark, Goran Dragic, Robin Lopez) and older (Jason Richardson, Stoudemire) alike should benefit from Hill's working example.

Hill may have asked "why?" to every bad turn in Orlando. Phoenix, meanwhile, will just quietly say "thank you."

Phoenix Suns' Dragic, Lopez Have a Lot to Prove—Now

Matt Petersen — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:17:58 -0400

The 2008 NBA Draft was a welcome change for Suns fans. Instead of auctioning their draft picks for “cash considerations,” Phoenix finally used them on actual players.

Suns brass backed the players they picked too. They said Robin Lopez (No. 14 overall) was a big man who would do the little things like rebound and defend the pick and roll.

Internet video circulated of the Suns’ braintrust breaking out into applause and excitement when they acquired Slovenian guard Goran Dragic from San Antonio in the middle of the second round. They liked the kid so much they were seriously tempted to take him with their No. 14 pick over Lopez. Suns’ optimists suddenly had their point guard and pivot man of the future.

Then the regular season started.

Turned out Lopez was tall and awkward, constantly made defensive mistakes and had hands worse than Kwame Brown.

Dragic, for whom the Suns paid millions to get out of his Euro contract, was a wide-eyed, intimidated kid—nothing like the fierce slasher Phoenix thought it was getting.

There were mitigating factors. Then-coach Terry Porter was inconstant and unwilling in giving playing time to his bench, particular the youngsters. This made both Lopez and Dragic (especially Dragic) afraid of making mistakes and getting yanked from games.

New coach Alvin Gentry showed a willingness to let them play through their mistakes after taking over late last season, and has continued to do so in the preseason. Now they need to show they’ve stepped up their respective games with the opportunity.

For Lopez, that means smarter defense and less aimless energy. After showing improvement in summer league play and training camp, a foot injury will keep him sidelined for six to eight weeks. The challenge is his to maintain the improvement and focused aggressiveness he showed before the injury.

For Dragic, it means playing with assertiveness and not letting his teammates know their point guard is without direction or confidence.

Their success won’t be just for themselves. Owner Bob Sarver and GM Steve Kerr are both under local scrutiny for the questionable moves they’ve made thus far (see: Shaq trade, selling picks, giving away Kurt Thomas and two first-round draft picks, etc.).

If their highly touted draft picks flame out, it will mark another failure on their short but well-publicized tenures.

That’s a lot of pressure for two kids who’ve yet to show they can handle it.

Phoenix Suns: Improvement Will Come with Return to Running Style

Matt Petersen — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:22:03 -0400

The Phoenix Suns missed the playoffs for the first time in what seems an eternity. Their head coach took over late last season, and now wants to speed up the pace in his first full season. They're expected to barely make the playoffs, if that.

Sound familiar?

No, this isn't a re-print of the Suns' 2004-'05 preview. The situation is strikingly similar, however.

Entering a season in which outspoken believers are extinct, the Suns are hoping to run over their competition (and pundits) unawares. Both Suns players and fans are excited for the physical and emotional freedom Alvin Gentry has instilled.

Such a change could be as significant as any big-name acquisition via free agency or trade. Even earlier than the 2004-'05 Suns, the Lakers dynasty at the turn of the century wasn't possible until Phil Jackson released all the talent through his triangle offense.

That isn't to say Gentry is Jackson. He's still got his work cut out for him. But from all early reports, he's putting in the work anyway, barking at the team when they don't run enough to suit his tastes, as well as when they don't perform their defensive duties.

Running game and defense? If Mike D'Antoni were dead, he'd be rolling over in his grave.

Yet that's exactly what Gentry is trying to instill in this transition version of the Suns. Granted, he may have more defensive tools to work with than D'Antoni had half a decade ago (see Lou Amundson, Jared Dudley), but he already has star forward Amare Stoudemire taking charges in exhibition games, something he seemed disinclined to do in the past, when the games counted.

The hope is that the defensive emphasis and the return to running will serve as a second fountain of youth for the Suns' success in general, for Steve Nash in particular. It was painfully obvious that Nash was unhappy under Terry Porter's slower playing style and Shaquille O'Neal's immense shadow.

Free to run at will, Nash may very well have another banner year. Question marks still surround his teammates, with Stoudemire at the center of them.

Will he regain his All-NBA status after undergoing two eye surgeries? Will he cease to talk and start to walk like the superstar he wishes to be recognized as? Will he rebound and play defense as his talent indicates he can? Will his pending free agent status disrupt the new found team chemistry?

Other potential problems are of note. Can Channing Frye show he belongs in the league by hitting outside jumpers and clearing the way for Stoudemire to dominate down low? Will Jason Richardson step up at a consistent rate? Can Leandro Barbosa harness his speed for an entire season? Will Robin Lopez and/or Goran Dragic amount to anything more than bench-warmers who try but don't succeed?

Many, if not all of these questions, may in the end be moot points thanks to the Gentry's decision to turn them loose and let them run. Run equals fun, and when an NBA team has fun (and wins), inside issues tend to melt away.

That would only be appropriate in a place as hot as Phoenix.

Arenas Needs to Show Wizards He's Worth The Money

Matt Petersen — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:31:44 -0400

A lot has happened since Gilbert Arenas was relevant on the basketball court:

The Celtics went from weeping over losing the lottery (Danny Ainge) to weeping over winning the championship (Kevin Garnett). Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo have jumped onto the point guard scene in the East, providing more competition in "who's the best point guard" conversations and for All-Star spots.

Arenas dropped from most sought-after for interviews to third on that list, behind Ron Artest and Shaquille O'Neal. Oh yeah, and Seattle lost its basketball team to Oklahoma City.

In other words, Arenas will be eager to establish his former on- and off-the-court prominence after being nothing more than injury news fodder for the last two years.

He needs to. Over that two year span, Arenas made $37 million for a grand total of 15 games and three surgeries. That's a lot of pain, not bang, for the Wizards' buck.

Agent Zero has four years ($74 million) left to show that contract wasn't an astronomical stroke of bad luck and/or judgement. He can start by leading Washington back to the playoffs.

That shouldn't be difficult in itself. After the big three of Boston, Orlando, and Cleveland, the field is wide open. Atlanta lacks a go-to guy, Miami lacks everything but, and everyone else is even worse off.

Arenas, meanwhile, is flanked by consistent All-Stars Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, young stud Nick Young, and newcomers Mike Miller and Randy Foye. Such talent makes the Wizards a good candidate to be a sleeper team come April.

The Wizards are still woefully thin in the middle, leaving them to hope other teams won't be able to keep up with their firepower. If Arenas can return to being the most feared scorer behind Kobe Bryant (and probably LeBron James and Dwyane Wade), it may be enough.

Enough meaning $111 million enough.

Phoenix Suns 2009-10 Theme: Watch

Matt Petersen — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:44:09 -0400

Go on. Write the Phoenix Suns off as contenders (if you haven't done so already).

The Suns haven't made any big additions to convince doubters of an impending turnaround. Rather, they made Shaquille O'Neal the Big Subtraction in a trade that returned nothing more than salary relief.

Steve Nash and Grant Hill are a year further into their thirties. Put another way, they're a year closer to their forties.

Amare Stoudemire is coming back from a partially torn retina, an injury supposedly more career-threatening than microfracture surgery.

Despite all this, this writer is going out on a limb: the Phoenix Suns will make the Western Conference Finals.

The reason? Phoenix will run. Just watch.

For the first time, Steve Nash seemed old last season. It's not hard to see why. He wasn't having fun.

For Nash, and the rest of the Suns, run=fun. They play looser, less selfishly. It helps that their roster is perfectly suited for the running game, perhaps more so than the 2005 and 2006 squads.

Free agent pickup Channing Frye is ideal for Phoenix's system. He's a long, athletic big man who can run and shoot from the outside. This is both good for him and for Stoudemire, who will now have the paint largely to himself.

Jason Richardson looked awkward as a Sun last year, but that's because the team's makeup and direction was was awkward. Richardson now understands his role is to run and score, which will no doubt return his production to his glory-day standards from Golden State.

Defensively, the Suns look to be much improved from their running predecessors. Jared Dudley and Lou Amundson will provide defensive rebounding and positioning, both of which were lamented absences in years past. Head coach Alvin Gentry will make sure those qualities extend to the rest of the team.

Amundson and Dudley form another aspect past Suns rosters have lacked: depth. With the two aforementioned forwards, rookie Earl Clark, and guards Goran Dragic and Leandro Barbosa, the Suns can afford to rest elder statesmen Nash and Hill. Indeed, Gentry's edge over his own predecessors is his willingness to use his bench, something to which Mike D'Antoni and Terry Porter seemed allergic.

All of this, plus the fact that before the 2004-05 and 2005-06 campaigns the Suns' expectations were humble (as they are this year), lends a great opportunity to surprise a lot of teams.

So again, watch. Watch as the Suns run away with fans' hearts and conference rivals' chances at postseason advancement. Watch as they exceed expectations.

The Phoenix Suns will make it to at least the Western Conference Finals. Watch.

Elliot Perry: The Last Good Backup Point Guard of the Phoenix Suns

Matt Petersen — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:48:10 -0400

Some teams are defined not so much by the players, but the kinds of players they feature. NBA clubs are stereotyped in each era.

In the '90s, the Knicks were a low-post, grind-it-out team. The word "showtime" evokes images the Lakers in the their '80s glory days. And the Clippers are widely known and accepted as hapless.

Teams are also noted (and exploited) by what they don't have. Bulls' critics have lamented their lack of a low-post scorer for the past several seasons. Houston will forever be the contender that couldn't, thanks to its health (or lack thereof).

And the Phoenix Suns? One of their constant weaknesses is the lack of a capable backup point guard behind the lead man.

Goran Dragic? Jury's out. Leandro Barbosa? Unnatural and awkward as a point guard.

The list gets longer the further back in Suns' history you go. Marcus Banks (expensively hyped failure). Randy Brown (old and done). Randy Livingston (barely on the roster, never on the floor).

There are periods over that last decade's worth of history (yes, the aforementioned names were the only ones even worth mentioning) where there wasn't anyone who could be considered an option as a backup point guard.

The 1996-1998 era is muggy, because Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson and Steve Nash were all in the mix. Kidd and KJ were both starters, but Nash wasn't confident even as a backup.

You'd have to go all the way back to the mid-'90s to find the last legitimate backup point suited up for the Phoenix Suns - Elliot Perry

"Socks," as he was called thanks to his knee-high game stockings, was a solid and contributing factor off the bench as a point guard. The guy was averaged a solid 9ppg and 4.5 apg during the Suns' contending years during the Johnson/Barkley era.

Due to Johnson's iffy health, Perry was a dependable insurance Suns fans would have killed for over the last decade. The need for a reliable backup point guard is even greater now, with a declining Steve Nash at the helm.

Perry was skinny, quick, and fit his role to perfection. His production came in just 20 minutes-per-game; he always made the most of his time, something many role players coming off the pine today have issues doing in conservative minutes.

He was completely comfortable running the offense of the team without disrupting its flow with his own presence. He passed to the scorers, and hit the open shot or created one if the need arose.

Perhaps it's psychological. It's no easy thing stepping in for the string of great Suns' point guards that have donned purple and orange, including Johnson, Kidd, Stephon Marbury, and Nash. That's 15 solid years of all-star caliber play at the point guard position.

That kind of tradition has had the recent tendency to intimidate Suns' backup point guards. Banks, Barbosa, and Dragic all felt/feel pressured to perform just as well as the all-star they replace.

Truth be told, Nash might never have flourished into a two-time MVP had he not been shipped to Dallas, away from Kidd and Johnson's considerable shadow.

Whatever the case, the lack of a backup point guard may have been the Suns' greatest downfall during their surprise run of the 2005-06 season. Sans Amare Stoudemire, the Suns ran all the way to the western finals, where they met with Nash's former Dallas Mavericks.

Fatigue played an unavoidable factor, however, and Nash ran out of gas in the second half of game six. The Suns lost an 18-point lead and a chance for their first trip to the Finals since 1993 - all of which could have been averted had a guy the caliber of Elliot Perry been on the roster.

To NBA players looking for a niche, to aspiring ballers seeking an opportunity in their promised land of the NBA, you don't have to be like Kobe or LeBron. You just have to be like Elliot Perry.

If you are, chances are the Suns would want you.

Phoenix Suns: Ten Must-See Matchups in 2009-10

Matt Petersen — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:24:04 -0400

Heading into the 2009-10 campaign, the Suns are an enigma.

They've vowed to re-transition back to the transition game. An older Nash, surgically-repaired (again) Stoudemire, and lack of three-point marksman (see Grant Hill, Lou Amundson) have many doubting whether increasing the pace will increase the win total.

With that in mind, here's a look at ten regular-season games that will be good barometers for Phoenix as they attempt to stay afloat in the rugged West:

October 30th at Golden State: What better way to test the Suns' return to the running game than visiting the Don Nelson led Warriors in their second game of the season?

The one thing that separated Phoenix's running squads of the past and Golden State's chaotic attack was the Suns' comparative discipline down the stretch of games. Nash is a big part of that.

Will his teammates be on the same page this soon into the season?

Another point of interest is that Amare Stoudemire was nearly traded to the Warriors on draft-day until Golden State was ultimately unwilling to give up draft-pick Stephen Curry. Stoudemire could find extra motivation when face-to-face with the reason he was almost shipped out...

November 4 at Orlando: The Suns' first game against a playoff team. The defending Eastern Conference champs will give the Suns an accurate measuring stick as to what they lack to become elite again.

Also, will Stoudemire ever answer the unspoken challenge given by Dwight Howard's superior rebounding? Early in their respective careers, Stoudemire was viewed as the better player?

Now?

It's hard to find anyone who still believes that.

December 15 vs. San Antonio: The two teams used to be bitter playoff rivals. Both appeared on their way out the door of contention last season.

Then the Spurs acquired Richard Jefferson for peanuts, while the Suns traded away Shaq for peanut shells. If the Spurs show they've taken a step forward while Phoenix slides further out of relevancy, look for Steve Kerr's mug to appear on Phoenix's Most Wanted.

December 21 vs. Cleveland: Shaq's return to the desert, where even his promise of a championship failed to flourish. If Cleveland is even better than last season at this point of the year, Suns fans will be discontent, indeed.

The game also pits two Brazilian imports: the Cavs' Anderson Varejao and the Suns' Leandro Barbosa. Varejao could actually be as good as he thinks he is by learning how to shoot like his countryman, while Barbosa could do worse than take some defensive tips from his dirt-worker co-patriot.

January 28 vs. Dallas: The Mavs and Suns appeared to be at similar points last year: aging All-Star point guards, role players that didn't quite step up enough, and a sharp drop from their former lofty standards.

Phoenix responded by signing guys like Channing Frye and rookie Earl Clark. Dallas dug deeper by acquiring former Sun Shawn Marion, and then settling for Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas after failing to land Marcin Gortat.

Phoenicians will be upset indeed if Dallas' aggressive offseason yields better results than the Suns' more conservative approach.

January 31 at Houston: The Rockets will be without both Yao Ming (injury) and Ron Artest (free agency). They'll be one of the teams the Suns will hope to rob of a playoff spot.

To do so, Phoenix needs to make sure they take care of business in head-to-head matchups in order to win any tiebreakers. Crushing a former playoff contender in their own building is a good way to do that.

February 10 vs. Portland: The game before All-Star Weekend.

Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, and possibly even Nash could be part of a trading deadline deal if the Suns' haven't shown promise by this point. A game against an up-and-coming Portland team could be the final nail in the coffin for any of the aforementioned players.

In the background, centers Robin Lopez and Greg Oden will be looking to prove to their respective teams they're not the flops many think they are.

March 4 vs. Utah: If the Jazz trade Carlos Boozer, they'll be another conference playoff team that will have taken a step backwards. Given the Jazz's proficiency at home, Phoenix needs to take advantage of them when Utah is away from Energy Solutions.

At this point, second-year man Goran Dragic will hopefully be 100% comfortable backing up Steve Nash. It's also at this point of the season (before the All-Star break) where Nash needs a break due to either injury or fatigue.

Deron Williams will be a personal test of progress for the Slovenian point guard.

March 26 vs. New York: Could this be the last time Mike D'Antoni coaches against his former team as a non-contender? The Knicks, as everyone and their mom are aware, are biding time until their 2010 summer shopping spree.

This could be the last time Phoenix can take solace in their former coach heading a team not better than them.

April 3 at Milwaukee: This will be the final stop of a five-game Eastern Conference road trip for Phoenix. If Phoenix is in a race for a playoff spot, it's vital they not drop a dud against a cellar-dweller that's even worse off after losing Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva for nothing.

Being in rebuilding mode, the Bucks may have even traded away Michael Redd by this point.

Top Ten NBA Annoyances

Matt Petersen — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:56:57 -0400

The constant need to highlight Shaq and Kobe's history, rivalry, love-hate relationship is just one of the NBA's serious issues the NBA would fix if it know what was good for it. From Cuban to contracts, Joey Crawford to Jalen Rose, here's a look at the ten worst things about the NBA broken down by someone who can't do a thing about it.

Begin Slideshow

Rich Get Richer: Lakers, Celtics, Cavs Bulk Up in Offseason

Matt Petersen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:29:04 -0400

The purpose of the offseason is for contenders to sit pat, maybe tweak things a little, and enjoy a little time off while all the pretenders scurry in a frantic effort to catch up.

So much for that.

The Cavaliers, Lakers, Celtics and Magic have all made bold offseason maneuvers to put their respective teams over the top (or, in the case of the Lakers, stay on top).

Think about it.

Three of the four aforementioned teams have appeared in the Finals in the last two years. Two of them won those Finals. These aren't exactly teams desperate for a taste of success.

Cavs Call in the Calvary

The frenzied and premature preparation for the free agent class of 2010 has teams arming up now instead of grooming for later. No one knows if New York's stash of money will bring in the free agent bonanza every New Yorker has prayed fervently for since 2008.

Cleveland is desperate to appease King James, and their moves have shown just that.

Rather than waiting for an overwhelmingly right deal to come along (as the Lakers did with Pau Gasol), Cleveland has pressed the panic button as soon as a feasible deal appears, first with Mo Williams (a number three/four option masquerading as a number-two alongside James), and now gambling for Shaquille O'Neal.

What you have to applaud in this latter move, however, is that they gave up next to nothing to get him, trading the expiring contracts of Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to the Scrooge-like Suns, who seem intent on saving money at the expense of winning a championship as well as a fan base.

Neither Wallace nor Pavlovic played a significant role for Cleveland in their recent playoff run; Cleveland is merely adding Shaq to the mix. There will assuredly be at least two occurrences of LeBron barreling to the hole only to collide into a waiting O'Neal under the basket. If they can indeed learn how to fit their massive skills and needs on the same court however, the combination could be a deadly powerhouse.

Lakers Ignore Stability, Snag Artest

If it's not broke, don't fix it.

Especially with one of the most volatile player in existence, right?

Apparently that's wrong.

After finally appeasing Kobe Bryant with a supporting cast worth of an NBA trophy, L.A. is rolling the dice and risking Bryant's peace of mind by bringing in the former Defensive Player of the Year.

By signing Artest, the Lakers let go of playoff standout Trevor Ariza. Artest gives the Lakers better one-on-one defense, which every team needs. He also gives them a guy who wants his share of shots, which the Lakers do not need—not with Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom already on board.

Artest has said all the right things thus far. If he does them, the Lakers will have successfully strengthened their championship window, given that Bryant, Gasol, Artest and possibly Odom (should they re-sign him) are all in the prime of their careers.

Celtics Stock up with 'Sheed

Rasheed Wallace is a hothead. Rasheed Wallace shoots from the outside too much instead of posting up down low. He will blow up at the least convenient time.

With 29 other teams, that's true.

With the Celtics franchise and teammates Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce around him, it's not.

Boston is a team that demands respect with its legacy. Garnett and company demand respect with their example and presence. Even the temperamental Wallace will cool off under all that.

'Sheed gives them a big-game performer that gets under the opponent's skin, much as Dennis Rodman did for the Bulls in the late 90s. His ability to hit from anywhere will also free up Pierce and Ray Allen, who was hunted to distraction in the postseason without Garnett to take away the pressure.

Like the Lakers, Boston is trying to maximize its core's window of opportunity, rather than investing big money in a younger standout player (Glen Davis). It could very well pay off in the short-term. It could also speed up Boston's fall from its 2008 glory.

Lebron Now Just Another Witness Of The NBA Finals

Matt Petersen — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:42:56 -0400

From Witnessed to witness.

It was a long, hard fall for the man who this year overtook Kobe Bryant as, arguably, the best in the game.

So hard in fact, that he managed to fall right past anyone wanting to know what it felt like the night his team was prematurely ousted from the playoffs.

It would've been nice had King James shown equal aptness in addressing his team's shortcomings as well as its success. Then again, the Cavs' success was so dependent on Lebron that maybe he felt questions about his team were indirect questions about his own inability to carry them further.

That shouldn't be the case. Lebron's less-than-stellar postgame reaction aside, this experience should've given him a little more appreciation for what Kevin Garnett went through for the first 13 years of his career.

A nationally renowned superstar do-it-all surrounded by mediocre-to-subpar role players, Garnett could sympathize in his sleep.

Kobe Bryant's another example. Granted, his years of suffering with a roster full of underachievers and castoffs were brought on by his own desire to be the man. Lebron didn't ask for it, but you know he wants to be the man.

Being the man, though, requires carrying the burden of not just a team, but the entire city upon one's back. Cleveland has to be the King Kong of all monkies.

Maybe that's why Tim Duncan has been so unfazed throughout the years. San Antonio isn't that big of a load to carry.

Lebron's burden is much bigger. He's a home-grown star of Ohio. Ohio could well be nicknamed the "Sports Shame State." The Cavs, Indians, Browns, Buckeyes' football and basketball, all have come tantalizingly close without actually earning the ultimate prize.

Thus, when a man of Lebron's stature, talent and overall unique physical capabilities and personality enters the scene, a championship-starved fanbase see him as even more than the man.

They hail him as a savior, a god, a "right" to all the "wrongs" done to those who've had to endure over the years.

Lebron is always ready to talk about what's going right. But when this season culminated into the ultimate wrong in the face of Clevelanders and marketers of a Kobe/Lebron finals, the King walked away from his throne.

Luckily for Lebron, he's young. He's got time. Time to see if Cleveland can supply a better number-two option instead of masquerading Mo Williams as one, when he should really be the number three or four option on a truly elite team.

If the Cavs aren't able to comply, a third of the league is waiting with cap space and promises to give Lebron the support even Jordan needed. Lebron can take solace knowing even Jordan didn't get that kind of support until his eighth year in the league.

Until that moment comes, he of whom we are witnesses, must content himself with being a witness.

Lakers Vs. Nuggets Live Game Blog

Matt Petersen — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:50:42 -0400

Thoughts before the game:

First and foremost, if this game gets down to crunchtime, whoever is being guarded by Trevor Ariza needs to draw him as far away from the pass as possible.

J.R. Smith will shoot threes. Chauncey Billups likes to pull up for threes. 'Melo needs to lay off the threes, if only to give Denver the penetration and free throws they so desperately need. It also provides offensive rebounding opportunities for guys like Chris "Birdman" Anderson, Nene and K-Mart.

If just one of the trio of Bynum, Farmar, or Vujacic shows up tonight, the Lakers will win.

I'm predicting Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy will heatedly disagree on at least four points tonight.

After watching the Cavs/Magic game last night, I can't help but think Delonte West belongs on the Nuggets. Feisty, opposing players dislike him, and he's covered in tattooes...he's made for Denver.

I'm torn between play-by-play guys. Mike Breen's "BANG!" on a dagger three is priceless. Marv Albert's "YES!" is timeless. Kevin Harland's "OOOOHHH!" is awesomeness.

ESPN showed some of the pre-game speeches by coaches. Apparently both Phil Jackson and George Karl think it's "their night."

The Nuggets' jumbotron montage doesn't seem so jumbo after seeing the Lakers' video on those huge sheets that drop from their jumbotron all the way to the floor...

1st Quarter:

Right before tip-off, the camera goes to Mike Breen, Jackson and Van Gundy. Instead of sitting between Jackson and Van Gundy, Breen has opted to sit on one side. Smart move.

The best thing about an overachieving or first-time playoff team? Their home crowd. It's the only time NBA fans come close to college fans.

It took 14 seconds for Bryant to get to the free-throw line. Anthony bricks a three. Not a good sign for Denver...

10:40- Martin accidently banks in a shot for Denver's first points. On the other end he fouls Ariza. Even though he missed both, L.A. will win if this inside-outside disparity keeps up.

10:08- Bynum already has an offensive rebound and a hoop. Phil Jackson is trying not to express the "Finally!" going through his head.

9:02- Denver's energy is right where it needs to be. K-Mart already has a dunk, and now Nene flushes one off of his second offensive board. It's like they suddenly realized Bynum is soft. Nuggets lead 8-3.

7:28- Bynum with a soft dunk from Pau Gasol. Billups counters with a jumper. Are the Lakers calm because they're poised or because they lack the energy? I'm leaning towards the latter.

6:00- Nene's eating up the boards(6), but 'Melo's denting the rim with his bricks. Breakaway dunk for Jones. Timeout Lakers, with Denver leading 12-5. Jackson will probably tell his team in his calm, philosophic voice that it's not advisable to allow half of Denver's points off of dunks.

5:16- Kobe gets the ball right out of the timeout, but the Nugs are making him pass. Fisher lucks out with an unintentionally banked floater.

4:24- Nugs up 15-9. K-Mart looks so awkward whenever he scores. Watching him score should be every Lakers' fan's biggest annoyance.

3:48- Ariza picks up his second foul. Denver can only pray he fouls out before a late-game inbounds scenario. Odom in for Bynum. Watch the Lakers go on a run. Nugs up 16-9.

3:17- I just rememebered Nene means "baby." That's two players in the postseason whose names or nicknames include the word "baby." The NBA, where babies happen.

2:51- Nugs up 17-11. There's no need for Walton to look flabbergasted for being called for a foul on Anthony. He's a white bench player guarding a superstar. It's a given. The Lakers' shots aren't falling, while Denver has gone almost exclusively inside after the first minute.

*I'm debating if I like the "Where Amazing Happens" commercials showing old-school highlights, but do it piece-by-piece starting with an empty gym. I could do without the empty gym. Just show the original highlight with the piano music playing. There. Debate over.

2:16- Gasol with the sick block, and Bryant gets to the line on the other end. Those two will get it done. Before that, Shannon Brown missed an open jumper. Everyone but Gasol and Bryant is a question mark.

1:54- Nugs up 18-13. K-Mart fell down while trying to dribble, and called a timeout in the ensuing scrap. I don't know why. He can get up higher than anyone else out there. Take the jump ball and don't waste the timeout.

1:44- Birdman gets his first offensive rebound, and the crowd responds. That board came off of another 'Melo miss, who is officially ice-cold. K-Mart's free throws put Denver up seven.

:58- Odom called for a moving screen. A fruitless trip by Denver leads to a Bryant jumper. Then Bryant hits a floating banker at the buzzer. End of first, Denver leads 22-19. Other than Bryant, L.A. isn't showing the seize-the-moment attitude they promised they would. Shocker.

*I don't know who has the bigger crush on who: Mark Jackson on Kobe Bryant or Van Gundy on Yao Ming. It's a serious toss-up.

2nd Quarter

11:44- J.R. Smith with the sick penetration and alley-oop to Anderson. If he swapped the amount of times he did that with the amount of times he takes a bad three, Karl wouldn't take him off the floor so often.

10:24- Birdman with the swat. Fans are delirious. They love their Birdman. They adore him. They worship him. And with so few players who play just to do the dirty work, they should. Nugs up 28-19.

9:17- Smith gets the offensive rebound (Nugs are killing them on the boards) and the nifty layup. Denver just wants it more. On top of that, with no Kobe on the floor, the Lakers are putting zero points on the board. Nugs up 30-19, timeout Lakers.

8:51- Kobe's back in, and right away posts up and dishes to Farmar for the three. Lakers can't get a stop though, and give up a layup by Kleiza. Kleiza follows it up with a three, Nugs by 13. If defense wins championships, the Lakers won't win.

7:30- Another Nene dunk, assist to J.R. Smith. Smith must've been hanging out with Billups lately. It's rubbing off. It's contagious, and not in a negative or sick way.

6:45- Even J.R. Smith dishing to Nene for another dunk can't stop the Nuggets' fans tangible worry over 'Melo limping off the floor. Bryant pours in some lemon juice with an and-one fadeaway. Nugs up 39-29.

6:05- Smith is playing out of his mind. Seriously, 'cause his mind is not (or was not) capable of such intelligent play. 'Melo comes back out the floor, temporarily dispelling the community's fear.

*This is where Kobe's lack of a bond with his teammates comes into play. If his teammates liked him, they'd listen to him if he were to call them out right now. If Kobe tries to instill a sense of urgency, though, they'll bitterly take it in but not alter their play.

4:43- J.R. Smith follows a Fisher three with a two of his own. Nugs up 44-32. Smith is so geeked over his own play that he tries to dunk over the back of Kobe on an offensive board. Baby steps, J.R., baby steps.

* First Jackson/Van Gundy disagreement: Van Gundy says that dunk-attempt shouldn't have been a foul on J.R., since Kobe didn't block out. Jackson is mortified at Van Gundy's disrespect.

3:01- Good thing the Nuggets bench showed up 'cause Carmelo Anthony is still M.I.A. Bricks, turnovers, injuries, no transition defense...the dude is out like Terminator's number-one spot on the movie charts.

2:53- Lamar Odom just got snuffed out by K-Mart. Goodness. And of course, Kobe deflates the entire arena with a three right after the fact. He's seriously the only Laker who wants to win this thing tonight.

2:16- Derek Fisher just outjumped K-Mart in a jump ball. If the Nugs win, his teammates will never let that one go. If they lose, he'll be secretly mocked by everyone in the league. Nugs lead is slowly dissipating, 46-40.

1:00- 'Melo breaks open the rim with a dunk from a J.R. feed. Nugs up 50-42. Timeout L.A., and 'Melo goes to the locker room. I don't think Denver can win without him, unless J.R. has one of his 15 to 20-point quarters.

:37- Renaldo Balkman just entered the game. Somewhere Isaiah Thomas is sitting in a basement beaming, saying, "I drafted that kid!"

:00- I'm trying not to fall out of my chair. Balkman just got blocked twice. Only an Isaiah Thomas draft pick would get blocked twice his only 37 seconds of playing time.

First Half Thoughts:

Denver's energy is efficiently off the charts, as opposed to Game 3's emotional overdose. Their passing and teamwork is enabling them to dissect the Laker's defense, helping balance out 'Melo's ineffectiveness in the first half.

J.R. Smith just realized crazy-good passes are even cooler than crazy-bad shots that happen to go in. It's a Denver revelation.

Bryant has 18 points, and the rest of the Lakers have a reason to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they really want to win. It's times like this where I don't blame Bryant for getting irritated with his teammates.

Is it at all feasible that a frontline of Gasol, Bynum and Odom should be getting outhustled by the likes of Nene (a baby), the Birdman (a former drug addict) and K-mart (a surgically repaired version of his former self)?

Breen, Van Gundy and Jackson are sitting in front of a semi-transparent ESPN wall/logo setup. I'm assuming it's to shield out the annoying fans who would clamor for idiotic air time and brag to their friends about it.

3rd Quarter

11:22- K-Mart's forced to air-ball a three on one end, Pau Gasol gets an and-one on the other end. Lakers back only four. Van Gundy tried to justify comparing Gasol's move to Dr. J by overlaughing at his own creativity. He's still going five minutes later. Then he finally gave up.

10:30- Anthony misses a three right after Van Gundy starts up his Dr. J rant again. Mark Jackson's game-serious tone is doing its best to make Van Gundy look foolish.

9:16- Gasol with the hook. At least Van Gundy didn't compare him to Kareem, or I would've strangled the tv. Odom's already waiting to check in. Nene's fouled on the offensive board. Odom's in for Bynum. That was fast. Nugs up four.

8:07- Billups blows by Odom and gets the and-one on Gasol. You know, if Cleveland swapped one of its defensive-minded role players for one of the Lakers' offensively minded role players, both teams' problems would be solved.

*They just showed a chart of Billups' conference finals appearances with those of four different Lakers. Magic, Kareem and Michael Cooper I get it. Kurt Rambis? That's an example of being along for the ride...

7:29- Billups' free throws are throwing off the Lakers' rythmn. Nugs up 64-55. Bryant misses, Billups with a pull-up. Sickening memories of the '04 Finals are flashing through Phil Jackson's head.

6:15- Nene with another offensive board and a putback. Where are Gasol and Odom?Nugs up 12. Kobe answers with a three. Nene tips another offensive board to Martin for the atrocious-looking floater. Nugs up 11 with 5:04 left.

4:40- Odom gets an offensive board but blows the putback. I feel like I'm watching the Lakers from the Kwame Brown Era: Kobe and a whole lot of nothing.

3:54- Jones has gotten under Bryant's skin. Replays showed Jones did a seemingly intentional trip earlier, but Bryant has to be careful not to get a technical with the seven-technical rule=suspension in the postseason.

2:39- Birdman flies for the jam off of a missed K-Mart layup. Nugs up 74-63. Nene and K-Mart already have double-doubles. This is a pathetic showing by the Lakers' frontline, which was supposed to be their biggest advantage over anyone else in the playoffs.

* Is it just me, or does the Birdman look like a taller, tattooed version of Christian Slater? Seriously. I keep picturing him as a cutting edge Will Scarlet.

1:54- The Birdman just took a three. Luckily, it was just as accurate as Vujacic's following attempt. You can guess what that means. Meanwhile, Jackson and Van Gundy are still up in arms about Jones' attempted trip of Bryant. They're calling for his supsension, head, you name it. Don't touch Jackson's crush.

1:08- J.R. nails the three. Bryant misses one. Of all the scenarios on a night when 'Melo is ice-cold, George Karl could never have hoped for this. Nugs up 11.

:00- Nugs up 77-66. The Lakers have been maddeningly inconsistent on offense. Kobe gets his when he posts up or drives to the hole, but then he goes away from that in favor of long threes. Pau hits two in the paint, and then doesn't touch the ball again. Where is Phil Jackson? Is he too focused on how disgusted he is with Andrew Bynum? Is he lecturing the rest of the reserves? What is he coaching?

The Nugs are the Laker antithesis. They're playing spirited defense, they're getting any offensive rebound they want, and everyone is chipping in on offense on a night when 'Melo is sick and ailing. Yes, the Nuggets are the most consistent team tonight. There, I said it.

4th Quarter

11:45- Bynum posts up and banks it in. Will they go to him again? Kobe, meanwhile, is still playing, since the Lakers would lose right here and now if he wasn't.

11:02- The Birdman now has double-digit rebounding numbers. When was the last time three players on the same team had double-digit rebounds? Was it against a team with a frontline like the Lakers? The Lakers couldn't even do that against a Yao-less Rockets team.

10:29- Bynum again! Who'da thunk? J.R. is slowly morphing to the old J.R., forcing issues. Jump ball, tip goes to Billups, who gets the and-one. Nugs up 80-70.

10:00- Breen: "Billups for three....BANG!" I love this game.

9:15- Nene with the sweet dish to Smith for the flying jam. Nugs up 14, and Bryant is on the bench for a blow. Lakers lineup: Walton, Bynum, Vujacic, Ariza and Brown. Luke Walton gets called for technical when it's the Lakers' ball out-of-bounds? This is unraveling fast.

9:03- Bynum misses the and-one free throw, but at least he's being aggressive. So is Kleiza, who nails a three, giving the Nugs an 89-73 lead. Loose-ball foul on Walton. Time-out Lakers.

* The mere possibility that there could be a Nuggets/Magic Finals is a health concern. David Stern and ABC officials are losing sleep. Fans are rioting. Kobe will demand a trade and Clevelanders will finally lose their sanity.

8:00- Farmar is in for Brown. Kobe and Gasol are both sitting. If this game gets any further out of hand, Jackson will save him for Game 5. The camera goes to 'Melo, showing his 2-for-14 line. This is unreal. Meanwhile Odom hits 1-for-2 freebies. Lakers down 15.

7:40- Farmar gets the and-one after the Odom block. Fans are emitting that "don't blow this now" buzz.

7:09- J.R. gets called for a technical. I'm not sure why. Farmar misses the freebie, though. Somewhere 'Sheed is yelling at a tv, "Ball don' lie!" Lakers down just ten.

6:44- 'Melo gets to the line, which is about the only place he's getting anything tongiht. Kobe's back in. Mark Jackson said Chauncey should go up to 'Melo and say, "We don't need you grimacing in pain. Either take us home or sit on the bench." Harsh. Jackson never grimaced? Not once? Even Jordan grimaced. Come on.

6:15- Bynum brings both arms stiffly down on the Birdman, getting called for the flagrant. Even that looked dispassionate. His expression said, "Uh, I shouldn't have done that, huh? I'm in trouble, huh?" Nugs up 14.

* "Oh baby you......you got what I neeeeed. 'Cause you say I'm just a friend. 'Cause you say I'm just a friend."

5:31- 'Melo with a huge spinning and-one in the paint. Nugs up 96-81. Meanwhile Mark Jackson and Van Gundy are lamenting the soft nature of today's NBA, pointing out that Bynum's flagrant was just a "good hard playoff foul." I wish I had a five-dollar bill for every time they've said that this postseason.

4:47- Walton fouls 'Melo, giving him two freebies. Walton's expression: "I know why you called that man. Can't I get a little more respect? Don't you know who my daddy is?"

4:16- J.R. dagger three. Nugs up 14. If J.R. can play like this for two more games, the Nuggets will win the series. You heard it here first.

3:55- Walton just fouled out. I need to find out how many minutes he played...13. Priceless. Ugly drives and freebies are keeping the Lakers somewhat close, but 'Melo's free throws push it back to a 14-point ball game.

3:49- Kobe's officially in ticked-off mode, driving to the whole and forcing the contact. 'Melo takes offense, and gets called for both a personal and a technical. Denver's fans respond: "KOBE SUCKS!" Yeah, he sucks. Please. Now K-Mart and Gasol scuffle. K-Mart gets the technical. These are reputation technicals. Gasol doesn't get a T. Kobe doesn't get one. Lakers within ten.

3:15- This game has turned into an ugly affair of bad fouls and lots of free throws. Billups puts the Nuggets up 104-92. Previous to that, 'Melo got Denver another offensive rebound. Bryant forces it again, gets another foul, stopping the clock and prolonging this now-painful event. Lakers within ten with 3:09 remaining.

3:01- Smith gets fouled. Phil Jackson is telling his team "Don't foul!" George Karl is saying, "Don't foul!" I'm yelling at the tv, "Don't foul!" Denver up 105-94.

2:48- Billups steals the inbounds pass and puts the Nugs up 13. Payback's a female dog.

1:37- J.R. hits back-to-back threes...BANG!

1:19- Nugs up 14. The Lakers will lose. Los Angeles is already steeling itself for the slew of "killer instinct" questions that will hound them until they finish this series.

1:13- Nene with the and-one hook while getting mugged by three Lakers. What baby? I don't see no baby.

1:01- Farmar turns it over, Kleiza misses the layup, Nene misses the putback, Jones gets fouled on the putback. Yeah, that pretty much sums up the game. Benches are cleared. Balkman's back in the game. Isaiah is paying attention now. Nugs up 120-99.

* DJ Mbenga is in for the Lakers. I still can't believe he's a martial arts black belt. He looks so uncoordinated. Then again, if coordination were everything, Nikolaz Tskitishvili would still be in the league.

:00- Game over. J.R. finished with 24 points. K-Mart, Nene and Birdman combined for 42 rebounds. The Lakers as a team had 40.

Thoughts for Game 5:

The Lakers need to go with what's working. If Kobe's the only one who's got it going, then make sure he keeps it going in the paint. If Gasol does something right, don't ignore him. I'm flabbergasted by some of Jackson's coaching, but then again, I'm not as deep a thinker as he is.

If Denver keeps sharing the ball, they're talented enough to overwhelm the Lakers offensively.

The Lakers aren't playing like champions. If they make the Finals, I'll root against them because they don't deserve to be there unless they do a complete 180-degree makeover and win the next two games in overwhelming fashion. Another way to put it: Which team would make the East's champion more nervous?

How bad is 'Melo's injury? If he's still affected by it, will the Nugs' bench step up again? That's the big question with this team: their consistency.

Rest of NBA Should Be Grateful LeBron Has Subpar Supporting Cast

Matt Petersen — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:41:56 -0400

Have you ever watched a movie where the star actor outshines the rest of the cast to the point that it emphasizes the actor's own brilliance, while simultaneously revealing the relative incompetence of everyone else in the picture?

Consider LeBron James the Tom Cruise of any of his latest flicks.

Fortunately for the other 29 teams in the NBA, Lebron's teammates are the only thing keeping the Cavs at contender status rather than a team on the verge of a dynasty.

In all fairness, the rest of the Cavs have overachieved this season. That's largely thanks to LeBron. His passing, camaraderie, and passion inspired them to produce a sum greater than the parts.

Despite all this, the Cavs are only good enough to barely trail the Orlando Magic 2-1 (and almost 3-0) in the Eastern Conference finals. If LeBron swapped supporting casts with rival alpha dog Kobe Bryant, Cleveland would be up 3-0. Easily.

If and when LeBron does get that kind of supporting cast, it will be 99 percent impossible to keep such a team from running away with multiple championships. It'll be like Jordan's last six full seasons with the Bulls, when he went 6-for-6 in playing for the NBA title. There won't be any doubt that it'll happen, just how long he and his team will take in doing it.

When that day comes, the rest of the league will be in a constant state of depression. There will be another slew of Stockons, Malones, Ewings and Barkleys: players who with their teams would be more than talented enough to win a championship in any other era, but had the rotten luck of playing at the same time as the greatest of their day.

Given the caliber players that have entered (Howard, Wade, Bosh, 'Melo, Paul, Roy) or are on their way (Rondo, Rose, Durant, Granger) to super stardom, it's not hard to see the NBA entering another golden age.

If James finds a consistent and competent supporting cast in Cleveland or elsewhere, though, he'll leave everyone else looking for a silver lining.

Blake Griffin's Worst-Case Scenario Is Clippers Winning No. 1 Pick

Matt Petersen — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:26:59 -0400

Normally the best player coming out for the draft knows two things: 1) which team he'll be playing for and 2) how he will be contributing in his rookie year.

While it's a sure thing Blake Griffin will be selected No. 1 in this year's NBA Draft, his role and the state of the team selecting him, the Los Angeles Clippers, are anything but certain.

The Clippers are not exactly the ideal situation for a consensus No. 1 pick.

Griffin, the athletic, high-scoring, and rebounding machine out of Oklahoma, will likely find himself on a dysfunctional Clippers squad that, unfortunately for every big man involved, is already deep on the frontline.

Los Angeles features Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman at center as well as Zach Randolph at power forward. The Clippers would love to dump Randolph to make room for Griffin.

Randolph's lack of lift and focus make him a liability on the defensive end to the point that teams are wary to take him despite his 20.9 points-per-game average.

That, combined with his almost iron clad contract, which is $14.6 million per year, make him the least attractive commodity for potential trading partners. That salary, combined with his natural scoring, make him a waste to keep on the bench behind Griffin.

Trading Camby or Kaman is more feasible, both because of their more reasonable contracts and more serviceable talents.

Camby remains among the league-leaders in rebounds and blocked shots (11.1rpg and 2.1bpg, respectively). Kaman is a capable low-post scorer on offense (12.0ppg) and rebounds and defends well on the defensive end (8.0rpg and 1.5bpg).

Should the Clippers trade either Camby or Kaman, they bank on Randolph being both a backup forward and center off the bench. Again, his scoring and salary are too much for a bench player.

Apart from the traffic jam in the frontcourt, Clipper Nation still needs to decide if Baron Davis is who they want running the point after a disappointing, injury-riddled and expensive ($11.1 million) first year with Los Angeles.

All of the aforementioned factors add up to the most unappealing setting possible for Griffin. For the sake of wins and Griffin's satisfaction, the Clippers would be well-served by blowing up the team by trading away their talented but underachieving veterans (see: Davis, Randolph) and rebuilding on a foundation of Griffin, Thaddeus Young, and Eric Gordon.

Otherwise, Griffin will find himself as yet another piece that doesn't fit in the Clippers' hopeless puzzle of a team.

The NBA Playoffs: Where Apologies Happen

Matt Petersen — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:55:39 -0400

"I'm sorry."

"Please forgive me."

"We talked about that."

These are the words dominating the headlines of the NBA Playoffs over the last week.

Compelling? No. Amusing? At times. Distracting? Without question.

It's a shame the bone-headed decisions of individuals (including those off the court) are distracting players and fans from what this year's playoffs are offering.

The NBA world should be talking about the Nuggets' return to relevancy, the Celtics' refusal to follow the prescribed "it's ok to roll over when you lose your franchise player" reaction, or the revelation that the Lakers aren't as invincible as previously believed.

Here's a look at the incidents, individuals and the offended reactions and apologetic responses that resulted:

PLAYER VS. FAN AND HIS DAD

The Offender: Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Boston Celtics forward

The Offended: Ernest Provetti, Magic fan and father of the Victim

The Victim: Nicholas, son of the Offended

The Incident: After hitting the game-winning jumper in Game Four, Davis immediately turned and ran while celebrating vehemently. During his celebration Davis pushed young courtside fan Nicholas with one hand while running past the young Magic fan.

The Reaction: Provetti was quick to contact the league offices and demand that Davis apologize for his actions, stating the Davis had "no regard for fans' personal safety."

The Apology: Davis was quick to issue his "I'm sorry," stating, "If I've hurt anybody or if I've done any harm to anybody, please forgive me because my intentions were just harmless."

The Verdict: While Davis may sport the moniker, Provetti was truly the "Big Baby" in this case. No regard for fans' personal safety? Please.

Obviously Provetti's never experienced the rush of a game-winning shot, especially as a doubted fill-in for a future Hall-of-Fame forward.

While Davis probably would've been better off not touching a fan in the first place, this was a case of a fan trying to make something out of what amounted to nothing.

OWNER VS. PLAYER AND HIS MOM

The Offender: Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks

The Offended: Kenyon Martin, Denver Nuggets forward and son of the Victim

The Victim: Lydia Moore, mother of the Offended

The Incident: According to sources, after the Nuggets' Game Three win over the Mavericks, a Dallas fan yelled the Nuggets were "thugs." Cuban reportedly then turned to the nearby Moore and said, "That includes your son."

The Reaction: Well of course, the entire sports world was aware of the incident within the hour, prompting outrage from commentators, fans, and of course, Martin, who does not seem like the kind of son whose mom you'd feel comfortable verbally abusing.

With Cuban being the antagonist, the episode was appropriately magnified, as is anything having to do with the outgoing billionaire.

The Apology: As posted on Cuban's blog: "No one takes more abuse and gets more threats on the road than I do. So I know exactly how it feels. I've also had my family and friends spit on at games in this series.

So I know how unpleasant that is as well. It's a dirty secret that all arenas need to do a better job of protection for visiting team fans, particularly during the playoffs.

"So at this point I would like to apologize to you and your mom KMart for my comment. I should have not said anything and I was wrong. Hopefully you will accept the apology and we can move on."

The Verdict: Cuban was 100 percent wrong on several fronts:

His incredibly immature and unprofessional comment to a visiting player's mother on Mother's Day.
His apology was given on an online blog, effectively maximizing the "grandioseness" (only a made-up but legit-sounding word can express this correctly) of his own involvement while minimizing the sincerity of an apology from offender to offended.
The actual apology is almost nullifed by Cuban turning his attention from what he did wrong to what he's suffered through at opponenets' arenas. While it may or may not have been unintentional, those comments distract from the actual apology and make a feeble attempt to justify why these wrongs happen.

In short, Cuban should have told Martin and his mother in person, without any preamble or explanation, "I was wrong, and I apologize."

PLAYER VS. COACH

The Offender: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic center

The Offended: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic center

The Victim: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic center

The Incident: That's not a typo in any of the three previously mentioned categories. Howard was offended after feeling he didn't get enough touches at the end of the Magic's Game Five loss to Boston.

He offended by calling out coach Stan Van Gundy in post-game interviews, questioning his substitution patterns as well as his reluctance to make him option number one through the game. And obviously, he feels he is the victim of the aforementioned decision making by Van Gundy.

The Reaction: Rather than fight fire with fire and respond to Howard's claims publicly, Van Gundy met with his All-Star center privately before a team practice so they could talk out their differences. This is where the experience gap between a 23-year-old superstar and a 49-year-old coach really shows.

The Apology: Howard diffused his dissatisfaction by stating: "Getting the ball shouldn't be a big issue for me. There's more ways to dominate the game than scoring. Me and coach, we talked about that. I just can't let my frustrations get to the point where I'll say anything."

The Verdict: Mixed, but leaning in favor of Van Gundy. Howard is absolutely right in that he should be getting the ball more on the offensive end, especially in late-game situations. Like he said in his effusive post-game comments: "You got a dominant player, let him be dominant."

The place and timing of his comments were poorly chosen, however. Van Gundy handled it beautifully by taking his still-growing superstar aside to talk things out privately.

He even encouraged Howard to be more adamant in demanding the ball, showing that there are factors within Howard's control, including defense and rebounding.

Bulls-Celtics: Matt and Nick's Live Game Blog

Matt Petersen — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:22:39 -0400

Under normal circumstances, the defending champs would be a brick wall stopping the surge by young and overconfident challengers.

Fortunately for Chicago Bulls, the wall that is the Boston Celtics is cracked and crumbling thanks to some timely (or untimely, depending on who you’re rooting for) injuries on the Celtics’ front line.

Last year’s Defensive Player of the Year and team motor Kevin Garnett is out, possibly for the playoffs. One of the role players Doc Rivers was depending on to at least partially fill the gaping void, Leon Powe, is also out of commission thanks to a torn ACL.

That leaves an incomplete frontcourt-by-committee made up of Kendrick Perkins, Glen “Big Baby” Davis (“this generation’s Kevin Duckworth” according to Nick) and Mikki Moore.

Chicago has its own weaknesses, including a lack of consistent interior scoring, youthful decision-making and first-year coaching by Vinny Del Negro.

As positive as Del Negro’s mentoring has been for the young Bulls, his inexperience possibly cost the Bulls Game Two and a 2-0 series lead (memo to Vinny: if Ray Allen has already burned you for 25 points in the half, do not let him catch the ball in a game-winning situation. Cheat off of Davis or Perkins, play a zone to collapse on him, mug him…something, but it’s nothing short of pure idiocy to give a guy any shot whatsoever when he’s that talented and on fire at the same time).

All of this has led us to far and away the most entertaining series of the 2009 NBA Playoffs thus far. To enrich the experience even further, my buddy Nick and I will be dropping in our thoughts live during the game. In so doing we will probably put words and a voice to the emotional machine-gun of thoughts you’ll have throughout the game. Feel free to agree, disagree, or just spill your own sports savvy along the way…

Nick (your source for blunt and undiluted honesty) had his own ruminations before the game:

Will the real Paul Pierce please stand up? 23 and 18 in the points category in the first two games along with eight turnovers. These are pedestrian numbers. This guy claimed to be the best in the world? Seriously?

Though Brad Miller has provided a nice spark off the bench, am I the only on who cringes when the pumpkin is fed to him. The moment he gets the ball, I expect the worst.

I used to like this guy. Maybe it’s the fact that he eats up TT's minutes (which is enraging), or maybe I’m just so enveloped by the talent of the fountain of youth on this team that I can’t see his veteran poise.

He's also one of the countless players in this league that never smiles. Maybe he’s secretly auditioning for a role in the next Scorsese film.

Refresh to get the latest up-to-date comments on Game Three of the Bulls/Celtics. Tipoff is 5:00pm Pacific Time.

First Quarter

Nick: It's a red-out.

Too true...even the last time the Bulls made the playoffs there wasn't any real hope they'd go anywhere. This year, no one knows, and that's why fans are excited.

Rondo picks up the loose ball, Celtics up 4-1. Whichever team gets to the loose balls is going to win this game.

Tyrus Thomas slam. Countered by Davis' short jumper. C's up three. Boston is savvy enough to not let big plays on Chicago's court depress them.

Nick: A lineup with Ben Gordon gets a 24-second shot-clock violation?

8:55 - Celtics up 11-7.

Pierce is tied with the Bulls with seven points. If he's hot and Allen still has his shot, it's going to be hard for Chicago to get any of the momentum they're looking for at home.

Salmons nails the three, Big Baby misses the jumper. Chicago will take that all night long.

Noah dives for the save (Nick: Photographers should wear helmets.)

Nick: If you could shave someone on Chicago's facial hair, would it be Noah or Salmons' hideous beard?

7:23 - Celtics up 17-10. Boston looks like they're in a comfort zone...not what we expected in Chicago's first home game of the series.

Slick pass from Noah to Salmons, Bulls within five with six minutes left. Pierce responds with his fourth consecutive make.

5:37 - Make it five. Bulls up nine. Pierce with 11 points on five-of-five shooting? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! Timeout Chicago.

Bulls with five turnovers already. Wasting the home crowd's energy.

Nick: Derrick Rose's passes are getting picked off more than Jake Delhomme's in last year's playoffs.

Rose and-one (Nick: finally!) pulls Chicago back within seven and gets Pierce his second foul. Momentum starter?

3:26 - Apparently not, as Rondo gets a layup and then an assist to Allen. Lead back to 11.

Another Chicago turnover, this time courtesy of Hinrich. Allen misses the punch-in-the-gut three, though, and the fans breathe a sigh of relief. Timeout Chicago.

2:53 left, 27-17 Celtics.

Allen's jumper is officially off. Chicago can have hope.

Rondo picks up a flagrant after bringing down Noah in midair. Doc Rivers is irate, no doubt thinking that was labeled a "hard foul" when he played with the Knicks.

House comes in for the ice-cold Allen. Nick refers to Chicago as "we," inadvertantly giving away who he (and the rest of Underdog America) wants to win.

Chicago needs to make a free throw. Brad Miller goes one-for-two, bulls down 27-21.

Davis misses another jumper, and Chicago promptly turns it over (nine in the fist quarter) in their own backcourt.

Rondo with the clutch three with the shot clock expiring.

End of first, Boston up 32-21.

The Bulls aren't playing young-and-upcoming; they're playing young and inexperienced. Turnovers and a lack of free-throw fundamentals are killing them, and a Allen-less Celtics' team is still more than enough for Chicago in this mode.

Second Quarter

Hinrich hits a jumper. Maybe his token Team USA experience will come in handy...

Two more turnovers for Chicago; that makes eleven. Rose is in for Gordon (0-for-4).

Hinrich hits the three. If he can keep them close and Rose can go into Game One mode, they should get right back into this thing.

Right on cue, Rose takes it hard to the rack and gets fouled. Bad foul shooting appears contagious though; Rose goes one-for-two, Chicago down seven.

8:27 - Rondo sticks another J on Chicago. He's hit at least three now when Boston's offense looked dead. Nick: I take back anything I said about Rondo being a bad shooter. Timeout Chicago.

Nick on the Sprite Exploding Persons Commercial: You know what I've never understand about this commercial? Why would anyone want to collide in midair and disintegrate? There's gonna be no one left at the end of the commercial. "Uh, I'm thirsty, and I want to explode into water." I don't get it.

Thomas pulls down his seventh rebound, Noah gets an offensive board and makes the putback. Bulls within seven. Suddenly the crowd is relevant again.

Chicago went for the "we'll play great defense on Pierce until the last possible second" strategy before inexplicably leaving him and than fouling him when they realized the strategy worked. Fans protest by shouting "Paul Pierce sucks." Nick: Classy.

Pierce responds with a three on the next offensive position. Yeah, he sucks.

Rondo with a sick no-look pass to Davis for the bunny. C's up 12. Nick: That was Nashty. Was it not? Timeout Chicago.

5:31 - Salmons goes one-for-two; the Bulls are nine-for-17 from the free-throw line. They will lose this game hands down if they keep this up.

Turnover by Salmons. Davis forces up a shot in traffic, making the miscue an irritation instead of a wound.

Rose's block on Rondo is whistled a foul. Three years appears to be the minimum to qualify for help from the zebras.

Gordon finally makes one, Bulls down 13 with 3:17 left in the half.

Rondo is controlling the tempo and putting his imprint on this game. I can't say the same for Rose yet, which has to happen for Chicago to win. If it's not Rose, it's Gordon, who's too streaky to count on for the whole game.

Nick is looking smug after Salmons crams down a slam on the reverse; alright, he called it. Rondo went out with his third foul about thirty seconds ago. 2:25 left, Bulls down 48-36.

Did they seriously let Glen Davis steal it and then go coast-to-coast for the dunk? Wow. The lack of sharpness and effort by Chicago right now is appalling. Nick: I'm dumbfounded, to say the least, that it was "Big Baby" and not Rondo.

Chicago keeps missing free throws; down 13 with under two minutes left in the half.

Starbury for three? If there's an omen for where this game is going, that was it.

Offensive rebound, Starbury to Allen for the emotionless three. Bulls down 19. I'm telling you, it started with Rondo creating the competitive edge. It trickles down. It's contagious. And that's why Chicago doesn't have it, because Rose isn't doing that for them.

I feel like I'm watching the North-Midwest NBA in the late '90s: Marbury dishing, Allen hitting from everywhere, nostalgia in green Celtics uniforms.

Halftime: Boston 59, Chicago 37

Halftime Thoughts: I'm shocked, flamboozled, disappointed, whatever negative and confusing adjective you want to throw in there. Three of Chicago's starting lineup could still be in college, so I figured they would respond like a college team in front of their home crowd. Maybe they did, if this year's Michigan State/North Carolina championship game in Detroit was any indication.

Instead, the Bulls have coughed up the ball more often than my brother coughs up his insides during his yearly bout with bronchitis. Pierce and Rondo set the tone until the real Ray Allen showed up late in the second quarter. Can Chicago make up 22 points in a half? Only if Gordon goes off as only he can.

Third Quarter

Big Baby just beat Tyrus Thomas down the floor, earning the foul and the trip to the free-throw line. That should never, I repeat never, happen.

Rose with the drive and the bucket. That needs to happen much more often and consistently, for him and the team.

Gordon gets fouled and goes to the line. Nick: Isn't it funny how the ref hears the fall, and blows the whistle?

Rondo goes coast-to-coast after a made free throw for the uncontested layup. Nick: Unbelievable. Did you just see that? Great defense. (After the slow-motion replay, Nick elaborates: You know, it'd be OK to play a little defense. I know offense is fun, but still...)

Three minutes into the third, Pierce hits the clutch three. Boston up 25 a minute after Nick pleads for Chicago to pull within at least 15. The Truth has 23 points.

Thomas gets the offensive foul and then a quick "T." Nick isn't bothered by that nearly as much as Ben Gordon hesitating to shoot off Thomas' moving screen: Have you ever seen Ben Gordon hesitate on a shot? Unfathomable. Bulls down 26 with eight minutes left.

Perkins gets the offensive board over three white jerseys, earning a trip to the line and a chance to teach Chicago how to make free throws.

Gordon makes a three and then a fast break layup.

6:55 left, Bulls within twenty, and the crowd responds. Boston fans and coaches are praying Gordon doesn't explode right now, twenty-point lead be damned.

Gordon just misses another three, and after two unfruitful back-and-forth possessions, Boston calls time to calm the tempo.

C's still up 20 with 6:03 left.

Allen hits another triple after Rose has a very rookie-like possession on the other end (drove into traffic and lost the ball). Nick: Rose needs a little water, don't you think? Wilting.

Pierce hits another triple, C's up 76-50 with four minutes and change left. Tim Thomas, in for any kind of offense, gets blocked on a jump shot.

Thomas with another turnover. The 2006 playoffs seem like a long time ago...(Nick: Get him outta there!)

Going back to the red-clad crowd...for such a loud color, it is a quiet building right now...

2:54 left in the third, Celtics 78, Bulls 52. Rondo picks up his fourth. TV timeout.

Nick: I just feel like if they can get it under 20, there's a slight chance...right on cue, Marbury hits a jumper for Boston, pushing the lead back to 26.

Davis gets the offensive putback and-one; he's got 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists. That's not how good he is, that's how bad Chicago's been tonight.

End Third Quarter: Celtics 83, Bulls 58.

After rewinding via T-Vo to quadruple check, a fan definitely told Big Baby Davis at the free-throw line, "Bulls are gonna eat you for breakfast, Davis!" 1) That's a big meal and 2) that's a desperate fan of a losing team looking for some attention.

Fourth Quarter

Marbury cuts back-door for the easy layup. If Marbury becomes a factor long-term in the playoffs, he can thank Chicago for this Game Three jump-start.

The crazy female fan is the only interesting thing at this point. Nick and I are tempted to keep rewinding to decipher what she's shouting whenever a Celtic shoots free throws. In the meantime, Allen gets a layup, pushing the lead to a 91-62 advantage.

Crazy Fan tells Mikki Moore, "Get a haircut!" She could care less—her team is suffering a 30-piecing. I love it.

Big Baby reportedly has six steals as well. Is it his birthday? Did Kevin Garnett surgically transfer his game? Are the X-Men: Origins commercials possessing him?

8:30 left, Boston 94, Chicago 62.

Crazy Fan is still at it even though Aaron Gray has just come in for Chicago. That's dedication, people. That's why I'm still a Suns fan despite all the heartbreak. We're a dying breed.

Ben Gordon is still in, though...just in case.

Nick and I inexplicably missed the fact that Marbury now has two strategically placed band-aids around his right eye. Five years ago everyone on ESPN would've reported it by now

Tyrus Thomas hits a jumper. Maybe that was the missing link for relevancy tonight. C's down 31 after a House three.

Scalabrine hits a three. Insignificant in this game, but important assuming Boston advances. He's the only one of Boston's bigs that can hit a jumper consistently, which will be important if Allen goes cold again.

Nick: The Most Interesting Man in the World becomes less and less interesting every time I see this commercial...(10 seconds later)...This guy (Allstate guy) gets more interesting every time I see him.

Dallas is also in the process of doling out a 30-piecing, leaving the only hope of competitive basketball up to the Lakers/Jazz Game 3 tonight—the NBA, where blow-outs happen.

Timeout with 2:40 left, Boston up 29. Nick wonders why (not the lead, the timeout).

I wonder if the Coors Light commercials really sell here in Arizona; I wouldn't be surprised with the contrast of Rocky-Mountain-cold beer in hot environments...

Eddie House hits a three, Bulls up 107-83 with a minute left...rub it in, Eddie, rub it in.

FINAL SCORE: Boston, 107, Chicago 86

We have a Lindsay Hunter sighting.

For Los Angeles Lakers, Only Title Will Alleviate Pressure

Matt Petersen — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:56:38 -0400

The pressure is palatable. It's as if every Lakers player, official, and fan is walking on pins and needles.

And if they don't feel that way, they should.

You see, there's no excuse for the team in purple and gold not to win it all come June. Not one.

L.A. is healthier than Boston. They're more talented the Cleveland. They're more experienced than Orlando.

And as for their Western Conference counterparts? The lack of any legitimate threat among them nullifies the need to explain why the Lakers should definitely not drop four out of seven in the first three rounds of the postseason.

All of this explains why wins one through 16 (assuming they get that championship-earning 16th win) will be followed not by triumphant euphoria, but instead by a collective sigh of relief.

Relief for Phil Jackson in finally passing Red Auerbach as the most decorated NBA coach of all time. Relief for Mitch Kupchak, in that all the years of catering to Kobe Bryant's demands will finally have paid off. Relief for Bryant, in that he can finally proclaim himself the numero uno of a championship team.

Bryant is the central pillar holding up the weight of the team's great expectations. He has the supporting cast whose absence prompted him to ask for a trade less than two years ago, so any failure to win the ultimate prize must be shared equally (if not more so) by him.

That kind of pressure puts the Lakers in danger of playing not to lose, instead of competing to win. Flaws (such as L.A.'s lack of a "killer instinct" or their at-times sub-par defense) are magnified under the negative light of apprehension, when they should be corrected under the positive professionalism of team unity.

It's that ominous weight of unfulfilled potential that kept one-time contenders like the Pistons (2005-2008), Suns (2007-2008), and Blazers (2001-2003) from riding a positive vibe to the promised land.

And yet, despite the load that comes with the hype, there's nothing the Lakers can do about it. Theirs is challenge to carry that weight to the top of the mountain.

If they don't, it's a long, painful fall back down onto those pins and needles.

NBA Playoffs: Would-Be Contenders Spurs, Celtics Won't Overcome Injuries

Matt Petersen — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:43:08 -0400

The Celtics' and Spurs' managements can put a big, fat asterisk next to their respective team's evaluations this summer.

That's assuming, of course, neither of those teams truly "shocks the sports world" and makes the finals without Kevin Garnett or Manu Ginobili.

I feel pretty good making that assumption.

Without the southpaw from the southern hemisphere, the Spurs are done.

Yes, they're better equipped to deal with his loss than most teams—see Michael Finley and Roger Mason Jr., but they'll lack the firepower necessary to accomplish the basic goal of playoff basketball, score more points than the other team four out of the seven times.

None of Ginobili's would-be replacements have his ability to score at will or drastically swing the momentum in the Spurs' favor.

You know what you'll get with Parker and Duncan, but Ginobili is the ultimate X-Factor. Other teams fear him because they don't know how badly he'll burn them on any given night.

Sure, it was unlikely that the Spurs would beat the Lakers in the conference finals, assuming they got that far at full strength. Now, it's not a stretch to think their interstate rival Dallas could knock them off in the first round.

Who is the only team, other than San Antonio, that's sick with Manu being out—the Phoenix Suns.

Steve Nash probably sat at home and made himself sick after hearing about it, thinking, "The one year we don't make the playoffs, the Spurs are finally vulnerable."

In retrospect, Spurs fans probably appreciate the way they found out Manu was out more than Bostonians, after they were tortured about Kevin Garnett's status until the 11th hour.

For the San Antonio faithful, it was "Ok. Ginobili's out. Goodbye relevancy."

For C's fans, it was a slow suffocation of hope. Every game, without number five in the lineup or without a direct assessment from Doc Rivers on KG's health, was another horror-filled step towards the worst-case scenario.

It was like the period your significant other needs to "step back and think about things" before he or she actually dumps you.

Even as I type this, I have a sneaking feeling that unless Garnett's management brass, medical staff, teammates, and Bill Russell hold him down, he will, at one point or another, play in at least one playoff game.

That's the kind of player Garnett is. I could absolutely and totally see Garnett pulling a 1970 Willis Reed or a 1997 Michael Jordan.

When I sat down to write this, I got a call from my cousin Steve, and when I mentioned how Garnett probably won't be available, he simply said, "I just can't see Kevin Garnett not playing in the playoffs."

So in my mind, the question isn't whether or not he'll play, but whether or not his less-than-100 percent-presence will be enough for the Celtics to potentially overcome Dwight Howard's Magic, Lebron James' Cavs, and Kobe's Lakers in three consecutive series.

Again, I'm making an assumption, but all of the above is dependant upon the KG-less Celtics beating a ridiculously hot and confident Bulls squad in the first round. Again, I'll assume they will, but Bulls fans will want that disclaimer, and they deserve it.

Seeing those likely foes in rounds two, three, and four, the one thing I can predict and feel good about is that unless Garnett is 100 percent healthy, this year's champion won't be wearing the Boston green.

Ugly Sunset on the Horizon for Phoenix

Matt Petersen — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:09:49 -0500

In the 2000 film Gladiator, General Maximus Meridius requests that his would-be executioners grant him a swift death instead of a slow, painful, dishonorable end.

The Suns should be doing the same.

Lead by Robert Sarver's money-motivated caution, the Suns have slowly transformed from a young, up-and-coming contender for years to come into an old, increasingly irrelevant team. Like a butterfly morphing into a caterpillar, Phoenix has incredulously regressed when, at one point not too long ago, the sky was seemingly the limit for this franchise.

A core of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson/Boris Diaw, and Leandro Barbosa could be contending for a second or third championship by now.

Instead, an aging group of Nash, Shaquille O'Neal and Grant Hill are trying to lead an unbalanced and deunified group to the glorified eighth spot in the Western Conference.

How the mighty have fallen.

Instead of admitting the group assembled wasn't working and blowing it up to build it up, Sarver and Co. have decided to tweak here, tuck there.

Phoenix now resembles a gradual facelift that will never meet the image desired.

Small changes are needed when the team is on the cusp reaching the summit (see the Lakers trading next to nothing for Pau Gasol, or the Celtics picking up Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown last year).

Phoenix wasn't on the cusp this year. Trading Diaw and Raja Bell for Jason Richardson and Richard Dudley was akin to getting an oil change on your car after you've thrown a piston rod.

It's still broken.

The Suns needed a massive overhaul, and they had the pieces to do it. I say had, because now their biggest trade assets are damaged goods.

Stoudemire is likely out the rest of the season thanks to surgery performed to repair a partially torn retina.

Whatever trade value he had is shot until he proves he can still play at a high level and won't need follow-up operations, as has been hinted at by his doctors. No team wants to mess with that kind of medical baggage, especially when he can hit free agency in the summer of 2010.

Shaq and Hill are likely in the last two years of their relevancy. Again, this will keep teams from wanting to invest too many of their assets into acquiring them.

Nash could pull a Stockton and play well into his forties, but how much will any team want to give up for that?

The best the Suns can do to avoid an ignominious spiral into oblivion would be to trade what they have while it's still worth something to teams who think those players could the missing pieces to their championship hopes.

Or, look to teams who are desperate for marketing. Shaq, Nash and even Stoudemire have the ability to boost a team looking to sell tickets.

Trade them for draft picks and young talent.

They're too far away from a championship now to think one decent player or two will put them over the top. Now is the time to say, "Hey, our window's shut. Let's smash it and open a new one."

Otherwise, it's going to be a painful walk into the night for this one-time contender.

Kevin Garnett-Less Celtics To Take On Amar'e Stoudemire-Less Suns

Matt Petersen — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 11:30:48 -0500

The biggest question heading into this matchup: which injury hurts more?

The No-KG Effect

Boston's Kevin Garnett was diagnosed late last week with a right knee strain that will keep him out of action for 2-3 weeks. That's the kind of untimely, just-long-enough-to-be-bothersome injury that had Celtics' pundits concerned ever since the talented, albeit over-30, Boston Three Party was assembled last year.

Garnett's absence will be felt mostly on the defensive end. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is also the team's motivator when it comes to defense. Will the Celtics play strong enough "D" without Garnett keeping them together after the ball is tossed?

At the very least, he'll be encouraging them vehemently from the sidelines.

Seeing it through sans-STAT

Phoenix is trying to readjust its court-vision after losing Amare Stoudemire for the rest of the regular season, possibly even longer, after the All-Star forward underwent eye surgery last week to repair a partially torn retina.

As opposed to Garnett's presence on the defensive end, the Suns will miss Stoudemire on offense, where he had once again become a feared factor with new head coach Alvin Gentry allowing the team to run like only the Suns can. Stoudemire's ability to finish on the pick-and-roll, trail on the break, and score in traffic is unable to be duplicated by any other Phoenix player.

His rebounding will also be missed. Critics point out he should have been grabbing more than the 8.1 RPG he snagged before his surgery, but remember, Shaquille O'Neal was also eating up space while claiming his own 8.9 RPG.

Two out of three enough?

Boston will rely on their remaining All-Stars, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, to carry the scoring load. Pierce will get his 20-plus. If Allen gets hot from the outside, Phoenix will be hard-pressed to stop him without a defensive ace to check him on the perimeter.

A potential X-factor is Celtics' reserve guard Eddie House. House has finally found a home in Boston, as has his previously wandering jump shot. Its extremely possible that he may be extra motivated, and therefore extra productive, playing at Phoenix, where he played in the 2005-06 season. After averaging a career-high 9.8 PPG as a Sun, he felt underused in the Suns' playoff run to the conference finals that year.

Combine that with the fact he's a former ASU Sun Devil, and there may be a House party in Phoenix.

"Sun" rhymes with "run"

Gentry has truly inherited some of his philosophy from former coach Mike D'Antoni; when you're in trouble, run faster and smaller.

That mindset proved successful against league doormats like the Clippers and Thunder last week (Phoenix scored at least 140 points in all three of their games). Boston, even without Garnett, is a different animal.

Phoenix, however, is one of the few teams that may be able to withstand an injury of Stoudemire's magnitude thanks to its multiple offensive threats. Guards Jason Richardson and Leandro Barbosa will be able to fulfill their massive scoring potential, instead of deferring to Stoudemire on the offensive end. Phoenix still has O'Neal, Matt Barnes, Grant Hill, and Steve Nash to round out the firing squad.

At the very least, it will be entertaining to watch. Up until All-Star Weekend, you couldn't say that about Phoenix this year.

Outlook

Boston's support group for their Big Three is decent at best. Without Garnett's all-around production as well as defensive motivation, they have to hope Pierce or Allen go off in a big way.

Phoenix will run, and hope that Boston's defense does indeed falter under the onslaught.

Between the confidence the Suns have gotten after an explosive week and it being Boston's first game of an unexpected stretch without Garnett, Phoenix will prevail on their home floor.

Prediction: Suns 117, Celtics 99

Sunny Disposition: The Ideal Scenario for Suns' Season

Matt Petersen — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:53 -0500

Leandro Barbosa continues to be lethal as a starter, continuing the trend of "Barbosa scoring over 20 = Suns win."
Jason Richardson realizes the Suns need his ability to average 20 points a game
Shaq rebounds like he's surrounded by a bunch of midgets...wait...
Matt Barnes finds his stroke and continues to rebound well for his position
Lou Amundson continues to be the annoying white guy on the glass
Grant Hill keeps drinking from the fountain of youth
Goran Dragic does his thing now that he's unleashed while playing through his mistakes
Robin Lopez takes some agility classes
Manu Ginobili's injury lingers longer than the proscribed 2-3 weeks
Houston slips thanks to T-Mac's season-ending injury
Utah runs out of gas without Carlos Boozer
Dallas continues to underachieve while Phoenix overachieves
The Suns do not play the Spurs or Lakers in the first round

Dirk Nowitzki: Another European Unable to Come Up in The Clutch

Matt Petersen — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:30:25 -0500

When Boston started creeping back against Dallas Thursday night, I already knew Boston was going to win.

I didn't know this simply because Boston is the better team (although they are that). I didn't assume this because Boston was fired up after Kevin Garnett got in Dirk Nowitzki's face and coach Doc Rivers was tossed after being assessed two quick technicals.

No. I knew the Mavericks would cough up the lead and the game because of who their superstar is: Dirk Nowitzki.

Don't get me wrong. I love a lot of things about Nowitzki's game. He's a seven-footer with ridiculous range, making him almost impossible to guard. He's a taller, European version of Larry Bird.

And that's the problem.

Nowitzki is European. German, specifically. As talented as Nowitzki is, his background dissuades me from believing in him as a legit, all-out, killer-in-the-clutch superstar.

Late in the fourth quarter, Nowitzki hit a timely three and then a fadeaway to tie the game for Dallas. Paul Pierce comes back the other way for Boston and hits an even more ridiculously in-your-face fade. The duel is on.

Nowitzki gets the ball at the high post, and, obviously frustrated by the extreme-close-up defense by Pierce, fakes one too many times and catches Pierce right in the face with his formidable elbow. Turnover, Dallas. Pierce, the self-proclaimed "I'm the best player in the world", promptly hits the sickest fall-back shot of the night. Game over.

I'd be lying if I said I knew that was the exact sequence that would play out. What I was sure of, was that Nowitzki wouldn't be able to match Pierce's "I'm the man" factor.

Maybe it's the style of play in Europe. There is no "I'm the man" factor overseas. The teams on the other side of the Atlantic preach ball movement, unselfishness. The open guy takes the shot, no matter who it is.

That philosophy taught Team USA a thing or two in 2004 and 2006. It's the kiss of death, however, for an NBA team that features a European superstar as its go-to guy. Look at Pau Gasol. He was "the man" in Memphis for years, but they could never be more than halfway decent with him as the face of the team.

Playing with Kobe, it's obvious that Gasol is more comfortable not being "the man." He still gets his 19 points and nine rebounds, but in the less pressured role as second fiddle.

That's the role Nowitzki would excel in. If he plays with someone like Kobe, Dwyane Wade or LeBron James, he's going to get an open jumper or a clearer opportunity that he can handle psychologically. As option número uno? Not so much.

In fact, if I look at the roster for the Western All-Stars, I'm more comfortable with anyone else (except Gasol) taking a game-winning shot than Nowitzki.

It's nothing tangible. It's just the way it is. And the only common thread is that Gasol and Nowitzki are both, well...European.

Other Notes:

· The Mavs were hurting without Jason Terry. After Nowitzki's 37 points, Josh Howard turned in 17 points on just 6-19 shooting. Antoine Wright was the only other Maverick in double-figures with 10...

· When Garnett got into it with Nowitzki late in the third, even his teammates felt compelled to try and calm him down. KG went from intense to downright scary. Smooth-as-silk Ray Allen proved to be the perfect compliment, nailing a three off a screen right after Garnett was forced to sit with his fifth foul.

· Sure, the talk from the Heat's 95-93 win over Chicago was all about Wade's pass to Shawn Marion for the dunk with 1.1 seconds left, but how about Michael Beasley? In a game that close where every point is critical, the rookie goes 9-10 on his way to 21 points. If nothing else, the outing could boost his trade value as Miami seeks a forward compliment to Wade they're more comfortable with...

· The Bulls have now lost four of their last five, and are currently two games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. Other than rookie Derrick Rose, everyone else on the roster seems expendable. Will management stand pat and hope this team can sneak into the postseason, or will they shake things up?

· The Blazers were uncharacteristically charitable with the ball Thursday night, committing 23 turnovers en route to their 105-98 loss to lottery-bound Golden State. LaMarcus Aldridge was particularly blatant in his giving spirit, turning it over five times before fouling out...

· The second half of the season will be a feel-out process for Golden State. Monta Ellis is back from injury and getting into the flow with his team for the first time. He had 20 points on 7-16 shooting, but it's not a sure thing that he'll end up being the Point Guard they really hope/need/want him to be...

Five NBA All-Star Snubs

Matt Petersen — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:55:51 -0500

Now that the All-Star rosters are set (including replacements for the injured participants), it's time to accurately identify the offical Snub List for the NBA All-Star Game 2009. Let me say the name of the event again: the NBA All-Star Game 2009. That means the best players should be playing. Forget the hullabaloo about team success or position needs. I repeat, the best players should be playing in the All-Star game That being said, here is your NBA All-Snub Team 2009...

Begin Slideshow

Thursday Roundup: Finding the Silver Lining in Wake of Elton Brand Injury

Matt Petersen — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:36:39 -0500

It would be interesting to know the inner reactions by Sixers' brass and players when they were informed this week that Elton Brand would be out for the rest of the season.

Team president Ed Stefanski could have felt a sharp pain in his backside around the area where his wallet resides; Brand played only 29 games in year one of his five-year $80 million deal. There's no telling how effective Brand will be when he comes back this season. That's an unknown with a huge price tag attached.

Coach Tony DiLeo is probably disappointed he didn't have more time to effectively mesh the differing skills of the halfcourt oriented Brand with his thoroughbred young core of Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala and company.

The players themselves? I'm sure they felt sympathy for their fallen comrade-in-arms, but as soon as they hit the floor Thursday night against the Indiana Pacers, they had to be feeling loose and carefree knowing one thing:

They can run again.

And run the Sixers did, plugging in promising youngster Thaddeus Young at the four-spot, immediately making Philly's starting five much more athletic and potent in the full-court game. Center Samuel Dalembert can rebound (he amassed 20 caroms Thursday night) and outlet to any of the other starting four on the floor (Miller, Iguodala, Young, or guard Willie Green).

The result was high-octane movement that resulted in transition baskets. The perimeter troika of Iguodala (20 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds), Green (23 points), and Miller (13 points, 12 assists) benefited immediately, and Philadelphia outlasted the Pacers 99-94.

The loss of Brand does throw into sharp relief the lack of depth on the Sixers' bench. While the starters excelled, the bench combined for just 11 of the team's 99 points. Designated sixth man Lou Williams shot poorly (2-7 for five points), and no one else on the bench can be relied upon to give consistent offensive production.

Up to this point, Philadelphia suffered the same identity crisis that currently assails the Phoenix Suns. Both teams have legit big men who, when the offense is tailored to them, can put up big numbers against almost anyone.

The consequence for both teams was that their respective big men actually have a negative impact on their teammates' production due to the contrasting styles of play. If it weren't for Brand's injury, the Sixers might be as antsy for immediate improvement as the Suns are right now.

Luckily for Philadelphia, they've caught a lucky break (or tear, in the case of Brand's shoulder injury). They have from now until next season to figure out how to incorporate Brand in the team's overall scheme.

In the meantime, Philadelphia will look to run in an effort to catch up to their own lofty expectations.

Other Notes:

· Indiana All-Star forward Danny Granger shot 5-8 on two-pointers and only 1-7 on threes. That's not encouraging for an invitee of the Three-Point Shootout on All-Star Weekend.

· The Sixers' starting lineup all had plus-minus ratios of +14 or better. The bench players posted -12 or worse.

· The reason the Lakers vs. Celtics game was so close? The Boston bench showed up. Well, Leon Powe and Eddie House showed up, but that's enough when the two of them combine for 26 of the bench's 30 points on 11-17 shooting. If Glen Davis or Tony Allen (2-11 combined for four points) have better showings for Boston, it's a different ball game.

· Did Laker legend and league logo Jerry West watch the game? Did his chest swell with pride every time Pau Gasol scored or rebounded his way to a 24-point, 14-rebound night? Did he say to his friends, "Yeah, I'm the reason the Lakers are whoopin' on Boston. I gave them Pau and now they're knocking on the champs' door."

· Where was Kevin Garnett during the most important game of the regular season? He took only 12 shots and two free throws on his way to 16 points. Throw in the four turnovers and six fouls, and it's safe to say he had a sub-par showing. Does he deserve the benefit of the doubt after playing fresh off getting over the flu?

· Speaking of no-shows, Dirk Nowitzki was AWOL in the Mavs' 115-87 loss to the Jazz Thursday night. 14 points on 6-20 shooting will NOT get it done against a Utah team fighting for their playoff lives.

· While there's concern whether Philadelphia can handle the loss of their All-Star forward, there shouldn't be any of the same in Utah. Paul Millsap (14 points, 10 rebounds) is the dream-case scenario for the Jazz in the wake of another injury-racked season for Carlos Boozer. If I'm running things in Salt Lake, I'm trading Boozer to a contender now so I can get something back for him before he hits free agency this summer.

Nick Sheffield: Inmate to Teammate

Matt Petersen — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:09:28 -0500

[The following is an article written and published by the author on Feb. 4, 2009 for the Glendale Community College newspaper, The Voice.]

If Nick Sheffield seems rough and bruising on the court, it’s only because his life has been that way off of it.

The second-year forward stands at a chiseled and tattooed 6'6". Combined with his build, his intense glare makes you wonder if a beatdown is forthcoming.

Which might have been the case a few years ago.

The beginnings to Sheffield’s troubles can be traced back to his youth. Born in Phoenix to parents with drug-related problems, he was raised mostly by his grandmother. While his mother and father drifted in and out of his life, Sheffield’s grandmother was the one constant he could count on.

“She’s sent from above,” Sheffield says. “I seriously believe that. She saved my life.”

When his grandmother wasn’t around, basketball was. Sheffield’s talent was obvious, attracting admirers both on and off the court. It was the latter who helped steer him toward a more dangerous game.

“I started hanging out around the wrong people, trying to look for something else in life other than basketball,” he said.

Losing Control

During a basketball tournament in Tucson, Sheffield, then 18, was cut from the team after he was caught using marijuana.

“When I got kicked off the basketball team, I felt like my life was over," he said. "I didn’t know who I was anymore. I didn’t know what my meaning was. Basketball, at the time, was the only thing I was good at. It was the only thing I knew.”

Being forced to leave the court only sped up the downward spiral in life away from it. Sheffield clung more closely than ever to his group of “friends.” Shortly thereafter, he was arrested when police found marijuana in his vehicle after initially stopping him for road rage.

That rage, without basketball for an outlet, became the foundation for future run-ins with the law. He took to always having a weapon on his person. Sheffield often got involved in fights at parties, made more dangerous with the presence of alcohol.

One such party on Feb. 2, 2003 produced what Sheffield calls a “life-changing event.” A fight broke out, and in the melee Sheffield was hit over the head with a bottle. Despite the wound that would require 14 staples, Sheffield ran to his car to retrieve his pistol to defend not only himself, but also his girlfriend and daughter, who were at the party.

The party-goers fled the scene upon learning the police had been called. As Sheffield trailed after his girlfriend and daughter, someone threw another bottle at him. Sheffield turned around and opened fire, shooting the assailant in the arm.

The incident landed him in a maximum security prison for 49 months.

Paying the Price

During that time, his girlfriend took his daughter and left him, deserting him just as his parents had so many years before. He described himself as “mentally drained,” spending nights weeping, consumed by his losses.

Prison life was an introduction to an entirely different way of life. “When you first get down there,” he explains, “you’re just a fish. You’re gonna get heart-checked. They want to see if you have heart.”

What exactly is a “heart check” in prison? It’s accepting the fact that you’re a “soldier” under a “head” who gives orders. It’s being assigned “missions” to physically beat up fellow inmates on those orders. It’s knowing that completing the mission earns you “respect,” while failing to do so might mean someone else getting a “mission” with you as the target.

Sheffield did his missions at first, if only for his personal safety. Once earned, his respect allowed him to explore influences he’d previously shut out. Sheffield describes the moment he made the decision to rehabilitate himself.

“One night I was just lying there, and I said to myself, ‘I want to change. I need to change,’” he said.

He started reading the Bible and attending church services. He stopped going on missions. The “heads” left him alone. Sheffield had earned their trust, and they respected his desire to go back to school and play college basketball. On March 23, 2007, Sheffield was released.

Another Chance

Sheffield married his childhood friend Nicole the same day he was released. Where Sheffield’s previous girlfriend had left him, Nicole visited him three times a week while in prison, giving a consistent source of love and caring almost foreign to the man who had been abandoned by almost everyone else in his life.

The very next day, Sheffield asked Nicole to help him find information on schools where he could resume his studies as well as his basketball career. Having been imprisoned for so long and not having graduated from high school, his knowledge of computer and Internet use was minimal.

Sheffield recognized GCC head coach Dave Hodges from his high school playing days (Hodges was the Deer Valley High School coach at the time), and promptly called him in hopes of reviving his basketball career.

The passage of time had not dimmed Hodges’ memory of the former North Canyon standout. “I remembered Nick,” Hodges admitted wryly, “because the first play of the game, he got a dunk on us on a backdoor alley-oop.”

Hodges also remembered in what era Sheffield played high school basketball, and recognized he was a lot older than the typical freshman.

“What have you been doing with yourself?”

“I've been away,” Sheffield replied shortly.

“What do you mean ‘away’? Like, the military, or what?”

“I’ve been in prison,” Sheffield said.

Was it more than coincidence that Hodges not only remembered Sheffield from his playing days, but also happened to serve as a counselor for those dealing with life after prison? Coach and player agreed to meet in person to gauge their options. Despite the red tape the unique situation required, Hodges decided to make Sheffield’s basketball revival a reality.

Making It Count

Hodges’ biggest concern for Sheffield wasn’t his emotional re-acclimation with the real world; it was his re-introduction to the classroom. He currently maintains a 2.5 GPA.

At Glendale, basketball became more than a game; it was physical, sweaty, grind-it-out rehabilitation. “It’s like therapy, almost,” he said. “Every time I get a rebound, I feel like I’ve talked to a therapist.”

Rebounding was Sheffield’s specialty as the Gauchos’ first big man off the bench. As his time away from prison increased, so did his basketball IQ.

“I’ve gotten a lot smarter. I’m a little bit older, so I know the game a little better. I use my thinking more than my athletic ability,” he said.

His age (Sheffield is now 27) was the butt of jokes in practice from teammates. Sheffield is grateful, though, for the acceptance and camaraderie that was so readily offered: “They knew I was here to work, that I was here to win. And that’s what we did.”

This season, Sheffield is a team captain, as well as their main low-post offensive threat. Where fellow captain Lance Fite is a quiet leader, Sheffield brings a louder call-to-action both vocally and by example.

Coach Hodges summed up his take on Sheffield with this account: “Last year on Thanksgiving, Sheff sent me a text message thanking me for the opportunity to play, and, in return, I’m grateful to him. He’s a good role model in that he’s shown that you can take control of your life and go after your dreams.”

An ex-felon turned role model? Nothing could show the concept more realistic than the high school seminars the former inmate has given since his release to make students see the dangers that threaten the life of any adolescent.

Sheffield’s own words to those who grapple with the same pitfalls he once did might validate Hodges’ praise: “Listen to your parents. Choose your friends carefully. Whenever you are in a situation, and it’s a life-changing situation, that’s when you find out who your friends are. You really find out who loves you.”

His plans now include his life’s real mission, one that aims for personal goals rather than physical targets.

“My dream as a kid was to play college ball; to get that scholarship, maybe go play pro. Maybe the whole dream’s not going to come true, but I’m still here,” he said.

It’s a dream that he once turned over in the game of life. Now Sheffield has rebounded that dream and is making good on the putback.

Thursday Roundup: To Be The Man, Amare Needs To Man-Up on Defense

Matt Petersen — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:13:10 -0500

During Thursday night's 114-104 Spurs victory over Phoenix, a startling reality became apparent—even Steve Nash plays better defense than Amare Stoudemire.

In the second half, Nash was caught defending Tony Parker one-on-one in the paint. Nash bodied up his Spurs counterpart, successfully keeping his body between Parker and the basket despite the Frenchman's plethora of pivot moves.

Parker was finally forced to take an extremely difficult fading floater. The basket went in, but that's not the point—Nash played solid defense, and it was only Parker's ability that overcame the effort.

Stoudemire, on the other hand—the same Amare Stoudemire who has expressed a desire to be "the man"—played with the defensive intensity and intelligence of a high school JV post player.

Early in the fourth quarter, Phoenix was caught scrambling on defense thanks to the Spurs' ball movement. As the ball was swung around the three-point line, Stoudemire was the last perimeter player available to rotate. When the ball was snapped to Roger Mason, who is shooting 45.7 percent from 3-point range this season, Stoudemire committed to a half-hearted attempt to close out the shooter. Mason nailed the shot which was ruled a two-pointer.

Stoudemire was non-existent on several occasions as Parker and Manu Ginobili repeatedly sliced and diced the Suns' defense. It got to the point where outside-shooting forward Matt Bonner felt confident enough to drive on the All-Star starter.

Rebounding is the capstone to good defense for a post player. You force your man to miss a bad shot and grab the rebound—mission accomplished (for that possession, anyway). Stoudemire gave up at least four offensive rebounds in the game's final stages.

If Stoudemire were as passionate about his defensive game as his offensive production, plays like that would not happen.

Instead of improving his defensive technique with the same enthusiasm as his jump shot, he's content to put his arms straight up and pray he doesn't get a foul called. That's how he actually makes an effort to play defense.

When he expressed his desire to be "the man," Stoudemire mentioned specific players in the league, including Dwight Howard, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.

Hey, Amare, those names should be a hint as to why you're not "the man" you crave to be.

Those three players are almost certain locks to be named All-Defensive First or Second Team selections this season. Let's compare each of their stats with Stoudemire's: Wade is averaging more blocks-per-game (1.3 to 1.1), James is grabbing more defensive rebounds per game (6.1 to 6.0) and Howard is destroying Stoudemire in every conceivable defensive category.

Take the hint from the stats, or even from the historical example of Michael Jordan. Early in his career he realized that offensive numbers weren't going to be enough for his own credentials or the team's. It was because of that realization and the actual application of it that Jordan became Defensive Player of the Year and led the league in scoring in the same season.

You want to be the man? Man up, and play some "D."

Other Notes:

Grant Hill was running and finishing like it was 1997. Hill finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes of playing time, making viewers appreciate both his talent and his will to keep playing despite seven years of injured misery during his prime.
The Spurs had 16 assists as a team. Steve Nash had 18 assists by himself.
If Manu Ginobili doesn't shoot (and make) 18 free throws, the Spurs only win the charity stripe battle by one.
The Cavs and Magic have a striking similarity—their offense consists of one superstar and a bunch of shooters. Orlando won the contest Thursday night 98-88. That probably didn't help refute the logic of Orlando sending three all-stars to Phoenix, while the Cavs will be represented by James alone.
Mike Brown really is like LeBron's dad. Whenever he thinks LeBron was fouled and the whistle isn't blown, Brown just loses it. Maybe it's because he knows his job would be toast of James were to ever suffer a long-term injury.
Orlando's "under the radar" theme is exemplified by Hedo Turkoglu. Despite the fact that many think he's the man that makes it work for Orlando, he was not extended an invitation for All-Star Weekend. Turkoglu responded with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Touché.

Thursday Roundup: Celtics' Slump Now Ancient History with Win in Orlando

Matt Petersen — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:49:42 -0500

Remember a couple weeks back when alarmed observers began looking at other eastern contenders following Boston's 3-7 skid?

Thursday night's win over Orlando (Boston's seventh straight following the aforementioned stretch) showed those concerns to be premature.

The only thing that ugly ten-game stretch proved was that the Green Machine is (gasp!) mortal.

This shouldn't come as a surprise, not with Boston being forced to play consecutive seven-game series against Atlanta and then Cleveland in the first two rounds of last year's playoffs. They can and will lose battles on the hardwood.

But will they lose the war? That should be the chief concern for Celtic pundits.

They've got a troika of battle-hardened floor generals in Garnett, Allen and Pierce. On any given night, any one of them can go for an All-Star performance. Thursday, it was Paul Pierce, who pasted the Magic for 27 points and 10 boards. The night before, it was Ray Allen with 23 points. Other nights, it will be Garnett's turn to lead the charge.

The collective will of those three, along with coach Doc Rivers and up-and-comer Rajon Rondo, is enough to overcome almost any other squad, save two: the Lakers and the Cavs. The reasons: Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, respectively.

That's why it's believable when Garnett told reporters that Thursday's 90-80 win over Orlando wasn't a "must-win." Orlando isn't capable of matching the C's will-for-will when it comes down to it, and therefore, not a threat. Dwight Howard, as gifted and monstrous as he is, is ultimately unable to will his team to a win over a club the caliber of the Celtics.

The only "must-wins" remaining on Boston's schedule are February 5th (hosting the Lakers) and March 6th (hosting Cleveland). They're the only teams with the combination of talent and psyche to take on Boston when it really matters, so Boston will want to destroy any vestige of vulnerability to those teams.

In the meantime, don't get excited over a back-to-back loss here or a rough stretch there. Boston is fallible.

Just don't expect them to fall when it counts.

Other Notes:

Orlando had a rare off-night from three-point land, going 7-for-22 from behind the arc. Combine that with a pedestrian 11-point, 11-rebound night from Dwight Howard, and it's no shocker that Orlando lost.
The Magic sorely missed Mikael Pietrus. Replacement starter Courtney Lee and backup J.J. Redick combined for six points on 1-for-7 shooting.
"Big Baby" Davis came up huge with 16 points off the bench. The question now is: will he follow that up with a disappearing act against Dallas on Sunday?
Every couple weeks national TV reminds us that the Washington Wizards were supposed to be a lot better this season than they currently are. They're latest embarrassment to a national audience came courtesy of the L.A. Lakers, who thrashed the hapless Wiz 117-97.
The Andrew Bynum Lakers' brass, players and fans were waiting on has apparently arrived. The young big man followed up his career-high 42-point outing with 23 points and 14 rebounds Thursday night. It'll be telling to see if he has the same success against San Antonio on Sunday...
The one way Gilbert Arenas' injury is helping Washington is by speeding up the filtering process of some of the Wizards' young talent base. Javale McGee (18 points, nine rebounds and two blocks) looked like a keeper. Andray Blatche (five points on 2-for-9 shooting) did not.

Thursday Roundup: Derrick Rose an Early Bloomer at Point Guard

Matt Petersen — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:41:11 -0500

Last year the undisputed weakness for the Chicago Bulls was the lack of a low-post threat. So with Michael Beasley available for the taking on Draft Day 2008, I thought it a foregone conclusion the Bulls would take the Kansas State product after landing the number one pick.

I was confused at all the signs pointing towards the Bulls taking Rose. Sure he's a hometown product, but there were several things working against him:

He's a point guard, a position that is far and away the most difficult for any rookie trying to make the transition to in the NBA.
The Bulls were already stocked with guards. Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Larry Hughes, and Thabo Sefolosha formed a competent foursome for Chicago's backcourt. Why increase the traffic jam?
As mentioned earlier, the Bulls needed low-post scoring in the worst way. Beasley, in my mind, would have filled that need in his rookie year better than Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah, or Drew Gooden ever will.

Three months into the season, the biggest idiots appear to be myself and Mike D'Antoni, who could be directing his lethal fastbreak with the equally lethal Rose at the helm, but instead opted to coach the Knicks' mish-mash roster.

Thursday night's game between Chicago and the Cleveland Cavaliers showed the promise Rose brings to a beleaguered Bulls team. Despite shooting 6-20 on his way to 16 points, Rose took care of the ball (six assists to one turnover), and made huge plays down the stretch.

Rose's confidence in making big plays in big moments marks him as a future star. He made two huge three-point plays, one in the fourth quarter, and the other in overtime. Rookie point guards aren't expected to do that.

He made a simple, but beautiful pass to Luol Deng for a game-clinching three. There are veterans who can't/won't do that.

Compared to today's elite point guards, Rose is on par to join their status sooner than later. His stats thus far (16.9 PPG and 6.3 APG) compare favorably with the rookie stats of Chris Paul (16.1 PPG and 7.8 APG), Deron Williams (10.8 PPG and 4.5 APG), Jason Kidd (11.7 PPG and 7.7 APG), late-bloomer Steve Nash (3.3 PPG and 2.1 APG) and Tony Parker (9.2 PPG and 4.3 APG).

So while the Bulls' lack of scoring on the block is still an issue, it's no longer a question of if they made the right pick last June; it's whether they knew Derrick Rose would be this good, this soon.

Other Notes

Did the crab dribble controversy intimidate LeBron James into shooting a contested jumper at the end of regulation Thursday night? Doubtful. James confessed to being slowed down by a cold on his way to a frigid 8-28 shooting night. The sick superstar also coughed up eight turnovers.
Will Tyrus Thomas turn into one of those guys whose production never equals his talent? 15 points and seven rebounds are decent enough, until you see he played 37 minutes of game time.
The Suns are unable to get a crunch-time break. Tie game with five seconds on the clock, Grant Hill crosses up Anthony Carter like its 1996 only to get tripped by Carter while simultaneously getting hit by Nene Hilario. No whistle. Then in overtime, Kenyon Martin pulls a Tim Duncan on Phoenix, nailing the game-clinching three. Nuggets win, 119-113.
As recently as last summer pundits still ridiculed Denver for taking Nene with the seventh pick over Amare Stoudemire. He made a nice retort Thursday night with 17 points and 14 rebounds, not to mention being relevant down the stretch, while Stoudemire was nowhere to be found.
The Nets' Bobby Simmons suffered the wrath of a bench-warmed Jerryd Bayless Thursday night. With Steve Blake out injured, Bayless got off the pine and into the scoring column, netting 23 points on 6-9 shooting, a pristine 11-11 free throw shooting, and a nasty cram on Simmons' dome late in the fourth. Portland won 105-99.
If the coaches care more about team success than individual production, the Nets' Devin Harris may not make the cut for All-Star Weekend. The Nets (19-21) have lost three of their last four and their next three games are against Boston, New Orleans, and San Antonio.

Friday's NBA Court Awareness

Matt Petersen — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:00:10 -0500

Players and coaches are much more short-term than their general managers and owners.

The former go game-to-game, rarely thinking beyond the next match, let alone the following season. The latter group painstakingly plans ahead, trying vainly to predict every pitfall while plotting the ever-elusive path to a championship.

Thursday night’s Knicks vs. Mavericks game was a nationally televised demonstration of a team living for the now (Dallas) and a team already looking to the horizon (New York).

Forget the fact that Dallas won 99-94. Forget that New York shot a subpar 41 percent on the night (32 percent on threes). Forget that Dallas’ third-best guy (take your pick between Jason Kidd and Josh Howard) is probably closer to a franchise player than any candidate wearing a Knicks jersey.

If you had to choose one of the two aforementioned teams to inherit, you’d choose the Knicks, and not for their market value either.

First and most obvious is New York’s plans for a 2010 shopping spree. Any winning now is strictly a bonus, because their expectations were at an all-time low entering the season, even with the hiring of Mike D’Antoni.

This means the Knicks are almost entirely (are you ready for this?) playing for fun. Two years of D’Antoni offense with zero expectations? That sounds like the Suns circa 2004-05, and everyone involved loved that.

That’s why guys like Chris Duhon (24 points, seven rebounds) Wilson Chandler (20 points) and David Lee (13 points, 15 rebounds) can ball their brains out on their way to contracts that will pay them for D’Antoni-inflated stats.

Dallas? They’ve got the burden of over-ripe expectations. They blew it in 2006, choked in 2007, and traded for Jason Kidd for life-support before the team is forced to blow it all up. It’s not fun at all, and you can tell when you see the team play.

The Mavs aren’t good enough to contend now, and they’ve got zero hope for the future. That’s why, on Thursday night, it was preferable to be in the loser’s shoes.

Other Notes:

If I’m Rick Carlisle, I’m starting Brandon Bass (12 points, 11 rebounds) instead of Erick Dampier. He’s strong enough to bang, and quick enough to run. Start him and let the other teams try to run with a squad of Bass, Josh Howard, Kidd, Nowitzki and Jason Terry.
Sure the Knicks are planning to spend big bucks in 2010, but they have to keep somebody, right? My three keepers are Lee, Chandler and Duhon. Sorry, Nate Robinson shoots with too much gusto and not enough accuracy for me to keep him.
Eddy Curry stuck his nose out of D’Antoni’s doghouse long enough to play three minutes. Two points and two rebounds for the former borderline All-Star…
Tim Duncan scores eight points, and the Spurs win 106-84? That’s a by-product of San Antonio’s unique ability to get quality players for chump change every offseason.
Matt Bonner (11 points), Roger Mason (18 points), Michael Finley (15 points), and Kurt Thomas (nine points and nine rebounds) formed the most effective and least expensive supporting cast for one night.
It’s hard being a Clipper fan (again). If L.A. had known Elton Brand was going to bail on them, they probably wouldn’t have signed Baron Davis (injured) and just rebuilt around Al Thornton (21 points and five rebounds). Thornton is the only bright spot I see on that team, Eric Gordon included.
In non-game related news, Portland Trail Blazers’ president Larry Miller sent an e-mail to the other 29 NBA teams warning them not to sign Darius Miles “for the purpose of adversely impacting the Portland Trail Blazers’ salary cap and tax positions.”
If Miles plays another two games this season, that’s $9 million in cap space out the window for Portland.

Miller went so far as to warn the other teams litigation could come into play if the Blazers’ feel a team’s signing of Miles warrants such action.

Given a fan’s desire for drama and intrigue, I’m dying to see if someone will actually sign Miles despite Miller’s litigation threat.

Would such a litigation actually conclude in time for cap space to be recovered? What would the punishment be? Who would risk the heat of Miller, the courts and the press? I love this game.