Bleacher Report - Articles by David Robinson

Barack Obama's Bracket Is Madness!

David Robinson — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:09:08 -0400

President Barack Obama decided to weigh in on the Madness and create his own bracket this year.

I find myself agreeing with most of his picks. While I don't agree with all of his upsets, that one that I refuse to believe is Memphis beating UConn. Not gonna happen.

Courtney Paris' $64,000 Promise: Can Oklahoma Make Good on Paris' Bet?

David Robinson — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:36:26 -0400

When Oklahoma star Courtney Paris made the promise to win the NCAA Women's Championship this year, two things could be assumed: (1) She is serious, and the basketball world as we know it is about to be turned upside down, or (2) she's listening to too much Lady Gaga.

But whether she's bluffing or not, Paris' poker face is set, and all the chips are on the table. Paris put all $64,000 of her scholarship money on the line. The question now is, does she have all the right cards to win? Paris, Danielle Robinson, and Nyeshia Stevenson have a war on their hands. Not only do they have to dig deep to win it all, they have to take on the juggernaut UConn Huskies.

The Huskies have won four titles in the last five years. This year, they're winning games by an average of 30 points against top-25 ranked teams. Led by standout Maya Moore, the Huskies are the easy favorite to win it all this year.

And to say that Paris hasn't earned her scholarship would be foolhardy. In her four years at Oklahoma University, she was named to the All-American team in her freshman year, won player of the year, won her third consecutive Big 12 Player of the Year award, and now leads the Sooners into the dance with a No. 1 seed.

Paris' legacy in NCAA history, let alone OU, is secure, hands down. So why take a risk? Why up the ante instead of playing it safe?

Maybe Paris and the Sooners know something that the rest of us don't. Maybe they've studied enough tape to know how to expose their opponents' weaknesses until there is no one left at the table. Or maybe they're suffering from delusions of grandeur.

Either way, Paris and the Sooners are all-in now, and there is no option to fold. She will have to beat the house or literally buy her way out of her bluff. I hope they know what they're in for—otherwise Paris will have 64,000 reasons to remember.

Starbury to the Celtics?

David Robinson — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:58:54 -0500

Sadly, this will be my last post for a while. This internship with the B/R sucks out all energy that I have to write. So, thanks to all of you who joined on for the meantime, including my latest fan Steven Resnick. It's been an honor writing for you guys.

But, never fear, I'll be situated sometime towards the end of February and then all will be restored.

As for Starbury on the C's? Desperate times call for desperate measures, huh? Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser don't seem to think that it would necessarily be a bad thing if he joined the squad. I tend to agree in the experimental sort of way.

I think that Stephon Marbury would definitely help at the PG position, but my main concern is his ego. Marbury left Minnesota because of his spats with KG, infamously ending with the quote, "This town ain't big enough for the both of us!"

However, if it does work out, then Boston again will be a monster to watch out for. I think that this is Marbury's last chance to salvage what's left of his career.

His less than stellar record of breaking up happy teams has followed all around the league. Now, he is sitting somewhere in Coney Island waiting to be picked up by the next unsuspecting team.

I think Marbury should stick to street ball and being the king of the Rucker tournament rather than trying to be in the NBA. He isn't a team player, nor do I think he'll ever be.

I'm out.

NBA Rookie of the Year Award Has Its Flaws

David Robinson — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:30:52 -0500

I'm still bitter about the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year. I admit that LeBron James has to be one of the top three players in the NBA right now, but that doesn't cover up what he did in his rookie season.

James was fantastic his rookie year. He had more highlights on the court than Rihanna has in her hair. He is one of the only three rookies in NBA history to average at least 20 points with five assists and rebounds. (The other two are Oscar Robertson and some guy named Michael Jordan.)

He was a monster on the court, period. However, when he was awarded the ROY, I feel that it was unjustly given to him.

James took the Cavaliers plus-18 wins that year for a 35-47 record, and he failed to make the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference. But let's look more closely at what the other draftees did that year.

Carmelo Anthony broke some records in his rookie year as well. He was the second youngest player to score 30 points in a game since the ABA-NBA merger (Kobe Bryant being the first). Anthony was also the third youngest to reach 1,000 points.

But the impressive stat that most stood out was his performance. Anthony led the Nuggets, who were tied for the worst record in the NBA the previous season, to a 43-39 record. This meant the Nuggets made the playoffs for the eighth seed in a tough Western Conference.

The Nuggets were eliminated in five games by the then top-seeded Timberwolves. (My how the mighty have fallen.) At least 'Melo snuck in a game, though. This is much more than James was able to do.

Even better still, the unheralded Dwyane Wade took his team farther than any rookie that year. Wade flew under the radar with 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.

Surprisingly, no one paid attention to Wade until he carried his team to the playoffs with a 42-40 record to make the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Then, as if that weren't enough, Wade led his teammates past the Baron Davis-led New Orleans Hornets in a last-second crossover that turned into a game-winning layup on Davis that will never be forgotten.

You want more?

As Anthony and James were now both at home watching the playoffs, Wade & Co. advanced to the second round. Indiana proved a tough foe and ultimately beat them in six games.

But Wade wasn't going down without a fight. He had one of the most memorable dunks which came via Jermaine O'Neal.

Wade certainly didn't have better numbers than James or Anthony, but he certainly took his team the farthest.

This is what worries me about this year's contestants. I think that Derrick Rose will ultimately win this year, but it won't be fair. Just because the "horri-Bulls" need him to score 60 points a game for them to win, doesn't mean that there aren't people more deserving.

Consider Rudy Fernandez of the Portland Trail Blazers. He was drafted in the Brandon Roy era, but chose to play in Spain for a year. And it helped tremendously.

Fernandez now comes off the bench for the Blazers and contributes significantly to a thriving Blazers team. He just doesn't get the spotlight like Rose, nor does he receive the playing time.

Another person that can be lumped in is San Antonio Spurs guard George Hill, who plays backup to All-Star Tony Parker. But don't let the position fool you. There is nothing lacking when Hill enters the game. Check the numbers.

My point is that the facts don't add up. I think if Fernandez switched places with Rose, their numbers would be about the same. I just think there should be more factors when picking ROY, lest we have another mistake like the 2004 debacle.

Notes

In hindsight, picking James for ROY will look good when he makes it to the Hall of Fame. But we shouldn't judge based on what a person could become, otherwise we'd have ROY awards going to players like Sam Bowie.

Yes! New Members

David Robinson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:58:47 -0500

I don't have time to write an article this week, but I got a good one coming up next week guys, I promise!

Thanks for adding me. I was very surprised to see three new members have joined my Asylum. So welcome Danny Carberry, Joseph Eastmond, and Benjamin Rogers.

Six down, and the rest of the world to go.

Lakers Stay Atop Western Conference

David Robinson — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:52:47 -0500

Is it too late to apologize? I guess if you asked OneRepublic it would be. I'm glad they're not my fans. I've been caught up in some work lately and I haven't had time to write anything. Editing people's articles can become very tedious.

Anyway, I see that Zander Freund found himself a nice spot in my Asylum while I was away. Thanks for joining, Zander!

Three down; the rest of the world to go.

Triple-Threat: Dribble

Random Fact of the Day: The Lakers have as many losses as the Thunder have wins.

Over the weekend, the Lakers managed to stay on top of the Western Conference by bullying the Bucks for a win. After Friday night's scare in Washington where they almost blew a 20-point lead, the Lakers blew a collective sigh of relief.

So after beating Washington and Milwaukee, I began to wonder: Are the Lakers the ringleaders of the NBA?

Rapper T-Pain, who is known for producing such hits as "Low" and "Buy You a Drink," refers to himself as the "ringleader of the rap game." T-Pain seemingly produces chart-topping hits effortlessly, similar to the way LA has won their games.

The Lakers always have a strong first quarter, and then the second unit comes out and runs up the score even more. Then usually Kobe Bryant comes out and finishes the game early in the fourth, leaving players like Trevor Ariza and Jordan Farmar to demolish whatever is left.

However, lately this hasn't been the case.

Just as in the case of rap, no matter how good you are, there's always one song that stinks. The Lakers had a stinker when they lost at the buzzer to Indiana last week. No one really pointed it out, but it was Derek Fisher who lost sight of Marquis Daniels who set up Troy Murphy's game-winning tip-in.

LA seemed to learn their lesson after that loss. Well, at least Bryant did. He came out and crushed the 76ers the next night. Bryant had 32 points along with a myriad of playground moves to keep the fans chanting "M-V-P!"

However, the Lakers fell right back to folly when they faced Washington last Friday. Luckily, they were able to hang on and win. Then of course they beat the Bucks, which places them at 17-2 and equals their best 19-game start in the 61 years of the franchise.

The Lakers will play Sacramento twice, Phoenix, Minnesota, and New York for their next five games. These teams don't seem like a threat, so the Lakers may revert to their circus antics for the crowd. I hope they remember the old adage: It's all fun and games, until you lose.

(Well, that's not how the saying goes, but you get the drift.)

I'm out.

Pacers-Lakers: Indiana Defeats Los Angeles at the Buzzer

David Robinson — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:18:39 -0500

Apparently, Indiana holds the secret to defeating the upper-echelon teams in the NBA.

Although they are currently in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers have managed to knock off both the Lakers and the Celtics this season.

One might wonder how such a thing is possible. The secret to their winning?

Playing harder.

It's as simple as that. When Indiana played Boston in their home opener, Danny Granger lost his two front teeth while diving for a loose ball. The crazy thing is that his team was already up 16 points early in the fourth quarter. Now who in their right mind would dive for a loose ball after having a comfortable lead?

Someone who wants it more than the other person.

The Pacers handed Boston their first loss of the season, and people thought this would be the turning point of the franchise. They were sadly mistaken. For the rest of November, the Pacers went 5-9. Before beating the Lakers, their record was 6-10, so not many people could've predicted them snapping the Lakers' eight-game winning streak.

I just hope that they don't snap LA's win streak the next time around.

Lakers Should Give Thanks For Great Start

David Robinson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:43:11 -0500

I'd like to thank Jeff Little for becoming the second member of my Asylum. Two down, the rest of the world to go.

Triple Threat: Pass

Guess what the Lakers' record was this time last year?

There were a just above par at 9-7.

This year, the Lakers are standing tall above the Western Conference at a staggering 14-1. How is it that they've been able to accomplish such a feat? Well, the fact that they have Kobe Bryant on their side helps. Also, with the deep roster to support the starters, the Lakers have many reasons to be thankful. Here are three that you may not have thought of:

Light Schedule

The Lakers have only played 15 games to date. Those games pale when compared to the next five teams below the Lakers in the Western Conference standings who have all played 18 games.

Without taking any success away from their wins, the Lakers' opponents have been relatively easy. They've already played Dallas, Denver, and that other team in LA twice this season. The only real challengers they've faced are Detroit, New Orleans, and a struggling Houston team.

However at the end of the day, credit must be given where it is due. The Lakers thoroughly thrashed teams as of late. After recently routing the Nets by 27 points, I decided to figure the average amount of points they were winning by.

About 11 points.

And in their last three games, they've won by about 15 points.

Roster Depth

For every position on the Lakers' team, there seems to be a mentor.

Experienced guard Derek Fisher is great veteran guard to have on your team. Add that knowledge to an up-and-coming guard in Jordan Farmar, and that's makes for an explosive combination.

Sasha Vujacic has been nicknamed "The Machine." The name alludes to the fact that he never stops shooting. So who better to guide him than 10-time All-Star Kobe Bryant? A couple of seasons ago, Bryant picked up a bad rap for shooting too much. Now, him and Vujacic create a good tandem of scoring and defense.

Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom are two big men who handle the ball well and cause mismatches every night because of there considerable length.

Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum may be complete opposites when it comes to their physical shape, but when they are out on the floor together; they are an opposition's nightmare. Gasol punishes those shorter than him by simply shooting over them. Bynum's size and athleticism allows him to outwork most at his position.

As far as Vladimir Radmanovic and Chris Mihm, they don't really have mentors, but they've apparently found their niche. (Luke Walton and Josh Powell should confer amongst themselves about how they're going to have to take a pay cut to stay on this team.)

and lastly...

Kobe Bryant

Who are the Lakers without Kobe Bryant?

A couple years ago some may have answered, "nothing." Now, coincidentally enough, it seems as if Bryant has had to do "nothing."

Bryant's stats are down across the board this year. He's averaging four less points than last year because he's no longer forced to take as many shots. He's not forced to take that many shots because he's able to rest about five minutes more than last year. Best of all, his turnover/assist ratio is better because he doesn't have to handle the ball as much.

Have I made my point?

The Lakers and Lakers' fans have plenty to be thankful for this year, including moments like these.

I'm out.

Dwyane Wade: Riding High in April, Shot Down in May

David Robinson — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:41:29 -0500

First of all, I just want to thank Dave Morrison for becoming the first person to join my Asylum. Welcome Dave, I've been expecting you.

If you've read my first article, you'll understand that I'm trying to build an army of readers similar to Max Kellerman.

One down, the rest of the world to go...

On to today's blog.

Triple-Threat: Pass

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

In 2004, Dwyane Wade snuck up on the League. After carrying the Heat past Baron Davis and the New Orleans Hornets, people knew Wade had arrived.

Then in 2005-06, Wade, alongside Shaquille O'Neal, willed his way to an NBA Championship past the Dallas Mavericks. Shortly after, he followed that performance up by playing in the FIBA games.

It was only a matter of time before his body would break down on him.

During the 2006-07 season, Wade missed a total of 31 games due to injury. However, he still managed to average 27.4 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds.

Not even "Flash" could avoid lightning striking twice as Wade missed another 31 games during the 2007-08 season due to injury.

Many wrote Wade off after this. Some deemed his 2006 success as the pinnacle of his career. Also that season, Shaq was traded to the Phoenix Suns. This further developed the idea that Wade would never see the light of the Finals again.

However, Wade had different ideas.

After training with the legendary Tim Grover, Wade put on a stellar performance during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Many recognize that it was his performance that kept the USA team steady during their gold-medal run.

Now, we are here in the present. Wade's Heat (7-7) have cooled a couple degrees due to their undersized positions in the front court.

The average size of the Heat's starting frontcourt is roughly 6'8", compared to the Celtics' and Lakers' 6'9" and 7'0 starting frontcourt, respectively. It doesn't seem that bad on paper, but when you add in the fact that Boston and L.A. have more big players on their bench, Miami doesn't stack up...literally.

It seems as if Wade has traded places with Kobe Bryant. Remember, just three years ago it was Bryant who was on the outside looking in.

The Lakers missed the playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history. This was after Shaq cut ties with the Lakers. Considering that after the "Big Moocher," or as I like to call him, the "Man-of-Steal," left Miami with a dismal 15 wins last season, I'd say Wade is in good company.

As Wade leads his young team this season, he's averaging a career best 28.5 points, 7.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 48.8 percent from the field.

Wade went from winning gold in the summer to struggling to win at all in the regular season. He may not have all the talent that is necessary to win right now, but he's proven time and time again that he has the heart.

Fall down seven times, stand up eight right?

I'm out.

Oklahoma City wins 10 games: Over or thUNDER?

David Robinson — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:11:46 -0500

(Triple-Threat: Shot)

At the start of the NBA season, I jokingly told my brother that the Oklahoma City Thunder wouldn't win more than nine games. However, after their 1-12 start; call me a prophet.

After firing P.J. Carlesimo and hiring interim coach Scott Brooks, the Thunder now look to rebuild. However, was firing the necessary solution?

The problem didn't lie within the coaching staff. Similar to the Eddie Jordan scenario in Washington, someone simply had to take the fall for losses. And it's like Bleacher Report's Senior Writer Joe Willett says, "You can't fire the players..."

So who can you blame for the losses? Management may not be able to blame the players, but I can. Carlesimo, now Brooks, entered every game with "insufficient players."

I blame Oklahoma City's roster—no bueno.

They have a great young talent in Kevin Durant, but he's no LeBron James. Besides that, you have a bunch of other guys who were winners in college, but never had the proper guidance to win in the NBA.

Nick Collison played for Kansas and had a great career there but where'd that land him? Sleepless in Seattle with the then Supersoncics.

Collison was also alongside the the college-monster Chris Wilcox from Maryland. Gary Williams wasn't the only one who wished Wilcox would've stayed another year. Wilcox's career isn't as good as it should've been. Maybe he should ask former Maryland alumni Joe Smith for advice.

Earl Watson, at best, is a good backup point guard. I don't know how or why anyone in the Thunder's front office thought he could lead a team.

Jeff Green and Damien Wilkins are an okay tandem at the 3 and 4 respectively, but c'mon...who's mentioning them in star-studded Western Conference?

The rest of the cast/team resembles a "Where Are They Now?" spot on VH1 including the aforementioned Smith and rounding off with Desmond Mason.

All of that adds to the horrendous 1-12 start. Considering Oklahoma City has 69 games left; if they win one game for every 12 losses, they can go 6-72 and have 10 games left over to win or lose.

On the games that the Thunder have lost, it's been by an average of only 13 points? So considering this is the first year for Oklahoma city: was it really Carlesimo's fault that they kept losing?

Logic says no, but management said, "Farewell Carlesimo, and hello Scott!"

My prediction is that the Thunder will go 9-73 this season.

I'm out.

Lakers Are King of the Hill

David Robinson — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:31:07 -0500

(Triple-Threat: Dribble)

As predicted, the Lakers beat the Kings last night, 118-108.

Although the Lakers did commit 18 turnovers, five of which belonged to Andrew Bynum, they came through with the game on the line. The Kings trailed by as many as 19 points before Bobby Jackson helped put together a 21-6 run.

However, when you have the ultimate closer in Kobe Bryant, there's never really need to worry. With 6:17 left in the fourth, the Lakers took control and the young Kings' hopes were shot.

“I’m not happy with this win. We could have played much more solid defensively,” Bryant said.

Bryant wasn't the only one who thought the Lakers could've played better.

“I thought we were poor, defensively,” coach Phil Jackson said after watching Sacramento shoot 53.4 percent against his team.

However, the Lakers cruised to another win. NBA analysts may say that the scoreboard is deceiving in this win, but when you're up by as many as 19 late in the third, the body does tend to relax a little. Although the Lakers aren't cocky by any sense of the word, Bryant's index finger does seem to merit the question: "Who's next?"

The Lakers' next five games are in New Jersey, Dallas, Toronto, Indiana, and Philadelphia. Those games are very winnable. So I guess the real game is when they meet Boston for the first time on Christmas.

The Celtics, who coincidentally enough, also scored 118 points in their win last night, are atop the Eastern Conference. It seems as if destiny will bring these two titans clashing together in December. As to who will win, nobody knows, but the victor will take all the spoils until the next meeting.

I'm out.

Kobe Bryant's Lakers Surge Forward

David Robinson — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:53:17 -0500

(Triple-Threat: Dribble)

:Sighs:

It seems as if the Lakers are on cloud nine right now. What is LA's MVP guard thinking about? Is he thinking about how they just demolished the Nuggets on Friday? The scoreboard only says that they won by 14, but Carmelo Anthony's FG% exposes the Nuggets. Anthony shot 5-19 including 0-3 from beyond the arc. The Lakers smothered him on defense. They realized that Anthony is Denver's energy. Phil Jackson had this to say about the strategy used:

"We focused on not giving him open opportunities, getting a body on him when he gets the basketball, turning him to the baseline a lot of times and trying to keep him from the middle so he couldn’t penetrate,” Jackson said. “Vlade (Radmanovic) did a good job on him and I thought guys focused on him and knew where he was.”

Even when I read what Nuggets' Head Coach George Karl had to say, I sensed some helplessness within his answer as if he knew his best offensive weapon was jammed and there was nothing he could do about it.

“I think it’s very difficult to be a star when defenses are designed and manipulated to take you out and stop you from being successful,” Karl said. “Right now we’re not getting a lot of opportunities for him. He’s taking a lot of tough shots and getting frustrated over the shot selection. I think he’s got to be patient and work with us, and we’ll figure out how to help him gain more success.”

Did you feel it? It was that, "I-tried-everything-and-nothing-was-working" answer. So if Anthony isn't available to shoot, we all know who readily steps up; Karl's prodigal son J.R. Smith. He did alright, 6-12 shooting and 3-6 on the 3-pt, however his five turnovers (team high) counteract everything he did.

The one thing that I don't understand is why is it that Billups hasn't clicked with the team? My best guess is that that team is going to have to learn how to play better defense. But enough about them, let's rejoice in another Lakers' victory!

Andrew Bynum recorded one block to go along with his 13 points and rebounds. I didn't get to see the game so I don't know if Trevor Ariza exploded for any sick dunks. Mark my words, he is going to catch someone underneath that rim BAD this year.

Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar are becoming more and more alike each other in the stat department. And let's not forget about the ever-ready Sasha Vujacic. He jacked up 11 shots and made two, but I'm sure Phil doesn't have a problem if his tenacious defense keeps improving.

The Lakers (10-1) play the struggling Sacramento Kings (5-9) tonight. Hopefully Francisco Garcia is ready to play tonight otherwise, this could be another long night for the Kings who were blown out on Friday by Portland. The Blazers were plus 10 in the 3-pt. category.

I'm out.