Bleacher Report - Articles by Steph Rockwood

The 2008 NBA Championships: Finally Someone Put Kobe Bryant in His Place

Steph Rockwood — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:54:13 -0400

If you are reading this, then I guess that means that Mr. MVP himself, Kobe Bryant, fell short of an NBA Championship and it is the Boston Celtics who are basking in a sea of excellence (as they should).

Kobe's showboating and over confidence didn’t reach as far as he has hoped.

Sure, it brought him this far—but it takes more then sheer confidence to take home an NBA title, especially against a team of such caliber as the Celtics. Did he really think that he could take this himself with not one, but THREE All-Star level competitors on the Celtics squad?

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen will finally be known as the people to shut up and shut down Kobe Bryant—and I thank them, from the bottom of my little basketball-loving heart.

The Celtics and the Lakers have a spectacular NBA Playoff rivalry that will now be remembered for what it IS, not what it WAS. With so many great players on the court representing both teams this year, how could you compare it to anything else?

Paul Pierce, who sustained an injury in the first half of Game One, came out during the second half of that game and showed the world the kind of player he was—a champion.

Going three for four on three-point shots, and scoring 22 points for the game, he showed little to no discomfort resulting from the injury. He also got plenty of help from fellow teammates. Garnett and Allen put up a combined 43 points, resulting in a win for the boys in green.

I guess it wouldn’t be a good series if the bad guys didn’t win at least one of the games. Game Three was one for Bryant and his golden boys. Bryant put up 36 points in the win—and that was just enough to carry his team over the Celtics by six points.

If your top player scores 36 points, and you still just barely win the game, that can mean just one thing—your opponents are displaying absolutely amazing defensive skills. To quote perhaps my favorite movie of all time, Love and Basketball, “Offense sells tickets, defense wins games.”

More importantly—defense wins championships.

In Game Four, the Boston Celtics pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history—which is more then you can say for Kobe and his resume.

(To my surprise, as well as probably many other people who follow the NBA, Kobe came up with a whopping 10 assists. The boy can pass the rock, who knew?)

What happened during Game Four was something of epic proportions. It was something the guys on the Celtics dreamed about. And on this night, someone wished upon a star, because their dreams came true.

The Lakers, who led by 24 points at one point during Game Four, were up on the Celtics 35-14 by the end of the first quarter. From this point on, the Celtics had the greatest comeback viewed in NBA playoff history.

At half-time the score was 58-40 in favor of the Lakers, but the Celtics never lost the faith. It was said that “no team had ever overcome more than a 15-point deficit after the first quarter.” During the second half of the game, Boston went on to outscore Los Angeles 57-33.

All I have to say to that is WOW.

Now that everyone is flying high above the clouds, there was only one thing left for the Celtics to do. They just needed to finish off the Lakers in Game Five and they could call themselves the 2008 NBA Champions.

Prior to Game Five, the Lakers had quite a name for themselves at the Staples Center. In the playoffs, the Lakers were an impressive 9-1 at home. The Celtics would have to overcome all the hype, and shut the Lakers down in their own house.

The L.A. hype was too much for the Celtics in Game Five, as the Lakers won at home, 103-98. But now was not the time for Boston fans to lose hope.

It all came down to Game Six. If the Celtics came out on top with this game, they would be hanging banner No. 17.

Game Six being in Boston, the Lakers had to work extra hard against the Boston stands—and if you watched the final game, you saw them fell incredibly short, losing the game 131-92.

Legendary Celtic player Bill Russell joined in the celebration as the final buzzer sounded.

This was the largest margin of victory ever in a championship-clinching game. Shooting 27-64, with 19 turnovers, L.A. didn’t make a very good case for themselves as the better team.

Not only did the Celtics prove to be the elite team, they appeared also to be an equally talented team. They put up 33 assists compared to the Lakers’ 16.

PTI’s Michael Wilbon put it perfectly when he said, “By the end of Game Three in this series, it was evident to even people who picked the Lakers, like I did, in this series, Boston wasn’t just a better team, they were a MUCH better team.”

Kevin Garnett, clearly a star player this postseason as well as one of the most emotional of all the celebrants, scored 500 points this postseason. Finals MVP, Paul Pierce also scored 500 points in this postseason. Larry Bird is the only other Celtic to mark that accomplishment.

In perfect ending, with tears in his eyes, KG loudly announced his gratitude to those who mean most to him: “Mama, I made it.”

Dwight Howard: Crank Dat MVP

Steph Rockwood — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:40:31 -0400

This year, the NBA's most valuable player will NOT be Chris Paul, and sure as hell won't be Kobe Bryant. The 2008 NBA MVP is going to be Dwight Howard.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, Dwight Howard.

You may think I’m crazy for saying this, but don’t worry because I have legitimate reasoning behind my MVP vote.

With basically the same roster, the Orlando Magic, with the help of Howard, continue to be a playoff contender. They haven’t lost any juice transitioning from 2007 to 2008.

D-How is averaging 20.9 points per game, which is rather impressive for a man of his stature, and Howard’s athleticism tops others of his position.

On top of these impressive offensive numbers, Howard is grabbing 14.3 boards a game. He’s doing exactly what he’s supposed to be doing.

Kevin Garnett, who is actually in MVP contention, is only averaging 19.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Now, Garnett is a power-forward, but Boston has 14 more wins than Orlando, and Howard still has better numbers than him.

KG will always be a great player, but Dwight Howard really belongs on the MVP voting ballot. Not only does he deserve to be in the running, but Most Improved Player (MIP), should be in his favor too.

Howard makes quite the case for himself for the MIP award.

Last year, Howard only averaged 17.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. He also improved defensively, as his blocks per game went up from 1.9 to 2.2.

He is also really crashing the boards and helping his team out. Last season, he averaged 8.86 defensive rebounds a game. He's brought that up to 10.85 per game. That’s more than we can say for KG. He is only averaging 7.37 defensive boards a game.

You may come to KG’s defense saying that he needs a break because he’s in a new city. He only played six more games last year than he did this year and his points per game and his rebounds per game decreased.

All I’m saying is that Dwight Howard has the numbers and the athleticism to be considered as the next NBA MVP. Superman has my vote as the 2008 NBA MVP.

So, either take someone off that is not as worthy as you may have thought, or just add Dwight Howard to the list of candidates.

NBA: Charles Barkley Barks Again

Steph Rockwood — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:33:38 -0400

Charles Barkley is known around the league as one who speaks his mind regardless of what others think. Since he became an NBA personality, he hasn't stopped running his mouth yet.

It usually bothers me when he makes some kind of off the wall comment about Allen Iverson. However, what I heard during a promo for the Laker/Clipper game Thursday night was too much, even for Chuck.

He said, and I quote, "Kobe Bryant, the best basketball player in the world."

I nearly swallowed my heart when I heard these words come out of his mouth. Not only did he call Kobe Bryant, my arch nemesis, the best basketball player, but in the whole world?

C'mon now. Can somebody tell me when Chuck became KB8's bitch?

I mean, seriously, Kobe already has the rest of the universe blowing his head up into the size of a hot air balloon. The last thing he needed was Charles Barkley pulling for him too, with the playoffs and such approaching faster and faster.

Obviously he's forgetting about the fact that the Lakers would still be at the bottom if it wasn't for newly traded Pau Gasol. They wouldn't even have even been in playoff contention. Even when Andrew Bynum was out of the picture, Kobe wasn't always the one getting things done for the Lakers.

Now that Bynum is working on coming back to the lineup—and the addition of Gasol—it's no longer Kobe's show. It's the supporting cast that's coming up with the wins.

So, Sir Charles wants to start running his mouth about who he thinks is the best player in the world? I got something coming for him. He forgot the rest of the list.

Here's MY list for the best 50 players in the "world" (order not important):

1. Allen Iverson—Guard, Denver
2. Steve Nash—Guard, Phoenix
3. Dwayne Wade—Guard, Miami
4. Dwight Howard—Center, Orlando
5. Dirk Nowitzki—Forward, Dallas
6. LeBron James—Forward, Cleveland
7. Tim Duncan—Forward/Center, San Antonio
8. Baron Davis—Guard, Golden State
9. Carmelo Anthony—Forward, Denver
10. Amare Stoudamire—Center/Forward, Phoenix
11. Josh Smith—Forward, Boston
12. Kevin Garnett—Forward, Boston
13. Ray Allen—Guard, Boston
14. Paul Pierce—Forward, Boston
15. Shaquille O'Neal—Center, Phoenix
16. Shawn Marion—Forward, Miami
17. Chris Paul—Guard, New Orleans
18. Jason Richardson—Guard/Forward, Charlotte
19. Andre Igoudala—Forward/Guard, Philadelphia
20. Emeka Okafor—Center, Charlotte
21. Ben Wallace—Center/Forward, Cleveland
22. Wally Szcerbiak—Forward, Cleveland
23. Joe Smith—Forward/Center, Cleveland
24. Jason Kidd—Guard, Dallas
25. Josh Howard—Forward/Guard, Dallas
26. Chauncey Billups—Guard, Detroit
27. Rasheed Wallace—Forward/Center, Detroit
28. Marcus Camby—Center, Denver
29. Dikembe Mutombo—Center, Houston
30. Yao Ming—Center, Houston
31. Jermaine O'Neal—Forward/Center, Indiana
32. Brandon Roy—Forward/Guard, Portland
33. Mike Bibby—Guard, Atlanta
34. Monta Ellis—Guard, Golden State
35. Elton Brand—Forward, LA Clippers
36. Pau Gasol—Forward/Center, LA Lakers
37. Lamar Odom—Forward, LA Lakers
38. Vince Carter—Guard, New Jersey
39. Richard Jefferson—Forward, New Jersey
40. Andrew Bynum—Center, LA Lakers
41. Rudy Gay—Forward, Memphis
42. Samuel Dalembert—Center, Philadelphia
43. Tyson Chandler—Center, New Orleans
44. David West—Forward, New Orleans
45. Chris Bosh—Forward, Toronto
46. Carlos Boozer—Forward, Utah
47. Gilbert Arenas—Guard, Washington
48. Caron Butler—Forward, Washington
49. Antawn Jamison—Forward, Washington
50. Tracy McGrady—Guard, Houston
*) Honorable Mention: Kobe Bryant—Guard, LA Lakers

So guys and girls of Bleacher Report, there is my composite list of the 50 greatest players of today. Comment accordingly. I'm even open to any suggestions.

If ESPN is really watching us, I hope this gets around to Chuck. It's about time someone put him in his place. I am proud to be that someone.

Guess I won't be in his fav five this time either. Sorry Chuck, your loss.

The Answer's Resurrection: How Allen Iverson Got His Groove Back

Steph Rockwood — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:34:44 -0400

When Allen Iverson stood next to NBA Commissioner David Stern during the NBA draft of 1996 and put on a Philadelphia 76ers jersey for the first time, everyone thought that he was a Godsend.

This former Hoya and No. 1 overall draft pick was the best thing to happen to Philly since the legendary Julius Erving graced the court.

The belief in Philadelphia was that Iverson would start and end his career there. But there was only one problem with this fairytale.

He was unhappy.

Iverson was and still is the kind of player to put his body on the line and play from his heart. He is every coach’s dream. He was a championship athlete being forced to play with a mediocre, struggling to finish the season at .500 kind of team.

Then, words that no basketball star wants to hear in the same sentence as their name started being thrown around.

People ranging from fans, to ESPN personalities were calling Iverson selfish and a “ball hog.”

As one of the few true Iverson fans left on the planet, my only defense to comments like that would be something along the lines of "he had no choice, because on that Sixers team, he had no one to play ball with, many players came and gone, but Iverson didn't mesh with any of them well enough with to make the team successful."

Trade rumors swirled around the press for a few years until December 19, 2006. On this day, a silence swept over the entire league, as Iverson’s wishes to be traded became a reality. Philadelphia made an agreement with the Denver Nuggets.

If you don’t remember, there was quite some drama leading up to this day.

Just two days before, the Nuggets and the New York Knicks took part in a brawl over a flagrant foul. The next day, David Stern suspended then league leading scorer, Carmelo Anthony for 15 games, and J.R. Smith (Denver’s second leading scorer) for 10 games.

Soon after, Denver welcomed Iverson into their home and hearts, who happened to be the league’s second-leading scorer at the time.

In return, Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and two draft picks from the first round of the 2007 draft were shipped off to Philly. The Nuggets also received Ivan McFarlin in the transaction, who seldom played for the 76ers.

This, in my mind, is by far the best decision Iverson could have made regarding the future of his career. I could think of no one else to run the court with Iverson than Carmelo Anthony.

After being a Nugget for close to two seasons, Iverson has already grown into the team player we all knew he could be. He just needed the right environment, and that’s what he found in Denver.

During the 10 seasons that Iverson played as a Sixer, he averaged just 6.2 assists. In just under two seasons in Denver, he has already averaged 7.2 assists.

What still puzzles me is Iverson’s relationship with Sixers president, Billy King.

Shortly after Iverson went to Denver, King said, “First of all, I’d like to thank Allen Iverson for the last 11 years,” said King. “I think he gave us all some great excitement. I think he is one of the greatest ever to play the game.”

It’s funny how highly King thinks of Iverson because up until the Nuggets and Iverson went to Philadelphia to play the Sixers (the first time since the trade), King hasn’t spoken a word to Iverson. The Sixers won that day, 115-113.

According to an article on USAtoday.com from December 20, 2006, “It wasn’t easy for the 76ers to part with Iverson because of his popularity, his productivity, and his status as the face of the franchise. But after 10-plus often-tumultuous seasons, the 76ers were more than ready for a makeover.”

With the recent retirement announcement from Chris Webber, it got me thinking.

Iverson’s body is aging and he probably only has a few years left in the league before he crosses over for the last time.

I watched Iverson on TV when he played at Georgetown and I saw him grow as a player. I saw the creation of the cornrow phenomenon, and I saw the tattoos multiply. There is just one thing left for me to do.

I must see The Answer play in person, and my life will be complete.

Red Sox-Yankees: The Rivalry of a Lifetime

Steph Rockwood — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:54:40 -0500

It all began in 1920, when one man would start a rivalry between two teams. Those two teams would build up their rivalry to have the strength to go on for what’s been 90 years.

Who would have thought that the trade of one of the most prolific baseball players to ever play the game had the power to start something that would continue even after he was six feet under?

USA Today has called it “the fiercest rivalry in sports.” My most memorable moments as a Red Sox fan were when this rivalry was expressed. The instances that stand out in my mind are, well of course their bench-clearing fights.

I thought I would just go through some occurrences that make up what we know today as Red Sox/Yankee baseball:

1941: Even though those awful pinstripes won the World Series, Ted Williams—who personally, I think was the greatest to ever play the game, hands down—batted .406 on the season. He was the last person to bat over .400 in a single season. The American League MVP was between Teddy and Joe DiMaggio. DiMaggio, who had a 56 game hitting streak, won the race. Score one for the enemy.
May 24, 1952: Jimmy Piersall (Red Sox) and Billy Martin (Yankees) fought in the tunnel under the stands after the two insulted each other (how grown-up of them). Piersall ended up sitting out that game, but the Red Sox still won 5-2. That’s one for the good guys.
August 1, 1973: Top of the ninth, scored tied at two. Thurman Munson (Yankee catcher) tries coming home from third on a missed bunt. He collides with Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk, and Munson ends up decking Fisk. That’s one more for New York.
May 20, 1976: Lou Piniella of the Yankees meets Carlton Fisk feet first while trying to score. The two fought and the benches cleared. After everything settles down, Bill Lee and Graig Nettles start it up again.
September 10, 1999: Pedro Martinez (we miss ya, man) strikes out 17 Yankee batters. That number is the most against a Yankee team, ever.
October 11, 2003: I think we all remember this episode of Red Sox/Yankee baseball. Pedro hits Karim Garcia, and both teams are on their feet. Roger Clemens throws at Manny Ramirez and that clears the benches and starts a brawl. Don Zimmer—who was so old, he could barely walk, let alone “charge”—went after Pedro, and he “throws” him to the ground. That same day, a groundskeeper for Red Sox was beaten up by Karim Garcia and Jeff Nelson because he was supporting the Red Sox (keep on cheering!).
February of 2004: The Yankees acquire Alex Rodriguez. For them, they get a slugger. For the Red Sox, it was just another addition to the intensity, another disagreement, another fight.
July 24, 2004: Mr. Rodriguez fights with catcher Jason Varitek, which clears the benches. Bill Mueller won the game with a walk-off home run off legendary closer Mariano Rivera.
October 19, 2004: Curt Schilling and his “bloody sock” defeat the Yankees in their own house. During that game, Alex Rodriguez slapped the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove. The more didn’t help him much because the Red Sox became the first team ever to tie the series after being down three games to none.
October 20, 2004: Less than 24 hours later, Boston beats New York for the first time in 100 years for the AL title (I was so proud).
Seven days later: The 86-year drought ends with the Red Sox becoming World Champions.
April 14, 2005: Gary Sheffield’s hat is tipped off by a Red Sox fan, while trying to make a play. Sheffield pushes the fan back.

After that, it pretty much died down, mainly because the Yankees have not been up to their caliber of play that most are familiar with. The Red Sox won again in 2007, and as we all know, Hank Steinbrenner really hit home with his hateful comments directed towards the beloved Red Sox Nation.

I'm sure these comments only sparked the rivalry for the 2008 season and I’m excited to see the outcome. Show us what you got, Yankees fans—bring it on, because we will be ready for you.

John Henry Welcomes Hank Steinbrenner to Red Sox Nation

Steph Rockwood — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:22:37 -0500

I’m sensing a little bit of jealousy in the Yankee administration. I’m glad that Red Sox owner, John Henry, drew Hank Steinbrenner into our fan community. Maybe being a part of Red Sox Nation will knock some sense into him.

He should be knocked anyway, a hard knocking too, after what he said in a recent interview.

“Go anywhere in America, and you won’t see Red Sox hats and jackets, you’ll see Yankee hats and jackets,” Hank said. “This is Yankee country. We’re going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.”

First of all, last time I checked, it was baseball that was America’s pastime, not the Yankees. Sure, the Yankees have dominated for years. Their World Series train was halted in 2000, which was the last time they were champions.

Since then, the Red Sox appeared twice at that final step. They took home the crown in 2004, after a World Series drought of 86 years, and after a few changes to their roster, they celebrated again in 2007.

Maybe the lack of recent World Series victories for the Yankees was the reasoning behind Hank’s hateful comments. Not only was he spitting fire, his baby brother Hal Steinbrenner caught on to what it’s like to be in charge of such an egotistical franchise.

During an interview with GQ.com, Hal really let loose.

“The defending World Series champions have a lot of talent, and [have] done very well the past few years, but let me put it this way: I don’t think [they] wanted to play us in the ALCS,” Hal said. “So I will concede nothing. I think we’re better then [them].”

This brings me to my next point. Since when were we scared to play the Yankees? If you ask me, Red Sox vs. Yankees are the most exciting MLB games. Throw a trip to the World Series in the pot, and both teams are bound to show quite the performance.

We don’t want to play them? Pshh. Bring 'em on!

So, Steinbrenner brothers, until the Yankee ball club comes back up to Boston’s level, keep your comments to yourself. Don’t you have enough problems of your own?

Is a 19-year-old an Adult in the NBA?

Steph Rockwood — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:27:07 -0500

Raising the NBA draft age to 19 solved absolutely nothing. I don't know about Maurice Cheeks and George Karl, but personally I wouldn't want a guy on my team that still relies on his mother to do his laundry and still gets allowance from his father.

No one could have said it better, when NBA great, Michael Jordan said, "Kids shouldn't come out of school as early as they do. A year in college isn't enough. They shouldn't be allowed to come out until they are adults -- 21 years old." In this same article in the February 25th issue of ESPN Magazine, he goes on to say that kids are coming into the league, which are not fully mature yet.

I thought the whole point of raising the age was to guarantee that these players were ready for NBA level competition. There are some that at the age of 19 are indeed ready. On the other hand, there's a higher number that aren't.

Is it really in the best interest of the athlete to opt out of a college education? Your college years are supposed to be the best years of your life. These players are being forced to grow up at an absurd rate.

Now, what happens if, three or four years down the road, the athlete in question suffers a career ending injury? What do they do now? Is he really going back to the classroom? The answer for most of them is probably not. What kind of life can they give their families, as well as themselves?

If you’re on the same page as me, you're saying to yourself, "not a very good life at all." There is always going to be the chance that some of the players are going to have the mentality of Vince Carter, who even though he entered the draft after his junior year at North Carolina, managed to get his college degree while playing professional basketball.

What's next David Stern, are you going to suggest that kids skip out of high school too? Something needs to be done. The NBA should be a place for adults, not my college classmates.