Bleacher Report - NBA

Pivot Points: Gasol's Return Is More Memorable Than His CSI Performance

Hadarii Jones — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:56:44 -0500

Los Angeles Laker coach Phil Jackson alluded to the point that he felt Pau Gasol's appearance on CSI: Miami could have contributed to his recent hamstring injury.

When pressed for an explanation, Jackson offered the theory that all the standing around that Gasol did on the set caused his legs to stiffen and tighten up, and when his part called for him to pull a person from a car, he could have been injured then.

After viewing Gasol's small piece on the show, Jackson surmised that Pau would be better off sticking with his night job, and after witnessing the clip myself, I am inclined to agree.

His talents are much better suited to the hardwood as his return from an 11 game absence can surely attest. His grand entrance had all the drama and tension of a made-for Hollywood moment and Gasol didn't fail to disappoint.

With the pulsating noise of a crowd chanting his name in the background, Gasol proceeded to score eight points in a little over one minute and give the impression that he had never been away.

His seamless transition back into the line-up contributed to a thrashing of the defenseless Chicago Bulls in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated.

The Lakers had their mojo back, and the offense and defense finally appeared to play in a rhythm-laced unison. All of the qualities that the Lakers lacked were present in Gasol's return.

Their post defense was much improved as the combination of Gasol and Andrew Bynum dominated the smaller Bulls, and at times, seemed to play keep-away amongst themselves.

The spacing on offense was much better which highlighted Gasol's perimeter passing that led to three assists and helped set up numerous others.

Derrick Rose did score 20 points but his shooting percentage was horrible and this was in no small part due to the help defense that Gasol was able to offer after the Laker guards had been beaten off the dribble.

Pau's presence translated to his teammates to, as Kobe was able to return to his facilitator role, and came a rebound and two assists shy of a triple-double.

Ron Artest was able to play defense more aggressively without fear of getting beat baseline, and Lamar Odoom's return to the bench helped spark a unit that had been otherwise dismal.

Pau's active 24 point, 13 rebound night looked much better than the way he finished up his stint on CSI as a dead body on a cooling board, and it bodes well for the Lakers in the immediate and distant future.

Gasol's performance on CSI was drab and dull and hopefully will be forgotten the moment the show hits the airwaves. His acting was so bad that he had a hard time convincing viewers as a dead body.

His heroic return to the basketball court on the other hand was a grand performance, worthy of an Emmy for best returning player and the timing of it couldn't have been better for the Lakers.

We should appreciate the fact that Jackson was so frank in his critique of his star seven footer's television performance, and we should also appreciate the fact that he along with Gasol, realizes his time is much better spent on a basketball court.

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Iverson and the Knicks: What Could Have Been

Dwyane Montell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:46:45 -0500

Allen Iverson, one of the games greatest players and arguably the third best shooting guard in league history, was so close to getting a chance at resurrecting his career and turning the New York Knicks into a lovable team.

Fans were ecstatic when they heard Iverson was going to sign a deal over the weekend with the Knicks and people were already talking about how were going to get his jersey the first day it drops.

Tickets would have sold out and fans would have for the first time in a long time, got to cheer for a player on their own team.

The best thing New York gets is when Kobe, LeBron James, or Dwyane Wade comes to town. The crowds go crazy because New York loves stars. Especially those who can take over a game and make exciting plays.

Iverson could have been the star the Knicks have been searching for. He would prove to everyone how is still one of the best players in the league. He would be playing in a system that fits his style of play.

Iverson could have put up 25-30 points a night and lead the Knicks. Who knows, maybe he could have even led them to the playoffs as a seventh or eighth seed.

I could picture it right now, it would have been just like his days in Philadelphia. Iverson lacing up a pair of orange and white Answer 13's, getting handshakes from the celebrities sitting court side, and having those 40 point nights and running around the worlds most famous arena, Madison Square Garden.

He would have his hand to his ear while the crowd chants his name and the Knicks would be winners again. Iverson's face would be all over the signs and billboards in Times Square. He would be the talk of the city.

His jersey would sell like crazy and Iverson would prove that he still has the skills he showed as a Sixer and a Nugget.

But the Knicks decided they didn't need a former MVP and four time scoring champion. They didn't want a player who has 24,020 points and is arguably one of the top 25 players all all-time.

They thought he would stunt the growth of the young guys on their team. The same young guys that are so good that they are supposed to attract superstars like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to play in New York in 2010.

The Knicks blew it big time.

They could have done so much for Iverson, but Iverson would have done even more for them. They could have signed LeBron or D-Wade in 2010 and the Knicks could contend for a championship next season.

The Knicks had nothing to lose on this move but had everything to gain. Unfortunately, they decided to pass.

The Knicks do not have a leader. Iverson could have been that leader.

Iverson could have been that superstar the excites the city and makes the Knicks the talk of the league.

Now the Knicks can have fun trying to win games with their current roster. They don't have a first round pick next season and they are NOT getting LeBron or D-Wade if their best player is Al Harrington. LeBron and Wade already have a lot of help where they are playing and they aren't going to come to New York saying, "Yes! I get to play with Danilo Gallinari."

The Knicks had a golden chance and they blew it.

Allen Iverson playing for the New York Knicks could have been one of the best sports stories of the year.

But Donnie Walsh has 2010 in mind. Good luck with that buddy.

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Hornets Buzz: Four Games With Coach Jeff Bower

Joe Gerrity — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:06:50 -0500

With the surprising win last night against the Phoenix Suns, Jeff Bower evened his coaching record to 2-2 and improved the New Orleans Hornets' overall record to 5-8.

When Coach Byron Scott was fired Hornets' fans expected the worst, even more so when we learned that our GM with no head coaching experience would be the one replacing him.

It didn't ease our minds when we heard Tim Floyd would come on as the head assistant.

Who Is Jeff Bower?

Bower has been GM of the Hornets since 2005 (with a short stint in 2003 as well). He has never been a head coach before, even at the college level.

His most recent on-court job was as an assistant at Marist College from 1990-1995. He's been with the Hornets in one capacity or another ever since.

As GM, he was responsible for picking Chris Paul in the 2005 NBA draft.

Why Is Jeff Bower the Head Coach?

Well first off, Byron just got fired. PAY ATTENTION!

Anyway, Bower is the guy who knows these players the best. He's also willing to actually listen to owner George Shinn and play the young guys.

Also, he was already on staff with a locked salary, so it seems to be some sort of a cost saving move by the owner/GM.

Should Fans Believe in Him, Or is He Simply an Interim Coach?

First off, I don't think he's an interim coach. They never used those terms to describe him, so it seems that he is here until further notice.

Secondly, he seems to know what he's doing.

So far he's shown that he's much more knowledgeable than Scott about the strengths and weaknesses of the roster.

Immediately he shoved Mo-P to the bench and put the young guys in a position to improve and contribute.

Collison and Thornton barely saw a minute with Scott as the coach, but now Collison is starting (albeit because CP3 is hurt) and Thornton is coming off the bench as the most explosive scorer they have, averaging 33 points per 48 minutes.

The offense, which at times looked pathetic—even with CP3—seems to be back to NBA quality.

Byron pretty much ran the pick and roll 95 percent of the time, whereas Bower seems to have more guys just driving straight to the hole. The screens players are setting now are more for getting slashers open.

Peja, specifically, is being used much more effectively.

Scott used to just set him up for simple catch-and-shoots off a perimeter pick, which is nice, but not the most efficient or effective way to get an open shot for a 6'10 three-point monster.

Bower has been sending him through the lane, where the big men are setting screens to knock his defender off him. It seemed to disorient the defense to a degree, and in the most recent game Peja managed to pull 13 rebounds (his most as a Hornet) to go along with his 26 points.

You need look no further than the rebounding numbers to see that players had just quit on Byron Scott, too.

In their first nine games, the Hornets out-rebounded the opposing team just once. In the last four, they've done it twice.

On the defensive end, the difference in hustle is noticeable, too.

Rotations look better and matchups seem to be more favorable. Byron had a hard time adjusting his lineup to the other team, whereas Bower seems to flourish.

Also, Bower has shown in only four games that he's a superior game manager.

When the other team goes on runs, Bower calls a timeout. When a certain lineup isn't working, he changes it without hesitation.

Also, while the game is going, you see him actually coaching young players, something Byron never did—unless you count crossing his arms and putting his players in the dog house.

All things considered, Jeff Bower is doing a hell of a job so far.

Winning two of four without CP3 is better than anyone expected. If he can keep up the intensity, the Hornets might still have an outside shot at getting out of the first round of the playoffs.

Maybe this coaching change is just what New Orleans needed.

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Denver Nuggets-Los Angeles Clippers: Game Preview

Courtzide Seatz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:52:48 -0500

The Denver Nuggets (8-3) take on the Los Angeles Clippers (4-9) tonight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Nuggets are coming off of a dominant performance against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, in one of their most impressive games yet. They look to ride the momentum of their last two impressive victories, where they outscored their opponents by a combined 44 points.

The Clippers have been struggling so far this season and were just embarrassed by the Memphis Grizzlies in a 15-point loss. They look to rebound from their two-game slide against the high-octane Nuggets.

The Nuggets have won the last seven meetings between these two teams.

Nuggets Injuries

-Anthony Carter has a hip strain that kept him out of the lineup the last two games. He is considered day to day, but will most likely be a scratch.

-Chris Anderson is dealing with right knee tendinitis, but a recent MRI revealed no structural damage. He should be in the lineup for tonight’s game.

Clippers Injuries

-Eric Gordon has a left groin injury and is scratched from tonight’s lineup.

-Marcus Camby re-aggravated a back contusion he sustained while crashing into the first row of stands on Tuesday against New Orleans. He is listed as day to day, but will likely miss some time.

-Blake Griffin sustained a stress fracture to his left patella in the preseason and has been out since. He will not be available.

-Kareem Rush has a torn right ACL and will be out.

Matchup That Favors the Nuggets: J.R. Smith vs. Rasual Butler

J.R. Smith will come off of the bench, as usual, but will inevitably get the bulk of the minutes at the shooting guard spot. He lit up the Raptors last game for 29 points off the bench.

The Clippers have looked to Rasual Butler to provide some production in the absence of Eric Gordon, but so far he has been average at best and his team has only won one once with Gordon not in the lineup.

Butler is a pretty good defender on the perimeter, but tends to struggle against smaller, quicker guards like J.R. I would expect for Smith to be able to score every time he has the ball in his hands.

Don’t be surprised if J.R. goes off for 30 points this game. He looks like a man possessed, and should be licking his chops to face Butler.

Matchup That Favors the Clippers: Chris Kaman vs. Nene

Kaman is off to a monster start this year and is quietly emerging as an All-Star caliber center. He is a difficult matchup for anyone in the league due to his scoring abilities both around the basket and from 12-15 feet.

Kaman understands how to use his big body to his advantage and has great timing both as a rebounder and a shot blocker. He should be able to get off his mid-range jumper fairly easily and he will get some easy ones around the basket, as Nene tends to lose his man defensively.

Nene is coming off of a great game against the Raptors, where he finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks. However, he was facing a rather inept defender in Bargnani, and Kaman should offer much more in the way of resistance.

Key Matchup: Chauncey Billups vs. Baron Davis

After a rough start, Baron Davis bounced back to record his third straight 20-plus-point performance in their loss to the Grizzlies. His effectiveness is key to the Clippers’ success, although it hasn’t translated so far as his team is coming off of three straight losses.

What can you say about Chauncey? He has struggled on the offensive end in the last two Nuggets blowout wins, but his presence was still felt on the court as he dished out eight and 10 assists, while playing only about 26 minutes in each game.

This is an intriguing matchup between two savvy veteran point guards, with the ability to explode offensively on any given night. I can see the winner of this matchup having a huge impact on this game.

Keys to the Game for the Nuggets

-Contain Kaman

-Exploit the absence of Camby by taking the ball strong to the rim

-Run them out of the building

Keys to the Game for the Clippers

-Contain the explosive Nuggets second unit

-Control the boards

-Control the pace of the game

Prediction: Nuggets win 110-107

The Nuggets have owned this matchup in recent history, but they have also been struggling away from the Pepsi Center this year. I see this being a close game that will likely come down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter. The Nuggets are by far the better team, however, and should be able to eek out a victory on the road.

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Tracy McGrady Situation Is a Dicey One For Houston Rockets

Taylor Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:27:29 -0500

Houston Rockets guard and former cornerstone Tracy McGrady hasn't played in an NBA game since Feb. 9 against Milwaukee last season.

A few days later, it was announced that McGrady would undergo season-ending microfracture surgery on his left knee. Is it any coincidence that, immediately following the announcement, the Rockets went on to win six straight and 11 of their next 13 games?

Maybe, maybe not.

While McGrady was on the floor last season, he often looked disinterested and out of place, often just standing 30 feet from the basket and passing the ball around the perimeter.

Much like Ron Artest, McGrady's presence and demands for the ball made it difficult for Aaron Brooks to assert himself offensively, making him a much more timid player.

McGrady hasn't played a minute so far this season, and the Rockets are 7-5, in second place in the Southwest Division. This year's Rockets team runs the floor, plays hard on both ends, and shoots a high percentage.

So, it begs the question: Does Tracy McGrady and his style of play fit in with these Rockets? Lots of this depends on which version of McGrady the Rockets will get back once he's ready to hit the hardwood.

Will they get the sluggish, disinterested version they got last year before the surgery?

Or, will they get the dynamic, superstar player that McGrady was for several years before that?

Assuming he's back to being 100 percent healthy, there's no questioning McGrady's abilities. When he's asserting himself and attacking the rim, he's one of the more talented scorers in the league. At 6'8", he's a tough check for smaller guards, and quick enough to get around most forwards.

So, does he fit in with Houston's offensive scheme?

These Rockets rely on ball movement, active cutting, and fast breaks in order to get the best possible shot. For McGrady to do his thing, it typically means the ball stops in his hands, and he goes to work individually, as the other four guys on the court stand and watch.

To be fair, sometimes you need a guy like this that can get you a basket down the stretch in a close game. The Rockets are sorely lacking a crunch-time number one option, and maybe McGrady is that guy for them.

However, it was clear that even before the injury, McGrady was unwilling to run in Rick Adelman's style. Yao Ming wasn't the only reason Adelman had to institute a new kind of offense when he initially came to Houston.

McGrady is a slow-it-down, let me beat my guy one-on-one type of player. The Rockets are a team that beats their opponents down the floor and gets easier shot opportunities. T-Mac must show that he's willing to step in and roll with the team, rather than try and do everything himself.

Could McGrady's return screw up the chemistry the Rockets are currently developing? Obviously, any new player has the opportunity to disrupt a team when they first become a part of it.

Much of it depends on McGrady's attitude.

Based on his uniform-wearing tirade with Rick Adelman before Wednesday's game in Minnesota, there's no question that McGrady wants to be on the floor.

It's just a matter of how he conducts himself. He'll undoubtedly be in a different role than he's used to, at least at first.

The Rockets rely on no one player to do everything for them. They don't have enough size or talent to rely on one or two players just to carry them anymore. The Rockets win as a team, and, so far, it's worked out nicely for them.

However, it's extremely important to note that this is an important time for McGrady personally, as he is in the final year of his contract. Will he want to come in and showcase himself and show that he can still be a franchise player?

Who wouldn't?

However, as evidenced by the current Allen Iverson situation, nobody wants an aging, me-first kind of player. McGrady is going to have to check his ego at the door if he wants to help the Rockets win games.

If he comes in and plays poorly, nobody is going to want to take a chance next summer on a 31-year-old, injury prone, ineffective player. On the other hand, if he gets in there and plays within himself, and does what Rick Adelman wants him to, then he'll be showing people around the league that he's capable of stepping in as a piece on a winning ball club.

Microfracture surgery is a serious procedure for an athlete, and has killed many an NBA career in the past. It's going to be a long road for McGrady, and he may not look like his old self ever again, for all we know.

However, some players have been able to recover fully from the surgery (see: Amar'e Stoudemire) and continue to play at a high level. It's likely that T-Mac's game will never again rely on the explosiveness that it once did, which could hurt him, since he's not an outstanding set-shooter.

That being said, I don't doubt that Tracy McGrady has the overall ability to play at a high level in the NBA again. If he comes in and plays for the team, the Rockets will be better for it, and he will make some money next summer.

If he comes in and plays for himself, the Rockets will flounder, and he'll be struggling to find a job next summer.

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Pivot Points: The San Antonio Spurs Are a Brittle Bunch

Hadarii Jones — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:24:33 -0500

It was inevitable that it would come to this. However, the fact that it is happening so early in the season is a little surprising. It was announced, in a rare statement from the San Antonio Spurs, that Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker would miss time due to injuries.

It seems like I've heard that before, and I hope you can excuse my sarcasm, but who out there really thought that at some point this season that someone from the Spurs wouldn't be sidelined by an injury?

To say the Spurs are injury-prone is like saying that stop signs are red, it's a well known fact. The big three of Tim Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili have already missed time due to injuries and the season is not even 20 games old.

There is no estimate as to when Ginobili will return with his latest groin injury, and Parker has suffered yet another injury to his ankles.

Maybe they are not getting their vitamins, because as talented as the Spurs, are they just can't seem to remain healthy. The Spurs are usually slow-starters, but in the West this year, that could equate to postseason suicide.

It appears that every team in the Western Conference, outside of the Hornets, Clippers, Warriors, and Grizzlies, has a legitimate shot to make the playoffs. Even the Hornets are still capable of getting there with a healthy Chris Paul.

So where does that leave the Spurs? Well, currently it leaves them stuck below .500 and staring up at everyone in the division, and it has the potential to get worse.

Depending on the severity of Ginobili's groin and the speed at which Parker can recover from his ankle sprain, San Antonio could find itself struggling to stay afloat until the mid point of the season.

It must be discouraging for the Spurs, as Richard Jefferson was just becoming comfortable in the rotation and the Spurs were just beginning to establish a distinct chemistry among their reserves.

The question San Antonio fans must ask themselves now is, if the Spurs are suffering from injuries this early, what in the world will they look like come playoff time when the contests become more brutal?

There are other, potentially more damaging questions also, such as, has the shelf-life of Ginobili already expired? I know that Manu is only in his seventh season, but he has already had a career's worth of injuries and it must be frustrating for both him and the organization.

A lot of it has to do with his reckless style of play and how he sacrifices his body. However, you have to wonder if he realizes that at this stage in his career, he has to take more caution to avoid injuries at the times his teammates need him the most.

Or maybe it's something that he can't help, maybe he's destined to finish his career in unspectacular fashion, unable to ever be fully healthy again. That would be a shame, because at his best, Ginobili is a special player.

The issue with Tony Parker and his ankles is just as troubling, because it seems that it is a chronic problem. It's hard for me to remember the last time Parker had totally healthy wheels.

For a player like Parker, these injuries are devastating because he depends on his quickness and his ability to make crisp cut. Without that, he cannot play his game.

For the time being, Tim Duncan must rally the troops and hold down the fort until his fallen teammates can once again join him in battle. However, that is a task in itself because Duncan himself, is not entirely healthy.

The Spurs only hopes seem to rest in the hands of their reserves, who must keep San Antonio within striking distance until their team is healthy again.

The reserves are gaining valuable experience, and to be honest, they haven't played all that bad. But that doesn't change the bottom line, which is that the team remains rooted at 4-6.

In order for the Spurs to fulfill their own expectations, and become a viable challenger for the Western Conference title, they have to find a way to remain healthy.

Judging by the first part of the season, that may be easier said than done.

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Clippers No More? It's Time to Consider a Name Change

Jose Salviati — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:10:24 -0500

I am all for consistency. I believe in sticking with a rookie through tough times. Letting a manager live out his contract no matter what his record. I love watching Phil Jackson not call a time-out when his team is floundering; preferring instead to have his squad figure things out. I believe that in the big scheme of things, consistency wins out over impulsive change brought on by panic.

That all being said, I think it's time the Clippers changed their name.

I realize how hypocritical that sounds, but the Clippers are in dire straits. This is no impulse move brought on by panic. Instead, it's a well-thought-out plan to help change the course the Clippers have been on.

In researching this move, I found absolutely NO evidence to support it. A quick look at the three most successful franchises in the three major sports (baseball, basketball, and football) pulls up teams with names unchanged since their conception.

Baseball - Yankees, Cardinals, and Athletics
Basketball - Celtics, Lakers, and Bulls
Football - Giants, Bears, and Steelers

In fact, the only team in the top ten for any of the three sports listed that may have to change their name are the Washington Redskins. That, of course, is another story.

I dug deeper and continued to come up empty in my attempt to justify the name change.

Since the Washington Bullets became the Washington Wizards in 1995, the very best the team could muster was a 45-37 campaign in 2004-2005. Of course, that would represent a high watermark for the Clippers, so maybe I am on to something after all.

Regardless of a lack of any stone cold, solid facts to support it, I believe it's time for a name change; drastic times call for drastic measures, do they not?

The Clippers have the nucleus of a good squad. Eric Gordon at guard, Al Thorton and Blake Griffin down low, with Kaman at center and Baron Davis at point is a powerful lineup. They play in the greatest city in the world in one of the most state of the art arenas in all of basketball. They need a name to match and it's my job to suggest it.

Do you know why they are called the Clippers? After arriving in San Diego from Buffalo, the team decided being the San Diego Braves didn't roll off the tongue. They opted for Clippers in deference to the boating and sailing that is done off San Diego bay. They kept the name after arriving in Los Angeles, where the only clippers you will find are at Supercuts.

You may be saying that the Lakers name is pretty silly, considering Los Angeles has as many lakes as it does clipper ships. Good point, but when you win it doesn't much matter what you call yourself. The Los Angeles Werewolves of London would get a parade down Figueroa if they beat up the Celtics in seven games.

The Clippers don't share the storied history the other club in LA does, they don't win consistently; they need the new identity a name change will bring and they need it now.

So, I humbly submit for your approval my choice of names for the basketball team from LA. Each has a link to Los Angeles and would serve as a great starting point to propel the now-Clippers onward and upward.

The Los Angeles Stars

This makes sense for lots of different reasons, the most obvious of which is Los Angeles is the land of stars. We have a sidewalk here littered with them. Less obvious is the link to a 1968-1970 ABA team by the same name. The original LA Stars shocked the basketball world with an improbable run all the way to the ABA Finals in 1970. No, I wasn't there, just read about it! They succumbed to the Indiana Pacers in six games. I for one would welcome that kind of history into what is now Clipper Nation.

The Los Angeles Express

This is also a throw-back to an old team. The LA Express played in the now defunct USFL from 1983-1985. That team captured the imagination of Los Angeles, but never found great success. The name, however, is cool and also would connect our basketball team to one of the first things most people associate with Los Angeles, the freeways.

The Los Angeles Aztecs

Again, I'm resurrecting a long-gone Los Angeles moniker. This time I'm suggesting the name used by the soccer club that ruled LA from 1974-1981. They won a championship in 1974 and would connect the club to Los Angeles's rich latino history.

There you have it, my three name recommendations for the basketball team from Los Angeles. I need to hear from you now, Clipper fans. Vote and vote often. I plan on sending the results directly to Clipper headquarters. No, really, the results will go to Clipper headquarters, so vote. Call your friends, neighbors, enemies, loved ones, and hated ones alike, and vote!

What would you like to hear from the PA announcer when you visit Staples next year?

And now, the starting lineup for YOUR LOS ANGELES...?

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Michael Jordan: A Little More Humble Than We May Have Thought?

Todd Williams — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:04 -0500

Michael Jordan dominated our television sets in the 1990s, winning six championships and representing excellence in the highest degree. Even after a failed attempt at baseball and an uninspiring comeback with the Washington Wizards, Jordan remains a legend on the basketball court.

Many fans feel that the man they idolized is not the same man who gave his Hall of Fame induction speech a couple months back.

In his speech, Jordan showed a that a side of him would always hold a grudge. He is a man who would use any sort of slight against him as motivation.

He had to prove you wrong.

He spent his career proving that he not only belonged, but that he was possibly the best to ever step on a basketball court. For him, there was no other way.

Many seem to feel that Jordan would be above holding grudges like that. After all, he was so good that there was really no doubting the guy even before his first retirement. The question is, did he want to prove himself as the best, just so that he knew he was the best, or did he simply want to prove his critics wrong?

We currently have a situation in the NBA, where the idea of retiring the number 23 for all NBA teams is floating around. LeBron James recently said he will wear a different number next year, out of respect for Jordan. Jordan’s response should not surprise us.

Jordan doesn’t feel that he should be singled out as the only person to have their number retired league wide. There is a whole group of players that could deserve that distinction.

Now cynics will argue that Jordan enjoys watching players wear his number and try to emulate him. That is not what we should take away from this situation.

Instead, we can take away that there is no doubt that Jordan knows he was a great player, but maybe he is a little more humble than we might have thought.

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NBA MVP Award: What It Takes To Win the Maurice Podoloff Trophy

John Lorge — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:15:05 -0500

What does it take to win the NBA's MVP Award? Heart. Grit. Determination.

Every winner of the award has displayed the same immeasurable attributes throughout the coarse of the year, but those adjectives cannot be quantified—or can they?

Since Bob Pettit won the first NBA MVP Award in 1956 we have seen winners as tall as 7'2" (Kareem Abdual-Jabbar), and some who've struggled to hit 6'0" (Allen Iverson). We've had once-in-a-generation athletes (Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, LeBron James), and some of the most skilled players to ever pick up a basketball (Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Steve Nash).

There are similarities and differences all throughout the list but there is one thing that shines through in all 28 winners of the award, and that is they are winners.

Using the last 20 winners (from Magic in 1990 to LeBron in 2009), I have compiled the data to determine what it takes to win the NBA MVP Award. Let's take a closer look.

You Must Win Games To Win The Award

Everyone wants to point at points when picking the MVP, but it's not about points, it's about wins. Basketball is a team sport and the goal is to win games, if your team isn't winning games you have no real value.

The lack of winning is the reason Dwyane Wade had no chance of coming away with the award last season and the reason Kobe Bryant didn't deserve it in 2006.

Of the 20 MVP seasons I looked at all but three winners played for teams who won more than 70 percent of their games (see lest below). That doesn't mean you can't be the runner-up if your team is floating just above .500, but it does mean you shouldn't expect to win the hardware.

OK, So Points Do Matter

I lied when I said the MVP isn't about points (or stats) because it is, but it’s about how your stats convert to wins.

To integrate wins and losses into a player's statistical production I have created the MVP Index, or what I call the MVPi. To calculate the MVPi you look at the three major stat categories (points, rebounds, and assists) as well as the player's losing percentage, here is the formula:

[(PPG+RPG+APG) X 82 - (PPG+RPG+APG) X Games Missed ] / [82 X (1 - Winning Percentage)]

*Karl Malone's 1999 MVPi was adjusted for an 82 game season.

The two things that will hurt your MVPi the most are missing games, and more importantly, losing games.

Some would argue that steals, blocks, and threes should be accounted for or that assists should earn a higher value. The defensive stats tend to even out amongst elite players, threes are great when you need them but it has never been a prerequisite for MVPs, and if assists had more value we would see more point guards winning the award.

The top MVPi doesn't always win the award however, and this is because it matters how much better your team is than other teams and how much more valuable you are to your team than the second or third best player on your team.

Championships Matter

Ultimately you have the best chance of winning the award if you have the best record in the NBA, but having the best record in your conference goes a long way, and having the best record in your division is a must.

Over the past 20 years all 20 winners won their division, 17 won their conference, 12 had the NBA's best record during the regular season. Although it doesn't come into consideration during voting, seven of the 20 went on to win the title—Michael Jordan accounts for four of the seven.

In 1999 the Utah Jazz ties the San Antonio Spurs for the Midwest Division when Karl Malone won the MVP in the lockout-shortened season. The Jazz also happened to tie the Spurs for the best record in the NBA that year.

The 1994 and 1995 MVP races are a perfect indicator of how championships come into play. David Robinson statistically had a better season in 1993-94 than he did in 1994-95, on top of that his Spurs beat Hakeem Olajuwon's Rockets three of four times. With the absence of Jordan there was no question who the two best players in the NBA were, and they were in the same division.

Houston went on to win the Division in 1994, they didn't win the Western Conference but Olajuwon went on to win the MVP. In 1995 Robinson went home with the award with lesser stats but the most wins in the NBA.

Outliers

If you look at the bottom of the MVPi list you will see the three lowest scores belong to Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, and once again, Steve Nash.

It's easy to see why people have such a problem with Nash winning the award twice, but there is some explanation. The voters favor little men.

Nash and Iverson are the two shortest winners since Bob Cousy took home the second ever NBA MVP in 1957. While Nash's output was the lowest of anyone you also have to consider that Iverson missed 11 games (13.4 percent) during the 2000-01 season. Both of these guys got a boost from the voters.

To their defense they did win their division, Iverson led the Sixers to the best record in the East, and in 2005 Nash's Suns had the best record in the NBA.

In 2006 the Suns only won their conference but picking the MVP was picking your poison, the division winners were New Jersey, Detroit, Miami, Denver, San Antonio, and Phoenix. You can try to argue Dwyane Wade was the pick but with a 63.4 winning percentage his MVPi was at 99.1, only 4.5 points higher than Nash.

Conclusion

When you are talking about MVP candidates, you must narrow your list by potential division winners and teams winning more than 65 percent of their games (preferably 70 percent). Only then are you talking sensibly about who can win the Maurice Podoloff Trophy.

Follow me on Twitter @JohnLorge .

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New York Knicks Needed Allen Iverson

Eric Ball — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:57:04 -0500

The NBA is about winning, just like every other sport. It is also about entertainment. You must entertain the people that decide to dedicate three hours of their life to watch your product. The 2009-2010 New York Knicks are as exciting as a Joe Lieberman speech. That’s why they swung and missed with free agent Allen Iverson.

Team president Donnie Walsh confirmed the decision early Friday at the team’s training center.

The Knicks are not a very good team; the 2-9 start is not quite playoff material. The Knicks are already six-and-a-half games back of the Celtics in the Atlantic standings. The Yankees have as many wins this month as the Knicks. The defense has been abysmal, giving up almost 110 points a game. I could go on but I’ll spare the Knick faithful.

In other words, the Knicks are going nowhere this season. It is painfully obvious that the front office is hoping to jump in a time machine and set the date to July 2010. They could also go the Austin Powers or Eric Cartman route and freeze Donnie Walsh till July. In other words, this is a complete throw-away season.

So when a player like Iverson is coming off the scrap heap, eager to prove all the doubter wrong, you HAVE TO GET HIM.

The guy has been a top-10 talent for the past decade-plus in the league. His highlight reel is a mile long. A.I. plays with a fearlessness that anybody can admire. The Knicks are one of the only teams that could start him, something extremely important to Iverson.

Iverson would have been given only a one-year contract, probably for the veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million. His signing would have no direct impact on the Knicks plans to pursue a superstar free agent next summer.

But it’s more than that. The Knicks need a star, a recognizable name. It’s safe to say that most people could not name three players on the current squad.

The Knicks have few players on the team that excite the crowd. Maybe Nate Robinson, but that’s even a stretch. Putting a player like A.I. on the Knicks would insert some instant energy in the team and fans. If the Knicks didn’t play in Madison Square Garden, the team would be playing in front of half empty arenas on a nightly basis.

With Iverson drawing the attention of opposing defenses, there would be better scoring chances for Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and David Lee.

There would also be some short-term disruption. Either Chris Duhon or Toney Douglas would lose a starting job. Iverson would also cut into the playing time of Larry Hughes and Robinson. One of those players might fall out of the rotation entirely. Was this the reason they didn’t want to sign Iverson, so Hughes could continue to play? Garbage.

The team needed some sort of energy boost and declined.

“Our goal this year was to try to develop the young players and to see which of the young veterans we have could fit into what we want to do in the future,” Walsh said.

Way to waive the white flag in November Walsh, just remember that it’s going to be mighty hard to convince LeBron, D-Wade, or Bosh to come to a last-place team that doesn’t even own a 2010 first-round pick. It could get extremely ugly in the “Mecca of hoops” by the time Santa is making his rounds.

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LeBron James Needs to Take a Hint—and Take His Game Inside

Tom Delamater — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:55:37 -0500

Still a team in search of its identity, the Cleveland Cavaliers stutter-stepped their way to an 8-4 record through the first month of the season, placing them barely ahead of Milwaukee atop the NBA’s Central Division.

A stinging loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday illustrated one of the team’s glaring weaknesses, while an ongoing trend points to a surprising development in their offensive arsenal.

First, the good news: This team, believe it or not, can shoot. Through 12 games, the Cavaliers are nailing an impressive 44.6 percent from the three-point line. It’s early, but that’s clearly a major improvement over last year’s 39 percent success rate.

What happened? Anthony Parker, for one thing. And Daniel Gibson has rediscovered his long-distance touch, something that eluded him for most of the 2008-2009 campaign.

Parker, starting in place of Delonte West, has nailed a sizzling 55.3 percent of his three-pointers (26-for-47), while Gibson has connected on 46.9 percent (23-for-49). Keeping pace is Mo Williams, who has clicked on almost half of his treys (26-for-54, 48.1 percent).

Talk about stretching the defense. Together, the threesome is averaging a cool 50 percent from downtown.

Which begs the question: What is LeBron James doing hanging around the perimeter?

Astonishingly, it is James, not one of his hot-shooting teammates, who leads the Cavs in three-point attempts, with 55. He’s hit 20—a respectable 36.4 percent, better than any single season of his career—but the numbers suggest it’s time for James to live up to his off-season promise to take his game inside.

Instead, the Cavs have often regressed into their old bad habits. There’s James, dribbling and dribbling. There’s James, sizing up the basket. There’s James, firing up another long jumper. Meanwhile, the rest of the team shifts into “let’s-wait-and-see-what-LeBron-does” mode, stymieing the offense and playing into the hands of grateful opponents.

A 17-point lead at Washington dissolved into a 17-point loss, and James was as responsible as anyone, misfiring repeatedly down the stretch as the Wizards delighted in their good fortune. Similar leads were blown in what turned out to be unnecessarily close wins against Utah and Golden State. The Cavaliers have been unable to put away overmatched opponents.

James still scored 34 points in the Washington loss, so it’s not like he’s terrible. But the numbers suggest it’s time for him to take his Karl Malone-like physique into the paint and get physical. This is especially true when Shaquille O’Neal and Anderson Varajeo are on the sidelines, as they have been this week due to injuries.

But even when the team has its full complement of big men, James needs to live down low more often. There’s more room there than people think; remember the way Parrish, McHale and Bird stayed out of each other’s way in Boston? James on the block could—make that should—be an unstoppable force. He just has to want it.

LeBron is not a terrible shooter. But he’s not a great one, either. In past seasons, he’s had to try everything possible to score. For the most part, he’s delivered.

But the early returns indicate that this is a changed Cavaliers team. He should change with it.

In last year’s Eastern Conference finals, the Orlando Magic had the Cavs’ heads spinning with their three-point prowess. Yet their team percentage of 40.8 during that series pales in comparison to Cleveland’s mark this fall.

Think about what their guards are doing: 50 percent from the three-point line? Are you kidding me?

There’s room for LeBron to move on offense as needed, and he remains perhaps the most unstoppable force in the open court that the league has ever seen.

But he’s not the best three-point shooter on the team. In fact, he's not even close. He is, however, an all-league defender, an intimidating shot-blocker, and a strong rebounder—three qualities every team needs in the post.

The jury is still out on Cleveland’s Shaq experiment, and what it will mean over the long haul. But one thing is clear right now: The Cavs have better long-range weapons than James. It’s up to Mike Brown to instill the needed discipline on his team, and his star, so that those weapons can fire on all cylinders.

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Miami-Toronto: Raptors Just the Tonic for What Ails Dwyane Wade and Heat

Hotnuke — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:33:15 -0500

I sometimes wonder if the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman even likes the Miami Heat. He’s one of that paper’s beat writers for the team, but the vast majority of the articles he writes about the boys from South Beach seem negative.

His latest adventure into negativity is a piece speculating on whether Miami’s recent two-game losing streak, and Dwyane Wade’s current mini-shooting slump is indicative of something larger; something more problematic.

He does make a few good points in the piece, however, noting that Quentin Richardson, despite starting every game the Heat have played this year, hasn’t gotten to the foul line one time this season. He also notes that Jermaine O’Neal takes an inordinate number of fadeaway jumpers and needs to be more of a force in the paint.

He points out with relative clarity that Mario Chalmers rarely attacks the paint when he’s coming off a pick-and-roll, and he expounds on how despite all of Michael Beasley’s potential he’s making himself an easy cover for opposing teams by not driving to the hoop enough and settling for jumpers.

Note to Ira: The Heat and Wade are just fine, buddy.

I think they’ll prove that tonight to the bellicose “would-be” journalist, too.

Dwyane Wade has certainly been in a funk of late, as I mentioned in my recap of the 105-90 loss to the Atlanta Hawks you can read here. However, if there ever was a tonic for what ails Wade, it’s Miami’s opponent tonight, the Toronto Raptors.

His coach, Erik Spoelstra, feels the same way.

“Some of my favorite moments as a coach are when he [Wade] gets sort of counted out after a tough couple of games. I treasure these moments, because you know he’s going to get it going and really respond to the adversity.”

It was just a year ago that those in the media, including Ira Winderman, were speculating in the same way they are now about Wade. He’d began the season shooting just 20-of-51, was 0-of-12 from beyond the arc, and looked dreadful.

He then went on a tear that shut those critics up quick, scoring at least 29 points in eight of the Heat’s next 10 games.

Just such a run might be about to kick off tonight at the Air Canada Center against the Raptors, who have traditionally seen Dwyane Wade use them as his own personal punching bag.

In the last two games, Wade and the Heat have played against the Raptors, Dwyane has scored a combined 82 points. He’s done so very efficiently, too, shooting 62.3 percent from the field. In 15 career starts against Toronto, he’s averaged 26.8 points per game and shot 53.1 percent from the floor; not really looking like the Raptors are going to have an easy time keeping Wade in that mini-slump, huh?

Although Quentin Richardson’s status is still unclear for the game tonight, Wade should get some help from his teammates as Udonis Haslem is slated to return after missing one game after being left off the roster for the game against the Hawks with a sore shoulder.

The fact that Daequan Cook is seemingly back to his old form also should help give Dwyane enough rest during the contest to keep him fresh for some fourth-quarter heroics if needed as Cook comes off the bench with Haslem to form a formidable one-two inside-out punch.

However, if the Heat are going to win this game tonight they’re going to need some real consistency from both Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers, and Jermaine O’Neal. All three of them are capable of filling up the stat sheet on any given night, and it would be real nice if they do so all in the same game and keep Wade from being required to pour in 40-plus points.

That’s not to say it wouldn’t be nice if Dwyane did just that. I would love nothing better than to see Wade score 40-45 points while JO and “Beas” each dump in 20, with Mario getting 10-15 of his own. That kind of balanced scoring would spell real doom for the Raptors.

One thing that’s sure to be on the minds of many are the constant rumors that Toronto forward Chris Bosh is Pat Riley’s main target in the upcoming 2010 Free Agent Bonanza.

I’ve assured people numerous times that Bosh is the last player Riley is going after. I’m firmly of the belief Pat has his sights set on LeBron James; as does Wade. Yet, the baseless speculation that Bosh is at the top of Miami’s list of will almost certainly be a storyline for the media in tonight’s contest.

My advice? Simply ignore it.

Instead, concentrate on the game, and watch as Dwyane Wade once again plays like the superhero he’s nicknamed for, Flash .

My prediction? The Heat beat the Raptors by 20 on Nov. 20: Miami 108 Toronto 88

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Fantasy Basketball Box Score Breakouts – 11/19/09

Ryan Lester — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:10:28 -0500

Here’s a look at some fantasy basketball players that blew up the box score last night.

Jared Dudley, Phoenix Suns

28 MIN, 17 PTS, 5-G FG, 2-2 FT, 5 3PM, 5 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 1 TO

Dudley has been pulling down a fair amount of rebounds for a wing player, and draining three-pointers. He’s inconsistent, but has been pretty solid over his past nine games.

Darren Collison, New Orleans Hornets

32 MIN, 15 PTS, 4-15 FG, 6-6 FT, 1 3PM, 5 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 1 TO

He shot terribly, but finished with a good rebound total for a point guard, and a decent assist total.

Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornets

20 MIN, 19 PTS, 7-12 FG, 3-4 FT, 2 3PM, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2 TOs

Thornton continues his strong play, averaging 15.8 points over his past four games. The Hornets only play two games next week so I wouldn’t necessarily add him.

George Hill, San Antonio Spurs

30 MIN, 18 PTS, 7-17 FG, 3-4 FT, 1 3PM, 1 REB, 2 AST, 1 TO

Hill continues to be an effective scorer for the Spurs. He’s averaging 16.8 points per game over his past five.

Brad Miller, Chicago Bulls

29 MIN, 15 PTS, 4-8 FG, 7-9 FT, 5 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 1 TO

Brad has hit double-digits in three straight games, but he has been so up and down this year, he’s tough to trust.

Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers

34 MIN, 24 PTS, 9-15 FG, 6-6 FT, 13 REB, 3 AST, 2 BLK, 2 TOs

Simply pointing out that Pau is back.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

Friday Bonus:

Check out Derek Jeter's Hottest Girlfriends List .

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Is Allen Iverson Really The Answer for the NY Knicks?

Jack Stentwiller — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:48:17 -0500

The Knicks have problems.

In searching for solutions for an NBA team's struggles, one would inevitably stumble upon The Answer.

The problem is that The Answer is really no answer at all. Just part of the same old solution that has failed the Knicks before and put them in the problem they are in now.

Confused? So are the Knicks if they think signing Iverson is a solution.

Admittedly, I have not seen the books for the Knicks. It is possible that they are just desperate to sell tickets for the remainder of this season. I am not convinced that Iverson does that, however, beyond the first several games he plays.

The Knicks have many problems, the most serious of which is image .

The Knicks have earned a reputation for taking junk off of the scrap heap and an image of bringing in me-first, offensive-minded guards (i.e. Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, etc.).

The Knicks are finally on the rebuilding and looking forward wagon. Signing AI would be a relapse of Isaiah like proportion.

They hired a respected basketball man for operations, they hired a good coach, now it is time for the Knicks to take their medicine for this season. They have the right pieces in place. Yet all of these positive from a PR standpoint, are reversered if Iverson is signed.

Summer 2010 is right around the corner, and the Knicks best long term success hinges on offering a ton of money to a player to simply do what industry, jobs, and cleanliness have been doing for decades.

Leave Cleveland.

That sounds like a tried and true "answer" to me.

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Bill Simmons' Signing

Busta Bucket — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:51:31 -0500

With nothing else to do last night, I decided to brave the traffic on highway 26 and head out to the Borders in Beaverton to experience the Bill Simmons book signing. Kudos to Borders for doing a great job of managing the event. It was difficult to estimate the number of people in attendance because everyone was so spread out, but it was a great turn out. I'd guess there was somewhere between 800 and 1,300 people.

Simmons came out before the signing to briefly address the crowd. He responded to some of the issues that he has heard recently from Blazer fans. A few of the things he addressed:

* He immediately acknowledged his mistake in predicting that the Blazers would go 41-41 this year. He said he had to decide between Portland and New Orleans as the team that might fall back a little this year and he chose wrong.
* He discussed his experience at the Blazers/Pistons game on Thursday (his first game at the Rose Garden), noting that we have what he believes to be the only arena in the league that doesn't play rap music during the intros.
* He questioned the three guard lineup and asked us if we liked it. I yelled, "No!" He said he's always been a "play your best five players" guy. I agree.
* He said he enjoyed the game, the atmosphere was good, it got tense when Steve Blake made "about 10 turnovers in the fourth quarter" before sinking the big three at the end.
* Someone yelled, "Drexler's Pistons!", bringing up the typo that was in his book. He said he thinks he had typed in Isiah Thomas' Pistons, wanted to change it to Drexler's Blazers and then he obviously failed to change the Pistons part.

He came off as very likeable. It was a fun event and he obliged when I asked him to write a special message in my book:

UPDATE: From Bill Simmons' twitter account following the signing:

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Los Angeles-Denver: Clipper Crystal Ball

Jose Salviati — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:41:15 -0500

Great news. The crystal ball is back from the shop.

They charged me an arm and a leg for the repair, but I have two of each so I paid up.

The ball is polished and ready to dispense solid and accurate information about tonight's battle between the Clippers and Nuggets: The Nugs are, in a word, scary.

After years of being a good team with a reputation for being soft, they seem to be the real deal this year. Denver has a bona fide stud in Carmelo Anthony, a solid supporting cast, and a good bench. Additionally, George Karl is a good coach with a solid resume.

The Clippers are, in a word, trying. No really, they are.

They return from a 1-2 road trip that included two very lopsided losses against teams nowhere near as good as the Nugs. Still, no Eric Gordon or Blake Griffin in sight. Marcus Camby, however, will suit up and the game will be shown nationally on ESPN.

That's right; ESPN is officially on the Clipper bandwagon! I'll scoot over and make room for the broadcasters from Bristol.

They are showing the game to highlight the Clips, right?

On paper this looks like a "W" for the visitors, but the crystal ball disagrees. It puts great value in the game being played in Los Angeles.

The crystal ball sees a Clipper team motivated by word that their coach is on the hot seat. It senses a big game from former Nugget Camby. That's right, the newly polished and repaired Clipper crystal ball is predicting yet another Clipper victory.

Clippers cruise in an upset win 103-98.

The Clipper crystal ball is never wrong!

Well, hardly ever.

OK, it's wrong sometimes.

OK, OK, it's never been right but it's due, isn't it?

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Hide The Women And Children, Tracy Is At It Again

Bhagwat Kumar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:20:54 -0500

It never fails. It really, truly, never fails. Tracy "You Better Still Call Me T-Mac" Mcgrady is at it again.

This happens every time we show the slightest hint of optimism about him, every time a sliver of hope peaks through the shroud of darkness that has been Tracy Mcgrady's tenure as a Rocket: he squashes it.

To stay recent with my examples, after a phenomenal 2008 Playoffs he announced he needed shoulder and knee surgery, quelling any ideas that he was for once fully healthy.

Last season he distracted and restricted the team, trying to play through an injury while making sure everybody knew that he was, in fact, injured by looking absolutely miserable on the floor, shooting like it was 2003 and then destroying any chance we had at trading him by announcing the day before the trade deadline that he would be getting microfracture surgery.

Now, after weeks of stories about how motivated he is and how well he is progressing, apparently Mcgrady and Adelman had a heated exchange before Wednesday night's Timberwolves game about when he would return.

Mcgrady was frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of communication between him and the organization, and continued his passive-aggressive assault on the Rockets by suiting up for the game and shooting around before actually approaching Adelman. The confrontation was icy at best and sources even said that shouting could be heard coming from the coach's office.

This is not a new story, rather just the resurgence of an old one. Mcgrady and the Rockets, and Adelman to be more specific, do not get along. What Mcgrady doesn't understand, though, is that the Rockets do not need him this season. The team is more than happy to continue the way it has been, fighting hard every night and winning enough to make it worthwhile.

Yes, we probably need Mcgrady to truly contend for the title, but not if he's going to act like a prima donna. We need the Mcgrady that played for us from January to April of 2008, the selfless leader who led a defense, rebounded hard, distributed as a first option instead of a last resort and cold-bloodedly took over games when he had to.

I know, I've romanticized what Mcgrady was during those three months, but compared to what he is now that's hardly an exaggeration. Mcgrady is still scheduled to undergo an MRI before the team clears him to return, and I'm guessing that the organization will choose a course of action based on the results of the scan.

If Mcgrady is in fact fully healthy and ready to return, he and Adelman need to work out whatever the hell is bothering them if we're going to get anywhere this year. By actually talking to one another . Otherwise, things like this will continue to happen.

Now, in spite of all this, I just want to establish that I'm still very, very excited for Mcgrady's return. This teams potential with an invested, motivated T-Mac is off the charts. If he understands how great he can be without shooting contested, step-back 20 footers every time he touches the ball we can truly be a special team.

If he realizes how talented of a passer he is and how badly we need him to run the offense, we can be dominant. If he puts the Rockets as a whole before himself, and disproves his doubters with his teammates rather than in spite of them, we're a title contender. Damn, that's a lot of if's.

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Blazers-Warriors: Game 14 Preview

Busta Bucket — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:17:43 -0500

Golden State Warriors coverage at Fear the Beard.

Blazers

Analysis

Warriors

Andre Miller has been a bit inconsistent lately. Some days he's scoring, others he's dishing out the assists. Tonight he'll be matched up against a solid young rookie in Stephen Curry. Curry has averaged just under 14 points and five assists per game in his past three games. His size and ability to play point make him a tough matchup in the NBA. Tonight, however, I like Andre to win the point guard battle.

Monte Ellis has been heating up lately. In his past four games he's averaged more than 22 points per game. He's an impossible matchup for Portland. Steve Blake and Andre Miller can't guard his quickness. He's going to torch us, and with Raja Bell around to defend Brandon Roy or Rudy Fernandez, the Warrior shooting guards win the matchup.

Brandon Roy has been struggling a bit with his role for Portland. This is new territory for the star. There's only one thing he needs to think about against G.S., and that is to score the ball. I suspect Raja Bell will work on him, at least at times, but if he can, against a team that likes to run, Roy should have a nice night. As far as Golden State goes, Vladimir Radmonovic has started two games and been mediocre, and Anthony Morrow torched the Blazers last year. This matchup should be interesting. Hopefully Martell Webster steps it up.

LaMarcus Aldridge and Juwan Howard take on the very young Anthony Morrow and the crafty Corey Maggette. LaMarcus always has problems with Maggette, from flopping to drawing weak blocking fouls. Corey somehow has a side deal with all NBA refs. I suspect we'll see some of that tonight. Anthony Randolph gets inside and hits the boards, so Aldridge needs to work the interior as well. G.S. wins this battle.

This game became winnable as soon as I realized Andris Biedrins was still out of the lineup. Golden State's depth at center is terrible; I can't even figure out who would backup the career backup, Mikki Moore. I like Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden both tonight. They will be the difference in this contest. Hopefully they can stay out of foul trouble as I suspect Maggette, Ellis, and Raja will work Oden for cheap fouls. Blazers win here for the first time nine tries.

Overall Winner:

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The Houston Rockets' Tracy McGrady Needs To Grow Up

Denton Ramsey — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:01:32 -0500

Tracy McGrady’s latest temper tantrum with Houston Rockets head coach Rick Adelman has me convinced that the six-time All-Star has lost his mind.

The latest outbreak, which occurred in Minnesota prior to the start of the game, has me wondering if T-Mac has been spending too much time around the likes of Kobe Bryant and his me-first attitude.

Personally, I really don’t think McGrady is the right fit for this Houston Rockets team, especially after this latest crying shame by the former franchise icon.

Houston’s Rockets are currently in a great position at 7-5 and their team chemistry is through the roof.

You add an attitude-inept individual like McGrady to that mix and it could easily spell disaster.

Let me be the first to say that I was a big fan of T-Mac when the Rockets first brought him on board. He appeared to be focused on making Houston a winning franchise, and upon first glance he absolutely seemed like a team player.

But through all the injuries and all 125 games he has missed with the team in his six seasons as a Rocket, things began to change.

That change, unfortunately, is becoming more and more evident.

The Houston Rockets don’t need T-Mac to win; they have proved that time and time again.

Don’t get me wrong; I still think McGrady has remarkable skills and could truly help a team reach postseason play. But his time in Houston is about up.

Come on now, Tracy, do you really think screaming and yelling at your coach about your worth is going to fix this situation? Houston fans love you, there’s no doubt. But you need to grow up, T-Mac.

This Rockets team, assembled by Daryl Morey and directed by Adelman, is doing extraordinary things on the hardwood thus far.

Please, T-Mac, don’t dampen Houston’s season with your worries and concerns over your own personal magnitude. Fix your attitude and I’m sure this team will welcome you back with open arms…

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com

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The New York Week That Was (11/20/09)

Hot Stove New York — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:57:56 -0500

The Knicks won a game this week!

And The Answer may be coming to New York (so the question must be: Will a desperate team do anything to keep their fans interested?). But with last Friday’s loss, the Knicks established the worst 10-game start in franchise history. Things could be a lot worse, though; here are some other bad starts throughout history that may help them feel better about themselves:

The Hindenburg blew up over New Jersey on the first of its 10 scheduled round-trips between Europe and the United States, killing 36 people; the Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk four days into its maiden voyage; William Henry Harrison died of a cold one month into his presidency in 1841; Wally Backman lasted four days as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks before he was unceremoniously shown the door; Gilligan’s three-hour tour got off to an inauspicious start, getting stranded on a deserted island for 15 years, until the castaways were miraculously rescued, followed by them buying the island but almost losing it in an evil scam until they we re helped out of the jam by the Harlem Globetrotters; Richie Cunningham’s brother Chuck on Happy Days appeared in only two episodes in the first season and was never heard from again; the Seattle Pilots existed for one measly year before moving to Milwaukee; and my career selling rodeo tickets over the phone lasted two days before I woke up and came to my senses.

The lesson in all this for the Knicks is that they could explode in a fireball over New Jersey at any moment, sink to the bottom of the ocean taking Leonardo DiCaprio with them or be written out of the NBA altogether like Chuck Cunningham was. The best case scenario for the team: The Harlem Globetrotters come to the Garden and save their ass.

That takes care of the Knicks; now let’s look at the other local teams and we’ll put fun, convenient labels on them to boot:

An Efficient Machine

Devils : Their nine-game road winning streak (one short of tying the NHL record) and eight-game overall winning streak both ended on Monday night in Philly on Dave Schultz (Slap Shot as an opposing player.) Night, as he was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame. Is there any significance or special meaning to that? Schultz was the personification of the brawling 1970s, and holds the all-time single-season record for penalty minutes, with 472 in 1974-’75. Isn’t it about time that somebody started a Hockey Goon Hall of Fame?

Jacques Lemaire and the Devils are the epitome of defensive hockey. They rank 21^st in goals per game, at 2.56, but their league-leading 2.07 goals against average has them in first place in the Atlantic Division (despite two losses in a row). Lemaire spent much of his playing days learning how to play defense by centering a line with Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt, as he had to backcheck his way through many a game, while those two sharp shooters poured in goal after goal.

Surprise Team

Islanders : After getting off to a rocky start, the Islanders are one of the surprise teams of the NHL. That’s what hard work will do for you. John Tavares is living up to his billing (19 points), while Matt Moulson is turning into the find of the century (18 points). They’re going in the opposite direction than the Rangers, who they’ve caught in the standings, both totaling 23 points.

Sinking (But it’s a Long Season)

Rangers : The good times (7-1 start) are over (4-8-1 since). They can’t score, they’re not tough enough, they’re too easy to play against, they take too many penalties, they have too many defensive breakdowns and they’re shorthanded at center with no replacements in sight. Can they recover or is the makeup of the roster too much to overcome? Maybe John Tortorella should start crying. That seems to be the coaching technique du jour.

Sinking (But There’s Still Hope)

Giants: They had their best week in over a month, with Dallas, Philly and even Atlanta (if you’re starting to keep track of the wild card race) all losing. The Giants haven’t looked this good since they defeated Oakland. The key to their success, of course, was not actually playing a game. Their best strategy from here on out may be to not take the field at all. Can you decline the rest of your schedule the way you can decline a penalty and take your chances on your present record?

Sinking (And They’re Running Out of Time)

Jets: The Jets players are making their coach cry. But poor clock management, wasted timeouts, a plethora of turnovers and a defense that can’t make the big stop are making Jets fans cry. The team has the swagger part down; it’s just the beating the opponent part that’s troubling them. Mark Sanchez has a prepared statement all set to go for his next postgame press conference on why he entered a hot dog eating contest at halftime of their game up in New England on Sunday.

Disaster

Nets: The Nets are doing even worse than the Knicks and are planning to jump back to the ABA before they have a chance to go 0-82. They’re hoping to put a schedule together and play against the Spirits of St, Louis, San Diego Conquistadors, Virginia Squires, Memphis Tams, and Kentucky Colonels once again and regain their dominance in that defunct league. They play the Knicks on Saturday (if they can scrounge up enough players). Will the world explode if one of those teams actually wins the game?

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Allen Iverson To the Knicks: Why Not?

Taylor Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:46:21 -0500

First of all, let me say that I didn't think it was possible for Allen Iverson to actually have a worse stop than he did in Detroit last season.

The photo above is quite the rare one: it captures Allen Iverson playing in a Memphis Grizzlies uniform.

That was quick, wasn't it?

Typically, it seems as though professional athletes lose the "me first" attitude as their careers progress, instead focusing more of their efforts and thoughts to trying to win before they have to retire.

Now, this is not to say that all athletes suffer from "me first syndrome."

I doubt guys like Jeff Saturday are playing sports for the individual glory.

However, Allen Iverson, clearly, has not gotten over himself as a basketball player.

Iverson, 34, recently agreed to "part ways" with the Grizzlies after playing just three games for them.

Apparently, coming off the bench and accepting a lesser role in order to help the team was not on Iverson's agenda for his tenure in Memphis.

The Grizzlies have a budding star at shooting guard in OJ Mayo, and a young point guard, Mike Conley, that they are hoping turns into one of the more reliable point men in the league.

As I wrote here a couple of months ago, Iverson was a terrible fit for the Grizzlies, whether he was coming off the bench or starting.

Besides, how was his role not made clear to him until he actually joined the team for his first regular season game?

Shouldn't Chris Wallace and Lionel Hollins have notified him that if he were to become a Grizzly, he'd be playing as a reserve?

Weird.

Anyway, Iverson's lack of maturity has never been a secret.

There's a reason he was forced to settle on Memphis this summer. Nobody wanted him.

The Grizzlies had nothing to lose, so they gave him a one-year deal, hoping he'd draw some fan interest and put some people in the seats.

However, the entire thing obviously blew up in their faces, and now Iverson is a free agent, and the Grizzlies are free of a headache.

Now, rumors are swirling that there is mutual interest between Iverson and the New York Knicks.

I say, why not?

The Knicks are 2-9, and are actually worse than the Grizzlies are.

Their roster is full of players on the last year of their respective contracts, and the Knicks clearly don't really care what happens record-wise this season.

Their sights are, and have been, set on the summer of 2010.

The Knicks play an up-tempo style with head coach Mike D'Antoni (remember him?), and maybe Iverson would thrive in this style of play.

If he were to become a Knick, he'd replace either Larry Hughes or Chris Duhon in the starting lineup.

The signing would draw some interest, and, since they have no clear star player, why shouldn't the Knicks take a flier on him?

There's a solid chance Iverson could be a 20-point scorer for them again, and people enjoy watching the guy play.

The guy that should have the biggest problem with this is rookie guard Toney Douglas, and I can't blame him.

Douglas, a second-round pick from Florida State, has been a nice find for New York.

In his only three games playing more than 20 minutes, he's scored 21, 23, and 15 points.

Douglas is listed at 6'1", but has been seen as more of a combo-guard due to his knack for scoring.

The Knicks also have another young, exciting guard in Nate Robinson.

The 5'9" Robinson is best known for his Slam Dunk Contest heroics, but is also a nice scoring threat off of the bench.

Hmm.

Sound familiar?

I thought so.

Is there room for Iverson on a team that already has two guys with similar skill sets?

Now, don't get me wrong here: Iverson is a proven NBA scorer and future Hall-of-Famer.

Douglas has played in 10 NBA games, and Robinson appears to be nothing more than an above-average role player.

However, signing Iverson could hurt the confidence of these young guys.

Iverson's presence means the minutes for both Douglas and Robinson could take a hit.

Lots of this depends on how the Knicks see Douglas and Robinson. Will they want to keep these guys around long-term?

Is Iverson worth the potential meltdown just to draw some interest?

Who knows.

What I do know, however, is that Allen Iverson is not going to help the New York Knicks win many basketball games this season.

There's an overall dearth of talent on that roster, and it's clear that Iverson isn't interested in winning, anyway.

Based on various reports, it seems as though Iverson-to-the-Knicks is imminent.

In terms of winning this year, the Knicks have nothing to lose.

In terms of helping their young players, the Knicks have plenty to lose.

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Mavericks' Guards Battle for Minutes

Damian Jackson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:01:03 -0500

You want players to compete with one another in order to improve. Competition provides a challenge, a challenge proving worth and value. NBA teams witness this very spectacle in training camps, practices, and even games.

The Dallas Mavericks might have a competition of their own brewing at the moment. It’s not hot news in the way the Golden State Warriors make headlines recently, but Dallas’ young guards Jose Juan Barea and Rodrigue Beaubois seem to be on the teeter-totter when it comes to Mavericks fans .

Barea and Beaubois show zero signs of proving one is better than the other, but surely both want to see the floor as much as possible. Barea, a four-year veteran, eased his way in gaining the coaching staff’s confidence to handle steady minutes, including closing out games.

Rookie Beaubois already starts at shooting guard in place of the injured Josh Howard .

But thus far into the early season, Barea receives more minutes off the bench than Beaubois does starting. Here’s a breakdown of the minutes in the five games when Beaubois starts:

Nov. 4 at New Orleans – Beaubois (13:31) | Barea (28:27 )

Nov. 13 at Minnesota – Beaubois (15:19) | Barea (19:59 )

Nov. 15 at Detroit – Beaubois (19:08) | Barea (21:21 )

Nov. 16 at Milwaukee – Beaubois (24:05) | Barea (26:46 )

Nov. 18 vs. San Antonio – Beaubois (16:34) | Barea (30:58 )

With the exception of the game against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, a trend is obvious: The time gap shrinks between the two guards as the season progresses.

Rick Carlisle knows the rookie will make mistakes and miss defensive assignments from time to time. Carlisle also understands the young player possesses smooth, athletic talent and needs minutes to learn on the fly. The same process took place with Barea over the past few seasons and he’s shown tremendous improvement.

The Mavericks’ roster contains four to six guards, all capable of playing 30 solid minutes per night. Jason Kidd , Jason Terry , and Howard (when healthy) consume the bulk of the minutes. However, it’s impossible to satisfy everyone, which remains one reason Barea and Beaubois compete for playing time.

Both bring different elements to the game.

Beaubois fills the shoes of Howard by launching the team off to quick starts with his lightning speed, scoring ability, and length on defense.

Barea enters and orchestrates the offense when Kidd rests, and looks for his shot when playing in the three-guard lineup Carlisle favors during games.

Beaubois shows glimpses of excellence and he’s impressing fans and his teammates. “He has really impressed me so far. He is very quick off the dribble and he has a nice little touch in the paint. He can finish, he is athletic. He looks really, really good to me,” said Dirk Nowitzki .

Barea is no stranger to praise either. He received lots of it when his constant hard work translated to the court.

For now, Dallas has itself a positive dilemma. Having two young players who possess the ability to play either guard position provides the Mavericks with depth and confidence. Barea and Beaubois go hard at one another in practice and even harder against opponents on game nights. If they both continue to improve by fighting for those minutes, I say let the battle continue.

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Knicks Legend Earl Monroe to Appear at Best Buy in New York City

Keith Schlosser — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:29 -0500

One of the NBA’s most flashy and dazzling players of all time is coming to New York City, but no, I am not talking about Allen Iverson…yet.

Event Info:

NBA Legend: Earl Monroe

Date: Saturday, November 21

Location: Best Buy 1531

Union Square Grand Opening

52 E. 14th Street No. 64

New York, NY 10003

Time: 1:30-3pm

New York Knicks Legend and Hall of Famer Earl Monroe will be appearing at the Best Buy located in New York City thanks to a partnership between the NBA, HP, and Microsoft.

Monroe and other NBA legends throughout the nation are providing assists in promoting the launch of Microsoft’s highly anticipated Windows 7 operating system.

Fans in attendance will not only be able to meet and greet Earl Monroe for an autograph, but also have the opportunity to enter sweepstakes making them eligible to win great prizes such as NBA tickets or a brand new HP computer complete with Windows 7 Home Premium.

I am proud to say that I have the privilege of representing Bleacher Report at this event, being given the opportunity to meet and interview “Black Jesus” himself.

I am quite excited for the event, and all those interested in reading my interview with Monroe should stay tuned over the weekend.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

What Could Have Been: If Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki Were Still Teammates

Courtzide Seatz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:56:33 -0500

Watching Steve Nash direct the Suns offense is a thing of beauty.

The way he maneuvers between defenders reminds me of a skilled touring car driver swerving in and out of traffic, interchangeably switching his dribble from left to right so as to keep the defense unsure of his next move.

His head is constantly on a swivel, hair wildly fluttering about, as he surveys the entire floor for the open man.

He is seemingly calculating the outcomes of every possible decision before he actually takes action, and not coincidentally, he usually chooses the single smartest option available to him.

He reminds me of Peyton Manning in the way he commands the flow of the offense, orchestrating every play with absolute confidence and control.

When he entered the league in 1996 with the Phoenix Suns as the 15th overall draft pick, fans were understandably skeptical. He was a relatively unknown player out of a small, private college amid a powerhouse draft class consisting of big names like Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and Stephon Marbury.

Nash was traded to Dallas in 1998 when his long-time friend Donnie Nelson convinced his father, Dallas GM and coach Don Nelson, that he was being underutilized in Phoenix.

It was in Dallas that Nash was paired with the young German prodigy, Dirk Nowitzki. The two almost immediately became close friends, and despite some early struggles in the strike-shortened season, they gave Dallas fans reason to believe there was hope.

When Mark Cuban bought the Mavericks from Ross Perot Jr. in 1999, he instantly changed the culture in Dallas and created an environment that would allow Nash and Nowitzki to thrive.

Before the 1999-2000 season, Don Nelson decided he could better capitalize on Nowitzki's unique talents by utilizing him more within the flow of the offense as a "point forward."

This allowed Nowitzki to move away from the traditional power forward mold, a role in which he had struggled the year before, and almost as soon as this change was made, Nowitzki began to blossom.

Nowitzki's combination of size, mobility, and raw scoring ability proved to be almost impossible to stop, and with the steadily improving Nash at the point, the Mavericks became an elite Western Conference team within two years of being together.

From 2000-2003, the Mavericks posted at least 50 wins in each season, and qualified for the playoffs in consecutive years in an extremely tough Western Conference.

They won a franchise-best 60 games during the 2002-2003 season, where they made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals before ultimately being beaten in six games by a Spurs team that would go on to win the NBA championship.

Before the 2003-2004 season, the Dallas Mavericks acquired forwards Antawn Jamison and Antoine Walker to add more versatility and firepower on the wing.

This is where this Mavericks team on the cusp of greatness began to go south. In acquiring Antoine Walker from the Celtics, Dallas traded away their starting center Raef LaFrentz, leaving a glaring hole in the middle that could not be filled by aging center Shawn Bradley.

As a result, Dirk was often expected to man the center position, and for the first time in his career, his numbers declined. The Mavericks would qualify for the playoffs that year, but would again fall short, losing in the first round to a potent Sacramento Kings team.

It was after this disappointing season, that Mark Cuban decided to take the Mavericks in a different direction. Not wanting to sign an aging Nash to a long-term deal, Cuban allowed Nash to explore the free agency market, where he would eventually land a lucrative deal with the Phoenix Suns.

By allowing Nash to leave, Cuban demonstrated his full-fledged commitment to Dirk as his franchise player.

Since the dispersal of this promising Mavericks team, both Nash and Nowitzki have gone on to win the league MVP award. Nash won it twice (2004-2005 and 2005-2006) and Nowitzki won it once (2006-2007).

I realize that we live in a world of salary caps and luxury taxes, and sometimes tough decisions have to be made in order to remain financially sustainable, but the success these two players have had since parting ways begs the question about what could have been.

What could have been if Nash hadn't been allowed to leave in free agency? What could have been if Antawn Jamison would have never been traded to the Wizards? What could have been if the Mavericks still drafted the same players but didn't trade Devin Harris to the Nets?

Can you even begin to imagine a lineup with Steve Nash at the point, Josh Howard at the two, Antawn Jamison at the three, Dirk at the four, and Shawn Marion, Devin Harris, and Jason Terry coming off the bench?

It almost sounds too good to be true, and in all reality it probably is. I'm sure that the salaries are impossible to fit together. I'm sure that under different circumstances, different outcomes are almost assured, and that every previous decision impacts each personnel decision moving forward making this massive compilation of talent nearly impossible.

I realize this. But, it sure is fun to think about how good they could have been.

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Collison and Thornton Earning Their Stingers With Jeff Bower as Coach

Sean Stancill — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:56:02 -0500

Jeff Bower drafted rookies Darren Collison (21st) and Marcus Thornton (43rd) to make marginal contributions over the season. For Thornton, provide desperately needed scoring from the wings and as for Collison spell some minutes from Chris Paul.

It's safe to say, Bower probably didn't think he would be getting a return on his investments this early.

Marcus Thornton scored 19 points and fellow rookie Darren Collison chipped in 15 points as the pair of rookies proved their worth in the Hornets' 110-103 win over the Suns. On a quieter note, their combined output of 34 points is the highest of any rookie point guard-shooting guard tandem thus far in the NBA this season.

A 3-year starter out of UCLA, Collison has dispensed 17 assists to only seven turnovers since Chris Paul went down, so excuse his 5-for-15 night from the floor because he made plays when it mattered. He accounted for nine of their final 14 points and secured the game by intercepting Amar'e Stoudemire's pass with :35 seconds remaining.

Collison initiated a persistent tempo led by penetrations of the Suns defense. He routinely used his quick first step and crafty dribbles to bypass Steve Nash on the way to the basket and though this won't show up in the box score, four of his misses led to a series of easy put-backs and four rebounds for Emeka Okafor.

A balanced night included 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists and a win over the Western Conference's best team in what will prove to be a game that salts away and stocks confidence in Jeff Bower to look towards Darren Collison when Chris Paul does return from his ankle injury.

As for his counterpart, Marcus Thornton was equally efficient and integral to the Hornets' surprising win over the Phoenix Suns.

Thornton scored 19 points in 20 minutes on only seven shots converted and also chipped in two three-pointers. As an undersized two, he must work harder and play smarter for him to make an impact.

Part of that being is shot selection which was within the realm of acceptable Thursday night against the Hornets. He did a good job of making the game easier by flashing from the baseline to the rim for easy lay-ups. Five of his seven field goals came off of lay-ups and he attempted another which was blocked by Grant Hill on an eclipse-like occasion.

It's an encouraging sign for both Thornton and newly minted GM-Head Coach Jeff Bower who acquired the hometown hero on a draft-night trade with the Miami Heat. Since Bower obtained a seat on the floor, Thorton has obtained minutes on the court. He's eclipsed the 20-minute mark three times in the last four games and has rewarded Bower by averaging 17 points in those contests.

If the duo of Thornton and Collison can keep this up, it will certainly ease the loss of CP3 and keep the Hornets structured and hopefully afloat until Chris Paul returns.

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Dirk Nowitzki: From MVP To Under-the-Radar Superstar

Taylor Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:50:02 -0500

Let's go back two-and-a-half years to April 2007.

To the objection of many (myself included), Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki appeared to be a mortal lock to win the MVP award.

(Steve Nash had the better season, and actually deserved the award more than he did in the previous two seasons that he had actually won it, but back to the relevant story.)

That season, Dirk averaged 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

While these are stellar numbers, Nowitzki had better numbers during each of the two seasons prior.

Nowitzki essentially won the award by default, as he was the best player on the best team.

The Mavericks had just finished the regular season 67-15 as they headed into a first-round playoff series with the Golden State Warriors.

Shockingly, the 67-win Mavs came out and were baffled by the high-energy Warriors, and lost the series decisively in six games.

Dirk's numbers for the series: 19.7 points, 11.3 rebounds per game.

After that series ended, Nowitzki was awkwardly named the NBA's MVP, after having been jettisoned from the playoffs in embarrassing fashion.

This entire series of events was so terrible for Nowitzki that he went on a backpacking excursion through Australia for several weeks just after the season ended, in an effort to help him get away from basketball and everything that had recently transpired.

During the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Nowitzki went out and put up the same old stellar Nowitzki numbers, but because Dallas had taken a step back, nobody really noticed.

Dirk's credibility had taken a massive hit because of the Golden State series, and he had gained the reputation as a guy that can't lead and carry a team by himself.

Because of his team's feeble exit from the playoffs that year, Nowitzki's MVP award seems hollow, as if that entire Mavericks season had never even happened.

This season, the 31-year-old Nowitzki has been better than ever, yet he's never mentioned in the same breath as guys like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, or Dwyane Wade.

However, maybe this is all for the better.

Nowitzki has never been one for the glitz and glamour, and I'm sure he's just fine flying with his team under the national radar.

So far this season, the Mavericks sit at 9-3, atop the Southwest Division.

Dirk Nowitzki's numbers have been gaudy.

He's averaging 27.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks through 12 games, including a season-high 41 points in Wednesday night's OT victory over the Spurs.

In that game, Nowitzki put in several key baskets down the stretch, including a swooping tip-in with 14 seconds to go in regulation that put Dallas ahead by two.

In overtime, he scored five points, none bigger than a three pointer with 1:15 to go that essentially put the game out of reach for San Antonio.

In the previous game, Nowitzki scored 32, including a game-winning fadeaway jumper at the buzzer in OT that rattled all over the basket before dropping right through.

Nowitzki has been carrying the Mavericks so far, without much help from a supporting cast.

Dallas' second-leading scorer is Jason Terry, averaging 17 a game.

Terry, a reliable three-point specialist, has struggled from distance so far, shooting a measly 32 percent from beyond the arc.

Several other key parts for Dallas, including Josh Howard, Shawn Marion, and Erick Dampier, have been battling injuries and have missed several games apiece already.

Despite all this, Dallas has the second-best record in the West so far, a half-game behind 10-3 Phoenix.

Nowitzki and his Mavericks are flying high, while still managing to fly well below the radar.

And I'm sure Nowitzki is just fine with that.

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The Evolution of the NBA Poster Prop

Aaron Navarro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:20:12 -0500

As passionate NBA fans, we have witnessed change since day one; the peach basket and leather ball has come a long way. We have seen the progress of game play and the growth of different hair styles. And let’s face it; the change hasn't always been for the better. As care takers of the wonderful sport, we've stood our ground and protested the ugly, the unjust and the excessive. Yes, we have seen change around the NBA. Nevertheless, there has been a low key development occurring in basketball ever since its birth. That is the evolution of the poster prop. Shuffling defensive feet pays off, but it also comes at a huge cost.

Begin Slideshow

Sloth Is A Sin: NBA Recapping, Previewing and Self-Pitying

Bhagwat Kumar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:03:57 -0500

If you're one of our loyal fans who regularly checks and reads Bring Back Novak , I'd first off like to thank you for your support. All two of you. And I guess I can't really count myself, so thanks for reading my articles, Billy. It means a lot.

In any case, you have probably realized that we haven't been doing much posting. But I promise you, that's a thing of the past. And if you're thinking that I made this exact same promise about three weeks ago and spectacularly failed to come through on it, you're exactly right.

Broken promises and shoddy articles, that's the stuff we're made of here at Bring Back Novak . But in any case, a lot of stuff's been going on in Red Nation (an apology to all our Cherokee readers, that link was in jest) and it's our job to give you our two cents on them. And, I guess it's our job to also let you know that two cents is way, way too much to pay to hear what we have to say.

Houston Rockets 101, Los Angeles Lakers 91

A redemptive (I don't think that's a word) victory of sorts for the good guys. After a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Kobe's, we (read: Aaron Brooks and our bench) were able to steal a game in Los Angeles. I'll admit that I was only able to watch the first half and the last eight minutes of the fourth quarter thanks to Peyton Manning's heroics and my inability to change the channel, but I really, really liked what I saw. Especially the part when the Lakers fans started to boo them. Quality fans, Los Angeles, quality fans .

Ariza looked a little skittish playing against his old team, but then again it might just have been that the weight of that ring was throwing off his shot. Not that ring. This ring .

Brooks played like a man possessed, dropping 33 on 23 shots, Andersen saw Pau Gasol hurt and realized that one soft European had to step up his game, Carl Landry was as efficient as ever and Kyle Lowry was, for lack of a better phrase, an absolute bulldog.

The hands down best moment of the game was Lowry, by far the smallest guy on the floor at 6'0, grabbing two offensive rebounds on the same possession late in the fourth. You're not quite there yet, Andrew . Oh, and this happened. So yeah, thanks for that Ron. You're a real swell guy.

Houston Rockets 105, Phoenix Suns 111

Just as a disclaimer, I know I'm supposed to be mad at the Suns, but I really can't help but fawn over Steve Nash. So if you notice me starting to ramble feel free to gloss over a few sentences.

This was a hard, hard fought loss and I can't really blame the Rockets for not being able to beat a very talented, more experienced Suns team, who, by the way, seems to also be overachieving just a little. I had high expectations going into this game for the Nash vs. Brooks matchup, and the guys did not disappoint.

Brooks had a career high 13 assists and while Nash's shot wasn't falling, he still was able to get 16 of his own. Which, well, was not a career high for him. Not even close.

Watching Steve Nash play basketball is one of the few, pure, unadulterated joys man has left. Looking at his stats, impressive as they are, does not do the man justice. He's so smooth, so in control, so poised, he executes the pick-and-roll like no other and that pull-up jumper is one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. And believe me, I've seen some pretty things . Yes, that was necessary.

And then of course there's Goran Dragic, once commonly known as "The Other White Guy Who Kind of Looks Like Nash from a Distance but is Nowhere Near as Good," but now more frequently referred to as "The Guy Who Goes in to Make Sure People Realize How Good Nash is by Comparison." A career night for Carl Landry, who I'm convinced is our best, or at least most consistent, scorer. 27 points on 18 shots for The Toothless One .

But to briefly sum up the game, we came out hot, as usual, and were looking like we would take a double digit lead into halftime before the Suns utilized a 12-0 run to cut our lead to three at the break. Amar'e sort of had his way inside (I say sort of because until he realizes that to truly control the paint he has to do so on the defensive end of the floor as well as the offensive one he'll never really dominate the inside) and Jason Richardson had a couple of hot streaks, and the second half, especially the fourth quarter, was made up of us struggling to create quality shots against a surprisingly resilient Suns defense. All in all, a tough loss against a tough team, nothing to get too down about.

Houston Rockets 97, Minnesota Timberwolves 84

So, uh, looks like Ricky Rubio might have made the right decision after all. There really is nothing like playing the Timberwolves to get you back on track. Except, maybe, playing the Nets. Or the Warriors. Or the Grizzlies. Or the Clippers. Oh, those Clippers. Those poor, poor Clippers. In any case, this is why I wasn't too broken up about losing to the Suns. We had the Timberwolves next. But in all seriousness, this was actually a great win for the Rockets.

I don't think there's anything harder in the NBA than the end of a back-to-back that makes you leave home for the second game, as both the Suns and then Lakers have just shown us. Ariza once again struggled to prove that he can handle using 23 possessions a game, a usage rate that puts him just under Steve Nash. Ariza is a great player and is filled to the brim with talent, but that doesn't mean he needs to be a high volume player. He can dominate a game without having to hang on to the ball, and we need to more actively find ways for him to do that.

Still, a solid outing for Trevor, nothing that really deserves those last few sentences. Scola was the standout with 20 and 16. Landry came back down to Earth pretty hard, with a 5-0-0 line that looks like something Derek Fisher would boast. The game was a lot closer than the final score might indicate, with the 'Wolves hanging around for three and a half quarters before we finally put them away.

Al Jefferson was 20-10 on 9 shots and is starting to round back into last season's form, but was held down for the last eight minutes of the game after a Carl Landry kick to the head, which, not coincidentally, coincided with us pulling away and the Timberwolves struggling to score.

I take back that Derek Fisher joke, Carl, you might have just won the game for us. A much needed break in a tough game against an opponent desperate, and I truly mean desperate, for a win. 2010 and the long, flowing, Spanish hair it will bring can't come soon enough for the T-Wolves.

Houston Rockets @ Atlanta Hawks, Thursday (6:30 Central)

We've got the Hawks in Atlanta on Thursday in what's sure to be a great game. Josh Smith is reborn and re-topping my list of favorite non-Rockets, trailing only Steve Nash for the number one spot. Joe Johnson is Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford has been a revelation and Mike Bibby is, well, he's really old and showing signs of decline.

The key Thursday is containing Horford, who's truly been a man amongst boys so far this season. Like our own Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes, Horford is slightly undersized, even if it is to a lesser extent, and still manages to dominate the paint, even if it is to a greater extent.

Our bench output will need to be as strong as ever to counteract the combustible Jamar Crawford, because if he gets hot we'll need Landry, Lowry and Budinger to all produce, which is hardly unlikely. Andersen can help too. Defense will be essential tomorrow, as the Hawks are third in offensive efficiency in the NBA with a phenomenal 110.1 points per 100 possessions. To put that in perspective, we only score about 105 per 100.

Ariza, Hayes and company will also need to have hands as active as ever, as the Hawks are the second stingiest team with possession in the NBA as they turn the ball over just a shade under 21 percent of the time. If you're wondering whether there's a correlation between the Hawks' turnover rate and their offensive efficiency, there is, and if we can create turnovers and easy opportunities in transition it'll go a long way to helping us return home with the win.

In any case, it's going to be a fun one at Philips Arena, and hopefully we can leave the A-Town after handing the Hawks their first home loss of this young season. And, as always, go Rockets.

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Allen Iverson: Broadway Bound?

Sean Bafaro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:49:03 -0500

As you all know, the Allen Iverson era in Memphis came to an end this past week as the Grizzlies and Iverson came to a mutual agreement to part ways. Iverson spent just under two months in Memphis, but it was quite clear that this situation simply was not going to work, not only for Iverson himself, but for the Grizzlies franchise as well.

Today, Allen Iverson cleared waivers and is able to sign with another NBA team. There are reports surfacing that he may be closing in on a deal that will see Allen Iverson heading to New York.

Although New York Knicks’ president Donnie Walsh has not officially said that he will sign Iverson, but according to the New York Daily News Walsh has hinted that the Knicks are strongly leaning towards signing the disgruntled star.

The Knicks have gotten off to a very poor start as they are currently sitting at a rudimentary 2-9 record. To make matters worse, the Utah Jazz are sitting with New York’s unprotected 1st round draft pick this season which means that there is no light at the end of tunnel for this franchise, at least in terms of a top notch prospect.

While adding Iverson to the roster will by no means make the Knicks a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference, it may be enough to help them pick up a few more victories and, more importantly, might be able to spark some excitement back into Madison Square Garden.

By signing with New York, Iverson will look to re-establish his reputation as one of the NBA’s premier scorers. The Knicks, under Coach Mike D’Antoni, love to play a fast paced, high octane offensive game and this style of play suits Iverson very well. Iverson, despite all of his off the court problems recently, is still a very dangerous scorer and would fit right in with D’Antoni’s system.

His defensive shortcomings won’t be a huge deal because of the lack of emphasis on that end of the floor (the Knicks are giving up the 2nd most points against at 109.5 points per game). He will be able to get away with gambling in the passing lanes and defensive breakdowns as long as he continues to put up points on the offensive end of the floor.

The Knicks already have some talented offensive players on their roster in Al Harrington, who leads the team in scoring, and Danilo Gallinari, the sharp shooting sophomore.

Iverson has never been known as a pass first player, but the attention that he demands, along with his ability to break down the defense, creates great opportunities for his teammates. A shooter like Gallinari could end up getting some great looks off of dribble penetration. Harrington could also thrive off of the attention that Iverson will draw.

There are a couple of potential snags in Iverson heading to New York though. According to the New York Daily News the Miami Heat are interested in adding Iverson to their roster.

It is also believed that James Dolan would have to sign off on the deal. Dolan has had a history of not wanting to acquire players that could be considered as controversial and he was behind Latrell Sprewell and Stephon Marbury leaving the Knicks. He may be put off by Iverson who does not have the greatest of track records by any stretch of the imagination.

Although Iverson may not be the same player that he was during his prime, he is still a dangerous scorer and can put up points in a hurry. The deal is by no means a sure thing, but if you ask me, this is a no risk move as the Knicks really can’t get much worse. Iverson may be able to rejuvenate his sputtering career by joining the Knicks and finishing the year strong and in the process help the Knicks pick up a few more wins.

Will New York take a chance and sign Iverson? Only time will tell.

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Pivot Points: Carmelo Anthony for MVP?

Hadarii Jones — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:36:52 -0500

The worst misfortune in Carmelo Anthony's young career may be the fact that he was drafted in the same year as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

While James and Wade found their names brought up in every conversation about the MVP, Anthony has become almost an afterthought, until this year.

In reality, it's almost like a tragedy of Shakespearean consequence due to the fact that Anthony was just as heralded as James and Wade when he made his NBA debut, yet has fell behind them in in the sphere of player influence.

Remember, it was Anthony, not Wade that led his Syracuse team to an improbable NCAA championship in his freshman year, and it was Anthony not Wade who was considered the cream of the crop in the draft that year along with James.

It's not like Anthony has been unable to live up to his lofty expectations, as he has been a league star ever since he stepped foot on NBA hardwood, but the trajectory of his path has been different than James or Wade.

Early in his career Carmelo was victim to back spasms that limited his play and threatened to derail a very promising start. After conquering the physical demons, Anthony fell prey to an animal of a different sort.

Anthony was raised in the concrete jungles of inner-city Baltimore and for him, it was difficult to escape the trappings of the ghetto.

He was the type of guy who believed in keeping the friends of his past, and he failed to realize that after you reach a certain status that can be a dangerous proposition.

It wasn't like his friends were similarly inspired in their desire to abandon the cruel cycle of poverty, they were more inclined to continue their unlawful ways with Anthony serving as their window to the world.

Carmelo allowed himself to be video-taped with known felons and drug dealers and the public's perception of him took an immediate turn. It was a story that we knew all to well and it seemed Anthony was destined to relive it.

While this was going on, Wade was winning his first NBA championship and James was amazingly surpassing the unreal expectations that had been thrust upon him.

Anthony was a player in flux, unable to concentrate on his game, while trying to distance himself from the weight of ill-advised friendships.

He was eventually able to put that part of his life behind him, but then was faced with sharing stardom with the player formerly known as Allen Iverson. To say their relationship was strained would be an understatement.

On the surface the pairing seemed to work as he and Iverson became the highest scoring duo in the NBA, but it was clear that the marriage wouldn't work.

Anthony found himself feuding with his coach and the rest of the league waited for the implosion that was sure to come. We weren't disappointed, as the Denver Nuggets became the first 50 win team to get swept out of the playoffs in the first round.

The next chain of events are what changed Anthony's career and allowed him to begin to fulfill his large promise. The Nuggets got rid of Iverson, and brought in Chauncey Billups and everything changed.

Billups changed the culture of the Nuggets and inspired Anthony to begin a run of the best basketball played in his life. His game broadened and his attitude changed along with it.

The last two years have seen Anthony become more versatile on both ends of the court. He no longer settles for jump shots and has begin to trust his footwork and his post game,

The difference in his defense is evident to as Billups has encouraged him to be more aggressive in his stance and to show more trust in his teammates.

The biggest thing is that he seems to be enjoying the game more as evidenced by the smile that is now present on his face the majority of the time.

While he has always been among the top players in the league, Anthony has taken the steps to cement his game among the elite. Few are playing better than him now and his impact on the Nuggets has them in the upper-echelon of the NBA.

If he can continue on the path that he has begun, maybe he can finally erase the memories of his past and maybe we can finally place him in the discussion that he deserves to be in most, as one of the prime candidates for MVP.

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