2009-10 NBA Preview: Part 2

Here is part of my “preview” for the NBA – only four game into the season.  I decided to highlight about half of the teams after I wanted to do all the teams, but then I remembered I have a life outside of this blog.  I know, crazy right?

What I have put together are my “Points of Interest” – I know, great name – of teams, players, situations, that may be a little under that radar – or not – but are worth giving more attention and will give another layer of intrigue to the NBA.

Dallas Gets All Maverik-y with Marion

The Mavericks have been lacking the old-school Charles Oakley type power forward.  While, Mark Cuban may not have gotten the toughness, they did get Shawn Marion who is a life time 17.8 ppg and 9.9 rpg player.  Marion’s scoring average has gone down since a career high of 21.8 ppg in ‘05-’06 in Phoenix, but I would expect Marion to get plenty of east basket from Jason Kidd like Marion did from Steve Nash.

Here is there stating line-up: PG – Kidd, SG – Josh Howard, SF – Shawn Marion, PF – Dirk Nowitzki, and C – Erick Damiper.  And then off the bench you the have Sixth Man of the Year, Jason Terry.  Not too shabby.

The Heat In Miami

Going into the fourth season removed from winning the Championship, the Heat are not as bad as I remember , having won 43 games last season.  But the heat did not add much to the roster, minus the often traded Quentin Richardson, and lost Jamario Moon and traded away Mark Blount.

Dwayne Wade must be tired, seriously!  Not only has he played an average of 37.9 minutes a game and over 38 minutes in four out of the six seasons, he averaged 30.2 last season which was 31% of the points per game.  Wade turns 28 and you have to wonder how much longer his body can perform and continue to endure the beating he gets every game.

Mr. Michael Beasley’s 13.9 ppg and 5.5 rebounds must creep closer to a 15 ppg and 10 rpg average for him to be consider a legit No. 2 option.  And with his recent trip to rehab will only add to already intense lens that will be on his every move.

Daequan Cook is the wild-card for the Heat.  While his scoring average did not increase much – 8.8 to 9.1 ppg -  his shooting improved from behind the three-point line – 33% to 39%.  Along with Cook, the Heat brought Carlos Arroyo over from Orlando and those two will be key in providing scoring and steady guard play off the bench.

Houston, We Have A Problem

The Rockets lost Ron Artest to the Lakers and Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady to injury.  This is a major hit to Houston and it’s attempt to make the playoffs for a fourth straight season.  Those three players totaled 52.4 ppg and 19.5 rpg, and were the three best players in a Rocket uniform.

This season could be a season similar to the Spurs of 1997, when David Robinson was out for the season with back issues.  The Spurs had a 20-62 record and the ended-up with the No. 1 pick, which turned out to be Tim Duncan.

I am not sure there is a Duncan type players in next years draft, but with the Rockets lacking quality veteran leadership, this team will end up with a lottery pick.  This could add some quality next season when Yao will be healthy.

Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza and the crew will get plenty of playing time as this team must look past the McGrady era and plan on a rough road this season.

Cleveland Rocks

The elephant in the room is  Shaq.  Shaq has won titles as Batman and as Robin, and was committed to his role as Robin to Dwayne Wades Batman.  But is seems that everywhere else (i.e. LA and Phoenix) Shaq still considered himself the headliner.

Well in Cleveland, there all ready is a headliner.  Without question – the Cavs were called “the LeBrons” for crying out loud.  So Shaq buying into his role and his new team should lead to at least one appearance in the Finals.  Cleveland was close without him before running into the Orlando Magic.

Three Other Points of Interest

1. Delonte West – Apparently wants to play the Antonio Banderas role in Desperado.  Hopefully, that was a onetime deal.
2. Jemario Moon – Can get easy baskets and guard players that only LeBron could guard before.
3. Can Mo Williams have another All-Star caliber season?

San Antonio Spurs – Just One More Time

Tim Duncan (19.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, and 1.7 blocks – 33 years old) + Tony Parker in his prime + Manu Ginoblli (playing time >44 games at 32 years old) + Richard Jefferson (17.7 career scoring average and playoff experience) + better than advertised bench (George Hill, Roger Mason, Matt Booner, Theo Ratliff, Keith Bogans and DeJuan Blair) = at the very least, a trip to the Western Conference Finals.

Chicago Bulls

There are two major questions facing the Chicago Bulls.

1. Is Derrick Rose able to continue to improve from his performance last season.
2. Can Luol Deng get back to his ‘06-’08 form?

Let’s start with Deng.  After playing 78 and 82 games in the ‘05-’07 season, the following two seasons had been cut short to 63 and 49 games.  Deng had a career year in ‘06-’07, scoring 18.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 2.5 apg and for the Bulls to take the next step, Deng will need to stay healthy (he is the only true SF on the roster).

Now to Mr. Rose.  Rose had a good rookie season and an even better playoff with his epic battle with Bostons Rajon Rondo.  Rose is an amazing athletic, but has room to grow as a basketball player.  In his rookie season, Rose shot 79% from the foul line.  His biggest weakness is his shooting – he shot 22% from deep – that’s sad.  But like I said, he has room to grow.

Minnesota Brand New Roster

Name the three Timberwolves who have been on the Minnesota roster the longest.  I will give you five seconds to think about it.  5…4…3…(quick)…2…1…0.

Corey Brewer, Ryan Gomes and Al Jefferson.

Since new GM David Kahn was hired on May 23rd, Kahn has destroyed the roster.  Here is a list of transactions from CBSSports.com.

• 9/22 Chucky Atkins PG Waived
• 9/17 Sasha Pavlovic G/F Signed as Free Agent
• 9/11 Ramon Sessions G Signed as Free Agent, Four-year contract
• 9/9  Antonio Daniels  PG Traded, Part of three-player deal
• 8/13 Mark Blount F/C Traded, for Quentin Richardson
• 8/10 Ryan Hollins F/C Signed as Free Agent
• 7/27 Chucky Atkins PG Traded, Part of three-player deal
• 7/27 Damien Wilkins G/F Traded, Part of three-player deal
• 7/20 Quentin Richardson G/F Traded, Part of four player deal
• 7/10 Wayne Ellington G Signed as Draft Pick
• 7/10 Jonny Flynn G Signed as Draft Pick
• 6/24 Darius Songaila F/C Traded, Part of 6 player deal
• 6/24 Etan Thomas F/C Traded, Part of 6 player deal
• 6/24 Oleksiy Pecherov C Traded, Part of 6 player deal

The Timberwolves  have no one on their potential starting line-up that has played in the league longer than 5 years.  If Rammon Sessions starts over Johnny Flynn, you would have Brewer and Session with two years in the league, Kevin Love with one year, Ryan Gomes with four years, and Jefferson with five years.  The player with the most NBA experience – Antonio Daniels with 12 years in the league.

This season may be long and ugly at times, but it is necessary for this team to grow.  They will be a lottery team in next years draft, but if they can keep this core of young talent and add a few more pieces through the draft and free agency, this team should be fighting for the playoffs in 3-4 years.

Take Me To Your Leader

The Warrior’s draft Steph Curry to add even more fire offensive power to a team that is not lacking points, but is lacking leadership.  When the best player on the team demands a trade, that is not a good start to the season.

Golden State seems like a train wreck waiting to happen.  Wait, that is every moment when Stephen Jackson is on your team.

Every single moment.

Don Nelson can reload with players after player who can fill the box score but I am not sure they have any player who can provide more leadership then the rookie star Curry.  That is a sad state of affairs.

Look up and down the roster and try to find a relevant player – other than Speedy Claxton – who has any leadership skills or experience that would make other players look to them for guidance.

Golden State Side Note:  Look for break out years from Anthony Randolph and Kelenna Azubuike (who averaged 14.4 ppg last season).

Re-Branding

Do you want to know why the Clippers let Elton Brand go?

After a career high in scoring of 24.7 ppg in 2005-’06, Brands scoring dropped to 20.5 ppg in the following season, to 17.6 ppg in ‘07-’08, then to a career low last season with 13.8 ppg and his second lowest in rebounding with 8.8 rpg.

The Clippers were “rewarded” with the Mr. Griffin, but the 76ers are still looking for a return in their investment and get more value in the $14M of Brand contract this season.

The silver lining in this whole ordeal is that the 76ers made the playoffs last season without Brand.   Even with the loss of PG Andre Miller, Philly has talent and a full roster, so managing Brand’s minutes should be easier.

Don’t forget that Thaddeus Young – he is in line for a break out season.  His scoring jumped from 8.8 ppg to 15.4 ppg and his rebounds per game jumped from 4.2 to 5.1.  I am just saying.

Indiana Pacers

Did you that Duke has a campus in Indiana?  With three former Blue Devils on the roster, the Pacers have more than the league quota with Mike Dunleavy, Josh McRoberts and Dahntay Jones.  The also may have the most white players 6′9″ and taller on a single roster in the NBA over with five.

Here we go; Jeff Foster, Tyler Hansbrough, Troy Murphy, Dunleavy and McRoberts.  Travis Diener is only 6′1″.

Oh bye the way, that Danny Granger guy is pretty good.  One must wonder how high the ceiling is for Granger.  Since his rookie year, 2005-’06, he has improved his scoring every year.  From 7.5 ppg his first season, to 25.8ppg last season.  But he has also become a better shooter from distance and the foul line.  Granger shot 23% his rookie to 40% from beyond the arc and 77% from the foul line to 88% in the same time.

The biggest question mark is Mike Dunleavy.  He played in only 18 games last season, missing the time due to a serious knee injury.  And reports have him out because of the same knee  at least the next month.

Side note: Before playing in only 18 games – which was a career low - Dunleavy had averaged 80 games a season.

Laker’s Repeat?

Congrats Laker’s, you won the NBA Championship.  Not only are you going to resign Lamar Odom (aka Mr Khloe Kardashian), but you also get Ron Artest – and all the crazy that comes with this rapper player.

I have no idea why the Lakers brass let Trevor Ariza leave – besides money.  As the player that made crucial plays during the Lakers playoff run, Ariza was the perfect counter part to Kobe.  A defensive hound that makes big plays and can hit the open shot, but did not demand the ball or force bad shots – both are traits that come with Artest.

All that said, you still have Kobe and Pau and one of the deeper benches in the league.  And of course there is the “Zen Master” in Phil Jackson.  But major concern for the 2009-10 Lakers is that is does not turn into the 2003-04 Lakers with Kobe, Shaq, Karl Malone and Gary Payton, who lost in the Finals to a better “team” in the Pistons.  But a line-up of Derek Fischer, Kobe, Artest, Odom/Andrew Bynum and Gasol; is the best starting five in the league.

Next Trick, Please

After a playoff run that exceed all expectations, the Orlando Magic thought they had a good thing going.  Well, they did.  But they did not know it was going to Toronto.  After Hedu Turkoglu signed in Canada, the Magic needed to add offense, and since Hedu didn’t really play defense, there was nothing to worry about when trading for Vince Carter.

Even though signing Carter was important, the added value that came with the signings of Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes will give the Magic even more toughness.  Bass will start at PF and will pull down his share of rebounds, while Barnes will come off the bench with Mikael Pietrus to add grit and even more match-up problems.

Having Jameer Nelson back to be the spark plug for the Magic offense.  His skill and scoring ability was missed in the playoffs.  Plus, a pick and roll combo of Nelson and Dwight Howard is more feared than the 2009 playoff model (i.e. Rafer Alston).  Add Carter and Rashard Lewis – my secret favorite player in the NBA – and the Magic is going to be exciting and do have enough talent to make another run deep in the playoffs.

The New Boston Celtics 3.0

If the Celtics in the championship, everyone will point to the fact the Kevin Garnett is healthy.  But there are more reasons than “The Big Ticket”.  While the Celtics took a hit losing Leon Powe to the Cavs, Boston added much-needed depth.

• SG: Marguis Daniels
• PF: Rasheed Wallace
• C: Sheldon Williams

Also off the bench you have Eddie House at point,  but Daniels can, and will, handle the ball when needed.  Tony Allen and Glen Davis are young players, but have played in big games.  And Bill Walker adds athleticism and a spark that no one else on this team can.

While Wallace is the biggest name that the team picked-up, there were other players who may prove to be more important to the teams overall success.

Is Toronto Turning Into Phoenix Lite?

Well, look at the line-up.

• PG: Jose Caldoron
• SG: Marco Belinelli
• SF: Hedu Trukoglu
• PF: Chris Bosh
• C: Andrew Bargnani

Not only is the line-up very offensive minded, it is very European – which would lead to a more offensive game.  But this team will be able to give you multiple looks that will keep opponents are their heels.  You have Turkoglu and Bosh who can score from the post, but every single player can run and shoot a solid jumper.  Bargnani had the best percentage from 3-point range with 40.9% – he attempted 209 last season.

The Raptors also have some talent off the bench in DeMar DeRozan, Jarrett Jack and a few players who can give the team a lift: Sonny Weems, Quincy Douby, and Amir Johnson.

This team is young, but should fun to watch and could give some of the big boys with match-up issues.

Rose City

How quickly we have forgotten the “Jail Blazers” and now this team is the favorite young team that everyone expects to break through and make a run deep in the playoffs and shock a contender.  Baby steps.

This team is stacked with talent, but I am not sure of what kind of playing time is going to be available for some players. Example: Point Guard – Steve Blake is the starter, Andre Miller is the back-up and Jerrod Bayless is the star in waiting at third string.  Just take a look at the project depth chart from ESPN.com.

POS	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
Point Guard	Steve Blake	Andre Miller	Jerryd Bayless
Shooting Guard	Brandon Roy	Rudy Fernandez
Small Forward	Nicolas Batum	Travis Outlaw	Martell Webster
Power Forward	LaMarcus Aldridge	Juwan Howard	Dante Cunningham	Jeff Pendergraph
Center	Greg Oden	Joel Przybilla

I guess that is a great problem to have.  Finding time for so many good players – and Juwan Howard.  I want to see Greg Oden turn into a force, but this team is lead by Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, and has some many players that some of the pieces are interchangeable, especially at center and small forward.

Side-Note: Brandon Roy is the 7th highest paid player on the roster behind: Oden, Przybilla, Aldrige, Blake, Miller, and Martell “I am the third string small forward” Webster.  That will not last past this season!

Atlanta = Joe Johnson

Let me first state that this team has talent.  But without Joe Johnson, the Hawks would not sniff a playoff berth.

While Johnson does not get the marquee billing that certain superstars get, his production is defiantly worthy of being mentioned in the class of LeBron, Kobe, D-Wade, etc.

His scoring averaged dipped, mostly due to other Hawks stepping-up, but his stat for last seasons: 21.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.1 steals a game.  Johnson also shot 44% from the floor, 33% from distance and 83% from the foul line.  He also played 39.5 minutes a game.  Johnson is skilled, tough, and can perform in the clutch.  He has also proved durable as player – playing an average of 78 games a season.

For the Hawks to improve and go further in the playoffs,  Josh Smith must show that he is reliable option.  Smith’s scoring has decreased over the last three season, but his shooting has gone up – from 44% to 49%.  But Smith’s free-throw percentage gone down faster that the Titanic.  After floating in the 69% to 72% range in his first four-year, last season it sank to 59% – and I am rounding up.  Smith is a crazy athlete who adds another dimension to the Hawks, but he can not yet be trusted at end of games.

2009-10 NBA Preview: Part 1

It seems like only yesterday that I was watching the Lakers win the NBA championship in Orlando.  Actually, it may have been yesterday, ESPN Classics probably showed it again.

There have been a ton of off-season moves, but we will get to that in part 2.  For now, take a look at some of the young players to watch.

Rookies – 10 Spot

1. Blake Griffin -  As the No. 1 pick, expectations with him and the Clippers are going to be on different levels.  But there should be plenty of chance for improvement for both.  PS – He may be out for six weeks.  Clippers curse!
2. Brandon Jennings – After an up and down year in Italy, many are hoping that a return to the States will mean the return of his game.  I thought Jennings might be a good chance of pace off the bench, but word is that he will be starting.
3. Earl Clark - Is anyone more Jekyll and Hyde than the former Louisville star?  He is on the end of the bench, but Clark is a building block for the post-Steve-Nash era.
4. Eric Maynor - Jerry Sloan found the perfect point guard in Maynor and he should grow with some tough-Sloan-love.  He will be the perfect back-up for Deron Williams.
5. James Johnson – Like Clark, Johnson had lottery-like talent.  And like Clark, he had the ability to disappear on occasion.  Johnson will also be low on the depth chart, could add the element of running the offense through him when he is on the court.
6. Derrick Brown - The Bobcats are piecing together a nice team and Brown could pan out to be the steal of the draft at the 4oth pick.
7. Chase Budinger - One of my favorite college players has landed on a team with Trevor Ariza and Shane Battier.  But Budinger is skilled and athletic enough to add offense off the bench.
8. Danny Green - There were a few picks that made sense for the Cavs.  But the perfect pick was Green.  A 6′7″ defensive hound, who will not need to be handled with kids gloves and will bust his butt regardless of the amount of playing time he gets.
9. Toney Douglas - Poor man’s Ben Gordon plus defense, Douglas derserves to get meaningful playing time.  But on a roster with Chris Duhon, Nate Robinson, Wilson Chandler, Larry Hughes and Cuttino Mobley, there are not going to be enough balls to around.
10. Jonny Flynn - Flynn was the only reason I watched the Orangemen last season and he will be the man running the show in Minnesota this season.  But he will also play with one of the best big men in Al Jefferson.

Sophomore Sensations?

Joe Alexander – This guy was the epitome of explosive at West Virginia.  Athletically and emotionally, Alexander was able take games over in a flash.  But his rookie was not much more than spark (4.7 ppg and 1.9 rpg in a total of 12.1 minutes a game).  Alexander struggled to find playing time, but the Bucks higher-ups must have seen something in Alexander they liked by letting Charlie Villanueva sign in Detroit.  Looking for more than just a spark this season with some more playing time.

O.J. Mayo - I was not a fan of Mayo until I watched a bunch of games of USC and I was excited when Minnesota drafted him with the No. 4 pick two drafts ago.  But then I woke up the next morning and Mayo was in Memphis.  A quick look at his stats you will see 18.5 ppg, 3.8 ppg, and more assists than turnover (barely).  But what is really impressive is 44% shooting from the field, 38% from distance and 88% from the foul line.  After finishing runner-up in the ROY voting, Mayo is posed to do more in Memphis.  The only question, is the Answer – Allen Iverson.  And how Iverson’s need to have the play in his hand will effective Mayo.  Because Mayo has the same need.

D.J. Augustin – When the Bobcats drafted Augustin, I think everyone was surprised.  You had a strong starting point guard in Raymond Felton, but maybe Charlotte was looking for another option off the bench.  In 26.1 minutes a game, Augustin added 11.8 ppg and 3.5 apg.  All while shooting 43% from the field, 44% from three-point range and 89% from the charity stripe.  Side-note: In twelve starts last season, Augustin averaged 17.8 points and 5.6 assists.  Expect to see more minutes for this tiny, yet talented guard.

Eric Gordon – In his one season at Indiana, he was involved Kelvin Sampson scandal.  So going to the Clippers was probably not as shocking as it would have been for other players.  Many people under-rated him as a player coming out of college.  But the LA choose home and he did not disappoint, and the Clippers needed him to take on a large load of he offensive.  16.1 ppg, 46% from the field, 39% from the floor and 85% from the foul line.  I would expect him to turn into more of a spot-up shooter who will live off the double teams of Blake Griffin.

Danilo Gallinari - To say that the Knicks faithful were shocked by the pick Gallinari, would be an understatement.  While limited to on 28 games by a back injury, there were hints of ability in his limited time on the court.  He can score from the perimeter, shooting 45% from the field and 44% from distance.  Gallinari is not a great athlete and can be a below-par defender, but has the ideal head coach in Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun offense.

Mario Chalmers - When the Heat trade for Chalmers, it probably was not in the plan to have him start all 82 games. But this quick, defensive guard could prove to be exactly what the Heat need.  A pass first point guard (4.9 apg), who can put constant pressure on the ball (2.0 steal per game), shoot a good percentage from the field (42%), and score when need (10 ppg).  Going into his second season, Chalmers should continue to put impressive numbers in regards to his assists and steals.  But needs to improve from distance, as he only shot 37% from distance.

Kosta Koufos - After a less than impressive freshmen season at Ohio State, Koufas declared for the draft.  Being drafted by the Jazz was an ideal situation as he was not needed to start from day one, and had time to learn under some talented players.  But Koufas is talented and has a good offensive game for a player his size (7′0″) and his age (20 years old).  Look for more playing time, and in that, a more appealing stat line.

Michael Jordan’s Hall Of Fame Speech Was Uncomfortable

That might not be totally fair, but I did not like it.  To summarize the main theme of the speech – “I am really competitive, I took things personally, but you all motivated me….but I am still better than you”

I did not hear David Robinson’s speech, but I am sure it was much more articulate and humble.  Not that Jordan’s speech was horrible, but it was completely filled with his ego and the fact that he felt that he was more important than the organization.  If going on to say that the players win games, not the organization.

He rambled, did not articulate his feelings well and seemed to want to remind everyone in the room how and why he is the best NBA player of all time.

Jordan was emotional from the beginning of his speech.  I am sure he was thinking about his father, he had a room filled with teammates and other familiar people.  And whenever you watch a your own career retrospective, and I sure it brings back a lot feelings.

Congrats to Micheal Jordan, John Stockton, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer.  You all deserved it.

Apparently, I am not the only who dislike Jordan’s speech - here is the article from yahoo.com: “Jordan’s night to remember turns petty” by Adrian Wojnarowski.

Scottie Pippen Will Be In The HOF Soon

It was great to see Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr and even Dennis Rodman at the ceremony – I was not there, I just watched.  I will be happy when Pippen gets elected – he is eligible in 2010.   I think people are starting to forget how good he was.  How important he was to Jordan’s success and the Bulls six championships.

Pippen’s career stat line was 16.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg,  5.2 apg, and 2.0 steals a game.  He also shot 47.3% from the field and 70% from the foul line.  Pippen was a seven time All-Star, and in the 1993-94 All-Star game, he won the MVP Award.

Pippen and Jordan were they only two players for the Bulls for all six titles.  And Pippen was the perfect balance to Jordan.  While Jordan dominated the ball, Pippen was good open shooter, could finish in traffic and at the rim.  But Pippen was even more dominate as a defender.  He was able to guard point guards to power forwards.  With a combination of speed, anticipation and long arms; Pippen was a defensive threat anywhere on the court.

Career Honors

1990-91 NBA All-Defensive (2nd)
1991-92 NBA All-Defensive (1st)
1991-92 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1992-93 NBA All-Defensive (1st)
1992-93 NBA All-NBA (3rd)
1993-94 NBA All-Defensive (1st)
1993-94 NBA All-NBA (1st)
1994-95 NBA All-Defensive (1st)
1994-95 NBA All-NBA (1st)
1995-96 NBA All-Defensive (1st)
1995-96 NBA All-NBA (1st)
1996-97 NBA All-Defensive (1st)
1996-97 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1997-98 NBA All-Defensive (1st)
1997-98 NBA All-NBA (3rd)
1998-99 NBA All-Defensive (1st)
1999-00 NBA All-Defensive (2nd)

Stats taken from www.basketball-reference.com

Ricky Rubio

I have stayed away from really discussing Ricky Rubio.  I don’t know why, but I have.  Maybe for me it was a one of those situations that,  if you don’t talk about it, it will take care of itself.  And as of this week, it did not take care of itself….or did it?

Rubio is just eighteen years old.  While he has been playing in Spanish professional league’s, he is still only eighteen and has a lot that he can learn before coming over to the NBA.  If that is what he really wants to do.

With his former team, DKV Joventut, Rubio was making around $70K a year.  Not that much for a board line international phenomenon who showed just what kind of player he can be by holding his own against the US Men’s Team which feature Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Understatement of the day: The Minnesota Timberwolves picked a lot of point guards in June’s draft.

Four in all.

After making a Rubio the fifth selection, the T’Wolves picked Jonny Flynn at No. 6, Ty Lawson at No. 18 – Lawson was later traded to the Denver Nuggets.  Then finally with No. 45, MN choose Nick Calathes and traded his rights to the Dallas Mavericks.  Since then Calathes signed a contract to play in Greece with Panathinaikos.

The only non-point guard the Timberwolves picked was UNC Star Shooting Guard Wayne Ellington at No. 28.

So, the main question everyone would like to pose to new GM David Kahn is this: Why choose Rubio and Flynn is you actually thought Rubio was going to come to the NBA?  And a completely legit follow-up would be:  If Flynn was the player you wanted, why not pick Flynn and Steph Curry or DeMar DeRozan?

Kahn has responded to like question saying that he fully believed that Flynn and Rubio could play int he same back court.  But everyone who knows anything about those two players knows they are almost the same player.  Rubio and Flynn are both pass-first point guards.  Neither one is dominant scorer and is at their best when others players get easy buckets.

That being said, Flynn did average 17.8 point a game in during the 2008-09 season – his last at Syracuse.  Flynn also average 6.7 assist per game while shooting 45 percent from the field.  While last season Rubio averaged 9.8 points per game and 5.8 assists and he has never had a season where he has been a double figure scorer.

One major difference is that Flynn has been the leader of his team the past couple years, while Rubio has not.  But the confidence to lead and the ability to be a leader can come with age and experince.

So after all that, what do you do?  Put yourself in Kahn’s shoes.  The answer is easy.

Start Flynn, Ellington, Love, Jefferson and Corey Brewer and let them grow.  Let them struggle to win.  Let them make their mistakes and let them lose.  And through that they will acquire more lottery picks and then when the time comes to reevaluate “if” the Timberwolves want Rubio, they will.

In two or three years, Rubio will only be 20-21.  And by that time the Timberwolves, if they can keep the pieces of the puzzle together, you have the potential to add an exciting-young player or you could also trade his rights and get a couple other pieces.  Either would be a solid move to cement a team that should have come together and be a playoff contender.

To summarize. I would not have picked Rubio if Flynn is “your guy”.  I would have gone with Flynn and DeRozan or Curry.  But after the fact, Rubio staying in Spain is th ebest option.  It is like a piece of relaestate that will only go up in value. – or something like that.

Quick Hits: 8/28/09

NBA Puts the Brakes on Smith and Richardson

OK.  Lame title.

The NBA had to suspend Denver Nugget’s J.R Smith and Golden State Warrior’s Jason Richardson for being horribly stupid drivers.

Smith will be on the bench in street clothes for seven games after pleading guilty for reckless driving and Richardson gets a two game suspension for driving drunk.

Both guys have had issues driving.  Smith was in an accident that caused the death of a passenger in his car in 2007  and Richardson drove 90 mph in a 35 mph zone with his three year old son in the back seat WITHOUT a car seat.

Richardson is the bigger idiot, but Smith seems to find his name in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.  Either way, suspensions were warranted.

Arsenal Vs. Manchester United

For those of you who did not know, the English Premiere League started up again.  And this Saturdays match-up at Old Trafford, is the first real test of the season for Arsenal and the first match-up of any of the “Big Four” – ManU, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

United has already had a bump in the road in the form of recently promoted Burnley, but a match-up against another major squad, may set the Red Devils back on course.

This is also the match of the EPL two longest-term tenured coaches in Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger, who has been there since 1996, and United Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been the head of this giant since 1986.

My Prediction – Arsenal 2 – United 1*  United is having issues with the back four and Wayne Rooney has yet to convince me that he is the team leader, but Arsenal needs Cesc Fabregas to be fit.

Dick Vitales Top-40 Teams

I like this list - Short, sweet, and to the point.   Here is a quick hint: Kansas is No. 1 and Kentucky is No.2.

Should be a interesting year.

LeBron by LeBron

Here is a sold write about LeBron James’ documentary by Fanhouse’s Will Bronson.

World Football Daily

After much thought and public feedback, Steven Cohen has decided to move in a new direction.   Changing the branding from World SOCCER Daily to World FOOTBALL Daily, the new show will be viewed and heard by paying a monthly subscription.

On a short show today Steven, with co-host Kenny Hassan, explained the changes that are taking place.  Highlighting the new shift in programing, the creation of a new company, the revamped focus of the show, and how the show intends to “stay afloat”.

The brief broadcast showcased the greater investment in the show that has been made by the hosts, with a few other, to validate the $9.99 monthly subscription.   The greater investment was obviously seen in the higher quality cameras, closer and improved camera angles, and improved sound equipment.  Side note: the sound still needs to be worked out however.

Cohen had decided to stop production of World Soccer Daily after threats of all kinds, from a certain group of Liverpool Supporters, had become too intense and were not only directed at Cohen, but also his step-children and their friends.  The backlash was from the Liverpool supporters, was based on comments Cohen had made about the tragedy that took place in 1996 known as the Hillsborough Disaster, which involved the death of 96 Liverpool fans.

As I have stated in prior posts, I do not have enough knowledge to have an opinion on the events that took place in 1996 or Cohen’s comments.  Either way, the show will have it’s last free broadcast on Monday, August 31st.

www.worldsoccerdaily.com

You can listen to Friday’s podcast by heading to this page.

Quick Hits: 8/24/09

DTP Gets a New Face – Just call me Joan Rivers

I needed something new and I like the look of this layout.  Nothing too flashy and yet lighter than the older face.

The old layout was good to us  but it was time for step in a new direction.  So, here it is.

NBA Notes

• No one in the NBA wants Allen Iverson – Can you blame them?  While this guy is a crazy athlete – he is the NBA’s version of Terrell Owens – A.I. can not fit into a system that does not have him dominating the ball.
• Jason Williams- last seen playing the Miami Heat in ‘07-’08 - has signed with the Orlando Magic.  He should add some veteran leadership – but that’s about it.
• Fox Sports put tother a list of the Top 10 NBA Coach’s of All-Time: take a look.
• The NBA chatter has slowed down.  So here is a Top-Ten of LeBron from last season that NBA.com  put together.  Just ignore all the traveling. – sidenote:  NBA.com is a much better site than it used to be.

Brett Favre Plays All of Heaven Rejoices

He went 1-for-4 for 4 yards!  Woohoo!  Plan the parade! 

I do not put much stock in preseason and this is a perfect example of the exact reasoning behind that thought.  I did not pay much attention to the game, but I did see Taravis Jackson go 12-for-15 for 202 yards and two touchdowns.  You can call his an audition for another team.

Here is ESPN.com’s Kevin Seiffert’s write on Favre’s debut.

POP Culture Moments

• Millon Dollar Idiot

My wife and I have an agreement.  Granted, it is one that will likely never be needed, but we have discussed that if one of us were to be so lucky to get on a game some, i.e. Millionaire or Deal or No Deal, and we had the chance to walk away with a “lot of money”, we would.  

The reason I bring this up.  On Sunday, ABC had Regis Philban back to host a prim-time 10th Anniversary Show (he had been hosting all week).  After guy with awesome money vest, answered wrong, here came this 24-year-old – Harvard Law graduating – entertainment lawyer.  

He breezes through a ton of questions and is looking at the three final questions with four life lines left. Nice!  He had already made a blind guess at what seemed to be an easy question and was sitting at the Million Dollar Question!  It felt like this guys whole round was easy and ABC just wanted a winner on their 10th Anniversary Show.  Anyway, he guessed at the question and was wrong.  Lame – his ego took over for his logic and he lost $475K.

The agreement with my wife – would have allowed me to see the million dollar question, use my life lines, and then walked away with $500K.  Paying off all out debate, setting our kids up, buying a house and looking at a nice sized pot to grow interest and that want wait until retirement.         

But 24-year-old entertainment lawyer is thinking he needs to guess on a question that he said “either you know it or you don’t”.  There is no process of elimination or logic behind it, but he dove head first and lost.  National TV FAIL!

• Dancing With Who?

Did anyone know that Congressmen Tom DeLay, Kelli Osbourne, Aaron Carter and UFC Fighter Chuck Liddell are on Dancing with the Stars?  There are probably more, but that’s as far as I could get before I became lighted headed thinking of all the horrible that will take place!

Sad Day for Soccer

World Soccer Daily has been canceled.  It is a very completcated story and appartenly has gotten extremely serious very fast.  For a good non-biased recapping the issue, read over this article from goal.com.  

I am only entering my third season of English Premier League Soccer and try to get my soccer fix when and where I can.  I found this podcast only a few months ago and it daily opens the world of soccer to a nation fans that have a hard time finding soccer news in the main stream. 

I do not know enough to have an opinon on Steven Cohen’s claims and the events that happened in the Hillsborough Disaster. Even many of the veiwers disagree with Cohen’s claims and do not agree with the actions of the Liverpool supporters.  Please listen to the last podcast to come to your own conclusion.

Yahoo.com Front Page = MN Timberwolves

This is what the front page of Yahoo.com’s NBA page looked like this morning. 

Here is a list of the Timberwolves Connections

1. The Kevin McHale story
2. Ricky Rubio Saga 
3. The offer sheet with Ryan Hollins - good pick-up if the Mav’s don’t match the offer.
4. Mark Madsen’s issues
5. Stephen Marbury’s issues
6. Sheldon Williams getting signed by the Celtics – Actuall 5 or 6 teams could claim a connection to Williams.

The Timberwolves are everywhere on Yahoo.com.

Quick Hits 7/14/09

So I have taken a couple days off, mostly because I was not moved to write.  But with the shocking news of Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo splitting-up, I felt compelled to voice my concerns.

Jessica and Tony

So, you’re saying there is a chance?  No, there is not.

Timberwolves Coaching Search

The rumors out there is that the TWolves are looking at Mark Jackson, Kurt Rambis and Rockets assistant Elston Turner.  I would be OK with Rambis or Turner, but not Jackson.  HE HAS NO HEAD COACHING EXPERINCE!!

Maybe Jackson will have the respect of the players, but still, I am not ready to throw the team Mark Jackson.

NBA Summer League

The TWolves rookies have been playing well and Jonny Flynn looks legit.  Wayne Ellington is playing well.  Check out the highlights at ESPN.com.

Ellington has scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in two games.  Ellington pulled down 8 rebounds in the first game and then scored 22 points in the second.

In two games Flynn is averaging 11.5 points, 10.5 assists and 6.5 turnovers.  But looks to be able to control a team and get to the basket and finish against bigger players.

I just wish they would trade Rick Rubio.  Say good bye to the Spanish wonder and get some draft picks or young talent.

Blake Griffin had a steller debut. 27 points and 12 rebounds.

I am putting it out there – Rookie of the Year comes down to Griffin, Flynn, Steph Curry at Golden State, James Harden at Oklahoma City and Tyreke Evans at Sacramento.  Girffin may not get as much PT with other bigs in his way.

Soccer T-Shirt

I am eagerly awaiting this original Landon Donovan inspired soccer t-shirt I bought at www.objectivo.com.

They have some pretty original shirts.  Check them out.

FIFA Rankings

In the ranking releases on July 1st, Brazil claimed the No. 1 spot after their championship in the Confederations Cup in South America.  Moving up from No. 4

The US moves up two spots to No. 12 while the Spainish team fell to No. 2.

Ranking	Team	Pts Jul 09	+/- Ranking Jun 09		+/- Pts Jun 09
1	Brazil	1672	4		384
2	Spain	1590	-1		-171
3	Netherlands	1379	-1		-63
4	Italy	1229	0		-63
5	Germany	1207	-2		-171
6	Russia	1161	3		-6
7	England	1135	-1		-90
8	Argentina	1091	-1		-112
9	France	1082	1		15
10	Croatia	1031	-2		-169
11	Greece	1001	6		79
12	USA	983	2		36
13	Switzerland	930	3		-1
14	Serbia	925	6		55
15	Denmark	909	9		73

www.fifa.com

Random Basketball Awesome Fact of the Day

Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson are a part of what elite group that Carmelo Anthony has the possibility of joining?

If Carmelo wins an NBA title, they will be the only three players since 1979 to win a NCAA, NBA and Olympic Championship – I think.  I am trying to find info to say other wise.

Now prior to the high school revolutiona and the one-and-dones, it was seen more often.  But I am struggling to find others in the last 30 years.

NBA Updates

I had not planned on posting until after the draft, but with all the excitement, speculation and trades, I had to comment. 

Shaq to the Cavs

This is a good trade all around.  The Cavs get a player who people forget had a good year with a team that struggle to utilize him.  He scored 18 points a game and grabbed nine boards. 

For the Suns it gives them cap space, but more importantly, it allows the offense to flow from Steve Nash to Amare Stoudemire and not be forced to dump into the post. 

The Cavsnow have three good big man who are all very different and will add so much depth to this team.  The one thing they still lack is a player who is not LeBron that is a guard, over 6′6″, and can guard, ala Mickael Peitrus. 

Note to Shaq:  This is LeBron’s team and you are a part of it.  Come in, join the laid back vibe, have fun but remember, this is not 2001. 

Yao

I like Yao and I feel for the Houston Rocket nation.  Yao is an extremely talented player and has been a ambassador for the league and for the Chinese, but he can not stay healthy.

Get well Yao!

TONIGHT

This will be a fun night, I hope the Clippers mess it up and the T’Wolves don’t and do not pick Thabeet.

I hope feel good with any combo of these players after pick 6:  Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, Steph Curry, James Harden and Ricky Rubio. 

At the 18th pick:  Sam Young or Eric Maynor.

28th pick:  Derrick Brown or Chase Budinger.

I sure there will be plenty to write about tomorrow.

McHale And Wolves Call It Quits

Supposedly, Kevin McHale is done and is leaving the Minnesota Timberwolves.  I think he is was a decedent coach, but has a very poor GM living off the pick of Kevin Garrnett ever since 1995.  This does not take away from what he did as a player.

Here is ESPN.com’s write-up.