Comments on: Around The A In 30 Seconds: 4.9.09 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/04/09/around-the-a-in-30-seconds-4909/ Unbiased opinions from extremely biased people Mon, 21 May 2012 13:40:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Caleb http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/04/09/around-the-a-in-30-seconds-4909/comment-page-1/#comment-5616 Caleb Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:58:11 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2393#comment-5616 I liked Pargo but I really don't think his abscence hurt the Hornets too much. Maybe on the defensive end a bit (the bench could atleast defend last year, this year they haven't done much of anything), but overall.. nah. It seems like an easy answer but really I think it just comes down to injuries. Some teams have the depth to deal with injuries (Houston, for instance), some teams don't. The Hornets are in that latter group. Last year the Hornets had very few health issues, this year its been a constant issue. When Peja's out... the offense suffers, when Tyson's out.. the defense suffers. When they are both out, ugh. Take Posey out and the bench gets even thinner. Plus you've got David West and Chris Paul both playing 40-45 minutes a night and they are both banged up as well... D West has been playing on one leg. I liked Pargo but I really don’t think his abscence hurt the Hornets too much. Maybe on the defensive end a bit (the bench could atleast defend last year, this year they haven’t done much of anything), but overall.. nah. It seems like an easy answer but really I think it just comes down to injuries. Some teams have the depth to deal with injuries (Houston, for instance), some teams don’t. The Hornets are in that latter group. Last year the Hornets had very few health issues, this year its been a constant issue. When Peja’s out… the offense suffers, when Tyson’s out.. the defense suffers. When they are both out, ugh. Take Posey out and the bench gets even thinner.
Plus you’ve got David West and Chris Paul both playing 40-45 minutes a night and they are both banged up as well… D West has been playing on one leg.

]]> By: dgatorr http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/04/09/around-the-a-in-30-seconds-4909/comment-page-1/#comment-5607 dgatorr Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:18:51 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2393#comment-5607 and the biggest underlying reason JKidd is pushing it this year ISSSSSSS...........its contract year ! he has been proving to all the naisayers, hes NOT too old and done, plus he wants another multi year contract from the Mavs or someone above the mid level exception ! he has already said he wants to retire a maverick, where he started his NBA career, and he dont wanta be a single year renta player. and i believe all this other stuff like going to cleveland or LA is just his hype to pressure MCuban's EYES WIDE OPEN ! BUT, he is still playing good enough, to have other hopefuls, waiting for him to break away and run out of Dallas, too. the fact still remains, HE is OLDER, so how much time does he really have left ? nobody really knows, but if i was MCuban, i would give him a 3-4 year deal, at say $10 mil a year, with a team exception if he doesnt perform like he has this year, or gets hurt, he can have the option to go to the coaching staff at a cut salary and still retire a MAV. and the biggest underlying reason JKidd is pushing it this year ISSSSSSS………..its contract year ! he has been proving to all the naisayers, hes NOT too old and done, plus he wants another multi year contract from the Mavs or someone above the mid level exception ! he has already said he wants to retire a maverick, where he started his NBA career, and he dont wanta be a single year renta player. and i believe all this other stuff like going to cleveland or LA is just his hype to pressure MCuban’s EYES WIDE OPEN ! BUT, he is still playing good enough, to have other hopefuls, waiting for him to break away and run out of Dallas, too. the fact still remains, HE is OLDER, so how much time does he really have left ? nobody really knows, but if i was MCuban, i would give him a 3-4 year deal, at say $10 mil a year, with a team exception if he doesnt perform like he has this year, or gets hurt, he can have the option to go to the coaching staff at a cut salary and still retire a MAV.

]]> By: I’d Love to Post » The Two Man Game http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/04/09/around-the-a-in-30-seconds-4909/comment-page-1/#comment-5558 I’d Love to Post » The Two Man Game Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:47:44 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2393#comment-5558 [...] Moore is reconsidering the Mavs, and his thoughts are worth a [...] [...] Moore is reconsidering the Mavs, and his thoughts are worth a [...]

]]> By: WildYams http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/04/09/around-the-a-in-30-seconds-4909/comment-page-1/#comment-5548 WildYams Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:35:26 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2393#comment-5548 Matt, you're a little off on a couple of your Lakers-Mavs matchups, namely with regards to Odom and Mbenga. You've got to remember what the Laker frontcourt rotation looked like when Bynum was playing, and realize it's entirely just three players: Bynum, Gasol and Odom. Mbenga isn't gonna get off the bench unless there's foul trouble or if games are blowouts, so you can take him out of the equation. As for Odom, he won't be guarding Josh Howard at all, he'll be guarding Dirk, and Odom has been one of the few guys to do a decent job of checking Dirk in the last couple years (unfortunately for Dallas, Pau Gasol is one of the other guys who's also been adept at defending Nowitzki). Basically think about it like this: Nowitzki's gonna have either Odom or Gasol guarding him at all times. Not a pretty thought if you're Dallas. Meanwhile Trevor Ariza will be guarding Josh Howard, in what may be the real key to the series for Dallas. Howard needs to play like its 2006 or else LA is gonna walk all over the Mavs, and Ariza's not gonna make it easy for him. As for Kidd, I wouldn't be surprised to see Kobe guarding him for a lot of the series (or possibly Ariza on Kidd and Kobe on Howard), and you'll probably see Fisher on Barrea or Terry. I think Dallas has really stepped up of late, but I do think that LA is a particularly bad matchup for them, mainly because of Odom & Gasol. With Bynum in there to stay with Dampier and LA able to cover Dirk for every second he's on the floor with a player who gives him a lot of trouble, that's going to be really tough for Dallas to overcome. LA having good defenders in Kobe and Ariza to matchup with Kidd and Howard also isn't good for the Mavs. Dallas is a decent team, but I'll be surprised if they win a game against the Lakers. Matt, you’re a little off on a couple of your Lakers-Mavs matchups, namely with regards to Odom and Mbenga. You’ve got to remember what the Laker frontcourt rotation looked like when Bynum was playing, and realize it’s entirely just three players: Bynum, Gasol and Odom. Mbenga isn’t gonna get off the bench unless there’s foul trouble or if games are blowouts, so you can take him out of the equation. As for Odom, he won’t be guarding Josh Howard at all, he’ll be guarding Dirk, and Odom has been one of the few guys to do a decent job of checking Dirk in the last couple years (unfortunately for Dallas, Pau Gasol is one of the other guys who’s also been adept at defending Nowitzki). Basically think about it like this: Nowitzki’s gonna have either Odom or Gasol guarding him at all times. Not a pretty thought if you’re Dallas.

Meanwhile Trevor Ariza will be guarding Josh Howard, in what may be the real key to the series for Dallas. Howard needs to play like its 2006 or else LA is gonna walk all over the Mavs, and Ariza’s not gonna make it easy for him. As for Kidd, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kobe guarding him for a lot of the series (or possibly Ariza on Kidd and Kobe on Howard), and you’ll probably see Fisher on Barrea or Terry.

I think Dallas has really stepped up of late, but I do think that LA is a particularly bad matchup for them, mainly because of Odom & Gasol. With Bynum in there to stay with Dampier and LA able to cover Dirk for every second he’s on the floor with a player who gives him a lot of trouble, that’s going to be really tough for Dallas to overcome. LA having good defenders in Kobe and Ariza to matchup with Kidd and Howard also isn’t good for the Mavs. Dallas is a decent team, but I’ll be surprised if they win a game against the Lakers.

]]> By: cool http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/04/09/around-the-a-in-30-seconds-4909/comment-page-1/#comment-5534 cool Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:10:04 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2393#comment-5534 Griffin is too good to go anything other than 1. Especially in a draft where the difference in talent between him and the number 2 prospect is so large. Remember, not everyone thinks Rubio will be coming to the NBA this year. The Wizards, Kings, or whoever gets the number one pick will draft Griffin and figure everything else out afterwards. The Spurs had Robinson and still got Duncan (who is a center no matter what anyone says). And oh by the way the Bucks had TJ Ford so they passed up Chris Paul. Think they'd like to have that one back? Griffin is too good to go anything other than 1. Especially in a draft where the difference in talent between him and the number 2 prospect is so large. Remember, not everyone thinks Rubio will be coming to the NBA this year. The Wizards, Kings, or whoever gets the number one pick will draft Griffin and figure everything else out afterwards. The Spurs had Robinson and still got Duncan (who is a center no matter what anyone says). And oh by the way the Bucks had TJ Ford so they passed up Chris Paul. Think they’d like to have that one back?

]]> By: wondahbap http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/04/09/around-the-a-in-30-seconds-4909/comment-page-1/#comment-5531 wondahbap Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:13:11 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2393#comment-5531 It's not just about giving Pau the automatic edge over Dirk. It's the fact that there not enough personnel to check Pau AND Bynum AND Lamar. Pau can hurt the Mavs more than Dirk can hurt the Lakers. Dirk may get his, but Pau's will hurt time and again, plus Pau's (and LO and Bynum's) inside damage is multiplied by Kobe. Dirk has to share the perimeter with his teammates. 200 HP in a Ford is NOT the same as 200 HP in a BMW. Even if it's a Mustang. Oh yeah, and if Hollins is in the game. Not only will he get abused by Pau, but Kobe's ire and focus will be just a tad raised. JR Smith can attest to that. It’s not just about giving Pau the automatic edge over Dirk. It’s the fact that there not enough personnel to check Pau AND Bynum AND Lamar. Pau can hurt the Mavs more than Dirk can hurt the Lakers. Dirk may get his, but Pau’s will hurt time and again, plus Pau’s (and LO and Bynum’s) inside damage is multiplied by Kobe. Dirk has to share the perimeter with his teammates. 200 HP in a Ford is NOT the same as 200 HP in a BMW. Even if it’s a Mustang.

Oh yeah, and if Hollins is in the game. Not only will he get abused by Pau, but Kobe’s ire and focus will be just a tad raised. JR Smith can attest to that.

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