Around The A In 30 Seconds
- So, all that talk about the amateur game being great because of how “wild” and “unpredictable” it is? Can we put that to bed? Because to me it looks like the preseason no.1 finished postseason no.1.
- Other news, as I noted on Twitter: Great college fundamentals and $1.50 will get you a coke against NBA-level talent. MSU, you will get a coke.
- Carolina March provides yet more proof that, no, really, this whole tournament was pretty much a pointless beatdown by a team with 8 NBA prospects. And I’m no Carolina fan. Jordan’s from there, and he’s the deathbringer to me. Paroxi-wife, a Tarheel fan, is pleased, though.
- And yes, I can realistically see eight Carolina players getting drafted. Only about four will play considerable minutes, and only two will be household names. Tyler Hansbrough is not one of them.
- Though there is one place I would love to see Hansbrough. The Spurs. Can’t you just imagine them in the high twenties, Tyler having plummeted, that wide open shocked look he gets, trying to deal with the fact that he’s no longer special because in reality, his talent in the NBA is less than that of Sheldon Williams? And then Pop comes and puts his hand on his shoulder. And leads him to the dark side. Wouldn’t that be a terrific fit? The good, clean character kid that hustles who everyone hates on the good, clean character team that hustles who most people hate? Let’s make this happen Buford.
- Ty Lawson is going to make some 5-10 team very lucky.
- Check out KD’s status report on the league which yet again has me constantly saying “I was just thinking that!” Though I never think as eloquently and there’s also more profanity most of the time.
- It’s bizarre to me that so many things have happened to the playoff teams, from development (the Cavs’ offensive explosion, the Spurs’ defensive erosion, the Portland coming of age, the Boston going of age, Detroit’s complete lack of focus, Denver’s obtainment of focus for the first time in a decade) to injury (Bynum, Ginobili, Nelson, McGrady, the entire Boston Celtics team) and yet we’re still right back where we started. Even with the Cavs winning games, the Lakers look like the team to beat, Boston’s going to have to rely on more than just “We’re the Champs” and no one really believes in the Magic.
- It seems that everyone’s either decided that the Magic arent’ legit, or are trying to convince themselves of it. And I’m included in that. It speaks to the validity of the playoffs that until you prove in that format that you can get it done, no one’s going to vouch for you. Even last year there was a certain skepticism around the Celtics, though that combination of All-Stars was hard to find fault with. And it gets you store credit, as well. Even though the Celtics are playing with what will probably be at best a 75% Garnett, and Paul Pierce is doing an amazing job of hiding a knee injury that hobbles him every other quarter, and their bench is thinner than plexiglass, there are a lot of people who still have them penciled in for the Finals. Meanwhile, the Magic have two wins against Cleveland, Boston, and LA and yet we’re still holding out to see if they can even hang in round two. And if they end up versus Detroit, most of us will mentally erase them from the conversation.
- Speaking of, I got a taste of what it’s like to be a Bobcats fan the other night versus Detroit. I was really rooting hard for that team. And it was fun. There were ugly bits, but all in all, the Bobcats don’t do things that just drive you crazy. They miss some shots, and yes, Raymond Felton can be a bit maddening, but he’s not Ben Gordon, for good or for bad. He’s neither as talented or as self-focused. Meanwhile, Detroit just kills me. This team was done for. They’d cashed it in. When they hit the Bobcats with a roundhouse, they expected it to be over. And when the Bobcats got to their feet, worked the body in the third, and landed a few haymakers to get them on the ropes, the Pistons looked liked they’d had quite enough of this game, this season, this perennial march to the playoffs. But then Will Bynum, of all people, finds the seam in the Bobcats defense (thy name is Augustin, poor kid). Rasheed decides to try for about five plays, hits some shots, the Bobcats can’t quite get them to fall, and the Bobcats playoff run is just about over. But whereas the Suns should be embarrassed and distrought over their complete failure as professionals, the Bobcats went down swinging. And this team has a bright future, if Brown keeps up with this “trade ‘em if you got ‘em” approach. He’s cobbling together veterans into a competent group, and he’s still got young guys getting better.
- I do wonder if Ben Gordon wouldn’t fit perfectly in Charlotte, though. A true two guard who’s small but not tiny at 6-3, who can create his own shot, is at least competent at defense, and where his ISO-action would be welcome, as opposed to infuriating next to Rose.
- And speaking of the Suns, just so we’re clear: Steve Nash cannot start in this league unless he’s next to a lock-down defensive two with size (kind of like Raja Bell in 2006, but whatever). Versus some people who seem to think that this guy who has killed himself on the floor for a decade is just not trying anymore, I tend to side with KD. He’s physically unable to defend better. He’s never been a good defender. Ever. And if you think that should be part of the MVP conversation, I can’t fault you for thinking he didn’t deserve it. But it’s gotten worse. His back must be a freaking disaster zone at this point. I watch Steve Nash, and I wince. It’s always boggled me that people don’t pay more attention to the fact that Nash has to LAY on the ground during his time on the bench to keep his back loose. There’s just nothing left for him to push there.
- Now, I would be in the big guy’s corner a lot more if he stuck up for his teammates. But he doesn’t. He decides Robin Lopez, who busts his backside when he’s on the floor, deserves to be screamed at. And we can excuse the pick and roll. I’m fine with that. Forget the pick and roll. There are only about fifteen bigs in the league who can really defend it well. But if you watch the games closely, you’ll notice something. Barnes/Dudley/Amundson/Hill gets crossed over/blown by and his man is on a beeline for the rim. Now Shaq can move over, deflect the shot, probably get the call, and stop the play. But he doesn’t. Because he might get posterized. He actually drifts away from the play. Stan always tells me that I should notice how well Shaq holds down his man. Well you know? I’d much rather have biggie challenge Josh Howard than make sure Erick Dampier doesn’t hit a 10 foot jumper. We can live with the twelve foot jumper. This isn’t to say Shaq doesn’t defend better than most of the Suns. He does. But he also is part of the team defensive problem, not a bright spot in the black hole.
- Andrea Bargnani is awesome. You should all be aware of this.
- I feel like if I look at the Wizards, they’ll melt. Again. The thought keeps drifiting to the back of my mind, though. “If Arenas comes back full strength…” “They’ve got Jamison and Butler still…” “Haywood has come back strong…” “What if they get Griffin/Jennings/Evans…” Maybe the tank of this year was just God’s way of giving them the chance to stockpile. Or maybe they’re doomed like we all assume.
- I already feel like I can visualize a Grizzlies jersey with “Thabeet” on the back. And it makes me nauseous.
- If you wonder if I wish I was Trey, I do.
- Final thought, or rather a question, because I don’t really know. Does Utah blasting New Orleans without Chandler make up for losing to Minnesota at home, where they are supposed to be stupendously, amazingly stupendously stupendous?
