“Jerry’s Kids” – Suns and Raptors working the pre-draft phones

June 20th, 2008 – Dr. Browntorious

Every day that passes as we get closer to the June 26th NBA draft date, the trade talks and possibilities for roster shake-ups for GM’s to either improve their position in the draft or to bring in key veterans is increasing. However, there are probably no GM’s that are working the phones as hard as Steve Kerr of the Phoenix Suns and Bryan Colangelo of the Toronto Raptors. Both of which, not surprisingly, were direct protégé’s of the hard working Jerry Colangelo from the Phoenix Suns organization. Hard work begets hard work, huh?

The Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors are not looking to rebuild for their future. That is why neither team is really looking to get much use out of their 15th (Suns) and 17th (Raptors) draft choices. That leaves the teams with two choices. One is to trade away their pick to teams that are in the rebuilding process and may like a couple of first round draft picks. The second option is to make a trade of their mid-first round pick plus a current asset to move up in the draft order significantly enough to get an immediate impact player in the draft.

Steve Kerr is looking to do one of two things. The first would be to move up in the draft for an NBA ready player such as Russell Westbrook or Brandon Rush. Either of which would fit their altered system under new Head Coach Terry Porter quite nicely since they are players that are fairly well balanced. The Suns need either a legitimate swing player that is athletic and takes care of the ball, and a really reliable back up for Steve Nash so he doesn’t need to log such heavy minutes throughout the course of the regular season. The second option for Kerr is to trade away the 15th pick altogether along with one of his assets that he has on the block (forward Boris Diaw, or G Leandro Barbosa), in order to acquire a quality veteran player from another team.

Let’s face it, Barbosa was a great player under D’Antoni’s system but under a more offensive/defensive balanced system as purported that Porter will play, he is not really a point guard offensively and not exactly a shooting guard defensively. Grant Hill is at a point in his career that if the Suns work him 30-40 minutes a night at the SF spot he is once again going to break down before the playoffs roll around. So who is on the market that could fill the Suns void at backup point guard or small forward that the Suns may be able to go after with a package of some combination of Diaw, Barbosa, and/or the 15th pick? Some of the bigger names being floated are TJ Ford of the Toronto Raptors, Richard Jefferson of the New Jersey Nets, Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons, Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats, and even Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks would fit that bill.

It was reported today by various mainstream news sources that the Raptors and Suns were close in their trade talks in a Ford for Diaw swap. Apparently Colangelo feels that Diaw would be the perfect fit with his versatility to play many positions due to his size, ability to handle the ball, and passing abilities. Although Ford would most likely be apprehensive about moving to a team as a back-up point guard, it would be hard to argue backing up a two time league MVP in Steve Nash. Plus, the new Suns Coach Terry Porter still has a good working relationship with TJ from his days as the Coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Given the fact that most teams around the league are apprehensive about making any substantial offer for Ford due to his ongoing neck and spine health issues, if Colangelo can pull off a trade of Ford for a quality player such as Diaw it would be quite the feather in his cap and a great win for the Raptors organization.

If the buzz and noise signals are any indications of pending moves, watch the Raptors and Suns closely over the coming week as they look to be the teams closest to making some sort of move prior to the NBA draft.

2nd Edition: The Hoop Doctors NBA Mock Draft 2008

June 19th, 2008 – Dr. Dime

For more Mock Drafts from all sorts of Blogs and Analysts check out our NBA Mock Drafts Database!

The NBA Draft 2008 is only 1 week away (June 26th). After having personally attended 3 NBA pre-draft workouts over the past couple weeks, and after many changes being announced regarding who has entered and who has now pulled out of this year’s draft, I felt it was necessary to give The Hoop Doctors a more recent and updated voice than our previous Mock Draft. These are only my choices and not the consensus picks of all of The Hoop Doctors writers.

Draft Order	Team	Projection	Position	Stat Line
1.	Chicago Bulls	Derrick Rose	PG	14.9ppg, 4.7apg, 4.5rpg
		The more I think about it, the more I read about it, and the more I see Rose play, I realize there is no way John Paxson is not going to take Derrick Rose with the #1 pick. This one is in the books folks. Rose is too quick and skilled at the point for his size to justify passing. Add his hometown connection and the Bulls need for a leader (not Hinrich) to man the point and it is solidified. College Team – Memphis
2.	Miami Heat	Michael Beasley	PF	26.2ppg, 12.4rpg,1.6bpg
		I keep hearing how Pat Riley doesn’t like Beasley’s personality. B.S. Riley is the master of disguise. We all know the Miami Heat desperately need and want a power forward of Beasley’s caliber in the front court to match with DWade’s backcourt skills for the future of the franchise. This sort of balance and one-two punch could turn out to be what is necessary to make the Heat a perennial favorite. Think about it, if he trashes Beasley’s work ethic and attitude and Paxson passes on Beasley Riley gets exactly what he wants. This summer look for Riley to move one of his assets for a legitimate point guard. College Team – Kansas State
3.	Minnesota Timberwolves	O.J. Mayo	PG	20.7ppg, 3.3apg, 4.5rpg
		I know the New York Knicks are praying with all of their might that this cat drops to them in the draft. It’s not going to happen Donnie, sorry. O.J. may not be an immediate impact player in the NBA, but his upside is too big to ignore. The TWolves have got to draft based on potential given they are rebuilding for the future anyway. College Team – USC
4.	Seattle Supersonics	Jerryd Bayless	PG/SG	19.7ppg, 4.0apg, 2.7rpg
		Bayless could put an end to the point guard debate in Seattle once and for all. The beauty of Bayless for the Sonics however is he could be a legitimate shooting guard for the future if they do end up with a log jam in the back court. Guys who can play multiple positions like this are a huge asset. College Team – Arizona
5.	Memphis Grizzlies	Kevin Love	PF	17.5ppg, 10.6rpg,1.4bpg
		Kevin Love has increased his value significantly in pre-draft workouts. If he isn’t already taken there is no way the Grizzlies can pass on this guy to solidify their needs in the front court. He may even be able to log a few minutes at the 5-spot. College Team – UCLA
6.	New York Knicks	Eric Gordon	PG	20.9ppg, 2.4apg, 3.3rpg
		It’s fairly well known at this point that the Knicks would love OJ Mayo, but unless the Knicks make a last minute trade to move up in the draft they are still going to need that point guard for the future. If they stay at the 6 pick, look for them to take a very serviceable PG in Gordon. College Team – Indiana
7.	LA Clippers	Russell Westbrook	PG/SG	12.7ppg, 4.3apg, 3.9rpg
		The Clippers need a point guard. There is no guarantees that Shaun Livingston will be the same once he returns to the court. I expect the Clippers to take Westbrook, who had great workouts, as an insurance policy on Livingston. College Team – UCLA
8.	Milwaukee Bucks	Joe Alexander	PF	16.2ppg, 6.1rpg
		In a matter of weeks, this guy has catapulted his rank in the mock draft to the top. The discussions lately about the draft almost always discuss Alexander going in the top 10. Its amazing what good workouts and interviews can doyou’re your status. College Team – West Virginia
9.	Charlotte Bobcats	Danilo Gallinari	SF	14.9ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.7apg
		If Tyler Hansborough didn’t decide to head back for another year and UNC, we would have to assume MJ would have been lobbying for him. Although Danilo is young and a bit raw, he has that international experience that allows him to play beyond his years already. Huge upside potential. Recently confirmed he will be in the draft. College Team – None
10.	New Jersey Nets	Brook Lopez	C	19.3ppg, 8.2rpg, 2.1bpg
		Great big man, could arguably go higher, but I just didn’t see any player in my top nine that I thought he would be a better choice than. I expect he will be an immediate impact player for New Jersey whose major weakness is the 5 spot. College Team – Stanford
11.	Indiana Pacers	DJ Augustin	PG	19.2ppg, 5.8apg, 1.2spg
		Dropped a bit due to recent concerns in workouts about his size and height. I expect the Pacers will grab him at 11 if he slips that deep, because they are really weak at the PG when Tinsley keeps getting injured. Could be a sparkplug for the team off the bench. College Team – Texas
12.	Sacramento Kings	Anthony Randolph	PF	15.6ppg, 8.5rpg, 2.3bpg
		The Kings are weak on their front line. Although Randolph is thin, his skills and upside are huge. With Ron Ron roughing up the 1-3 spot with his defense, look for Randolph to be a great weak side shot blocker. College Team – Louisiana State
13.	Portland Trailblazers	Donte Green	SF	17.7ppg, 7.2rpg, 2.0apg
		It’s almost unfair for the rest of the NBA that the Blazers are getting another high pick. This team in 3-4 years will be so good it’s scary. Think of a lineup of Oden, Aldridge, Green, Webster, and Roy. Wow! College Team – Syracuse
14.	Golden State Warriors	JaVale McGee	C	14.1ppg, 7.3rpg, 2.8bpg
		The missing piece to this offensive juggernaut, the Warriors, is clearly a quality big man. Why do you think the Warriors tried to bring Webber out of retirement? They realize they are weak up front and will pick up McGee to fill that void if he is available. College Team – Nevada
15.	Atlanta Hawks to Phoenix Suns	Robin Lopez	PF	10.2ppg, 5.7rpg, 2.3bpg
		Here is a guy that has raised his value in workouts. Listed as PF, but at 7’0” he might be a better resource as a backup C for the oft injured Shaquille O’Neal. Hard worker, easy to coach, and could be a good role player for the Suns who need a good presence when Amare and Shaq are in foul trouble. College Team – Stanford
16.	Philadelphia 76ers	Kosta Koufos	C	14.4ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.8bpg
		With all the guards and swingmen, the 76ers are really weak on their bench in backing up the bigs. God forbid Dalembert ever got injured the Sixers would have absolutely noone in the paint. Look for Kosta to get picked up and used in the rotation. College Team – Ohio State
17.	Toronto Raptors	Brandon Rush	SF	13.3ppg, 2.1apg, 5.1rpg
		Here’s a guy that might shock the world and go even higher. The sky is the limit for this guy. When he stays focused on both ends of the floor, he is arguably one of the most talented players in this draft. Should fit in quite nicely with the Raps who lack scoring at the SG/SF spots. College Team – Kansas
18.	Washington Wizards	DeAndre Jordan	C	7.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.3bpg
		Good wingspan, big guy at 7’0”, he is likely to be a Wizards pick up who are really weak offensively at the 5 spot. Haywood plays big on defense, but is a non-factor on the offensive end. If coaching staff can develop his post game and footwork he could be an offensive threat. College Team – Texas A&M
19.	Cleveland Cavaliers	Darrell Arthur	PF	12.8ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.3bpg
		If the Cavs pick up Arthur he will have the pleasure of playing with an amazing drop passer in LBJ. When Lebron slashes and is swarmed, Arthur can be a big time threat on the drop pass. I think the Cavs may try and trade up, but if they keep this pick Arthur is a solid choice. College Team – Kansas
20.	Denver Nuggets	Nicolas Batum	SF	8.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.7apg
		Very athletic, doesn’t need a lot of touches to contribute. This is exactly the type of player needed to play with Allen Iverson. Remember the Sixers Finals Run? This is the type of personality required to mesh well with A.I. Could be a good back up for Melo. College Team – None
21.	Dallas to New Jersey Nets	Courtney Lee	SG	20.4ppg, 4.9rpg, 2.1apg
		Exciting, quick, high scoring combo guard. Would be tough to crack the rotation in New Jersey with Carter and Jefferson, but those two guys are oft-injured and rumor has it one of the two may be moved before next season anyways. College Team – Western Kentucky
22.	Orlando Magic	J.J. Hickson	PF	14.8ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.5bpg
		Hardnosed player that loves to pound the offensive glass. With him and Dwight in the paint, I wouldn’t want to be taking it to the cup. Could be a good energy role player for the Magic. Another one to add to their list of tough rebounders. College Team – NC State
23.	Utah Jazz	Roy Hibbert	C	13.4ppg, 6.4rpg, 2.2bpg
		Tough, smart, and competitive. The perfect fit for a Jerry Sloan team. Utah has a lot of bigs that play more of a mid to long range game, so the addition of a true center would be a welcome sight for the Jazz. College Team – Georgetown
24.	Phoenix Suns to Seattle Supersonics	Marreese Speights	C	14.5ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.4bpg
		Great post player. He is a bit undersized at Center, but would be a great addition in Seattle who are pretty weak on their front line, with very poor rebounding performances. College Team – Florida
25.	Houston Rockets	Chris Douglas Roberts	SG	18.1ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.8apg
		This guy has dropped big time on most team’s radars in recent weeks. I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but he has been outperformed in pre-draft workouts, and will be a steal for the rockets if he falls this deep. College Team – Memphis
26.	San Antonio Spurs	Alexis Ajinca	C	International
		7’1” tall with a ridiculous wingspan. He’s from France and just as most European’s has great fundamentals. We have him at 26 now, previously at 29 on our first edition, but as the June draft date nears you may see this cat move up as high as the top 15. He seems to be raising more and more eyebrows with his play. College Team – None
27.	New Orleans Hornets	Mario Chalmers	PG/SG	12.8ppg, 4.3apg, 3.1rpg
		As we saw two years ago, without CP3 the Hornets go from one of the better teams in the West to one of the worst. Look for the Hornets to pick up a serviceable PG in the draft as insurance. College Team – Kansas
28.	Memphis Grizzlies from Lakers	Devon Hardin	C	9.3ppg, 7.4rpg, 1.2rpg
		With two picks in the first round the Grizz have a great opportunity to drastically improve their front line for the future. Big body, hard worker, look for Hardin to go to the Grizz. College Team – California
29.	Detroit Pistons	Jason Thompson	PF/C	20.4ppg,12.1rpg, 2.7bpg
		Jason is raw as hell. Criticized for poor defensive efforts, and possibly for that reason he has slipped in to the second round on many Mock Drafts around the league. I still think there is tons of upside in the right environment. A team of veterans like the Pistons could be that right place for Thompson to thrive. College Team – Rider
30.	Boston Celtics	Serge Ibaka	PF/C	CB L’Hospitalet
		At 6’10”, 220 lbs this guy has loads of athletic ability. He is in amazing shape and has a huge wing span to boot. Seems like a very coachable player that would have that team first attitude to fit right in with the NBA Champion Celtics. College Team – None

Should Ray Allen have received the NBA Finals MVP?

June 18th, 2008 – Dr. Anklesnap

I know, I know, I know, none of the “Beantown Trio” (Garnett no longer wants to be called The Big Three) really care who wins the Finals MVP award, as each of their ultimate goals was to win the NBA Championship. These guys put their individual statistical tracking aside to put all their energy into team chemistry and playing “the right way” as Larry Brown always says. Aside from satisfying historical requirements, the league must feed the beast and give the fans what they crave, an NBA Finals MVP. Given the Celtics “team first” attitude I thought it would have been funny/appropriate if the league named someone like Brian Scalabrine or Scott Pollard as the NBA Finals MVP. Either that or name Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett the joint Finals MVPs.

But when the dust finally settles and fans and analysts alike start taking a closer look at this NBA Finals series; will it hold up that Paul Pierce really deserved the MVP of the Finals? There is already buzz generating that maybe Ray Allen was the most valuable Celtic in getting this done. Keep in mind it isn’t intended to be an award for the entire playoff run, but just the most valuable player of that particular series. Let’s take a look at Paul Pierce and Ray Allen game by game to see whose presence was more valuable.

Game 1

Ray Allen	19 pts	8 boards	5 assists	2 threes	1 steal	1 block	4 turnovers
Paul Pierce	22 pts	4 boards	2 assists	3 threes	1 steal	0 blocks	3 turnovers

Although the numbers are fairly close, Paul Pierce shot a much better percentage from the field and was the physical leader on the floor. Ray Allen did take on the tasking in job in Game 1 of defending Kobe Bryant for the majority of the game, holding him to a 9-26 performance though. However, most who look back on Game 1 will remember Paul Pierce being carried off the court in a wheelchair only to return minutes later to a standing ovation from a raucous crowd and hit a game changing 4 point play to ignite the Celtics and break open the game.
MVP Edge: Paul Pierce

Game 2

Ray Allen	17 pts	2 boards	2 assists	3 threes	0 steals	0 blocks	4 turnovers
Paul Pierce	28 pts	4 boards	8 assists	4 threes	1 steal	1 block	3 turnovers

Paul Pierce was absolutely dominant in Game 2. He was a perfect 4 for 4 from beyond the arc, and had a whopping 8 assists for his teammates while still carrying the scoring load for the Celtics with 28 points. Don’t let Ray Allen’s numbers deceive you however, as the key to the Celtics title is defense, specifically on Kobe Bryant. Although Pierce and Allen shared duties on Bryant for most of the series, most of this game Allen had Kobe shooting under 50% again.
MVP Edge: Paul Pierce

Game 3

Ray Allen	25 pts	5 boards	2 assists	5 threes	1 steal	1 block	1 turnover
Paul Pierce	6 pts	6 boards	3 assists	0 threes	1 steal	0 blocks	3 turnovers

This won wasn’t much of a contest. The Lakers won the ball game, but the Celtics stayed in it and were right there to almost steal one at the end. All the credit for keeping the Celtics within reach has to be given to Allen on this night, as even Garnett only had 13 pts, leaving the majority of the scoring burden on Ray Ray.
MVP Edge: Ray Allen

Game 4

Ray Allen	19 pts	9 boards	2 assists	2 threes	3 steal	1 block	1 turnover
Paul Pierce	20 pts	4 boards	7 assists	0 threes	1 steal	1 block	4 turnovers

Deciding an MVP in this game is a tough one. Ray Allen started the game on Kobe Bryant and accomplished the near impossible by holding Kobe Bryant scoreless from the field by the first half. But the other Lakers players stepped up and the Lakers were up huge. Pierce did a stand up job on Bryant in the second half defensively, but Allen led the offensive charge with a balanced attack of 3 pointers, drives, and pull-ups. Pierce was moving the ball well finishing with 7 assists, but Allen was clearly more efficient and took better care of the ball. Much of the credit for the Celtics record setting come-back has to be given to Ray Allen, James Posey, and Eddie House for their offensive attack and locking down the Lakers perimeter players who were so effective in the first half.
MVP Edge: Ray Allen

Game 5

Ray Allen	16 pts	2 boards	2 assists	3 threes	0 steals	1 block	1 turnover
Paul Pierce	38 pts	6 boards	8 assists	2 threes	1 steal	1 block	4 turnovers

This game it wasn’t even in question. Paul Pierce was an absolute beast. He put up Michael Jordan, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James type of numbers carrying his team. Unfortunately for Pierce, he made a key turnover at the end of the game when Kobe stripped him of the rock, or this series may have actually ended in LA. We have to give him a pass on that one though, because the Celtics would not have even been close in that spot if it weren’t for Pierce’s huge output.
MVP Edge: Paul Pierce

Game 6 – Clincher

Ray Allen	26 pts	4 boards	2 assists	7 threes	3 steals	0 blocks	1 turnover
Paul Pierce	17 pts	3 boards	10 assists	2 threes	2 steals	0 blocks	2 turnovers

Under normal circumstances you would look at Pierce’s numbers on this night and assume it was a close contest with Allen on who was more valuable. Pierce had a horrible shooting night, but he did what most superstars do and recognized this and started to distribute the ball to his teammates in order to contribute and help the team win. This night though was Ray Allen’s. He was an absolute assassin from downtown in the ball game, and he set a couple records along the way. He set the record for most threes in an NBA Finals series with 21, passing Dan Majerle’s 18 with the Phoenix Suns. He also tied the record for most three point makes in a single NBA Finals game with 7. Top that off with 3 steals and only 1 turnover, and you can see how happy his efficiency must make Doc Rivers daily.
MVP Edge: Ray Allen

So for you keeping score while reading this you will quickly notice that adds up to Paul Pierce 3 vs. Ray Allen 3. It’s for this reason that I won’t say that Paul Pierce doesn’t deserve to be the NBA Finals MVP this year. I will say however that Ray Allen deserves the MVP award just as equally, and some may even argue that two games he was clearly the leader in, Games 4 and Games 6, were the most pivotal games of the series for the Celtics to reach their goal.

So although Ray Allen may not care about the individual accolade on this one, I’m sure his fans would be happy to know that he was considered by many to be as equally deserving as Paul Pierce for the NBA Finals 2008 MVP award.

I’m out like Ray Ray from the MVP voting…

NBA Champions 2008: Celtics Drop the Hammer on Lakers; Story Book Ending for “Big Three”!

June 18th, 2008 – Dr. J-Water

Coming in to this game most of the discussions I heard regarding the game were about Kobe Bryant. Will he be able to extend the series for the Lakers? Will a win or loss affect his legacy in the NBA? Will Kobe be a passer, or will Kobe be a shooter? What does Kobe eat for breakfast on NBA Finals Game 6 game days? “Stop the madness!” or “Hold the phone!” or if you really love cliché’s how about “Put a cork in it!” Enough with the Kobe Bryant individual game talk for a minute. Last time I checked there were two teams filled with warriors battling it out in this series. Why don’t we talk about the fact that the Celtics have a few pretty good players themselves in this series that might deserve some discussion. They only have (*cough*) a past league MVP, a Celtic Legend, and one of the purest shooters the NBA has ever seen.

I hate to give in to the hype machine on this one, but to answer the question that undoubtedly is going to be asked by the majority, Kobe came out shooting folks! The good news for Kobe fans is that he was also hot. Bryant scored 11 points in his first 7 minutes on the floor. The bad news for Lakers fans as a whole is that while Kobe was scoring efficiently, he was shooting the ball on almost every possession. He did hit a variety of tough off-balance jumpers and three pointers in the opening minutes, however as discussed by The Hoop Doctors in a few articles during this post-season, this style of play for Kobe most times takes his teammates out of the game as they become passive and stand around watching more than playing. Kobe can individually keep his team in the game against the best of opposition; however when the well of “tough shot makes” dries up as it always does at some point in the game, the gap widened. Pau Gasol for example was clearly uninvolved in the offense, weak on the boards, and had 0 points and 4 turnovers by the end of the first quarter. In fact aside from one basket by Luke Walton, no one on the entire Lakers team besides Bryant scored a field goal in the first quarter of Game 6.

Although the Celtics are star studded with their “Big Three” of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen they played tonight as they did all season long and throughout these playoffs; defense first, and unselfishly share the ball on offense. Sharing the rock for the Celtics has become contagious. Their ball movement tonight was so strong at times it looked like they were playing a game of hot potato. It bordered on excessive actually on a few possessions. These guys are so close to the title they can taste it. I don’t recall seeing a team this good defensively ever, but the scariest part about that is they can score too. There are lots of great defensive teams we have seen in the last decade such as the Spurs and Pistons, but both of which often have scoring droughts and lack a big scoring punch in crunch time. Not the C’s.

When this series began a lot of the analysts had predicted the Lakers to tip the balances and win this series on one major factor, bench play. All season long the Celtics bench has been an underdog, constantly proving the critics wrong. When the Celtics made their big moves for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to assemble the “Big Three” skeptics across the league felt they needed a strong supporting cast to become a winning ball club. Well this is the NBA Finals so we all know how that story played out. But the Celtics bench in this series absolutely dominated the Lakers bench. In fact I feel that the Celtics bench players James Posey and Eddie House tonight were the keys to the C’s breaking open the game. When Ray Allen got scratched in the eye and went to the locker room, James Posey was given the assignment of guarding Kobe Bryant. Immediately the physical defense and grit of James Posey started to both Kobe, who only scored 3 points in the entire second quarter after his opening quarter 11. To top it off Posey and Eddie House combined to knock down 4 big time 3-pt shots in the second quarter to break the game open. I don’t want to take away from the performances of the Big Three in this series as they’ve been amazing, however each game of this series has been littered with memorable plays by Celtics bench players to turn the tides and fortunes in the favor of the C’s. James Posey, Eddie House, Leon Powe, PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, and even Glen “Big Baby” Davis (tonight), have had their moment to shine at one point or another. This team was truly united, and as a team had no weak links.

So after a barrage of threes from the C’s bench players in the second quarter, 4 steals by point guard Rajon Rondo, and a couple of three point plays by Garnett (and 17 first half points), the Celtics finished the half up 58-35 on the Lakers. Yes that’s right, the Celtics defense held the Lakers to only 35 first half points! A Lakers team that includes offensive dynamo Kobe Bryant…

In the second half the Celtics didn’t let up. They came out hot and scoring from every angle, and did so with more unselfish ball movement. Mid-way through the third quarter Boston was up by 28 and the announcers were stunned and had nothing to say but “The Celtics are embarrassing the Lakers now.” Excuse me sir, but the Lakers embarrassed themselves in this one! They looked absolutely shell-shocked. What happened next was not surprising in the least. Kobe Bryant took more shots, hell virtually all the shots it seemed. What was surprising however, was he made barely any of them. Not only were the Celtics embarrassing the Lakers, but if you believe the hype machine that will follow this game tonight, they embarrassed Kobe Bryant directly.

Defense still does win championships. By the end of the 3rd quarter Celtic players Rondo, Allen, Posey, and Pierce combined for 14 steals. Talk about thievin’, huh? Throw in blocked shots for the bigs Perkins and Garnett, and a couple of jump balls and charges drawn, and you have a well oiled defensive green machine finely tuned by none other than the Celtics defensive assistant coach Tom Thibodeau. Playing great offense takes a high degree of skill, but playing great defense takes a level of commitment and heart that only a select few players possess. That is what makes the Celtics defense so amazing; they literally have all 5 players on the floor exhibiting that sought after defensive effort at the same time.

At the end of the third quarter the score was 89-60. The only reason anyone needs to watch the fourth quarter is to see if the Celtics can set the NBA Finals record for largest margin of victory in a series clinching game, set by Bill Russell’s Celtics in a 33 point victory over (none other than) the LA Lakers in the 1965 NBA Finals Game 5.

Points of Note:

• Ray Allen broke the NBA Finals record for most three pointers in the series with 22. The previous record was 18 held by Dan Majerle.
• Ray Allen also tied the record for most three pointers in an NBA Finals game at 7.
• The Celtics had 5 players in double figure scoring, 2 players with over 5 pts, and only two players on entire team who did not score in this one.
• The Celtics had 18 steals!
• 4 different players recorded a blocked shot for the Celtics.
• Paul Pierce had 10 assists.
• Kobe Bryant was 30% from the field, with 4 turnovers and only 1 assist.

Celtics win 131-92, Record Time, Pierce Finals MVP, NBA Title to go with it…
I’m out like Kobe and the Lakers.

NBA Trade Rumors Part II: Zach Randolph to Pistons?

June 17th, 2008 – Dr. Dime

In Part I of our NBA pre-draft trade rumors we discussed a couple of Raptors-Knicks and Raptors-Pistons trade talks. Although we have heard that the calls of Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo to Pistons GM Joe Dumars have begun to go unanswered as of late, there apparently are still mutual ongoing discussions with Colangelo and New York Knicks GM Donnie Walsh regarding a possible Jamal Crawford deal. It is now clear that the Raptors are unwilling to part with point guard Jose Calderon, as Colangelo views him as the future starting floor general for the franchise. We will keep you updated on those discussions as the talks evolve.

However for Part II of our NBA pre-draft rumors, we are going to focus on more recent trade discussions, once again involving the Pistons, Knicks, and this time the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Denver Nuggets. While we know changes are inevitable in New York with the hiring of head coach Mike D’Antoni and his up-tempo offense, the most likely casualties for the Knicks look to be slower half-court players such as Eddie Curry, Zach Randolph, and Jerome James. One thing is for sure for the Knicks is they need a pass-first point guard to steer the ship, and it’s not likely to be Stephon Marbury or Nate Robinson. Will the Knicks be able to get their coveted pick O.J. Mayo at the 6 spot in the draft? D’Antoni certainly hopes so.

Zach Randolph to the Pistons

We have all heard rumors about Joe Dumars looking to make some big moves in the off-season. While some have talked about him possibly seeking to blow-up his team and rebuild after a lengthy run as an Eastern Conference perennial powerhouse, the other end of the spectrum has talked about him trying to make a move for one final piece to the puzzle to get over the hump for that title. There have been many names thrown about, but most consistently the names Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony have been brought up. Possibly because speculation has emerged about both big name players being on the trading block, as each player after this post-season has now solidified their reputation as a great player who just can’t get it done in the playoffs.

Put all of that aside for a minute however, and a new rumor has been thrown in the mix. What if Dumars doesn’t have to rebuild right away, what if he can get another low-post scoring threat to allow Rasheed Wallace to float on the perimeter shooting his outside jumper without giving the Pistons coaching staff consistent headaches? Could Zach Randolph of the Knicks be the answer the Pistons are looking for? I certainly think so. Zach Randolph is going to be moved before next season, that is an almost certainty at this point. Although the knock on Randolph has always been his off-court maturity issues and lack of leadership, the veteran Pistons group may be just what he needs to help him pull his act together and play for a contending team. Getting a taste of winning might change his attitude altogether.

But who would the Pistons be willing to give up to get Randolph? If the reports are true, Dumars would have to consider shipping at least one of his big money players, as Randolph has 3 years and $48 million left on his contract with the Knicks. I doubt the Pistons would consider parting with Rasheed in such a deal, for one major reason. The Randolph/Sheed reunion from their earlier days in Portland would obviously be part of the Pistons management thinking on successfully transitioning Randolph to a new team while maintaining the Pistons chemistry.

I give this one only a 1/10 shot at actually happening, for the main fact that I don’t see the Pistons unloading one of their major players to take on the bloated contract of Randolph. That to me would seem counterproductive if their goal is to make another legitimate run at the title.

Michael Redd to Knicks

The latest rumors around the Milwaukee Bucks franchise has them working the phones to deal their sharp shooter Michael Redd, and PG Mo Williams. Moving Redd makes sense to me as the Bucks clearly have a youth movement underway, and after this season it is obvious that the with Redd continuing to get the majority of the touches it is hurting the development of a lot of their growing young talent. Redd has 2 years and $33 million left on his contract with the Bucks.

On the other hand I don’t understand why they are looking to deal Mo Williams. He has had a solid couple of seasons for the Bucks, and they just last year matched an offer sheet of the Miami Heat for Williams in order to keep him longer term. If they didn’t see Williams as part of their long term plan, why wouldn’t they just let the Heat sign him rather than subject themselves to the difficulty of trying to move his contract now?

Regardless of those facts, word on the street is the Bucks are shopping these two guards. Although I’m skeptical of the validity of the Williams discussion, I think the Redd talks are legitimate with discussions taking place with the Knicks and Clippers. So where will Redd end up? My money is on the New York Knicks. They have a lot of big assets they can use as trade bait that would fit the Bucks long term goals, and Redd would clearly be the perfect fit for D’Antoni and his run and gun offense in New York. Redd his whole career, and specifically last summer when playing for D’Antoni (assistant coach) and Team USA in the FIBA America’s Olympic qualifying tournament proved he is one of the best shooters in the world right now from beyond the arc. D’Antoni and Redd are a match made in heaven for the New York Knicks.

Gilbert Arenas to Clippers

I hear that Elton Brand isn’t happy these days. My question is; how was he ever happy playing for the ‘paper-clips’? Aside from their one successful season a couple of years ago, every year since Brand’s arrival the Clippers management has failed to keep young talent or sign quality players to place around Elton. They are year in and year out hanging out at the bottom of the Western Conference. Will the Clippers look to make any big moves this off-season?

The latest news on the Clippers is centered around the Washington Wizards superstar Gilbert Arenas. The Wizards are in discussions with Arenas about a possible contract extension, as Arenas can opt-out of his current contract as soon as this summer. Arenas may be just the player the Clippers need to convince Brand they are serious about winning. Although with Arenas still being owed $13 million next season it will be difficult for the Clippers to offer Arenas the money it will take to lure him away from the Wizards and still remain anywhere near the salary cap. Which would mean that the more likely subject of discussions right now would be focused on if Brand opts-out of his contract this summer and jets for another ball-club, the Clippers could go after Arenas to replace their jaded franchise player.

I’m sure Clips fans everywhere are hoping for the former and not the latter. Brand is a class act and it would be a shame if he left LA for greener pastures. Greener being wins, not cash. Personally I wouldn’t blame Brand for wanting out, but if he does decide to leave LA hopefully he will give Clippers management notice so they can at least try and work a sign and trade.

I’m out like Randolph in NYC!

Have you heard a trade rumor lately that might have legs? Share it with our readers in the comments section below!

Game 5 – Lakers alive; Not pretty but a win is a win…

June 16th, 2008 – Dr. Browntorious

Well it wasn’t pretty now was it? But a win is still a win, and the season is still alive for the Lakers. Unfortunately for Lakers fans all of those questions regarding Kobe Bryant’s offensive performance thus far in this series have still not been answered. He did improve on his performance in Game 4, however Game 5 was definitely not a tape Kobe will be putting in the all-time performance collection any time soon.

Although Kobe scored 25 points, he did it on only 8-21 shooting and finished with a whopping 6 turnovers. Once again give credit to the defensive tag team of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen for hounding Bryant from start to finish. But amidst Kobe’s continued shooting struggles a new ray of hope emerged. Defense. For all the talk of the Celtic’s ability to defend the Lakers both one-on-one and as a team, Kobe Bryant served up a bit of defense and grit of his own last night. Fight fire with fire right? Kobe was everywhere last night, like spiderman he was swooping in to help defend the Big Three, and quickly back again on his own man to shut down the opposition scoring. Kobe finished the game with a game high 5 steals, but it was also his numerous deflections, bumps, and charges taken that set the tone defensively for the Lakers.

Probably the key defensive play of the game for either team, came at the hands of Kobe Bryant when he stripped Paul Pierce of the rock from behind in the closing minutes of play with the Lakers up by just 2 points. The steal led to a fast break dunk that ignited the crowd, and certainly turned out to be the nail in the coffin of the Celtics on this one. This was the type of defense we saw flashes of during the regular season from Bryant, and certainly the type of defense that highlighted Bryant’s international play last summer for team USA in the FIBA America’s tournament to qualify for the Olympics.

However, Kobe Bryant has still not been able to solve the Celtics stifling defense. Given Kobe is one of the most gifted offensive players of all-time; this has got to be quite the pat on the back for the Celtics. With the series now shifting back to Boston for games 6 and 7 get ready for a defensive and gritty battle for the remainder of the NBA Finals as Boston’s defense at home is ‘tighter than a nun on a Sunday.’ The game had lots of other new developments and nuggets of information that are important to watch for Games 6 and 7.

Dr. Browntorious’ Game 5 Highlights and Lowlights:

• Kendrick Perkins was sorely missed in Game 5. If Perkins was healthy and plays Game 5, this series is over. For one reason and one reason only, defending Pau Gasol. Garnett did an admirable job on Gasol, however the speed and agility of Garnett is much better served defending a player of Lamar Odom’s abilities. Pau Gasol plays a much more deliberate big man style of offense in the post that does not favor Garnett. Perkins however with his big frame, and lanky reach gives Pau Gasol fits in the post. Gasol in Game 5 clearly enjoyed the night off from Perk while he posted a solid game of 19 pts, 13 boards, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, all the while committing 0 turnovers. If Perkins is unable to play in Game 6 we can expect more of the same from Gasol. How will Doc Rivers adjust?
• The Lakers have got to be concerned that Sasha Vujacic continued his poor shooting performance in Game 5. Going just 2-10 from the field and shooting 0-5 from beyond the arc in 20 minutes of play is an unwelcome sight. If the Celtics don’t have to close as hard on the Lakers shooters, it will clog things up even tighter for Bryant and Gasol. Keep on eye on this.
• The physical toll its taking on Ray Allen to guard Kobe Bryant may be starting to affect his offensive game. He shot 4-13 from the floor, and certainly seemed to lose a bit of hop in his step in coming off screens looking for his shot. The Celtics have to hope that making the trip back home to Boston rejuvenates Jesus Shuttlesworth.
• Paul Pierce was once again ‘The Truth’. Without the modern day Celtic great, Boston would not have been able to keep this game close, or once again bounce back from a horrendous start to this game. I expect nothing less than an All-Star performance from Paul Pierce in Game 6 back in Boston. If this series should end in the favor of the Celtics, Pierce has done more than enough to now solidify his choice as the Finals MVP.
• Phil Jackson must have a stress ball hidden deep in the palm of his hand that we cannot see. If you are a coach, how can you mentally hold it together when players like Pau Gasol, Luke Walton, and Sasha Vujacic make ridiculously silly and unnecessary fouls in the closing minutes of the ball game when your opponent is in the bonus? Phil Jackson is a great coach and teacher, but how can you teach common sense? Luke and Sasha are notorious for bone head plays such as these, but Pau Gasol? C’mon man, you’re better than that. If the Lakers want a shot at even winning one game out in Boston, they better clean up their act in this department.
• Eddie House is quickly becoming recognized for his ability to make big shots in the clutch. How can the Lakers continue to leave this guy wide open defensively, when the game is close and the Celtics are making their final push? You would think the Lakers would have learned their lesson following the Game 4 clinic Eddie House put on in the 4th. Look for Eddie House and experienced veteran James Posey to log the bulk of the minutes down the stretch of the final two ball games in Boston.
• Either Rondo’s ankle is bothering him more than we know, or his confidence is shaken after Games 3 and 4. He looked lost out there offensively and defensively for the Celtics, contributing a 1-7 shooting performance and two turnovers in just 14 minutes of play. Look for Rondo to enjoy the home-cooking more than any other Celtic player, as the Celtics must be hoping a return home is just what the doctor ordered.

If I missed some keys to Game 5 that we need to be aware of for Game 6, post your thoughts for our readers.

I’m out like Rondo in the 4th quarter.

Game 6 – June 17th, 9 p.m. EST in Boston

Kobe Bryant’s Reputation on the Line Tonight

June 15th, 2008 – Dr. Anklesnap

Tonight is the night, Kobe. This is the single biggest game in your career. You always tell us you live for these moments, well now it’s time to live up to the hype. Can Kobe Bryant perform when his team needs him most? So far this series Kobe Bryant has had only one good game, by “Kobe Standards.” Not exactly how most people, including Bryant, probably would have envisioned this series before its start.

I don’t want to take any credit away from the Celtics defense though, as they have forced Kobe into sub-par shooting nights; no question about it. Also, Doc Rivers has out coached Phil Jackson; there is no question about that either. With Doc Rivers there is no B.S., he will tell you how it is and give game changing motivational speeches. He also has shown strength where most people feel his major weaknesses were; the ability to make in game and series long adjustments. Phil Jackson’s laid back attitude when his team is in the thick of things has worked for years, but sometimes the “Jedi Mind Tricks” don’t work for certain players. He also needs to do a better job of making adjustments to his triangle offense to try and solve the Celtic defensive equation.

Some feel that Phil Jackson a great motivator. A good test will be his ability to motivate his superstar, Kobe Bryant. By now we have all heard of Phil’s post-game comments on Friday after canceling practice, telling the press that he thinks Kobe will be motivated by Kevin Garnett’s post game comments regarding the Lakers. Phil also said that Kobe probably wasn’t bothered or motivated by hearing that Paul Pierce at half-time in Game 4 requested the assignment of defending Kobe Bryant for the second half. Or maybe that was just some more reverse psychology mind tricks from ‘the great motivator’?

Ever since the Shaq-Kobe break-up we have heard how the whole Shaquille O’Neal trade scenario was orchestrated by Bryant so that he could be the big man on campus and that the Lakers would finally be “his team.” Whether or not that was true, the fact is Kobe wants another championship, and he wants to be the only superstar on the Lakers when he gets it. (Did I say “when” oops I meant “if”). Kobe of all people should understand how hard it is to battle your way through the playoffs to get to this point. For him to leave the 2008 season behind with the way he has performed thus far in this series would be a huge knock on his reputation and legacy. We all know Kobe is the type of guy to think about legacy, image and reputation, so what does he have in store for us tonight? Facilitator Kobe, Scoring with Blinders Kobe, or balanced attack/leadership Kobe? I certainly can’t wait to find out!

Dr. Anklesnap’s Keys to Game 5:

· Will Kobe Bryant put the blinders on in an effort to just dominate the game to bring the Lakers to victory? If so, the Lakers could be in for a rough ending to their season.

· Will the Celtics start the game hot or cold. Just as they did in Game 4, if they come out of the gate slow, the home crowd advantage will have them down big and early. The Celtics don’t want to get in a habit of coming from behind all game long. They better come out hot to silence the raucous Staples Center crowd.

· Can Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom sustain their efforts on the boards for a full 48 minutes? In Game 4 Odom and Gasol came out scoring, and being aggressive to the hoop. Then they disappeared in the second half. If the Lakers want to keep their season alive they will have to rely on Gasol and Odom to dominate the Celtics in the paint

· Do the Celtics have enough players to go, or will Doc Rivers have to lace em’ up? The Celtics are pretty banged up right now, with 3 if not 4 of their starters either not playing or playing at about 60% health. Can the Lakers play a physical, aggressive game to capitalize on their injury situation?

· The biggest adjustment of the game for Doc Rivers in Game 4 was moving Rondo to the bench and spreading the floor for Garnett and Pierce with pure shooting power. With Ray Allen handling the rock, the Celtics small lineup with Eddie House, James Posey, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett gave the Lakers fits defensively. Does the Zen Master have an adjustment to counter the move?

It will be interesting to see if the Celtics have that killer instinct to put away the Lakers on the Lakers home floor. Garnett talked about being so close to the title he “can taste it.” It’s show time folks.

Game 5 @ 9pm EST, Sunday June 15th

Top Five Wacky Reasons the Lakers had no chance!

June 14th, 2008 – Dr. Dime

I predicted the Celtics to win this series before it began. To be quite honest I think they have a stronger team dynamic, more heart, and far superior defense. Although the style of play has changed dramatically in the NBA over the past few years to a more up-tempo, run and gun, fan friendly game, defense still wins championships. Although there have been many highly offensive teams make it deep in the playoffs over the past few years, the ultimate champion still remains the team that can play lock down defense. Think about your most recent champions: San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, and Detroit Pistons. All of which are primarily defensive ball clubs, who grind it out possession by possession to get a win.

But as much as I appreciate having my prediction for the Celtics winning the series and title coming true to validate my clairvoyance, I don’t believe in the least bit, half of the wacky and silly reasons being discussed all over the blogosphere as to why the Lakers are down 3-1 in this series and most likely will be the runner’s up. Celtics fans, realize one thing when you make these comments, you are discrediting and taking away from the legitimacy of your team’s win by citing weird and obscure reasons for the Lakers tanking. Why not state “Celtics are a better team?” Instead here are some of the weirdest, wackiest but most commonly discussed reasons I’ve heard for the Lakers inevitable loss in the 2008 NBA Finals:

1. Kobe Bryant is not Michael Jordan – You’re just figuring that out now? I am pretty sure he’s Kobe Bryant. The man who scored 81 points in a single ball game in the modern era. He may not be as great as Jordan, but who cares he never to my knowledge said he was Michael Jordan. Let the man be. Enjoy is on the court brilliance. He is human, he does have sub-par games. Let it go.
2. Pau Gasol has an ugly beard and is “soft” in the paint – What does his beard have to do with anything. And since when did good looks become a factor in a series or in a basketball game? If this was a modeling contest, I’m pretty sure the Celtics would lose because they have Sam Cassell on their squad. I love “Sam I am” but damn you are not the prettiest player in the league.
3. Kobe and the Lakers are alcoholics – Pretty sure Kobe was joking when he said the Lakers were going to have a bunch of beers and shots and drink away their sorrows. Have we become so obsessed with the celebrity aspect of sports that we have to take every word they say literally like they aren’t even human? And speaking of human…are you telling me no athlete in the world is allowed to drink?
4. The “Zen Master” Phil Jackson cancels practices for the Lakers to sleep off hangovers – The Zen Master is tied with Auerbach as the NBA Coach with the most ring in history.. Whatever the heck he does with his team, is obviously working okay! Hey Celtics fans, I am pretty sure Red used to have some fairly quirky and odd tendencies in his days as coach of the Celtics. Just be thankful Phil hasn’t taken his lead and started calling opposing players hotel rooms in the middle of the night to interrupt their sleep before big games.
5. Sasha Vujacic is a baby who cries when the Celtics score baskets – For anyone who has questioned the masculinity of Vujacic because he showed passion and emotion for the game late in Game 4, you have to consider the competitive nature of professional sports. After all the long hours these guys put into training, day in and day out, week after week, month after month, for a shot at playing in the NBA Finals to realize their life-long dream of winning an NBA Championship, and seeing it slip away in a matter of minutes on a few bad team possessions. Hell yeah, crying is probably pretty natural at that point. P.S. have you seen some of the girls this guy has dated? I hardly question his manhood.

Now that we have that nonsense straightened out, let’s get on with watching the close of this great season with one of the better NBA Finals i’ve seen in quite a while.

Game 5 @ 9pm EST on Sunday June 15th.

NBA Finals 2008: Show Ray Allen the Love; Irony for Allen and Garnett

June 13, 2008 – Dr. J-Water

When the NBA Finals began I stated that the key to this series was whether or not Kobe Bryant could defend Ray Allen. As Game 4 is now in the books and the Celtics are leading the Lakers 3-1, I guess the answer is no. I received multiple emails and messages from readers of The Hoop Doctors who thought I was focusing on the wrong Celtic player, as both Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had carried the Celtic offense for much of the playoffs leading up to this point. Ray Allen had struggled with his shooting for one of the first times in his long and tenured career, and at the worst time considering for the first time in his career his team was the favourite to win it all.

Ray Allen aka “Jesus Shuttlesworth” has been playing extremely heady, experienced, veteran basketball for this entire series thus far. Not only is he taking good shots and making them by seemingly playing without any nerves of being in the NBA Finals (wish the same could be said for KG), he is becoming widely known lately in many circles as the REAL “Kobe Stopper.” Sorry Ruben Patterson, you have been off the map for a while and you never really could stop Kobe anyways…

Game 4 was no different. Kobe Bryant was more than just ‘contained’ by Ray Allen in the first half. He was totally smothered. Kobe Bryant couldn’t squeeze out even the slightest of daylight for a look at the hoop. Ray Allen held Kobe Bryant to 0 field goals at half time. That’s right, 0 field goals folks. So why were the Lakers up by 18 at half then? Because the Lakers are a better team when Kobe Bryant scores significantly less or not at all! Kobe is a gamer, and will find other ways to affect the game. But when Kobe Bryant is in his scoring groove he wants the ball on every possession, and what ends up happening is his teammates essentially become fans or witnesses to the “Kobe Bryant Show” rather than staying focused and playing the game. When Kobe is either stuggling with his shot or just giving the ball up more for better team play, there is an obvious spike in the focus and determination of his supporting cast. What is most likely happening is a sub-conscious psychological affect where his teammates see their leader struggle and feel like they are needed more to step up to help win the ball game, whereas when Kobe is dominating the rock they just assume he will be their saviour.

So did Doc Rivers recognize this pattern from the first 3.5 games of this series? I’m not quite sure if he recognized it or it was just a fluke change based on his line-up after halftime in game four where he needed to spread the floor offensively, but Doc Rivers made a very important change defensively. Some coaches and analysts out there must have been calling Doc crazy when he started the second half of Game 4 with Paul Pierce on Kobe Bryant and shifted Ray Allen to defend Sasha Vujacic and Derek Fisher. I mean come on man, Allen just held the “Black Mamba” himself to 0 field goals in the first half, how could he take him off Kobe? The Celtics would surely go down by 25-30 points now right? Not quite. I don’t want to belittle the defensive intensity Paul Pierce showed on defending Kobe Bryant in the second half of Game 4; however Allen is clearly the far superior defender. Or….maybe Doc finally became the first coach to realize the twilight zone fact that has been right under our noses for years with countless examples, that is when Kobe Bryant dominates the Lakers scoring they win less ball games. Lakers fans please don’t bother sending me emails with examples of games the Lakers won when Kobe shot a million times. I understand there have been countless games like that. But on a whole I really believe that when Kobe scores a significant amount the Lakers are worse off. The only asterisks I would put on that statement is for the end of close games. Everyone on both sides tenses up a bit at the end of a close, important game. That is the time you do want your superstar scorer such as Bryant to take the majority of shots.

So regardless of his motivation or logic in making the change, Doc Rivers made a brilliant move by shifting Ray Allen to defensively shut down the hot shooting Lakers perimeter players, and having Paul Pierce do a stand up job of just getting a hand in Kobe’s face when shooting and let him get some points on the board for his personal stats. Kobe is like a shark. He saw blood in the water when the Celtics defense shifted to having Paul Piece defend him, and started firing away from all angles on offense. Sure he began to score from the field, but the other Lakers players quickly fell out of rhythm offensively and the Celtics kept up their slow but steady scoring pace to climb back in and eventually steal a win. Greatest comeback in NBA Finals History? Agreed.

When the off-season trades last summer bringing the Celtics Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett I started thinking about how ironic it was that those specific players were going to be teammates. I mean what a twist of fate that this late in their careers we would finally get to see the pairing that so many were anticipating in 1996. Ray Allen was drafted fifth in the 1996 draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves but immediately was traded along with Andrew Lang to the Milwaukee Bucks for their 4th pick Stephon Marbury. Who did the scouting report on that one? I know Marbury was a phenomenal talent at that time, but Ray Allen wasn’t too shabby himself having just won USA Basketball’s Male Athlete of the Year. The NBA Scouting reports have since evolved quite a bit to conduct personality and psychological/social factors tests to ensure a franchise makes a sound investment in both body and mind. Better scouting in the personality testing department may have showed Ray Allen as a better fit to be paired for the future with the young stud Kevin Garnett who the T-Wolves drafted the year prior in 1995. Can you imagine the lethal combination of a young Kevin Garnett in the post, with the young gun slinger Ray Allen waiting for the kick-out? Although they are both aging veterans by today’s standards, as KARMA has it the current pairing of “what might have been” isn’t too shabby either. Ray Allen can still knock down the long ball, and Garnett can still dominate the post and paint area.

I don’t want to be too premature in discussing the factors in the Celtics winning this championship. I certainly don’t want to pull a Mark Cuban/Dallas Mavericks and start planning parade routes before the series is even over (then look foolish after the team collapses). But I don’t think there is any harm in discussing the Celtics NBA Finals MVP Candidates. I know the broad support will be with giving the current and career long “Mr. Celtic” Paul Pierce the NBA Finals MVP award, but I have to say that the most deserving candidate thus far has got to be Ray Allen. If the award truly is based on the NBA Finals and not the entire playoff run, Ray Allen cannot be overlooked. Allen for MVP! Jesus Walks! (Kanye West can we get a video remix, possibly a shout out?)

Game 5 tips off Sunday June 15th @ 9 p.m. EST

NBA Finals 2008: Game 4 – Lakers have Stunning Collapse; Ray Allen is my MVP!

June 12th, 2008 – Dr. Anklesnap

If someone told me this morning that the Los Angeles Lakers would be up by as many as 24 on the Boston Celtics in the first half of Game 4, I would laugh and say “quit playin”! If they then added to that statement that Kobe Bryant at half time would not have a field goal in that same game I would say “have you gone loco?” Yet somehow that was the case tonight in Los Angeles. Talk about coming out hot on your home floor!

Now since this series is quickly proving that truly “anything can happen”, what if someone (who I already called a jokester and then “loco”) told me that the Celtics would come storming back from down 18 at half time to be within 2 points at the end of the third quarter? At that point I would have to assume they were a pathological liar!

Watching this series I’m starting to feel sorry for Ray Allen. He snapped out of his funk late in the Eastern Conference Finals series against the Detroit Pistons, yet ever since everyone is talking about either Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett. Am I the only one noticing how well that Allen is playing in this series? As far as I’m concerned Ray Allen has been the offensive and defensive leader of the Celtics throughout the series. That’s not to mention the fact that he’s drawn the near impossible assignment of having to guard Kobe Bryant for the majority of his minutes thus far. How is Ray Allen not on the NBA first team all defense every year? The guy can flat out defend!

Dr. Anklesnap’s Game 4 Points of Interest:

• Lakers jumped out to one of the quickest and largest leads in NBA History, led by as many as 24 points in the first half, led by 18 at half time.
• Starting in the 3rd quarter, we all witnessed probably the greatest single game collapse in NBA Finals history. Some might like to think of it as the greatest comeback in history, which it may be, but I will stick to the pessimistic approach.
• Ray Allen played some of the tightest defense of his career on Kobe Bryant for the entire first half of Game 4. Unfortunately for the Celtics, all of the Lakers role players stepped up, and the Lakers were running all over the Green Machine.
• Then in a rather odd/genius turn of events, after halftime Ray Allen shifted over to guard Derek Fisher and/or Sasha Vujacic, while Paul Pierce picked up the defensive assignment of Kobe Bryant. Although Kobe Bryant picked up his scoring with a weaker defender on him, the rest of the Lakers looked like they were completely lost on offense. The Celtics machine cranked up the “D.”
• Doc Rivers sat Rajon Rondo who was largely ineffective in the first half and went with a combination of Eddie House and James Posey to spread the floor. This was a game changing move for the Celtics coaching staff. With a line-up of Ray Allen, Posey, and House the Celtics hit outside shots consistently and mixed in possessions in the post to Kevin Garnett or slashes by Paul Pierce. This may be the Celtics most effective lineup against a team like Los Angeles. Why? Because the Lakers staff are numbers guys. They understand that Rondo may be a decent shooter in spurts, but he is clearly the guy they want shooting so they have been leaving him virtually unguarded, so they can clog the paint. With Rondo off Garnett’s efficiency and play goes up drastically, because with the floor spread with shooter’s he has room to maneuver.
• Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol should be commended for their great games scoring, rebounding and defending. Unfortunately for the Lakers however, they both disappeared in the final 2 minutes of play, and both missed multiple open dunks in the fourth quarter.
• At the end of the day the Celtics defense was just too good, and their offensive adjustment by Doc Rivers was why he gets paid the big bucks. Genius.

It feels like I missed something…..hmmm?? Oh yeah, Sasha Vujacic cried. You’re probably picturing him crying after the game with a towel over his head, right? Wrong! The man (I use that term loosely here) was shown in the national broadcast crying in the fourth quarter timeout shortly after the Celtics took their first lead. I know I harped on Bryant for poor body language down the stretch of games and its negative effects on his teammates, but c’mon Sasha….crying “during” the game….really? Passion and competitiveness is one thing, being a wuss is another. Maybe he was posturing for a role in a movie? A sad one…

Celtics 97 – Lakers 91

Game 5 is Sunday, June 15th @ 9 p.m. EST in Los Angeles

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