Michael Jordan vs. Kobe Bryant? | The Video makes a statement
July 31, 2008 – Dr. Browntorious
Today felt like Christmas when I was surfing the web. I saw something that gave me the game day feeling. You know that excited yet slightly nervous feeling in your stomach that you get before a big game or event that you have been thinking about forever. You know the feeling, the ‘game day’ feeling. Let me explain….
I grew up in the Jordan era. I’m a Michael Jordan guy. Like the guy can do no wrong in my eyes, so i’m a little biased towards any conversation that has to do with ‘his airness.’ That being said he’s an easy horse to back because he is widely considered to be the greatest player and competitor to ever live. It also doesn’t hurt that he holds more records than virtually any other player and he was a 6-time NBA Champion. The ultimate goal of a legit NBA star is to win that ring.
I used to love watching Michael Jordan games during his days with the Bulls, because he was the type of player you couldn’t take your eyes off of when he was playing. Even when he didn’t have the ball you were glued to him on the screen because you didn’t want to potentially miss the next big highlight reel play. Sure you know you’d see it back on Sports Center about a quadrillion times afterwards, but it was still one of things that you wanted to call your boyz right away and be like “did you just see that dawg? Whaaaaa”
So with all that said, this morning when i’m surfing I come across this video post on a blog called Mixmakers that talked about an MJ video schooling cats one-on-one at the ripe old age of 45. I have been starved of any fresh Michael Jordan video content in quite some time (although I regularly watch my Michael Jordan ULTIMATE JORDAN DVD Set). Well to my pleasant surprise not only does the video of MJ teaching cats of all ages at a Hoops Camp about fundamentals and visualization, it also shows Jordan dunking at 45 years of age!! And one is a nice two handed throwdown right in a guys grill that is defending him! But the greatest part of the video has to be at the beginning when Jordan is answering the kids questions. One of these real young dudes who probably never watched Jordan live because he wasn’t born asks “Who would win in a game of One-on-One – You or Kobe?”
Of course MJ doesn’t even hesitate to say “Kobe would win because I’m older. In my prime? Not even a contest. Let’s just say I have a better chance of stopping him than of him stopping me.” ……LOVE IT!!
But just so you readers can share in my excitement, let me give you your early Christmas present from Dr. Browntorious below:
The 5 Most Overpaid Players in the NBA Next Season!
July 30, 2008 – Dr. Dime
Given my deep love for the game of basketball, I think that 90% of the players in the NBA are actually overpaid. Especially the ones that are in it for the money and not for the love of the game or for the thrill of the win. Every single player in the NBA that is just there to collect a paycheck and live large in my books is being overpaid. But since the NBA is a business, and the business for franchises is to put butts in seats and get sponsorships and media coverage, sometimes those players that are coasting to collect the dough are actually worth the money you pay them, regardless of wins and losses.
There is no extensive mathematical formula used here to determine the following list of overpaid players. There is just simply opinion, conjecture, and cynacism. If you take issue with any of the picks. Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section below. That’s why we are all here isn’t it?
TOP 5 Most Overpaid Players for 2008-09 NBA Season
1. Stephon Marbury – $21 million from the New York Knicks
This is a classic example of being blinded by raw talent. NBA scouts and analysts have come a long way over the years in their craft, and I they even administer fairly sophisticated personality testing prior to drafting and even trading in some cases. However there is no bigger misstep or paying for a name then the case with Stephon Marbury. The Knicks are going to have to shell out $21 million this year (unless he gets bought out) for a guy that will either see very little court time, or will be largely less effective than a player they could have got for a bargain price of $1-2 million per. To put this in the proper perspective…..Marbury gets paid more than Kobe, Lebron, Dwade, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, etc. The list goes on and on. It’s a jaw dropper for sure.
2. Steve Francis – $19.5 million combined from the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets
Here is a guy that had all the talent in the world and in just a few short years now must wake up thinking ‘where the hell did I go wrong’? Francis is hoping to rejuvenate his career in Portland now? Just like he thought he would in Houston right? Hmmm…at least the Blazers get his ridiculously inflated contract off the books after this season. Hello Cap Space! The funniest thing to think about with Francis….is that he is going to make 6.5 times the salary of Brandon Roy this season, the Blazers best player and future of their franchise.
3. Mike Bibby - $15.4 million from the Atlanta Hawks
Tremendous talent, lots of desire and drive, but IMO is just too undersized and overhyped to ever live up to his bloated contract. How do we live in a world where Mike Bibby makes more money than Amare Stoudemire? Actually to be fair and compare apples to apples, how does Bibby make more money than Gilbert Arena’s?? Agent freakin’ Zero man….c’mon. I guess Bibby has a better agent?? David Falk pick up the phone….Falk?
4. Zach Randolph – $15 million from the New York Knicks
While at the time of his signing Zach Randolph was clearly worth the $15 million per that he will be receiving next season, he is another player who’s image was ruined completely by being associated with Isiah era New York Knicks. Here’s a guy that I feel still has time with either his new coach or potentially new team (barring any trade) that could get back on track and really start earning his paycheck. Never been accused of having a great attitude, but no one can deny that Z-Bo is a baller that can flat out take it to you.
5. Ben Wallace – $14.3 million from the Cleveland Cavaliers
At the time the Chicago Bulls signed Wallace to his over-inflated contract to lure him away from the Detroit Pistons he was clearly on the decline. Wallace was definitely considered by most to still be a high value impact player, but not for the type of money the Bulls were throwing at him. Everyone scoffed at that situation. What most didn’t realize was just how far and how fast Wallace would fall in his on court value. Now in Cleveland he is just barely holding on to his starting role while raking in more money than even his star teammate Lebron ‘King’ James himself! (referring obviously to money earned strictly from hoops, as Lebron is a money making endorsement machine). IMO Wallace was outplayed throughout the entire Cavs playoff run this year by Anderson Varejao who is only going to make $5.5 million this upcoming season.
Now I realize there are a lot of factors involved in the business side of things, and why teams would take on an inflated contract, depending on when it expires and what exceptions it creates etc. So that being said this list in no way is an attempt to poke fun at the teams that signed these players for such ridiculous amounts of cash, but more to put into perspective the fact that if you are a free agent in a season with little other free agent talent available, you may be able to command a huge contract in bidding wars between teams trying to claw their way into title contention. Or on the other hand you might benefit from the New York Knicks deep pockets….
EZ
Ron Artest traded to the Houston Rockets!
For ten bucks, a slurpee, and a bag of Lay’s Stax
July 29, 2008 – Dr. Anklesnap
So let the laughter out. That’s right let out a good hearty laugh. I was in the middle of drinking a five alive when I read the news. Liquid came out of my nose. It hurt. Are you kidding me? In yet another ridiculous and unbelievably lopsided trade, the Sacramento Kings decided to move defensive specialist Ron Artest to the Houston Rockets for a solid bench player, the draft rights to Donte Greene, and a cool million in cash. Now just so I don’t sound too judgemental here, it should be noted that Bobby Jackson has a $6 million dollar salary that is set to come off the books at the end of next year. That is a strong asset to have for a future trade, or to use to give yourself some cap space to sign a bigger name free agent.
But this still seems so strange. Ever since the Pau Gasol trade to the Lakers, it seems like there are a bunch of GM’s in the league trying to “one up” their competitors to see who can pull off the stupidest trade imaginable. Ron Artest is young, athletic, a past defensive player of the year, a solid scorer, and a real difference maker. He is the type of guy you want to go to battle with in a playoff series, and fortunately for the Rockets when you combine his toughness and defense with the offense of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, we will all undoubtedly have the chance to see that. Even the Petrie boys who shipped him.
The most confusing thing for me may not even be the ultimate trading of Artest. Heck we all saw it coming, after he wavered on whether or not he should have opted out of his contract, then demanded a trade, then took it back and said he wanted to stay….blah blah blah. Just another day in the life of Ron Artest. And it was obvious the Petrie brothers had enough. But after the blogosphere was set alive with the whispers of an Artest to Nuggets deal for Nene or Kleiza, then a Lakers deal for Lamar Odom, then an Artest to Mavericks deal for Stackhouse and Bass, all seemingly legit with upside for both teams, we are left with this…..Artest to the Rockets for squat.
I apologize B-Jax I love your game, and I am sure the fans in Sacramento will be happy to see you back in a Kings uniform, but you are not fooling anyone on this trade. The jig is up. This one is already written off by this Doc as one of the most lopsided and ridiculous trades of the off-season. Okay Mark Warkenstein from the Nuggets who moved Camby to the Clippers is off the hook. The new bone heads in town are the Petrie boys.
Okay Kings fans out there, what do you think about the move? Happy to see the puppy abuser leaving town? Happy with your return on investment?
16 ways to refer to Tim Donaghy’s new diggs
Ex-NBA Referee Tim Donaghy gets sentenced today to 15 Months
July 29th, 2008 – Dr. J-Water
The Can. The Slammer. The House of Correction. The Brig. The Penitentiary. The Holding. The Prison. The Lock-down. The Cell. The Clink. The Cooler. The Tank. The Stockade. The Joint. The Pen.
Hell it doesn’t really matter what you call the damn thing. I just call it plain and simply “jail”, and that is exactly where ex-NBA referee and jackoff Tim Donaghy is headed. If the world was filled with people who were as die-hard basketball and NBA fans as my colleagues in the blogosphere are, you would realize that Tim Donaghy is much better off in prison. He should be hoping for an extension in there. Hell I’m sure there are a few die hard hoops fans that are current inmates in whatever jail they put Donaghy. They are probably going to have some fun with this cat, huh?
The Facts: 41 year old Tim Donaghy was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for betting on over 40 games in 2006-2007 in which he was either officiating or had inside information about. He also made money from taking cash payments in exchange for inside information on player injuries and information. The prosecution was seeking 27-33 months but Donaghy’s legal team was pushing for 6 months. Donaghy had this to say after the sentencing. Donaghy had this to say to the court: “I’m very sorry for the acts for which I stand before you, I brought shame on myself.” (Ya think??)
How could he disrespect the game like that? And for what…
I am not so sheltered that I don’t realize that almost everyone can be bought depending on the price. But that is what brings me to one of the most disturbing things about Tim Donaghy’s actions. It came out in the court documents that the cash Donaghy was taking for his inside intel on player injuries and other team information was only totaling somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000 a year. Now I realize this may be the only figure they could pin on him and it could have been much greater but c’mon. I was expecting him to be making ten times that to be risking his career and reputation. He disgraced himself, but more importantly the league and the legitimacy of two straight NBA seasons and multiple important games for what, 30 g’s?
Here’s what David Stern had to say about the situation: “We anticipate that the judge’s sentencing decision, together with the changes we have made to our referee operations staff, will enable us to continue with the improvements we are making to our anti-gambling rules, policies and procedures”
Personally I am so glad this whole fiasco is behind us so we can forget that lowlife and get back to discussing issues and people that actually matter to the league. Donaghy is a blip on the radar. He is insignificant. The only time in the future I want to hear personal stories of NBA referees is when they are really old and planning to have a foot race with Charles Barkley.
NBA Free Agent Round-up
Kwame to Pistons, Ricky Buckets to Clippers, Krstic considering Russia, and Okafor/Smith still no solid offer
July 28th, 2008 – Dr. Browntorious
After a fairly eventful day around here discussing the potential then ultimate close of the Renaldo Balkman to Denver trade, there were quite a few other interesting notes on the NBA free agent scene. Here is a brief summary of some transactions or lack thereof for the remaining free agents:
Kwame Brown to sign with Detroit Pistons
It was announced today that former #1 overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft (first ever #1 that came straight out of high school) has agreed in principle to sign a 2 year deal with the Detroit Pistons in the neighborhood of $8 million. Kwame Brown is widely considered as one of the biggest draft pick busts in the history of the NBA, but that just means he was way overhyped and overestimated, it doesn’t mean he’s not a serviceable NBA big man. The Detroit Pistons require depth in their veteran front court with Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess and Brown should be just the man for the job. Heck at only $4 million a year it is worth the risk. All indications are he is currently healthy after a couple of seasons dealing with injuries on and off.
Ricky Davis signs with the LA Clippers
Although the LA Clippers are still reeling from the defection of Elton Brand to the Philadelphia 76ers, they have made quite a few key moves in the off-season that should give them a much improved roster from last season when Brand was out of the lineup. The most recent move was today’s agreement in principle on a contract with free agent Ricky Davis from the Miami Heat. Davis played inconsistently for the Heat last year, but no one can deny his ability to score in bunches and the athleticism he possesses to guard the opposing backcourts. In his early years in the league Davis was thought to have a poor work ethic and immature attitude, but that has since changed as he has become a fairly steady veteran according to teammates. The Clippers now have a pretty solid lineup with Baron Davis, Cuttino Mobley, Al Thornton, Chris Kaman, Marcus Camby, Tim Thomas, Eric Gordon and now Ricky Davis.
Nenad Krstic Considering Russia
As previously reported in our Daily Dimes, New Jersey Nets Center Nenad Krstic has received multiple offers from European teams the most serious he is considering being an offer from Triumph Moscow. Krstic battled back from a knee injury in 2006 to get back on the floor last season; however his performance was clearly lacking from his pre-injury form. He seemed much slower and lacked the speed and explosiveness necessary to defend and rebound effectively. It was reported that Krstic is leaning towards the Triumph offer of which the figures were not disclosed at this point. Krstic said he would be making his decision in the next day or so.
No solid offer for Okafor and Smith’s
There are very few really game changing free agents left on the market after some solid activity over the past few weeks, however three big names remain. Emeka Okafor of the Charlotte Bobcats, Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks, and J.R. Smith of the Denver Nuggets. Emeka Okafor and Josh Smith have made it clear to their current franchises that they want out at this point, however insiders believe that the Nuggets will extend an offer to J.R. Smith or use him in a sign and trade option. It earlier that there were a couple sign and trade offers being considered for Josh Smith; however one involved the Pistons who have stated they now consider the price to be too steep. The summer is blowing by fast, so it will be interesting to see how the Emeka Okafor situation plays out. This guy is a quality player, who could be a big factor on a veteran team with title hopes. I’m surprised there hasn’t been more interest to this point, however cap space issues with many teams is preventing them from extending Okafor a legitimate offer he would consider at this point. Okafor turned down a $12 million per year offer from the Bobcats originally, who are now said to only be willing to offer him $10 million per.
Knicks trade Renaldo Balkman to Denver Nuggets
July 28th, 2008 – Dr. Dime
We posted a link to the NewsDay article this morning in our Daily Dimes section that outlined a potential trade discussion getting serious between the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets for a swap of Renaldo Balkman for PG Taurean Green and SF Bobby Jones. Well one of our boyz who works for the Knicks organization has told us that the deal is all but done as the teams have no agreed in principle to a deal that would have the New York Knicks sending the Denver Nuggets SF Renaldo Balkman in exchange for Bobby Jones, Taurean Green, and a future draft pick. We have not heard if that pick will be a first or second round pick yet. But regardless of what the pick is the deal appears to be all but signed for.
If you are a Denver Nuggets fan you can’t help but be happy about this trade. Balkman’s style of play should fit perfectly with high scoring players like Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony who require a lot of touches and shoot in bunches. Balkman is a huge hustle type player who will immediately give them an improved defensive presence whenever he’s on the floor. He can shut down opposing players and rebound the ball relentlessly. Not only is he an excellent defensive rebounder, but he is a scrappy player that gets to a lot of offensive boards and loose balls.
Allen Iverson has always played well with these types of role players during the bulk of his career in Philadelphia. Remember the days of Matt Harpring, Eric Snow, Aaron McKie, George Lynch, and Tyrone Hill. Whenever Philly had a successful run with Iverson it was when he was surrounded by role players that would play defense, rebound, and get to loose balls. Denver once again feels like they are one or two moves away from being a contending team. That is why I am still baffled as to why they gave up Marcus Camby. If you have Camby, Balkman, Nene, Kmart, Iverson, Melo, Kleiza, and Smith you would have an excellent balance of offense and defense. Ah well, that horse has left the barn. This move still should be an improvement to the Nuggets defense and toughness. Balkman really seems to be a Terry Porter type of guy.
For the Knicks it is a move to cut costs, as it was mentioned in the NewsDay article, our sources tells us that both players can expect to get waived if this deal is completed.
Kevin Pritchard and Darius Miles Fiasco
Are Pritchard’s comments about Darius Miles sending the wrong message to his current young roster?
July 27th, 2008 – Dr. Anklesnap
There are a lot of fans out there that consider Darius Miles to be one of the biggest unfulfilled child prodigy’s in the history of basketball. There was a time when Miles was a high school All-American and a lot of analysts and scouts were comparing his game to that of a young Kevin Garnett or better. But ever since being drafted 3rd overall by the LA Clippers in 2000 his career has been summarized by inconsistent performances, struggles with his conditioning, concerns about his effect on team chemistry, and finally a series of knee injuries. His career finally came to an end after he underwent microfracture surgery to repair a bad knee injury. Although his current team at the time, the Portland Trail Blazers, felt he would be able to make a successful comeback, eventually doctors advised the franchise it he may never be able to play professionally again. Given the advice from doctors and the fact that Miles was considered to have personality and work ethic issues that may have a negative impact on the young players on the Blazers roster, Trail Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard decided to put Miles on waivers.
Miles had personally never believed that his career was over. He has been working diligently for the last couple of years at getting his body back into shape to be able to contribute in the league and garner another contract. Miles has worked out for a few veteran teams already, and the latest rumor has him in serious discussions with the defending champion Boston Celtics. This poses a big problem for the Portland Trail Blazers franchise. Why?
Because when Miles was determined to have a career ending injury his $18 million dollar salary under league rules came off the books for salary cap relief. Also the Trail Blazers were able to make an insurance claim that covered most of Miles salary buy-out. The problem for the Portland Trail Blazers lies in the fact that under league rules if Miles is signed now to another NBA team and plays in at least 10 games in the next two seasons the Blazers are required to pay back that $18 million out of pocket they had recovered from insurance, and the salary would be back to counting towards their salary cap. Since the Blazers assumed Miles would stay retired they started signing their current talent to contracts based on their salary cap room. This number will drastically change if they are required to pay out the remainder of Miles contract, so they will undoubtedly be double dinged with the salary cap penalties.
A major controversy between the Portland Trail Blazers and former player Darius Miles is starting to brew. The latest is the news that the Miles camp is upset about comments made by Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard about the severity of his knee injury in an effort to deter other NBA franchises from taking a risk on signing Darius. Rumor has it that the Blazers executives behind the scenes are actively spreading the word that Miles can be a cancer to team unity and youth development. Although it is no secret that Miles has had conflicts with teammates and coaches in the past, there is nothing stronger to fan the flames than hearing it directly from a franchise’s management.
In my mind all of this begs a very significant question for the Portland Trail Blazers management to consider that they may be overlooking. Do the comments of Trail Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard, in an effort to deter other teams from signing Miles, have a more costly effect on the team? Specifically do his comments send a message to the current roster that says: ‘this is a business, we only care about money, and not your health or careers?’ If I am Greg Oden for example and I just underwent microfracture surgery I have to take notice. What if one day Greg Oden sustains another knee injury that requires microfracture surgery, and the Blazers give him up. Would the Blazers take the same tact in preventing him from keeping his career alive? These sorts of things could play a role when a player’s contract is up and he needs to make a long term commitment to a franchise.
Personally if my contract was up and I was a free agent in high demand I’d be a little more favorable to teams that have a good track record in these sorts of situations. The Chicago Bulls come to mind. Remember how well they handled the situation with Jay Williams a few years back after his motorcycle injury? John Paxson and the Bulls negotiated a buy-out with Jay Williams for the majority of his contract regardless of the fact that he was restricted from riding a motorcycle in his contract. The Bulls could have easily filed a contract dispute to void their financial responsibility to Jay Williams. But to the Bulls it wasn’t about the money, they took care of their own! And even if the young talent in the NBA does not take notice of these events, I guarantee every player’s agent in does as this is what they are paid to take note of in taking care of the future of their clients.
So I pose the question to you, is the Trail Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard’s comments and actions as of late sending the wrong message to this young up and coming roster?
An Interview with Tamika Catchings
WNBA Star and Member of Team USA | A Hoop Doctors Exclusive
July 26th, 2008 – Dr. J-Water
Just hours after posting a huge stat line (17 points, 9assists, 6 boards, 2 steals, 1 block) in a losing cause for the Indiana Fever against the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA, All-Star Tamika Catchings agreed to answer some of my questions in this Hoop Doctors exclusive interview.
Tamika Catchings has led the Fever in points per game, rebounds, assists and steals in each of her first six active pro seasons – no other WNBA player has led her team in as many categories in even one of those seasons. Tamika was named the WNBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, and she has finished among the top three in balloting for the WNBA MVP Award in four of her six active pro seasons. Catchings is the Indiana Fever’s first 2,000-point scorer and is a five-time WNBA All-Star. Another remarkable accomplishment is her 11 WNBA Player of the Week honors through six seasons, second in WNBA history to Lisa Leslie’s 14. Most recently however Catchings was once again named to the Team USA basketball squad for the Beijing Olympics looking to repeat as an Olympic Gold Medalist.
The Hoop Doctors (HD): Most of our readers would be aware of your achilles injury in September, given how hard it is to rehab that type of injury there must have been times you felt that the chance to make the Olympic team for the Beijing Olympics may be in jeopardy. How excited were you to hear you had been chosen, or was it more a feeling of relief?
Tamika Catchings (TC): I was super excited about the opportunity to represent my country again. I know it was a tough decision for the USA Committee to make, but I believe after they saw me back out there on the court, they truly had faith in me and my ability to bounce back from injuries and be effective for this team.
HD: You were on the gold medal winning Team USA in Athens 2004, do you feel having that experience under your belt helps you know going in what is required to win on the international stage? If so, what differences in the international game do you feel are the biggest challenges for a newcomer to adjust to?
TC: Yes, I definitely feel that in playing in 2004 has better prepared me for this time around. I think the biggest thing that we have to do is put all egos aside, and go out and play representing the USA. That was something that right from the beginning was expressed, and it was amazing how quickly we all gelled. The biggest differences for a newcomer is just knowing what you are on this team to do. Whether it’s being a defensive stopper, a rebounder, a scorer… whatever, I think identifying your role on any team is what is necessary. That’s the hardest part, then just accepting whatever minutes you get to play. We’re all used to playing big time minutes on our respective teams, but unfortunately in a new environment on a bigger stage, we have all of the best players on one team, but there’s still only 40 minutes in a game.
HD: You don’t get a lot of time to practice together in comparison to your international competition. In fact that has always been one of the only question marks for the Team USA program. Do you feel this squad of 12 selected players has a bit less to worry about on that front, given the fact that many of you have played together before?
TC: I know that is a topic of discussion for a lot of people, and I honestly think it goes back to what I just talked about in an earlier question. Checking egos at the door, and coming in with an open mind and willingness to put TEAM and USA first over me, me, and me. If we can do that and get our chemistry going quickly, there will be no worries about practice time.
HD: A lot of sports psychologists often talk about being “hungry.” Does the fact that you have already won an Olympic gold medal mean you are any less hungry this go around?
TC: NO!!! I think we are even hungrier this year!! We have so many new faces on our team, and it is going to be super important that each practice/ game we compete and realize that we have a big task ahead of us to focus on. So many of us have come through some tough obstacles to be on this team, so I think it means that much more as well.
HD: We all know you have tremendous scoring and defensive abilities and you have been proving that throughout your career. But do you feel this time around that Team USA is going to be looking to you more for your experience and leadership abilities?
TC: I definitely feel that this team is going to be looking for my experience and leadership abilities, along with what I do on the court on the defensive end. The coaching staff knows that they can rely on me to do whatever it is that they need me to do. Personally, knowing that they have so much confidence in me allows me to step up and be whatever it is I need to be for this team to win.
HD: Have you been keeping tabs on your international competition? I know things must get pretty hectic during the WNBA season. Are you going to rely heavily on your scouting and coaching staff with Team USA? Or are you confident that you have the major players pegged?
TC: I have not been keeping tabs on the international competition. Of course, we know who some of the major players are (Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor, etc), but I think the scouting from the coaching staff will be really important in our preparation for games.
HD: Team USA Women’s Basketball has won 3 consecutive Olympic gold medals. Do you feel there will be any added pressure for the team to go out there and get that fourth?
TC: I think the pressure is always on when you look at where people place the USA over all the other countries. So yes, there is pressure to come back with the gold medal and nothing less.
HD: You have been a big time WNBA scorer leading the Indiana Fever for the past several years in that department. With Candice Parker, Lisa Leslie, and all of the other great scorers on this team, do you feel a bit of relief that you don’t have to carry as much of that burden and can focus more on affecting the game with your defense?
TC: I think we all feel the relief in having people alongside of us that can ease the load. The great thing about this team is that on any given night anyone can step up offensively and score points. I definitely feel that my role on this team is defense, but I’ll be ready to help this team in any ways that I can. HD: Have you been to Beijing before or is this a first? TC: We played the 2002 World Championships in Beijing so this is another opportunity to go to China. HD: Basketball has been popular in China for many years now, but since the arrival of Yao Ming on the NBA scene the popularity of the sport there seems to have skyrocketed. How do you think that your team will be received by the locals? TC: I hope that we will get a warm greeting over there, but honestly you never really know. China has definitely stepped it up as far as the popularity goes, so I think that it will be a warm reception. I remember in 2002 we were welcomed up until the championship game. Then we started hearing the boos and all of that. HD: Well Tamika, we know you are super busy right now during the WNBA season with the Fever and can’t talk long, so we really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions for The Hoop Doctors readers. We got much love for you, and we are certainly all routing for Team USA Men and Women to bring home the Gold!! Good Luck, and Play Hard! TC: Thanks!
Are the Phoenix Suns quietly steadying for a big year?
July 25th, 2008 – Dr. Browntorious
When most people think about the Phoenix Suns title chances, they figure their best chance may have passed them by. A lot of the Suns fans figure their best shot was the year they got ousted from the playoffs at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. Um wait a minute, that’s seemingly every year. I’ve heard every excuse from ‘if Amare didn’t get suspended in Horry incident’ to ‘if Nash wasn’t force to leave that one game with a nose bleed’ to ‘if Tim Duncan didn’t hit that three’. Well in fact if’s, and’s, and but’s are useless at the end of the season as there can be only one champion and nothing is going to rewrite history.
Personally I feel that all of the playoff heartbreak the Suns fans have had to endure over the last few years has been leading up to something great that is yet to come. The window of opportunity is closing on them fast, but I strongly believe that 2008-2009 could be the Phoenix Suns best chance yet at winning it all. The stars seem to be aligned: the youth has developed, the Usual Suspects are back, and the veterans have the know how and desire to succeed. Here are a few reasons why I think the Suns may be the most dangerous team in the NBA next season:
Amare hungry for MVP
Stoudemire is one of those guys that wants to be the absolute best and will not stop until he has been declared just that. Fortunately for the Suns he is also the type of person that absolutely hates to lose. While he was dogged by allegations early in his career that he was selfish, Amare over the past few years has clearly put those to rest. He has played well within the team, and at the very same time emerged as one of the most exciting and dangerous offensive weapons the league has ever seen. By the end of last season the only knock on Amare was his inability to successfully guard many of the premiere centers and post players in the league. Amare Stoudemire certainly got the memo on that one after the clinic Tim Duncan put on him when Shaq was forced to the bench with foul trouble. If this summer is anything like the past few, Amare is undoubtedly working his ass off to improve the one biggest weakness in his game. What is that weakness? Defense.
Stoudemire already has the speed, strength and overall athleticism to guard virtually any forward or center in the league if he puts his mind to it. That’s exactly the point; so far he hasn’t put his mind to it. What Amare needs to do is get as motivated about defense as he is about scoring the ball on offense. He has to study his opponent’s tendencies and moves and become an expert in defensive footwork, angles, and rebounding. Can he do it? I wouldn’t expect anything less from this guy. Amare Stoudemire is my early candidate for the 2009 NBA Most Valuable Player Award.
Suns sign Matt Barnes
At the end of last season the two biggest weaknesses the Suns had to fill were finding a good wingman that was young, athletic, and could play ‘D’, and finding Steve Nash a solid back-up point guard so he doesn’t burn himself out come playoff time. Well the Suns can check off box number one with the signing of free agent Matt Barnes from the Golden State Warriors. This guy possesses a unique combination of speed and strength for a wingman, he is a great defender who has a nose for coming up with big rebounds, and he can shoot the three ball which will mesh quite nicely with Nash and Diaw’s style of play. Barnes also proved in the 2007 playoff upset of the Dallas Mavericks by the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors that he doesn’t shy away from taking big shots, and can be counted on to knock down big shots in big moments (something that plagued the Suns in this year’s first round knock-out against the defending champion Spurs).
Shaq with diesel left in tank
For the past two years people have been discussing the decline in Shaquille O’Neal’s statistical performance. Regardless of his scoring decline, Shaq did exactly what he was brought in to do with the Phoenix Suns, rebound and stop Tim Duncan. Unfortunately for the Suns it wasn’t enough last year. In the playoffs against the Spurs, Shaq averaged 10 rebounds and over 2 blocks per game, and aside from his foul trouble was fairly effective at keeping Tim Duncan under wraps. Unfortunately every time Shaq took a rest or was in foul trouble Duncan would light up the undersized Suns like a kid in the candy store. If Amare can improve his post defense against guys like Duncan heading into this season it could be a very different story for the Suns.
Another factor to consider is that Shaq and his teammates did not have a training camp and full season to learn the Suns system and figure out how to best utilize his size. My feeling is that after a summer to rejuvenate and a solid training camp with teammates and new coach Terry Porter, Shaq may just have a little more pep in his step. Shaq is a man with a lot of pride, and he will most likely be looking to solidify his reputation as one of the greatest centers to ever play in the NBA by adding another ring to his collection.
The leagues best offense may be able to play some ‘D’ in 2009
The acquisition of Matt Barnes changes a lot of things defensively for the Phoenix Suns. Having a long athletic wing player like Barnes who can defend will allow the Suns to go to a solid defensive lineup in stretches that would further mask the defensive weaknesses of Steve Nash in guarding opposing point guards off the bounce. But more importantly the development of DJ Strawberry as showcased in recent summer league action would even allow the Suns to play in stretches with a defensive line-up of Strawberry or Tucker, Raja Bell, Matt Barnes, Amare Stoudemire, and Shaquille O’Neal. This could be just the formula the Suns need to shake their reputation of having an offense first, defensive last philosophy. The Suns still have loads of offensive weapons with Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw, Grant Hill, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, but they certainly have enough good defensive players in their rotation for this coming year to be considered very legitimate contenders.
Another factor signaling the shift in philosophy to play a more offensive/defensive balanced approach was the coaching change that had Mike D’Antoni walking and brought in defensive minded Terry Porter (previously of the Pistons, Bucks, and Kings). Porter is an old-school guy like Kerr, and is sure to get better defensive productivity out of the Suns than Mike D’Antoni could.
Barbosa and Diaw are still here and ready to roll
There was a lot of chatter at the end of the season that the Suns may be considering breaking up the core of their team and putting Barbosa or Diaw on the trading block. Fortunately for Suns fans this never came to fruition and the versatile Diaw and lightning quick Barbosa will be back with the Suns next season. With a rotation of Shaq, Amare, Nash, Bell, Hill, Barnes, Barbosa, Diaw, Tucker, Strawberry, and possibly even Lopez the Phoenix Suns could be one of the deepest teams in the Western Conference this year.
Tucker and Strawberry ready for increased role in rotation
If the work ethic displayed by DJ Strawberry and Alando Tucker in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League were any indication of their development coming into this season they will undoubtedly be given more consistent minutes and possibly a spot in the regular rotation. While both players are known for their athleticism and looked at as potential defensive specialists, they can both score the ball with ease and have developed into solid jump shooters. On the final night of summer league the duo combined for 45 points; with Tucker finishing fourth in the summer league in scoring with 21.6 ppg.
Is Samuel Dalembert a Diva? | Canadian Men’s National Team
July 24th, 2008 – Dr. Dime
I’ll be traveling to Las Vegas tonight in order to catch tomorrow’s USA Basketball Senior National Team match-up (5 p.m. Las Vegas local time) with the Canadian National Team at Thomas & Mack Center. Doc J-Water keeps me posted on the Canadian team as he has friends and family living in the country to our north, some of which have close ties to the Canadian Team’s coaching staff. Although this will undoubtedly be quite the spanking dished out by Team USA, I was certainly hoping for a Samuel Dalembert appearance on Team Canada in order to provide at least a couple highlight worthy blocks. It certainly couldn’t hurt in Team USA’s Olympic preparations to receive a little humility at the hands of one the NBA’s premier rim protectors. Unfortunately I will have no such luck…
As I’m trolling the world wide web this morning for information on the rest of the Team Canada roster to wet my appetite before tomorrow’s game, I came across this recent interview with Philadelphia 76ers Center Samuel Dalembert telling his side of the story on why Team Canada dismissed him from the team in the middle of their Olympic Qualifying tournament in Greece last week. The interview certainly grabbed my attention as my curiosity has been piqued ever since the announcement was made during the FIBA Olympic qualifier that Dalembert had been given the boot by Canadian National Team coach Leo Rautins. Coach Rautins himself was a one-time Philadelphia 76er before having his career cut short due to a series of severe knee problems.
I certainly always like to get both sides of any story before I label either person in the conflict as the guilty party. It even could be one of those situations where both parties are at fault. From the sounds of what Dalembert had to say Rautins is clearly a bit disorganized in everything from practice schedules to planning team meals. Having said that however, after reading the article all I could think about was how many excuses Dalembert listed in one very short conversation. Of course you could be certain that once Leo Rautins gets interviewed this situation will be one big ‘blame game’ coming from both sides.
In his summary of the situation Dalembert repeatedly says he was a constant scapegoat for the team’s losses. This may have been true, but I had to laugh at the whole litany of other reasons:
• He was prevented from helping the kids at basketball without borders (Pretty sure he’s not the only player that was mandated to come to the training)
• The coach didn’t come to team meals so why should he (If Johnny jumped off a cliff would you jump too?)
• He doesn’t like to eat pork (Pork-only meals huh? – either very unbalanced diet for athletes or untrue)
• The team was forced to riding actual taxi cabs (Not a taxi cab! Good God next thing you know he will ask us to shake hands with the commoners)
• The coach changed practice times (Did you find out why? Maybe the facility wasn’t available anymore?)
• The coach pointed his finger at him (Imagine Dalembert played for Bobby Knight? He He He)
In the interview Dalembert also mentioned quite a few times the lack of communication in his relationship with Coach Rautins. I’m sorry I love to watch ‘Dalembeast’ play and all, but this one had me in stitches. I haven’t heard anyone complain about lack of communication in a relationship that much since my last 6 girlfriends. Sorry Sammy, but you better hope that Leo’s public statement on the situation is just as weak, or you may as well start putting on the tar and feathers now.
What did y’all think of the Dalembert interview, folks? Did Dalembert act like a Diva, or is Leo Rautins soon to be the “ex” Canadian National Team coach?
