What's better than a chessy gimmick to write a story? A cheesy Christmas themed gimmick to write a story!
With that being said, I have attempted to put everything I'm excited about in the upcoming NBA season into the lyrics of It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
-----------------------------
It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,
With CP3 still balling,
And the Clippers think that they should be feared
It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
It's the cra-craziest season of all
With a condensed schedule and stupid back-to-backs,
When vets fall apart
It's the cra-craziest season of all.
There'll be Kobe ballhogging,
Lebron chasedown blocking,
And Durant putting on a show
There'll be Pacers contending,
Ricky Rubio passing,
and a great season from Carmelo.
It's the most wonderful time of the year.
There'll be Clips alleyooping,
And K-Love rebounding.
When basketball's here,
It's the most wonderful time of the year.
There'll be threes from Matt Bonner
D-Howard trade talk fodder
And Captain Jack leading the Bucks.
There'll be Rip curling 'round screens
Eric Gordon in New Orleans
And of course the Raptors will suck.
It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be elite point guard play
In each game Christmas Day.
When basketball's here,
It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
-----------------------------
Have a Merry Christmas everyone! Enjoy the time with your family and friends!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Soccer in America
This past week one of my favorite annual events occurred in sports journalism. No, it wasn't the fluff pieces written during the MLB All-Star Break. And it wasn't the stories about how the All-Star game can be fixed. It was the annual onslaught of articles written arguing for soccer to have a bigger spot in the American sports landscape.
It happens once a year and is typically spurred on because of one particularly exciting game that the American team participates in. This year the articles started to pour in after Abby Wambach scored a ridiculous goal and the United States was able to come from behind and beat Brazil. Hell, I loved that game so much I was inspired to start writing one. (Check out the start of my unfinished thoughts.)
And don't get me wrong, I LOVE soccer. Absolutely, love the game. I even love getting to read each of the articles because many of them give very good reasons why Americans should love soccer. I think I even presented some pretty good reasons why people should love soccer, but the reality is it will never change. Americans will never love the game.
I'm a huge proponent of American sports being a reflection upon American culture. While other countries look to the arts for life lessons, Americans look to sports. I'm not saying this is indicative of the entire population, but for the most part, Americans are going to choose a Yankees-Red Sox at Yankee Stadium over a night on Broadway to see the latest production of Phantom of the Opera.
With that being said, there is just no way that American culture will ever except soccer.
Americans do not have the attention span to watch soccer. One of my favorite things about soccer is the constant, free-flowing movement. There are no timeouts. There are very few stoppages in actual game action. There is very little walking. As a fan, you HAVE to pay attention otherwise you can miss the most impressive play of the entire game. This is something Americans do not want to do. We want to talk to their buddy about the girl sitting three rows down in between pitches. We want to go get some cheese fries from the concession stand between quarters. We want to google where the point guard went to college. We want time to take a picture with all of our friends and post it on Facebook and Twitter, so everyone knows that we were at the game. Concentrating and focusing on game play is not something we want to do. It's hard work especially considering its something we rarely have to do. When I watch TV at home, I can guarantee I always have my phone in front of me and my computer open. As a culture, we love to be distracted, but the game of soccer forces you to block out those distractions unless you are willing to miss something amazing.
Americans strive for perfection. Everything must be fine tuned. We hate mistakes and if we make them we correct them and figure out how they can be avoided in the future. Soccer doesn't behave the same way. It's a game of imperfections. For every gorgeous cross from Rapinoe to Wambach to beat Brazil there are 30 crosses that go through the box and don't even get touched. The ball can be turned over from team to team seemingly forever until finally one team strings together a group of passes and scores a goal. For the Americans that are told to compare soccer to basketball, they see the point guard getting pickpocketed by the other team just for the other team to have it stolen from them and a seemingly endless cycle of steals and turnovers. Where's the beauty in all that ugly play? It's tough to see for a society that rewards perfection and have always been taught that turnovers are among the worst things to do in games that require possession (basketball and football).
Americans are technology obsessed. We want the latest and greatest piece of technology. I can use this device to call my friends. That's cool, but what if it wasn't connected to the wall and I could do it from anywhere in my house? What if I could take it everywhere? What if I could look things up on it like a computer? What if my phone was a computer? What if I could have a phone inserted into my brain and I could make calls by just thinking about calling my friend?
If some technology is good, obviously more is better, but soccer doesn't work that way. In fact for the most part, sports aren't supposed to work that way, but all of that has changed in the last few decades. With better technology, we are now able to correct the mistakes made by the human element that affects our sports. It's no longer acceptable for an umpire to screw up whether a home run was fair or foul or for a referee to miss Aaron Rodgers stepping out of bounds. We have technology! We can correct the problem! As sick as this sounds, I don't think we are that far off from umpires being replaced by a system that can calibrate strike zones and call balls and strikes for us. While American sports are quick to adopt this system, soccer has passionately rejected these ideas. There are no replays. There are no challenges by coaches throwing little red flags on the field. If a mistake is made, soccer fans are forced to trust that it will all even out in the end. In a world where we have 30 different talking heads discussing the ramification of a missed call in a regular season Major League Baseball game, there is no rumor for soccer which is filled with missed calls.
I know that this post comes off as extremely pessimistic regarding the chances of soccer's acceptance in America, but that's truly how I feel. Do I hope that I'm dead wrong? Yes. I hope this past month has captivated a nation and helps them support soccer, but I'm not expecting that to occur. I'm expecting people to go back to not caring about the sport until there is another great tournament game in which we can all come together as a country and love soccer for a week. And you know what? I'm completely fine with that.
That's one of the biggest problems I have with many of the soccer fans in America or the journalists that cover the sport. They all shake their heads at Americans and insult them for not noticing the nuances of the "beautiful game". They yell at Americans for not paying attention to the sport, but fail to realize that Americans don't need soccer. They already have three leagues that are the absolute best in the world in their respective sports with the NFL, NBA, and MLB. They don't want to have to wake up at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning to watch the best soccer teams in the world play. Americans want to see the best in the world at their respective sport. They don't care about watching the Portland Timber play the Columbus Crew. They don't need to watch guys that are nowhere near the same caliber of player as the best players in the world. Until the day comes that either American players are on the same level as the rest of the soccer players in the world or American businesses somehow support a league that can convince the best players in the world to come play here, soccer will only be relevant maybe once a year. And you know what? I'm completely fine with that.
I will willingly pack people on to the American soccer bandwagon while these people care. Even though I know that as soon as the World Cup is over many of them will stop caring, I still want to bring all those people along for the ride. In the back of my mind, I always have hope. Hope that just one of those bandwagon riders sticks around and the next time they invite all of their friends along for the ride. And eventually there are more permanent riders than temporary ones. It's not likely, but one can always hope.
And don't get me wrong, I LOVE soccer. Absolutely, love the game. I even love getting to read each of the articles because many of them give very good reasons why Americans should love soccer. I think I even presented some pretty good reasons why people should love soccer, but the reality is it will never change. Americans will never love the game.
I'm a huge proponent of American sports being a reflection upon American culture. While other countries look to the arts for life lessons, Americans look to sports. I'm not saying this is indicative of the entire population, but for the most part, Americans are going to choose a Yankees-Red Sox at Yankee Stadium over a night on Broadway to see the latest production of Phantom of the Opera.
With that being said, there is just no way that American culture will ever except soccer.
Americans do not have the attention span to watch soccer. One of my favorite things about soccer is the constant, free-flowing movement. There are no timeouts. There are very few stoppages in actual game action. There is very little walking. As a fan, you HAVE to pay attention otherwise you can miss the most impressive play of the entire game. This is something Americans do not want to do. We want to talk to their buddy about the girl sitting three rows down in between pitches. We want to go get some cheese fries from the concession stand between quarters. We want to google where the point guard went to college. We want time to take a picture with all of our friends and post it on Facebook and Twitter, so everyone knows that we were at the game. Concentrating and focusing on game play is not something we want to do. It's hard work especially considering its something we rarely have to do. When I watch TV at home, I can guarantee I always have my phone in front of me and my computer open. As a culture, we love to be distracted, but the game of soccer forces you to block out those distractions unless you are willing to miss something amazing.
Americans strive for perfection. Everything must be fine tuned. We hate mistakes and if we make them we correct them and figure out how they can be avoided in the future. Soccer doesn't behave the same way. It's a game of imperfections. For every gorgeous cross from Rapinoe to Wambach to beat Brazil there are 30 crosses that go through the box and don't even get touched. The ball can be turned over from team to team seemingly forever until finally one team strings together a group of passes and scores a goal. For the Americans that are told to compare soccer to basketball, they see the point guard getting pickpocketed by the other team just for the other team to have it stolen from them and a seemingly endless cycle of steals and turnovers. Where's the beauty in all that ugly play? It's tough to see for a society that rewards perfection and have always been taught that turnovers are among the worst things to do in games that require possession (basketball and football).
Americans are technology obsessed. We want the latest and greatest piece of technology. I can use this device to call my friends. That's cool, but what if it wasn't connected to the wall and I could do it from anywhere in my house? What if I could take it everywhere? What if I could look things up on it like a computer? What if my phone was a computer? What if I could have a phone inserted into my brain and I could make calls by just thinking about calling my friend?
If some technology is good, obviously more is better, but soccer doesn't work that way. In fact for the most part, sports aren't supposed to work that way, but all of that has changed in the last few decades. With better technology, we are now able to correct the mistakes made by the human element that affects our sports. It's no longer acceptable for an umpire to screw up whether a home run was fair or foul or for a referee to miss Aaron Rodgers stepping out of bounds. We have technology! We can correct the problem! As sick as this sounds, I don't think we are that far off from umpires being replaced by a system that can calibrate strike zones and call balls and strikes for us. While American sports are quick to adopt this system, soccer has passionately rejected these ideas. There are no replays. There are no challenges by coaches throwing little red flags on the field. If a mistake is made, soccer fans are forced to trust that it will all even out in the end. In a world where we have 30 different talking heads discussing the ramification of a missed call in a regular season Major League Baseball game, there is no rumor for soccer which is filled with missed calls.
I know that this post comes off as extremely pessimistic regarding the chances of soccer's acceptance in America, but that's truly how I feel. Do I hope that I'm dead wrong? Yes. I hope this past month has captivated a nation and helps them support soccer, but I'm not expecting that to occur. I'm expecting people to go back to not caring about the sport until there is another great tournament game in which we can all come together as a country and love soccer for a week. And you know what? I'm completely fine with that.
That's one of the biggest problems I have with many of the soccer fans in America or the journalists that cover the sport. They all shake their heads at Americans and insult them for not noticing the nuances of the "beautiful game". They yell at Americans for not paying attention to the sport, but fail to realize that Americans don't need soccer. They already have three leagues that are the absolute best in the world in their respective sports with the NFL, NBA, and MLB. They don't want to have to wake up at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning to watch the best soccer teams in the world play. Americans want to see the best in the world at their respective sport. They don't care about watching the Portland Timber play the Columbus Crew. They don't need to watch guys that are nowhere near the same caliber of player as the best players in the world. Until the day comes that either American players are on the same level as the rest of the soccer players in the world or American businesses somehow support a league that can convince the best players in the world to come play here, soccer will only be relevant maybe once a year. And you know what? I'm completely fine with that.
I will willingly pack people on to the American soccer bandwagon while these people care. Even though I know that as soon as the World Cup is over many of them will stop caring, I still want to bring all those people along for the ride. In the back of my mind, I always have hope. Hope that just one of those bandwagon riders sticks around and the next time they invite all of their friends along for the ride. And eventually there are more permanent riders than temporary ones. It's not likely, but one can always hope.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Soccer in America **Unfinished**
As I watched the United States Women's Soccer Team compete against Brazil today in the Women's World Cup, I started to think about how much I enjoyed soccer and conversely how little the rest of the country enjoys soccer. I then started to think about why soccer* was so easy to love and then this happened. And I was quickly reminded why Americans find it so easy to hate soccer. But then America came back to tie the score on an improbable header by Abby Wambach that had me literally up and out of my seat running around even though I was watching the game by myself. After tying it, the Americans won in a penalty kick shootout and a storybook ending to the game had been written.
***Note to any crazy soccer fans reading this: I will not use the term futbol throughout this post. I know that this is always seen as a crime in your eyes because I'm not calling it what the rest of the world calls it or whatever, but I don't really care. This is America. And in America, we call it soccer. I'm sorry. Don't kill the messenger.
It was captivating. I was at the edge of my seat the entire game and couldn't have been more entertained. Unfortunately though, that response puts me in the minority among Americans. With this sad realization, I decided to attempt to dedicate this entire blog piece to attempting to figure out why soccer should catch on in America, but sadly never will.
Let's start with the positives.
Game Length
In the last decade, the length of time you take up consuming a sporting event in the United States has increased significantly. The time of an average baseball game has increased to ridiculous amounts. Now a typical game lasts around three hours with some American League games lasting close to four hours because of the addition of the designated hitter. With commercial breaks between every touchdown, kickoff, and possession, the average time of a football game has increased to over 3.5 hours with some games going even longer. It's difficult to find a sport in America that hasn't increased their average game time with constant commercial interruption and unnecessary stoppage.
This isn't a problem in soccer. The clock is constant. In every single game, you will have two 45 minute halves with a 20 minute halftime. The only reason a game will take longer is because of extra time. When totaling the two halves, halftime, and the stoppage time added to each half, a soccer game will take two hours out of your schedule. There is no reason to worry about having your kid stay up on a school night because the manager decided to bring in a left handed pitcher, and then a right handed pitcher, and then a left handed pitcher to get out a tough part of the order. That's just not possible because the length of a soccer game is constant.
Game Fluidity
Soccer is an absolutely beautiful game to watch. The things each one of these players can do with their feet is incredible. It's impressive to watch someone have such control and precision of a ball all while running full speed. As a basketball junkie, it's easy for me to see the relationship between a great basketball game and great soccer match. Both games involve teammates moving the ball, anticipating other's movements, and working together to score all while trying to beat a defense with a combination of skill, strength, and finesse.
Not only is the actual gameplay fluid, but the game as a whole is fluid. There are no timeouts. No stoppages in play when switching each possession. The game keeps moving all the time. Players are rewarded for hustling for entire game and not taking time off. In soccer, if you take time to argue a foul called against you, the defense can make you play. If the other team has stolen the momentum and charging towards your side of the field, there is no timeout to call to stop their advance into your territory. As a team, you are forced to come together and stop them. Sure there are corner kicks and throw-ins, but these stoppages are very short and can help increase the speed of the game if taken quickly. There's no time to look away as a fan because if you do, you might miss the play of the day in that split second you glanced away from your television.
Extreme Fandom
In a sports culture that now needs to be shown how to cheer by the prompts of the arena's nerdy sound guy, soccer fans are a rare breed. They don't need to be prompted to do a Let's Go Bucks chant by the scoreboard hanging from the rafters. And they don't need a cheesy graphic that says MAKE SOME NOISE or a fake meter that monitors the noise in the arena. Soccer fans are self sufficient. They know when they need to make noise. They know when they should chant. In fact, most of them don't stop making noise. There are chants that you learn when you are a kid. There are songs to sing. There is simply a crazy environment that is not present at many sporting events in the United States. How is that not fun? How can you not want to be a part of a sport that brings that to the table?
This is where I decided that this post was just about pointless. It was a good argument to this point though, right?
***Note to any crazy soccer fans reading this: I will not use the term futbol throughout this post. I know that this is always seen as a crime in your eyes because I'm not calling it what the rest of the world calls it or whatever, but I don't really care. This is America. And in America, we call it soccer. I'm sorry. Don't kill the messenger.
It was captivating. I was at the edge of my seat the entire game and couldn't have been more entertained. Unfortunately though, that response puts me in the minority among Americans. With this sad realization, I decided to attempt to dedicate this entire blog piece to attempting to figure out why soccer should catch on in America, but sadly never will.
Let's start with the positives.
Game Length
In the last decade, the length of time you take up consuming a sporting event in the United States has increased significantly. The time of an average baseball game has increased to ridiculous amounts. Now a typical game lasts around three hours with some American League games lasting close to four hours because of the addition of the designated hitter. With commercial breaks between every touchdown, kickoff, and possession, the average time of a football game has increased to over 3.5 hours with some games going even longer. It's difficult to find a sport in America that hasn't increased their average game time with constant commercial interruption and unnecessary stoppage.
This isn't a problem in soccer. The clock is constant. In every single game, you will have two 45 minute halves with a 20 minute halftime. The only reason a game will take longer is because of extra time. When totaling the two halves, halftime, and the stoppage time added to each half, a soccer game will take two hours out of your schedule. There is no reason to worry about having your kid stay up on a school night because the manager decided to bring in a left handed pitcher, and then a right handed pitcher, and then a left handed pitcher to get out a tough part of the order. That's just not possible because the length of a soccer game is constant.
Game Fluidity
Soccer is an absolutely beautiful game to watch. The things each one of these players can do with their feet is incredible. It's impressive to watch someone have such control and precision of a ball all while running full speed. As a basketball junkie, it's easy for me to see the relationship between a great basketball game and great soccer match. Both games involve teammates moving the ball, anticipating other's movements, and working together to score all while trying to beat a defense with a combination of skill, strength, and finesse.
Not only is the actual gameplay fluid, but the game as a whole is fluid. There are no timeouts. No stoppages in play when switching each possession. The game keeps moving all the time. Players are rewarded for hustling for entire game and not taking time off. In soccer, if you take time to argue a foul called against you, the defense can make you play. If the other team has stolen the momentum and charging towards your side of the field, there is no timeout to call to stop their advance into your territory. As a team, you are forced to come together and stop them. Sure there are corner kicks and throw-ins, but these stoppages are very short and can help increase the speed of the game if taken quickly. There's no time to look away as a fan because if you do, you might miss the play of the day in that split second you glanced away from your television.
Extreme Fandom
In a sports culture that now needs to be shown how to cheer by the prompts of the arena's nerdy sound guy, soccer fans are a rare breed. They don't need to be prompted to do a Let's Go Bucks chant by the scoreboard hanging from the rafters. And they don't need a cheesy graphic that says MAKE SOME NOISE or a fake meter that monitors the noise in the arena. Soccer fans are self sufficient. They know when they need to make noise. They know when they should chant. In fact, most of them don't stop making noise. There are chants that you learn when you are a kid. There are songs to sing. There is simply a crazy environment that is not present at many sporting events in the United States. How is that not fun? How can you not want to be a part of a sport that brings that to the table?
This is where I decided that this post was just about pointless. It was a good argument to this point though, right?
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Draft Diary 2011
Before the draft, there is always at least one or two trades and much to my excitement, the Bucks were a part of the pre-draft activity this season. Upon hearing of the deal, I was ecstatic. As I played left field in the kickball game at the Gametime Sports Day Camp, my twitter feed started to blow up.
The first tweet mentioned the Bucks trading for the #7 pick of the draft. My reaction: surprise. Why would the Bucks want the seventh pick of the draft?
The second tweet mentioned a third team, the Charlotte Bobcats. And Steven Jackson. My reaction: mellowed excitement. I figured that Maggette would still be moved and we would only get the #7 pick in the return. This was still a good deal.
The third tweet mentioned the inclusion of John Salmons and the 9th pick. My reaction: Ecstacy. The Bucks had somehow managed to get rid of the contract albatrosses of Maggette and Salmons, all while getting the 9th and 19th pick in the draft. It was a masterful trade by John Hammond that managed to get the Bucks out of two of their three terrible contracts and stil remain active in the draft.
Finally, after all the dust had settled and I found out that the Bucks had gotten rid of Salmons, Maggette, and the #10 pick for Stephen Jackson, Beno Udrih, Shaun Livingston, and the #19 pick of the draft, I was still excited. I wasn't happy to hear that Jackson doesn't want to play in Milwaukee, but I am still happy that the Bucks were able to move Salmons and Maggette off of the team. Getting rid of those contracts is a matter of addition by subtraction. The Bucks had screwed themselves over with all of the terrible contracts they handed out last season and this trade elevates the pressure Hammond put on himself.
6:05 p.m: Just got set up at our headquarters for the draft tonight, the Schoettler Village Apartments Clubhouse. With me tonight is my roommate Jacob Dulle. We will be holding it down here. I'm sure he will have a few comments entered into this diary and hopefully I will have some texts from a few of my buddies up in Wisconsin entered into the diary as well.
6:10 p.m: As the ESPN draft coverage mentions the Cavaliers point guard situation, the first name Jeff Van Gundy mentioned was Boobie Gibson. Boobie Gibson. Come on. That is a joke.
Also, why was Baron Davis wearing #85 in Cleveland? Can't believe I didn't latch on to this earlier.
6:14 p.m: As ESPN throws the coverage to commercial, we see Jimmer Fredette dressed in what I believe was either a golf outfit from the 1940s or the outfit of a paper boy circa 1920 playing the drums. EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! Jimmer has no fashion sense!
6:23 p.m: As ESPN goes to commercial, Enes Kanter is in the same outfit as Jimmer was at the previous commercial. What is this theme? I don't get it. Can someone enlighten me?
6:30 p.m: Final break before 1st pick of the draft. Even more players in the ridiculous costumes. Dulle and I are sitting here absolutely lost. Also just saw Chad Ford's last tweet about his mock draft. "7.3 will have Biyombo to Raptors. Leonard to Pistons. Brandon Knight to Bobcats. Alec Burks over Kemba to Jazz . I may really regret this." This is insane. So much different than everything that I've seen thus far. Also Knight falling to the Bobcats would be crazy.
6:33 p.m: I'm excited.
6:35 p.m: This is bulls**t. I don't want the Cavs on the clock. They need to be making a pick. They've had months to figure out who they want. Why do they need these extra five minutes?
6:37 p.m: Love Stu Scott's line. "When the shorts were short and the socks were high." Good description of the NBA in the 1980s.
6:38 p.m: Getting to see the Cavaliers roster is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Alonzo Gee in a starting lineup. Check out his basketball reference page: http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/geeal01.html. Also, Anderson Varejao needs to be on a winning roster. It's just not right for him to be hustling for an awful team.
6:39 p.m: Kyrie Irving gets drafted. Dulle: "You get to try to be the next Lebron. Good Luck." Well said. Feel for whoever got drafted first. The Cavs need a lot of help and the city of Cleveland is heartbroken. They need something to help them out of their ugly divorce with Lebron and will immediately look to the 1st overall pick. Bad spot to be in as the #1 pick.
6:42 p.m: First Wisconsin text entry: "Cavs gonna win it all this year. Irving is good. Not injury prone at all and dominated all year for Duke. Looks like Dan Gilbert's prediction will be correct." Thanks, Steve Mahne. You claim you will be giving reactions to each pick. These reactions will certainly not be included after each pick.
6:45 p.m: Stuart Scott just said Timber'Wuvs not Timberwolves. Figured you should know. T'Wolves made the right pick. I'm interested to see if they hold on to Williams. I think they should keep Williams and move Beasley or one of their other wing players. That's just me, though.
6:49 p.m: Still makes me sad that Jerry Sloan is no longer in the league.
6:50 p.m: Utah Jazz go with Enes Kanter. Somewhat surprised. If you're Cleveland, are you now upset that you didn't take Williams first overall with Brandon Knight available at 4? Williams and Knight looks better this next year to your fans than Irving and Jonas Valanciunas. I'm not saying that is who they will take, but it seems like that is where they will go.
6:53 p.m: This pick makes it seem as though the Jazz might be higher on Devin Harris than we had originally thought. Also, Kanter might be in the perfect place to learn the ropes in the NBA. Mehmet Okur can shoot it better, but as a foreign big man, he can be a good mentor to Kanter. I like the pick.
6:55 p.m: Cherrypicked this tweet from my feed. "Nikoloz Tskitishvili's name appears on the bottom of the screen...So sexy" Tweeted by my good friend Dan Schaefer.
6:56 p.m: What just happened?!?! Amazing draft analysis by ESPN highlighted by JVG attempting Jonas Valanciunas name and then completely giving up, Jon Barry calling JVG Johnny Most and no one else on the crew selling the joke, followed by a few seconds of silence, and then the Cavaliers picking Tristan Thompson. Honestly, what just happened?
7:00 p.m: Upon hearing Jamaal Magloire's name mentioned as an active member of a team, Dulle says, "Magloire is dead somewhere. They just put his body on the bench to use a roster spot."
7:03 p.m: Jonas gets selected by the Raptors. I don't get this pick. The Raptors could use some help now and Dwayne Casey is a guy that is all about defense. Doesn't seem to be Jonas' strength.
7:05 p.m: To quote Valanciunas: "I don't knowwww....I don't knowwww....Good on my feet....I don't knowwww." Real insight from him there.
7:07 p.m: Jan Vesely knows how to get drafted. Pick announced. And just goes for it with his girlfriend. Showing off his trophy girlfriend and he just got drafted. That was AMAZING!
7:11 p.m: First text entry from Dan Schaefer: "Who the f**k was that kid...I might have to watch a Wizards game next year."
7:12 p.m: Before the Biyombo pick, JVG mentioned that a team either needs to get really good or really bad to get good. The really bad part is an idea I've always prescribed to. I hate mediocre teams. Being mediocre year in and year out does absolutely nothing for you as a franchise.
7:14 p.m: I really like Biyombo. I think he will be a good NBA player for years to come. He's a good defensive player and can rebound. A player like that will always have a spot on an NBA team. Not going to be an All-Star, but he has a lot of potential and does a few important things very well.
7:17 p.m: I love that Ben Wallace was back on the Pistons this year...and wildly effective.
7:18 p.m: I think Brandon Knight to the Pistons is a steal to Pistons. He was seen as someone who could be picked as high as #3. Though he is good, I think the Pistons need to officially start their rebuilding effort and move some of their older players.
7:21 p.m: Can't believe it took me this long to figure this out, but I just remembered that with the 19th pick of the draft the Bucks are in a very good position to get Kenneth Faried. I love Kenneth Faried. I think he will be a great role player in the league for years. I would really, really like that.
7:24 p.m: I think this Kemba Walker pick stays in Charlotte. This is a very Michael Jordan pick. Just the kind of great college player Jordan typically selects. I'm not sure how he will be in the league. Might struggle to find a position.
7:26 p.m: "You've always been about WINNING." Well played, Mark Jones. Well played. Text from Mahne: "Does Charlie Sheen get some money for the Winning question asked to Kemba?"
7:27 p.m: My Ball Don't Lie show co-host Cody Steger just pointed out the Kawhi Leonard is in freefall. I can't believe that he has not been picked yet and the Bucks could have got him at 10. I'm a little hurt, but still overall happy.
7:33 p.m: "Teach me how to Jimmer?" "I love seeing Jimmer in a Bucks hat. Any chance they can go back on the trade?" "Bucks too Jimmer...Dammit I wish we could keep Jim"
7:34 p.m: All texts that I received after Jimmer was drafted. I'm not sure how Jimmer will be in the NBA. My biggest problem with Jimmer is people claiming that he will be okay in the NBA because he is fast at a dot drill or a cone drill. You can practice these things. You can't practice staying in front of Derrick Rose. Russell Westbrook. Dwayne Wade. I'm still not sold.
7:35 p.m: Klay Thompson to the Warriors. Thought the Bucks would take him tonight if they kept their pick. I'm sure the Warriors were happy when the Bucks traded to the 19th pick.
7:36 p.m: As I look at the upcoming picks, I don't think it is unrealistic to think the Bucks could get Alec Burks, Kawhi Leonard, or Markieff Morris. This makes me happy. Extremely happy.
7:39 p.m: This text made me laugh. I'm not sure its okay for me to laugh though. "I don't care what they say Klay Thompson's dad isn't black. This guy is white."
7:41 p.m: There goes Burks. Shoot. Really liked him.
7:46 p.m: I would have much rather heard "Hand Down, Man Down" or "Mama. There goes that man again." I don't care about the Warriors being in the playoffs.
7:53 p.m: Location change. Back in my living room. Thanks for the hospitality, Schoettler Village Apartments. Twins go back to back. I would assume that is some sort of first in the NBA Draft. I thought Marcus would go higher and Markieff lower, but with them going back to back, I feel like they've been drafted at the exact same time. I feel the same way about their birth and the birth of all other twins. I don't care who was born 5 minutes earlier. It's not cute to tell me either.
7:59 p.m: Kawhi Leonard's suit is nice. My two favorite suits of the night belong to Leonard and Kemba Walker. Walker's suit was tight. Not tight as in "cool", but as in form fitting. Very unusual. I canNOT believe that the Pacers didn't take a white guy. It's two years in a row. They have so few white people on the team that I'm not even sure they can put a full whitewash on the floor at this point. I'm disappointed in you, Larry Bird.
8:04 p.m: Getting more and more nervous for the Bucks pick. Hoping for Kenneth Faried. Have a feeling I will be disappointed.
8:07 p.m: Don't sleep on Tyler Honeycutt to the Bucks at #19.
8:08 p.m: Attempting to decipher Kawhi Leonard to the Spurs for George Hill. I like it for the Pacers. Another shooter on that team makes them very difficult to deal with on the perimeter. Leonard to the Spurs, on the other hand, confuses me a little bit. Not sure what direction the Spurs are going. Are they going to start rebuilding? Do they think Leonard can contribute immediately?
8:12 p.m: Still a little weirded out that the draft is in New Jersey and not New York. I don't think it's right. It takes away from the atmosphere quite a bit in my opinion. Knicks take Shumpert. Thought they would take Brooks.
8:13 p.m: The tension builds. Marshon Brooks could be available at 19. Lots of scouts have raved about Brooks. Bucks had him in for two workouts. They like him. Can't figure out if the Bucks have worked out Kenneth Farried. Because of this, I doubt that the Bucks will take Farried though I rave about him.
8:18 p.m: What will the Bucks do?!?!?!
8:20 p.m: I've been studying the different players that the Bucks could possibly draft. Really have no idea where they will go. Thinking Honeycutt or Trey Thompkins. Really wouldn't mind Faried.
8:22 p.m: Tobias Harris.
8:24 p.m: Tobias Harris?
8:24 p.m: Tobias Harris?!?!
8:25 p.m: Thanks for all of the analysis, ESPN. Really happy to hear about the Timberwolves' next pick. Awesome. I really don't like the Tobias Harris pick. Think it is too early for him. Don't really like much of what he does. It's going to be hard for the Bucks to sell me on this one. I've been wrong before though and I hope I'm dead wrong on this one.
8:33 p.m: Can honestly say that I'm surprised with the reaction to the Harris pick. Every scout or analyst I follow on Twitter is raving about the pick. Like I said in my last post. I may be dead wrong.
8:37 p.m: Missed Motiejunas to T'Wolves. Nolan Smith to the Blazers. Jokes started flying about Kyle Singler when we discussed the last part of the Dukie trio being drafted. Hoping for the Jazz or Pacers to take a round at him in the second round.
8:38 p.m: Maybe I'm missing the boat on Tobias Harris. A lot of people really like the pick. I don't see it, but then again I don't watch a lot of SEC basketball. We will see how it turns out.
8:42 p.m: My interest in this draft is wavering.
8:43 p.m: Nuggets draft Kenneth Faried. I really like him in the league. I'm not sure he fits in Denver, but it will be really hard for him to not fit in somewhere with his motor and work ethic. Plays a lot like Birdman.
8:46 p.m: Really enjoyed getting to hear Faried's interview. Could tell getting drafted really meant a lot to him.
8:50 p.m: So Mirotic goes to the Timberwolves. Makes sense he will be ready in four years. Just in time for the T'Wolves to figure out that Darko and Pekovic aren't going to pan out as the Twin Towers of the Twin Cities.
8:53 p.m: The Reggie Jackson situation confuses me. This guy hasn't worked out for anyone. He didn't even work out for the Thunder. They gave him a promise in APRIL that they would select him with their pick. That was two months ago. The Cavs weren't sure they were going to select Irving at #1 until this afternoon and the Thunder knew Jackson was their guy in April. Are you kidding me?
8:57 p.m: Epic fail on the T'Wolves joke. Thanks for all of the trades, NBA Draft. You're impossible to keep up with.
8:59 p.m: Brooks to Boston makes a lot of sense. The Big Three is getting old. He can fill in for one of the guards that will be leaving. Could pair well with Rondo for years to come.
9:05 p.m: I'm done for the night. I have an internship to get to. I'm sure most of you paying attention to this blog have looked away a long time ago. I hope my spelling and grammatical errors haven't been too bad tonight. I had a lot of fun and hope you enjoyed reading. Have a great night everyone!
The first tweet mentioned the Bucks trading for the #7 pick of the draft. My reaction: surprise. Why would the Bucks want the seventh pick of the draft?
The second tweet mentioned a third team, the Charlotte Bobcats. And Steven Jackson. My reaction: mellowed excitement. I figured that Maggette would still be moved and we would only get the #7 pick in the return. This was still a good deal.
The third tweet mentioned the inclusion of John Salmons and the 9th pick. My reaction: Ecstacy. The Bucks had somehow managed to get rid of the contract albatrosses of Maggette and Salmons, all while getting the 9th and 19th pick in the draft. It was a masterful trade by John Hammond that managed to get the Bucks out of two of their three terrible contracts and stil remain active in the draft.
Finally, after all the dust had settled and I found out that the Bucks had gotten rid of Salmons, Maggette, and the #10 pick for Stephen Jackson, Beno Udrih, Shaun Livingston, and the #19 pick of the draft, I was still excited. I wasn't happy to hear that Jackson doesn't want to play in Milwaukee, but I am still happy that the Bucks were able to move Salmons and Maggette off of the team. Getting rid of those contracts is a matter of addition by subtraction. The Bucks had screwed themselves over with all of the terrible contracts they handed out last season and this trade elevates the pressure Hammond put on himself.
6:05 p.m: Just got set up at our headquarters for the draft tonight, the Schoettler Village Apartments Clubhouse. With me tonight is my roommate Jacob Dulle. We will be holding it down here. I'm sure he will have a few comments entered into this diary and hopefully I will have some texts from a few of my buddies up in Wisconsin entered into the diary as well.
6:10 p.m: As the ESPN draft coverage mentions the Cavaliers point guard situation, the first name Jeff Van Gundy mentioned was Boobie Gibson. Boobie Gibson. Come on. That is a joke.
Also, why was Baron Davis wearing #85 in Cleveland? Can't believe I didn't latch on to this earlier.
6:14 p.m: As ESPN throws the coverage to commercial, we see Jimmer Fredette dressed in what I believe was either a golf outfit from the 1940s or the outfit of a paper boy circa 1920 playing the drums. EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! Jimmer has no fashion sense!
6:23 p.m: As ESPN goes to commercial, Enes Kanter is in the same outfit as Jimmer was at the previous commercial. What is this theme? I don't get it. Can someone enlighten me?
6:30 p.m: Final break before 1st pick of the draft. Even more players in the ridiculous costumes. Dulle and I are sitting here absolutely lost. Also just saw Chad Ford's last tweet about his mock draft. "7.3 will have Biyombo to Raptors. Leonard to Pistons. Brandon Knight to Bobcats. Alec Burks over Kemba to Jazz . I may really regret this." This is insane. So much different than everything that I've seen thus far. Also Knight falling to the Bobcats would be crazy.
6:33 p.m: I'm excited.
6:35 p.m: This is bulls**t. I don't want the Cavs on the clock. They need to be making a pick. They've had months to figure out who they want. Why do they need these extra five minutes?
6:37 p.m: Love Stu Scott's line. "When the shorts were short and the socks were high." Good description of the NBA in the 1980s.
6:38 p.m: Getting to see the Cavaliers roster is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Alonzo Gee in a starting lineup. Check out his basketball reference page: http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/geeal01.html. Also, Anderson Varejao needs to be on a winning roster. It's just not right for him to be hustling for an awful team.
6:39 p.m: Kyrie Irving gets drafted. Dulle: "You get to try to be the next Lebron. Good Luck." Well said. Feel for whoever got drafted first. The Cavs need a lot of help and the city of Cleveland is heartbroken. They need something to help them out of their ugly divorce with Lebron and will immediately look to the 1st overall pick. Bad spot to be in as the #1 pick.
6:42 p.m: First Wisconsin text entry: "Cavs gonna win it all this year. Irving is good. Not injury prone at all and dominated all year for Duke. Looks like Dan Gilbert's prediction will be correct." Thanks, Steve Mahne. You claim you will be giving reactions to each pick. These reactions will certainly not be included after each pick.
6:45 p.m: Stuart Scott just said Timber'Wuvs not Timberwolves. Figured you should know. T'Wolves made the right pick. I'm interested to see if they hold on to Williams. I think they should keep Williams and move Beasley or one of their other wing players. That's just me, though.
6:49 p.m: Still makes me sad that Jerry Sloan is no longer in the league.
6:50 p.m: Utah Jazz go with Enes Kanter. Somewhat surprised. If you're Cleveland, are you now upset that you didn't take Williams first overall with Brandon Knight available at 4? Williams and Knight looks better this next year to your fans than Irving and Jonas Valanciunas. I'm not saying that is who they will take, but it seems like that is where they will go.
6:53 p.m: This pick makes it seem as though the Jazz might be higher on Devin Harris than we had originally thought. Also, Kanter might be in the perfect place to learn the ropes in the NBA. Mehmet Okur can shoot it better, but as a foreign big man, he can be a good mentor to Kanter. I like the pick.
6:55 p.m: Cherrypicked this tweet from my feed. "Nikoloz Tskitishvili's name appears on the bottom of the screen...So sexy" Tweeted by my good friend Dan Schaefer.
6:56 p.m: What just happened?!?! Amazing draft analysis by ESPN highlighted by JVG attempting Jonas Valanciunas name and then completely giving up, Jon Barry calling JVG Johnny Most and no one else on the crew selling the joke, followed by a few seconds of silence, and then the Cavaliers picking Tristan Thompson. Honestly, what just happened?
7:00 p.m: Upon hearing Jamaal Magloire's name mentioned as an active member of a team, Dulle says, "Magloire is dead somewhere. They just put his body on the bench to use a roster spot."
7:03 p.m: Jonas gets selected by the Raptors. I don't get this pick. The Raptors could use some help now and Dwayne Casey is a guy that is all about defense. Doesn't seem to be Jonas' strength.
7:05 p.m: To quote Valanciunas: "I don't knowwww....I don't knowwww....Good on my feet....I don't knowwww." Real insight from him there.
7:07 p.m: Jan Vesely knows how to get drafted. Pick announced. And just goes for it with his girlfriend. Showing off his trophy girlfriend and he just got drafted. That was AMAZING!
7:11 p.m: First text entry from Dan Schaefer: "Who the f**k was that kid...I might have to watch a Wizards game next year."
7:12 p.m: Before the Biyombo pick, JVG mentioned that a team either needs to get really good or really bad to get good. The really bad part is an idea I've always prescribed to. I hate mediocre teams. Being mediocre year in and year out does absolutely nothing for you as a franchise.
7:14 p.m: I really like Biyombo. I think he will be a good NBA player for years to come. He's a good defensive player and can rebound. A player like that will always have a spot on an NBA team. Not going to be an All-Star, but he has a lot of potential and does a few important things very well.
7:17 p.m: I love that Ben Wallace was back on the Pistons this year...and wildly effective.
7:18 p.m: I think Brandon Knight to the Pistons is a steal to Pistons. He was seen as someone who could be picked as high as #3. Though he is good, I think the Pistons need to officially start their rebuilding effort and move some of their older players.
7:21 p.m: Can't believe it took me this long to figure this out, but I just remembered that with the 19th pick of the draft the Bucks are in a very good position to get Kenneth Faried. I love Kenneth Faried. I think he will be a great role player in the league for years. I would really, really like that.
7:24 p.m: I think this Kemba Walker pick stays in Charlotte. This is a very Michael Jordan pick. Just the kind of great college player Jordan typically selects. I'm not sure how he will be in the league. Might struggle to find a position.
7:26 p.m: "You've always been about WINNING." Well played, Mark Jones. Well played. Text from Mahne: "Does Charlie Sheen get some money for the Winning question asked to Kemba?"
7:27 p.m: My Ball Don't Lie show co-host Cody Steger just pointed out the Kawhi Leonard is in freefall. I can't believe that he has not been picked yet and the Bucks could have got him at 10. I'm a little hurt, but still overall happy.
7:33 p.m: "Teach me how to Jimmer?" "I love seeing Jimmer in a Bucks hat. Any chance they can go back on the trade?" "Bucks too Jimmer...Dammit I wish we could keep Jim"
7:34 p.m: All texts that I received after Jimmer was drafted. I'm not sure how Jimmer will be in the NBA. My biggest problem with Jimmer is people claiming that he will be okay in the NBA because he is fast at a dot drill or a cone drill. You can practice these things. You can't practice staying in front of Derrick Rose. Russell Westbrook. Dwayne Wade. I'm still not sold.
7:35 p.m: Klay Thompson to the Warriors. Thought the Bucks would take him tonight if they kept their pick. I'm sure the Warriors were happy when the Bucks traded to the 19th pick.
7:36 p.m: As I look at the upcoming picks, I don't think it is unrealistic to think the Bucks could get Alec Burks, Kawhi Leonard, or Markieff Morris. This makes me happy. Extremely happy.
7:39 p.m: This text made me laugh. I'm not sure its okay for me to laugh though. "I don't care what they say Klay Thompson's dad isn't black. This guy is white."
7:41 p.m: There goes Burks. Shoot. Really liked him.
7:46 p.m: I would have much rather heard "Hand Down, Man Down" or "Mama. There goes that man again." I don't care about the Warriors being in the playoffs.
7:53 p.m: Location change. Back in my living room. Thanks for the hospitality, Schoettler Village Apartments. Twins go back to back. I would assume that is some sort of first in the NBA Draft. I thought Marcus would go higher and Markieff lower, but with them going back to back, I feel like they've been drafted at the exact same time. I feel the same way about their birth and the birth of all other twins. I don't care who was born 5 minutes earlier. It's not cute to tell me either.
7:59 p.m: Kawhi Leonard's suit is nice. My two favorite suits of the night belong to Leonard and Kemba Walker. Walker's suit was tight. Not tight as in "cool", but as in form fitting. Very unusual. I canNOT believe that the Pacers didn't take a white guy. It's two years in a row. They have so few white people on the team that I'm not even sure they can put a full whitewash on the floor at this point. I'm disappointed in you, Larry Bird.
8:04 p.m: Getting more and more nervous for the Bucks pick. Hoping for Kenneth Faried. Have a feeling I will be disappointed.
8:07 p.m: Don't sleep on Tyler Honeycutt to the Bucks at #19.
8:08 p.m: Attempting to decipher Kawhi Leonard to the Spurs for George Hill. I like it for the Pacers. Another shooter on that team makes them very difficult to deal with on the perimeter. Leonard to the Spurs, on the other hand, confuses me a little bit. Not sure what direction the Spurs are going. Are they going to start rebuilding? Do they think Leonard can contribute immediately?
8:12 p.m: Still a little weirded out that the draft is in New Jersey and not New York. I don't think it's right. It takes away from the atmosphere quite a bit in my opinion. Knicks take Shumpert. Thought they would take Brooks.
8:13 p.m: The tension builds. Marshon Brooks could be available at 19. Lots of scouts have raved about Brooks. Bucks had him in for two workouts. They like him. Can't figure out if the Bucks have worked out Kenneth Farried. Because of this, I doubt that the Bucks will take Farried though I rave about him.
8:18 p.m: What will the Bucks do?!?!?!
8:20 p.m: I've been studying the different players that the Bucks could possibly draft. Really have no idea where they will go. Thinking Honeycutt or Trey Thompkins. Really wouldn't mind Faried.
8:22 p.m: Tobias Harris.
8:24 p.m: Tobias Harris?
8:24 p.m: Tobias Harris?!?!
8:25 p.m: Thanks for all of the analysis, ESPN. Really happy to hear about the Timberwolves' next pick. Awesome. I really don't like the Tobias Harris pick. Think it is too early for him. Don't really like much of what he does. It's going to be hard for the Bucks to sell me on this one. I've been wrong before though and I hope I'm dead wrong on this one.
8:33 p.m: Can honestly say that I'm surprised with the reaction to the Harris pick. Every scout or analyst I follow on Twitter is raving about the pick. Like I said in my last post. I may be dead wrong.
8:37 p.m: Missed Motiejunas to T'Wolves. Nolan Smith to the Blazers. Jokes started flying about Kyle Singler when we discussed the last part of the Dukie trio being drafted. Hoping for the Jazz or Pacers to take a round at him in the second round.
8:38 p.m: Maybe I'm missing the boat on Tobias Harris. A lot of people really like the pick. I don't see it, but then again I don't watch a lot of SEC basketball. We will see how it turns out.
8:42 p.m: My interest in this draft is wavering.
8:43 p.m: Nuggets draft Kenneth Faried. I really like him in the league. I'm not sure he fits in Denver, but it will be really hard for him to not fit in somewhere with his motor and work ethic. Plays a lot like Birdman.
8:46 p.m: Really enjoyed getting to hear Faried's interview. Could tell getting drafted really meant a lot to him.
8:50 p.m: So Mirotic goes to the Timberwolves. Makes sense he will be ready in four years. Just in time for the T'Wolves to figure out that Darko and Pekovic aren't going to pan out as the Twin Towers of the Twin Cities.
8:53 p.m: The Reggie Jackson situation confuses me. This guy hasn't worked out for anyone. He didn't even work out for the Thunder. They gave him a promise in APRIL that they would select him with their pick. That was two months ago. The Cavs weren't sure they were going to select Irving at #1 until this afternoon and the Thunder knew Jackson was their guy in April. Are you kidding me?
8:57 p.m: Epic fail on the T'Wolves joke. Thanks for all of the trades, NBA Draft. You're impossible to keep up with.
8:59 p.m: Brooks to Boston makes a lot of sense. The Big Three is getting old. He can fill in for one of the guards that will be leaving. Could pair well with Rondo for years to come.
9:05 p.m: I'm done for the night. I have an internship to get to. I'm sure most of you paying attention to this blog have looked away a long time ago. I hope my spelling and grammatical errors haven't been too bad tonight. I had a lot of fun and hope you enjoyed reading. Have a great night everyone!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Happy Father's Day
Anyone that knows me knows that I am an absolute diehard Brewers fan. I live and die by the Brewers. I've paid insane* amounts of money to watch their playoff games. I've made seven hour road trips in the middle of the night to see them play. I absolutely love the team and support them like nothing else in my life. (I mean I can only have one insane obsession right?)
***By insane, we're talking 1000% face value. Yes that would be 10x face value. There you have it. I paid ten times face value of a bleacher seat to see Game 4 of the National League Divisional Series in Miller Park against the Phillies. And you know what the sick thing is? I would happily do it again. Wouldn't even think twice about it.
So when I was at my internship at 101 ESPN this Friday and Cliff Saunders, the show's host, started discussing the idea of asking callers to recall the first sporting event they attending with their Dad for Father's Day, memory after memory started to flood in to my brain.
I remembered calling my Dad after the final game of the 2008 season and hearing the excitement in his voice as we discussed Ryan Braun's home run. I remembered watching game after game in Miller Park with him as he cheered on possibly his favorite Brewer of the last ten years, Bill Hall. I remembered him literally booing Jeff Suppan.* I remembered taking advantage of my sister's spot on the honor roll and watching the Brewers from the upper deck during Miller Park's inaugural season. But none of these memories were my first ballgame with my Dad.
***This is one of my few memories of him booing an actual player. I think this truly speaks volumes to the infamously terrible time Suppan spent with the Brewers.
Welcome to Milwaukee County Stadium.
I remember hearing these words as I walked through the turnstiles with my family for my first Brewers game. I wasn't in Miller Park. There was no corporate sponsor. No retractable roof. No fancy glass paneling. There was just County Stadium. A stadium that reflected the hard-working, blue collar workers of Milwaukee.
From what I remember of this first game, it was a cool spring evening. The most vivid memory I have is walking in the corridor of County Stadium as I prepared to walk up the stairs to our seats in the bleachers. The only thing I could think of when walking up those stairs was not the stadium. Or the game. Or our seats. I was only worried about batting practice!
Batting practice was the only thing I was concerned with. During the previous Brewers season, my brother had attended one of his friend's birthday parties and they went to batting practice and returned with a few baseballs each. Because of his story, I was convinced that if you stuck your glove in the air you were going to catch a baseball. Something like this. I think it almost goes without saying that the five year-old kid didn't catch any balls during batting practice. Though I was crushed, I settled in for the rest of the game.
I would be lying if I told you I remembered who the Brewers were playing or what the final score of the game was. But at that point it didn't matter. I was at County Stadium with my family and sitting next to my Dad. One thing I can guarantee is that my Dad was telling me about the finer points of the game.
My Dad is an absolute baseball junkie. He absolutely loves the game and is always willing to discuss it with just about anyone. To this day, if you are wearing a Brewers shirt at Nehm's Greenhouse and Floral, you will end up talking about the Brewers with my Dad. There is no way to escape that conversation. He just wouldn't have it any other way.
Sure, there were plenty of other things to distract me at that game. There was Bernie's Chalet in centerfield. For those of you non-Brewer fans, Bernie's Chalet was a little house that hung over a giant mug of beer that Bernie Brewer would slide down into when the Brewers hit home runs. Maybe that night Brewers first basemen John Jaha lifted one into the bleachers and Bernie slid down his slide, but I don't remember this. There was the World Famous Klement's Sausage Race, which at the time occurred virtually and featured little red dots racing around a virtual stadium. I don't remember this either. But I do remember having a ton of fun and wanting to go to Brewers games again and again.
I truly believe that the fun I had and the love that I developed for the game of baseball was due to my Dad's passion for the game. As the game went on, I'm sure he pointed out that hitting the cutoff man would have kept the hitter at first instead of second and kept the double play alive. And he was probably upset that Greg Vaughn didn't hustle down the line on his single to left field.
At the time, these small details met very little to me, but as time went on it showed just how much enjoyment you could get out of watching a simple game. And as I look back, I can honestly admit that I wouldn't have the same appreciation for such a simple game if it wasn't for my Dad. Thanks, Dad.
-----------------------
Feel free to share your first sporting event experience with your Dad in the comments section of the article. It's always great to hear other people's experiences and their memories. And be sure to wish your Dad a Happy Father's Day and thank him for all of the things he has done for you in your life.
Welcome to Milwaukee County Stadium.
I remember hearing these words as I walked through the turnstiles with my family for my first Brewers game. I wasn't in Miller Park. There was no corporate sponsor. No retractable roof. No fancy glass paneling. There was just County Stadium. A stadium that reflected the hard-working, blue collar workers of Milwaukee.
From what I remember of this first game, it was a cool spring evening. The most vivid memory I have is walking in the corridor of County Stadium as I prepared to walk up the stairs to our seats in the bleachers. The only thing I could think of when walking up those stairs was not the stadium. Or the game. Or our seats. I was only worried about batting practice!
Batting practice was the only thing I was concerned with. During the previous Brewers season, my brother had attended one of his friend's birthday parties and they went to batting practice and returned with a few baseballs each. Because of his story, I was convinced that if you stuck your glove in the air you were going to catch a baseball. Something like this. I think it almost goes without saying that the five year-old kid didn't catch any balls during batting practice. Though I was crushed, I settled in for the rest of the game.
I would be lying if I told you I remembered who the Brewers were playing or what the final score of the game was. But at that point it didn't matter. I was at County Stadium with my family and sitting next to my Dad. One thing I can guarantee is that my Dad was telling me about the finer points of the game.
My Dad is an absolute baseball junkie. He absolutely loves the game and is always willing to discuss it with just about anyone. To this day, if you are wearing a Brewers shirt at Nehm's Greenhouse and Floral, you will end up talking about the Brewers with my Dad. There is no way to escape that conversation. He just wouldn't have it any other way.
Sure, there were plenty of other things to distract me at that game. There was Bernie's Chalet in centerfield. For those of you non-Brewer fans, Bernie's Chalet was a little house that hung over a giant mug of beer that Bernie Brewer would slide down into when the Brewers hit home runs. Maybe that night Brewers first basemen John Jaha lifted one into the bleachers and Bernie slid down his slide, but I don't remember this. There was the World Famous Klement's Sausage Race, which at the time occurred virtually and featured little red dots racing around a virtual stadium. I don't remember this either. But I do remember having a ton of fun and wanting to go to Brewers games again and again.
I truly believe that the fun I had and the love that I developed for the game of baseball was due to my Dad's passion for the game. As the game went on, I'm sure he pointed out that hitting the cutoff man would have kept the hitter at first instead of second and kept the double play alive. And he was probably upset that Greg Vaughn didn't hustle down the line on his single to left field.
At the time, these small details met very little to me, but as time went on it showed just how much enjoyment you could get out of watching a simple game. And as I look back, I can honestly admit that I wouldn't have the same appreciation for such a simple game if it wasn't for my Dad. Thanks, Dad.
-----------------------
Feel free to share your first sporting event experience with your Dad in the comments section of the article. It's always great to hear other people's experiences and their memories. And be sure to wish your Dad a Happy Father's Day and thank him for all of the things he has done for you in your life.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The Enigma: Lebron James
I’ve been an ardent supporter of Lebron James his entire career. As he tore through his rookie season, torching defenses with flashy passes and creative drives, I marveled at the vast potential of his talent. As he led the Cavaliers to the playoffs in his third season, I smiled. He was beginning to develop into the player I thought he could be. And what was that potential? There was a potential for him to develop into the greatest of all-time, the GOAT.
As a fan, there is a certain obsession with each sport’s GOAT. There is a thrill in figuring out who that player is at an early age and watching him develop. When people started to obsess about a young Tiger Woods, we were all enthralled with the abilities of a player so young. As Peyton Manning and Tom Brady started to put up astonishing numbers at the quarterback position, battles were waged regarding their place in history. As Kobe Bryant won his fifth championship, of course people started to discuss whether or not he was basketball's GOAT.
THE VISION
The possibility of Lebron James joining this discussion occurred on Thursday, May 31, 2007. I’m not saying that this is when you could start claiming he was basketball’s GOAT, but in the mind of just about every fan there was a glimmer of hope. When Lebron James scored 48 points against the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, his performance forced any basketball observer to think about what they had previously thought about James and envision something greater. Maybe something that had never been seen before.
I remember exactly where I watched that game. The couch I sat on. The people I watched it with. The reaction I had after each play. In fact, I remember lowering my friend’s hoop down to seven feet and attempting to recreate each of the moves Lebron made during that game until 1 a.m.*
****Obviously, the hoop needed to go down to seven feet just to make the superhuman things Lebron was doing even plausible for any of us to attempt.
To the basketball fan inside of me, it didn’t matter that the Cavaliers got swept in the NBA Finals by the San Antonio Spurs. It did matter to me that through sheer will power and athletic ability, Lebron was able to take his team nearly single-handedly to the NBA Finals. I cared that he was able to absolutely dominate a game and take over a game in the fourth quarter. It was impressive. It was mind-blowing. It was impossible…or so it seemed.
I cheered for James, not because I thought he was the most skilled or most talented, but because I believed he could do things on a basketball court that I had never seen before. I thought there was a chance he could be someone I wanted to tell my children about. I can vividly remember seeing a statistic comparing Lebron James to Oscar Robertson and my dad immediately saying, “Oscar Robertson. Now that was a basketball player. I’m sure you think of him as a Buck, but I can still remember getting to see him play on Saturdays when he was still with Cincinnati. He was amazing.”
I can remember watching Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals with my dad and marveling at the shooting display Ray Allen put on. I even made a remark about him possibly being the greatest shooter of all-time, but then discounting that remark because I had faint memories of Reggie Miller. Once again, there was my dad ready to set me straight. “Those two have nothing on Jerry West. Now that was a shooter. He had such a great jump shot. If he was firing, there was no way you were stopping him.”
After Game 6 in Detroit, I was ready to have that moment with my kid. I was preparing myself to set my kid straight. I was relishing the moment where I could tell my kid about how Lebron could take over a game at any time. Or the fact that he was a guard the size of a power forward. Or about the time he won his first NBA Finals. Even though Lebron has won two NBA MVPs and returned to the NBA Finals since that fateful night in Detroit, the vivid picture I have of this future moment has now turned into a hazy Polaroid yet to develop.
THE BACKLASH
People keep asking whether or not, Lebron deserves the backlash he has received in the aftermath of this year’s NBA Finals. Before attempting to decipher if he deserved the backlash he has received it is first necessary to understand why there is such backlash against Lebron.
The reasoning seems simple:
"He joined up with two of the top 30 players in the league to form a superteam. The greatest of all-time don't do stuff like that. Those guys wanted to kill each other. Not team up together."
Let’s not kid ourselves. Bird, Magic, and Jordan would have never joined forces to create a superteam. It's not because they were hypercompetitive super humans, but rather because they didn't need to. There was no reason for them to join forces. They all had good teams.
In the cases of Bird and Magic, both were drafted by great franchises. Magic was welcomed into the league with Kareem Abdul-Jabaar as his main running mate and later got to be teammates with Michael Cooper, Byron Scott, James Worthy, Norm Nixon, and Jamaal Wilkes. Bird's rookie team was very good as well with Hall of Famers Nate "Tiny" Archibald and Dave Cowens on the squad. Bird would lose Cowens in the next season, but was joined by Robert Parish and Kevin McHale in his second season.
Jordan's rookie team was certainly not even close to the same level as these other teams, but in his second season the Bulls drafted Scottie Pippen and those two would remain together for the remainder of Jordan's career. Sounds like a pretty good situation in comparison to anything Lebron saw in his years in Cleveland.
"He turned his back on a city that loved him and a state that raised him. They loved him. They revered him. And he could have cared less."
There is no denying that Cleveland loved Lebron. The fans of Cleveland would have done anything for him. Most of them would have jumped in front of a speeding freight train to save his life. They absolutely loved him. Though the fans might have loved him, the ownership of the team did not reciprocate this same love.
Dan Gilbert knew that he had Lebron until his rookie contract expired and in those seven years his general managers needed to find a suitable running mate for Lebron. Just one. One would be enough to keep him there. Did he find that running mate? No. He trodded out Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Daniel "Boobie" Gibson, Shaquille O'Neal, Mo Williams, and Antawn Jamison. That was all he could do. In seven years. Are you kidding me?
"How could he not tell the team first? How could he make his decision into a publicity stunt?"
This is undoubtedly the most attractive reason to come down on Lebron. And honestly there is no defense of "The Decision". It was an absolutely terrible public relations decision and those around Lebron should have stopped it, but it happened. And then the Heat Welcome Party occurred. These terrible public relations decisions are a legitimate reason to not like Lebron, but unfortunately have nothing to do with his play on the court. And from a media perspective, "The Decision" was one of the greatest things to ever happen to them. It gave them something to talk about for months. So the media's backlash against Lebron cannot be ascribed to this reasoning either.
THE YEARNING
The answer to the reasoning behind the backlash against Lebron is not as simple as the three reasons I outlined above. It is a much deeper and complex issue. In my opinion, the criticism Lebron has received is not necessarily solely directed at him, but also at ourselves. Though Lebron has always had doubters, for the most part, people believed that Lebron could be something we had never seen before.
As a culture, we yearn to see something we have yet to see. When we watch a movie, we hope the plot confuses us to the point that we question ourselves and look for something deeper. When we listen to a new artist, we hope their music transcends time and space and takes us on a journey we’ve never been before. Basketball is no different. Seeing a basketball player do things we didn’t think were possible drives us to watch basketball. It drives us to live. Seeing any artist do something that we thought was impossible drives us to believe we can do that same thing in our own lives. Maybe we can’t dunk on a 7-footer, but the obtainability of the seemingly impossible that we see in sports can inspire each and every one of us to do something great ourselves.
When someone destined for greatness with God-given tools seen very few times before fails, we start to feel the odds begin to be stack against ourselves. I know it seems childish, but perhaps in our culture more than any other in the entire world, we look to athletes to be motivation and inspiration. We love hearing the story of the down on his luck grocery store bagger that went on to win a Super Bowl. We want to hear about the group of lovable losers that went down 3-0 against the richest team in the world and came back to win. We go to sports to prove to us that anything is possible.
That’s why it has become so easy for sportswriters and fans to pile on Lebron. He was given a rare set of skills and didn’t use them to the extent he should have. There are people in the NBA who could be given ten years to improve their game and would still not be better than Lebron was out of high school. There have been few players given the skills Lebron has and we love the idea of what he could become.
Therefore, the backlash we have doesn't represent hatred or anger, but rather disappointment. We're not honestly mad that Lebron decided to play on the team that gave him the best chance to win. We're disappointed that he wasn't actually superhuman and couldn't bring a championship to downtrodden Cleveland all by himself. We're not mad that Lebron didn't play well in the last few games of the NBA Finals. We're disappointed that he didn't do what he did in the previous two rounds against Chicago and Boston. With those series fresh in our minds, we KNEW that it was possible. We KNEW how the story was supposed to end. We KNEW Lebron would easily dismiss the Mavericks and continue on the path to becoming the Greatest Of All Time. But then he disappointed us. We don't like to be disappointed. We like knowing what is going to happen next and for what is going to happen next to be a happy ending.
THE MEMORY
The backlash Lebron has received has been completely deserved. It is not acceptable for Lebron to stop attacking the basket. It is not acceptable that after eight years in the league, Lebron hasn't developed any semblance of a post game. And it is not acceptable, that he has not become an unbelievable mid-range shooter or developed a go-to mid-range move. These are all things we remember other great players, including Jordan and Bryant, doing as they got older and more mature. We remember how these players became nearly unstoppable as their careers progressed because of the skills they perfected. Nobody could stop MJ's turnaround. Kobe's mid-range game and footwork is impeccable. This is what we remember.
That's the thing, though. When it comes to sports, we have very selective memories. We remember the things we loved and the things we want to remember forever. The type of things we want to tell our kids. When it comes to Jordan's legacy, we remember the Flu Game and his last shot against Bryon Russell. We remember the shot against Ehlo and Jordan running down the sideline shaking his head. We choose not to remember that he didn't shoot his last shot against Byron Russell, but instead he shot his last shot in a meaningless game wearing a Wizards jersey. We don't remember his struggles against the Bad Boys in Detroit. We remember the things we love.
When it comes to Kobe's legacy, we remember the comeback he helped orchestrate against the Trailblazers in 2000. The alley-oop he threw to Shaq. Wiped from our memory is Game 5 of the 2000 Finals in which Bryant only scored 8 points in 37 minutes played. Vivid in our memories is the night Bryant scored 81 points. We love thinking of Bryant's huge playoff shots against the Suns and Spurs. We forget about the way Bryant sulked during the 2007-2008 season. We forget about his attempts to force a trade out of Los Angeles before the Lakers were able to appease his demands and get him Pau Gasol. We remember him being the ultimate closer in big situations. We remember the things we love.
With Lebron, we remember what is most vivid in our memory. We remember Game 5 against the Celtics last season. We remember the debacle that was his performance in the NBA Finals this season, but since we haven't had time to reminisce about the things we loved about him, we can't get the bad memories out of our mind. In attempting to define his legacy, we focus on the here and now, but forget Lebron is still only 26 years old.
Only five years ago, Dirk Nowitzki was a sorry excuse for a basketball player. He had choked away an NBA Finals that he should have won in 2006. The following year he won an MVP award he didn't deserve. Even though he led the Mavericks to the league's best record, his team became the first #1 seed to lose to a #8 seed in a seven game series in the NBA Playoffs. He was a choke artist. He was an overrated scorer.
Now. Nowitzki has been called one of the 20 greatest NBA players of all-time. He is a clutch player who absolutely dominates the fourth quarter. He might even be the best forward of all-time not named Bird. Five years ago, though, this seemed impossible. The odds were stacked against Nowitzki and he needed to do something improbable. Something that people had never seen before.
Just like Nowitzki, Lebron has now set the table for his redemption story. A great career seems improbable, maybe even unattainable for Lebron at this point. It seems like it is out of reach and out of the question. To become the GOAT, Lebron needs to obtain the seemingly impossible. If Lebron somehow manages to turn his career around and allow us to forget about these past two years, he will do something that no one thought he could do. He will defy the odds. He will give us something we have never seen before, the moment we all yearn to see each and every time we watch sports. I know I will be watching. Will you?
As a fan, there is a certain obsession with each sport’s GOAT. There is a thrill in figuring out who that player is at an early age and watching him develop. When people started to obsess about a young Tiger Woods, we were all enthralled with the abilities of a player so young. As Peyton Manning and Tom Brady started to put up astonishing numbers at the quarterback position, battles were waged regarding their place in history. As Kobe Bryant won his fifth championship, of course people started to discuss whether or not he was basketball's GOAT.
THE VISION
The possibility of Lebron James joining this discussion occurred on Thursday, May 31, 2007. I’m not saying that this is when you could start claiming he was basketball’s GOAT, but in the mind of just about every fan there was a glimmer of hope. When Lebron James scored 48 points against the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, his performance forced any basketball observer to think about what they had previously thought about James and envision something greater. Maybe something that had never been seen before.
I remember exactly where I watched that game. The couch I sat on. The people I watched it with. The reaction I had after each play. In fact, I remember lowering my friend’s hoop down to seven feet and attempting to recreate each of the moves Lebron made during that game until 1 a.m.*
****Obviously, the hoop needed to go down to seven feet just to make the superhuman things Lebron was doing even plausible for any of us to attempt.
To the basketball fan inside of me, it didn’t matter that the Cavaliers got swept in the NBA Finals by the San Antonio Spurs. It did matter to me that through sheer will power and athletic ability, Lebron was able to take his team nearly single-handedly to the NBA Finals. I cared that he was able to absolutely dominate a game and take over a game in the fourth quarter. It was impressive. It was mind-blowing. It was impossible…or so it seemed.
I cheered for James, not because I thought he was the most skilled or most talented, but because I believed he could do things on a basketball court that I had never seen before. I thought there was a chance he could be someone I wanted to tell my children about. I can vividly remember seeing a statistic comparing Lebron James to Oscar Robertson and my dad immediately saying, “Oscar Robertson. Now that was a basketball player. I’m sure you think of him as a Buck, but I can still remember getting to see him play on Saturdays when he was still with Cincinnati. He was amazing.”
I can remember watching Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals with my dad and marveling at the shooting display Ray Allen put on. I even made a remark about him possibly being the greatest shooter of all-time, but then discounting that remark because I had faint memories of Reggie Miller. Once again, there was my dad ready to set me straight. “Those two have nothing on Jerry West. Now that was a shooter. He had such a great jump shot. If he was firing, there was no way you were stopping him.”
After Game 6 in Detroit, I was ready to have that moment with my kid. I was preparing myself to set my kid straight. I was relishing the moment where I could tell my kid about how Lebron could take over a game at any time. Or the fact that he was a guard the size of a power forward. Or about the time he won his first NBA Finals. Even though Lebron has won two NBA MVPs and returned to the NBA Finals since that fateful night in Detroit, the vivid picture I have of this future moment has now turned into a hazy Polaroid yet to develop.
THE BACKLASH
People keep asking whether or not, Lebron deserves the backlash he has received in the aftermath of this year’s NBA Finals. Before attempting to decipher if he deserved the backlash he has received it is first necessary to understand why there is such backlash against Lebron.
The reasoning seems simple:
"He joined up with two of the top 30 players in the league to form a superteam. The greatest of all-time don't do stuff like that. Those guys wanted to kill each other. Not team up together."
Let’s not kid ourselves. Bird, Magic, and Jordan would have never joined forces to create a superteam. It's not because they were hypercompetitive super humans, but rather because they didn't need to. There was no reason for them to join forces. They all had good teams.
In the cases of Bird and Magic, both were drafted by great franchises. Magic was welcomed into the league with Kareem Abdul-Jabaar as his main running mate and later got to be teammates with Michael Cooper, Byron Scott, James Worthy, Norm Nixon, and Jamaal Wilkes. Bird's rookie team was very good as well with Hall of Famers Nate "Tiny" Archibald and Dave Cowens on the squad. Bird would lose Cowens in the next season, but was joined by Robert Parish and Kevin McHale in his second season.
Jordan's rookie team was certainly not even close to the same level as these other teams, but in his second season the Bulls drafted Scottie Pippen and those two would remain together for the remainder of Jordan's career. Sounds like a pretty good situation in comparison to anything Lebron saw in his years in Cleveland.
"He turned his back on a city that loved him and a state that raised him. They loved him. They revered him. And he could have cared less."
There is no denying that Cleveland loved Lebron. The fans of Cleveland would have done anything for him. Most of them would have jumped in front of a speeding freight train to save his life. They absolutely loved him. Though the fans might have loved him, the ownership of the team did not reciprocate this same love.
Dan Gilbert knew that he had Lebron until his rookie contract expired and in those seven years his general managers needed to find a suitable running mate for Lebron. Just one. One would be enough to keep him there. Did he find that running mate? No. He trodded out Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Daniel "Boobie" Gibson, Shaquille O'Neal, Mo Williams, and Antawn Jamison. That was all he could do. In seven years. Are you kidding me?
"How could he not tell the team first? How could he make his decision into a publicity stunt?"
This is undoubtedly the most attractive reason to come down on Lebron. And honestly there is no defense of "The Decision". It was an absolutely terrible public relations decision and those around Lebron should have stopped it, but it happened. And then the Heat Welcome Party occurred. These terrible public relations decisions are a legitimate reason to not like Lebron, but unfortunately have nothing to do with his play on the court. And from a media perspective, "The Decision" was one of the greatest things to ever happen to them. It gave them something to talk about for months. So the media's backlash against Lebron cannot be ascribed to this reasoning either.
THE YEARNING
The answer to the reasoning behind the backlash against Lebron is not as simple as the three reasons I outlined above. It is a much deeper and complex issue. In my opinion, the criticism Lebron has received is not necessarily solely directed at him, but also at ourselves. Though Lebron has always had doubters, for the most part, people believed that Lebron could be something we had never seen before.
As a culture, we yearn to see something we have yet to see. When we watch a movie, we hope the plot confuses us to the point that we question ourselves and look for something deeper. When we listen to a new artist, we hope their music transcends time and space and takes us on a journey we’ve never been before. Basketball is no different. Seeing a basketball player do things we didn’t think were possible drives us to watch basketball. It drives us to live. Seeing any artist do something that we thought was impossible drives us to believe we can do that same thing in our own lives. Maybe we can’t dunk on a 7-footer, but the obtainability of the seemingly impossible that we see in sports can inspire each and every one of us to do something great ourselves.
When someone destined for greatness with God-given tools seen very few times before fails, we start to feel the odds begin to be stack against ourselves. I know it seems childish, but perhaps in our culture more than any other in the entire world, we look to athletes to be motivation and inspiration. We love hearing the story of the down on his luck grocery store bagger that went on to win a Super Bowl. We want to hear about the group of lovable losers that went down 3-0 against the richest team in the world and came back to win. We go to sports to prove to us that anything is possible.
That’s why it has become so easy for sportswriters and fans to pile on Lebron. He was given a rare set of skills and didn’t use them to the extent he should have. There are people in the NBA who could be given ten years to improve their game and would still not be better than Lebron was out of high school. There have been few players given the skills Lebron has and we love the idea of what he could become.
Therefore, the backlash we have doesn't represent hatred or anger, but rather disappointment. We're not honestly mad that Lebron decided to play on the team that gave him the best chance to win. We're disappointed that he wasn't actually superhuman and couldn't bring a championship to downtrodden Cleveland all by himself. We're not mad that Lebron didn't play well in the last few games of the NBA Finals. We're disappointed that he didn't do what he did in the previous two rounds against Chicago and Boston. With those series fresh in our minds, we KNEW that it was possible. We KNEW how the story was supposed to end. We KNEW Lebron would easily dismiss the Mavericks and continue on the path to becoming the Greatest Of All Time. But then he disappointed us. We don't like to be disappointed. We like knowing what is going to happen next and for what is going to happen next to be a happy ending.
THE MEMORY
The backlash Lebron has received has been completely deserved. It is not acceptable for Lebron to stop attacking the basket. It is not acceptable that after eight years in the league, Lebron hasn't developed any semblance of a post game. And it is not acceptable, that he has not become an unbelievable mid-range shooter or developed a go-to mid-range move. These are all things we remember other great players, including Jordan and Bryant, doing as they got older and more mature. We remember how these players became nearly unstoppable as their careers progressed because of the skills they perfected. Nobody could stop MJ's turnaround. Kobe's mid-range game and footwork is impeccable. This is what we remember.
That's the thing, though. When it comes to sports, we have very selective memories. We remember the things we loved and the things we want to remember forever. The type of things we want to tell our kids. When it comes to Jordan's legacy, we remember the Flu Game and his last shot against Bryon Russell. We remember the shot against Ehlo and Jordan running down the sideline shaking his head. We choose not to remember that he didn't shoot his last shot against Byron Russell, but instead he shot his last shot in a meaningless game wearing a Wizards jersey. We don't remember his struggles against the Bad Boys in Detroit. We remember the things we love.
When it comes to Kobe's legacy, we remember the comeback he helped orchestrate against the Trailblazers in 2000. The alley-oop he threw to Shaq. Wiped from our memory is Game 5 of the 2000 Finals in which Bryant only scored 8 points in 37 minutes played. Vivid in our memories is the night Bryant scored 81 points. We love thinking of Bryant's huge playoff shots against the Suns and Spurs. We forget about the way Bryant sulked during the 2007-2008 season. We forget about his attempts to force a trade out of Los Angeles before the Lakers were able to appease his demands and get him Pau Gasol. We remember him being the ultimate closer in big situations. We remember the things we love.
With Lebron, we remember what is most vivid in our memory. We remember Game 5 against the Celtics last season. We remember the debacle that was his performance in the NBA Finals this season, but since we haven't had time to reminisce about the things we loved about him, we can't get the bad memories out of our mind. In attempting to define his legacy, we focus on the here and now, but forget Lebron is still only 26 years old.
Only five years ago, Dirk Nowitzki was a sorry excuse for a basketball player. He had choked away an NBA Finals that he should have won in 2006. The following year he won an MVP award he didn't deserve. Even though he led the Mavericks to the league's best record, his team became the first #1 seed to lose to a #8 seed in a seven game series in the NBA Playoffs. He was a choke artist. He was an overrated scorer.
Now. Nowitzki has been called one of the 20 greatest NBA players of all-time. He is a clutch player who absolutely dominates the fourth quarter. He might even be the best forward of all-time not named Bird. Five years ago, though, this seemed impossible. The odds were stacked against Nowitzki and he needed to do something improbable. Something that people had never seen before.
Just like Nowitzki, Lebron has now set the table for his redemption story. A great career seems improbable, maybe even unattainable for Lebron at this point. It seems like it is out of reach and out of the question. To become the GOAT, Lebron needs to obtain the seemingly impossible. If Lebron somehow manages to turn his career around and allow us to forget about these past two years, he will do something that no one thought he could do. He will defy the odds. He will give us something we have never seen before, the moment we all yearn to see each and every time we watch sports. I know I will be watching. Will you?
Sunday, May 22, 2011
NBA Playoff Thoughts
The NBA Playoffs are one of the most exciting times of the year for me because I am an absolute basketball junkie and the NBA playoffs pit the best basketball players in the world against each other in do-or-die situations. Here are some of my thoughts as the Conference Finals progress.
How good are the Miami Heat?
This is not a question where I'm asking for an actual measurement of how good the Heat are, but instead an exclamation like, "WOW. How good are the Miami Heat?!?"
When people asked me before the playoffs about who I thought would represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, I answered the Miami Heat. It was hard for me to say this because there are still certainly questions regarding their team chemistry and playoff experience together, but I kept telling people that it was impossible for me to bet against Dwyane Wade and Lebron James. Each of these players had already carried teams to the Finals singlehandedly. If each of them can do it by themselves, it was difficult to grasp what they could do together. Thus far, the results have been pretty impressive. In their series against Boston, it simply seemed unfair at times. During the series, it seemed like Wade and James had planned out the game like prize fighters. Wade would come out with a point-scoring, play-making barrage in the first half to soften up the champs, while James would be pulling a rope-a-dope in the corner. After halftime, the roles would reverse with James hitting jumper after jumper and driving to the rim delivering power punches to knock out the champs.
I'm not saying their path to the Finals is not going to be difficult because that would just be ignorant. The Bulls are the best team in the league and have the best defense in the league that will test the Heat night in and night out. With that being said though, it is still impossible for me to bet against two of the five best players in the league.
(Sidenote: I was discussing this with one of my friends the other day. Even though, I absolutely love seeing the Lakers lose, I really wish they hadn't. With the Lakers and Spurs both being knocked out, the playoffs have been set up for doubters to create excuses for why the Heat were able to "sneak through the playoffs" and win a championship. When doubters take a look at the Heat's postseason run, they will be able to make these claims.
Skeptical fan: "The Heat really didn't even win the championship. In the first round, they beat the Sixers, who honestly didn't even belong in the playoffs. Then they beat the Celtics, who were too old and past their prime. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they beat the Bulls. This was the first season that the Bulls made a deep postseason run and Derrick Rose is still learning how to take over playoff games. In the Finals, they didn't even have to beat the Lakers. Instead they faced Dirk, who doesn't have a clutch bone in his body. He's never been able to lead the Mavs to victory in the playoffs. **OR** The Thunder? Their best player is barely old enough to buy beer. Their two best players don't even get along. Of course, the Heat beat them. Their entire postseason run was easy. They played very beatable teams in every single game."
If the Heat win the NBA Finals, I know a ton of people that will definitely make this argument. If the Heat actually do end up winning, I will be unbelievably annoyed having to listen to these ignorant statements.)
Are there any valid complaints with Russell Westbrook's play?
Throughout the postseason, there have been questions regarding Westbrook's play. In the first two rounds, many people questioned Westbrook's decision making and ability to facilitate to other players on the Thunder specifically Kevin Durant. At times in their first two playoff series, the Thunder were unable to get Durant touches in the fourth quarter during end of the game situations. Since Westbrook is the point guard of the team, much of the blame was placed on him for the Thunder's inability to get Durant shots. Though there were certainly times Westbrook could have done better, it would be irresponsible to place all of the blame on him. Getting Durant touches is dictated by the plays that are called and Durant's ability to move off of the ball. Though Durant is certainly very good at this, the Grizzlies were able to throw two defenders (Battier and Allen) at him that could push him around and frustrate him while chasing him around screens. Memphis's team defense did a great job of making it difficult on Durant while he attempted to get open.
Though there are others to blame, the criticism of Westbrook is not completely undeserved. When taking a look at Westbrook's game, it is simple to see why he has received so much criticism. Westbrook is a great scorer and attacks the rim like few other players in the league can, but when attacking Westbrook looks to score first and pass second. I'm not going to say this is a bad thing because Westbrook's ability to score makes him one of the most dynamic guards in the league, but his preference to score can become a hindrance when it comes to creating for other teammates. In my opinion, the Thunder's offense flows best when James Harden is facilitating the action. With Harden as the creator, both Durant and Westbrook are able to work off of the ball, which puts even more pressure on the defense because help defenders have to be aware of where both of them are as well as the ballhandler.
Ultimately, when looking at Westbrook, I think it is necessary to understand that he is still a young player learning how to be a point guard and leader. To be the explosive player he has become, he will likely have some turnovers and make some poor decisions. For Westbrook, it could just be, as some have suggested, a matter of maturing and getting more experience as a point guard. It could also be that he just may never be a great point guard. He is already a great player and scorer, but being a great point guard is something that can be difficult to learn. Great point guards are typically born, not made. This is what I believe the case is with Westbrook. It's impossible to teach someone how to get others involved and lead a team. Playing the point guard position well is just an innate skill that can not be taught. You either have it or you don't and I just don't think Westbrook has it.
Is Memphis better without Rudy Gay?
(Even though the Grizzlies have already said that they are going to bring him back, I still want to explore it.)
I know this seems like a silly question, but I really am curious if the Grizzlies are better without their leading scorer and supposed best player. After spending the summer on Team USA at the 2010 FIBA World Championships, Gay developed into a much more complete player and was putting up great numbers until he got injured in the middle of February. With their best player out, many assumed Memphis would fall out of contention for the last playoff spot in the West and settle for a lottery pick. Much to everyone's surprise, they made a few savvy moves at the trade deadline (trading for Shane Battier and signing Leon Powe) and turned themselves to a playoff team.
With Gay out of the lineup, they took on a completely new persona and became a scrappy team centered around team defense and inside strength. While many other teams in the league are going small, they went big with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. With Gay no longer in the lineup taking 15-20 shots a night, Memphis was able to completely embrace this new identity and begin to rely on their post play. This transformation led them to the playoffs and helped players like O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley develop into more than just role players. Having to take on a heavier load led to these players taking bigger leadership roles on the team and a feeling of greater importance. When Gay returns next year, it could be difficult for the Grizzlies to reinvent themselves again. It might not be the worst idea to trade him this offseason, but a Gay-less Grizzlies team seems unlikely with the comments from their GM and owner.
How good are the Miami Heat?
This is not a question where I'm asking for an actual measurement of how good the Heat are, but instead an exclamation like, "WOW. How good are the Miami Heat?!?"
When people asked me before the playoffs about who I thought would represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, I answered the Miami Heat. It was hard for me to say this because there are still certainly questions regarding their team chemistry and playoff experience together, but I kept telling people that it was impossible for me to bet against Dwyane Wade and Lebron James. Each of these players had already carried teams to the Finals singlehandedly. If each of them can do it by themselves, it was difficult to grasp what they could do together. Thus far, the results have been pretty impressive. In their series against Boston, it simply seemed unfair at times. During the series, it seemed like Wade and James had planned out the game like prize fighters. Wade would come out with a point-scoring, play-making barrage in the first half to soften up the champs, while James would be pulling a rope-a-dope in the corner. After halftime, the roles would reverse with James hitting jumper after jumper and driving to the rim delivering power punches to knock out the champs.
I'm not saying their path to the Finals is not going to be difficult because that would just be ignorant. The Bulls are the best team in the league and have the best defense in the league that will test the Heat night in and night out. With that being said though, it is still impossible for me to bet against two of the five best players in the league.
(Sidenote: I was discussing this with one of my friends the other day. Even though, I absolutely love seeing the Lakers lose, I really wish they hadn't. With the Lakers and Spurs both being knocked out, the playoffs have been set up for doubters to create excuses for why the Heat were able to "sneak through the playoffs" and win a championship. When doubters take a look at the Heat's postseason run, they will be able to make these claims.
Skeptical fan: "The Heat really didn't even win the championship. In the first round, they beat the Sixers, who honestly didn't even belong in the playoffs. Then they beat the Celtics, who were too old and past their prime. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they beat the Bulls. This was the first season that the Bulls made a deep postseason run and Derrick Rose is still learning how to take over playoff games. In the Finals, they didn't even have to beat the Lakers. Instead they faced Dirk, who doesn't have a clutch bone in his body. He's never been able to lead the Mavs to victory in the playoffs. **OR** The Thunder? Their best player is barely old enough to buy beer. Their two best players don't even get along. Of course, the Heat beat them. Their entire postseason run was easy. They played very beatable teams in every single game."
If the Heat win the NBA Finals, I know a ton of people that will definitely make this argument. If the Heat actually do end up winning, I will be unbelievably annoyed having to listen to these ignorant statements.)
Are there any valid complaints with Russell Westbrook's play?
Throughout the postseason, there have been questions regarding Westbrook's play. In the first two rounds, many people questioned Westbrook's decision making and ability to facilitate to other players on the Thunder specifically Kevin Durant. At times in their first two playoff series, the Thunder were unable to get Durant touches in the fourth quarter during end of the game situations. Since Westbrook is the point guard of the team, much of the blame was placed on him for the Thunder's inability to get Durant shots. Though there were certainly times Westbrook could have done better, it would be irresponsible to place all of the blame on him. Getting Durant touches is dictated by the plays that are called and Durant's ability to move off of the ball. Though Durant is certainly very good at this, the Grizzlies were able to throw two defenders (Battier and Allen) at him that could push him around and frustrate him while chasing him around screens. Memphis's team defense did a great job of making it difficult on Durant while he attempted to get open.
Though there are others to blame, the criticism of Westbrook is not completely undeserved. When taking a look at Westbrook's game, it is simple to see why he has received so much criticism. Westbrook is a great scorer and attacks the rim like few other players in the league can, but when attacking Westbrook looks to score first and pass second. I'm not going to say this is a bad thing because Westbrook's ability to score makes him one of the most dynamic guards in the league, but his preference to score can become a hindrance when it comes to creating for other teammates. In my opinion, the Thunder's offense flows best when James Harden is facilitating the action. With Harden as the creator, both Durant and Westbrook are able to work off of the ball, which puts even more pressure on the defense because help defenders have to be aware of where both of them are as well as the ballhandler.
Ultimately, when looking at Westbrook, I think it is necessary to understand that he is still a young player learning how to be a point guard and leader. To be the explosive player he has become, he will likely have some turnovers and make some poor decisions. For Westbrook, it could just be, as some have suggested, a matter of maturing and getting more experience as a point guard. It could also be that he just may never be a great point guard. He is already a great player and scorer, but being a great point guard is something that can be difficult to learn. Great point guards are typically born, not made. This is what I believe the case is with Westbrook. It's impossible to teach someone how to get others involved and lead a team. Playing the point guard position well is just an innate skill that can not be taught. You either have it or you don't and I just don't think Westbrook has it.
Is Memphis better without Rudy Gay?
(Even though the Grizzlies have already said that they are going to bring him back, I still want to explore it.)
I know this seems like a silly question, but I really am curious if the Grizzlies are better without their leading scorer and supposed best player. After spending the summer on Team USA at the 2010 FIBA World Championships, Gay developed into a much more complete player and was putting up great numbers until he got injured in the middle of February. With their best player out, many assumed Memphis would fall out of contention for the last playoff spot in the West and settle for a lottery pick. Much to everyone's surprise, they made a few savvy moves at the trade deadline (trading for Shane Battier and signing Leon Powe) and turned themselves to a playoff team.
With Gay out of the lineup, they took on a completely new persona and became a scrappy team centered around team defense and inside strength. While many other teams in the league are going small, they went big with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. With Gay no longer in the lineup taking 15-20 shots a night, Memphis was able to completely embrace this new identity and begin to rely on their post play. This transformation led them to the playoffs and helped players like O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley develop into more than just role players. Having to take on a heavier load led to these players taking bigger leadership roles on the team and a feeling of greater importance. When Gay returns next year, it could be difficult for the Grizzlies to reinvent themselves again. It might not be the worst idea to trade him this offseason, but a Gay-less Grizzlies team seems unlikely with the comments from their GM and owner.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Who's the NBA MVP?
I haven't wrote a blog post in a very, very long time and it's the day before Finals begin. I have five papers due in the next week and yet I decide to write a blog post about the NBA MVP race. I think this might be my single most impressive piece of procrastination ever.
With school ending in the next week, I will have considerably more free time and should be able to get back to writing consistently. So with that being said, I am Back! You know it!
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To help you understand my rationale, I have attempted to place my MVP candidates into different groups that help categorize and classify them. Enjoy.
"Without me, this team would win 20 games." - Chris Paul, Dirk Nowitzki
With school ending in the next week, I will have considerably more free time and should be able to get back to writing consistently. So with that being said, I am Back! You know it!
-----------------------------
To help you understand my rationale, I have attempted to place my MVP candidates into different groups that help categorize and classify them. Enjoy.
"Without me, this team would win 20 games." - Chris Paul, Dirk Nowitzki
Without Paul and Nowitzki neither the Hornets or Mavericks would be anywhere near the playoffs. The fact that both teams have made the playoffs is a testament to these two superstars. Both of them have very distinct skills, but are definitely among the best players in the league.
Chris Paul defines the point guard position. He makes the players around him significantly better and that is the number one trait you want your point guard to have. Without him, some of the guys on the Hornets might not be in the league. I mean Paul has turned Aaron Gray into a functional NBA player. (Yeah, this guy.) Gray's best talent is being tall and I'm not even sure he's good at that. And Gray isn't the only one. The starters along with Paul for the Hornets' series against the Lakers were Trevor Ariza, Carl Landry, Emeka Okafor, and Marco Bellinelli with Jarrett Jack, Aaron Gray, and Jason Smith all contributing at least ten minutes off of the bench. I know that each one of these players have redeeming qualities, but none of them are legitimate running mates for Paul. He makes each one of these players effective simply because of how talented he is.
(On a related sidenote, I am VERY interested to see how good David West will be if he leaves the Hornets. West is certainly a good rebounder and one could imagine he will be able to average a double-double somewhere else, but I don't see many situations in which he will put up the numbers that he has while in New Orleans.)
In a time when it is popular to crown Derrick Rose the best point guard in the league after he dunks it on someone's head or Rajon Rondo after he puts up 25 assists in a game, it's unfortunate that people forget to give Paul the recognition he deserves because of his unbelievable consistency. Paul has been in the Top 10 in assists per game since his rookie season. He is currently the active leader in assists per game at 9.9 APG. If that's not enough, he is also consistently near the top of the league in steals. Almost forgot to mention that he also averages 16 points per game and is one of the most efficient players in the league.
The most amazing thing is that no matter how many different stats I throw at you, you still don't comprehend just how good Paul is until you see him play in person. Paul is a floor general and controls every aspect of the game. He helps get each of his teammates involved in the first half and closes out games with a killer instinct that only the best in the league possess.
I know that it would be ignorant to attempt to argue for Chris Paul to be this year's MVP because he hasn't had a transcendent statistical season or led his team to a historic record, but there is no way I can pass him up when taking a look at the league's most VALUABLE players. Much of the same argument can be used to make a case for Dirk Nowitzki.
Though it may be hard to comprehend or except Dirk Nowitzki has put together an amazing career and will likely be a Hall of Famer when he decides to hang it up. I know Bill Simmons has argued it before, but as time goes by it would be very possible to argue that Dirk Nowitzki is actually better than Bird if you just look at statistics and as he so elequently describes it, "throw out MVPs, titles, and overall impact". I would never say that Dirk is better than Larry Legend, but he has certainly put together quite a resume over the years. (Check out the full statistical comparison here.)
Much like Paul, Dirk has carried the Mavericks this entire season. I know they have some big name players in Jason Terry, Jason Kidd, and Shawn Marion, but this isn't the early 2000s anymore. Shawn Marion isn't the player he used to be, Jason Kidd doesn't have hair, and the JET might be running out of fuel.** These players are not the guys they used to be. Without Dirk this season, they were 2-7. Without Dirk, this team struggles to score points because no one else on the team can create for themselves or command a double team. With Dirk, though, they are the third best team in the Western Conference and a contender to win the NBA Finals. Once again, it would be nearly impossible to give Dirk the MVP, but he does deserve some credit for dragging a team that has no business in the playoffs into the playoffs.
**A sidenote on the JET nickname: I feel like the JET has to be a self-coined moniker. Anytime the nickname gets brought up during a broadcast, the announcer goes on and on about how those are his initials and it is so ironic that those are his initials. How does everyone know his middle initial? He had to purposely tell everyone about this. My middle initial is T. I didn't tell everyone that my name was Eric T. Nehm and then tell people that I wanted to be called E.T. because my passing skills are not human. Or my vision was out of this world. Give me a break.
**A sidenote on the JET nickname: I feel like the JET has to be a self-coined moniker. Anytime the nickname gets brought up during a broadcast, the announcer goes on and on about how those are his initials and it is so ironic that those are his initials. How does everyone know his middle initial? He had to purposely tell everyone about this. My middle initial is T. I didn't tell everyone that my name was Eric T. Nehm and then tell people that I wanted to be called E.T. because my passing skills are not human. Or my vision was out of this world. Give me a break.
"I get the trophy Monday through Wednesday, You get it Thursday through Saturday. We can share it on Sundays" - Dwyane Wade/Lebron James, Russell Westbrook/Kevin Durant
At various points in the season I have heard people argue that each of these players deserve the MVP award, but there is no way that you can allow one of these four to win the award. I love Lebron James. I will be the first to admit. I love him a little bit less after the Decision, but I still enjoy watching him play more than any other player in the league (except maybe Matt Bonner). His stat line was not as impressive as it has been in years past, but was still very good: 26.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.0 APG. Not quite up to par with his past few years, but still very Jamesian. (Yeah, that's a new word.)
Though he was very good, it is impossible to deny the fact that he played along Dwyane Wade, who was very impressive as well this season. Wade averaged 25.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.6 APG. These two side-by-side would be unfair for the rest of the league if it wasn't for the fact that they don't actually have real teammates, but instead Chris Bosh and two lucky fans that the Heat randomly select each night. (Wait. They don't do that? They actually play Juwan Howard and Joel Anthony every night. Oooh.) Even though they play 3-on-5 each night, the Heat were still able to get the second seed in the East because of the ridiculous skill of Wade and James.
(Sidenote: This may be only a comparison that a few of my readers get, but instead of calling the Heat the Big Three or the Heatles, I think that the Heat should be called the Fantasy Factor3. This is in reference to one of my favorite shows, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, but only in comparison to this year's cast.
For me, Lebron is Rob Dyrdek. Rob has always been a showman, but in the first few years of Fantasy Factory, he was forced to carry the entire load just like Lebron early in his career in Cleveland. He had to be the comic relief, he had to do the crazy stuff, and he needed to get everything possible out of a cast wasn't all that good. Last season, he got a little bit too off the wall and at times it seemed like the crazy stuff he was doing was a bit of a stretch, just like some of the photo op pregame stuff the Cavaliers did.
Drama is Chris Bosh. Drama was never really very cool or funny on Rob and Big, but on a franchise that wasn't as good (Fantasy Factory), he needed to step up and point up some points. This was just like Bosh in Toronto. Drama was never really that talented, but he was a great player for a bad team. He became a major character because he needed to. Someone on Fantasy Factory needed to put up some stats and Drama was the guy that filled the role.
Wade is Big Black. Big Black is a star. On Rob and Big, he was a go-to-guy. At times, when Rob couldn't carry the load, Big Black could come in and carry a whole show. He could come through in the clutch. Rob and Big was a proven winner, much like Wade was on the 2006 Heat. The addition of Big Black this season is just like putting together Wade and James. Big Black is just trying to get his footing and figure out how to fit in and when he can take over an episode. Eventually, they will figure out their chemistry and Fantasy Factory will be the best show on television. (Okay, maybe that part was a stretch.)
I hope my ten readers that watch Fantasy Factory actually liked the reference and those of you who didn't get it, start watching Fantasy Factory.)
It is nearly impossible to separate Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant because they are such a dynamic duo, but when you do they are very impressive. Westbrook's first two seasons in the NBA were good, but were highlighted by small glimmers of greatness. This season Westbrook finally put it all together and had a truly great season. As the point guard of one of the youngest teams in the league, Westbrook was able to average 21.9 PPG, 8.2 APG, and 4.6 RPG. It was great to see Westbrook put it all together and finally become a very good young point guard. Though Derrick Rose has gotten nearly all the attention for his great season, Westbrook has been very similar in many statistical aspects. (Here is the full statistical comparison. Win Share is the big difference between them, which obviously gives Rose the edge. The PPG, APG, and RPG are very similar though.)
Durant is a just about unstoppable scorer. At 6'9" with long arms, Durant is a difficult mismatch for anyone in the league. The Thunder do a great job of running Durant off of screens and getting the ball in his hands, which makes it nearly impossible for an opposing forward to attempt to stop Durant. This is evident in Durant leading the league in scoring for the second year in a row. Once Durant can become more of a playmaker rather than just a scorer he might be able to legitimately get himself into the MVP contention, but until that day I think the Thunder will be just fine with Westbrook as their playmaker and Durant as their scorer.
"You could give it to me every year, but no one really likes me" - Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant has been one of the best players in the league for the last ten years. As much as everyone would likely not believe what I am about to say, I feel bad for Kobe. Much like Chris Paul, Kobe is so consistently great that no one ever wants to give him an MVP award because it's not really anything new or different. Though I feel bad for Kobe, I don't feel that bad for him because the same thing happened to Michael Jordan who only won five MVP trophies when he really deserved seven or eight.
As he has been for the last at least five years, Kobe is still the best closer in the league. There isn't a person in the league you would rather have take the last shot than Kobe. He simply has a knack for hitting the big shot and that is absolutely something you want in your best player. Kobe was more efficient this season in fewer minutes per game (decreased from 38 to 33 per game) and allowed his teammates to carry a heavier load earlier in games**. This was a very good development in the progression of Kobe into a more Jordanesque veteran player.
**Though there were times this season when Kobe accepted his role as a leader and allowed some of his teammates to take control of games, there were times when he would be in "straight jack" mode as well. It was always frustrating for me because I want players to maximize their potential and become the best player they can be and when I would see a game where he allowed Pau to dominate, I would start to have hope. And then the next game I would see him take 30 shots and immediately be disappointed. To Kobe's credit though, he has gotten considerably better at this over the years.
"I dunk the ball all the time. I block a ton of shots out of bounds. And I do it all with a smile on my face. Give me the award." - Dwight Howard
Since Dwight Howard has entered the league, fans have waited for Dwight Howard to take "The Next Step". "The Next Step" has been different for Howard throughout his career. In his first two seasons, "The Next Step" was figuring out how to use his massive body to become an effective offensive player. Howard figured out how to do that and has become much more effective offensively in the last few seasons. After figuring out his offensive game, "The Next Step" for Howard was figuring out how to affect the game on the defensive end of the floor. Howard has been able to do that as well managing to win the last three Defensive Player of the Year awards. With a relatively complete game, "The Next Step" for Howard is becoming a leader and helping his team win games.
This season certainly seemed like a step in the right direction, but I'm not quite sure Dwight is there yet. I know that he has been the Defensive Player of the Year, but I feel like there is more Dwight can do defensively. Michael Wilbon has echoed this point for years and I have to agree with his sentiment: Dwight Howard could be a much more effective defensive player if he was willing to stop worrying about the highlight block and start keeping his blocks in play. Bill Russell was one of the best shot blockers of all-time, but rarely would you see him block shots out of bounds. No one in the history of basketball was better at blocking a shot to himself or to a teammate to start a fast break than Bill Russell.
Offensively, I know that Howard has made improvements by leaps and bounds, but I'm still waiting for him to become a bit more effective offensively. Howard is improving in passing out of double teams, but I still think there is a ton of room for improvement. Through his first seven seasons, Howard's highest total for assists per game in a season is 1.9 APG. In Shaquille O'Neal's first seven seasons, O'Neals lowest total was 1.9 APG and that came in his rookie season. I understand that Shaq was still only averaging around 2.5 APG in his first seven seasons, but compared to Howard's 1.5 APG in his first seven seasons it can become a big deal.
I hope that someday Howard can become the player his potential suggests he can become, but until that day I will be disappointed. I understand that, to this point, this has been Howard's absolute best season, but I still don't think he deserves the MVP award. He simply doesn't do enough as a big man to win the award. I am particularly bothered by the fact that the Hawks refused to double team him or even help their post players defend Howard and the Magic still lost. I know that guards affect the game in a much different way than big men, but if teams would allow any of the players on this list to do whatever they want their teams would not have lost in the first round.
"I'm supposed to be mad Lebron didn't come here? Nah. I'll just take his award." - Derrick Rose
Two storylines have driven interest in the NBA this past season: Lebron James deciding to become a member of the Miami Heat and the effect the 2010 FIBA World Championships had on a number of young players. It was impossible to watch ESPN without hearing about Miami's Big Three or The Heatles or The Fantasy Factor3 (see how I used it there). Every game they played was dissected and we heard about what they could do better or why they are struggling. Any other time spent discussing the NBA revolved around the development of many young players into borderline superstars. Derrick Rose was the convergence of these two storylines.
All the time leading up to "The Decision" revolved around where Lebron should go and which team he would have fit best with. I still contend that it was the Clippers, but there were compelling cases made for Chicago, New York, New Jersey, and Miami. Everyone believed that adding James would turn the Bulls into instant contenders, but after they failed to lure him to Chicago few believed the Bulls had what it took to win the Eastern Conference. Many people believed they would win the Central Division, but even that wasn't a consensus opinion. Little did they know the effect "The Decision" would have on Derrick Rose.
Lebron choosing to take his talents to South Beach instead of the Windy City is probably the best thing that could have happened to Rose. After "The Decision" Derrick Rose lead on that he wasn't happy that Lebron chose Miami instead of Chicago, but it wasn't a childish temper tantrum. It seemed more like a fire Rose used to fuel him to push his game to new levels this entire season. With Lebron in Chicago, Rose would not have been able to dominate the offense the way he has this season. Instead of being relied on for most of their offensive production, Rose would have been forced to play a supporting role to Lebron and would have been unable to develop into the dynamic offensive force he is today.
Rose's season has been particularly impressive because of the team that is around him. The Bulls are a very well constructed team, but there are only a few players in the league that could be as productive as Rose has been because the Bulls do not have another player on the team that can get to the basket. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are both very good players, but neither of them attack the rim. The same can be said for all of their perimeter players (Deng, Korver, Bogans, Gibson, Watson). This means that their offensive productivity relies completely on Rose and his ability to penetrate and make plays. And you know what? Every single team in the league knows this and can't do anything about it. Rose is just too quick and strong. He does a great job creating and using his athletic ability to get to the basket.
Rose's experience at the FIBA World Championships helped him develop as a leader and scorer. With guys like Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Lebron James deciding to sit out for the World Championships this summer, players like Rose and Durant were forced to step into roles that they had never had as a member of USA Basketball. They were being asked to be the go-to guys on a team of great NBA players. Obviously, the FIBA World Championships aren't the same as an NBA Finals series, but they are extremely competitive and gave Rose experience in games that actually mattered. In these highly competitive games, Rose was forced to take games over at times and this helped him handle the load for this entire season.
Rose's leadership and ability to make plays is what makes him so valuable to the Bulls. Without him, they would definitely struggle to score and win games. Rose's drive and tenacity have helped the Bulls transform themselves from a fringe playoff team to one of the league's best teams and make him this year's most valuable player.
At various points in the season I have heard people argue that each of these players deserve the MVP award, but there is no way that you can allow one of these four to win the award. I love Lebron James. I will be the first to admit. I love him a little bit less after the Decision, but I still enjoy watching him play more than any other player in the league (except maybe Matt Bonner). His stat line was not as impressive as it has been in years past, but was still very good: 26.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.0 APG. Not quite up to par with his past few years, but still very Jamesian. (Yeah, that's a new word.)
Though he was very good, it is impossible to deny the fact that he played along Dwyane Wade, who was very impressive as well this season. Wade averaged 25.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.6 APG. These two side-by-side would be unfair for the rest of the league if it wasn't for the fact that they don't actually have real teammates, but instead Chris Bosh and two lucky fans that the Heat randomly select each night. (Wait. They don't do that? They actually play Juwan Howard and Joel Anthony every night. Oooh.) Even though they play 3-on-5 each night, the Heat were still able to get the second seed in the East because of the ridiculous skill of Wade and James.
(Sidenote: This may be only a comparison that a few of my readers get, but instead of calling the Heat the Big Three or the Heatles, I think that the Heat should be called the Fantasy Factor3. This is in reference to one of my favorite shows, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, but only in comparison to this year's cast.
For me, Lebron is Rob Dyrdek. Rob has always been a showman, but in the first few years of Fantasy Factory, he was forced to carry the entire load just like Lebron early in his career in Cleveland. He had to be the comic relief, he had to do the crazy stuff, and he needed to get everything possible out of a cast wasn't all that good. Last season, he got a little bit too off the wall and at times it seemed like the crazy stuff he was doing was a bit of a stretch, just like some of the photo op pregame stuff the Cavaliers did.
Drama is Chris Bosh. Drama was never really very cool or funny on Rob and Big, but on a franchise that wasn't as good (Fantasy Factory), he needed to step up and point up some points. This was just like Bosh in Toronto. Drama was never really that talented, but he was a great player for a bad team. He became a major character because he needed to. Someone on Fantasy Factory needed to put up some stats and Drama was the guy that filled the role.
Wade is Big Black. Big Black is a star. On Rob and Big, he was a go-to-guy. At times, when Rob couldn't carry the load, Big Black could come in and carry a whole show. He could come through in the clutch. Rob and Big was a proven winner, much like Wade was on the 2006 Heat. The addition of Big Black this season is just like putting together Wade and James. Big Black is just trying to get his footing and figure out how to fit in and when he can take over an episode. Eventually, they will figure out their chemistry and Fantasy Factory will be the best show on television. (Okay, maybe that part was a stretch.)
I hope my ten readers that watch Fantasy Factory actually liked the reference and those of you who didn't get it, start watching Fantasy Factory.)
It is nearly impossible to separate Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant because they are such a dynamic duo, but when you do they are very impressive. Westbrook's first two seasons in the NBA were good, but were highlighted by small glimmers of greatness. This season Westbrook finally put it all together and had a truly great season. As the point guard of one of the youngest teams in the league, Westbrook was able to average 21.9 PPG, 8.2 APG, and 4.6 RPG. It was great to see Westbrook put it all together and finally become a very good young point guard. Though Derrick Rose has gotten nearly all the attention for his great season, Westbrook has been very similar in many statistical aspects. (Here is the full statistical comparison. Win Share is the big difference between them, which obviously gives Rose the edge. The PPG, APG, and RPG are very similar though.)
Durant is a just about unstoppable scorer. At 6'9" with long arms, Durant is a difficult mismatch for anyone in the league. The Thunder do a great job of running Durant off of screens and getting the ball in his hands, which makes it nearly impossible for an opposing forward to attempt to stop Durant. This is evident in Durant leading the league in scoring for the second year in a row. Once Durant can become more of a playmaker rather than just a scorer he might be able to legitimately get himself into the MVP contention, but until that day I think the Thunder will be just fine with Westbrook as their playmaker and Durant as their scorer.
"You could give it to me every year, but no one really likes me" - Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant has been one of the best players in the league for the last ten years. As much as everyone would likely not believe what I am about to say, I feel bad for Kobe. Much like Chris Paul, Kobe is so consistently great that no one ever wants to give him an MVP award because it's not really anything new or different. Though I feel bad for Kobe, I don't feel that bad for him because the same thing happened to Michael Jordan who only won five MVP trophies when he really deserved seven or eight.
As he has been for the last at least five years, Kobe is still the best closer in the league. There isn't a person in the league you would rather have take the last shot than Kobe. He simply has a knack for hitting the big shot and that is absolutely something you want in your best player. Kobe was more efficient this season in fewer minutes per game (decreased from 38 to 33 per game) and allowed his teammates to carry a heavier load earlier in games**. This was a very good development in the progression of Kobe into a more Jordanesque veteran player.
**Though there were times this season when Kobe accepted his role as a leader and allowed some of his teammates to take control of games, there were times when he would be in "straight jack" mode as well. It was always frustrating for me because I want players to maximize their potential and become the best player they can be and when I would see a game where he allowed Pau to dominate, I would start to have hope. And then the next game I would see him take 30 shots and immediately be disappointed. To Kobe's credit though, he has gotten considerably better at this over the years.
"I dunk the ball all the time. I block a ton of shots out of bounds. And I do it all with a smile on my face. Give me the award." - Dwight Howard
Since Dwight Howard has entered the league, fans have waited for Dwight Howard to take "The Next Step". "The Next Step" has been different for Howard throughout his career. In his first two seasons, "The Next Step" was figuring out how to use his massive body to become an effective offensive player. Howard figured out how to do that and has become much more effective offensively in the last few seasons. After figuring out his offensive game, "The Next Step" for Howard was figuring out how to affect the game on the defensive end of the floor. Howard has been able to do that as well managing to win the last three Defensive Player of the Year awards. With a relatively complete game, "The Next Step" for Howard is becoming a leader and helping his team win games.
This season certainly seemed like a step in the right direction, but I'm not quite sure Dwight is there yet. I know that he has been the Defensive Player of the Year, but I feel like there is more Dwight can do defensively. Michael Wilbon has echoed this point for years and I have to agree with his sentiment: Dwight Howard could be a much more effective defensive player if he was willing to stop worrying about the highlight block and start keeping his blocks in play. Bill Russell was one of the best shot blockers of all-time, but rarely would you see him block shots out of bounds. No one in the history of basketball was better at blocking a shot to himself or to a teammate to start a fast break than Bill Russell.
Offensively, I know that Howard has made improvements by leaps and bounds, but I'm still waiting for him to become a bit more effective offensively. Howard is improving in passing out of double teams, but I still think there is a ton of room for improvement. Through his first seven seasons, Howard's highest total for assists per game in a season is 1.9 APG. In Shaquille O'Neal's first seven seasons, O'Neals lowest total was 1.9 APG and that came in his rookie season. I understand that Shaq was still only averaging around 2.5 APG in his first seven seasons, but compared to Howard's 1.5 APG in his first seven seasons it can become a big deal.
I hope that someday Howard can become the player his potential suggests he can become, but until that day I will be disappointed. I understand that, to this point, this has been Howard's absolute best season, but I still don't think he deserves the MVP award. He simply doesn't do enough as a big man to win the award. I am particularly bothered by the fact that the Hawks refused to double team him or even help their post players defend Howard and the Magic still lost. I know that guards affect the game in a much different way than big men, but if teams would allow any of the players on this list to do whatever they want their teams would not have lost in the first round.
"I'm supposed to be mad Lebron didn't come here? Nah. I'll just take his award." - Derrick Rose
Two storylines have driven interest in the NBA this past season: Lebron James deciding to become a member of the Miami Heat and the effect the 2010 FIBA World Championships had on a number of young players. It was impossible to watch ESPN without hearing about Miami's Big Three or The Heatles or The Fantasy Factor3 (see how I used it there). Every game they played was dissected and we heard about what they could do better or why they are struggling. Any other time spent discussing the NBA revolved around the development of many young players into borderline superstars. Derrick Rose was the convergence of these two storylines.
All the time leading up to "The Decision" revolved around where Lebron should go and which team he would have fit best with. I still contend that it was the Clippers, but there were compelling cases made for Chicago, New York, New Jersey, and Miami. Everyone believed that adding James would turn the Bulls into instant contenders, but after they failed to lure him to Chicago few believed the Bulls had what it took to win the Eastern Conference. Many people believed they would win the Central Division, but even that wasn't a consensus opinion. Little did they know the effect "The Decision" would have on Derrick Rose.
Lebron choosing to take his talents to South Beach instead of the Windy City is probably the best thing that could have happened to Rose. After "The Decision" Derrick Rose lead on that he wasn't happy that Lebron chose Miami instead of Chicago, but it wasn't a childish temper tantrum. It seemed more like a fire Rose used to fuel him to push his game to new levels this entire season. With Lebron in Chicago, Rose would not have been able to dominate the offense the way he has this season. Instead of being relied on for most of their offensive production, Rose would have been forced to play a supporting role to Lebron and would have been unable to develop into the dynamic offensive force he is today.
Rose's season has been particularly impressive because of the team that is around him. The Bulls are a very well constructed team, but there are only a few players in the league that could be as productive as Rose has been because the Bulls do not have another player on the team that can get to the basket. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are both very good players, but neither of them attack the rim. The same can be said for all of their perimeter players (Deng, Korver, Bogans, Gibson, Watson). This means that their offensive productivity relies completely on Rose and his ability to penetrate and make plays. And you know what? Every single team in the league knows this and can't do anything about it. Rose is just too quick and strong. He does a great job creating and using his athletic ability to get to the basket.
Rose's experience at the FIBA World Championships helped him develop as a leader and scorer. With guys like Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Lebron James deciding to sit out for the World Championships this summer, players like Rose and Durant were forced to step into roles that they had never had as a member of USA Basketball. They were being asked to be the go-to guys on a team of great NBA players. Obviously, the FIBA World Championships aren't the same as an NBA Finals series, but they are extremely competitive and gave Rose experience in games that actually mattered. In these highly competitive games, Rose was forced to take games over at times and this helped him handle the load for this entire season.
Rose's leadership and ability to make plays is what makes him so valuable to the Bulls. Without him, they would definitely struggle to score and win games. Rose's drive and tenacity have helped the Bulls transform themselves from a fringe playoff team to one of the league's best teams and make him this year's most valuable player.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Trade Deadline Review
The Carmelo Anthony Trade
I could give a breakdown of all of the players and where they are going, but there are 12 players and three different teams involved and I just don't really feel like typing out all of those names. All you need to know is that Anthony is now a member of the New York Knicks. It's hard for me to dislike this trade for the Knicks because they were able to pair two of the top 30 players in the league together and might be able to bring in a third star next summer.
I've been bothered by a lot of the criticism of this trade (especially this piece from Jemele Hill) stating that the Knicks gave up too much for Anthony. One of her main points centers around the fact that the Knicks are the second-highest scoring team in the league already and the addition of the offensive-minded Anthony will make little difference to a team that scores a ton of points. This is a valid point. I would tend to agree that the average amount of points scored by the Knicks will see little change, but with Anthony you would have to figure that the Knicks would become more efficient because Anthony is a much more effective offense player than Danilo Galinari or Wilson Chandler (or for that matter, both of them combined).
What I do not agree with his Hill's assessment of Raymond Felton, Galinari, and Chandler. She mentions that Felton and Chandler have become "very solid players", but doesn't really give any support of this idea. Both Felton and Chandler are both "very solid players" in Mike D'Antoni's system, but if they play in any other system in the league would they look as good. Were people clammering for Felton before he came to the Knicks? Not really. He was nothing more than a league average point guard, but throw him into the performance enhancing D'Antoni offensive system and he looks like a superstar. The same ideas apply for Galinari as well. Hill mentions that he is averaging a career-high 15.9 points per game this season, but it is hard to imagine he will be able to do the same thing in Denver where he won't be a part of D'Antoni's high-octane offense.
In the end, it's just hard for me to argue with a team that acquired one of the top 20 players in the league and a group of players that includes a veteran point guard when all they gave up were role players and picks.
Overall Grade for New York Knicks: A-
Though I degraded each of the former Knicks players in the first part of the trade review, each of the players they got are all decent players that will be able to contribute to a winning team at some point in their career, except Mosgov. He's just not very good. The only problem is this year will not be the year they will contribute to a winning team, but overall it was quite a haul for what they gave up.
Overall Grade for Denver Nuggets: B
The Deron Williams Trade
The Nets had long been a part of the Anthony trade discussions and with the Knicks acquisition of Anthony many assumed that the Nets would not make a move at the deadline, but the Nets had other plans as they acquired Deron Williams Wednesday afternoon. To acquire Williams, the Nets gave up Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, and two first round picks, which is significantly less than what it took the Knicks to obtain Carmelo Anthony.
The acquisition of Williams is interesting for a few reasons. The first of which is that Williams is currently in the last year of his current contract, which means that until the Nets sign him to a new contract there is no guarantee he will be in New Jersey next year. For the Nets' sake I hope that they are able to get Williams signed to a contract extension because otherwise the trade doesn't make a lot of sense. The second reason the trade is interesting is because of the value of Deron Williams. As far as I'm concerned, Williams is better than Anthony. It is much more important to have a great point guard who touches the ball on nearly every possession and dictates who gets the ball instead of a wing player that doesn't get the ball nearly as much. Don't get me wrong, though. Anthony is one of the best players in the league, but Williams is on the exact same level. The fact that they're very similar players makes it very surprising to me how little the Nets had to give up in comparison to the caliber of players the Knicks were forced to give up for Anthony.
Overall Grade for New Jersey Nets: A-
While the Nuggets were able to obtain three strarters, a young center, and a bevy of draft picks, the Jazz were only able to obtain a young point guard and young power forward with two first round picks. Not as impressive as the Nuggets package for Anthony, but you do have to credit the Jazz for not dragging out the process of trading Williams. They decided to trade Williams and got it over quickly. For that, you have to applaud them.
Overall Grade for Denver Nuggets: B-
Kirk Hinrich to the Hawks
This trade was a real surprise to me. Kirk Hinrich's value is much higher than I thought it was because Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong are as valuable as Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans, Jordan Crawford, and a 2011 first round pick. I don't feel like Hinrich is valuable enough to warrant a point guard that is about equal to him (Mike Bibby), two guards that have high upside (Evans and Crawford), and a first round pick. I just don't understand how Kirk Hinrich could be worth this much to the Hawks. He has yet to impress me in his NBA career, but the Wizards were still willing to give up four players for him and Hilton Armstrong. I just don't understand this trade from either team's perspective.
Overall Grade for Atlanta Hawks: D
Overall Grade for Washington Wizards: B
Baron Davis to the Cavaliers
I saw this trade on my Twitter feed as I was going to sleep on Wednesday night and I could not believe it. I just don't really understand the trade because I felt like the chemistry developed between Davis and Blake Griffin is something rare among players. Baron Davis literally played for the sole reason to throw ridiculous alley-oops to Griffin. (See Exhibit A, Exhibit B, and Exhibit C.) I just don't see Mo Williams having the same chemistry with Griffin. Mainly because Williams is a shoot-first point guard who has yet to figure out what it's like to be an actual point guard instead of a scorer.
Obviously, the main reason the Clippers decided to trade Davis was to get rid of his atrocious contract and set themselves to sign a free agent to a big contract in the offseason, but this only makes sense if you are a delusional Clippers fan. After this last offseason, it has become apparent that no free agent will sign with the Clippers. There were multiple free agents last season that would have fit in with the Clippers who offered the best supporting cast of young and talented players (Griffin, Eric Gordon, Deandre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe), but still no one will even think about going to the Clippers. If you can't attract any superstar free agents with that cast, it seems unlikely that you would be able to do it now.
Overall Grade for the Los Angeles Clippers: D
As Bill Simmons mentioned in his trade deadline review, the amount of weight Baron Davis will put on in the next few months playing for the worst team in the league is nearly unimaginable. Davis has proved time and time again that if he has nothing to play for he will not play hard and likely put on a ton of weight. From a player standpoint, it was a pretty awful trade, but it can't be forgotten that the Cavs also received a first round pick. Since it is from the Clippers, it should be a relatively high pick. It is still yet to be seen whether a high pick in this draft is worth that much. This draft class has been characterized as one of the weakest in recent memory and few analysts are convinced that there are many high impact players to draft.
Overall Grade for the Cleveland Cavaliers: C
Jeff Green-Kendrick Perkins Trade
This was a move I truly did not see coming as the trade deadline approached. The Celtics were a game away from winning the NBA championship last season and seemingly only improved their team with the addition of the O'Neals (Jermaine and Shaquille). Their core group (Rondo, Allen, Garnett, Pierce, Perkins, and Big Baby) had been playing together for years and knew each other inside and out. The Celtics also had great chemistry. Those guys played for each other and always had the greater good of the team in mind, which makes this chemistry very unusual. Perkins was their best post defender and was the key to their defense against both the Magic and Lakers. The lack of another great defender to play for them leads me to believe that they are willing to lean on both O'Neals in the playoffs to give them good minutes which isn't something that we've necessarily seen to this point. It also leads me to believe that they aren't as concerned about post scorers, but more concerned about shutting down the suddenly strong wing players in the East (Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James). This does make some sense because without Green the Celtics would be forced to rely on Pierce and Allen to defend Anthony and James, which drastically affects their offensive effectiveness. All in all, it seems a bit unusual to me to get rid of the league's best chemistry for a wing player that will help on defense and with some scoring, but the Celtics haven't missed on many of the moves they've made in the last five years.
Overall Grade for the Boston Celtics: B-
In my mind the acquisition of Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson have made the Thunder contenders for the NBA championship. Last year, the Thunder were able to bother the Lakers in the first round, but ultimately lost due to a lack of size to defend Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. With the addition of Perkins and the improvement of Serge Ibaka, the Thunder seem prepared to matchup against just about anyone in the West. In the first half of the season, the Thunder's two weaknesses have been bench scoring and size and they filled both of these needs. The addition of Robinson could prove to become invaluable come playoff time because as he proved last season with the Celtics he can absolutely fill it up. Sam Presti just continues to prove why he is one of the best GMs in the league. Absolute home run for the Thunder.
Overall Grade for the Oklahoma City Thunder: A
I could give a breakdown of all of the players and where they are going, but there are 12 players and three different teams involved and I just don't really feel like typing out all of those names. All you need to know is that Anthony is now a member of the New York Knicks. It's hard for me to dislike this trade for the Knicks because they were able to pair two of the top 30 players in the league together and might be able to bring in a third star next summer.
I've been bothered by a lot of the criticism of this trade (especially this piece from Jemele Hill) stating that the Knicks gave up too much for Anthony. One of her main points centers around the fact that the Knicks are the second-highest scoring team in the league already and the addition of the offensive-minded Anthony will make little difference to a team that scores a ton of points. This is a valid point. I would tend to agree that the average amount of points scored by the Knicks will see little change, but with Anthony you would have to figure that the Knicks would become more efficient because Anthony is a much more effective offense player than Danilo Galinari or Wilson Chandler (or for that matter, both of them combined).
What I do not agree with his Hill's assessment of Raymond Felton, Galinari, and Chandler. She mentions that Felton and Chandler have become "very solid players", but doesn't really give any support of this idea. Both Felton and Chandler are both "very solid players" in Mike D'Antoni's system, but if they play in any other system in the league would they look as good. Were people clammering for Felton before he came to the Knicks? Not really. He was nothing more than a league average point guard, but throw him into the performance enhancing D'Antoni offensive system and he looks like a superstar. The same ideas apply for Galinari as well. Hill mentions that he is averaging a career-high 15.9 points per game this season, but it is hard to imagine he will be able to do the same thing in Denver where he won't be a part of D'Antoni's high-octane offense.
In the end, it's just hard for me to argue with a team that acquired one of the top 20 players in the league and a group of players that includes a veteran point guard when all they gave up were role players and picks.
Overall Grade for New York Knicks: A-
Though I degraded each of the former Knicks players in the first part of the trade review, each of the players they got are all decent players that will be able to contribute to a winning team at some point in their career, except Mosgov. He's just not very good. The only problem is this year will not be the year they will contribute to a winning team, but overall it was quite a haul for what they gave up.
Overall Grade for Denver Nuggets: B
The Deron Williams Trade
The Nets had long been a part of the Anthony trade discussions and with the Knicks acquisition of Anthony many assumed that the Nets would not make a move at the deadline, but the Nets had other plans as they acquired Deron Williams Wednesday afternoon. To acquire Williams, the Nets gave up Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, and two first round picks, which is significantly less than what it took the Knicks to obtain Carmelo Anthony.
The acquisition of Williams is interesting for a few reasons. The first of which is that Williams is currently in the last year of his current contract, which means that until the Nets sign him to a new contract there is no guarantee he will be in New Jersey next year. For the Nets' sake I hope that they are able to get Williams signed to a contract extension because otherwise the trade doesn't make a lot of sense. The second reason the trade is interesting is because of the value of Deron Williams. As far as I'm concerned, Williams is better than Anthony. It is much more important to have a great point guard who touches the ball on nearly every possession and dictates who gets the ball instead of a wing player that doesn't get the ball nearly as much. Don't get me wrong, though. Anthony is one of the best players in the league, but Williams is on the exact same level. The fact that they're very similar players makes it very surprising to me how little the Nets had to give up in comparison to the caliber of players the Knicks were forced to give up for Anthony.
Overall Grade for New Jersey Nets: A-
While the Nuggets were able to obtain three strarters, a young center, and a bevy of draft picks, the Jazz were only able to obtain a young point guard and young power forward with two first round picks. Not as impressive as the Nuggets package for Anthony, but you do have to credit the Jazz for not dragging out the process of trading Williams. They decided to trade Williams and got it over quickly. For that, you have to applaud them.
Overall Grade for Denver Nuggets: B-
Kirk Hinrich to the Hawks
This trade was a real surprise to me. Kirk Hinrich's value is much higher than I thought it was because Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong are as valuable as Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans, Jordan Crawford, and a 2011 first round pick. I don't feel like Hinrich is valuable enough to warrant a point guard that is about equal to him (Mike Bibby), two guards that have high upside (Evans and Crawford), and a first round pick. I just don't understand how Kirk Hinrich could be worth this much to the Hawks. He has yet to impress me in his NBA career, but the Wizards were still willing to give up four players for him and Hilton Armstrong. I just don't understand this trade from either team's perspective.
Overall Grade for Atlanta Hawks: D
Overall Grade for Washington Wizards: B
Baron Davis to the Cavaliers
I saw this trade on my Twitter feed as I was going to sleep on Wednesday night and I could not believe it. I just don't really understand the trade because I felt like the chemistry developed between Davis and Blake Griffin is something rare among players. Baron Davis literally played for the sole reason to throw ridiculous alley-oops to Griffin. (See Exhibit A, Exhibit B, and Exhibit C.) I just don't see Mo Williams having the same chemistry with Griffin. Mainly because Williams is a shoot-first point guard who has yet to figure out what it's like to be an actual point guard instead of a scorer.
Obviously, the main reason the Clippers decided to trade Davis was to get rid of his atrocious contract and set themselves to sign a free agent to a big contract in the offseason, but this only makes sense if you are a delusional Clippers fan. After this last offseason, it has become apparent that no free agent will sign with the Clippers. There were multiple free agents last season that would have fit in with the Clippers who offered the best supporting cast of young and talented players (Griffin, Eric Gordon, Deandre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe), but still no one will even think about going to the Clippers. If you can't attract any superstar free agents with that cast, it seems unlikely that you would be able to do it now.
Overall Grade for the Los Angeles Clippers: D
As Bill Simmons mentioned in his trade deadline review, the amount of weight Baron Davis will put on in the next few months playing for the worst team in the league is nearly unimaginable. Davis has proved time and time again that if he has nothing to play for he will not play hard and likely put on a ton of weight. From a player standpoint, it was a pretty awful trade, but it can't be forgotten that the Cavs also received a first round pick. Since it is from the Clippers, it should be a relatively high pick. It is still yet to be seen whether a high pick in this draft is worth that much. This draft class has been characterized as one of the weakest in recent memory and few analysts are convinced that there are many high impact players to draft.
Overall Grade for the Cleveland Cavaliers: C
Jeff Green-Kendrick Perkins Trade
This was a move I truly did not see coming as the trade deadline approached. The Celtics were a game away from winning the NBA championship last season and seemingly only improved their team with the addition of the O'Neals (Jermaine and Shaquille). Their core group (Rondo, Allen, Garnett, Pierce, Perkins, and Big Baby) had been playing together for years and knew each other inside and out. The Celtics also had great chemistry. Those guys played for each other and always had the greater good of the team in mind, which makes this chemistry very unusual. Perkins was their best post defender and was the key to their defense against both the Magic and Lakers. The lack of another great defender to play for them leads me to believe that they are willing to lean on both O'Neals in the playoffs to give them good minutes which isn't something that we've necessarily seen to this point. It also leads me to believe that they aren't as concerned about post scorers, but more concerned about shutting down the suddenly strong wing players in the East (Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James). This does make some sense because without Green the Celtics would be forced to rely on Pierce and Allen to defend Anthony and James, which drastically affects their offensive effectiveness. All in all, it seems a bit unusual to me to get rid of the league's best chemistry for a wing player that will help on defense and with some scoring, but the Celtics haven't missed on many of the moves they've made in the last five years.
Overall Grade for the Boston Celtics: B-
In my mind the acquisition of Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson have made the Thunder contenders for the NBA championship. Last year, the Thunder were able to bother the Lakers in the first round, but ultimately lost due to a lack of size to defend Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. With the addition of Perkins and the improvement of Serge Ibaka, the Thunder seem prepared to matchup against just about anyone in the West. In the first half of the season, the Thunder's two weaknesses have been bench scoring and size and they filled both of these needs. The addition of Robinson could prove to become invaluable come playoff time because as he proved last season with the Celtics he can absolutely fill it up. Sam Presti just continues to prove why he is one of the best GMs in the league. Absolute home run for the Thunder.
Overall Grade for the Oklahoma City Thunder: A
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