Category: NBA (Page 431 of 595)

      Jay Mariotti quits Chicago Sun-Times

      August 27, 2008 /

      Columnist and resident I-love-to-hear-myself-talk sports personality Jay Mariotti has abruptly decided to quit the Chicago Sun-Times.

      Mariotti told the Chicago Tribune he decided to quit after covering the Olympics in Beijing because newspapers are in serious trouble, and he did not want to go down with the ship.

      “I’m a competitor and I get the sense this marketplace doesn’t compete,” he said in the Tribune story. “Everyone is hanging on for dear life at both papers.

      “To see what has happened in this business. … I don’t want to go down with it.”

      His comments sparked a pointed response from his former employer.

      Sun-Times Editor Michael Cooke said in an e-mail to CBS 2: “That’s Jay’s opinion. He has plenty of them. But the facts, of course, say something different. I’m going with the facts. Well, it’s turning nasty … and that’s typical of Jay to throw a bomb on the way out of a place that cared for him, nurtured him, paid him well for 17 years.

      “The reason Mariotti showed up the Sun-Times 17 years ago was because the paper had the best sports pages in town. That was true then, and it’s true now.

      “And as in all sports, when the star leaves, some other young star-to-be skates on to the ice. The Sun-Times has a deep bench of talent, and we’ll be using that depth.

      “I am not hearing from grief-stricken fans,” Cooke said.

      Cooke pointed to e-mails that he received from readers, including this one: “I wish to inform you that due to recent developments on the Jay Mariotti front, I will now read your newspaper. In fact, I picked one up on the way to work this morning. Not a half-bad rag, I must say. Bully on you.”

      Mariotti said he plans to pursue opportunities on the Web, and continue his regular appearances as a panelist on ESPN’s “Around the Horn.”

      You have to love this comment by Cooke: “That’s Jay’s opinion. He has plenty of them.” The Sun-Times is going to do just fine without him. People read his stuff because they liked to disagree with him and anyone who watches “Around the Horn” knows that he just likes to stoke the fire.

      I will say this about Mariotti, however – the guy doesn’t back down from players, coaches or GMs. (In his columns at least. Apparently he never goes into the White Sox clubhouse because he fears for his safety.) Sometimes he hits the nail on the head when he’s criticizing (i.e. Bears’ GM Jerry Angelo).

      College Football, General Sports, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL

      The NBA should take a cue from FIBA…

      August 26, 2008 /

      …not the other way around.

      FIBA (the governing body of international basketball) plans to extend its three-point line from 20’ 6” to 22’ 2” effective 2010. They’re also getting rid of the trapezoidal lane in an effort to standardize the game worldwide. The NCAA is extending its three point line from 19′ 9″ to 20′ 9″ starting this season. The NBA’s three-point line is 23’ 9” from the hoop.

      I like the international line where it is. Doug Collins said during the Olympic broadcast that “too many players are able to shoot that shot” as a reason that it should be moved back. I say… who cares? I think most basketball purists agree that the international game (and the college game) is more fun to watch than the NBA game. I’m not talking about the talent of the players – I’m talking about how the game is played. Part of that has to do with the pressure that the three-point line puts on the defense. If a good portion of players can hit that shot, it forces more defenders to get out and guard those players. This, in turn, creates more spacing inside the arc and allows for more free-flowing, dynamic offense, which is good for the game.

      Plus, the three-pointer makes the game more exciting. Underdogs have a better chance of pulling an upset, comebacks are easier, big scoring runs are more frequent and scores are higher. Aren’t these good things?

      Then there’s the NBA’s shot from the side. It’s a different distance (22’) from the rest of the arc, which in and of itself is just silly. But at least once a game, a player will step out of bounds because he is trying to spot up behind the three-point line when he’s catching the ball. This is just a drag that slows the game down, and it would be virtually eliminated if the league moved the line in.

      I’d rather see the NBA adopt the international 20’ 6” length than see FIBA extend its arc.

      I know, it will never happen. People conform to David Stern and the NBA, not the other way around.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, The Olympics

      Redeem Team wins gold

      August 24, 2008 /

      The U.S. men’s basketball team accomplished its goal of winning a gold medal by defeating a feisty Spanish team, 118-107. I give credit to NBC for airing the game live even though it was on at 2:30 AM on the East Coast. It’s too bad that they didn’t plan to air it again later in the morning, because it was a great game.

      With Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in foul trouble throughout the first half, the game was tight but Dwyane Wade came off the bench to score 21 points in the first two quarters to lead the Americans to a 69-61 halftime lead. Spain continued to fight back throughout the second half, eventually cutting the lead to two on a Rudy Fernandez long ball with 8:13 to play. It was gut-check time for the U.S.; they had allowed Spain to get back into the game with a combination of sketchy shot selection and poor defense and once again it looked like the Americans would be plagued by fractured play.

      But down the stretch it was Kobe who took control, scoring eight points and dishing out a couple of assists over the next five minutes to build the lead to nine. Spain cut it to four with 2:25 to play, but Wade hit a clutch three to push the lead back to seven. Carlos Jiminez missed a wide-open three (after just knocking one down) that would have cut the lead to three with 1:33 to play, but Bryant hit a tough shot in the lane on the Americans’ next possession to effectively put the game out of reach.

      Defense had been Team USA’s calling card throughout the Olympics, but save for a couple of key stops, they just didn’t have it tonight. Luckily, they were able to knock down their three-pointers (13/28, 46%), which is something that has hurt the U.S. in the past. Wade led all scorers with 27 points and had four steals. Bryant chipped in with 20, including those eight crucial points in the fourth quarter. LeBron James played a solid all-around game, posting 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

      Spain was led by Pau Gasol (22 points), Fernandez (21) and Juan Carlos Navarro (18). They were playing without Raptors’ point guard Jose Calderon, who was sidelined with a groin injury. (Fernandez joins the Portland Trailblazers next season and he looks like a star in the making. He’s just 23, stands 6’6″, and has a great jumper. He also handles the ball well and attacks the rim. He is starter-quality, but may come off the bench behind Jerryd Bayless and Brandon Roy.)

      Hats off to Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski for putting together a team capable of winning the gold. For the most part, they set their egos aside and played together, which is necessary these days to have success at the Olympic level. Every player knew and played his role.

      Now where does the program go from here? It will be interesting to see if USA Basketball pushes forward with the same philosophy or, with this success, if they get lulled into a false sense of security. I’m betting on the former, but you never know.

      NBA, The Olympics

      The Nuggets re-sign J.R. Smith to three-year deal worth $16.5 million

      August 23, 2008 /

      I estimated his value to be $6.5-$7.5 million per season, but the Denver Nuggets locked up J.R. Smith for a little bit less, signing him to a deal averaging $5.5 million per season.

      Smith has a history of being a little unruly, so that was probably the reason for the discount.

      ESPN’s John Hollinger calculates Smith’s PER to be 18.15, which is the #14 amongst shooting guards, ahead of guys like Joe Johnson, Ben Gordon, Ray Allen and Mike Miller. Smith is a terrific scorer, but his defensive intensity has always been a question mark.

      This is a good signing for the Nuggets, because even if they can’t get Smith on board defensively, his contract is very movable.

      NBA

      Jason Kidd plans to give his gold medal away…

      August 23, 2008 /

      …assuming the U.S. men’s basketball team wins, of course. It turns out Kidd’s medal is already spoken for.

      His name is Steve Wynn. He’s a billionaire. And his wife, Elaine, is getting Jason Kidd’s gold medal if Team USA wins one more game in China.

      “No, it’s not a (gambling) marker or anything like that,” Kidd said. “She’s just a great friend and a really great person.”

      “Last summer, we stayed at the Wynn (resort) for a lifetime, close to three weeks,” Kidd said. “We met at a banquet, we got to talking, and she really understands the game.

      “I told her I’d make a deal with her, that if we won the gold medal, I’d give it to her. She thought I was kidding. But I told her I had one already, and the way they treated us at the Wynn, it was the least I could do.”

      So I’m trying to figure out this “deal” that Kidd is talking about. Did he stay at the resort for free and the gold medal is his way of paying Mrs. Wynn back? Really? It’s either that or he paid for his stay and doesn’t get anything in return for giving her the gold medal. This is apparently the “least” he can do. Hmm.

      I guess the lesson here is that if you treat Jason Kidd well, he’ll give you things… like gold medals.

      NBA, The Olympics

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