Category: NBA (Page 466 of 595)

      Bill Simmons channels Doc Rivers

      May 15, 2008 /

      In the Sports Guy’s latest column, he transcribes Doc Rivers’ imaginary pep talk before Game 5.

      First, Ray Allen wants to stop using the phrase “Big Three”…

      ALLEN: Well, let’s stop using the phrase “Big Three” then. I’m not that type of player anymore — really, I’m a spot-up jump shooter and that’s it, and if I don’t have my legs for a road game, I’m useless. There’s not a ton of difference between me and Szczerbiak at this point. Two years from now, they’ll be changing my name to “Ray Allen’s Expiring Contract” unless somebody gives me a bionic pair of ankles.

      DOC: What are you suggesting?

      ALLEN: Instead of “The Big Three,” couldn’t they just call us “The Big Two Featuring Ray Allen?” That would take a ton of pressure off me.

      Later, James Posey talks to KG about stepping up in big games…

      POSEY: Look, KG, you’re my boy and I love you. When I hug you right before every tipoff, I hold onto you so tightly that it makes everyone in the first few rows legitimately uncomfortable. But everyone needs to be coached sometimes, and really, you haven’t had a good coach your entire career.

      DOC: James, I’m right here. I can hear everything.

      POSEY: Sorry, but it’s true. KG, listen, it’s OK to take 27 shots in a playoff game if you have Josh Smith, Zaza Pachulia and some dude named “Solomon” guarding you. It’s OK to complain that it’s stupid to be pulling our best rebounder and shot blocker 25 feet from the basket and wearing his legs out for a gimmicky double-team that we don’t even need to be doing. It’s OK to call for the ball because Ben Wallace’s dead body is defending you. Anyone who’s ever won a title, to some degree, has been a little selfish. What you do as a player and a teammate is absolutely fantastic in the regular season, but the playoffs are different — sometimes, you have to take over these games. You make $23 million a year. You’re the most talented guy on the team. If you don’t step up, we’ll either lose this series or Detroit will beat us. You need to step up the same way Duncan steps up every time the Spurs need him. You need to step up. Is it in you?

      (KG turns to the camera intensely and takes a big swig of Gatorade.)

      DOC: Kevin, was that a “yes” or a “no?”

      GARNETT: Fine, fine, I’ll step up. Is this almost over? I promised TNT that I’d give them three minutes before the game to talk about how much winning means to me. You know, as long as I can win without going within 10 feet of the basket in close games.

      Finally, Doc gives his last push…

      DOC (more animated): I want you to leave everything you have on the court tonight. Play hard, feed off the energy of the crowd, and if we take a big lead, don’t be afraid to pound your chest, scream at the roof, tug at your jersey, bully scrubs who won’t fight back and do everything possible to add to your reputation as a bunch of front-running a-holes who act totally different when they’re up 20 points than they do when they’re down by three. If we lock this game up early, do whatever you need to do to get yourself some attention, even if it ends up ticking off the Cavs and motivating them for Game 6.

      I’m definitely rooting for the Celtics in the East, but not because I have any particular affinity for the guys on their roster. I’d like to see KG play for a title, and I liked Ray Ray when he was on the Bucks. Rajon Rondo seems all right too. But Paul Pierce’s facial expressions are getting more and more annoying, as is Sam Cassell’s whole act. Boston fans are pretty irritating now, especially with the recent success of the Red Sox and the Patriots, so the whole “loveable loser” aura that surrounded the city after Larry Bird and Co. retired is long gone.

      Still, the Celtics would draw huge ratings in the Finals, and would provide a fun matchup for whomever comes out of the West. But the way they’re playing, I think we’re going to see a certain Motor City team representing the East.

      NBA, NBA Finals

      Is D’Antoni the right fit for the Knicks?

      May 12, 2008 /

      In a word… yes. But the Knicks probably aren’t the right fit for Mike D’Antoni.

      This may not make much sense, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Given the right personnel, D’Antoni’s brand of up-tempo basketball can win over any group of fans, even the rough and tumble fans in New York. But a quick look at the Knicks’ roster makes me wonder just how quickly D’Antoni can successfully implement that high-octane attack.

      He’ll first need to find a quick, pass-first point guard to push the tempo and hit the open man. Last season, the Knicks had Stephon Marbury, Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford running the point. If reined in, Marbury probably has the skills to run D’Antoni’s system, but there is just too much history there for him to succeed. Robinson and Crawford are both scoring point guards, and while they have the offensive ability to thrive at the off guard position, they don’t have the court vision to run the point like Steve Nash does in Phoenix. So what’s the solution? Barring the unlikely event that they can land Derrick Rose in the draft, the Knicks need to jettison Marbury as quickly as they can and do whatever it takes to acquire T.J. Ford from Toronto. Ford is expendable there because the Raptors will want to re-sign Jose Calderon. If that means that the Knicks have to give up Robinson, so be it.

      Next, he’ll need to surround Ford (or whomever he chooses to run the show) with rangy, athletic shooters. Crawford, Quentin Richardson (who played for D’Antoni in Phoenix) and Robinson (if he’s still around) should fit, while Wilson Chandler has also shown some ability in limited minutes.

      Finally, he needs big men who can rebound, run the floor and hit an open jumper. Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph certainly don’t fit that mold, but David Lee does. Renaldo Balkman looks like a gritty, do-the-little-things kind of guy that D’Antoni will want to keep around.

      It’s not going to be easy, but with a starting lineup of Ford, Crawford, Richardson, Lee and a to-be-determined athletic power forward-type that can run the floor and rebound (Francisco Elson and Kurt Thomas will be free agents this summer), along with a fresh outlook on the game that stresses always making the extra pass, will combine to make the Knicks competitive in their first year under D’Antoni.

      It’s true that D’Antoni would probably have a much easier time getting the Bulls, with their core of good, young players, back to the playoffs, but there’s something that has to be attractive about being the guy to bring good basketball back to New York. If the team is successful in trading away Curry and Randolph, they should have the cap room to sign a big name free agent in the summer of 2010. The big question is – will D’Antoni last that long?

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Ranking the top 30 point guards by total value

      May 12, 2008 /

      Over the next five weeks, I will go position by position and rank the top 30 players by total value. The NBA is a business, so it doesn’t make sense to purely rank the players only by their talent or stats, or by some other qualitative measure (though those factors do matter). We must also look at a player’s salary relative to his peers. Obviously, if a player is in the middle of a very reasonable contract, he’ll get a boost in the rankings.

      To summarize a player’s stats, I’ll use the NBA Efficiency statistic, which is defined as:

      EFF = ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) – ((Field Goals Att. – Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Att. – Free Throws Made) + Turnovers))

      I’ll list Efficiency Per Game (EPG) for each player, which will give a nice snapshot of his stats. To compare two players that get vastly different minutes, I’ll occasionally mention Efficiency Per Minute (EPM), which is simply the player’s total efficiency divided by his minutes.

      I’ll also consider a player’s age and potential. All else being equal, a franchise would probably prefer a 25 year-old point guard to a 32 year-old point guard, right? Essentially, the order of this list comes down to this question – would you trade Player X for Player Y, assuming the goal is to win a title in the next three seasons at a reasonable payroll?

      To summarize, there are four major factors I’ll consider: talent (statistical performance), contract, age and potential.

      Without further ado, here are the top 30 point guards, ranked by total value:

      1. Chris Paul, Hornets
      Age: 23
      EPG: 27.8
      Contract: two years, $10.6 M ($5.3 M per)
      Not only has Paul emerged as hands-down the best point guard in the game, he is still on his rookie contract, so he’s a bargain to boot.

      2. Deron Williams, Jazz
      Age: 23
      EPG: 23.0
      Contract: two years, $11.8 M ($5.9 M per)
      Williams is bigger and stronger than Paul, and is also a better outside shooter. But Paul has the edge in quickness, ball handling and court vision.

      3. Tony Parker, Spurs
      Age: 25
      EPG: 16.9
      Contract: three years, $37.7 M ($12.6 M per)
      Parker is young, speedy and a proven player in the clutch. Plus, his salary is fairly reasonable for a player of his caliber. His defense is mediocre at best.

      4. Chauncey Billups, Pistons
      Age: 31
      EPG: 19.6
      Contract: three years, $36.3 M ($12.1 M per)
      Mr. “Big Shot” is getting older, but he’s a proven winner and should have a few good years left. His affordable contract puts him ahead of the next few guys.

      5. Baron Davis, Warriors
      Age: 29
      EPG: 22.6
      Contract: free agent / player option for one year, $17.2 M
      Davis is a fierce competitor and a clutch player, but he’s a little injury-prone. His next contract is up in the air, but he’ll probably ask for close to the max.

      6. Steve Nash, Suns
      Age: 34
      EPG: 22.5
      Contract: two years, $25.4 M ($12.7 M per)
      One of the best shooters in the league, anyone watching the Suns can see that Nash has lost a half step. He’s still a joy to watch in the open court and in a pick and roll, but his defense is a liability.

      7. Gilbert Arenas, Wizards
      Age: 26
      EPG: 15.6
      Contract: free agent
      There is no doubt that Agent Zero is extremely talented (especially offensively), but he’ll be looking for a max contract and I don’t know if an expensive, shoot-first point guard is the way to build a championship contender.

      8. Monta Ellis, Warriors
      Age: 22
      EPG: 20.4
      Contract: free agent
      Ellis is more of a scoring guard than a pure point guard, but I think he has the tools to run a team. With his contract status up in the air, it’s tough to get a gauge on his true value.

      9. Devin Harris, Nets
      Age: 25
      EPG: 15.8
      Contract: five years, $42.3 M ($8.5 M per)
      Harris is a lightning-quick point guard with an improving jumper. This season, he set career highs in points, assists, steals and three-point percentage and the Mavs still decided to trade him away.

      10. Allen Iverson, Nuggets
      Age: 32
      EPG: 23.3
      Contract: one year, $23.9 M
      AI is fearless and is one of the league’s most prolific scorers. He hasn’t lost a step, but one wonders how much more abuse his body can take. His high price tag makes him a risky proposition.

      11. Jason Kidd, Mavs
      Age: 35
      EPG: 20.5
      Contract: one year, $21.4 M
      Kidd has trouble guarding quicker point guards and is not a consistent shooter. At his current price tag, I don’t think he’s a championship piece.

      12. Jose Calderon, Raptors
      Age: 26
      EPG: 17.9
      Contract: restricted free agent
      On a per minute basis, Calderon is better than big names like Jason Kidd, AI and Baron Davis. He’s an amazing shooter (43% from 3PT) and has great court vision (8.3 apg). Toronto won’t let him get away.

      13. Mo Williams, Bucks
      Age: 25
      EPG: 18.0
      Contract: four years, $35.0 M ($8.8 M per)
      Still has too much of a shoot-first mentality and his effort on defense is inconsistent, but Williams is an extremely talented guard who just needs to be coached up. Enter Scott Skiles…

      14. Jameer Nelson, Magic
      Age: 26
      EPG: 13.9
      Contract: five years, $33.6 M ($6.7 M per)
      Nelson isn’t as quick as he should be for his size, but he makes up for it with strength. He’s a terrific shooter (41% from 3PT) and an improving playmaker.

      15. Kirk Hinrich, Bulls
      Age: 27
      EPG: 13.8
      Contract: four years, $36.5 M ($9.1 M per)
      Hinrich just had a brutal season in which he set career lows in points, assists, rebounds, FG% and 3PT%. Will the real Kirk Hinrich please stand up?

      16. Andre Miller, 76ers
      Age: 32
      EPG: 18.7
      Contract: one year, $10.0 M
      Miller set a career high in points leading the young Sixers. He was never blessed with great quickness, so age may hurt him more than most.

      17. Rajon Rondo, Celtics
      Age: 22
      EPG: 14.0
      Contract: three years, $8.1 M ($2.7 M per)
      The C’s couldn’t have asked for much more from Rondo this season. He plays good defense, distributes and scores when necessary.

      18. Raymond Felton, Bobcats
      Age: 23
      EPG: 15.1
      Contract: two years, $9.7 M ($4.9 M per)
      With Larry Brown in town, this will be a make-or-break season for Felton. He’s a talented playmaker, but his career FG% is under 40%. Not good.

      19. T.J. Ford, Raptors
      Age: 25
      EPG: 13.4
      Contract: two years, $16.5 M ($8.3 M per)
      On a per-minute basis, Ford is in the top 10. But the big question surrounding Ford is his durability, as he has missed 38% of games over his five seasons in the league.

      20. Leandro Barbosa, Suns
      Age: 25
      EPG: 13.8
      Contract: three years, $19.8 M ($6.6 M per)
      Barbosa is lightning fast and a good shooter, which makes him a very dangerous scorer. He’s not a natural ball handler or distributor.

      21. Mike Bibby, Hawks
      Age: 29
      EPG: 14.5
      Contract: one year, $15.2 M
      Bibby is expensive for what he brings to the table these days, and his FG% (41%) is taking a slight dive. He improved his assist numbers with the Hawks, but seems to have a lot of mileage for a 29 year-old.

      22. Jordan Farmar, Lakers
      Age: 21
      EPG: 9.2
      Contract: three years, $5.9 M ($2.0 M per)
      Farmar’s prospects were looking better before the Utah series, but he was great all season off the Laker bench and there’s no reason to think this current funk is permanent.

      23. Mike Conley, Grizzlies
      Age: 20
      EPG: 9.8
      Contract: three years, $12.4 M ($4.1 M per)
      Conley was nagged by injuries in his rookie season, but he didn’t do anything to dispel the notion that he’s a terrific prospect. He just needs to learn the position in the NBA and improve that jumper.

      24. Nate Robinson, Knicks
      Age: 23
      EPG: 11.3
      Contract: two years, $4.9 M ($2.5 M per)
      More of a scorer than a distributor, it might be tough for Robinson to land a starting gig at 5’9” if he isn’t going to be more of a playmaker.

      25. Jason Terry, Mavs
      Age: 30
      EPG: 14.2
      Contract: four years, $41.1 M ($10.3 M per)
      There is no doubt Terry is a terrific, clutch shooter, but that contract might be a beast in its final two years.

      26. Delonte West, Cavs
      Age: 24
      EPG: 9.6
      Contract: one year, $2.8 M
      The best thing to come out of the Cavs’ mid-season trades. A jack of all trades that just needs to stay healthy to be an effective starting point guard.

      27. Rodney Stuckey, Pistons
      Age: 22
      EPG: 7.6
      Contract: four years, $10.2 M ($2.6 M per)
      A natural scorer, Stuckey is a big, strong comb guard that will have to learn to distribute.

      28. Beno Udrih, Kings
      Age: 25
      EPG: 12.9
      Contract: free agent
      Udrih is a former Spur who couldn’t stick in San Antonio despite the team’s need for a backup point guard. He flourished in a starting role in Sacramento once Mike Bibby left town.

      29. Rafer Alston, Rockets
      Age: 31
      EPG: 13.4
      Contract: two years, $10.2 M ($5.1 M per)
      A career journeyman, Alston turned out to be more important to the Rockets than anyone realized. He’s affordable, but he’s no spring chicken.

      30. Earl Watson, Sonics
      Age: 28
      EPG: 13.2
      Contract: two years, $12.8 M
      Watson has developed into a solid point guard. This season, he set career highs in assists, FG%, 3PT% and FT%, and he has always been solid defensively.

      Just missed the cut: Jamaal Tinsley, Pacers; Derek Fisher, Lakers; Juan Carlos Navarro, Grizzlies; Louis Williams, Sixers; Ramon Sessions, Bucks; Ronnie Price, Jazz; Anthony Carter, Nuggets; Antonio Daniels, Wizards; Jarrett Jack, Blazers; Steve Blake, Blazers

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      The Lakers have a hole at small forward

      May 10, 2008 /

      Vladimir Radmanovic: good shooter, horrible defender

      Luke Walton: poor shooter, good defender

      If you combine the strengths of these two players, you have a pretty good small forward. If you combine their weaknesses, you have the worst player in the NBA.

      Walton had a couple of bad plays at the end of Game 3 that cost his team a chance at a comeback win. With the Lakers down seven and under five minutes to play, Walton failed to box out Boozer, who was shooting the second of two free throws. Boozer got his own rebound and made a strong move to the hole to complete the four-point play. Then, on a jump ball with the Lakers down four with 0:14 to play, Gasol tipped the ball to Walton who proceeded to fumble the ball away. It was interesting to see Kobe’s reaction after the play. (He screamed at Walton, who probably deserved it.)

      These are two pretty simple plays for a supposedly high-IQ guy like Walton. I’ve never been much of a fan of his game and I don’t think he’d be in the NBA if he weren’t Bill Walton’s kid. It’s almost like Bill made a contract with the devil like that kid on “Reaper.” Send my kid to the NBA and you can have his eternal soul. I simply can’t understand how the fairly non-athletic poor-shooting Walton is getting crunch-time minutes on a good team in the playoffs. It’s just mind-boggling. (He did make a three with 1:07 to play to cut the Jazz lead to four, so there is that.)

      I saw first-hand how Radmanovic can shoot. He hit five or six straight threes in a playoff game when he was with the Clippers. But he is just lost defensively, and he doesn’t seem to be getting any better on that end of the court.

      The Lakers owe Radmanovic $19.5 million over the next three years. They owe Walton $26.3 million over the next five years. Walton’s contract is especially awful when you consider that the Lakers were pretty much bidding against themselves for his services. Who else was going to give him that kind of money? (That leads me back to my contract-with-the-devil theory.)

      All things considered, Mitch Kupchak has done a pretty nice job getting the Lakers back to the top of the West, but he spent way too much money on these two guys, who are, at best, bench players.

      If I were Phil Jackson, I might run Kobe at small forward in crunch time, and play Farmar at point guard and Derek Fisher at the two. Of course, Farmar played pretty miserably in Game 3, so maybe Jackson should go with Ronny Turiaf at power forward and put Lamar Odom at the three. Bryant and Odom can both play multiple positions, so the Lakers have options. They just need to use them.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Finals

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