Category: NBA (Page 575 of 595)

We’re not going “Brokeback” on you. Miami Heat head coach Pat Riley can’t think of another player that he has coached that has a better package of skills than Dwayne Wade.

”[Wade’s] athleticism and quickness in combination with his overall skill level is probably the best package,” Riley said, speaking of all the players he has coached. “James Worthy would probably be the other guy. . . . [Magic Johnson] doesn’t come close to doing what Dwyane can do physically, athletically.”

Wade’s play has earned him another fan, who was once a critic.

In September 2004, Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas said he doesn’t think Wade ”can carry a team” and said Wade “proved that he couldn’t shoot in the Olympics.” Wade’s jumper has improved considerably since, and after watching Wade torch his team again Wednesday, Arenas said he’s amazed at how good he has become.

But Arenas said Wade doesn’t ”need” to shoot jumpers. “He’s so quick and his change of direction is so, so fast that he’s going to get to that rim no matter what. He has that floater, which usually a dunker doesn’t have. I don’t have it.

“And he’s developed that, so he doesn’t really need the shot I’m shooting. You could see in college he had explosiveness, and when you take that and bring that to the NBA, it’s easier for him, because you don’t have that zone [or] the trap.”

Every time I read an article like this, I can hear Joe Dumars grinding his teeth. (Dumars selected Darko Milicic over Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh in the 2003 NBA Draft.)

As the longtime model for a poorly-run NBA franchise, the Los Angeles Clippers are having a breakout season, advancing to a 34-25 record after a 98-85 win yesterday over the San Antonio Spurs.

The turnaround started when the notoriously cheap (unless, of course, it’s for sex) owner of the Clippers, Donald Sterling, decided to match the Miami Heat’s offer to Elton Brand in 2003. Brand has turned into one of the league’s very best players and his steady, efficient game has served as an anchor for the entire franchise.

HC Mike Dunleavy has preached defense from the beginning and it’s starting to pay dividends. They are third in the league in opponent’s FG%, second in defensive rebounding and first in blocks. The offseason additions of Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley, while risky, have worked out great. Now Dunleavy has the nice problem of trying to work Corey Maggette back into the rotation.

Unfortunately, if the Clippers stay in the #5 spot in the West, they’ll likely be rewarded with a first round matchup with the Spurs or Mavericks, which will make it difficult to advance. Still, it’s nice to see the other team in Los Angeles winning with teamwork and defense. Maybe the Lakers should take notice.

Of the guys who actually wanted to play, the biggest name to be left off the Team USA list is Allen Iverson. It’s created quite the buzz in Philly, but by all accounts AI is handling the decision like a pro.

Iverson, to his credit, has handled the situation with quiet class. He’s not firing back or taking the bait from the Philadelphia media, simply saying he wanted to play and is sorry it’s not going to work out.

Some have even speculated that since AI endorses Reebok, that Team USA-sponsor Nike pushed for his absence.

Why would Nike want the face of Reebok? Would there be another controversy, like the Dream Team covering its gear logos with the American flag in Barcelona?

And then add the curious fact 15 of the 23 players are already in Nike’s endorsement stable. Hmmm. Jerry Colangelo, general manager for the U.S. senior program, shot back Sunday at all the AI conspiracies.

“There is no validity to that, no truth at all,” Colangelo said. “When you get down to it, that’s an attack on someone’s credibility. I take that one a little bit personal. … We weighed all considerations. The final determination was to invite those that we did. There was a lot of speculation, some very bizarre. I just think we’re better off going the route we are.

“That doesn’t mean this is perfect, that it is foolproof, and it means no disrespect to Iverson. I absolutely (applaud) him for playing in 2004 when the other names weren’t there, and I respect and appreciate the way he has handled this.”

I’ve said it before, but AI’s gritty play during the ’04 Olympics was one of the best things about that team. I’m not a huge fan of all the drama that seems to surround him, so maybe that has something to do with the snub. He is also nearing his 31st birthday, so maybe his age factored into the decision as well.