Wednesday, April 30, 2014

It's about that time again. Basketball play-offs

Monday, June 14, 2010

Pre-Draft Wizards

We are just weeks away from the NBA draft and the rumbles can be heard from miles away. Who will the Wizards draft? Will they trade Arenas? The answer to the second question is no. the first is Wall. Who is going to take on a 80 million dollar contract? NO one! I truly believe his behavior will be in check but that’s a lot of money to gamble with. Can you believe that what has taken place in the last year and one-half in D.C. with Arenas and guns that a fan has asked the new owner to consider changing the Wizards name back to the BULLETS? That’s rampant brain damage. Let’s just hope it does not creep onto the hard-court. The Wizards will draft Wall and let him run the point and Agent Zero will be the shooting guard. They will light up the scoreboard but they must play defense and prevent penetration into the middle where they are weak. If Flip can get this team to play defense, they can improve immensely. Don’t forget that the Wizards have an assistant coach that will be of great value in the development of John Wall. Learning the adjustment of point guard from the college game to the NBA is vital for Wall and Sam Cassell will help. Wall will find out at this level everybody is fast. If this back court is successful and the team as a whole shows marked improvement, in 5 to 7 years Sam may start to get some interviews. This year more assistant coaches are moving up more than ever, which is a good thing. I agree with Jon Barry enough with the same old coaches failing in situation after situation only to be hired to fail again. Don’t take my word for it, check the record books. It’s time for those long time assistants to get their opportunities instead of the college coaches.
The team that I see that has the opportunity to break thru is the Philadelphia 76’ers. I’m really curious to see their draft. My advice is draft Evans and run him and Holiday in the back court. Keep Brand, Iguodala and Dalembert and run, run, run. They got the rebounding and youth to back it up, also a great coach. How can you run the Princeton offense with the talent they have. This is the NBA not the Atlantic Ten.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Free agent Poll

FREE AGENT POLL


Players Present Team First Choice Team Second Choice Team

LeBron James Cavaliers cavaliers Heat
Dwyane Wade Heat Heat
Chris Bosh Raptors Heat Bulls
Amare Stoudemire Suns Suns Knicks
Dirk Norwitzski Mavericks Nets Knicks
Joe Johnson Hawks Heat
Yao Ming Rockets Rockets
Ray Allen Celtics Celtic Celtics
Paul Pierce Celtics Celtics
Carlos Boozer Jazz Nets
David Lee Knicks Knicks
Tracey McGrady Knicks Harlem Globetrotters YMCA


Now that Avery Johnson may become the new Nets Coach, my choice of Dirk Nowitzski going to the Nets looks like pure genius. They are very familiar with each other and have mutual respect which makes working together much easier. I don’t see any of these free agents going to the Clippers but stranger things have happened. What I do know is that Tracy McGrady will not be employed next year. Not in the NBA. Not in China. Not in the Euro league or anywhere else. Paul Pierce will be in Boston. He is much too deeply rooted in Celtic history to go anywhere else. Not so for Ray Allen, he could go where an outside shooter is needed or retire. The Great Wall(Yao Ming) is not leaving Houston by any means.

FREE AGENCY BUG

Free Agency

All the talk has been centered on Lebron James, where will he go? Well I’ve been saying since last year that if he does not stay in Cleveland he would join Wade in Miami. Where else would he be able to join a seasoned vet who in dependable during crunch time. They both are unselfish team oriented who only want to win. If you notice on that list that there are only three people with rings and two of those are Celtics. The other is Dwyane Wade. Yes I am pro Wade. He is CLUTCH. Name two others on that list that are and you win a cigar.
Maybe LaBron did have a major distraction during the playoffs. But he is a big boy now and there are some things that he just can’t do anything about, and there are those he can. If he felt he could have…he should have and been done with it and moved on. You get my drift?
When all the movement is complete I would not be surprised to see Miami to have made out very well. If he does not make it to Miami, look for Bosh to be Wade’s new sidekick. They would also be able to get Joe Johnson at a good price. He lost Millions with that performance in the playoffs and then had the gall to follow that up with an attitude. He eliminated himself from a max level contract, which he didn’t warrant in the first place.
Carlos Boozer has been begging the Heat to take him but he is undersized. He has game, heart and intensity, but he is smallish. With Amare’ there has been mutual interest but the Suns have first dibs and are preparing to offer him a Max deal. Make no mistake of it Amare’ is good, very good. You just have to wonder if his stats are slightly inflated because of Nash’s ability to get him the ball. Besides defense is definitely not his forte.
But it is his ability to run the court that may land him in New York. Coach D’
Antoni know his assets and his limitations from their time together in Phoenix. They have the money to pay him and another max level free agent like Nowitzski. Amare’ can play the center position while Nowitzski runs the wing.
I like Chris Bosh in Miami if LaBron does not land there. I’ll take Bosh above Amare’ any day. He’s a better rebounder, better scorer, passer and defender. When it’s all said and done, some of these guys will remain with their present teams and others will team-up in pursuit of their championship dream.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Collapse of the Heat

Lack of support from other scorers besides Wade and Richardson were the primary reasons for our lost yesterday. Secondly, turnovers were the other reason this team failed. It is impossible for a team to be successful with that type of performance. Third, Spoelstra was out coached by Doc Rivers. I would not be surprised if there is a change on the sidelines for the upcoming season. Byron Scott gets my vote

Read more: http://blogs.herald.com/miami_heat/2010/04/postgame-breakdown-celtics-85-heat-76.html#ixzz0lVAqP5y0

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Wade will burn the Celtics

First and foremost I am bias. I am a Heat fan to the core. The so called experts are predicting the games to be close, maybe go 7 games. I don’t see it that way. Five games max. That’s right 5 games. The Heat will win in 5.
Those that I see as the biggest threat to the Heat are Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins. Perkins is a threat because he can be such a beast inside and outside, offensively and defensively. Pierce because he is so hard to defend. He can score from anywhere on the floor and shoot at a high percentage all the while maintaining a professional attitude. Also Rondo can be a problem because of his hand and foot speed and overall court sense. He is very cerebral for such a young player.
The Heat has got to counter the experience of the Celtics with their momentum and their desire to succeed. All of these guys are not Tito’s and Marlon’s Jacksons. If Jermaine O’Neal starts this game, a win is guaranteed. There is no one on the Boston roster that can defend him. If he doesn’t start we will run pick and rolls with Anthony for at least 10points. Arroyo can control the games tempo and with Richardson and wright hitting the outside triple, the Heat will stay in the game. Beasley has got to stay out of foul trouble when guarding Garnett and hit his open jumpers. That leaves the title of this article, “Wade burns the Celtics”, and he will get his. He will get at least 35 points, 14 assist in the first game. He will average a minimum of 35 points per game and take the Celtics in 5.

Hawks and Bucks

I’m starting this blog much too late to include the Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls. I don’t believe the Bulls have a chance anyway. Cavaliers in 4.

In the game of the Bucks versus the Hawks, the Bucks have their work cut out for them. It would have been a better series if Bogut had not broken his arm. Brandon Jennings and John Salmons will make a strong showing regardless but I believe Jamaal Crawford and Josh Smith will over-power the Bucks. Crawford is a deadly scorer and Josh Smith is just too strong inside.
Besides Josh Smith the Bucks must content with Zaza Pachulia and Al Horford. If Ilvasova and Gradzuric step up and control the boards, the Bucks can win this series. If not, the Hawks will win in 6.