The Foul..I Mean..The Flop..

I’ve noticed that throughout these playoffs the “flops” have certainly picked up and it just makes me sick.  Kirilenko’s flop on the Louis Scola “foul” may have won the Jazz the game.  Was it a foul? You can argue yes, but it was for sure the flop that sold it. Manu Ginobli is notorious for his flopping and could be one of the worst in the league.  After seeing this garbage in the playoffs and regular season year after year, it gave me an idea to try and put together an “All NBA Flopper Team.” 

Andrei Kirilenko (Utah Jazz: #47: Power Forward)

Oh boy do have I found some good stuff on our man Andrei.  He is most certainly a rising star of the flop, and with his long arms its just hard not to notice is flailing.  It is guaranteed now that all Houston fans hate him after his recent incidents in the playoffs.  Kirilenko really wasn’t bothersome at all until late, but the recent flopping the last year has really moved him up the charts.  

Manu Ginobli (San Antonio Spurs: #20: Shooting Guard)

I really think Manu takes the cake for flopping.  He has got to be the most obvious and hilarious flopper in the NBA right now.  His flopping is like a fish out of water.  He is always trying to draw the foul no matter what the contact, and some of his reactions really ridiculous.  The slight bit of contact seems to drop Manu to the ground with such force, it looks he explodes with his arms and legs going everywhere.

Anderson Varejao (Cleveland Cavaliers: #17: Power Forward)

Most of Varejao’s flops come on the offensive end, his style is much different than Ginobli’s. He spends half of the time on the floor, and the other half wondering why he didn’t get the call.  He does get a lot of charge calls, but it is always humorous when his Sideshow Bob hair style flails all over the place.

Raja Bell (Phoenix Suns: #19: Shooting Guard)

Raja plays great D, but he loves to play real tight defense, and once the offensive players tries to get separation, then he is immediately on the ground.  He’s had his feud with Kobe and the whole Spurs team.  He led the NBA in offensive fouls drawn in 2005-2006, but Ginobli and others have climbed ahead of him for the top floppers.

Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs: #12: Small Forward)

On the court, Bowen is a jerk.  He has always been criticized of dirty play, but is an underrated flopper.  Bowen is mostly a dirty player though rather than a flopper.  He has done his fair share of flailing, but the dirty plays are just adding up by the year.  

Kicking Ray Allen

Tripping Amare

Kneeing Steve Nash

The Wally Dropkick

Kicking Chris Paul

Devin Harris (New Jersey Nets: #34: New Jersey Nets)

I mostly remember Harris for pulling down Jason Richardson last year in the playoffs, and hurting himself in the process.  Harris is in the beginning stages of becoming a flop-master, and is fine tuning his skills.  He has the potential to become one of the best. 

I really think that all the flopping has put a damper on the game.  I’ve also noticed that some of the top floppers are non-American, and have a soccer style mentality of drawing the foul.  It’s sad the best floppers are also some of the best defensive players.  Hopefully the league will crack down on this growing trend.  Feel free to add any other players that you feel are worthy.

 

Best of the Year 2008

Best of the week is now best of the year being that the real season is upon us. Now is the time for all of the post season awards to come rolling out. The Sixth Man of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year have already been announced and I agree unanimously.  

Let’s get started with the top 5 Rookies of 2007-08. 

5.) Thaddeus Young: A big reason for the Sixers being in the playoffs and a big part of their future. He is only 19 and has tons of what they call “upside.” 

4.) Luis Scola: When Ming went down, Scola and fellow rookie Carl Landry was a big reason for the Rockets streak. He is old compared to other rookies, but his first season in the NBA was a good one. 

3.) Al Thornton: Other than Durant, he may be the best scorer among the rookies. He averaged 15.6 PPG in games in which he started, which included 3 games of over 30 points. 

2.) Al Horford: He was a starter from the beginning of the season and just missed out on averaging a double-double. He has the makings of a 20-10 guy, possibly even by next year. 

1.) Kevin Durant: His shot selection could use some work, but he averaged over 20 PPG and with some added size his rebounding and shot blocking should improve. He is the easy Rookie of the Year. 

Here are the top 5 Most Improved Players for 2008. 

5.) Chris Kaman: He turned into a dominant big man in the absence of Elton Brand. I doubt many thought Kaman could turn into an offensive presence in the NBA, and he is a rebounding and a shot blocking force. He blew away all of his career highs, and the only reason he is not higher on this list is because he only played in 56 games. 

4.) Mike Dunleavy: We have been waiting on Dunleavy to produce since he came into the league. The former overall number 3 pick finally did this year, averaging almost 20 PPG while putting up decent rebounding and assist totals. 

3.) Danny Granger: Granger is a big man that likes to play out on the wing. He is a deadly three-point shooter who bumped up his scoring average from 13 to almost 20 to lead the Pacers. 

2.) Rudy Gay: Gay doubled his point total from last year and is also a respectable rebounder. His defense has improved as well with fantasy worthy numbers in steals and blocks. Gay has the makings of a superstar and a 25 PPG scorer. 

1.) Hedo Turkoglu: Turkoglu has always had the potential to be a 20 PPG scorer in the league and this year he finally came through, averaging 19.5 PPG. The biggest improvement for Hedo came in his assists; He went from 3.2 per game to 5.0. Orlando gave him more responsibility this year and Turkoglu took advantage. 

Next post we will get down to who should be the MVP of the league and the debate is hot.

The Wizards Should Just Shutup

I really hope that the Washington Wizards have learned their lesson, especially DeShawn Stevenson and Gilbert Arenas.  The Cavs absolutely destroyed the loudmouth Wizards with ease tonight 116-86.  Perhaps DeShawn should have thought twice about calling LeBron James “overrated”.  Seriously though how dumb can you be?  Why would you want to piss off one of the very best all around players in the league right before the playoff series?  Remember when the fans were talking mess to LeBron earlier this year?  James just took over the game, the Toronto fans probably remember that.  Speaking of overrated, what exactly has Gilbert Arenas done lately?  I love Gilbert, but he has been in no position to say anything at all this year, especially to the team that has knocked him out of the playoffs for the past two years.  

Game two was just as intense and physical as the first, highlighted by the flagrant II foul by Haywood on LeBron, with a small scuffle afterwords.  Haywood was ejected, but it didn’t really matter because there was no way the Wizards were coming back in this one.  Stevenson hit a nice three on James early on, and did the “Yayo” (waving his hand over his face), then Lebron immediately came right back, hit a 3, and did the Yayo right back to Stevenson, there was just no stopping him.  That play seemed to epitomize how the series has been going so far, the Wizards make a play, talk some smack, and then LeBron and Cleveland just come right back and basically say “Hey, we are better than you.”  

Now I still think that Washington can come back and win a couple of games, but there is no way that they are winning this series.  I first thought that they had a shot to beat Cleveland, but after all the talk, it just is not going to happen.  If Washington is to have a chance, their “Big 3″ of Butler, Jamison, and Arenas need to score more than a combined 28 points, last game LeBron outscored them by dropping 30.  The bottom line is, don’t talk crap to LeBron, it’s just not a good idea, and to fire up such a dominant player is one of the dumbest things you can do.

 

Everything On the Line for the Suns

This is it, the series against the Spurs means everything for the Phoenix Suns. Its the high energy, fast paced Suns, vs the grind it out, defensive minded, methodical San Antonio Spurs.   The Spurs have eliminated the Suns three of the past four seasons, and these teams are all too familiar with one another.  I personally cannot wait for this series, it will be a straight up battle.  The Suns want revenge, and seem much more motivated with Shaq.  Its obvious that both of these teams do not like each other, Bruce Bowen doesn’t really help that cause either.  

The Suns took a huge gamble and acquired Shaq in the trade to defeat teams such as the Spurs.  This series will prove if that experiment will work or not.  I really think the one-two punch of Shaq and Amare are too much for the Spurs. Nash will always be doing his thing, so you can count on him.  But I think this whole series depends on the Spurs transition D, as well as the big boys on the inside.  If Shaq can handle Duncan, and Amare stays out of foul trouble, the Suns can win this series.  

I’m honestly really tired of the Spurs and its about time for them to bow out.  I truly believe that the Suns will beat the Spurs, I just think they want it more and are much more motivated.  Of course the Spurs will be no easy out, but the Suns have too much firepower, and yes they have enough depth now on the inside to handle business.  This is make or break series for the Suns, they are playing to win now, or else it might be time to go back to the drawing board.  

Phoenix too strong and too fast: Suns in 6

Carmelo Anthony: Not Grown Up Yet

When I was looking through the recent sports headlines monday morning, and I was shocked to see that Carmelo had been arrested for suspicion of DUI.  First off, getting a DUI is bad enough, but in the middle of a playoff chase at the most crucial point of the season?  It’s one of those things that probably just puzzles coaches and owners, I can see their reaction being something along the lines of.. “What the (explicit) are you thinking?”  I’m pretty sure Anthony has enough money to hire a driver for such occasions, but instead he decided to drive back drunk.  His rep isn’t exactly getting better in the NBA, first the sucker punch on Mardy Collins during the Knicks brawl, and now this.  

Anthony is a legitimate superstar now, and he just cannot be making these decisions, he is too valuable to his team and the Denver Nuggets franchise.  Personally I am very tired of hearing about athletes being arrested.  The Cincinnati Bengals are a perfect example of players crossing the line with the law.  Chris Henry and running back Quincy Wilson were recently cut from the team because of run-ins with the law.  I’m not saying that will happen to Carmelo or any other players, but it just shows that sometimes enough is enough and players are not invincible like some may think.  Hopefully for the Nuggets, Carmelo’s head will be in the right place for the playoffs.

Bynum: The Key To The Playoffs?

Is it possible that a 20 year old 7-footer who has played only 35 games this season and has a career average of only 7.2 PPG can have the biggest impact of anyone on the playoffs? Is it possible that David Stern himself is praying for Andrew Bynum’s speedy recovery five or six times a day? It is not only possible; it is the case in my opinion.

There are only 3 games left in the season and you can already smell playoff basketball. Andrew Bynum is still not practicing and has recently been sent to New York to see a knee specialist. This is not good news for Laker fans and that includes David Stern. Stern was asked, fairly recently, who would be his dream match up in the finals and his reply was “the Lakers vs. the Lakers.” The Lakers drive TV ratings and merchandising, all things that make David Stern feel tingly on the inside.

The Lakers are an excellent team without Bynum and there are quite a few delusional Laker fans who think they can win the title without Bynum. The problem is that without Bynum the Lakers are not better than San Antonio, Utah, New Orleans, or Phoenix. All of these teams, including the Lakers are pretty much the same.

The Lakers with Bynum are the best team in the West; in fact, they may be the best team in the NBA. Without Bynum, they are one of the many and that many includes Tim Duncan and the Spurs. In case you haven’t been paying attention, Tim Duncan and Greg Popovich are pretty good at winning games in the playoffs. So for my money, a Bynum-less Laker team doesn’t pull if off in the Western conference playoffs.

Think about this for just a moment. Pau Gasol is an excellent player, but no experience winning games in the playoffs. Lamar Odom is an excellent do-everything talent, but with no experience having any sort of backbone as a player when times are tough. Kobe Bryant has not won anything without Shaq. I would not be surprised if the Lakers get bounced in the first round.

Bynum is not the young Shaq, but he gives the Lakers offensive and defensive punch in the middle. Ronny Turiaf is a fine off-the-bench guy and nothing more and have you seen how skinny Odom and Gasol are? With a healthy Bynum in the middle, the Lakers become a team that is more than the sum of its parts. They are the team that can beat Tim Duncan and the Spurs and they are the team that can beat either Boston or Detroit.

As for David Stern, he can’t have the Lakers vs. the Lakers, but he can have the Lakers vs. the Celtics, which is not a bad deal and can bring back some nostalgia from the NBA’s heyday in the 1980’s

Oh To Be A Memphis Fan!

How do you let that one slip away? John Calipari has tried to disregard or explain away Memphis’ woes at the free throw line all season. I suppose he will try to do the same thing again, but anyone with any sense of reality knows it can’t be done. It is true that when you are beating good teams by 10 or 20, you can get away with being the 339^th best free throw shooting team in division I basketball. The problem is when you are playing an excellent team and it comes down to hitting a few free throws to put away the game. 

In the final minute, the two studs for Memphis were 1-5 from the free throw line. All they had to do was make one more and Memphis would be the national champions. I suppose there is no need to beat up on Memphis; they will do plenty of that themselves. Besides, they helped to give us one of the best National Championship games in history. 

Some of the greatest college players and greatest teams of all time have participated in the Final Four and the Championship game. With that being said, I don’t think I have ever seen so many athletes on the floor. Between Kansas and Memphis, I don’t think there has been a clash of two teams that were more athletic. Rush, Chalmers, Rose, Douglas-Roberts, Dozier, Dorsey, and the list could go on and on.  

This was the most frantically played title game I have ever seen. Guys were flying all over the place, diving on balls, blocking shots, dunking lob passes, and getting out into the dribbling and passing lanes for steals. There was no let up for the entire game. I was starting to feel sorry for the refs having to keep up with all that action.

The game obviously didn’t disappoint (unless you are a Memphis fan) and helped to prove that the college game still has more intensity and emotion than the NBA. It was a great way to end the season.

Worst of the Week (Mar.31-Apr.6)

Just as with the Best of the Week, Worst of the Week will only focus on the guys playing for playoff contending teams. These guys need to get their act together if they want to help their team in the second season. 

5.)  Al Harrington: 32.5% FG, 8.8 PPG, 5.0 Reb, 1.5 Ast, 0.8 Stl, no blocks 

Harrington has had an up and down season. He worked well in the wide open system of the Warriors last year and has had his moments this year. The Warriors were 1-3 over the past week and that is no way to win a playoff spot. They still have a shot at the 8^th spot in the West, but Harrington is going to have to do better than the 1 for 9 he put up against Dallas. 

4.)  Stephen Jackson: 25.5% FG, 7.0 PPG, 3.2 Reb, 4.2 Ast, 0.8 Stl, 0.2 Blk 

Jackson has come alive in his time with the Warriors, and this has been his career year. However, it was not a good week for him or the Warriors. Like Harrington, if the Warriors are going to get into the playoffs, Jackson needs to hit his shots. He was 1-11 against Dallas, 3-11 against New Orleans, and 2-12 against the Spurs, all of which were losses. 

3.)  Sam Cassell: 23.1% FG, 7.0 PPG, 2.5 Reb, 0.5 Ast, 0.5 Stl 

It appears that Cassell has settled into his role of coming off the bench. I thought he would be a huge boost to Boston and become the starter, but he is not getting it done. Boston is better off the Rondo in and letting Cassell give him a breather. I’m not sure Boston can beat the Pistons in the playoffs with Cassell playing this way. 

2.)  Keith Bogans: 30.0% FG, 50.0% FT, 5.7 PPG, 3.3 Reb, 1.0 Ast, no steals, no blocks 

Bogans gets quality minutes off the bench, but he is not expected to carry much of a production load. He has his moments from behind the arc when he gets hot, but he hasn’t been hot since the middle of March. Orlando is a quality team, but they don’t stand a chance in the playoffs unless everyone who plays, plays well. 

1.)  Jason Kapono: 37.5% FG, 2.7 PPG, 1.0 Reb, 0.7 Ast, no steals, no blocks 

Kapono has hit some sort of wall with his shot since winning the three-point shootout. He hasn’t hit a three pointer since March 19^th—an 8 game stretch. In fact, since Feb.1 Kapono has made only 7 three’s. His playing time has been cut and when the playoffs come around, I wonder if he will get more than 10 minutes in any game. 

Un-Honorable Mention: Chuck Hayes, Manu Ginobili, Paul Pierce

Best of the Week (Mar.31-Apr.6)

With only 5 or 6 games left, the playoff races are taking center stage. Because of this, I am focusing only on guys playing for contending teams. 

5.)  Rasho Nesterovic: 60.7% FG, 91.7% FT, 20.0 PPG, 9.8 Reb, 1.3 Blk 

I don’t know what has gotten into Rasho, but he has been a beast lately. I never expected to have him on this list, but he has been putting up the numbers over the last month. Toronto is already in the playoffs, but a strong finish could move them out of the dreaded slot of having to play the Pistons in the first round. 

4.)  Andre Iguodala: 51.1% FG, 80.8% FT, 24.0 PPG, 6.0 Reb, 7.3 Ast, 1.0 Stl 

Iguodala has shined in the void left by Iverson. Iguodala is a great athlete who is also extremely skilled. He can do anything on the court. This has been his finest season, and he is making Philly a respectable team. A strong finish and some faltering of Cleveland and Washington could move Philly into the 4^th slot in the East. 

3.)  Lamar Odom: 73.5% FG, 75.0% FT, 19.7 PPG, 8.3 Reb, 4.3 Ast, 2.0 Blk, 1.3 Stl 

Kobe is the best player on the Lakers, but Odom seems to be the key to their wins and losses. When he is on, they are as tough to beat as anyone. With Gasol back and the possibility of Bynum for the playoffs, the Lakers may not be beatable. Odom fills up the stat sheet, and when he shots like he did this past week (73.5% from the field), the Lakers are the impossible to defend. 

2.)  Carmelo Anthony: 57.6% FG, 32.0 PPG, 10.3 Reb, 3.2 Ast, 2.0 Stl 

A devastating loss to lowly Seattle was a blow to the Nuggets playoff hopes, but it would be hard to blame Carmelo. He is averaging over 30 PPG and almost 10 rebounds over the last 8 games. Denver is tied for the last spot in the West and they need to learn to play some defense if they want to hold off Golden State. 

1.)  Kobe Bryant: 57.8% FG, 90.0% FT, 30.0 PPG, 9.3 Reb, 6.0 Ast, 1.7 Stl 

Kobe was spot on all week and the Lakers are looking good as the playoffs near. Kobe and Odom are tough by themselves, but with Gasol and Bynum coming back from injury they will be the team to watch. Kobe is also making a late push for the MVP. There are about 5 candidates with equal arguments for the MVP this season and it will surely cause some controversy no matter who gets it. 

Honorable Mention: Vince Carter, David West, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Mehmet Okur, Kevin Garnett, and Josh Smith.

The West is Better, But The East Will Win It All

The NBA, for the last few years, has been weighted toward the West. All you have to do is look at the playoff race in the Western conference compared to the race in the Eastern conference. Portland, with its winning record is sitting outside the playoffs in the 10^th spot out west. They would be tied for 5^th if they were in the Eastern conference. 

I do believe in the superiority of the West; however, I think the NBA champion will probably come from the Eastern conference.  It isn’t necessarily because the two best records in the league are in the East (Boston and Detroit). 

I did a little digging to see if the Celtics and the Pistons had simply beaten up on the weaker competition in the East to pad their records.  What I found was interesting. Both the Celtics and the Pistons have better records against the West than they do against the East. Also, the Celtics have a 9-3 record against the top 6 teams in the West. Detroit has only an 8-7 record against those same teams, but they started the season 0-5. If you have been paying attention, you know that the Pistons are playing much better at the end of the season than they did early on; they since have an 8-2 record against the big dogs in the West. 

If the Celtics or Pistons make it to the finals, it will be a tough task for any of the top teams from the West to take them down. I personally think it will be the Pistons because of their playoff experience, but there is a lot of extreme talent on the Celtics and they have several quality role players as well. 

I think the West is by far the better conference, but I think the two best teams are the Celtics and the Pistons. If LeBron doesn’t go crazy like last year, I think the East will cutting down the nets.