Basketball
- Atlanta Surprises in Playoffs
- NBA Distractions
- Celtics True Title Contenders
- 2008 March Madness Information
- Yao Ming Out for Season
- Shaq Doesn't Fit With Suns' Style
- Kansas State Knocks Off Kansas
- Countdown to March Madness
- January 2008 NBA Resolutions
- Trail Blazers Win Ten Straight
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
The Atlanta Hawks are making things difficult for Boston.
Hey folks, I'm back in action. Sorry about the recent hiatus, but thanks for all your comments/opinions on the MVP race.
Can you believe the Celtics/Hawks series going to seven games? The Mike Bibby deal seems to have really paid off. What do you think? Is it a match up issue? Is Atlanta just playing their hearts out? Is Boston really a finals contender?
Another question is what does this success mean for the Hawks? If they manage to upset Boston in Game 7, do they make any moves? They do have a logjam at the small forward position with Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Josh Childress. They could certainly use a defensive-minded center. Yet, which prospect do they give up? Or, should they keep what they have and hope to continue to develop that talent, despite the holes.
At any rate, it should be an exciting Game 7.
I'm glad to be back and am excited about hearing your thoughts on the NBA Playoffs.
Can you believe the Celtics/Hawks series going to seven games? The Mike Bibby deal seems to have really paid off. What do you think? Is it a match up issue? Is Atlanta just playing their hearts out? Is Boston really a finals contender?
Another question is what does this success mean for the Hawks? If they manage to upset Boston in Game 7, do they make any moves? They do have a logjam at the small forward position with Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Josh Childress. They could certainly use a defensive-minded center. Yet, which prospect do they give up? Or, should they keep what they have and hope to continue to develop that talent, despite the holes.
At any rate, it should be an exciting Game 7.
I'm glad to be back and am excited about hearing your thoughts on the NBA Playoffs.
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
With the NBA Playoffs at hand, a couple side stories have distracted from what should be an exciting period of anticipation.
Though fans should be focused on the excitement surrounding the upcoming NBA Playoffs right about now - after all - the Western Conference features a face that's gone down to the very last day, and the East has a prominent title contender at the top. Yet, there've been some off-court distractions to pull fans' attentions away from the good stuff.
First, the situation with Seattle and the Supersonics is awful and should never be allowed to happen. Heck, it should never have gotten to that point. For those who don't know, former Sonics owner Howard Schulz sold the team over a year ago to a group out of Oklahoma. The sale went with the stipulation that the new owners intended to try to keep the team in Seattle and would make all good-faith efforts to do so. Recently, e-mails have emerged that show very clearly that that was never the case. So, Mr. Schulz is suing the Oklahoman owners as a last-ditch effort to keep the team where it is.
It's a mess. Take it from a Seattlite. Sonics fans have really stepped up, though. This isn't like when the Hornets left Charlotte and there were less than a thousand fans at many of the games. Fans in Seattle have been showing their support all season, despite a horrid year.
Second, Carmelo Anthony recently got arrested for suspicions of DUI. Oops! I'm sure Denver appreciates that with the playoffs less than a week away.
First, the situation with Seattle and the Supersonics is awful and should never be allowed to happen. Heck, it should never have gotten to that point. For those who don't know, former Sonics owner Howard Schulz sold the team over a year ago to a group out of Oklahoma. The sale went with the stipulation that the new owners intended to try to keep the team in Seattle and would make all good-faith efforts to do so. Recently, e-mails have emerged that show very clearly that that was never the case. So, Mr. Schulz is suing the Oklahoman owners as a last-ditch effort to keep the team where it is.
It's a mess. Take it from a Seattlite. Sonics fans have really stepped up, though. This isn't like when the Hornets left Charlotte and there were less than a thousand fans at many of the games. Fans in Seattle have been showing their support all season, despite a horrid year.
Second, Carmelo Anthony recently got arrested for suspicions of DUI. Oops! I'm sure Denver appreciates that with the playoffs less than a week away.
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
Kevin Garnett leads the Celtics to the best defense in the NBA.
I must admit, I had my doubts as to whether the big three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen could win a title for Boston, but the way they're playing is tough to ignore. After they started winning at the beginning of the seasons, critics (including myself) pointed out that they had played a somewhat weak schedule. However, we're near the end of the season and they have a 58-15 record, including a 25-5 record against the Western Conference, whom most consider a tougher conference overall.
Kevin Garnett has led Boston to the best defense in the league and they've picked apart some tough opponents of late. Moreover, they've been relatively healthy this season and haven't shown a whole lot of fatigue. On top of that, most would argue that they'll have an easier path to the finals than teams in the West. The Detroit Pistons will be their biggest obstacles with the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers also being pesky opponents.
With the additions of veterans PJ Brown and Sam Cassell, the sky's the limit in Boston and the luck of the Irish seems to have finally returned to the Garden.
Kevin Garnett has led Boston to the best defense in the league and they've picked apart some tough opponents of late. Moreover, they've been relatively healthy this season and haven't shown a whole lot of fatigue. On top of that, most would argue that they'll have an easier path to the finals than teams in the West. The Detroit Pistons will be their biggest obstacles with the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers also being pesky opponents.
With the additions of veterans PJ Brown and Sam Cassell, the sky's the limit in Boston and the luck of the Irish seems to have finally returned to the Garden.
2008 March Madness Information
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
Important information for NCAA Men's Basketball fans to know.
March Madness is upon us and it's time to start thinking about your office brackets. Here is a quick guide to the 2008 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament.
Important Dates
The teams that are most likely to claim the number one seeds at this point are (1) North Carolina, (2) Memphis, (3) UCLA and (4) Tennessee.
Important Dates
- Sunday, March 16th - CBS will announce the 650-team bracket
- Saturday, April 5th and Monday, April 7th - Final Four games will be played
The teams that are most likely to claim the number one seeds at this point are (1) North Carolina, (2) Memphis, (3) UCLA and (4) Tennessee.
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
Yao Ming goes down with injury, while NBA Trades seem to be affecting other teams' play.
After winning 13 games straight, the Houston Rockets took a big blow with star center Yao Ming going down for the rest of the season. That means, they'll have to put all their hopes on the oft-injured Tracy McGrady, as well as an old Dikembe Mutombo in the paint.
After struggling for most of the season, the Rockets had made a major push in the standings, pulling within one game of the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Hornets and two games of the San Antonio Spurs. Yet, without Yao anchoring the team's middle, they may not have enough to continue their hot streak.
Meanwhile, has anyone noticed how many current winning streaks there are in the NBA? Has anyone wondered if that has something to do with all the recent trade activity? The LA Lakers, after acquiring Pau Gasol, have won nine straight, the Spurs, acquiring Kurt Thomas and Damon Stoudamire to help solidify its bench, has won six straight, and Dallas, after acquiring Jason Kidd, has won three straight. Conversely, the Memphis Grizzlies have lost six straight after trading Pau Gasol for practically nothing, and though the Miami Heat, after acquiring Shawn Marion, have only won one of its last ten games, they have been playing more competitively than before.
After struggling for most of the season, the Rockets had made a major push in the standings, pulling within one game of the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Hornets and two games of the San Antonio Spurs. Yet, without Yao anchoring the team's middle, they may not have enough to continue their hot streak.
Meanwhile, has anyone noticed how many current winning streaks there are in the NBA? Has anyone wondered if that has something to do with all the recent trade activity? The LA Lakers, after acquiring Pau Gasol, have won nine straight, the Spurs, acquiring Kurt Thomas and Damon Stoudamire to help solidify its bench, has won six straight, and Dallas, after acquiring Jason Kidd, has won three straight. Conversely, the Memphis Grizzlies have lost six straight after trading Pau Gasol for practically nothing, and though the Miami Heat, after acquiring Shawn Marion, have only won one of its last ten games, they have been playing more competitively than before.
Shaq Doesn't Fit With Suns' Style
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
There are many skeptics as to whether or not the Phoenix Suns can finally win an NBA Championship with an aging Shaquille O'Neal.
The Phoenix Suns recently dealt athletic forward Shawn Marion and back up point guard Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat in exchange for an old, worn-out Shaquille O'Neal. In the last couple of seasons, Shaq has dwindled into a shell of his former self. This season, he averages a career low 14.2 ppg.
Yet, it's hard to say what kind of playing condition O'Neal is actually in. Though he's been hurt for most of the season, Suns doctors are finding that he's really not in that bad of shape health-wise. Could it be that Shaq was merely over-selling his injury to avoid further hurting himself for a team that holds the absolute worst record in the NBA?
The Heat have been awful this season, and has won only nine games so far. Going from that to a team that's considered just a piece away from winning an NBA title, Shaq has to be pleased. However, it's still uncertain whether or not he's the piece they need. Coach Mike D'Antoni loves to run-and-gun, while Shaq tends to slow things to a halt. Many say Shaq can be the rebounder who sparks the fast break. Only time will tell. Shaq is day-to-day. Phoenix won't rush him back, as they hope to use him more in the playoffs.
Yet, it's hard to say what kind of playing condition O'Neal is actually in. Though he's been hurt for most of the season, Suns doctors are finding that he's really not in that bad of shape health-wise. Could it be that Shaq was merely over-selling his injury to avoid further hurting himself for a team that holds the absolute worst record in the NBA?
The Heat have been awful this season, and has won only nine games so far. Going from that to a team that's considered just a piece away from winning an NBA title, Shaq has to be pleased. However, it's still uncertain whether or not he's the piece they need. Coach Mike D'Antoni loves to run-and-gun, while Shaq tends to slow things to a halt. Many say Shaq can be the rebounder who sparks the fast break. Only time will tell. Shaq is day-to-day. Phoenix won't rush him back, as they hope to use him more in the playoffs.
Kansas State Knocks Off Kansas
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
Michael Beasley leads his young team to victory over No. 2 Kansas.
Michael Beasley is a basketball stud. How else to explain his 25.3 ppg, 12.4 rbpg average, while shooting 56% from the floor? He's led this once overlooked squad to a 15-4 record and a first place seed in the Big 12. In fact, many expect Beasley to be the number one pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Of course, fellow freshman Bill Walker has helped. With an average of 16.1 ppg to go along with 6.5 rbpg, Walker's acrobatic dunks have helped to not only make the Wildcats an exciting team to watch, but also a formidable opponent.
The 24-year losing streak to Kansas was known as "The Streak" to Wildcat fans, but with an 84-75 victory Wednesday night, it was officially broken. "It doesn't sting because of The Streak," an obviously disappointed Kansas coach Bill Self said. "It stings because it's our rival. I could care less about The Streak. But I do care about beating our rivals. So, yeah, this one stings more than what most would sting" [Associated Press].
Of course, fellow freshman Bill Walker has helped. With an average of 16.1 ppg to go along with 6.5 rbpg, Walker's acrobatic dunks have helped to not only make the Wildcats an exciting team to watch, but also a formidable opponent.
The 24-year losing streak to Kansas was known as "The Streak" to Wildcat fans, but with an 84-75 victory Wednesday night, it was officially broken. "It doesn't sting because of The Streak," an obviously disappointed Kansas coach Bill Self said. "It stings because it's our rival. I could care less about The Streak. But I do care about beating our rivals. So, yeah, this one stings more than what most would sting" [Associated Press].
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
March Madness is just a month-and-a-half away and freshmen phenoms, like Derrick Rose and Kevin Love, have their teams jockeying for a high tournament ranking.
Is it just me, or is anyone else itching for college basketball's March Madness? It's a month or two away, but we're entering the downslope of the season, especially with the numerous conference playoffs in February.
In addition, is anyone else as excited as I am about the freshman class this season? As great as the Kevin Durant/Greg Oden class was a year ago, I think this class might be even better. Here's how I'd rank the top freshmen as of January 15th, 2008.
In addition, is anyone else as excited as I am about the freshman class this season? As great as the Kevin Durant/Greg Oden class was a year ago, I think this class might be even better. Here's how I'd rank the top freshmen as of January 15th, 2008.
- Michael Beasley, F Kansas St, 23.8 ppg, 13.1 rbpg - Though he plays for a weak division, he's a beast to reckon with.
- Derrick Rose, PG Memphis, 14.7 ppg, 4.3 apg, 4.0 rbpg - His stats are misleading. He's an unselfish player on one of the best team's in the country.
- Kevin Love, UCLA C, 16.8 ppg, 10.2 rbpg, 60% FG - The Bruins finally got a power game in the middle.
- Donte Greene, Syracuse F, 18.9 ppg, 8.2 rbpg - Versatility and scoring. This kid reminds some of Rashard Lewis.
- James Harden, Az St G, 18.2 ppg, 5.6 rbpg - Harden's scoring prowess has provided the Sun Devils with a big boost.
- Jerryd Bayless, Az G, 19.7 ppg, 4.6 apg - Bayless is a scorer through and through.
- Patrick Patterson, Kentucky F, 17.2 ppg, 8.4 rbpg - A tough competitor with a lot of talent.
- OJ Mayo, G USC, 19.9 ppg, 4.8 rbpg, 3.0 apg, 3.9 topg - Many might disagree with this low rank, but I think he's overrated.
- DeAndre Jordan, Tx A&M C, 10.5 ppg, 7.2 rbpg - Doing a great job in the middle for A&M.
- Kosta Koufos, Ohio St C, 14.4 ppg, 7.1 rbpg - He would have been a great compliment to Greg Oden a year ago.
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
Check out what five NBA teams hope to resolve by the end of the season.
It's 2008 - finally - and the NBA is full of side stories that truly ought to become sitcoms. Here are ten New Years resolutions for certain NBA teams:
- The New York Knicks need to dump some salary and improve its defense. You couldn't slip a credit card underneath the feet of either Eddy Curry or Zach Randolph while they jumped to full height.
- The Chicago Bulls need to find some offensive chemistry. The obvious answer is to land a back-to-the-basket player who can draw double teams, but at what cost does that maneuver make sense?
- The Cleveland Cavaliers need to get LeBron James some help. Sadly, they don't have enough trade bait or salary cap room to do that right now.
- The Houston Rockets need to get some help for Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. Despite what some believe, that supporting cast is awful.
- The Phoenix Suns need to stop making the same mistakes. For starters, what is Mike D'Antoni thinking by not resting his stars more? Does he really think Grant Hill will be ready for the playoffs at this current pace?
Trail Blazers Win Ten Straight
Posted by
Phil Partington
Phil Partington
The Portland Trail Blazers have been on a tear, winning ten straight games, including three against division rivals.
I just got back from a week-and-a-half long vacation in Los Angeles and Mexico. What a fun place! The highlight was an excursion where we road in trucks that reminded of an Indiana Jones adventure (very bumpy) up part of a mountain, road mules up the rest, zip-lined across canyons 250-feet in the air, through trees of a rain forest and into water, repelled down a 65-foot water fall and hiked through the forest. It's tough to come back to Washington state's 30-something degree weather after relaxing in Mexico's 90-something degree weather. Yet, tomorrow is Christmas and it wouldn't feel right spending it in the sunshine.
It's fun to return and see what's been going on in the world of the NBA. Who would have guessed, for instance, that the Portland Trail Blazers would have won ten in a row to put them second in the division behind the Denver Nuggets. Most thought their season was lost when top draft pick, Greg Oden, went down with injury for the season. Moreover, the Blazers could extend that streak to thirteen, as its next three challengers all have sub-.500 records (Seattle, Minnesota and Philadelphia). In this ten-game stretch, Portland has defeated Utah twice, Denver and New Orleans. Not bad for such a young team.
Guard Brandon Roy leads the Blazers with 19.1 ppg, 4.4 rbpg and 5.6 apg. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 18.5 ppg and 7.7 rbpg. Keep your eye on this young team. They seem to be destined for great things.
Have a wonderful holiday season, folks.
It's fun to return and see what's been going on in the world of the NBA. Who would have guessed, for instance, that the Portland Trail Blazers would have won ten in a row to put them second in the division behind the Denver Nuggets. Most thought their season was lost when top draft pick, Greg Oden, went down with injury for the season. Moreover, the Blazers could extend that streak to thirteen, as its next three challengers all have sub-.500 records (Seattle, Minnesota and Philadelphia). In this ten-game stretch, Portland has defeated Utah twice, Denver and New Orleans. Not bad for such a young team.
Guard Brandon Roy leads the Blazers with 19.1 ppg, 4.4 rbpg and 5.6 apg. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 18.5 ppg and 7.7 rbpg. Keep your eye on this young team. They seem to be destined for great things.
Have a wonderful holiday season, folks.
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