Category Archives: Players

Profiles players of note and their contributions to the sport.

by | June 13, 2012 · 3:45 PM

Metta World Peace is Metta Man

Apparently, I am a little late on seeing this, but today as I was avoiding anything that Bill Simmons wrote on Grantland, I stumbled upon this little gem about Metta World Peace. It chronicles the life that World Peace, formerly Ron Artest, has been living since his Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs. Since Ron-Ron is a Beef favorite this was a must read for me.

Now, I know he is going to be in a Lifetime movie, did the weather in Vancouver, and that his mixtape rap game is on point but this video caught my eye:

Wow. Pure gold.

What many may forget, due to wanting to paint World Peace in a less than favorable light, is that he won the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2011. He won the award do to his work in promoting awareness for mental health issues, especially among children. Yes, World Peace has actually done remarkable work in this field. Hense the video’s message.

However, the content of the video is, well, just so Artest (or possibly Tim and Eric). I’m not quite sure what a curling stone, skateboard, New York City skyline, Larry King, what looks to be a toy helicopter from Radio Shack, a Mini Cooper with hydraulics, and dunking have to do with raising awareness of mental health  but I am not Metta Man. Therefore, how could I make the correlation.

It’s good to see that World Peace, even with his active offseason, is continuing his campaign to help children, adults, and veterans who struggle with their mental issues. He’s not all bad, people.

One last note: I couldn’t help but notice that Metta Man’s costume is strikingly similar to that of Meteor Man’s. That was easily the most distracting part of the ad for me. Heck, the similarities abound between the two. That can’t be a coincidence.

Dear sweet movie green-lighters, please let this be an omen that World Peace will star in a remake of Meteor Man. If Colin Farrell can star in a remake of Total Recall then we must have a remake of Meteor Man. Hear me, Hollywood! It will totally be better than Thunderstruck.

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by | June 4, 2012 · 2:37 PM

Rajon Rondo is beyond this Earth

Boldly going

Doyle Rader: Rajon Rondo has been the most refreshing and entertaining player in the NBA during the playoffs. This no better illustrated than just before game four of the Eastern Conference Finals a friend, who doesn’t like basketball, called me up and asked who that player on the Celtics he should watch is. I told him it was Rondo. The Rondo Lore is growing by the minute.

Against the Heat, Rondo has been putting on a clinic with his passing, fakes, jukes, and even his jump shot. Though he does prefer to score at the rim as indicated by his Game 4 shot chart.

Game 4

He does it all for the Celtics without getting tired. He has played 681 minutes in the playoffs thus far, more than any other Celtic. Paul Pierce is second but is 20 minutes behind (fouling out doesn’t help).

All of these factors have helped grow the legend of Rondo, who before now was frequently mentioned in just about every trade rumor coming out of Boston. Trading Rondo is a silly notion as he is by far the most valuable asset the team has going forward, especially with the breaking up of the Pierce-Ray Allen-Kevin Garnett core looming on the horizon.

Rondo is the Celtics’ Garry Kasparov. Much as been made about his unpredictability being one of his greatest assets but to accept that is to ignore the fact that Rondo is entirely plodding and methodical in his approach to the game. He is one step, if not more, ahead of the competition directing his players like pieces on a board. Rondo vehemently waved off Pierce, who was looking for a transition three in Game 4, and directed him to cut to the bucket. The result was an easy lay-in. Rondo’s court vision has just been superb.

Travis Huse: Rondo’s a different breed of NBA player, but his is a style I envision taking over the league within the next few seasons. He’s like Fat Lever, but with Magic Johnson and Jason Kidd‘s triple-double capabilities, all hopped up on bath salts and Cap’n Crunch. But you’re positively on point with the Kasparov reference (Did you catch Ray Allen’s chess quote last night?), the little guy is so manipulative with his head-games.

Remember when he tried to sneak  into the Heat’s huddle last season? It was in the middle of a huge Celtics run in the 3rd quarter, both as a small display of bravado and as a way to keep the Heat thinking about him. What at the time seemed like a silly move to pester another team is now tactical warfare. Rondo had a triple-double that game, and the Celtics won by three.

DR: To quote the kids these days, “Rondo gives no fucks.” He is out there to play basketball and to win. A perfect example is what he said to Doris Burke at halftime when he flat called out the Heat for constantly bitching to the refs about calls. This is the type of mentality that every coach can appreciate when your team is battling for the right to the NBA Finals. Miami is Rondo’s enemy, why should he show them anything but contempt. He does not respect them right now, nor should he.

Also along the line of giving no fucks, have you seen what he has been wearing in the post game pressers? Not only is his game on some next level future shit, but is wardrobe fluctuates from the 1980s to the 24th century.

TH: He’s good for the league in his disdain. The “super-team” mentality of the Heat takes away from the real reason people love to watch sports: to hate another city with a burning passion. When players group together as players, marketing personal brands over team identity, the whole thing seems to matter less. It is much cheaper to watch a pick-up game down at the park if you’re looking for a good-natured buddy game of basketball.

Playing with fire, drive, and even hatred is what makes you a champion, and the sports culture in Boston thrives best under those conditions (I think Boston as a whole survives based on a constant undertone of street fighting, to be honest). The team has 17 trophies to show for it. Pat Riley exhibits this trait, but the rest of the Heat organization is lacking in that regard. Erik Spoelstra can’t really invoke that championship fire in this squad, and the squad itself isn’t built for it. I simply do not believe that they are playing for the sake of basketball. Rondo is, and he’ll do whatever it takes to win, and he will do it in ways never seen before.

DR: With Boston, it’s all about narrative. It’s who they are. They are never favorites and have been written off more than once. Their quest for recognition and glory is all that matters with their storied past. I for one am happy that Rondo is the protagonist of this particular chapter.

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by | May 30, 2012 · 6:34 AM

A Song about Gustavo Ayon

Mexico is a land of tradition and home to a proud people. Yet, when it comes to the sports world, Mexico has not had many sons and daughters to cheer  for outside of their club soccer teams. Now, however, it looks as though a new folk hero is emerging.

Gustavo Ayon is not the first Mexican born citizen to play in the NBA. Horacio Llamas and Eduardo Najera got there first. Najera is still playing but his best days are behind him, though no matter where he plays his is a fan favorite for his energy and hustle. Therefore it is now Ayon who is now cultivating a sizable fanbase.

In his first season in the NBA, with the New Orleans Hornets, Ayon posted per 36 minutes averages of 10.6 points, 8.8 rebounds (which is beyond modest), 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks. He started 24 games for the Hornets and in those games averaged 6.5 points, 5.7 boards, 1.6 dimes, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks. Modest numbers at best, but Ayon was one of the bright spots on the team due to his hustle on the floor. To go along with those numbers he also shot 51.5 percent on field goals.

He numbers aren’t going to blow anyone away at this point in his career but if Mexico had a vote for Rookie of the Year it would have gone to Ayon. In fact, he might even be worthy of someone penning a song about him. Luckily, someone already has.

I don’t speak Spanish, but from what I gather, the people of Tepic, Mexico are proud of him. As they should be.

Hat tip to HoopsHype for finding the song.

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by | May 25, 2012 · 8:45 PM

Dwight Howard and the Malfunctioning Magic

Puppet master

There are several “earmuffs” moments in this piece so please think twice about reading it out loud to small children.

The past week has been even more of a ludicrous scene of Tom Fuckery than the Orlando Magic have grown accustomed to this season. Dwight Howard has subjected his team, the only one he has ever played for, to a myriad of split decisions followed by reversals, retractions, and second guessing. It is enough to drive any organization mad. Despite this perpetual distraction, the Magic plodded along, and despite Howard’s injury late in the season, still managed to make the playoffs.

They didn’t make it very far, though.

Since then all Hell has broken loose and this week has been the zenith of stupidity.

Orlando cleaned house as the team fired head coach Stan Van Gundy and ‘politely’ asked general manager Otis Smith to step down. It was apparent that Van Gundy would not last with the Magic after reporting to the media that he was aware that Howard had asked Rich DeVos, the owner of the Magic, to fire him. It made for quite an awkward moment. Van Gundy’s best line is that he doesn’t like bullshit. Howard certainly created enough of that this season. Nonetheless, Howard had his wish granted. If the Magic Kingdom is good for anything besides humidity it’s granting wishes.

As for Smith, it was clear that he needed to go. During his tenure in Orlando he did his best Danny Ferry impression by surrounding Howard with mediocre, or beyond their prime players. When he did have legitimate players on the roster (read: Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass) those players did not fit into Van Gundy’s system and were essentially condemned to the bench. The expelling of Van Gundy and Smith had to be a joint package.

With two of Dwight’s largest nuisances removed, one would think that he would now be more complacent to stay in Orlando, but as Chris Sheridan reports, that couldn’t be further from the truth. As he stated long ago, Howard still wants out of Orlando and unlike before, it looks as though the Magic are ready to field offers for their star center.

Keeping in mind that they have an unhappy, or rather just stubborn, player to move, the Magic also need to replace their head coach and GM. This is where it gets idiotic.

For about 24 hours, Shaquille O’Neal, the Big Aristotle, was rumored to be in line to interview for the vacancy at GM. Yes, Shaq. Simply put: what a fucking joke! Luckily for everyone, it was, or at least it sort of was. It didn’t take long for everyone to question the move and speculate, correctly, that the rumor originated in Shaq’s camp only to bolster his image. There was no possible way that Shaq would ever actually be the GM of the Magic as he and Howard have had a tit-for-tat relationship since Howard entered the league. On top of that, Shaq’s comprehension of the new collective bargaining agreement is probably on par with a first grader’s ability to under stand quantum theory. Thank goodness this story ended when it did before it really caught any real traction.

And we thought Dwight’s drama was too much.

As for a replacement head coach, none other than Jerry Sloan was mentioned as a possible replacement. Sloan coached the Utah Jazz since fish ventured onto land for the first time. He has an impressive coaching resume built mostly with the likes of John Stockton and Karl Malone leading the Jazz to two consecutive Finals appearances in 1997 and ’98.

However, his departure from Utah, midseason, two years ago is the result of a tainted relationship with Deron Williams, who was the team’s All Star point guard. Spats with players are nothing new for Sloan, who rigidly coaches the flex offense. Because of this, it would not seem like a good match for Howard, who, it has been rumored, wants to have his say in how the Magic conduct their business on and off the court. Sloan simply would not put up with Howard’s shit.

Howard won’t get his way in Orlando. He has already tarnished and tainted his reputation with the organization and it is long past due for him to move on. He is still under contract for the 2012-13 season but this relationship is over. He will not sign an extension nor should he be offered one by the organization. Trading him is the only option. If it were up to Howard he would leave the Magic high and dry with his scorched Earth tactics but Orlando has the option to get plenty in return for one of the league’s most dominant big men. Once the draft lottery is complete, Howard will be shopped around. Hopefully, where ever he ends up, he will not be as big a headache as he has been for the Magic.

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by | April 28, 2012 · 4:31 PM

Derrick Rose injures Knee in Game One Victory

Towards the end of the Chicago Bulls’ game one victory over the Philadelphia 76ers Derrick Rose was driving the lane and contorting his body to get a shot up. The end result of that play was Rose landing awkwardly, without contact from another player, and injuring his knee. He was taken out of the game and to the locker room. He was taken to a local hospital to receive an MRI.

For the Bulls, the injury relegates their game one success to a Pyrrhic victory. This has been an unfortunate season for Rose, last year’s NBA MVP, as he has struggled with injury.

Blame should not be leveled on anyone in the case of Rose’s latest injury. It was a freak play that happened during the course of the game. It could not have been predicted or prevented. Rose was simply playing the way he always does, with drive and passion.

If anyone is to be blamed in this situation, and it’s not Tom Thibodeau (leaving Rose in late is just how he coaches), it is @NBCMiami for falsely reporting the extent of Rose’s injuries via Twitter before any such information had been released. It caused quite a stir over the social media network and was retweeted numerous times. Since their initial tweet they have recanted and said that they were premature in making such a claim. Do some fact checking, people. Or at the very least use common sense.

If there is an upside for the Bulls it is that Rose has missed ample time this season already and Thibodeau has a contingency plan. Without Rose, the Bulls are 18-9. However, that was the regular season and the playoffs are a different animal all together. If Rose is unable to play in game two, or the rest of the series, C.J. Watson will likely move into the starting point guard role.

*UPDATE*

Rose tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the playoffs.

Video via G and L Sports

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by | April 24, 2012 · 7:34 PM

World Peace Suspended

Elbow that shook the world

Nope, that is not a headline about Syria. If it was it would be much more bleak. Speaking of which, go read some international news, it is actually important. Anyway, Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, has been suspended by the NBA for seven games.

The suspension, which should shock no one, was handed down by the league after World Peace, after a left handed dunk in the game between the Lakers and Thunder, became demonstrative in his celebration which concluded with an elbow to the head of James Harden. Harden was forced to leave the game with concussion-like symptoms and did not return. World Peace was ejected.

With the NBA’s ruling that World Peace will be suspended for seven games, the Lakers lose a valuable member of their rotation that has been playing well as Kobe Bryant sat to recover from injury as the playoffs approached. The Lakers have only one regular season game remaining so the next time that World Peace could see playing time would be if the Lakers were to play a game seven against their first round opponent in the playoffs. That is, of course, if the Lakers do not advance to the second round sooner.

Los Angeles currently holds the third seed in the Western Conference and are slated to play (as of the evening of April 24) the Denver Nuggets in the first round as they hold a half game lead over the Dallas Mavericks.

As many were looking for blood, citing World Peace’s past forays into misconduct, Mark Followill points out that this is a rather long suspension for such an act via Twitter:

So Ron-Ron gets 7 games. No prob w/ it. Altho to reiterate, its an unheard of suspension length in NBA for this type incident

and he continues:

7 game suspensions are typically for fighting, run-ins w/ officials or off court transgressions. The hammer definitely came down hard here

It is harsh penalty but the media storm that was created had an effect on the length of the suspension.

World Peace has released a statement concerning his suspension on his website stating:

“I apologize to the Oklahoma City Thunder fans and the OKC organization. I look foward [sic] to getting back on the floor with my teammates and competing for the Lakers fans.”

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by | April 23, 2012 · 7:33 PM

Amar’e Stoudemire channels the Based God

In Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, Amare Stoudemire was fired up. His 22 points and 12 rebounds helped the Knicks post a 113 to 112 victory over the Hawks and it looked like Stoudemire was “hungry” for more. It certainly looks like he caught a craving for some Wonton Soup. Yes, that’s right, Amar’e was imitating one of Lil B’s signature gestures as he ran down the court in celebration. Don’t believe me? Check out this .gif I created (actually they were two separate ones, I just merged them) and judge for yourself. Amar’e already thinks he looks like Jesus with his Black Jesus tattoo, which signifies his alter ego, so clearly this is his next logical progression on the path to becoming based. THANK YOU BASED GOD!

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by | April 21, 2012 · 12:19 PM

The Kobe Beef’s NBA Awards 2012

And the winners are...

Consensus be damned! (Except there is a general consensus.) This is how we see it. Travis Huse and Doyle Rader dish out their NBA award winners for the lockout shortened season.

Executive of the Year:

TH: RC Buford, San Antonio Spurs

Before the season, Tony Parker stated that the Spurs could no longer compete for a championship. After this, the Spurs were looking to trade Parker away in order to rid themselves of Richard Jefferson‘s contract, with no success. In between then and now the following happened:

1. Traded George Hill to the Pacers for standout rookie Kawhi Leonard.
2. Traded Richard Jefferson for Steven Jackson. If this were any other team, would’ve been a bad move.
3. Signed Boris Diaw and Patty Mills. Since the signing of Diaw, the Spurs have a record of 15-2.

Easy enough in my books.

DR: Larry Bird, Indiana Pacers

Larry Bird has done a remarkable job as GM this season. He traded for George Hill on Draft Day (love Kawhi but they are loaded at small forward), dumped the bloated contract of James Posey, signed David West, the most unheralded acquisition of the year, and traded a second round pick, SECOND ROUND!, for Leandro Barbosa. Oh, and he appointed Frank Vogel as the head coach.

Coach of the Year:

TH: Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers

I really enjoy George Hill and David West, but those two additions don’t exactly force an 8th seed team up to 3rd place in the Eastern Conference. Yet, that’s where this Pacers team sits. Gregg Popovich might deserve this one, as well, for maintaining the record Spurs fans expect, while changing their play significantly. If Phil Jackson couldn’t win the award in back-to-back seasons (he only won one), Tom Thibodeau certainly doesn’t deserve it.

DR: Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers

(So much Pacer love already, deal with it.) Frank Vogel, since taking the reins of the Pacers, has transformed Indiana into a fighting, spitting, punching, card playing roustabout. In a shortened season they have won more games than they did last year when they scraped into the eighth seed. Under Vogel, the Pacers have improved exponentially. Last season they posted an effective win percentage of 45, this year they have posted one around 62 and because of that they are the third seed in the East.

Most Improved Player:

TH: Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic

To me, taking Jeremy Lin is a cop-out. There are too many external factors in his rise to fame, and the dude averages like 25 turnovers a game. Linsanity is a feel-good story and all, but Anderson proved to be an immensely consistent player, which shows actual improvement instead of just an increase in playing time. I’ll probably lose on this one, but at least I have conviction.

DR: Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks

(I copped out.) Jeremy Lin should be named the Most Improved Player. He came out of nowhere (unless you actually watch basketball), plays for the Knicks, led them on a miraculous win streak, and nailed game winners. That pretty much seals the deal for the kid who slept on couches despite having a Harvard degree. Linsanity was fun and should be rewarded. Other notables, however, are Ersan Ilyasova, Kyle Lowry, and Ryan Anderson.

Sixth Man of the Year:

TH: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

Harden is the easy choice here. He’s a premier scorer, in the perfect sixth man capacity. Essentially, Harden does what Manu Ginobili and Jason Terry did the years they won the award. Plus, sixth men are like closers in baseball, they need some style. Harden has that in droves.

DR: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

James Harden should, after the taint that Lamar Odom smeared all over this award, rightfully restore this award to its rightful, albeit awkward, place. I could go into detail but he is a shoe-in.

Defensive Player of the Year:

TH: Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies

Allen gets this, he’s the new Bruce Bowen. He terrifies everyone.

DR: Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies

Tony Allen is the most feared perimeter defender in the league. This award is his, hands down. There aren’t any flashy stats (actually, Synergy Sports may have them but I am poor and cannot afford a membership) to back up his defensive abilities other than his steals numbers. You have to watch him play. Opponents cannot dislodge him, he harries everyone. Also, he is a bulldozer fighting through screens. He sticks to his man and gets a hand up to contest everything. The way Allen is playing is on par with Artest in 2004.

Rookie of the Year:

TH: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

It’s obviously a tossup between Irving and Ricky Rubio, and I’ll take Irving. Rubio came in the league with less expectations, but Irving was shockingly NBA-ready after only playing 8 games in college. He’s already the franchise’s cornerstone, a title that Rubio may never achieve.

DR: Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves

I have to give Rookie of the Year to Ricky Rubio. There was so much hype surrounding him before he came to play in the NBA that he caught a lot of flak. However, he performed above everyone’s expectations. He changed the Timberwolves from a bottom feeder into a potential playoff team. Defensively, despite his proclivity to be Spanish, he set the tone for what was once a porous sieve. Oh, and his passes…amazing.

Most Valuable Player:

TH: LeBron James, Miami Heat

I don’t like the idea of giving Lebron another MVP (giving him two more than Kobe, one more than Tim Duncan), but he’s been spectacular this season (averaging 27-8-6). He’s still the most talented player in the game.  Also, awards don’t include the playoffs, so if he chokes again, he’ll still have this trophy. Cool, I guess.

DR: LeBron James, Miami Heat

LeBron James is the clear choice for MVP. He is shooting 53.1 percent from the floor, which is the best field goal percentage of his career. On top of that he is averaging 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and just under two steals per game. These are Gervin-esque numbers. It is literally unthinkable to give the MVP to anyone else.

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by | April 18, 2012 · 2:58 PM

Ribeye to Eye: The Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

Even the East is juicy this year

Doyle Rader and Travis Huse discuss the NBA’s Eastern Conference, namely the playoff situation (what do you think of this segment’s tentative name?):

DR: Before we get rolling on how we feel the Eastern Conference playoffs will look, I want to address something that I saw last night. Now, I didn’t watch this game, I feel sorry for anyone that did, but I kept an eye on the score throughout the night because, well, I simply didn’t believe what I was seeing. The Detroit Pistons demolished the Cleveland Cavaliers 116 – 77. Now, the 77 points that Cleveland scored are deceiving. On the surface it appears to be a respectable, albeit low, total. It most certainly was not. At the end of three quarters the Pistons were up 100 – 50. Yes, they had a 50 point lead. 50 points! My God! This is the NBA. I know that there is a very vague level of parity that exists in the league, although it often cannot be found on a nightly basis, but what an embarrassment. At least the Bobcats weren’t the worst team in the NBA for one night.

OK, had to get that off my chest. What do you think about the Eastern Conference playoff picture?

TH: I don’t even know how you let the Pistons drop 100 on you. In the middle quarters, the Pistons scored 71. The Cavs only scored 6 more points than that in the entire game.  Oof.

Home court appears to be set, with the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, and Indiana Pacers spread enough apart that no one will be able to chase them. Bulls’ losses at Miami and Indiana could give the Heat a slight chance to make the top seed, but that’s a tough thing to imagine. Due to the NBA Playoff format, Boston will nab the 4th seed after winning the Atlantic Division. The remaining four spots are a murkier view.  With Dwight Howard‘s back injury and the myriad of front office issues the Orlando Magic have faced, it’s hard to imagine them competing with the Atlanta Hawks for the right to play Boston.  That being said, they seem to be a more cohesive, team-first organization without Howard.  Teams with a distinct desire to win will remember this when Dwight-a-palooza 2.0 hits next season, and will likely pass.  He’s more meant for the organizations that have a need for PR purposes than ones who need to win.  Every team has a joker, a guy you can’t rely on (Luke Babbitt, Metta World Peace, Stephen Jackson with 29 NBA teams), but it’s not exactly the best formula for winning if that guy also happens to be your superstar.  Recent history has shown that in order to win, your best bet would be with a humble star (Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki), instead of the splashy names. Orlando’s not a postseason threat to anyone in limbo, but they might make a last push in order to save face. Knicks can have the 7th seed, whatever.

The 8th spot is something to consider, though.  Could the Philadelphia 76ers really fall out of the picture with only 5 games left in the regular season? Absolutely. The Milwaukee Bucks are only a game and a half behind, and they play the 76ers at home. Since the trade deadline, this Bucks team is almost, sorta, maybe clicking, somehow.  A loss here could spell doom for Philly.

DR: Humble stars? Are you forgetting Kobe Bryant? He may actually be humble off the court but on the court he is quite loquacious with his game.

You’re right about the Magic, though. They are dead in the water and I’m pretty sure that Atlanta has the tie breaker over them so it’s doubtful that they move up in the standings, especially with Howard resting his back injury for the foreseeable future. Some have even speculated that he could sit out the playoffs too. Drama Dwight knows how to play ‘em doesn’t he? The Magic will be a first round exit; the top three teams in the East are too good.

As for Philly, they are taking all their cues from the 2007 Mets. This was a team that I predicted was the scariest team in the East at midseason. I was way off with that one. It is simply mind blowing that they could fall apart this bad. There has been plenty of blame to throw around but it is the whole team that needs to accept responsibility for this showing. Andre Iguodala scored more than 20 points last night for the first time ALL SEASON. This is a well balanced team at virtually every position, and hypothetically, they can rely on scoring from all their pieces but this is crunch time and their balance is dwindling. It is completely conceivable that Milwaukee catches them.

New York is locked into the 7th seed behind the might of Steve “Discount Double Check” Novak. What a flawed and exciting team. I’m pretty sure that they can only exist with one star healthy at a time if they have any hopes of winning. Jeremy Lin led the team at one point, Stoudemire did it early on, now it’s Melo’s turn. It’s the oddest damn thing that they cannot coexist.

TH: Kobe’s an outlier, though, simply because of his self-concept as the post-Jordan Jordan. He’s his biggest critic, and he forces his teammates to play at the best of their ability. Dwight, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James have been habitual excuse-makers, and it shows when they’re really tested in the playoffs.

As for the Knicks, I still think they can mesh. Mike Woodson has done a great job with Melo so far, and if he can get Stoudemire to buy into him (not his plays even, but Woodson the man), they’ll work. Melo’s triple-double against the Celtics is firm evidence that he’s much more likely to defer a bit to his teammates than ever before. As soon as the Knicks can get Anthony to pass the ball, we’ll see an increase in his shot selection, and they’ll be able to run high pick-and-rolls with STAT, and then they’re golden.  The Knicks need two things on offense, from my perspective. They need unselfish play from Anthony in pick-and-roll situations, and they need to move the ball from left to right in the halfcourt.  If they get defenses paying attention to that sort of movement, it will free up a TON of space for the stars to drive.

DR: With Amar’e coming back from injury soon, Woodson has indicated that he will insert him backing into the starting lineup. Thus, Carmelo will move back to small forward as he has been playing the four spot. I just wonder if this is going to hurt their defense moving forward since Stoudemire isn’t known as a defensive anything. But it looks like we will see a Knicks Heat first round series so that should be fun.

Anyway, there is one team flying under the radar right now and that is fairly unbelievable. The Indiana Pacers are cruising! They have won 10 of their last 11 games and are simply clicking on all levels. The change of tempo that Leandro Barbosa has brought to this team is remarkable. Danny Granger is efficient and resisting the ‘hero-mode’ urge more than usual. Roy Hibbert is a double-double machine and Tyler Hansbrough has returned to his ever scrappy play that we saw in the first round against the Bulls last year. Oh, and they have David West. This team IS dangerous, yet, no one is talking about them at length outside of the guys at eightpointsnineseconds.com. Whether they play Orlando or Atlanta in the first round, the Pacers should see the second round for the first time in a while.

TH: I love this Pacers squad so much.  They were a boatload of fun last season, and all the guys they added are quality.  Of course I have to love George Hill, but David West was such a wonderful pickup for these guys.  I truly feel that this time next year, once the Magic and Celtics and Hawks suck, they will cement themselves as a perennial contender and a new Bulls-Pacers rivalry will form, maybe one that puts Indiana on top.

DR: The job that Frank Vogel has done with this team is remarkable. They have won more games already this season, in a shortened year, than they did all of last year. There aren’t many teams that can make that claim who are making the playoffs.

I think, though, one of the biggest concerns going into the playoffs is the health of the star players. Derrick Rose has been hurt, Rajon Rondo landed hard on his coccyx last night, Howard is hurt, how will Amar’e integrate, and to a lesser extent, Zaza Pachulia is also hurt. Teams like the Bulls and Celtics need to be healthy if they expect to compete deep into the playoffs. I know players will play hurt in the post season with everything on the line but with the season wrapping up it might be wise just to rest players. Miami is already doing it. In fact they will probably be the most rested team by the time the postseason begins.

TH: I’m not going to lie, I burst out laughing when Zaza’s name came up. Only in Atlanta. Not exactly worthy of the “Highlight Factory,” but with Al Horford out, you take what you can get.

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by | April 16, 2012 · 5:48 PM

A Conversation about the Western Conference Playoffs

Maybe next year, Ricky

Doyle Rader and Travis Huse discuss the basketball world, namely the Western Conference playoff picture (We can’t think of a creative name for these segments. Help us out.):

DR: I wrote briefly on the race to get into the playoffs and how cluttered it is yesterday with the knowledge that it wouldn’t be relevant today. It isn’t. In fact, it was smashed to pieces (not really). Right now, though, the West is stacked up from the sixth through tenth seeds and there will be a lot of position jockeying over the next week and a half to see who will actually make it into the postseason. Even the third through fifth seeds aren’t set in stone and the Spurs could win the Western Conference outright. It’s cray, essentially. Tonight the Rockets and Nuggets face off once again as both teams fight to keep their playoff chances alive. Last night Denver came out in the second half and ran rough shot all over Houston, getting out in transition for easy buckets. Corey Brewer, Arron Afflalo, and Ty Lawson were seemingly everywhere. It was an impressive win. If they can do it again tonight, Houston’s chances at making the playoffs will certainly begin to dwindle. How do you feel the West could pan out?

TH: I actually envision the conference standing pat from here until the playoffs, unless a team tanks for better positioning, like the Grizzlies did last year.  The Jazz have been playing fantastically as of late, but they’re still a game and a half behind Houston, and frankly, there’s no way that the Suns manage to squeeze in.  If there is any movement at all, I feel it’ll be upward movement from either the Mavs or the Spurs.  Dallas has been playing much better since the departure of Lamar Odom, which goes to show exactly how poisonous he was to that locker room; in fact, it seems as if the team has been brought together by kicking him out.  So there’s a distinct possibility they can overtake Memphis, in my mind.

In a typical year, San Antonio would be heavily resting their stars, so a few losses this week and next wouldn’t be surprising.  But with the increased workload Tiago Splitter‘s been able to handle, as well as the addition of Boris Diaw, Tim Duncan‘s been kept to 28.4 minutes a game.  Talk about cray.  Gregg Popovich is now in a situation where he might actually increase the minutes for Duncan and Manu Ginobili, to prepare for their roles in the playoffs.  For entertainment’s sake, I really, really, REALLY hope the postseason matchups stay as they are, though.  Clips-Grizz would be one of the most exciting, physical series of all time.  Blake Griffin can dunk over anyone, but if anyone can contain them, the Memphis bigs could.  Posters galore.  Lakers-Mavs would be a wonderful rematch of last year’s stomping, but a Bynum-Haywood matchup could be problematic for Dallas.  Spurs-Nuggets could be a highlight of the importance of depth, with each team being able to run 3 full squads at an opponent.  The 7-game format would be a dream for those interested in NBA coaching tactics, and George Karl against Pop is as close to the best as we can get in the first round.  The 8th seed is going to get reamed, though.  No question.

DR: Yeah, the fate of whoever lands in 8th has had their fate sealed. I hope Utah can sneak in there, though. The Jazz won their last meeting with the Thunder so that gives me the slightest bit of hope that if they make it to the playoffs they won’t be swept. Tyrone Corbin has done a fantastic job with Utah and should be rewarded with a playoff berth.

As for Memphis, doom and gloom is in the air as they head into the postseason. Marc Gasol hyper extended his left knee on Sunday and the entire city of Memphis is holding its collective breath. He will have an MRI today to determine the severity of the injury. For the sake of Memphis, who I see as a “dark horse” (what a cliché term) in the playoffs, I hope he is going to be able to come back quickly.

TH: Derrick Favors! I still love that kid, but he needs a role with a different team, or they need to get a guard out of one of their bigs.  The Jazz will rocket right back into the playoffs in the next season or two, their front office is too smart.  Which team missing out on the playoffs this season do you think will make it next year?

DR: I honestly feel like it’s the Blazers. They have been a steady playoff team over recent years but they blew it up this year. They are rebuilding and if they can get one or two solid players around LaMarcus Aldridge I don’t see any reason why they should miss out on the playoff party next season.

Also, the Timberwolves are right there. When Ricky Rubio went down you could hear that team’s balloon burst. Everything changed. Their defense collapsed, their offense grew stale. Nothing was working right for them except for Kevin Love. He’s the man. If the NBA had an NIT, these two teams would be a lock for it.

TH: See, I’ve got two possibilities, and they hinge on one signing.  If Steve Nash stays in Phoenix, it will signify some roster moves to improve the team.  Therefore, they’ll be able to make the playoffs.  If they don’t, Nash is gone and they’ll be looking at a major rebuilding.  Which, to be fairly honest, might be the best thing long term for the Suns.  In this very-likely scenario, I like the idea of the Timberwolves next year.  That roster is filled to the brim with underrated talent, and Rick Adelman’s already done wonders.  It’s the funniest goddamned thing that David Kahn actually set up a pretty complete basketball team.  Imagine if we’d told ourselves in 2009 (or 2010, or 2011) that it could all fit together.

DR: Well, the Wolves still have their issues. Michael Beasley still has yet to find a defined role on the team and it looks as though he isn’t even going to get a qualifying offer from Minnesota, so he will be playing elsewhere next season, and Adelman just doesn’t seem to like Darko Milicic. What will be interesting to see is how much Nikola Pekovic can improve his game during the offseason and whether Martell Webster will get a haircut. Above all else, they need to stay healthy. Rubio, Love, Barea, Beasley, Luke Ridnour, Darko, and Pekovic all missed serious time this season. No matter how well the team is playing at any given point, injuries are a team’s death knell.

Maybe David Kahn is craftier than we all thought, or maybe he just got lucky. I’m going with the latter.

As for the Suns, BLOW IT UP.

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