Tag Archives: Andrew Bynum

by | July 12, 2012 · 9:55 PM

Blake Griffin to miss Olympics

As Team USA was blowing out the Dominican Republic on Thursday evening, Brad Turner of the LA Times reported that Blake Griffin had suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee. Griffin will be forced to undergo surgery, likely within the next week, which will keep him out of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and off of Team USA.

The injury occurred Wednesday while Griffin was scrimmaging with Team USA in Las Vegas when he twisted his knee. After the incident, he was taken to Los Angeles to be looked at by doctors and have an MRI. Griffin injured the same knee in the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The time-table for his return is roughly eight weeks, yet at this point that is up in the air. Andrew Bynum had similar surgery a few years ago and it took more time for him to heal after the surgery, keeping out of the beginning of the NBA season.

Anthony Davis will replace Griffin on Team USA’s roster.

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by | February 28, 2012 · 9:26 AM

Lamar Odom is Being a Little Baby Bitch and Everyone Knows it.

This will always be just too damn funny.

If you live in the Dallas area or are a fan of the Mavericks, you’ve probably heard that Lamar Odom has been having a rough season emotionally.  He was traded from the Lakers, a team he loved.  He’s been performing close to half as effectively as he did last season (14.4 ppg to 7.7, 8.7 rpg to 4.5, and his fg% is 35.7%.  Seriously).  He’s a versatile player, seems to be a nice guy, we all felt a little bad for him.  No one likes to feel unwanted.

So when I heard that he’d be missing the game against the Lakers last Wednesday because his father had a serious illness, I didn’t think anything of it.  Those things happen, personal matters do not revere the NBA schedule as much as we fans do.  Let the guy take care of his dad, it’s one regular season game, and that’s that.  He’ll get back to the team as soon as he can (he also had a 5 day break due to the All-Star Game).

It’s that kind of understanding that makes you feel duped in the end.

As I drove home from work Friday afternoon, feeling energetic and excited, I put on 97.9 The Beat and instead of sweet, sweet jams, I was serenaded by a quote from Lamar Odom’s father.  A quote where he says he had a “stomach virus” and had been alright for a while.  At first, it was almost laughable, the DJ poking fun at how Lamar couldn’t deal with playing against the Lakers.  He was painted as someone who ran into his ex-girlfriend in a social situation and it broke him.

Last night, rumors started flying that Odom is desiring a buyout of his contract, presumably so that he can go back to the Lakers.  My first thought was, “Let him go!  He hasn’t been productive for the Mavs all season, and there hasn’t been much inclination that he will.”  But the more I sat and mulled it over, there is absolutely no way the Mavericks organization could do that and save face.  Instead of the probable truth, which is that Lamar likes the Hollywood aspect of playing in Los Angeles, it would appear as if the Mavericks organization is flawed.

This is a very unfair situation to place Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban, let alone the rest of the players on his team.  To be very honest, it doesn’t feel fair to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Lamar, let me break it down for you:

During your toughest struggles, this city supported you.  Meanwhile, your beloved Lakers organization has forgotten you.  They have their eyes set on Dwight Howard, even if it’s not a feasible goal.  They are cutthroat in regards to moves, and always have been.  Do you really think that if you had stayed, you would be better off?  You wouldn’t.  Right now, you’re playing for the NBA Champions, the team that swept you out of the playoffs last year.  If you were a Laker right now, you would be another piece of big man trade bait like Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.  At best, you would have sweetened a package proposed to Orlando and you would be playing there, while Kobe Bryant and Dwight team up, once again, forgetting you.  They traded you for pennies.  PENNIES.  They are more interested in signing a retired, 37 year-old Rasheed Wallace (a former Celtic, if that says anything) than getting you back.  It’s over.

I’m sure it’s tough being married to a transsexual, and I’m uncertain of logistics in such a relationship.  But what LA plastic surgeon hack took your balls, my man?

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by | December 26, 2011 · 5:24 PM

NBA Christmas Wrap

Merry Christmas

With much fanfare and an obnoxious LMFAO ad that was played almost every commercial intermission, the NBA season kicked off in superb, albeit rusty, fashion. Yes, lockout legs could be seen throughout the five games that were aired but that is to be expected with abbreviated training camps. chemistry was also an issue as many teams have a number of new players to integrate into their rotations. Nonetheless, the NBA is back and fans and players are happy. A reaction:

Boston Celtics 104 – New York Knicks 106

Carmelo Anthony looked great in this game. His 17 points in the fourth quarter were the difference and why the Knicks thought it necessary to gut their team to acquire him. Throughout his time in the NBA, Anthony has proven he has a knack for performing in the clutch and he showed it on Sunday. However, the already shaky depth of the Knicks has grown even more unstable with a knee injury to rookie Iman Shumpert which will sideline him for at least a couple of weeks.

As for the Celtics, Rajon Rondo and Brandon Bass, who is finally free from the tyranny of Stan Van Gundy, were the offense with Paul Pierce missing the game. Rondo continually broke down New York’s defense and got to the rim. When Pierce comes back to the lineup the Celtics should be a more rounded offensive unit, until then this will be Rondo’s team.

Naughty: Kevin Garnett choking Bill Walker.

Nice: Carmelo Anthony’s clutch play.

Miami Heat 105 – Dallas Mavericks 94

The Mavericks raised their championship banner but that is all they had to celebrate on Sunday. Dallas came out looking flat and out of sync, in essence, they looked old. That should be no surprise because their entire core is over the age of 30. Rick Carlisle is integrating Vince Carter, Lamar Odom, Delonte West, who played well, and Brandan Wright into the rotation while dealing with key losses across the board. Jason Terry was the only Maverick who showed up to this one.

Miami looked like they were just rolled off of a German assembly line. They were well oiled and fine tuned. What they did to the Mavericks was scary. Say what you will about all the exhibition games this summer but they seem to have kept LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in game shape, that and their complete desire to destroy everything in their path. This was a blowout, like a brand new Mercedes-Benz S-Class versus a Trabant. Not only were the Heat good but they will get better. Rookie Norris Cole turned some heads with his play in 24 minutes of action. If he continues to improve he could supplant Mario Chalmers as the starting point guard.

Naughty: The Mavs’ 37.8 percent field goal shooting.

Nice: LeBron James‘ box score: 37 points, 10 rebounds, six assists.

Chicago Bulls 88 – Los Angeles Lakers 87

Forget Showtime, these are the Slowtime Lakers. That is not a knock on them, however, not in the least bit. This Lakers squad proved to be as scrappy and gritty as any I have seen. Perhaps this is what Mike Brown brings to the team, perhaps this is what a bunch of blue-collar white guys bring to a team, or perhaps this is just what happens when you lose Odom and Andrew Bynum serving his suspension. Nonetheless, I like the Slowtime Lakers. Where they do need to improve is offensive player rotation. Too many times they reverted to Hawks-esque isolation with three players around the perimeter and one near the post.

Chicago played well throughout, with the exception being the third quarter. With the game close, Luol Deng stepped up and made the big plays. It was his defense against Kobe Bryant and his steal late in the game that allowed the Bulls to go on a 7-0 run, capped by Derrick Rose‘s floater in the lane, to win the game. Rip Hamilton started for the Bulls but did not contribute much due to foul trouble therefore his time was split with Ronnie Brewer. Brewer is a solid defender with good court vision and should see more minutes this season.

Naughty: Kobe’s last shot attempt.

Nice: Rose’s floater to win the game.

Orlando Magic 89 – Oklahoma City Thunder 97

Much like the Heat Mavericks game, the final score does not do justice to the thrashing that actually occurred. Like Miami, the Thunder look ready for the season. Very ready.  Oklahoma City pounced on Orlando early and never relented. Their team is largely the same as it was last year so their learning curve is near zero when it comes to knowing each other and how to execute plays…when they are not freewheeling. Speed and athleticism are the monikers of this team and they will serve them well out of the gate. If only they could improve their shot selections *cough* Westbrook *cough*.

Where the Thunder took plenty of questionable shots when they had built their sizable lead, the Magic took even more haphazard shots throughout the entire game. I have said it many times: the Magic’s offense is terrible. There is nothing more that can be said. It looked like they thought that there was a pit of lava inside the three-point line. Get Dwight Howard the ball in the post and let him work.

Naughty: Hedo Turkoglu clearly indulged his gluttonous side during the lockout. Dude is chunky.

Nice: Kevin Durant. Need I say more?

Los Angeles Clippers 105 – Golden State Warriors 86

If ESPN had their way, this would have been a documentary about Mark Jackson and the greatness of his coaching style. Nevermind the fact Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were on the court, this broadcast was about Mark Jackson, hands down (man down). They showed a clip of him quoting Shakespeare before the game. He was the only coach shown in the huddle, mostly saying cliché motivational shit like “execution” and “focus.” That is all fine and good, but he does have a decent team that the broadcast could have talked about. I think Jackson will be a good coach but that much attention is unwarranted, especially on a nationally televised game. His first coaching milestone was the hack-a-Jordan technique he used on DeAndre Jordan.

The final score is not indicative of how the Warriors remained close for much of the game. Clearly, the Wizards of Lob are the better team but last night they showed chinks in their armor. The aforementioned hack-a-Jordan technique stymied the Clippers offense and brought it to a halt. Luckily, the Clippers have Paul, Chauncey Billups, and Griffin. All played well as they were able to outlast the Warrior. The new look Clippers are a work in progress to say the least and last night they showed it.

Naughty: ESPN’s love affair with Mark “Momma, there goes that man” Jackson.

Nice: Caron Butler‘s circus shot.

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by | September 18, 2011 · 8:57 AM

Kobe Byrant still considering Playing Overseas

Asia calling?

Kobe Bryant is skeptical about the ongoing labor strife in the NBA. As the neither the National Basketball Players Association nor the NBA and the owners can come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement the prospects of a regular season grow ever more dim. Bryant knows this and his keeping his options open.

“I could [play abroad],” Bryant told the Associated Press Saturday. “I’m playing abroad right now.”

This summer Bryant has traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia. He has held youth  clinics in the Philippines, China, and is currently holding one in Singapore. When he says he is “playing abroad” he does not mean professionally in an organized league. At least not yet.

Bryant’s main suitor during the lockout has been the Turkish team Besiktas, where Deron Williams and Zaza Pachulia now play. Besiktas has gone as far as to have meetings with representatives of Bryant but nothing further ever transpired. There has also been interest shown by Chinese teams. However, China is currently barring all players currently under contract in the NBA from playing in the Chinese league. Bryant, even though the owners have locked out the players, is still under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite the hurdles that the Chinese have imposed, playing in China would seem like the most likely next step for Bryant if he were to play overseas. He is the most popular NBA player in China and considers it a second home. He would receive superstar treatment and then some everywhere he went and arenas that he played in would be filled to capacity.

He would not be the first NBA player to play in China, if he chose to do so. Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith have reached agreements with Chinese teams and Patrick Beverley, the one-time future starting point guard for the Miami Heat, played in China last season after he was let go by Miami in order to create room for Jerry Stackhouse on the roster. Former NBAers such as Stephon Marbury and Bonzi Wells have also found success in China, with Marbury still playing there for the Foshan Dralions.

Bryant is, however, open to the idea of joining his Lakers’ teammates for informal workouts that the players must organize themselves. No such workouts have been scheduled yet.

The more protracted the lockout becomes, the more it could hurt the Lakers. Los Angeles brought in Mike Brown as their new head coach this summer to replace Phil Jackson, who retired. Brown is known as a defensive minded coach and will likely replace the triangle with a system of his own. He said as much in an interview with Kevin Ding of the OC Register:

“In Cleveland, I had a guy who liked to come off the top of the floor, liked to play in space and play pick-and-roll and make plays for others. Here, I’ve got two guys similar to what we had in San Antonio; you’re able to throw them the ball on the block.”

So, if the future of the Lakers is post-oriented offensive schemes involving Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum then where does that leave Bryant, the face of the franchise since being drafted by the Lakers straight out of high school in 1996? In China perhaps.

There are plenty of uncertainties surrounding the future of the NBA and its players and Bryant is just one of them. What is known, though, is that Bryant wants to compete against the best the world has to offer. As of right now the only place he can do that is in the NBA. Expect him to only sign overseas as a last resort if he sees no labor resolution in sight. Bryant became the player he is in the NBA and anything else, outside of playing on the U.S. national team in the Olympics, would be a step down.

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by | July 10, 2011 · 7:22 PM

NBA Lockout Day 10: Lakers Willing to Change

Ettore Messina is ready to shake things up in LA.

As rumors swirl and the pundits debate on whether or not Kobe Bryant will be playing in Europe during the lockout, his team just added a Euro brain to their staff in order to keep the championship ball rolling.

The Lakers announced just last week that they will be adding European coaching legend Ettore Messina as a consultant to new head coach Mike Brown.  It’s a full-time position that will call for Messina to accompany the Lakers for games and practices at both home and on the road.

Both the Lakers and Messina have one thing in common: basketball success.  Messina was named one of the Euroleague’s top ten coaches of all time in 2008 as well as European Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2008 in addition to Italian Coach of the Year in 1990, 1993, 1998, 2001 and 2005.

Messina coached Virtus Bologna to two Euroleague titles in 1998 and 2001 with the latter one coaching Manu Ginobili.  He also ran Benetton Treviso (where he replaced Mike D’Antoni) and CSKA Moscow and won two more Euroleague titles in 2006 and 2008.

He has been in talks with NBA teams for head coaching positions for the last few years but never got the opportunity.  It was speculated that he signed a deal with the Toronto Raptors after they fired Sam Mitchell in December of 2008 but they ended up going with Jay Triano and Messina remained in Europe.  It hasn’t been speculated as to whether they talked with him after firing Triano at the end of the season but they have since hired on Dwane Casey as their new head coach.

He is now coming off of a two-year contract with Real Madrid who had been pursuing Rudy Fernandaz just last week.  Hoopsworld reported that Messina had been offered the deal in May but perhaps in light of the deal with Fernandez that fell through, he is now ready for the position.

In fact, it all makes sense.

Every off season for the past five or six years, Brown would travel overseas to stay with Messina for a few weeks at a time.  The position became open with the departure of both head coach Phil Jackson and his assistant Tex Winter.  Winter suffered a stroke in Manhattan, Kansas in 2009 but has been recovering very well.  Additionally, the coaching legend will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on August 12, 2011, an achievement that everyone in the Lakers association thought he deserved for some time.

It isn’t anything different for a new head coach to bring a sort of security blanket along with him when assuming his new assignment.  We seem them do it all the time with veteran players and assistants in order to help them adjust to the new job.  Do you really think Tom Thibedeau wanted Brian Scalabrine to play or rather serve as support on that bench?

Additionally, Messina has accepted the fact that the road to coaching is a long one that calls for years of work as an assistant.  The NBA is a different beast and will take him some time to get used to.

He really does seem to be the right guy for the job too.  Winter’s was known for his triangle offense that essentially fell apart in the playoffs.  The Lakers defeated the New Orleans Hornets in the first round due to their ability to bang them in the post with David West looking on from the sidelines.  However, their offense was frustrated and shut down as the Dallas Mavericks’ zone defense that didn’t bite for the double team.  Subsequently, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum couldn’t find themselves open in the post.

It’s important to remember though that both Bynum and Odom were one reason the Lakers did so well last season.  Odom went home with the Sixth Man of the Year award and Bynum started to look like the beast we thought he would be.  Messina’s well known for his tendency to focus on player development especially in the post.  He is also known to have a deep admiration for Kobe Bryant.

Messina has been described as a top-down boss who likes to call the plays and is hard on players that don’t pull their own weight.  It has yet to be seen if he is ready to take a more backseat role for the organization and let Brown call the shots.

A lot of things could change with Phil Jackson and Tex Winter no longer calling the shots in LA.

Jackson was known for a highly lackadaisical style of coaching that allowed his own players to run the show but it seems like those days are over.  As stated above, the triangle offense is essentially dead in the NBA with the loss of Winter in LA and Kurt Rambis in Minnesota.  Even Brown has come forward and stated that they will not be running the triangle.

The plan is for the Lakers to run the ball up the court in order to conserve time on the shot clock.  Brown wants the ball up the court within three or four seconds with the hope that the offense will either develop a play or simply drive the lane.  Defensively, he wants his team staying spread out and attacking the ball.

Although it does seem a little basic and nonspecific, Messina is a good guy to bring in.  He is known as a tactical mastermind that loves to attack opposing coaches’ game plans.  At times, his teams have been known to run and gun for one game before turning into a squad relying primarily on their defense and half-court tactics.  He’s coached several types of ways and will be good insight for a team that is transition.

It does seem kind of funny for a team to be undergoing such transitions especially in the midst of a lockout that prevents them from doing much at all.  Bryant has always had his voice heard on this squad and they can’t even convene with him right now due to the lockout.

Additionally, if this team wants to move forward, it’s dire that they make a move for a point guard worth sneezing at.  The laid back system is gone and Brown needs someone running the floor.  Without free agency, they can’t go after anyone.  They draft hometown boy Darius Morris from Michigan in the second round but he’s only 20-years-old and is lacking athletically.

This team was supposed to cause some damage in the playoffs last season but were ultimately swept in the second round.  Now, they essentially lost most of their identity with Jackson retiring and by leaving what made them so successful for so long.  However, if ever a time to make such drastic changes, it’s now.

Bryant only has so much time left as a threat in the league and it’s time for them to utilize him appropriately.  Their system is broken and it’s time to change it up with more balance that doesn’t rely on him as much.  Additionally, a lot can change in this league during the current lockout with the possibility of contracts being highly limited in the future.  This may result in an influx of Euro players and style coming to the NBA and Messina may help with that.

During this confusing time for the NBA, one thing is for sure: a lot may change.  The Lakers are a staple of the NBA that has set the bar for success for so long.  They understand that it’s time for them to adapt.  This hiring will give them to ability to move in many directions while they groom what could be a future coach in the league.

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by | June 22, 2011 · 12:19 PM

David Kahn’s Quest

I want it all and I want it now

With the NBA Draft less than 48 hours away rumors have abounded. Teams are trying to move up, teams are trying to move down, teams are trying to acquire players who are clearly off-limits, and teams are trying to move players and get into the draft. What can we make of all of this though? Many league insiders are on record saying that this is one of the worst draft classes they have seen. Why all the excitement? Well, to be honest there has really only been one man making a lot of noise as the draft approaches.

David Kahn and the Minnesota Timberwolves have been at the forefront of just about every conceivable trade rumor there is leading up to the Draft. They really do not want their number two overall pick. Derrick Williams, who is projected to be the second pick, has a similar build to Michael Beasley and the team is not interested in another combo wing player. It is because of this that there is now speculation that the Timberwolves are considering taking Enes Kanter with their pick. Kanter is a power forward and the Timberwolves already have a pretty good power forward in Kevin Love. So that is likely a bluff but they really want to rid themselves of the number two pick.

Thinking about drafting someone other than Williams is really not that surprising given the trade rumors that have been centered around the Wolves recently. The first reports were that they were shopping Kevin Love and their draft pick for Pau Gasol. Then it was Michael Beasley and their pick for Andrew Bynum. Clearly, Kahn must have a Lakers fetish. Obviously, there has been no serious comment from the Lakers as they probably considered making these trades for all of 0.0612 seconds.

Kahn has even inquired about the possibility of adding Steve Nash to his team for a package including the number two pick. Again, the Phoenix Suns have no interest in trading Nash nor does he have any interest in going to a team that is the farthest thing from a contender in the league.

The Wolves have also fruitlessly pursued JaVale McGee and Andrew Bogut in yet more attempts to rid themselves of their pick. It seems as though David Kahn is on a quest. He wants something but has stumbled across a castle that is blocking his path. Taunts in a French accent are being hurled at him while he dodges falling cows. Yes, Kahn’s trade “attempts” (if they can be called that) are that farcical.

At least he can perceive himself as being actively engaged at trying to improve his team. The guy did just land Ricky Rubio and celebrated his arrival in Minnesota with rock and roll blaring from a boombox at the airport. That is some class right there. He is the long-awaited savior of the franchise, after all.

If the Timberwolves do move their draft pick in a trade it will not be for one of the home run and completely lopsided deals that Kahn has been seeking. It will likely be more of a bloop single to shallow center. If they cannot move their pick before the Draft, being suck with Williams is not such a bad dilemma to find themselves in especially if they are looking to make improvements to their roster post Draft. A package containing Williams could be very appealing to clubs. However, it has yet to be seen how seriously anyone will take Kahn after throwing his hat in the ring again and again in completely outlandish trade scenarios.

(Many apologies for not working in a Star Trek II reference somewhere.)

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by | May 5, 2011 · 4:39 PM

LAckluster

Not surprised? Neither is the Beef.

“I’m not shocked.  We’ve been doing this for years.  Dropping games at home.  We finally got what we deserved.”

-Kobe Bryant (courtesy of the LA Times)

Yeah, when you play like that, you kind of do get what you deserve.  Good news, the Lakers know this.  Bad news, the Mavericks know this.

After game one, Kobe told the media that he was worried, concerned, scared, whatever.  All that is apparent is that something is wrong in Lakerland and no, it’s not that Jack Nicholson chooses to wear sunglasses inside and at night.

What we are suggesting is that maybe Phil Jackson should check his prescription because so far, this series has looked like a giant senior moment for the Zen Master.

During the waning minutes of game one, the Mavericks went small by putting in Peja Stojakovic for Tyson Chander and J.J. Barea for Shawn Marion.  Jackson responded by trying to pull Andrew Bynum who he had just put in for Lamar Odom and instead go with Steve Blake.  He had already made the change and the refs wouldn’t let him redo his substitution.

According to league spokesman Tim Frank, it’s in the rule book.

From there, Dirk Nowitzki was put on the line from a foul from Pau Gasol and the Mavericks took the lead with his two made free throws.  The rest is history.

Jackson has been coaching since 1989.  Twenty-two years later he should have a pretty good understanding of the rules.  The Lakers did submit video to the league offices but their challenge of the call was denied.  Tough luck.

Their only sign of life in game one came from Bryant’s hot hand.  He settled any dispute over his ankle as he scored 36 points.  The Lakers only sank six shots in the entire fourth quarter but three were his.

Don't look Phil.

Down the stretch, LA missed six three pointers including Kobe’s last-minute shot to try and win the game.  Before that, they blew another chance as Gasol lost control of the ball on an inbound pass.  They looked frantic and it showed.  Poor ball movement and frantic shot selection is what did them in as they couldn’t cope with the big guys in Dallas and their zone defense that doesn’t bite when a double-team opportunity is presented.  Sorry, but this is not New Orleans.

It’s easy to spot a frustrated LA offense.  Passing essentially stops and you see less slashes and more spot up jumpers.  Additionally, the Mavs never rolled over and managed to overcome a 16-point deficit since everyone other than Bryant couldn’t buy a shot.

Luckily, playoff series are multiple games and Jackson had the opportunity to adjust and respond last night in game two.  Instead, they looked worse.

The offense had even less movement as the Lakers and Jack Nicholson looked more and more frustrated.

It escalated as Ron Artest’s temper flared.  Dallas had an 11-point lead with two minutes remaining when he shoved the Mavs’ Marion and picked up a loose-ball foul.  Less than a minute later, he close lined Barea in a move that got him kicked out of the game and suspended for game three that just so happens to be in Dallas.

In both games, the Lakers haven’t looked like themselves.  They didn’t defend home court as they were unsuccessful in establishing any sort of rhythm in either game.

Jackson has been trying to ride with what won them the series against New Orleans by relying heavily on his big guys.  The offense isn’t running smoothly at all, they are taking more jumpers and missing them and they aren’t able to deal with Chandler’s wingspan to get the offense boards that lead to second-chance points.

Additionally,  DeShawn Stevenson is giving them a headache.  He is starting the games guarding Kobe and is one reason the Black Mamba has only made six shots in the first quarters of both games combined.  They are forfeiting points by putting a defender like Stevenson on the floor but Dallas is outscoring LA 51-43 in the first quarters of both games regardless.

However, it’s not just Stevenson that is making waves in this backcourt.  Jason Kidd was instrumental in game one with two three pointers in the fourth quarter and in game two Barea was unstoppable.  The Beef has always chastised this LA backcourt from Derek Fisher’s immobility to the fact that Jordan Farmer is Jordan Farmer.  Blake was supposed to add depth to the guard core in LA but he’s been invisible this entire postseason.  In the two games so far against Dallas, he has only take one shot in the fourth.  Last night, he missed two, open threes in the third quarter that would have brought them to within one point.

Ron's flagrant foul could have tremendous repercussions.

Now, LA is getting closer and closer to missing out on the opportunity to make this a three-peat.  They are having to travel to Dallas to face a Mavs team that essentially has a wounded animal left to deal with.  Artest will not be present for game three as Jackson will be forced to start Matt Barnes instead.  Barnes has an even worse attitude than Ron Ron as proven by the last time these two met in the regular season (Also, he only has four points in this entire series so far).

There is always the option of starting Odom instead but that would be a mistake.  So far, he outscoring the rest of the bench 21-16 for the series and starting him would take the wind out of LA’s secondary unit which is already getting run into the ground by Dallas’ reserves (in these two games, they have been outscored 70-38).

It’s really going to come down to Phil if LA wants a chance.  He has already stated that he doesn’t plan on returning after this season and it’s becoming more and more apparent that his foot might already be out of the door.  He made a name for himself coaching some of the biggest egos in the game from Michael Jordan to Shaquille O’Neal.  However, this Lakers team looks hopeless with a scared Bryant, a hot Artest and an uninspired Gasol.

They have looked nothing but lethargic and tired so far against the Mavericks as Phil looks even more laid back.  He didn’t even have the audacity to defend Artest for his foul.  It’s playoff basketball Phil.  Grow a backbone.

Dallas has knack for losing game threes in the playoffs especially with a lead (trust me, we all know this by now) but this may be different.  In the past, Dallas has faced beasts with bloodthirsty appetites for destruction.  However, these Lakers look like sleepy kitties.  Unless Phil lights a fire under their asses, his retirement to Montana may be coming sooner than expected.

Ron Artest’s foul on J.J. Barea

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by | · 9:11 AM

They Are Who No One Thought They Were

Take dat wid chu.

The city of Los Angeles is in shock and it is not because of a botched breast augmentation or one too many injections of Botox. No, it is because their team, the team they depend on so that they can be seen on national television, the Los Angeles Lakers are down 2-0 in a best of seven series with the Dallas Mavericks. Not only are they down 2-0 but the two games they lost were at the Staples Center. Right now the best thing the Staples Center has going for it is Youtube highlights of Blake Griffin, who just won rookie of the year.

This is the first time the two franchises have met in the playoffs since 1988 and the series has lived up to its billing, for one team at least. The Dallas Mavericks came back from a 16 point deficit in the first game of the series to win 96-94. This victory due to their extended bench which outscored the Lakers’ reserves 40-25. Phil Jackson was not overly thrilled about the developments in game one and went as far as emulating his star play in saying that he, and his team, was “worried.”

Kobe Bryant had said, after the Lakers game one loss, that he (I am paraphrasing here) was worried, and that the Maverick could beat the Lakers. Yes, Bryant is talking about the same Lakers that were a shoe-in to three-peat yet again. Bryant is also talking about the team with the most feared frontcourt outside of Dwight Howard. These are the Lakers, are they not? They are lords over the Western Conference (when the San Antonio Spurs are out of the equation), right? Who can possibly beat them?

The Dallas Mavericks.

Early on in game two, head coach Rick Carlisle set the tone. It wasn’t anything Marv Albert and Steve Kerr picked up on instantly, but it created an arena in which the Mavericks could operate on their terms.

Carlisle controlled the matchups. It was obvious to see from the start. When he went small and Dallas extended the lead, Phil Jackson was forced to adjust. Carlisle and Jackson have met before in the playoffs. Jackson got the best of him the first time they met. But, can one really say that when the team Jackson had before was a Bryant/Shaquille O’Neal team? No. That was the equivalent of Jordan/Pippen in 2000-03. It cannot be ignored, but it cannot be ignored in the same manner as Barry Bonds’ single season home run record cannot be ignored.

Phil Jackson and his Lakers had no answer in game two. Bryant provided and answer occasionally, but that was only to keep his team close. Close is never good enough, though.

The Dallas Mavericks played their tempo throughout the game. It would be easy to say that 40 of the 48 minutes were dominated by Dallas. The Lakers were lethargic and could not contend with a superior opponent. Los Angeles is not used to an opponent who can match them physically in the frontcourt. They have had a cakewalk to the finals the past few season. Now, they have a test. Now, they are losing.

Here at the Beef, especially this author, we love Ron Artest. However, we love him more in a pinstriped Indiana Pacers’ jersey than we ever could in purple and gold. In this series, he is little more than a distraction. The media will always want to remember him as the protagonist of the Malice in the Palace. That is not who he is any longer, though. He is still Ron Artest (and will potentially be suspended for game three), but Tony Allen has stolen his title in terms of defensive will and tenacity on the court.

Artest has become a non-factor  in this series. Who can he legitimately guard? Dirk Nowitzki can shoot over him and Shawn Marion can drive by him. He is out of place. The only player that he can flummox anymore is Peja Stojakovic and that is only because it is not difficult to defend a spot-up shooter. Yet, that is not to say that Stojakovic cannot get by Artest using the dribble. As he did so in both games.

Dallas controlled just about every aspect of game two. No, scratch that, they won the game handily and therefore controlled the game throughout. Even when the Lakers gained the lead, for the fleeting moments that they did, it did not appear as they had any semblance of control on the game. Dallas was making a statement, and that statement came from Würzburg, Germany.

Nobody in the NBA can guard Nowitzki. His off-legged jumper is something that will go down in the annals of NBA history as something that can never be duplicated. Charles Barkley said that when you guard Nowitzki you need a cigarette and a blindfold. Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Ron Artest have masked their eyes and are presently smoking. What Nowitzki has done would be incomprehensible had we not seen him execute his offense to perfection for the past 13 season. Even though we have seen it before, it is not any less remarkable and is still spectacularly difficult to defend.

The Mavericks have always been considered a soft, jump shooting team. Fair enough, they were. But ask the Lakers if that is what they are currently. Dallas has grown, not only in size but in toughness. Tyson Chandler has changed the mentality in Dallas.

Los Angeles’ lauded big men have met their match through two games in the Western Conference Semi Finals. Andrew Bynum has not played like the young, overhyped center that some mistakenly believed he was, but more like the young, oversized player who is not used to taking on a challenge equal in stature to himself.

Dallas has big men to match the Lakers. When Chandler is on the court, Bynum’s numbers drop. He has only averaged 12.8 points and has an efficiency rating of -7.2. That rating is indicative of the Mavericks’ defensive resolve thus far in the series.  It is not just Chandler who is giving Bynum fits, as he is no longer swiping at the ball and instead holding his ground and not committing the foul. Along with Chandler, Brendan Haywood has also stepped up to become an unsung hero of the playoffs for the Mavericks as well.

With Haywood on the floor, Bynum’s rebounding numbers drop from 11.4, in the two games, to 8.6. His overall efficiency sees a decline as well from 1.1 to -17.1. Added to that is the fact that, through this series so far, Haywood has been accountable for every block the Mavericks have recorded while he is on the floor. Mark Cuban paid the money for a two-headed beast in the middle and that beast is dominating the defending champions.

The Mavericks are still a jump shooting team, however. This has worked against them in the past, but not so far against the Lakers. Taking the ball into the teeth of the Lakers’ defense is exactly what Los Angeles baits their opponents into doing. The Mavericks are stubborn. They still remember that Don Nelson taught them (the ones he coached at least) that the best shot is a jump shot. Only this Dallas team does not rely entirely on it.

In the two games against the Lakers, the Mavericks have employed and offense predicated on ball movement. Sure, occasionally Jason Terry holds the ball for too long and is forced into a low percentage shot but the Lakers have yet to fully capitalize on such situations. Dallas knows that driving into the paint against the Lakers is folly to an extent. But they must do it anyway. It opens up passing lanes and, as game two displayed, it leaves perimeter shooters such as DeShawn Stevenson and Stojakovic open.Three-point shooting has been key for the Mavericks thus far.

When the Mavericks do capitalize in the paint it is with J.J. Barea. So far the Los Angeles has yet to check him. In fact, they never will. Barea’s speed on the court is something that no Laker can contend with. Shannon Brown will be a step or two behind him and wholly out-of-place in terms of defensive positioning. It is testament to Barea’s courage that he competes for the same ground  on the floor that Bynum and Gasol feel is their birthright to defend. Having Steve Blake guard Barea is laughable at best right now.

The Dallas Mavericks learned from Brandon Roy. Roy torched them and lead his Portland Trail Blazers to victory in game four of the opening round, thereby tying the series 2-2. People doubted the Mavericks’ resolve. Portland never won another game in that series. Now, Dallas is on a four game win-streak. Most everyone had them written off on six in the first round but , surprise, these are not the old Dallas Mavericks. This is a team who has won four in a row and three straight on the road. Doubt them no longer.

Yes, the Mavericks have been up 2-0 before, but this time it is different. This time there will be no phantom calls that Stern calls down to his minions. Oh yes, the Lakers will fight. They must and Bryant will spearhead their assault. But, what can they do at this point? They have yet to get a meaningful stop, they are getting out coached, and Nowitzki is playing as if his defenders were rag dolls. This is Dallas’ series to win. The Lakers, after years of coasting through the Western Conference Playoffs, have finally met their match. Dallas has stung the champs and Los Angeles will not recover.

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by | May 1, 2011 · 12:49 PM

Western Conference Playoff Predictions: Lakers vs. Mavericks

Come at me bro.

The only two powerhouses left in the West must meet for the first time in decades in what could prove to be the best series we’ve seen in years.

3.  Dallas Mavericks vs. 2.  Los Angeles Lakers

Surprisingly, these two teams haven’t met in the postseason since the 1988 Western Conference Finals.  Sadly, we can’t use that series as a benchmark to judge this one seeing as Rolando Blackman and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are no longer playing.

Key Matchups:

In their last series, Phil Jackson chose to rotate in Lamar Odom for Pau Gasol instead of Andrew Bynum.  This left two big bodies on the floor for the Lakers that gave the New Orleans Hornet’s big guys, Carl Landry and Emeka Okafor, tons of problems.  Okafor averaged 4.4 personal fouls a game in that series and collected five in the first three against the Lakers.  This left Monty Williams with Landry and Aaron Gray to defend the post against arguably one of the strongest frontcourts in the league.

Odom, Bynum and Gasol attract just over 13 fouls a game and led the league in fewest fouls gathered a game.  This diverse group of players allows the Lakers to better run an offense that essentially rotates off of mismatches.

It’s really going to come down to how Rick Carlisle decides to react to this powerful frontcourt.  Tyson Chandler will come in to defend Bynum who had a great series against New Orleans.  However, the problem that needs to be solved is how to shut down Odom when he comes into the game.  Shawn Marion will be put out onto the court to try and shut him down but as far as bench players left to try and defend Odom, there really isn’t anyone since Brendan Haywood will be coming in for Chandler.  There is always the option of leaving both Chandler and Haywood on the floor at a time but Tyson had a hard time staying out of foul trouble against Portland especially on the road.  Carlisle may be forced to essentially allow Odom to run amuck on the court and chose to focus on defending other Lakers.

Next, they can’t forget about Kobe Bryant who may or may not have a messed up ankle.  He finished that last game against the Hornets that clinched the series with 24 points so it’s hard to tell but he did experience his worst sprained ankle injury of his career against the Mavs earlier this season.

Carlisle made the perfect adjustment by choosing not to start Rodrigue Beauboise against Portland and instead opted for the defensive prowess of DeShawn Stevenson.  In Dallas’ only win of the season against LA, they started Stevenson who held Bryant to only 21 points (pretty low for Kobe).  The Black Mamba only took 18 shots that game (again, a low for Kobe) and Stevenson shot 0-5 from the field.  It’s necessary to give up an offensive option by starting DeShawn to throw off Kobe’s game.  However, how much should they give up since it’s apparent now that Caron Butler will not be available for this series.

X Factors:

For Dallas, it really comes down to the bench and guards.  Jason Kidd is getting some much-needed rest for this series.  He had some highs and lows against Portland and will be matched up against Derek Fisher so hopefully he will be able to capitalize.  Also, by choosing to put in J.J. Barea at the end of game six against Portland, Carlisle showed that he is finally listening to the Beef by driving it to the paint.  Yes, Jason Terry had a great season when in came down to the fourth quarter but he is cold and like any other jump shooter, he’s trying to shoot out of it.  Sorry, but during the playoffs, that isn’t going to cut it.

This Mavericks’ bench is going to have to keep up the pace they held all season and continue to score.  It was that bench that helped them bury the Blazers and now they will be going up against sixth man of the year, Odom.  The key is for them to get the lead and for the starters to come back in during the fourth and hold it.  Their jumpstart needs to hold since we saw the Mavs blow two fourth-quarter leads against Portland.

The Lakers are an agitating team.  Byrant, Matt Barnes and Ron Artest are three of the most annoying players in the NBA and really know how to get under the competitions’ skin.  The Zen Master really knows how to throw off another teams mindset and if he plays it right, he could draw some techs and easy free throw points in this series.  We already saw Terry get pretty mad the last time these two teams met in February.  If he isn’t shooting well, expect some frustration to surface.

Prediction:

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are very hungry.  Losing those two games against the Hornets simply should not have happened.  Chris Paul really took over and Dallas has no equivalent in their guard core.  However, Dallas is even hungrier.  They shook a giant monkey from their back and want to return to the Western Conference Finals and eventually to the Finals.  Dirk Nowitzki and company know what’s at stake.  If they keep their heads on straight and spread their defense accordingly, Dallas will take this series in seven.  Period.

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by | April 21, 2011 · 2:40 PM

Game Over

Where's Jack?

It was a strange night at Staples Center for game two as all the usual suspects weren’t in attendance.

Jack Nicholson’s courtside seats were occupied by Cash Money rapper Birdman and Kobe Bryant’s offense was at home thinking about the next series.  Instead of taking on his usual role as lead scorer for the Lakers, he decided to become a shutdown defender that he’s actually pretty good at.

Before the game last night, Bryant requested to cover Chris Paul.  In their game one loss to the Hornets, Paul ran rampant on the basketball court with 33 points, 14 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals.  LA had to make an adjustment to shut him down.

The Black Mamba played physically against CP3 by letting him know he was there with a constant elbow to his back.  However, Paul did draw two very hard fouls from Bryant while attempting threes that he turned into six made free throws from the line.  Those six combined with the other six points he collected from two buzzer beaters he hit from behind the arc to end both the second and third quarters made up 12 of his 20 points on the night.  He only hit two other shots from the field.  In other words, Bryant succeeded.

The only depth for the Hornets is in their guard core and that’s why it needed to be shut down.  Paul gets needed rest from Jarrett Jack and Willie Green relieves Marco Belinelli.  The four mentioned above went 11-32 from the floor and the frontcourt hand their hands full.

In game one, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum had a relatively quite game but that all changed last night.  Phil Jackson had Bynum attacking the basket early and physically.  Emeka Okafor collected two quick fouls in the opening minutes while trying to slow down the big guy and was benched for the rest of the opening quarter.  Aaron Gray and even D.J. Mbenga were put in to slow him down but he was not going to be stopped.

The coverage on Bynum then allowed sixth man of the year Odom to do as he pleased on the court who came in for Pau Gasol instead of the younger center.  Carl Landry is easily shutting down Gasol who has gone 4 for 19 from the floor in this series but couldn’t cover both Bynum and Odom when Okafor was out of the game.

Additionally, the triangle offense was clicking perfectly last night and New Orleans’ zone was never able to hold itself together.  The triangle works best when two players are doing particularly well on a team.  With both Odom and Bynum finding their stroke, it was easy to distract the zone and leave other players on the Lakers open.  It’s one reason Shannon Brown and Ron Artest were able to hit those threes in the fourth quarter to help seal the game.

Now, the series is going to New Orleans and it really doesn’t look good for them.  If LA beats you and Kobe only scores 11, something is wrong.  Monty Williams needs to figure out how to slow down Bynum and prevent him from drawing so many fouls down low.  The problem is that he doesn’t have many options with his big guys.  It may come down to them having to let him do as he wishes and choosing to capitalize on other parts of the Lakers game.

The problem is that New Orleans just doesn’t score enough to outmatch whatever LA throws out in a given night.  CP3 is going to have to do a lot more from the floor and that’s going to be hard when Bryant, Artest and Derek Fisher are all trying to throw him off.  Trevor Ariza can score but he isn’t exactly going to take over for New Orleans.  Not to mention he is also having to battle the several defenders that LA can throw at him.

The series says 1-1 but after last night and how the Hornets lost, it might as well be 3-0 going into the last game of the series.  They are outmatched all over the court.  Game one was a fluke and the real Lakers showed up in one of the scrappiest games so far this postseason.  All Williams has is a prayer and all Jackson has is two All Stars, a sixth man of the year and a young man named Bynum.  Game Over.

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