Tag Archives: Brad Miller

by | December 16, 2010 · 3:32 PM

Joakim Noah has Successful Surgery

 

Injuries continue to hamper the Bulls

Joakim Noah had successful surgery on his thumb today. He will have a follow-up visit on Monday and will likely need a cast. When speaking about his need to have surgery, Noah said, “it sucks, but it’s [the] right thing.”

With Noah down for anywhere from eight to ten weeks for the Chicago Bulls the same old Bulls story of recent years begins to emerge once again. Noah played through the pain this season and kept it quiet. It was obvious that his thumb was bothering him though as he wrapped it regularly. Yet, he continued to produce because the team needed him as they waited for Carlos Boozer to return to health after tripping over his gym bag this summer.

Injuries during the regular season have unfortunately become the modus operandi of the Bulls in recent seasons but that in no way undermines their resilience. Last year, with Noah out, the Bulls went 6-12 and lost ten in a row. Derrick Rose missed four of the games during the ten game slide so that certainly did not improve their chances of success. Nonetheless, the Bulls, with the backing of a Rose guarantee, battled through the pain on route to the playoffs.

This season Chicago is a different squad. They brought in pieces to help them battle beyond and in spite of injuries. Last season it was Brad Miller and Taj Gibson who stepped in during Noah’s absence. This year Miller is gone. However, in his place the Bulls have Omer Asik and a veteran in Kurt Thomas who has proved time and again that he is still a valuable frontcourt commodity with a nice midrange jump shot with the ability to defend and rebound. Certainly, the Bulls will need all the help they can get from their depth now.

More than just bench help, the Bulls will need to keep their young point guard healthy. Rose has been battling a sprained right wrist, bruised elbow, a tweaked ankle, and sore hip the past several games and has been listed as day-to-day. Ever the determined player, Rose said, “If it is up to me, I’m playing. I’m sore, but I should be able to play through it.” Chicago certainly needs him to. If they were to lose Rose for any length of time the Bulls would find themselves in a precarious situation.

Chicago currently sits in first place in their division with a record of 16-8 which has them in fourth overall in the eastern conference. They likely will not seed much if any ground to the Pacers who are back to Indy .500 form in the central division. What they do have to worry about is being caught and surpassed by Orlando, Atlanta, and New York who are all breathing down Chicago’s neck. The Knicks and Hawks are a game back of the Bulls while Orlando is just a half game back. Milwaukee is also showing a marked improvement in their play of late and may start making a push in the central division.

What bodes well for Chicago is that the next ten weeks are arguably the easiest part of their schedule. The Bulls will not see a considerably tough stretch of games in a row until 7 February through the beginning of March. Until that time the only teams that Chicago faces with winning records are the Knickerbockers, Celtics, Heat, Mavericks, and Magic during a span of 25 games. By that time Noah should be back to full health and they will need him.

On 7 February the Bulls will be on the road in Portland in the middle of a five game road trip swing through the west. After Portland they travel to Salt Lake City and then to New Orleans before returning home for two games in which they host the Spurs. They then host the Heat two games later before going on another five game road trip in which they will play the Bucks, Wizards, Hawks, Magic, and Heat. For this stretch of games the Bulls will need to be at full strength as the battle for playoff seeding will be in full force especially after the All Star break.

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by | November 11, 2010 · 6:59 PM

Yao Ming only to miss one week with ankle sprain

Yao Ming in rare form just moments before the injury.

Yao Ming is down again but this injury isn’t nearly the worst he’s ever seen.

 

The big man has a mild sprain in his left ankle and will only be out for a week, according to the Houston Rockets.  He will miss the rest of the Rockets’ road trip and return to Houston to begin rehabilitation.

He suffered the injury last night against theWizards when he took a charge from JaVale McGee in the first few minutes of the game.  Houston lost 98-91 as Yao missed the rest of the game and Houston fell to 1-6.

The Rockets have been limiting his minutes with the hopes that he will stay healthy the entire season.  However, head coach Rick Adelman had mentioned that he planned on increasing his playing time.

Yao missed all of the 2009-10 season after undergoing surgery to repair his broken left foot and has missed a significant amount of playing time during the last five seasons due to injury.

When drafted in 2002 by the Rockets, Yao became the first international player to be selected first overall without having played college basketball in the United States.  Subsequently, the diplomatic hassle that Houston had to undergo to acquire him isn’t looking like it was worth the time as he is consistently injured and has yet to win a single playoff series with the Rockets.

With both Yao and Brad Miller out, Houston will have to lean on Chuck Hayes even more in the front court.  He has only scored over ten points once with 16 against Golden State and has only pulled down more than ten rebounds with 13 against San Antonio.  Luckily, Luis Scola has really stepped up and is playing lights out with nearly 22 points and 11 rebounds a game.

Houston has yet to string together a series of wins and only has one on the season when they beat Minnesota last week 120-94.  Right now would be a good time for them to get some wins with games against Indiana, New York and Toronto all in the next week.  However, with the Yao out and considering how poorly Houston is playing, don’t expect too many notches in the win column.

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by | October 21, 2010 · 12:45 PM

Popping the bubble in Chicago

Several factors will make the Bulls true contenders this season... and yet, they are still growing.

The stars aligned for several teams in the East this offseason.  A lot of attention has gone to the efforts in South Beach but a certain team in Illinois has made a minor rumble that along with the growth of their young players will turn them into contenders this season.

Derrick Rose has yet to take the Bulls past the first round of the playoffs.  Despite averaging nearly 27 points and 8 assists in the postseason, the Bulls have been unlucky enough to face the Celtics and the Cavs in the first round both times he has been to the playoffs.  However, at only 22, this storied franchise is already his to lead.

This 2009 Rookie of the Year hasn’t even approached his prime yet but is already a threat.  His growth will leap even more this season with him winning gold at the FIBA Championship with team USA this summer.  We have seen what international play can do to young players and the trend wont stop with the Beijing Olympic team.  Mike Krzyzewski has an effect on developing basketball players that builds teamwork play in the biggest egos.

This team has done a good job at bringing in other names that can carry the scoring load for an impressive season.  Carlos Boozer is getting a little old but can still hang in the paint.  Ronnie Brewer has nothing but ups from here and the same applies to C.J. Watson.  Bringing in veterans from high-basketball I.Q. teams will really help in Chicago.  Kurt Thomas has been in the league for a while and brings all sorts of leadership to the Bulls.  Boozer is coming from the hard-nosed system under Jerry Sloan as is Brewer who played briefly in Memphis after leaving Utah.  These players’ guidance and confidence will help this young Bulls team grow.

It just wasn't meant to be for Vinny Del Negro and John Paxson.

The head-coaching story in Chicago has been rough for the past few seasons with the exit of Scott Skiles and the disaster that was Vinny Del Negro.  John Paxson seems to have landed the right man for the job in Tom Thibodeau.  With the Celtics, Thibodeau helped turn the team into a defensively-minded squad with a little help from Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and the assortment of specialists in Boston.  From 2006-07 to the following season, the Celtics lowered their points per game by opponents from 99 to just over 90 and decreased opponent’s shooting percentage to 41 percent a game.  They have had a top-ranked defense the last three seasons with 2009-10 (fifth), 08-09 (second) and 07-08 (first).

Now, he still has a lot of different yet younger players to instill his defensive schemes with.  Joakim Noah is proving to be a very formidable player and shouldn’t let that possible trade including him trip up his season.  In addition, Luol Deng should be able to mold to a new system as well.  The team was already first in the league in rebounding last year with 44 a game and Boozer will be able to lead and transform this frontcourt into a better unit with his veteran leadership.  Loosing Hakim Warrick and Brad Miller will hurt that big-man situation but the players they have now will be able to step up.  Also, do not count the Bulls out for midseason trades.  They have done it before and they may do it again with several chips to throw on the table.

They lost some good players in Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich as well but they have taken some appropriate steps to replace them.  Boozer has the inside skills that are far superior than Thomas’.  Brewer has very well-rounded game like Salmons and Kyle Korver has the three than can fill the void left by Hinrich.  He was supposed to be replaced by former Duke superstar J.J. Redick but if you haven’t figured it out by now, Otis Smith and the Orlando Magic don’t give up players very easily.

The division is a lot easier now that LeBron James has left town and they no longer need to dread road trips to Cleveland.  The Pistons have also fallen completely off of the map.  But the talented Bucks and young Pacers will keep the Bulls on their heels along with the rest of the Eastern Conference that just got a lot better this offseason.

It finally looks like Chicago is on the right path and hopefully no major snags will get in the way.  They really have a chance of moving past being a bubble team to becoming a true contender with a better seeding in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.  It’s scary since this team still has a lot of growing to do.

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by | October 8, 2010 · 2:57 PM

Beefy Power Rankings

The preseason is underway and it’s time to rank these teams accordingly.  There are some obvious picks in the mix but there will be some surprises this season.  It’s our power rankings.

1. The Miami Heat

This is a no brainer.  Imagine the Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen signings happening 10 years before they did.  A mixture of three All-Stars built behind Pat Riley’s ego doesn’t spell CHAMPIONSHIP.  It spells DYNASTY.

2.  The Los Angeles Lakers

The defending champions will have the ability to compete for another title as long as Kobe Byrant Stays healthy.  The acquisition of Matt Barnes gives this defense a lot more bite and they finally have a backup point guard in Steve Blake.

3.  The Dallas Mavericks

They may be a little too high on this for some people but we need to consider how they faired after last season’s trade with Washington.  They have had an entire offseason to mold together as a team and their best pickup of free agency, Tyson Chandler, is coming off a gold performance with team USA.

4.  The Orlando Magic

Even though Stan Van Gundy can no longer sport those turtlenecks, the Magic will contend.  Yes, they lost a good defender in Barnes but their contract with Vince Carter expires at the end of the season and he could be very valuable trade bait.  If they could compete last year, they should compete yet again this season.

5.  The Oklahoma City Thunder

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both coming off of a great summer with team USA.  Their leadership has grown exponentially and we expect it to show on the court.  There will be thunder in Oklahoma City.

6.  The Boston Celtics

Age has always been this team’s Achilles heal and the Shaquille O’Neal signing didn’t make them any younger.  Rajon Rondo proved that he is one of the best point guards in the league last season.  Jermaine O’Neal will give some more depth to the frontcourt but Ray Allen and Paul Pierce need to prove their worth yet again.

7.  The Chicago Bulls

The Bulls had probably one of the most impressive offseasons outside of Miami.  Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer alone will improve the depth on this fairly young squad.  Tom Thibodeaou’s defensive mindset will work well in Chicago and Derrick Rose is proving to be a top player in the league.

8.  The Phoenix Suns

Last season’s Western Conference Playoffs were a definite surprise for everyone.  After losing Amar’e Stoudemire, don’t expect the Suns to stumble.  Hakim Warrick will score less but accomplish a lot more under the basket with his ability to actually play defense and hustle.  Goran Dragic knows what he is capable of as well as Robin Lopez.  Don’t expect anything from Hedo Turkoglu since we really don’t know what we’re going to get.

9.  The Utah Jazz

Yes, Loosing Boozer will affect the Jazz but Al Jefferson will spark that frontcourt.  Deron Williams is getting better and better and has stated that he will turn Jefferson into a better player than he already is.  We don’t expect a veteran coach like Jerry Sloan to trip up over loosing a few key players.

10.  The Atlanta Hawks

Head coach Larry Drew is expected to ease off of the isolation offense that implemented Joe Johnson so ineffectively last postseason for the Hawks.  Expect more balance on this team now that they don’t have to worry about a deal with Josh Smith.  Al Hortford is turning out to be a pretty decent basketball player and hopefully Jamal Crawford will play with the same intensity as last season despite contract issues.

11.  The Denver Nuggets

The only thing keeping Denver at 10 is the situation with Carmelo Anthony.  Contract issues can be very distracting.  However, Kenyon Martin should rebound from last season’s injury and the backcourt is stacked with Chauncey Billups and Ty Lawson.  George Karl’s presence alone should revamp this team.

12.  The Milwaukee Bucks

Buck fever hit the nation last season with utter surprise.  Hopefully they can maintain the same level of competition this year.  Andrew Bogut finally has some help in the frontcourt with Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette will offer some veteran leadership on the squad.

13.  The Portland Trailblazers

Health is the main issue for the Blazers this season as both Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla are both coming off of serious injuries.  Luckily, Marcus Camby signed a two-year extension with Portland in April and will be able to hold down the frontcourt until both return.  They must get a full season out of Brandon Roy as well if they want to compete next summer.

14.  The San Antonio Spurs

Age will slowly kill this dying dynasty but until then, plan on one more run by the Spurs.  It’s time for Popavich to put in the young fellas and let DeJaun Blair and George Hill do their thing.  It’s their only hope with such a geriatric squad and an 82-game season.

15.  The Memphis Grizzlies

It may be time for this young Griz team to make the playoffs in the post-Gasol era.  Rudy Gay has shown that this is his team and his time with team USA will hopefully payoff.  It’s a solid core and with Zach Randolph in the mix, anything can happen.  They have several options on who to start at point guard but they really need to figure it out fast since that will determine if they are ready for the playoffs.

16.  The Charlotte Bobcats

They really took a step backwards by losing both Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton.  Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace are the best players on the team but they need to stay healthy (Wallace is injured all the time).  D.J. Augustin says he is ready to be this team’s point guard while it’s Tyrus Thomas’s first full season in Charlotte.

17.  The Sacramento Kings

It’s weird putting them up this high (yes, 17 would be high for some of the more recent Kings’ teams) but it all depends on the development of these young kings.  Tyreke Evans has shown that this is his show and hopefully he wont hit a sophomore slump.  Demarcus Cousins has the potential to be a great basketball player if he keeps his head on straight.  Samual Dalembert will hopefully aid in his growth as an NBA big guy.

18.  The Houston Rockets

By limiting Yao Ming’s minutes and Brad Miller already showing signs that his career is dwindling, Houston has a big problem at the center position.  Yes, they may make the playoffs but it depends on a lot of things.  Kevin Martin has already shown that he has trouble adjusting to new offenses and new players from his time in Sacramento (even he has injury problems).  He needs to kick the old habits and start scoring if the Rockets want a chance.

19.  The Indiana Pacers

It all revolves around the point guard position this season for the Pacers.  Darren Collison is good but he really needs to prove his worth.  He is going from a very deep backcourt in New Orleans to a very shallow one in Indiana.  Danny Granger needs to play with the same intensity and injuries need to be kept to a minimum.  If all this works out, the Pacers may be seeing the postseason for the first time in years.

20.  The New Orleans Hornets

An unhappy super star on the squad never helps a team.  This is exactly what is going down in the Big Easy and signing Trevor Ariza will not be a catalyst in making Chris Paul stay.  It is Monty Williams first full season in New Orleans but we have seen that this team’s problems run deep.

21.  The Washington Wizards

Over the past few seasons, we have seen that it takes a lot more than a first round pick to turn a team around.  John Wall is good but something is stirring up in Washington.  Gilbert Arenas has said that it is no longer his team and is eying an exit.  Good luck Gil.  Washington signed you to a maximum six-year contract in 2008.  You aren’t going anywhere.

22.  The Golden State Warriors

The Nelson era is over but we have yet to see if his style of ball with depart as well.  Keith Smart is going to have to implement some defense but that may be hard with a crew that is so used to running and gunning.  We will see some upsets and good games from these young guys but it’s going to take a little more than David Lee to turn it around for the Warriors.

23.  The Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Love is coming off of a productive summer and Corey Brewer improved a lot last season.  Michael Beasley has said that he wants to turn his life around and get serious about the game and what better place than the frozen tundra (sarcasm).  Drafting both Wesley Johnson and Lazar Haywood were steps in the right direction but it isn’t the Wolves time… yet.

24.  The Cleveland Cavaliers

Don’t feel sorry for them.  They did this to themselves.  LeBron James had no incentive to stay and management did very little to make him feel welcome by not including him in the coaching decision.  Byron Scott has a lot of work on his hands.  Antawn Jamison will be leading this team now and that wont be enough.  The only glimmer of hope for the Cavs is J.J. Hickson who showed a lot of potential last season.

25.  The New York Knicks

Amar’e Stoudemire and Eddy Curry spell out maybe one of the laziest frontcourts in the NBA.  They will win more games but Mike D’antoni has his work cut out for him.  We have already seen that he has a tendency for pissing his players off with his limited rotations.  Let’s see how that rotation works with a bunch of out-of-shape washouts.

26.  The New Jersey Nets

We have seen what Avery Johnson can do with a team that is already built (The Dallas Mavericks in 2005) but we have yet to see what he does with rebuilding.  He does an excellent job of implementing defensive schemes and the players in New Jersey will prove to be good students.  They finally have some depth with Anthony Morrow, Troy Murphy and Travis Outlaw but a reunion of Devin Harris and the little general could prove disastrous.

27.  The Philadelphia 76ers

It will take more than Evan Turner to turn this team around.  Andre Iguodala has proven that he isn’t a primary scoring threat and Allen Iverson and Andre Miller attributed to his early career success.  There isn’t much else in Philly to take the attention away from him.  Don’t expect much.

28.  The Los Angeles Clippers

Baron Davis showed up for the season out of shape.  Eric Gordon played well in the FIBA Championship but has shown that he is injury prone.  Blake Griffin is showing signs of promise but do we really expect a rookie to turn it around for the other team that plays at Staples Center?

29.  The Detroit Pistons

They are being sold.  That’s about all that they got going for them.

30.  The Toronto Raptors

They will be athletic with Leandro Barbosa, Julian Wright and the growth of DeMar DeRozan but Toronto will suck.  General manager Bryan Colangelo has shown that the Raptors are not done dealing but there really isn’t much for them to offer or even acquire that can turn this franchise around.

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by | September 17, 2010 · 12:49 PM

Erick Dampier: the Most Wanted Man in the NBA?

All this attention took Dampier by surprise too

What a strange world we live in. Maybe this is the ‘Bizarro NBA’ finally taking its grasp on reality with Commissioner Tim Donaghy handling the most profitable and fair league in history. What, you do not believe me? Then you try and explain all the recent interest in signing Erick Dampier. Yes, you heard right. Teams (multiple) are legitimately interested in bringing Dampier into their locker rooms next season. This is the same Dampier that was lambasted over the past six years for inconsistent play, dismal production, being lazy, and overpaid. Those are just a few of the complaints leveled against him during his time with the Dallas Mavericks. Nonetheless, teams are knocking on his door. Bizarre indeed.

As of right now, Dampier is hammering out his finalized list of suitors that he plans to meet with in the near future. The major players in the Dampier sweepstakes so far are the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and the Atlanta Hawks (almost typed Falcons, wrong bird/sport). Utah had also been a rumored pursuer of all things Erick, with Mehmet Okur missing the majority of the season with a tentative return scheduled for December or January, but the signing of Francisco Elson will likely end the Jazz’s interest.

Miami being on the short list should surprise no one. They have scoured the league in their hunt to surround the Miami Thrice with mediocre and subpar talent. Why would Dampier not fall into this category? The last time Dampier did anything significant in South Beach he out played Shaquille O’Neal only to see the league and its officiating goons strip a title away from the Mavericks. #NeverForget (Yes, that last sentence deserves a Twitter hash tag. We are still bitter.) It seems like everybody wants to be a part of the Heat bandwagon as they have been prematurely crowned unbeatable. Rings for everyone! Just remember that the Titanic was unsinkable.

Many feel that Atlanta is a dark horse in the Dampier sweepstakes. It is well known that they would like to move Al Horford to power forward and Josh Smith to small forward more often this coming season. That would allow them to play their natural positions. However, the Hawks up-tempo style does not bode well for Dampier’s lumbering body. It is only by sheer luck that he ever finds himself on the fastbreak. Usually it is because he is still around halfcourt trying to get back on defense when a transition opportunity occurs. Atlanta must also deal with issues of cap room after signing Joe Johnson to a max contract this summer.

The most interesting prospect of the three teams at the forefront are the Houston Rockets. As we reported yesterday, the Rockets are limiting Yao Ming to 24 minutes a game no matter what. What Houston wants is for Dampier to step into the role as Yao’s backup and have Brad Miller, who they signed this summer, be the third string center. A frontcourt pairing with Luis Scola would also make for an interesting duo. Other than the possible Atlanta scenario, Dampier could see the most minutes in Houston. He could see 15-20 plus minutes a game. Plus he would get to play against in-state rivals and former team, the Dallas Mavericks. That alone could be incentive enough. However, are they on the same level as Miami is when it comes to title contention?

Other teams are likely to throw their hats and money into the ring so as of now nothing can be a certainty. What is certain is that this is the same Erick Dampier who averaged 7.6 rebounds, 6.6 points in 424 of a possible 492 games over the past six years. He is now 35 years old and only played in 55 games last season has he found himself battling lingering injuries.

The off season will begin even odder that it began for Dampier. He was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats by the Dallas Mavericks this summer, in what equates to a salary dump of his unguaranteed $13 million contract next season, in return for Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinca. Charlotte mulled around the option of trading him for a while before releasing him. Now, he finds himself one of the hottest free agent commodities on the market. Where once Dampier’s field was barren, he finds it is now fallow. Oh how free agency is truly bizarre. A new fan base will soon be giving “Daps of Damp” on the off occasion he does something right on the court. (We averaged 1.2 “Daps for Damp” per game over the last six years.) Enjoy the attention while you can, Dampier, it will not last for long.

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by | September 16, 2010 · 6:19 PM

Houston, you have a probelm

The China Doll's minutes are being cut... is anyone surprised?

Rockets fans, don’t expect to see much Yao Ming action next season.  Houston’s vice president and athletic trainer Keith Jones has announced that the team will be limiting Yao’s play to just 24 minutes a game next season.

The plan has been developed in an attempt to limit stress on his bones, according to the statement.  He will even be required to sit during the final minutes of some games if he has passed the mark.  After missing all of last season and several parts of the last five, Houston fans should start seeing more Brad Miller and Chuck Hayes on the floor (add up both of their contracts and it’s not even half of what Yao is getting paid).

Yao’s fewest minutes per game came his rookie season when he only appeared in 29 minutes per night.  This could be a sign of change in Houston with the development of a team that really has no use for an injury-prone big man.  Bringing in such scorers as Courtney Lee and Kevin Martin could lead to a team that could run a lot more.  However, the front court is weak with only Luis Scola and Jared Jeffries at the power forward position.

Teams have gotten a lot smaller and proven that it is a setup that can win but most of all this decision shows that the team may be realizing what a waste of time it was to bring in Yao.  The center has only contributed to one playoff series win in his career and has seen way too many injuries to make up for how much this team did to bring him over from China.

It’s starting to look like the Yao experiment is going to have a negative conclusion.  He has a heavy contract, a team would have to rework their offense around him and you never know what you are really going to be paying for.  All of this makes him extremely untradeable.  Houston, it looks like you have a problem and it’s probably going to stay that way for 24 minutes a game.

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by | July 20, 2010 · 12:20 PM

Free Agency: Latest Movements

No one can show him the money

Free agency is slowing to a crawl with all of the top players having been signed by teams across the league, with much of the signing taking place in the Eastern Conference. Yet, there are still players on the block, both restricted and unrestricted, who can make a significant contribution to many NBA teams. Since our last report on free agency, some of these players have changed scenery. As usual, keep up to date, or at least as up to date as possible, on all the movement in free agency by following the Kobe Beef on Twitter.

This summer the Toronto Raptors cannot seem to catch a break. Every trade they have entered into has completely collapsed on them. The first was the three-team trade between the Raptors, Phoenix Suns, and Charlotte Bobcats. Essentially this trade was an attempt to dump Hedo Turkoglu, who had soured, to say the least, on the idea of feigning any interest in the city of Toronto (except for its nightlife, allegedly) and the Raptors organization. Toronto was able to work out a deal with the Suns for Turkoglu, eventually, after the Bobcats backed out (as per Larry Brown’s wishes). The Raptors then saw the Bobcats turn around and work out a deal with the Dallas Mavericks centering on Tyson Chandler, who would have landed on the Raptors if the three-team deal had developed. At least they do not have to pay Turkoglu anymore.

Now, Toronto finds itself in another trade debacle. After various sources and members of the basketball world (including us) reported that Matt Barnes was headed to America’s hat’s favorite dinosaur themed team, the deal has hit a serious snag. (As recently as Monday morning it was reported that Barnes was in talks with the Cavaliers. Free agency moves quick.) The deal was originally worth a reported $9 million over two years. Yet, the Raptors are out of cap room having used their midlevel exception on Linas Kleiza and therefore Toronto does not have $4.5 million to pay Barnes. (Why any team would pay a player with a well chronicled history of back trouble is another story all together). To skirt this minor problem the Raptors looked into a sign-and-trade with the Orlando Magic so they could acquire Barnes. This idea seemed reasonable on paper; however, there was another minor issue that both teams had to face. Orlando also does not have a spare $4.5 million lying around to pay Barnes either. Oops. Toronto, its GM, and all of the number crunchers that the organization employs really dropped the ball on this one. If Banes is going to land in Toronto, he and the Raptors, will have to come to terms on a deal worth significantly less.

The team that kept the Raptors from making the playoffs last season (it can be said that the Raptors were their own worst enemy down the stretch), the Chicago Bulls, have continued to make solid moves and acquisitions. Chicago has added the talents of Ronnie Brewer and C.J. Watson. Brewer’s addition continues Chicago’s trend of becoming the new home of Utah Jazz expatriates so much so that some have jokingly referred to the Bulls as the Chicago Jazz. However, the talent that the Bulls have added to their roster this summer is no joking matter. Brewer will take over Kirk Hinrich’s roll on the team. Watson will fill the role of backup point guard, a further step to filling the void left by Hinrich’s departure to the Washington Wizards.

Although Brewer is not known for being able to run an offense to spell Derrick Rose at times, as Hinrich did even while on the court with Rose, he is more than capable as he ran the offense at Arkansas in college. What Brewer also brings the Bulls is his strong and versatile defensive presence on the wing with the ability to guard multiple positions due to his size (6’7”). Other than the addition of Carlos Boozer, this is the best move the Bulls have made this summer.

Staying in the same division, the Milwaukee Bucks continue to be active this summer. The team has added Keyon Dooling to its roster as a backup to Brandon Jennings. To get Dooling, the Bucks used their bi-annual exception which allows for a two year deal worth about $2 million a year. It was thought by some, including one here at the Beef, that the Bucks may pursue Ramon Sessions to fill the role of back-up point guard but the acquisition of Dooling seems to have filled that role. Despite all the additions that the Bucks have made this offseason, the team still has seven players under the age of twenty-seven. Milwaukee was also involved in a sign-and-trade with the Sacramento Kings for Jon Brockman. In return the Kings will receive Darnell Jackson and a future second-round draft pick. Brockman was selected 38th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers but his rights were traded to the Kings. He averaged 5.4 points and 9.2 rebounds in last year’s Las Vegas Summer League.

Summers are hot and humid in Houston, Texas. They are so unpleasant that most people prefer to stay indoors at all costs. This may explain the Rockets somewhat quiet summer. However, the Rockets have made a few tiny ripples in free agency. Most recently they signed Brad Miller to a three-year deal worth roughly $15 million. Miller’s role on the Rockets will likely be a very limited one due to his age and the return of Yao Ming. Earlier this summer, Houston resigned Luis Scola to a five-year deal worth $47 million. The team also matched the Cleveland Cavaliers’ offer sheet to Kyle Lowry worth $24 million over three years.

In what equates to an egregious omission on our part in prior articles covering free agency earlier this summer, the Memphis Grizzlies signed Tony Allen. His deal is worth $10 million over three years. This is a huge loss for the Celtics and a great gain for the Grizzlies. Allen’s defensive abilities will help Memphis continue to grow and get better in the tough Western Conference.

The Miami Heat were not interested in the services of Penny Hardaway who was attempting to return to the league. They were, however, interested in signing James Jones to a one-year $1 million dollar deal and resigning Jamaal Magloire. Miami’s roster is now up to ten players.

Other Movement and Signings:

The Celtics resigned Nate Robinson to a two-year deal. At some point this summer, Randy Foye landed on the Clippers. Tracy McGrady wants to join the Clippers roster. Richard Jefferson looks close to reuniting with the Spurs.

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by | April 16, 2010 · 3:45 PM

Eastern Conference Round One Predictions

Start your engines

They did it. In the East, every team in the playoffs has at least a .500 record. You cannot say that often. Good for them. However, simply having all eight teams at .500 or better does not make the conference as strong as its counterpart where all eight teams have at least 50 wins. Nonetheless, a team from the East has just as much of a chance at winning the NBA Championship as one from the West. Everybody is equal for now, on Saturday this will change.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 8. Chicago Bulls

I wrote some time ago that the Bulls would make the playoffs because Toronto was not good enough to win the games they needed down the stretch to make it. What was not foreseen was the injury sustained by Chris Bosh sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season. The Raptors did not prove me wrong and sputtered to a finish. C’est la vie, Toronto. Chicago put the fate of their playoff lives in the hands of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Noah stoked the flames when he returned from injury and was a catalyst to get the Bulls into the playoffs. They are in now and they face the team that Rose referred to as simply “LeBron” when he said the Bulls would make the playoffs. It would be improper, despite the other quality players surrounding the Cavaliers’ central figure, to correct Rose’s notion of who the Bulls face.

To congratulate the Bulls the man who is responsible for Chicago’s six championships personally paid them a visit after the Bulls defeated the Charlotte Bobcats to get the last playoff spot. Michael Jordan was in the Bulls locker room after the game giving the team his well wishes. It is not every day that His Airness personally expresses a message of luck to a team that just beat his. This should serve to boost and motivate the moral of an already fired up group.

During the regular season the Bulls beat the Cavaliers twice. This scrappy team knows how to play them. The Bulls also have history on their side going into this matchup as they have never lost a postseason series to the Cavaliers. Will history repeat itself? Noah has stated that he wants “to try to shock the world” and beat the Cavaliers in the first round. If the Bulls were to accomplish this it would be the biggest upset since the Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs. Waiting for the Bulls, however, is a “different monster” who will stop at nothing until his post season dream is realized. For the Bulls, it will be an uphill battle.

Chicago’s backcourt matches up favorably with their counterparts in Cleveland. Rose and Kirk Hinrich are a good combo set with Rose exhibiting the flash and get to the cup quickness and Hinrich being able to hit from all points on the floor as well as create off the dribble. Luol Deng has the potential to score at will from the three spot and at 6’9” can shoot over Cleveland’s guards, but it is unlikely that he will get that mismatch often. Chicago’s best players are Rose and Noah. They rely on them to fight and scrap. Noah is especially talented with his ability to score and rebound in buckets. However, he, along with the other Bulls centers, is going to have his hands full.

Shaquille O’Neal is returning from his thumb injury for the playoffs. His size and physical presence will likely disrupt every play that comes near the paint for the Bulls. Brad Miller, Taj Gibson, and Noah will have to alternate shifts against the big Aristotle and avoid foul trouble. Shaq, however, is not the top concern for the Bulls. Their main concern is to try and contain a force of nature. LeBron James presents matchup problems across the board. Committee defense and switching on screens may be the Bulls only option if they hope to slow him down. A healthy Hakim Warrick would also serve the Bulls well in their defense of James. Warrick’s size and length are enough to hamper James’ abilities but probably not enough to stop them all together. If Warrick is not healthy, duties will fall to Deng who is one of the Bulls best defenders. It will be interesting to see what strategy Vinny Del Negro employs to stop the Cavaliers attack, either try and stop James or let James run free and shut down the rest of the Cavaliers.

Series Prediction: For some reason this series has an eerie feel about it. On one side you have the team that prognosticators and analysts have fawned over all season and on the other you have a tough never say die team that took matters into their own hands and won when they need to most. Do not be surprised if this series plays itself out over the course of seven games; conversely do not be surprised if it lasts a mere four. Could Lebron’s rest become an issue? Doubtful. Will any of Cleveland’s guards slowdown Derrick Rose? Probably not. To be safe, Cleveland wins in five too close for comfort games.

2. Orlando Magic vs. 7. Charlotte Bobcats

Nobody expected the Bobcats to make the playoffs this season. Yet, here they are. Snagging Stephen Jackson this season was a steal for them as he almost instantly clicked with his new squad and propelled them toward the playoffs. The Bobcats also have a new face higher up in the team ranks. Well, in all reality his face is not so new to the team but his position is. Michael Jordan became the majority owner of the NBA’s second youngest franchise this year. This will be the Bobcats’ first trip to the NBA’s second season and greeting them are the defending Eastern Conference Champions. Roll out the welcome mat.

(Much of the following has been taken from a previous article I wrote to save time and my fingers.) The matchup of the Bobcats and Magic has the potential to be the lowest scoring series in the modern playoff era as these teams rank number one and two in team defense and defensive efficiency with Charlotte being first in team defense and Orlando being first in efficiency.  Orlando has been the league’s best team since the All Star break and looks to continue this trend into the Playoffs. Maybe the Bobcats have been planning this matchup all season because they five players listed as centers on their roster and that does not even include Tyrus Thomas who is listed as a power forward. Larry Brown will of course have to shrink his roster down for the playoffs but it can be taken for granted that he will have plenty of bodies to throw at Dwight Howard throughout the series. Having many bodies to wear down Howard is a key to this series for the Bobcats. If they can get Howard into foul trouble or simply get him fatigued and force him to the bench it will open up lanes that Charlotte can use to get high percentage shots and not run the risk of seeing the ball in the third row. Honestly, teams must get really annoyed when Howard gives them the ball right back.

Simply put, Orlando is good, real good. (I cannot believe I admitted it but circumstances forced my hand.) They will be heavy favorites to return to the Eastern Conference Finals coming into the playoff but they should not get that far ahead of themselves just yet. Charlotte stands in their way. Orlando does not match up well against the likes of Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace. Vince Carter is not a noted defender and will have his hands full with Jackson. It is possible that Matt Barnes, Jackson’s former teammate in Golden State, will be called upon by Stan Van Gundy to guard him but then this likely gives either Carter or Rashard Lewis defensive duties against Wallace. Mickael Pietrus factors to play a large role in the series with his efficiency and the defensive end of the court and his ability to stretch the floor on the offensive end with the three-point shot.

What should be the biggest factor in this series is the Magic’s penchant to fire up the long ball. This season they set the NBA record for made three-pointers with 841. The previous record was 837 set by the seven seconds or less Suns during the 2005-06 season. It is rather astounding that a team considering that this season’s Magic team is the complete antonym to D’Antoni’s doctrine in Phoenix when the Suns set the previous record. Orlando does, however, live and die by the three. If it is not falling they have little hope of winning a game. Jameer Nelson will be key in this regard. He has been heating up of late and if this trend continues he could propel the Magic forward with his outside shooting. J.J. Redick has also been playing well this season displaying that he is no longer just the face up jump shooter he was at Duke. He now has the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the lane. (Kid has also beefed up like crazy.) It will be a tall order to stop the Magic’s outside shooting but it should be the number one priority of the Bobcats.

Series Prediction: Charlotte has brought in playoff veterans to help guide the team to where it wants to be in players, their head coach, and their owner. This wealth playoff knowledge should serve the Bobcats well as they enter their first ever test of the postseason. Stephen Jackson, Larry Brown, and Michael Jordan all have rings which is more than anyone in the Magic’s organization can say (except White Chocolate). These rings will undoubtedly be on display around the Bobcats’ locker room to motivate the team. Motivating Orlando is their sense of failure and an unfinished business from last season. Charlotte will surprise many in this series, but a surprise is only just that. It does not translate to the second round. The Magic will win the series in six games.

3. Atlanta Hawks vs. 6. Milwaukee Bucks

This would have been a great series. It could have gone seven games and been a knockdown, drag out, slugfest. Sadly it will not be. The loss of Andrew Bogut has completely curtailed any belief that the Bucks could pull off a first round upset. It is rather unfortunate that this had to happen too. Milwaukee was hitting stride and clicking on all cylinders after the acquisition of John Salmons from the Bulls. They were poised to be the dark horse, err…deer rather, in the Eastern playoff picture. With Bogut anchoring a stingy Skiles coached defense and a proven offensive attack even with Michael Redd out for the season (again) they were scary. “Fear the Deer” the saying went. But then Bogut came crashing down. Since the injury to Bogut the Bucks are 6-7 after going 40-29 with him in the lineup. This does not bode well for a team looking for its playoff series win since losing in the Eastern Conference finals in 2001.

Atlanta has played with the big boys in the playoffs before and they expect to do better this year than they did last after going home in the second round. They have added fire power to their lineup this season with the addition of (the Kobe Beef’s sixth man award winner) Jamal Crawford and have watched as Josh Smith (our DPOY runner up) has grown into a statistical monster who eats up boards, hounds the ball, and swats shots like flies. Offensively the Hawks have the second most efficient attack in the league with a rating of 111.9. Their offense will be tested by the Bucks defense but without Bogut clogging the middle they pose little threat to Atlanta.

Expect Joe Johnson to put on a display worthy of saying, “Hi, I’m Joe Johnson and this summer I become an unrestricted free agent. Here is what I am good at. Wouldn’t you like me on your team?” The Hawks would certainly like to keep Johnson right where he is. Johnson is the main weapon in the Hawks arsenal and will pace the team throughout their playoff run. Any potential wild cards that may appear this season for Atlanta does not seem like a likely occurrence as each player knows their role and performs it to a T.

Series Prediction: The “if only’s” abound for Milwaukee but without Bogut their playoff aspirations have become mere dust in the wind. Atlanta will win the series in five games.

4. Boston Celtics vs. 5. Miami Heat

On paper the Boston Celtics should run away with this series. On paper the Boston Celtics have a stingy defense that shuts down opponents with ease. On paper this is a team that was built for the playoffs. On paper this is a team of champions who know how to win. On paper I can draw a picture of myself with hair like Aaron Eckhart surrounded by Scarlett Johansson, Alicia Keyes, Hillary Duff, Mandy Moore, Rachel McAdams, and Beyonce in a harem on my own tropical island. What the hell, let me pencil in Megan Fox too as a cheap gimmick. Oh, and while I’m at it lets throw in Salma Hayek and Carmen Electra. What a lovely drawing. Ah, the joys of paper potential. Boston has stumbled into the playoffs tripping over their own feet. This is not the same team that people said could challenge the Cavaliers for the Eastern crown at the start of the season. Their last good defensive performance came against the Mavericks on 20 March and their defense has looked anemic since. In their last meeting with Cleveland the Celtics blew a 22 point lead which would have cost them the game if LeBron James could have made a few more free throws down the stretch and not taken an ill advised three on a fastbreak. This month the Celtics have lost to Houston, New York, and Washington. Last time anyone checked none of these teams were postseason bound. They are playing for lottery positions. FDR once said that they only thing we have to fear is fear itself. In the Celtics case they need to fear themselves, their ineptitude on the court, their age, and a certain player who will face them in the first round.

(Some of what is included in this paragraph is reprinted from an earlier article.) Dwyane Wade is the Miami Heat. He has them playing at a high level and streaking at the right time. Miami is 18-4 since the start of March and has its eyes set on the second round. Wade will not let the frail and withered Celtics stop him. What this series will turn into is Dwyane Wade’s audition tape for free agency. Expect him to slice through Boston’s feeble and aging defenders, scoring frequently and at will. The only player the Celtics have on their roster that is capable of keeping up with Wade is Rajon Rondo. However, Rondo is too small and lacks the strength to guard Wade. Certainly guard duties will not fall to Jesus Shuttlesworth; he has never been known for his defensive capabilities and will likely see little time guarding him. The task of defending Wade will fall to Paul Pierce. Pierce has somehow molded himself into a serviceable defender since the acquisition of Kevin Garnett but will remain a step behind the slashing Wade who is expected will make mincemeat of the Celtics lethargic frontcourt when getting into the paint. If Kevin Garnett wants to complain about fouls he should have saved his breath for this series. Sources have just informed me that Dwyane Wade has just purchased a new condo on the foul line for this series and plans to make it his permanent residence. In every series that Wade plays in during the playoffs the spectral calls of 2006 follow him. This series should be no different.

Outside of Wade, the Heat matchup rather nicely with their aging blunder counterparts. Their frontcourt consists of Jermaine O’Neal, Udonis Haslem, and Michael Beasley. Expect this trio to out rebound the hapless Celtics in almost every game of the first round. But what the series will come down to essentially is the scoring duel between Wade and Pierce. Both players look to be their respective teams leading scorers each game and this will not change. Boston’s bench is a joke other than Tony Allen and Big Baby when it comes to actual contribution.

Series Prediction: The most anticipated part of this series will be how quickly Boston loses its cool. I’m going to guess either ‘Sheed or KG is assessed a technical foul around three minutes into the second quarter of game one. Boston and its management might want to reassess the win now policy that they enacted several years ago. Sure they won a title but in all reality what did it truly cost them. Their team is so old (how old are they?) that they have destroyed their future and may lose many of their players in free agency this summer. Miami might also lose its best player this summer too. Dwyane Wade sold his property in south Florida last month so the outlook is grim for the Heat. However, they do have the ability resign Wade, add a max player and another player at $9-10 million this off season with the cap room they will have available. As for now they will have one last hurrah with Wade firmly at the helm. Miami wins in seven.

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by | March 11, 2010 · 11:33 PM

Battered Bulls beaten down by injuries

Just when injuries didn’t look like they could get any worse for the Chicago Bulls (can we still call them the Baby Bulls? No?), Derrick Rose collided with Dwight Howard during tonight’s game against Orlando with 55 seconds left in the first quarter. Rose did not return to the game that resulted in a 111-82 loss for the Bulls. He was taken to the locker room for X-rays that they revealed a sprain. This is the second time this season that Rose and Howard have collided with the smaller Rose bearing the brunt of the damage. The first collision resulted in a bruised hip.  Hopefully, the injury doesn’t linger as the Bulls are in the middle of a tight and heated battle for a playoff spot in the East.

Luol Deng did not suit up for the game against the Magic and is not expected to play in the second game of their back-to-backs in Miami on Friday. Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro (who still has a job despite rampant speculation that he will be fired) said that Deng is, “day-to-day,” with a strained calf.

These two injuries add to the misfortune that the Bulls have already endured with Joakim Noah being sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his left foot (as we have written about in a previous entry). The Bulls need all the bodies they can muster at this point. Both Brad Miller and young standout Taj Gibson are walking wounded with Miller nursing a thumb injury and Gibson also beleaguered by plantar fasciitis.

In addition, they lost scorers Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons to trades with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Bobcats.  Salmons was shipped off for the expiring contracts of Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander.  Thomas was traded for veteran Flip Murray, former Texas A&M star Acie Law and a protected, first-round draft pick.  Both Salmons and Thomas have helped position their respective teams for the playoffs.

To maintain any hope of making the playoffs, the Bulls will need to be at full strength. After losing to Orlando tonight, the Bulls are 1.5 games behind the Heat, Bobcats, and Raptors and sit in ninth place in the East. If Derrick Rose is out for the foreseeable future, the Bulls can consider their postseason prospects lost and will only have the memory of last year’s playoff series with the Celtics to keep them company through the post season.

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