Tag Archives: Darren Collison

by | July 6, 2011 · 6:17 PM

NBA Lockout Day 6: Fly Like a Vogel

Do you understand the plays that are comin' outta my mouth?

The only thing more inevitable than the current lockout was who the next head coach of the Indiana Pacers was going to be. Today the team officially announced that Frank Vogel will be the head coach.

Vogel replaced Jim O’Brien on January 30 of this year and helped to turn the team’s fortunes around. The Pacers went 20-18 under Vogel’s guidance and claimed the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Before Wednesday, the Pacers had been in the process of interviewing other potential head coaching candidates and essentially beating around the bush knowing full well that Vogel was likely going to move from interim to full-time. Team President, Larry Bird, had this to say about the selection process and eventual choosing of Vogel (via the Associated Press):

“As I stated after the season, I was in no hurry regarding the coach, mainly because I knew I had a good candidate in Frank,” Bird said. “But we wanted to get through the draft, and I wanted to have numerous conversations with Frank about a staff that will cover all areas. I feel strongly he is doing that and this coaching staff, as a whole, will help this franchise continue to move forward.”

The contract will be a three-year deal with “the third season includes trigger and incentive clauses and some guaranteed money,” Adrian Wojnarowski reported. While Vogel, who is the youngest head coach in the NBA, was waiting on the Pacers to make a decision, he interviewed for other coaching opening, most notably for the then vacancy in Houston.

Out from Phil's shadow

On top of the Vogel hiring, the Pacers are bringing in Brian Shaw to be Vogel’s lead assistant coach. Shaw spent the last few seasons sitting next to Phil Jackson’s comically tall chair on the Los Angeles Lakers’ bench as their lead assistant.

The duo of Vogel and Shaw on the sidelines should be a formidable presence for an up and coming team laden with youth. Vogel, who players quickly latched onto last season, brings a gritty determination and that is reflected in the style of play, “smashmouth” ball some have called it, that he expects out of his players. This style was on full display as the Pacers threw everything they had at the Chicago Bulls in the first round, exposing their flaws, and drawing a blueprint  to beat them as well as how to get under their skin. Shaw brings a championship pedigree to the table as he was the right hand man of Phil Jackson.

Indiana is young, athletic, quick, and determined. Danny Granger is their youngest starter at the age of 28 and a proven scorer despite his “hero mode” tendencies. Their frontcourt is anchored by a young core including Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough. Each of them scrap for the rebounds already and have tons of upside. Hibbert’s post moves will improve and Hansbrough has shown the ability to nail the midrange jumper as well as crash the lane. Josh McRoberts rounds out their youthful frontcourt and has proven that he is capable of scoring when needed, rebounding, and working for the loose ball. However, veteran Jeff Foster, the team’s best post defender and rebounding savant, is currently a free agent. When the CBA is restructured the Pacers must work to resign Foster, who has played his entire career with the team, or risk losing him to division rival, Chicago, where Tom Thibodeau would love to have him.

On draft day, the Pacers drafted Kawhi Leonard, which would have been an insane addition to the roster based solely on his length, athleticism, and sacrifice on the court. However, they traded his rights to the San Antonio Spurs for George Hill, an Indiana native. (If the Spurs made a trade for Leonard they must know something that no one else does otherwise they would have not given up Hill.) Hill is the player that the Pacers have been looking for as a backup for Darren Collison. His speed and defensive prowess will be useful against other Eastern Conference point guards such as Derrick Rose, Deron Williams, and Rajon Rondo.

Vogel has the pieces in place to make a good run at the playoffs next season rather than just sneaking in again. His team is young and the players have bought into his system. This is a team that will move from mediocrity to the next level in the coming seasons. The Hoosier state deserves that their sole professional team be good and under Vogel they will be. Now all they need is a season to play.

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by | April 14, 2011 · 10:33 AM

Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions: Bulls vs. Pacers

Rose will be particularly thorny for the Pacers

Two rookie head coaches square off as division rivals become first round opponents.

1. Chicago Bulls vs 8. Indiana Pacers

The Bulls enter the postseason with a 60 plus win season for the first time since the Jordan era. Headed up by the likely MVP, Derrick Rose, the Bulls, coached by the likely COY in Tom Thibodeau, bring a formidable defense to the playoffs. Chicago has the best team defensive rating in the league at 100.2 and the second best opponents points per game holding the  opposition to 91.3 points. With that strong defense, the Bulls are also tops in the league in rebounding margin. They average 44.1 rebounds per game while holding their opponents to 38.5. The Pacers will have their work cut out for them if they hope to have a chance in this series.

Chicago won the regular season series three games to one and averaged 102.3 points per contest while Indiana mustered an average of 90.8 points. However, the Pacers are one of the few teams that were able to keep up with the Bulls on the glass in their regular season meetings. Indiana averaged 45.8 rebounds against Chicago, which averaged 48. They will need to keep the rebounding close if they wish to keep games manageable.

Marquee Matchups:

Darren Collison vs Derrick Rose

This will be the point guard matchup for the series. It will be up to Collison to stop, or at least steer Rose into the defense behind him which is easier said than done. Their regular season meetings this season were a lopsided affair to say the least. Rose averaged 27 points against Collison and the Pacers this season. This is because of all the Isolation plays that the Bulls run for Rose. Chicago is tops in the league in terms of offensive Isolation efficiency while Indiana is one of the worst at defending it. Collison, himself, allows 1.16 points per possession when an opposing player isolates him. That mark is the worst on the Pacers and he will be the one tasked with covering Rose most often.

Danny Granger vs Luol Deng

Neither Deng nor Granger shot particularly well when matched up with against each other this season. Both small forwards are lengthy which gives them the ability to pester shots and disrupt the passing lanes. Deng’s primary weapon is his work off the ball and his ability to slash into the paint for easy scoring opportunities. Granger will likely have to work through a variety of screens to keep up with Deng’s movement around the court.  Luckily for Granger, the Pacers are one of the better teams in the league at defending ball and off ball screens.

Granger’s takes his shots either at the rim or from 16 feet and out. These are the area’s where he is most effective as he shoots 61.1 percent at the rim, 35 percent from 16-23 feet, and has an effective field goal percentage of 57.9 from behind the arc. Deng will need to defend the perimeter well and also keep Granger from getting into the paint. Limiting Granger to mid-range jumpers will be key for Deng and the Bulls.

X-Factors:

Despite what Dr. Jack Ramsay thinks, Keith Bogans is not that great of a defender. That much will be shown during this series when he is forced to chase Mike Dunleavy Jr. all over the court. Dunleavy is not a Reggie Miller type in terms of movement but picks his spots nicely. Dunleavy, who is six-foot-nine, should have no problem shooting over the six-foot-five frame of Bogans either. For these reasons Thibodeau should call on Ronnie Brewer to take over the main duties of defending Dunleavy. Brewer is six-foot-seven and the best defender on the Bulls. He wont be on the floor for scoring purposes, Chicago has plenty of scoring threats, but his play will be crucial in disrupting the offense of the Pacers and creating turnovers.

Despite what many people assume, the Bulls do not have good offensive post production. Chicago is ranked 22nd in the league in points per possession when posting up. They will not have much success in the post against the Pacers because of Indiana’s frontcourt size and especially because of Jeff Foster. Foster is the best post defender on the team and will force players like Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson out of any semblance of a comfort zone when down on the blocks. Along with his post defense, Foster will also provide much-needed rebounding for the Pacers. Anyone familiar with his game knows that he is a rebounding machine. Foster averages 6.1 offensive and 7.3 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes of game time. Those numbers are good for a total rebounding percentage of 20.7 while he is on the floor.

Prediction:

The Indiana Pacers matchup with the Chicago Bulls fairly well in every way except one. They cannot stop Derrick Rose. For Frank Vogel’s team to have any chance at drawing out this series they will need to get out in transition and press the issue. Unfortunately, the Pacers are very poor at scoring in transition and too often settle for contested or low percentage shots. They need to get to the rim and finish. All of this is moot, however, because Derrick Rose is going to slice though their defense and create open looks and layups for himself. It is not out of the question that Indiana might be able to squeak out two wins this series but it is somewhat improbable. Bulls defeat the Pacers 4-1.

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by | February 24, 2011 · 12:53 AM

Carl Landry traded to New Orleans Hornets

On the move again

Is David Stern allowed to make trades? Can he do that? Well, he kind of just did. On Wednesday the New Orleans Hornets, who are owned by the NBA, finalized a deal with the Sacramento Kings. So, yes, apparently Stern can make trades.

The trade will send forward Carl Landry to the Hornets to bolster their frontcourt which has experienced issues with injuries this season. In exchange the Hornets will send Marcus Thornton to the Kings along with cash considerations.

Ever since Chris Paul demanded a trade last summer, the Hornets have been busy making trades to appease him. New Orleans answered Paul’s cries on several tiers. They traded away Darren Collison, James Posey, and Julian Wright in a four team trade and acquired Trevor Ariza and Marco Belinelli. The team then traded two draft picks to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerryd Bayless. Soon thereafter, New Orleans traded Bayless and Peja Stojakovic to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks, and David Anderson.

Phew!

Now throw Landry into the mix. The Hornets have made a ton of moves since the summer and are doing everything they possibly can to convince Paul to remain in New Orleans. However, it may not be enough especially with more and more of his peers vaulting for the Eastern Conference in the hopes of establishing “super teams.”

For now though, the Hornets are trying their best to make their team appealing to Paul. Yet, at what cost are they doing so? Remember, this is a team that is owned by the league.

New Orleans is over the salary cap and was forced to absorb $2.24 million as part of Landry’s $3 million contract. They acquired him using a trade exception as Thornton’s contract was only worth $762,195. This is a team that the league was forced to take ownership of because of financial hardships yet the Hornets are now taking on more salary. Odd. Is that even allowed?

Nonetheless, this trade is nothing but a win-win for the Maloof’s, who own the Kings. Because the NBA was forced to take over the Hornets, all of the league’s owners became part owners of the Hornets. They are already seeing a return on their investment.

Clearly, there is some Cajun voodoo working in the Hornets favor. Yet, it has yet to be seen if this voodoo will have Landry back in the form he was in with the Houston Rockets, when he was playing at his best.

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by | December 6, 2010 · 2:05 PM

10 Player Report Card

Back on October 14 I listed 10 NBA players to watch this season based on what they had done in the preseason or at the FIBA World Championships as well as my own personal biases towards some of them. Now that the season is a quarter of he way finished there is no better time than to hand out a report card. Not only is it a nice little grading scale for the players but it also serves as somewhat of a referendum of my choices.

Patrick Beverley | Grade: N/A

About ten days after I declared that you, the Beef readers, should pay attention to Beverley, the Miami heat went and cut him to make room for Jerry Stackhouse. Geez, way to throw egg in my eye, Pat Riley. Therefore, Beverley receives no grade at all. He is currently playing in China with the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks, Yao Ming‘s old team.

Darren Collison | Grade: C

Collison’s first real stint as a team’s starting point guard has not gone as smoothly as he or the Indiana Pacers would have hoped. He has already missed three games due to injury which has thrust T.J. Ford, who is ever-present on Indy’s trade block, into a larger role with the team. Collison is averaging just six minutes more per game than Ford but his average stats, outside of his 13.7 points, are not much better than Ford’s numbers. 2.7 rebounds per game for Collison compared to Ford’s 2.5 and 4.4 assists to Ford’s 3.9. Collison also has an assist to turnover ratio of 2/1. Collison needs to improve his non scoring categories if he and the Pacers hope to see a return of the player that filled in for Chris Paul so wonderfully last season.

Dominique Jones | Grade: Incomplete

Jones has appeared in only nine of the Dallas Mavericks’ 20 games thus far. Because of this, his grade is an incomplete. When he does get time on the court his play is marred by turnovers. This is undoubtedly because he likes to get to the rim in traffic when hands come flying in at the ball from all directions. His lack of minutes is also due to the fact that the Mavericks are unbelievably deep this season, especially at shooting guard. Hopefully as the season progresses, Rick Carlisle will find more minutes for this promising rookie. However, for that to happen, Dallas will need to start blowing teams out more frequently instead of playing somewhat tight games.

Linas Kleiza | Grade: D -

The Toronto Raptors are not as bad as we thought they would be this season but Kleiza is far worse than anyone could have imagined after a quarter of the season has passed. He is a shell of the player he was during the FIBA World Championships this summer. So far, Kleiza is averaging 9.6 points and 3.7 rebounds this season in 23 minutes per game. Gross. He is also shooting an appalling 24 percent from deep. What happened to the fit, muscular Kleiza that we saw over the summer? Apparently he left that side of himself in Turkey. Maybe he should tell Allen Iverson where to find it.

Kevin Love | Grade: A +

“Yeah., yeah, yeah … here he goes again lauding the efforts of Kevin Love. We know, you have loved him for some time now and his numbers a ridiculous this year but you really do not need to keep piling on the love.” (That  is what I can assume your thought process is, if you are a regular reader, when you see Love’s name mentioned anywhere on the site.) He had the first 30-30 game since 1982. He has pulled down 15 or more rebounds in a game ten times this season. No other player has done that more than six times. He leads the league in both offensive, defensive, and total rebounding and leads in total rebounding average with 15.3 per game. This is what I wrote about Love when I said that he was a player to watch this season, “Plain and simple: Kevin Love is the best rebounder in the league.” Looks like I was more than right.

Wesley Matthews | Grade: B +

Matthews stepped into the starting lineup when Brandon Roy went down with an early injury for a couple of games. Since that time he has usurped Nicolas Batum in the starting rotation. He now frequently leads the team in scoring. In the seven games that Matthews has started this season he is averaging 20.9 points, connecting on 2.4 shots from deep, four rebounds, and 1.6 steals. He has topped the 20 point plateau in four of his last five games.  It appears that the money that the Portland Trail Blazers spent to lure Matthews away from Utah has been a good investment.

JaVale McGee | Grade: C +

Both of us here at the Beef want nothing but good things for McGee. He is one of those players who we can just not seem to quit rooting for. McGee is having a decent season with the Wizards this year but he could improve his numbers. Head Coach Flip Saunders wanted McGee to improve his rebounding during the preseason and as McGee is currently averaging 8.5 rebounds there is certainly still room to improve. He should be a double-double threat every night. Where he does not need to improve is with his shot blocking. McGee currently averages 2.6 blocks per game and has a total of 49 blocks this season which ranks him second, in both categories, in the NBA behind, of all people, Darko Milicic. I said in my initial article that McGee edged out Andray Blatche to make the list but it looks like Blatche will have the final word with the season he is putting together thus far.

C.J. Miles | Grade: B

Miles is Utah’s sixth man this season as Raja Bell finds himself in the starting lineup. Obviously, Jerry Sloan knows what he is doing bringing Miles of the bench as an offensive spark. He is averaging 11 points per game but 17.2 per 36 minutes which is better than Al Jefferson. Miles is in there to score the ball and little else. It would be nice to see him improve his field goal percentage which is only 39.7 percent at present. Bringing it up to 42-43 percent is what he needs to shoot for.

Ramon Sessions | Grade: either B – or D depending on the night

Sessions is another one of those players who I just cannot quit. He has flashes of brilliance followed by the dregs of mediocrity. He is averaging 10.7 points and 4.4 assists this season as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ backup point guard who sometimes gets the start. However, his game-to-game numbers are like a roller coaster ride. Here are his point totals through 20 games this season: 14, 4, 21, 7, 9, 6, 15, 14, 17, 7, 16, 2, 15, 3, 13, 5, 14, 11, 18, 2. Twice this season the only points he has scored have come at the charity stripe. His assist numbers remain fairly consistent though which seems to be his most redeeming quality as a player this season and why I am not grading him harsher. Despite his scoring ups and downs, he is the tied with Antawn Jamison for total points on the team with 213 and is just one point behind J.J. Hickson who is third on the team.

Marreese Speights | Grade: D

There are some redeeming qualities for the Philadelpia 76ers this season, unfortunately Speights does not find himself among them. He is averaging only 12.8 minutes per game scoring only 5.3 points and collecting 3.8 rebounds. His per 36 minutes numbers are much better but they do not matter when it takes him three games to log that much time on the floor. Doug Collins cannot seem to find a place for him in the regular rotation with Elton Brand, Thaddeus Young, and Spencer Hawes ahead of him. I said that he needed minutes to see actual dividends in my original article and it looks like those minutes may never come.

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by | November 10, 2010 · 11:49 AM

Beef Stew

Delectable

In today’s Beef Stew we discuss the propensity of any player or team to explode suddenly like Krakatoa at any given moment no matter the quality of the team they are facing. Although there were signs about the impending eruption in the Sunda Straight, science was yet up to par.Last night was a rare, and not so rare, occasion in which the stars and planets aligned perfectly to send a stir throughout the league.

Millsap chills the Heat

If you have watched the Utah Jazz casually over the past few years then you are fully aware that Paul Millsap, their fourth-year forward, is their most reliable player off the bench. Simply put, he is a scoring and rebounding machine. This season, however, Millsap has been thrust into the Jazz’s starting lineup with the injury to Mehmet Okur. He has not disappointed and has averaged 24 points and 10.9 rebounds in his seven starts. Last was his greatest professional performance.

Monsterous Millsap

The Jazz traveled to South Beach to face the vaunted Heat who were crowned NBA champions almost as quickly as LeBron James was bestowed the title of king. Everything was looking good for the Heat as they were up 22 at one point in the game except that they either chose to forego tape session or simply are that pathetic on the interior and do not have a match for a hybrid player such as Millsap. We must take the latter.

Millsap torched the Heat or rather he brought the fire extinguisher. Puns aside, he played the best ball of his life. He dropped 46 points on the night and was perfect from downtown making all three of his attempts. He also pulled down nine rebounds. It was Millsap who fueled the comeback and it was he who put in the shot to send the game into overtime.

James recorded a triple-double on the evening and Dwyane Wade scored 39 but you will not here about those performances. No, Millsap performed at a level comparable of a superstar and outplayed three of them. So what can the Heat take from this game? For starters, all those voices that began ringing out this summer about the weak interior players that Miami has on their roster look to be growing louder. Chris Bosh has never been a great defender and it is amazing to hear people say otherwise. I know that they do not broadcast Raptors games nationally regularly but the signs were there if you wanted to look for them. Now they are bright blaring and neon. He was out of position seemingly every time that Millsap touched the ball whether it be help-side or strong-side. Worse yet for the Heat was that Bosh was jumping and putting a hand in the air five to seven feet away from Millsap as he drained a three. Miami did beat the Magic and Dwight Howard earlier this season but how often do you really expect that to happen when teams like New Orleans and Utah out perform the Heat’s frontcourt? Miami has a talented problem on their hands.

Indy sets the pace

The Denver Nuggets are a good team, a tad banged up, but a good team nonetheless. Word has it that the Indiana Pacers are a not so good team. (We at the Beef disagree with that statement to an extent.) So it must have been a case of Freaky Friday — on Tuesday — because the Nuggets were the ones looking for answers and scratching their heads as the Pacers were playing at Indy car speed.

The Pacers dropped 144 points on the Nuggets. Yes, you read that correctly: 144 points. I guess they had been watching tape of Nellie’s Warriors versus D’Antoni’s Suns from a few years ago just before the game. Almost half of their points cam in the third quarter alone. It was quite a spectacle to behold.

Indiana connected of 20 of 21 shots in the third quarter only missing their very last field goal attempt with time running short. On the quarter they scored 54 points on 95 percent shooting as every Pacer got into the act. Mike Dunleavy scored 24 of his 31 points during the third quarter scoring bonanza. The Pacers’ outburst is tied for fourth in points scored in a quarter in NBA history. It was also the most points the franchise has ever scored in a quarter.

For the game, the Pacers shot 64 percent overall and 53 percent from long-range, connecting on 16 of their 30 attempts.

Darren Collison scored 29 points and dished out six assists, Tyler Hansbrough (the butt of many of our jokes) had 20 points and nine rebounds and Danny Granger chipped in 19.

Love > Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to reap the benefits of their pillowy soft early season schedule. Last night they faced the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves and came away with another win to bring their record to 8-0. The game was closer than one would have imagined though as it was back and forth throughout with the Lakers taking it 99-94. That is not the interesting point that I am getting at however. Yup, you know where this is going. Let’s talk about Kevin Love.

Maybe Kurt Rambis is finally getting the picture of how valuable Love is to his team. Love logged 38 plus minutes against the Lakers which was the most playing time he has recorded this season and only the second time he has played 30 minutes or more. The numbers that Love has been putting up are impressive and efficient in and of themselves so one would only assume that with more minutes his production would only increase. Turns out that is exactly the case.

Love scored 23 points, two points below a career best, and grabbed 24 rebounds, which was a career-high, all the while making the defense of Ron Artest look impotent. (We love Ron but we don’t feel that bad for him.) 24 rebounds is impressive but we need to break it down. He had 11 offensive and 13 defensive boards. Essentially, Love recorded a triple-double. Offensive rebounding has its own box in the box scores. While we know that it is not a true triple-double it is  something to talk about. Thanks to the assistance of Neil Paine of Basketball-Reference, I have discovered that the line that Love put up last night is not all that uncommon. In fact double digits in these three categories have been recorded by a player 135 times dating back to 1986. Interestingly enough is that Kurt Rambis recorded 10 offensive rebounds, 10 defensive rebounds, and 13 points on February 18, 1989 while with the Charlotte Hornets. The last player to accomplish this statistical achievement before Love was Pau Gasol on March 29, 2010 (the same month the Beef was founded). Many thanks to Neil again.

However, this is the kind of production that Rambis can expect from Love. He will not play at this level every night but a solid double-double from Love will be there consistently. Hopefully, Rambis will keep his minutes in the thirties from here on out.

No nonsense for NOLA

Remember when Chris Paul demanded a trade this summer? Funny how times change.

Last night the New Orleans Hornets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 101-82 to improve their record to 7-0. The Hornets spread the ball around well as nine players scored, six in double figures.

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by | November 9, 2010 · 12:59 PM

Power Rankings

It's good to be undefeated

It’s only a handful of games into the season but it’s these games that can set the pace for teams.  Some have started the season off well.  Some haven’t.  Some are building what could be formidable playoff teams while others are already snowballing into what will turn them into lottery teams next summer.  However they are starting the season, every team is setting a theme for both the best and the worst.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (7-0)

Being the No. 1 scoring team in the league should be at no surprise for the defending champs.  Point guards Derek Fisher and Steve Blake are both averaging only four assists per game and they are putting up 22 a game (9th in the league).  They are spreading out the ball and utilizing their depth very appropriately.  We could still question parts of this bench but Blake and Matt Barnes give them a lot more to work with.  As long as Pau Gasol is playing well both defensively and offensively, sky is the limit for the Lakers.

2. New Orleans Hornets (6-0)

The Hornets are only scoring 97 points a game.  This stat comes to no surprise when you look at who can really score in New Orleans but the fact that they are still undefeated really sticks out.  A team built around arguably the best point guard in the league in Chris Paul would be thought to be perfect this far into the season around offense.  Instead, it’s the defense that is propelling this team forward.  While giving up only 91 points a game, the Hornets have held Milwaukee to 81, Miami to 93 and San Antonio to 90.  This is the best start in franchise history for the Hornets but how long can the winning last?

3. Boston Celtics (6-2)

The pieces are coming together nicely in Boston.  Rajon Rondo is averaging 15.5 assists a game and has surely won over the respect of both his teammates and the pundits.  Scoring distribution will keep this team fresh and a good man running point will definitely help.  Five of their six wins are over teams that were in the playoffs last season.  We have yet to see Shaquille O’neal and Kendrick Perkins both active on this roster.

4. Atlanta Hawks (6-2)

It’s balance that is keeping these Hawks afloat and that’s the best thing to build a season on.  Josh Smith is making a case for early MVP consideration and will just get better over the course of the season.  It’s also looking like extending Al Horford’s contract is looking like a good decision.  They are averaging 104 points a game while still collecting 32 defensive boards a game. However, this team needs to recover from its recent two game slide.

5. Miami Heat (5-2)

For those of you that expected the Heat to win 82 games, sorry but that can’t happen now.  In addition, loses to both Boston and New Orleans should be nothing to be embarrassed about right now.  Erik Spoelstra needs to figure out the best rotation of the bench that wont hurt them too much.  Right now, the bench is being outscored and outplayed.  It’s a long season and three players cannot carry a team by themselves.

6. Orlando Magic (5-1)

Orlando should technically be 6-1 but issues at Madison Square Garden caused the Knicks to postpone their inevitable loss to the Magic.  Regardless, their one loss to the Heat is warranted and Rashard Lewis needs to put up more than 2 points for the Magic to win such a statement game.

7. Denver Nuggets (4-3)

Nene, Chris Anderson and Kenyon Martin are out with injuries.  They beat the Mavericks in Dallas with Sheldon Williams starting and that speaks volumes about how this team will perform when their big men return.  Their depth will increase tremendously.  If Denver keeps winning, it may translate to a happy Carmelo Anthony and when Melo is happy, everyone is happy.

8. Portland Trail Blazers (5-3)

Holding Phoenix to just 92 points and later Milwaukee to only 76 is what is helping this Trail Blazers team make the point that they are serious about defense.  Marcus Camby can defend well but Nate McMillen will need to figure out how to get some more scoring from his frontcourt.  His starting forwards only scored nine points against the Lakers on Sunday and they aren’t even breaking 100 points per game. It was, however, their fifth game in seven days.

9. Dallas Mavericks (4-2)

Dallas has seven players that will show up every night on the court. Jason Kidd is showing almost no signs of age while the frontcourt is stacked with Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler.  Dallas narrowly beat Denver last Wednesday just to lose to them Saturday.  The Mavs will rebound once Caron Butler and Shawn Marion hit their strides.  However, Dallas needs to clean up its turnovers that are at 16 a game and their bench is ranked second to last in scoring. Although there are no “statement” games in November, beating Boston is the closest you can get to having one.

10. San Antonio Spurs (5-1)

Their record is impressive until you see that they have only beaten one team that made the playoffs last season in Phoenix.  They are fourth in the league in scoring with 109 a game and their next three games are easy wins against the Clippers, Bobcats and the 76ers.  The youth in San Antonio surrounded by a mix of good coaching and veterans will spell out an interesting season.  However, Greg Popavich needs his young guys to get the minutes they need to grow.

11. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3)

It’s funny that a team with Russell Westbrook is ranked 30th in the league in assists per game but when you look at the depth in OKC, it begins to make sense.  The ball isn’t being spread out enough and sheer depth may haunt the Thunder again this season.  Again, it’s 82 games and it takes more than an sixth man to get through a season and make the playoffs out West.

12. Memphis Grizzlies (4-4)

Rudy Gay became the first player in franchise history to score at least 25 points a game in five consecutive games.  However, it’s their defense that needs to step up since they are allowing their opponents to score 107 points a game.  They are undersized and young which is a bad place to be in the Western Conference.  It’s going to a long season with hopefully some growth.

13. Utah Jazz (3-3)

Deron Williams and company are obviously hurting from loosing some of their star players.  With Mehmet Okur out, the Jazz are limited in size and they are obviously having a hard time scoring when they can only muster up 78 points against the Warriors.  It wont get any easier with them playing Miami, Orlando and Atlanta this week.

14. Phoenix Suns (3-4)

Steve Nash entered the season with reservations about the Suns’ chances this season.  Losses to Portland, San Antonio and LA aren’t something to be ashamed of this season.  In all three of their loses, Hedo Turkoglu has scored six points twice and nine points once.  Maybe it’s time to put some production into this starting lineup. Alvin Gentry is going to get to the point where he no longer asks permission to yell at his team.

15. Chicago Bulls (3-3)

Derrick Rose and the Bulls really took it to the Celtics last Friday in a come back that forced overtime.  They fell short in the extra minutes but the play of both Rose and Joakim Noah should keep Bulls fans optimistic.  If Tom Thibodeau and company want to win, Ronnie Brewer needs more minutes and Carlos Boozer needs to return from injury.

16. Golden State Warriors (5-2)

The Warriors have started the season off 4-0 for the first time in 20 years.  Subsequently, three of those four wins are against teams that failed to reach the postseason last year and Utah isn’t the beast it once was.  Monta Ellis has already had two very impressive outings of 46 and 39 points and the return of Stephen Curry will greatly help this backcourt.

17. New York Knicks (3-3)

A win in Chicago could or couldn’t be a big deal this early in the season since we have yet to see them form.  Their other two wins were against Toronto and Washington which both paint a better picture of what this team is truly capable of.  We all know that Mike D’antoni teams can get worn out and that Amar’e Stoudemire’s heightened level of play wont last.

18. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-3)

Cleveland has the fourth best bench as far as scoring in the league.  That same bench never got LeBron James a ring so we don’t really expect the same to pan out for Antawn Jamison and friends.  Byron Scott is letting them grow but that’s about all we expect from this season.  An initial win over Boston is impressive until you see that they lost to Toronto and Sacramento the following days.

19. Sacramento Kings (3-3)

The Kings are scoring but still allowing their opponents to rack up 107 points a game.  DeMarcus Cousins has yet to record a 10-rebound game and Tyreke Evans is still trying to do too much on the court.  Good news is that their both young and when they click, it could mean a lot to wherever the Kings end up playing next.

20. Milwaukee Bucks (2-5)

Scott Skiles is having a hard time getting the Bucks rolling into this season.  They are 30th in the league in scoring at only 89 a game and it’s mainly due to their depth.  Drew Gooden is giving them some more power up front but with just Corey Maggette producing off of the bench, it may be a long road for the Bucks.

21. Houston Rockets (1-5)

All five of Houston’s losses came from very formidable teams this season (Lakers, Warriors, Spurs, Hornets and Nuggets).  Aaron Brooks will be missed and Kyle Lowry will not be able to carry the load by himself.  Luis Scola and Kevin Martin are working out well with all the injuries but Rick Adelman needs a healthy roster in order to compete.

22. Philadelphia 76ers (2-5)

Philly started the season off with losses against Miami, Atlanta, Indiana and Washington.  If you are surprised, close this window immediately.  Evan Turner’s scoring has been up and down but what can you expect from a rookie surrounded by a bunch of trash?  Surprisingly, their bench is ranked first in scoring.

23. Indiana Pacers (2-3)

At first, it’s looks like Darren Collison may be a little in over his head at running Indiana’s point.  Then again, look at who this young man is passing to.  He filled in when Westbrook went down at UCLA and stepped up last season when Paul went down in New Orleans.  However, the talent is pretty thin in Indiana.  Danny Granger seems to be approaching a nice stride but there isn’t much other good news coming out of Indiana.

24. Detroit Pistons (2-5)

The Pistons are bottom feeders in almost every statistical category. This does not bode well for a team that is striving to achieve mediocrity. However, they have won their last two contests. Pistons fans should take any small achievement as good news because there will not be much this season.

25. Los Angeles Clippers (1-6)

At least one team in L.A. has a tough start to their schedule. The Clippers have faced the likes of Portland, Dallas, San Antonio, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Utah in their first seven games with their only win coming against the struggling Thunder. It must be hard to be the bastard child of the Staples center and see the Lakers with a sugarplum and lolly pop schedule until late January.

26. New Jersey Nets (2-4)

Right now the Nets are on a better winning pace than last year. That is the upside. It doesn’t look like Avery Johnson is ever going to let third overall draft pick, Derrick Favors, into the starting lineup anytime soon now that Troy Murphy is back. In their most recent loss, the Nets did their best Washington Generals impersonation to the Heat’s Globetrotter act.

27. Washington Wizards (1-4)

John Wall and Gilbert Arena will be reunited again. That’s good.  Their one win however, well, that’s not so good. December is going to be a rough month for the Wiz so now is their best opportunity to get some wins under their belt. Hopefully, the Republicans won’t try to filibuster their next win.

28. Charlotte Bobcats (1-6)

They were in the playoffs last season and had the number one rated team defense in the league. Now, they have a defensive rating ranked 20th. Not good. Maybe His Airness can breathe some life into this franchise. Something needs to happen, and quick, if they want another playoff birth.

29. Toronto Raptors (1-6)

The Raptors are bad. We knew they would be. They were bad last year even with Chris Bosh on their roster so what are the expectaions of them now that he is gone? Right, there are none. One thing that Raptors fans can take delight in is that the so-called Young Gunz on the team will put on a decent show every night. Jose Calderon needs to be back in the starting lineup otherwise the team’s assists will continue to be dreadful.

30. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-6)

We wrote an open letter to David Kahn. This is something we normally wouldn’t do. However, the T-Wolves are terrible. Kurt Rambis coaches like a chicken with his head cut off and has no sense that Kevin Love is their best player. They are ranked last in most every statistical category. They only thing that Minnesota fans have to look forward to is the high draft pick that the team will get next summer…which Kahn will promptly waste on yet another point guard. KAAAAHHN!

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by | October 24, 2010 · 11:36 PM

The Kobe Beef indulges a Fantasy

Our fantasy does not exist on an island

Soon everything will be right with the world again. The NBA resumes on Tuesday night. Once again we will be treated to the poor calls of referees especially on the quick on the draw technical fouls, the media will continue to sweat everything Miami, Los Angeles (not the Clippers), Boston, and Oklahoma City, and the league and the players union will grow ever closer to an impasse and eventual lockout. Yes, the world will be right. What this time of year also means is that fantasy basketball is here too. Our draft was Sunday night. Here at the Beef it will be our third nonconsecutive year that we have played together. There are eight other teams in our league. We figured that we would share our opening day rosters with you.

First, the roster spots:

Rosters consist of 15 available slots with only 12 players being able to be played on a given night. The positions are point guard, shooting guard, guard, small forward, power forward, forward, two centers, and four utility players.

Statistics are as follows:

Field Goals Attempted (FGA) -.25; Field Goals Made (FGM) 2.25; Free Throws Attempted (FTA) -.25; Free Throws Made (FTM) 1.25; 3-point Shots Attempted (3PTA) -1; 3-point Shots Made (3PTM) 4; Points Scored (PTS) .25; Offensive Rebounds (OREB) 2; Defensive Rebounds (DREB) 1.25; Assists (AST) 2; Steals (ST) 1.75; Blocked Shots (BLK) 2; Turnovers (TO) -2

Now without further adieu, our rosters:

TruWariers 5.0 (this will be the fifth season of the TruWariers; one championship, two third place finishes)

Dipset (this will be the third season of Dipset; two second place finishes)

We’ll keep you updated (albeit infrequently) on how our teams do this season. If you have a team, good luck to you as well.

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by | October 14, 2010 · 3:42 PM

10 NBA Players to watch in 2010-11

You already know the storylines and what to expect from the league’s All Star players and potential rookies of the year. Why spend any more time talking about them? Leave that to ESPN. The players assembled on this list, for the most part, are some of the lesser known players in the league. In fact, there are a couple on here that made the cut simply because of wishful thinking as they will likely polish the pine for their given team but that does not discount their talent. Others are players who will soon make a name for themselves in the league as their careers begin to take hold. Two on the list are rookies and the rest have had some, but not many, years experience in the NBA. Agree or disagree you should at least know their names.

Patrick Beverley, PG: Miami Heat

Of all the players on the Heat to watch for this season, well there are really only three and a half (Mike Miller is the half. No offense.), I choose Patrick Beverley. Are you still reading? If so, please, hear me out. So far this preseason, Beverley is not lighting it up per say but he is logging solid minutes while the Triumvirate sits and is averaging 6.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and a steal. Not bad. However, when Pat Riley…err, Erik Spoelstra had him log 41 minutes against the Spurs, Beverley dropped a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. He added five dimes and three steals all while never committing a turnover. I know, I know, Beverley will see limited minutes (if he sees any during the regular season) as he will be a bench option on a team such as the Heat but that does not mean that he will not make an impact. If Mario Chalmers’ ankle continues to be a concern throughout the season it would be Beverley who would replace him in the starting lineup. Beverley has a strong basketball pedigree and should not be overlooked. Plus, if Karma strikes the Heat, Beverley will be the only one left to play other than Udonis Haslem.

Darren Collison, PG: Indiana Pacers

Collison came to the Pacers in a massive four team trade this summer that has been over shadowed by a four team trade that never happened. The Pacers were the ultimate winner in the trade as they received the point guard they have been looking for during the better part of the previous two years. T.J. Ford just was not cutting it for them. Collison was Chris Paul’s back up in New Orleans last season and had his opportunity to shine when Paul went down with an injury. In 37 starts, Collison averaged 18.8 points and 9.1 assists. He will be the starter in Indianapolis and if these numbers can translate to the Pacers, a team as equally mediocre as the Hornets, expect Collison to easily enter any top point guard conversation this season.

Dominique Jones, G: Dallas Mavericks

Jones is one of only two rookies to make this list, Beverley is the other. Will he really make an impact on a team such as the Mavericks, though? The Mavs are deep. How deep? Deeper than Sage Francis. Minutes will be in short supply but expect Jones to get his fair share coming off the bench. Unlike the standard Maverick prototype, Jones loves to get into the paint and to the rim and is not content to settle for a jump shot. Subsequently, he will draw plenty of fouls with such aggressive play. His only issue right now is his ability to finish at the rim. During preseason he is only shooting 36 percent. He is a natural scorer, however, and his percentage is sure to climb as he becomes more acclimated to the NBA. He has carved out a niche for himself so far as the team is impressed with his abilities on the defensive end of the floor and as a passer on offense. He is averaging 3.6 assists this preseason. He may see limited minutes but expect him to make every one of them count.

Linas Kleiza, F: Toronto Raptors

In all reality, Kleiza may be the only thing worth watching in Toronto. No offense to Jarrett Jack, Sonny Weems, or DeMar DeRozan (all of whom can Dougie quite well) but we all know that Kleiza has the potential to be “the guy” in America’s hat. Every account and story about Kleiza since his return to the NBA from Greece and his time at the FIBA World Championships is that he is in the best shape of his career. He averaged 19 points on 57.8 percent shooting and 7.1 rebounds per game during the world championships with Lithuania. Since the international game is different from that of the NBA, do not expect these numbers to directly translate but they should be a good ballpark indication of what he is capable of doing night in and night out in Toronto. In limited play during the preseason, Kleiza has averaged 11 points and four rebounds. Expect the Raptors to lean heavily on Kleiza this season as he may turn out to be their main scoring threat, when the Andrea Bargnani experiment crumbles, on a team full of lackluster talent.

Kevin Love, F/C: Minnesota Timberwolves

If you are a frequent visitor to our blog you probably already know how much love we show to Love. Can you blame us? Look, the fact is that Love is going to be one of the best players in the entire league next year but no one is talking about it because their heads are too far up Miami’s ass. Plain and simple: Kevin Love is the best rebounder in the league. What, you do not believe me? You need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid at Dwight Howard’s party. I wrote a piece shortly after the world championships ended and I will direct you to it for a more in depth look at why Kevin Love is a player to watch. Read that article here. Still do not believe me? Then look at all his numbers here.

Wesley Matthews, G: Portland Trailblazers

Matthews is one of the newest members of the Blazers having signed an offer sheet with them this summer worth an estimated $34 million over five years which Utah failed to match. Looking at Matthews’ career numbers one thing strikes you; they are by no means daunting. However, if you have ever seen him play, especially in the playoffs last year, you know why the Blazers wanted him so bad. This kid hustles on every single play that he is on the court. He shredded the Lakers second unit in the playoffs with his tenacity and determination. He is averaging 15.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 dimes while shooting 48.7 percent on field goals and 40 percent on threes during the preseason. It looks like he has found his place in Portland. Matthew’s will likely be one of the first players off the Blazers’ bench and should take minutes away from the perpetual whiner, Rudy Fernandez. Portland spent the money and they will see results.

JaVale McGee, C: Washington Wizards

John Wall with the alley-oop to JaVale McGee for the flush! Get used to hearing that because it will become common. In fact it will likely appear on Sport Center’s Top 10 Plays regularly throughout the season. We have been fans of McGee for a while here at the Beef and feel that he is a household name of the future. McGee is young and full of talent which it why he edged out Andray Blatche as the only Wizard to appear on this list. Head Coach Flip Saunders has said that McGee needs to improve his rebounding otherwise Hilton Armstrong may get the start over him. This is merely some Phil Jackson-esque head game on the part of Saunders. Everyone knows that McGee will start and that not starting him hurts the team. However, Saunders’ statement must have hit home as McGee pulled down 11 rebounds against Atlanta in the teams’ most recent preseason game to go along with 16 points. These numbers would seem to be what we can expect of McGee this season which will be his first as the starting center. With Wall running the point, McGee’s future looks bright as the two should bourgeon into one of the league better young duos.

C.J. Miles, G/F: Utah Jazz

Miles lost his running mate in Wesley Matthews, in terms of hustle, but that should only help increase the minutes he will see this season. Over the past two seasons, Miles has seen his role on the Jazz increase dramatically (and his basketball card seems like it is in every Upper Deck pack). During the 2008-09 season, he started in all 72 games he appeared in and last season started in 28 of the 63 games in which he played. Yes, his increased time is linked in some way to the injuries of Andrei Kirilenko and his time spent as the Jazz’s sixth man but that certainly has not diminished his value in the eyes of Jerry Sloan. Miles is currently averaging 11.3 points in preseason play and has averaged 9.5 points over the previous two seasons. Expect another increase in production from Miles this season, which will be his sixth, especially as opposing teams will focus on slopping Al Jefferson and Deron Williams which should leave Miles open on many plays. If he plays well, he could easily find himself in the discussion for most improved player. (Plus, Miles is from Dallas so you have to love that.)

Ramon Sessions, G: Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland is a barren wasteland. Few dare to even mention its name anymore. For a time there were fertile fields and flowers blooming, and then a pestilence swept over the land leaving nothing but scorched earth. It will take time to recover but the wounds left may never fully heal. What is left is a shell of what once was. However, do not over look it just yet. Ramon Session, a name that many people have never heard, was acquired by the Cavaliers this summer in a manner that was in stark contrast to how they lost a player. While no one thought much of this trade but it will help the Cavs more than anyone realizes. Byron Scott, Cleveland’s head coach, likes to push the ball up and down the court. He likes a fast paced game. Byron Scott may find that the only way for his team to be competitive is to go small and force the opponents to adjust to him. This bodes well for Sessions. He has already had a double-double this preseason against the Wizards with 10 points and 10 rebounds as well as six assists. He is averaging 12 points, five rebounds, and 4.8 points in the preseason to date. It would not be absurd to think that Sessions could potentially return to the same playing form he showed with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2008-09 season when he averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 dimes, mostly off the bench.

Marreese Speights, F: Philadelphia 76ers

Of all the players on the 76ers, Speights is the one that no one is talking about. Yet, it may be him that has the best season on the team. Not Jrue Holiday, not Evan Turner, not Lou Williams, but Speights. There are parts of me that want to predict anywhere from 37-40 wins for this team and there are parts of me (much smaller parts) that think they win no more than 29 games. Nonetheless, everything, in my view, hinges on the play of Speights and whether he can stay healthy or not and get the time he deserves. He must prove himself worthy to Doug Collins so that he is not relegated to a bench role behind Thaddeus Young and to do this he must improve his rebounding. OK, honestly, having Speights on this list is a bit of a stretch. He is good though, it is just uncertain if he will actually see the minutes he needs to prove that. Lucky for him, Elton Brand is an injury waiting to happen. If any of the big forwards on the Sixers goes down this season, it will be Speights who will step in to fill the void. When, not if, this happens it will be up to him to convince Collins that he is the player that he has the potential to be.

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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 25, 2010 · 6:02 PM

Melo Drama

Time may be running out for a Carmelo Anthony trade

This summer’s free agency was so thunderous that it found its way to affect contracts set to end next July.  A key one being Carmelo Anthony’s deal with the Denver Nuggets.  Entering his eighth season in the league, the three-time All-Star has opted to take his talents elsewhere by not agreeing to an extension with the Denver.  After what we have seen so far this summer, is anyone really surprised?

The Nuggets are another team that has built a team around a 2003 rookie and done nothing but fallen short.  Anthony only took the team past the first round once but was eliminated in the conference finals by the LA Lakers on his birthday.  Tough luck.

Now, it looks as though a four-team deal is brewing with the Nets set to acquire Anthony.  However, it has become apparent that he is not looking to go alone.  He is no idiot and knows that it is going to take a little more than just his talent to turn around a team that flirted with having the worst record in NBA history last season.  In addition, we have seen Avery Johnson take a team to the finals but that Mavericks team was already built.  We have never seen the young coach build a squad from the ground up which is essentially what he is being faced with in New Jersey.  Chris Paul has even entered the conversation but when they moved Darren Collison to Indiana, it became fairly obvious whom the Hornets want as their point guard.  He isn’t going anywhere.

Rumors have spread that he may be heading to Charlotte instead.  The talent level is a little higher for the young Bobcats but they too are not without flaws.  The point guard situation there is flaky.  Sharon Collins and D.J. Augustin are very young and the team has yet to even win a playoff game.

Denver has even been talking to other teams including Cleveland and Indiana about a potential trade.  The delay is just further frustrating the Nets’ general manager Billy King who wants to finish the deal by Monday.  The delay also puts the other two teams in the trade, Utah and Charlotte, in a bind that may force them to pull out of the deal.  A looming deal could affect the training camps of all four teams as players on the block try and figure out where they will be playing next season.

It’s the nature of the business though and Denver has a lot to weigh out.  The deal would send them rookie Derrick Favors, Andrei Kirilenko and two first-round draft picks.  It would essentially send the Nuggets into a rebuilding phase that would set them back years.  The careers of J.R. Smith, Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin and Al Harrington wont last forever.

However, Denver does have a bit to build with.  Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson are good building blocks that will be better when those draft picks are made in 2011 and 2012.  It’s a hard decision to make and the Nuggets don’t have much time.

Running an NBA team is like running a business.  The right decisions will bring about the best results and Denver really has to weight out their options.  It’s a matter of time before a deal is made but the Nuggets and Carmelo need to make sure it’s one that will benefit them both the best.

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