Tag Archives: Eddie House

by | January 31, 2011 · 8:24 PM

Eddie House fined for big balls dance

Deez Nuts

The NBA takes balls very seriously.

On Sunday afternoon, Eddie House hit a three pointer with 22 seconds left in Oklahoma City that helped seal the Heat’s 108-103 win over the Thunder.  He proceeded to motion towards his genitalia as though they were a lot bigger than they really are and the NBA wasn’t amused.

Today, the league handed House a $25,000 fine which is probably the most a player has ever paid for having enormous balls.  He has made the gesture before without a fine but head coach Erik Spoelstra has promised that fans will not have to see how big House’s testicles are in the future.

“The league came down on [the gesture],” Spoelstra said, “so we’ve taken it and it won’t happen again.”

House was probably a little too excited about becoming relevant in an offense that has a knack for alienating players outside of the big three.  The well-travelled veteran is having one of his worst seasons ever with only six points a game.  He finished Sunday night with only five.  However, his balls are bigger than ever.

This is the most controversial ball incident the league has seen since the synthetic ball was introduced to the league in 2006.

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by | October 26, 2010 · 8:37 PM

Canned Heat

The Heat will need a lot more from Chris Bosh if they want this season to go as planned

NBA fans knew they would be seeing something special tonight when the 2010-11 season kicked off in Boston.  What they didn’t know is what would happen.

The veterans came out tonight as the Celtics’ hard-nosed defense showed its ugly side when the Heat came to town.  In this highly touted game of scorers with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, it was defense that paid off and sloppy shooting that helped the Celtics roll past the Heat 88-80.

LBJ finished the night with 31 points but that wasn’t nearly enough as the rest of the Heat’s starters only managed to scrounge up 26 points.  The bench only had 23.  The turnover bug hit Miami as well as both James and Wade amassed 14 turnovers while the rest of the team managed only 3.

Tonight’s result isn’t really what we expected at all from the Miami Heat.  Bosh only had eight points as the Heat only managed to shoot 36 percent from the field.  James shot 10-21, Wade shot 4-16 and Bosh was 3-11 from the field.  It’s a simple problem that the numbers clearly define: too many people are taking too many shots.

Heat fans need to be worried but rest assure, it isn’t time to pick up the red phone or press the detonation switch.  This is only October and we are sure that they will still be playing come next summer.  However, the Heat do need to figure out what’s wrong and fast.

First, the bench is starting to look like garbage and it’s only day one.  Udonis Haslem needs to figure out his place on the team and relying on Eddie House to carry the bulk of the scoring from the bench is not going to work.  Tonight showed that it’s going to take a lot more than just one player’s scoring to win games in Miami.

Next, whatever kinks and mental hurdles that are still present need to vanish.  What fans and sports pundits think of the Heat doesn’t matter.  They are saying that it is motivating them but their first performance of the year says otherwise.  Not just good defense can shut down a team’s shooting.  The game is just as much mental as it is physical.

Lastly, the Celtics are good.  A lot of people have already rewarded the Heat the title and that just simply can’t happen.  Last time we checked, there are several competitors in the East and Boston is definitely one of them.  Their core is old but they know what they are doing.  The pace was kept nice and slow, just like they like it and they took limited shots.

It was the grand entrance that many expected but it did say a lot.  The Heat aren’t invincible yet they aren’t in panic mode.  Several problems need to be addressed quickly or else the experts will eat this team alive.  Judging from the tweets and articles, the Heat will be listening.

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by | October 22, 2010 · 10:35 AM

Mike Miller down but the Heat are not out

Mike Miller will be missing some time with an injured thumb but the Heat still have options.

Very rarely does an injury help clear up things for a team but we may be seeing that in Miami right now.

The Heat could be without shooting guard Mike Miller for several weeks due to a thumb injury he sustained during practice on Wednesday.  According to head coach Erik Spoelstra, he injured his thumb in a “freak accident” during drills and the team is awaiting his MRI results.

The Heat, which are no strangers to injury this preseason, are going to miss the sharp shooter but are not without options.  Dwyane Wade has shown that he has the ability to run the point in past seasons and Eddie House could have the opportunity to shine in Miller’s absence.  However, House is known more for his ability to score than create plays.  With just 1.3 assists per game last season, Pat Riley and Spoelstra have to know this.

In addition, Miami has Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo who both aren’t ideal candidates for the job but with the lineup they have in South Beach, anyone could easily run the point.

The situation will most likely lead to a mixed rotation of both Wade and LeBron James bringing the ball up the court.  The Cavaliers toyed with James at the one position for some time before opting to bring in Mo Williams to open LBJ on more scoring.  This seems like the most viable option for the Heat right now.

Missing Miller will hurt but it will definitely allow Spoelstra time to work out a good rotation.  When he returns from injury, it will be easy to fit him into any system they develop since he has such a diverse game and attitude that could lend to him playing limited minutes off of the bench.  The roster is so deep right now that it may allow a little ease on how to play the team appropriately.

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by | August 4, 2010 · 1:43 AM

The NBA releases ‘Marquee’ Games Schedule & Shaq to Boston

Future teammates?

The NBA has released its schedule…of ‘marquee’ games for the upcoming season. Sorry, Nets, you did not make the cut. Do not feel left out though, many of the NBA’s best teams were snubbed. This is yet another in the league’s attempts to drum up attention for itself during the summer doldrums. It would be more successful if there were not leaks that have led to many game matchups having already been reported by various outlets. Simply put, this is the NBA and David Stern at their pandering best. Hell, the NBA is accustomed to pandering so why would they stop now? It loves to showcase its preferred and anointed teams to a national audience even though many fans detest these teams but may like a player or two on them. So this year will be the year of the Miami Heat. It seems like they have the nationally broadcast game of the week nine times a week. Less than one tenth of the actual schedule has been released thus far and the Heat are the winners. (By the way, Miami plays in Cleveland on 2 December.) Stern loves to pander to ratings and the advertising revenue that it brings in above all else. He completely ignored claims of tampering in the Miami Thrice coup d’état but will now reap the financial benefits of having the trio on national television all the time. (And he says the league is losing money…) The only way that Stern would not have had the schedule arranged (I am well aware that he does not personally make the schedule but as the commissioner he has a say as to what teams will be spotlighted on certain days, i.e. Christmas Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and opening night.) such as this would have been if Mark Cuban had lured LeBron James to Dallas. Seems that if Cuban even breathes Stern is going to fine him or investigating him.

Ok, enough rambling about the flaws of the NBA and its commissioner. There will be plenty of time for that in the future. On to the games (that have been officially released).

Opening Night(s): 26 October

The first game of the national double-header will be those Miami Heat traveling to Beantown to face the Boston Celtics. By itself this is a good matchup between the reigning Eastern Conference champion and the team that some (*cough* Hollinger *cough*) think will win 70+ games. That sure is some billing, but there is something else that will be brought into the already loaded equation. According to a tweet by Stephen A. Smith, Shaquille O’Neal will join the Celtics today. He was right on the whole Chris Bosh and James to Miami so I am going with him on this one. Shaq will be a Celtic. “The Big TD Garden” or “the Big Leprechaun.” Shaq played with both LeBron and Dwyane Wade. He helped Wade to the most tainted ring in NBA history. Before the Shaq factor, the tag line being thrown around was about opposing big threes, but the story should have really been about Eddie House facing off against his former team. Who care if Shaq is in the last year(s) of his career, he still steals the story. (Really just wanted to jump the gun and write about Shaq as a Celtic so the rest will be light info. Read Marc Stein’s breakdown of the games for more information and analysis.)

The second game of the double-header will be the Houston Rockets at the Los Angeles Lakers. Clearly the first game will overshadow this one due to star power and time zones but this should be one to watch. Houston is good and Yao Ming should be back barring any serious setbacks in training camp. If Yao is back and healthy Lakers fans may get familiar with Theo Ratliff before they ever imagined they would. One key matchup will be between Shane Battier and Kobe Bryant. They are always fun to watch compete against each other. This will also be Ron Artest versus Trevor Ariza, but we are too over that to even bother discussing it.

27 October

Chicago travels to Seattle…er, wait, Oklahoma City to take on the very young, very exciting, and very lacking in the department of serviceable big man Thunder. Since the Bulls acquired Carlos Boozer this summer they should have the edge in the paint along with Joakim Noah mopping the glass. If the Bulls can slow Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook it would be something. Derrick Rose should be taking notes during his time with Durant on Team USA.

Portland gets one of their obligatory appearances because of time zones in the second nationally televised game. Yet, they will be on the road in Los Angeles…facing the Clippers. The Clippers are rarely seen on a national broadcast and there is a reason for it. Expect this to be their only game televised nationally. Do not worry east coast dwellers, the game will be on so late you will not even have to watch the Clippers lose.

28 October

Ah, John Wall gets his first national exposure in the NBA…against the Orlando Magic. The Wizards have made some decent moves this summer in bringing in Kirk Hinrich and resigning Josh Howard and they should Beretta Gil back too but against the Magic, who have played in each of the last two Eastern Conference Finals, do not expect a coming out party for Wall or Washington.

Phoenix will travel to Utah in the Western Conference matchup of the evening. Both teams have had to retool at the power forward positions this summer after their former fours decided to head east. The Suns brought in Hakim Warrick and the Jazz traded for Al Jefferson. There will be a good matchup at the point as well with Steve Nash and Deron Williams squaring off.

29 October

Here come those Heat again. They will host the Magic in what is a tough, tough, tough first two games for Miami. Jeez, why can they not play New Jersey of the Wrath of David Kahns every game? Gee golly it just is not fair! By the time this game is over we should have a good idea of how vulnerable Miami’s interior defense is.

In the west the Lakers travel to Phoenix in what has become a classic regular and post season matchup. However, the Suns really do not have anyone to defend/piss off Kobe Bryant anymore so the rivalry has dimmed a bit.

Christmas Day

The NBA has put together a set of five games for this day. Can you guess one of the matchups? Wrong. If you said that the Heat would play the Lakers you are wrong. Miami will play Los Angeles in all five games! How do those schedule makers do it? First they will play a game at 4 am in Madison Square Garden, and then they will fly to Miami for another game, after that it is off to Chicago, then Denver and finally they will face each other in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Phew! Incredible right? Boy, the NBA has it figured out this year. Bravo David Stern, bravo.

Actually the five matchups are between the Bulls who travel to New York to face the Knicks, followed by Boston at Orlando, then the aforementioned Lakers versus Heat in Los Angeles, Denver at Oklahoma City, and finally the Golden State Warriors (sans Nellie?) will host the Portland Trailblazers.

MLK Day

Chicago at Memphis; Orlando at Boston; Oklahoma City at Los Angeles Lakers. Blah, blah, blah. Really like the inclusion of the Grizzlies though. They should be a good team this coming season. Probably will be another case where if they were in the east they would make the playoffs.

Is anyone else starting to get tired of certain teams? The season has yet to begin and already the homogeneity is vomit-inducing. Can we not be treated to New Jersey vs. Minnesota? Ratings be damned! What about Toronto vs. Miami or Toronto vs. Phoenix? People would watch these games. Not everyone cares solely about ‘star’ players. Some of us like the sport for what it is and will watch any and every game we can. Speaking of which, more games need to be shown on ABC during the regular season. The cable monopoly has got to stop. The league needs to get the product out to the most people possible and the best way to do that is on network television.

Notable Snubs

Dallas Mavericks: Really no surprise here. Stern and the NBA have never shown love to the Mavericks despite the fact that they have been in the playoffs every year since 2000 and were the second seed in the west last year.

San Antonio Spurs: This team will probably still make some people’s lists as championship contenders when the season starts. They have won four titles and are methodical and precise. Oh, that’s right, people hate methodical basketball. Last time I checked, George Hill is far from methodical.

Milwaukee Bucks: Don’t you dare go to sleep on this team, NBA. This team is made to be a giant killer. They took the heavily favored Hawks to seven games in the playoffs last year and have only gotten better this offseason. With a healthy Andrew Bogut they will be the most dangerous team in the east.

Atlanta Hawks: They really did not do much of anything this summer other than resigning Joe Johnson to a giant contract. Good thing for the Hawks that during the regular season Johnson will play like he is worth it. Come playoffs however, a whole different story unfolds.

Sacramento Kings: If you watched them in Summer League play you know that DeMarcus Cousins is the real deal. He and Tyreke Evans should work well together. Add Samuel Dalembert and Carl Landry and you have the makings of something good.

Philadelphia 76ers: They acquired Spencer Hawes, Andres Nocioni, and drafted Evan Turner. Sure they had a bad year last season going 27-55 but injuries did not help anything. (Nor did Allen Iverson.) The previous two seasons the 76ers were just shy of making the playoffs so it is reasonable that they could get back to form.

New Orleans Hornets: You would think with all the Chris Paul chatter and trade demands that they would show at least one ‘marquee’ game featuring the Hornets. If they did we could see Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton, who cares about Paul anyway? “LeBron did it so I want to do it too, waaaah.” Boo-hoo.

Cleveland Cavaliers: This is a team that is the most spurned in sports history. However, they should still be a .500+ ball club. Antawn Jamison is more than capable of scoring points in droves and being a double-double machine. The addition of Ramon Sessions should help speed up the tempo, which is what Byron Scott likes, for them as well. They no longer are living in the shadow of one player but now we must see if they are living with his ghost.

The full 2010-11 schedule will be release on 10 August but it will likely be completely leaked before then.

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by | July 31, 2010 · 8:28 PM

NBA: Free Agency, News, Notes, Trades, Judaism & More

Together at last

As the first full month of full-fledged free agency mayhem draws to a close, we here at the Beef bring you yet another update of what has transpired since our last posting on the subject as well as trades, a few other musings, and bits of news. It is hard to believe that free agency has only been going on since July 1 with so much that has happened so far. It seems like the events that have taken place in the span of one month could fill a span of six months. Without further adieu here are the latest moves:

Movement:

Last time we wrote on the subject of Matt Barnes his future remained in limbo as the Toronto Raptors did not think to adjust for currency exchange rates, or for that matter even look at their cap room, when attempting to acquire him. Barnes, the Canadian faithful believed, would make the team tougher. With this belief the Raptor’s fan base revealed their subconscious belief that what Bryan Colangelo is not meeting with their full approval. (Chris Bosh may have relaxed on the team in the final months but Colangelo is the one to be blamed for not fostering a constructive and successful atmosphere.) Bringing in a player who now gets spotty minutes and frequently sits out games because of an ailing back is a rather unlikely candidate to make a team any tougher. Oh, Canada. At least Torontonians can take solace in their consolation prize, David Andersen. Andersen easily qualifies as the poor man’s Brian Cardinal but since he is Australian it would translate more like this: David Andersen, Australian for Brain Cardinal.

Where the Raptors have failed the Los Angeles Lakers have succeeded. Kobe Bryant, after being denied by Raja Bell, was still on his quest to bring veteran defense to Hollywood. Bryant certainly did not “flinch” at the opportunity in front of him and the Lakers. He found Matt Barnes in his state of limbo and set forth to woo him with the notion of a ring and the Lakers’ remaining $1.8 million of their midlevel exception. One of the NBA’s better known journeymen (he has played on eight teams in eight seasons) is coming home to L.A. Barnes signed a two year deal worth $1.77 million in the first year with a player option worth almost $2 million in his second year. This signing could be seen as another stinging blow that Bryant has dealt the Raptors in his career (*cough* 81 points *cough*) but chalk it up to bad front office management by the Raptors.

The same day that the Lakers signed Barnes, aging veteran Theo Ratliff, signed a one year deal worth $1.35 million. (Do not tell Dale Davis though, he may expect a knock on his door next.) This acquisition could not have come at a better time for the Lakers as Luke Walton appears to be on the cusp of missing the entire 2010-11 season and Andrew Bynum has just had another knee surgery.  It seems like Bynum has had surgery on his knee or had it drained at least once for every year he has been alive by now. Ratliff now has the opportunity to become fast friends with Josh Powell, D.J. Mbenga, Adam Morrison at the end of the Lakers bench.

While the Lakers have been keen at adding pieces to their bench they have also made an effort to unload many of the pieces that we so fondly belittle here at the Beef. Currently, Los Angeles is trying to trade Sasha Vujacic. If they could unload him it would free up room to help entice Shannon Brown, whose overhyped abilities do not work at all in the triangle, to stay with the team. It has been reported that Brown has received an offer from the New York Knicks worth around $4 million a year. That would be a lot of money to turn down for a player who would likely only get spot minutes behind Steve Blake next season.

Just when you thought that David Kahn was done associating the Minnesota Timberwolves with any more point guards, he goes and trades for two more. To Kahn, point guards are pets, not quite domesticated, however. With Jonny Flynn missing three to four months after hip surgery maybe Kahn was actually the cunning one for the first time. Minnesota finally unloaded Ramon Sessions (it was well known that they had every intention to do so for some time) and packaged Ryan Hollins in a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair. Yet, as is Kahn’s way (he is a madman), the trade is never to be taken at face value. It is likely that the Timberwolves will waive West because his contract is not guaranteed and then try and move Telfair. Kahn is after something, he is going after it with everything he has got as if it were a white whale or the genesis device. What the end goal actually is, only Kahn knows. For now the fans of the Timberwolves will have to remain trapped deep within Regula with only a glimmer of hope and where hours can seem like days.

Eddie House in an effort to remain somewhat relevant has chosen to follow the lead of many other has-been players and ride the coattails of the Miami Thrice. House joins Shavlik Randolph and Carlos Arroyo as the latest recruits to join the Miami Heat. The Heat now have a full 15 man roster and are ready to start the season. As a fantasy basketball roster, the Heat have constructed a mediocre lineup aside from four or five players. Despite this, there will likely be quite a number of W’s for this team in the coming season.

In what equates to a loss for the Dallas Mavericks will translate into a huge win for the Bay Area. Jeremy Lin, the Summer League standout who overshadowed John Wall in their matchup, has signed with the Golden State Warriors. Harvard University is known for graduating future presidents, Nobel laureates, and Supreme Court justices but Jeremy Lin is following another path after graduating from the prestigious institution. He becomes just the fourth player to play in the NBA after attending Harvard, and the first in 57 years. The others were Wyndol Gray, Saul Mariaschin, and Ed Smith. Lin grew up in Palo Alto, California which is 26 miles from Oakland so his joining the Warriors is a homecoming of sorts and has the Bay Area rather jubilant. Also joining the Warriors is Jannero Pargo who inked a two-year deal worth $2.4 million.

Lin proved that he is NBA material with his play during the Summer League

It is unfortunate that Don Nelson appears to be on his way out in Golden State once Joe Lacob, the Warriors future co-owner along with Larry Ellison (I have beef with Ellison dating back to high school, ask about it later), gets his mitts on the team. Lacob has publicly stated that “It’s not really whether Nellie is here this year or not. He’s not going to be here beyond this year, that is clear.” So obviously the writing is on the wall, not only that but it is bold, red, and embossed as well. It is a shame that that is the case. We here at the Beef have poked fun at Nelson’s coaching style and his losing ways but there is something do be said about the way he schemes and plays the most frenetic small ball in the league. Just think of a lineup with Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Jannero Pargo/Jeremy Lin, Ekpe Udoh, and David Lee on the court.  That would be pure madness; it would be pure Nellie. At least on video games, the Warriors will still be fun once Nelson has been forced to pack his bags.

Josh Howard seems to be adhering to the trend of former team bashing. Howard has stated that the Wizards have given him the opportunity to play his game that he was never given previously. The one time Maverick signed a one year deal with the Washington Wizards that could net him $4 million if he meets certain incentives. Howard had surgery in mid-March and is on schedule to be ready for the start of the season, according to his agent, Derek Lafayette, but there has been no official word about when he will actually return. To resign Howard, Washington was forced to release James Singleton. Also on the injury front for the Wizards, newly acquired forward, Yi Jianlian, has injured his arm while playing in a competition in China. 哦!

Other signings:

Will Bynum has resigned with the Detroit Pistons, Joey Graham has signed with the Cavaliers, and Von Wafer has signed with the Celtics. The signing of Wafer is likely a response to Tony Allen’s departure to Memphis. Instead of coming back to the NBA and coat-tailing like Eddie House, Stephon Marbury has spurned the Heat preferring instead to sign a three-year deal with Shanxi Zhongyu in China. (There are contradicting stories about whether the Heat actually approached Marbury about signing with the team, but I’m going to give Starbury the benefit of the doubt. Miami needed players bad for a while.) It’s all about the Chairman Mao’s, baby!

Roots:

Shalom

This week Amar’e Stoudemire discovered that he has some Jewish heritage on his mother’s side and has traveled to Israel to learn more. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, Stoudemire has shown interest in Judaism for some time and recently had a Star of David tattooed on his hand. This new tattoo should go along quite nicely with the prominent “Black Jesus” that he has tattooed on his neck. With the news of Stoudemire’s newly found Jewish roots the Knicks have successfully pulled off one of the greatest marketing coups that any sport has ever seen; too bad for them that he will spend the last few years of his playing career in either Orlando or Miami. (I kid, I kid!)

Team USA:

The team trimmed its roster down from 19 to 15 players this week. On the chopping block were Tyreke Evans, O.J. Mayo, JaVale McGee, and Gerald Wallace. Team USA begins training camp August 10 in New York City.

Shaq:

Shaquille O’Neal was once a professional basketball player. Now the “Big Aristotle” is just a reality television star who occasionally sings songs with Justin Bieber.

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