Tag Archives: Jeremy Lin

by | April 27, 2012 · 8:45 PM

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks First Round Prediction

Melo ISO, we will see that a lot

If there wasn’t some drama hog who lived in Orlando, this season’s headlines would have focused squarely on the tumultuous, and miraculous, year that the Knicks have had. They signed Tyson Chandler, they have been good, then bad, then terrible, then Linsanity struck, then Mike D’Antoni stepped down as the head coach before he could be fired, then Mike Woodson took over as head coach, then they signed J.R. Smith, then Jeremy Lin got hurt, then Carmelo Anthony played is ass off (he still is), then Amare Stoudemire came back from injury and that brings us to the present. Phew!

Now, the Knicks enter the playoffs as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and are playing some of their best ball of the season thanks in large part to Anthony’s incredible play over the last couple of weeks. With the injury to Stoudemire, Anthony shifted to power forward and has excelled. His shooting range has drawn larger defenders away from the paint, freeing up passing and cutting lanes. When he has a smaller defender on him he has the ability to post them up or shoot over them. On the defensive end of the floor he is actually trying, and not just sort of trying, trying as hard as he can fronting larger players, swiping at the ball and hounding players of comparable size. This is a Melo we have never seen. This is the Melo that the Knicks traded half of their roster for.

Yes, the Knicks are back in a big way, so much so that Steve Novak celebrating with his discount double check move does not seem ludicrous. This is a team, that despite their myriad of injuries has persevered and one courageous storyline has superseded the previous one has it fell by the wayside. These Knicks just won’t die. Now they will face their next daunting challenge, only this one does not come from within the organization.

The Miami Heat are title favorites. They lost in the Finals last season and still carry that burden and bitter taste with them. Yet, they enter the postseason seeming uninterested. Miami sleepwalked through the second half of the season, resting various parts of their big three. During that span they rarely beat a team with a record over .500. It was as if they were just biding their time, knowing that they were assured of a playoff berth.

Despite their lackadaisical attitude after they All Star break, the Heat enter the playoffs as a second seed and are still one of the most feared teams in all of basketball because of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh. They have some tertiary players as well, Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, and Udonis Haslem lead that bunch, but when it comes to the Heat, it is about their big three. It will be curious to see if they do have that switch that they can turn on to return to their demonstrative, Flying Death Machine form. They act as though they are about to flip that switch, but is it that easy?

Miami will challenge the Knicks’ defense at the rim, namely Chandler, with their athleticism and slashing. It will behoove them to get Chandler into foul trouble early because not only is he the anchor of New York’s defense, but he is also a superb rebounder and the Heat are terribly undersized. If Chandler does get onto early foul trouble often it will allow Miami to open up their spacing on the offensive end where they can effectively use Bosh in the high post and elbow to set screens and pick and roll or pop opportunities.

Frankly, Chandler will be in foul trouble, that’s just what he does. However, the Knicks work better with a smaller lineup. It allows them to get their 3-point shooter on the floor creating isolation situations for Anthony and Stoudemire. If a double comes, they can kick the ball out and their teammates can swing it around the perimeter for an open look. There will be several moments during this series where Novak is left open, though he should never be, and he will drain an important three.

As much as they would like to, the Knicks’ starters do not match up well with those of the Heat. Their bench will be the key to keeping the games close. Miami’s ball movement stagnates when their bench is on the floor which is why Erick Spolstra likes to keep one or two of his stars on the floor with his bench unit. The bench is the advantage for the Knicks, however it would be disastrous to rely on them for significant periods of time against the fourth best defense in the NBA.

It may take a game or two, depending on Wade’s injured finger, but the Flying Death Machine should return to form and terrorize the league once more. New York will try and run but the Heat, despite their sixteenth rank pace of 91.2 are some of the best in the open floor.

It was fun, New York.

Doyle Rader predicts: Heat defeat the Knicks 4-1

Travis Huse predicts: Heat defeat the Knicks 4-2

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by | April 21, 2012 · 12:19 PM

The Kobe Beef’s NBA Awards 2012

And the winners are...

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

Executive of the Year:

TH: RC Buford, San Antonio Spurs

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

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

Easy enough in my books.

DR: Larry Bird, Indiana Pacers

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

Coach of the Year:

TH: Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers

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

DR: Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers

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

Most Improved Player:

TH: Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic

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

DR: Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks

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

Sixth Man of the Year:

TH: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

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

DR: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

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

Defensive Player of the Year:

TH: Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies

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

DR: Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies

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

Rookie of the Year:

TH: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

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

DR: Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves

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

Most Valuable Player:

TH: LeBron James, Miami Heat

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

DR: LeBron James, Miami Heat

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

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by | April 18, 2012 · 2:58 PM

Ribeye to Eye: The Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

Even the East is juicy this year

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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by | March 20, 2012 · 11:16 AM

Show some Love for Ersan Ilyasova

Number cruncher

One of the most striking omissions of this contracted season is the amount of coverage concerning Ersan Ilyasova‘s outstanding season. Why is this? Is this because he plays for the Milwaukee Bucks, a team notorious as an island of misfit toys that sits four games under .500? They just acquired Monta Ellis and even then there was barely a peep about Ilyasova. No, his game is not as flashy as the Jeremy Lin breakout, but it is steady and methodical which bodes well when it comes to a player’s duration in the NBA.

As best as I can remember the last time a player was having a great season but was getting little, if any, attention it was Troy Murphy. Through the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Murphy was a double-double machine. During the 08-09 season he averaged 15.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per 36 minutes. The next season he averaged 16.1 points and 11.3 boards. Yet, his play went virtually unnoticed. I seem to recall Marc Stein pointing it out in one of his weekly power rankings (searching for it has produced nothing as yet) but that was about all the attention he garnered.

This season it appears to be Ilyasova’s turn outside of the spotlight which is a same because he is putting together a remarkable season especially in lieu of the injury to Andrew Bogut, before he was dealt to Golden State. Ilyasova is averaging 16.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per 36 minutes. Since being reinserted into the starting lineup on February 17, he has averaged 18.8 points per game and 10.4 rebounds. During this current stretch, Ilyasova has accounted for 17 percent of the team’s total scoring while shooting a staggering 52.8 percent. Twice he has topped the 30-point plateau, scoring 31 and 32 points, with 32 being his career high.

On February 19, he scored 29 points and pulled in 25 rebounds, 13 of which were offensive boards. This game was at least briefly covered on SportsCenter that night but it was an afterthought due to their coverage of Linsanity. (Lin had 28 points and 14 rebounds that day in a comeback win against the Mavericks in case you were wondering.)

Ilyasova leads all Bucks in total rebounding percentage on the season. He collects 17.9 percent of all available rebounds while he is on the floor. With Bogut gone, he also grabs the highest percentage of defensive boards, 23.2, and of all players on the team who see discernible minutes, he has the offensive rebounding percentage at 13.1. Ilyasova is the Bucks’ best player. (Ellis is too new and streaky to qualify.)

The numbers are right there for anyone to see but they are simply being overlooked. Ilyasova’s name should be in every conversation when it comes to the NBA’s Most Improved Player especially now that Lin has been somewhat grounded. Yes, there are other that need to be mentioned, Ryan Anderson for example, but leading a team without an All Star is a far more impressive feat. It will be interesting to see how Ellis is integrated into the system, especially having only played one game with Milwaukee so far against his former team in which Ilyasova sat out with a bronchial condition. Another concern is the addition of Ekpe Udoh, Ilyasova will likely lose some minutes with his arrival. However, that should not decrease his efficiency.

Take note and get on board with Ilyasova. He is having a phenomenal season and we should all enjoy it. The best part is that he is still young and could potentially grow into on of the better players in the league, if he isn’t already. Judging by his numbers, he is.

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by | February 28, 2012 · 7:17 PM

Midseason Report: Geedorah’s Reign

King Geedorah has escaped from Monster Island to spread terror from Miami

The brisket is finished not smoking. As the second half of the shortened regular season has just begun and because we like to procrastinate here at the Beef, I take a look back at the entirety (well the tasty bits at least) of the first stock of  games. This would have been written earlier but I had to let the Linsanity settle in my belly. Phew, OK, now that it is nice and digested, it could have used a little spice actually, let us recall some of the notable moments so far and while we are at it make some projections for the second half, shall we?

Best in the East:

Well, this is Miami’s conference. Hands down. No question. Other such clichés. They begin the second part of the season with a 27-7 record which is tied for the best record in the league. None of this should actually surprise anyone though, well maybe someone in Kazakstan, but no one who follows the sport.

Coming off their Finals loss, King Geedorah and company were heavy favorites to return to the Finals and win it all this season. At this point is seems like a sound bet that they will. Yes, Chicago is just behind them in the standings but something just does not seem right about their chances. I cannot quite place it but they seem to lack the explosive power that Miami has, oh, and LeBron James jumped completely over John Lucas earlier in the year.

Best in the West:

Sigh. It irks me to say this but the Thunder are the best team in the West but I will add a caveat to make myself feel better. They are the best because they have the best record. If you read this blog ever you have probably surmised that I have a number of doubts where the Thunder are concerned, especially with their drive or bailout jumper style of offense. This does not mean that I do not respect the talent that Sam Presti has assembled in Oklahoma City, but as a Texan I can never credit anything in Oklahoma as desirable. Sorry. (Actually, I’m not sorry.)

Scariest team in the East:

In West Philadelphia born and raised…yes, that is right. The Philadelphia 76ers are the scariest team in the East. This is coming from someone who is also an unabashed fan of the Pacers but Indy has been stomped soundly by the Heat a couple of times this season already.

Philly, as the trend seems to be with teams on the rise this year, has the ability to strike from almost anywhere on the floor as they do not rely on a single star to carry the team. Instead, almost every player down the roster is capable of scoring when presented with the opportunity. However, it is on the defensive end of the floor where the Sixers make their mark.They lead the NBA in defensive efficiency and also hold their opponents to the lowest effective field goal shooting percentage in the league. The Fresh Prince would be proud of his home town team.

Now if only Spencer Hawes would get healthy…

Scariest team in the West:

Never discount the old dogs. San Antonio is the scariest damn team in the league possibly. Their Rodeo Road Trip seems to have renewed the team team…again. Who saw that coming? It isn’t like it happens every year like clockwork. Yet, this is not your slightly older sibling’s Spurs. No, this incarnation of the team is all about offense. Toss out the defense.

Oh, and they are scoring buckets on buckets on buckets with Manu Ginobili suffering two separate injuries thus far. Too bad for the Spurs that they are second in the West because their best match up in the first round could be the Thunder. San Antonio completely smoked them last time they faced each other.

MVP:

LeBron. No brainer.

DPOY:

I am completely in favor of term limits so it has to go to Tony Allen this year. He might not have all the flashy numbers to back up his ability to defend, but he is, in my opinion, the best perimeter defender the league has seen since Metta World Peace was named Ron Artest and playing for the Pacers.

ROY:

With just half the season over it is a tie. (Sorry, I know that is a cop-out but I doubt you actually read this far anyway.) Ricky Rubio and Kyrie Irving.

MIP:

Jeremy Lin. I don’t think I need to explain that one. However, I should make reference to players who were making a strong case, at least to me, for most improved before Linsanity: Ryan Anderson and Ersan Ilyasova.

Sixth Man:

James Harden. Yawn.

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by | February 14, 2012 · 9:44 PM

Jeremy Lin hits Game Winner against the Raptors

Believe it. Linsanity is real and it continues to grow momentum. In a game in which it looked like Jose Calderon was the solution to all things Jeremy Lin, Lin found a way to persevere and come up big with the game on the line. Lin scored 27 points, dished 11 dimes, grabbed two rebounds, and had a steal. His points did not come easy on the night, though. Toronto’s defense met Lin each time he drove into the lane, banging and knocking him to the ground frequently. However, the physicality of the paint did not faze Lin as he returned there again and again.

It was this aggressive play that led the Knicks back into the game to eventually tie it. With the game tied, the ball was in Lin’s hand. He checked the clock as it ran down, casually took a dribble forward and knocked down a three to win the game. The Air Canada Center erupted as the Knicks swarmed their unlikely superstar. Right now, Lin is the talk of every town. His fame, seemingly out of no where, reaches new heights each time he steps on a court. Unfortunately, with such success, jealousy is sure to follow.

Since Linsanity began, there have been a number of detractors, boneheads, doubters, haters, veiled racial slurs, and general ignorance towards Lin. That is unfortunate because what we are all witnessing is the pure joy and elation of why we are addicted to sports in the first place. Lin is, by all accounts prior to emerging against the Nets, an underdog. In fact it is amazing that he is in the league at all. Even the Knicks were thinking about waiving the second year point guard before he exploded and propelled New York to six consecutive wins. This is the stuff of legend, this is what dreams are made of.

Let the detractors wallow in their own empty words as they fall on deaf ears. We are here to take part in a dream. We are here to celebrate and look on with wonder and amazement at the feats of Lin. If you do not feel an overwhelming sense of joy for Lin then something is wrong because this is the epitome of every child’s dream when they play sports growing up. They want this opportunity and in each one us there is that child. We wanted this success at one point but for some reason or another, sports is not our profession. Yet, it is deep seeded emotion that causes us to be so thrilled for Lin, or any other come-from-no-where success story.

What Lin is doing is astonishing, there is no doubting that. He has galvanized the country with his play. The Knicks have gone from bottom feeders to back in the playoff hunt with Lin at the helm. Lin’s is a remarkable story and the sports world is more enriched because of it. This is something special. This is something to enjoy.

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by | February 8, 2012 · 9:16 PM

Jeremy Lin dunks on the Wizards

From the slums of Shaolin,  Jeremy Lin strikes again!

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by | February 6, 2012 · 11:24 PM

Linsanity

Jeremy Lin has always been a good player with a good story. He attended Harvard and played well enough there to make the Dallas Mavericks’ Summer League team in 2010. He did not make the Mavericks but did turn enough heads with his play to land on the Golden State Warriors. He only played in 29 games with the Warriors but was a fan favorite having grown up in Palo Alto. At best he could be considered a minor figure in the league with his modest playing time and production. However, that is no longer the case.

Over the past two games with the New York Knicks, who signed him as a free agent in December, Lin has become a cult hero. New York has struggled to find any sort of rhythm this year without a player who can step in and successfully run the point. Mike D’Antoni tried a number of different players in the starting point guard role but none has worked until now. Lin has stepped in an filled that role. He broke out against the New Jersey Nets, coming off the bench, scoring 25 points, dishing seven dimes, and pulling in five rebounds. Each of those numbers were career highs. Due to this outburst, Lin was inserted into the starting lineup the following game against the Utah Jazz.

For an encore performance, Lin dropped 28 points and had eight assists, establishing new career highs. He was everywhere in the game and he had to be. Amar’e Stoudemire missed the game to be with his family after the death of his brother and Carmelo Anthony strained his groin early on and did not return to the game. With the Knicks being shorthanded, Lin played 45 minutes. It was the Lin show.

He broke down the Jazz’s defense and got into the paint where he just craft moves to either score or find an open teammate. Unfortunately, early on his teammates were not finishing around the rim when they received the pass from Lin. The crowd at Madison Square Garden appreciated the effort that they were seeing as they broke into “M-V-P” chants on several occasions for Lin.

While Lin might not be a permanent solution for the Knicks’ point guard issues, he is doing everything and more to help his team win. Seeing a player breakout with such a bang is always enjoyable especially when it is a player who is as likeable as Lin. It is safe to say that even with the recent Giants championship, Lin will be stealing the headlines across New York.

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by | June 28, 2011 · 1:32 PM

NBA Lockout could send Influx of Young Talent Overseas

Samhan, like many Americans has found success overseas but the NBA is still the goal

The immediate impact of an NBA lockout is obviously a negative one. It stymies the league and will only serve to anger fans for many years. It is especially destructive to the league after what was widely accepted as some of the best and most competitive playoffs the league has seen in some time. Now, as the owners are on the verge of locking out the players, all fans can do is hope for a speedy resolution.

Though the league, owners, and current players will all be adversely affected in financial terms and in loss of fan support for a time, there is a real danger that there could be longterm, lingering damage done to the league beyond the coming season. If there even is one.

Development of draft picks and undrafted free agents will be hampered greatly. With a lockout in place teams would not be able to workout or hold practice with prospects they would potentially like to add to their roster. For young players this is essentially a life’s work gone to waste as they watch their dreams put on hold because of issues that are out of their control. For teams looking to improve their roster with an influx of young talent it stops them dead in their tracks. Without the ability to see how these players can develop their hopes of improving for the next season are dim.

With the lockout looming earlier this year, the NBA canceled the summer league programs that are so valuable in scouting potential prospects who have not been drafted or played overseas. The NBA, of course, said the cancellation of the summer leagues this year had nothing to do with the prospect of a lockout. Players such as Jeremy Lin and Patrick Beverley made NBA rosters because of their play in the Las Vegas Summer League last year. Unfortunately, the Miami Heat cut Beverley just before the start of the regular season to add aging veterans to surround their trio.

Due to the cancellation of the summer leagues, the Atlanta Hawks are currently holding a mini-camp for three days in order to evaluate their draft pick, Keith Benson and 17 other free agents. The full list of participants can be found here. One of the more notable names on the list is that of Omar Samhan. Samhan was a standout at St. Mary’s before going undrafted in 2010. He was able to showcase his talents that summer, though, as a member of the Dallas Mavericks’ Summer League team. He did not make the final roster cut as the team was a deep veteran group. His talents spoke for themselves however and he left for Lithuania to play in the Euroleague.

If the lockout persists for any lengthy amount of time and free agents and young players are cannot demonstrate their skills to NBA teams there could be a trend of more and more players looking to play overseas. Currently, Brandon Jennings is the most recognizable American player that chose to play overseas before being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks. He will certainly not be the last though.

Ben Hansbrough, the brother of Tyler Hansbrough, who currently plays for the Indiana Pacers, went undrafted this year. Instead of waiting for the players and owners to come to some form of deal on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Hansbrough chose to forgo the NBA and signed a contract with German team FC Bayern München. It is not uncommon for undrafted players to go overseas to start their careers, however, it could become more and more common for higher profile players to do so as the labor talks continue to stall especially with American college players are seeing more and more Europeans being drafted.

One of the few hindrances to American born players playing in Europe, or elsewhere overseas, is that many leagues place a cap on the number of Americans that a team can have on its roster. Considering the number of options that a player could choose from in the European, Chinese, or ever Qatari (still unbelievable) markets, however, there will more than likely always be a spot and lucrative contract for them.

The NBA’s own Developmental League is also a possible target for players looking to break into the NBA. Despite the Summer League being canceled the D-League season will continue as scheduled. Yet, despite the D-League being directly affiliated with the NBA and its teams, it is not seen as that desirable of destination for some. The pay is minimal in comparison to what teams overseas might offer at less than $30,000 per year and the lifestyle is comparable to that of a minor league baseball players, traveling from small town to small town living out of a suitcase.

A lockout hurts the NBA. Much of what has been written and said about the CBA talks has centered around the financial state of the league and teams. Owners have been repeatedly beating the drum stating that their teams are losing money. That may very well be the case, but they are also circling their wagons to form a defense against the players. The only thing that is truly important is that each sides reach an agreement quickly. A prolonged dispute and work stoppage will hurt the level of young talent leaping for a chance to become a professional player in the NBA. Of course, the NBA will always be the end goal as long as it remains the best basketball league in the world. Other options are out there, however, and players have shown a willingness to see what other leagues have to offer. They will play overseas for a few years then try the NBA again. All they want is playing time and a chance to better themselves and their game. Yet, they cannot find that in the NBA if there is a lockout. The NBA must be a willing partner in the development of young talent if it hopes to keep its appeal as the destination for young basketball players in North America and around the world.

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by | January 25, 2011 · 11:13 PM

Rookie Update

All the way back on October 18, 2010, we produced a list of eleven rookies who we though worthy of keeping an eye on this season. A few of them were no-brainer picks. Now that half the season is over it would be a good time to take a glance at how they are doing for their respective franchises.

DeMarcus Cousins – Sacramento Kings

Cousins was making an early, self promoted, push for Rookie of the Year. However, his season has been plagued with inconsistency spending time both as a starter and as a reserve. Recently, he has been playing better. He needs to become a better rebounder though. Cousins has only recorded double figure rebounds in nine of the games he has played in and only has seven double doubles. Considering the company he keeps on this list he needs to improve if he even wants an outside chance for ROY. Averages of 13 points and five rebounds while shooting 42.3 percent are not going to cut it when he is listed at 6’11” and 270 pounds. It would also behoove him to stay out of foul trouble.

Derrick Favors – New Jersey Nets

Favors has found himself in and out of favor with Avery Johnson. Who could have guessed that Johnson would treat a rookie in such a manner? On top of that, he was one of the key features of the now defunct trade attempt for Carmelo Anthony. That has to have done wonders for his confidence. Favors has found himself back in favor of late and has started the Nets’ previous 11 games. During this time his scoring average has been a tidy 7.4 points which is an improvement over his season average of 6.6 points per game. However, Favors was held scoreless in two of the contests in which he started. That does not bode well for Johnson’s blood pressure. The Only player who has spent more time in Johnson’s doghouse this season than Favors is Troy Murphy.

Blake Griffin – Los Angeles Clippers

If you have seen any basketball dunk highlights this season then you have seen the power that Griffin wields. Then there is this number: 27. That is the number of consecutive double-doubles he had this season. Only Kevin Love had more this season (he is currently at 30). Griffin is averaging 22.8 points and 12.9 rebounds per contest while also dishing out 3.5 assists.  To top that he gets 20.1 percent of the total rebounds available while he is on the court. He is a shoe in for Rookie of the Year. No question.

Timofey Mozgov – New York Knicks

Mozgov is a complete nonfactor in Mike D’Antoni’s rotation. He began the year in the starting lineup but has since found himself relegated to the bench with limited minutes. Maybe he should reach out to fellow countryman Mikhail Prokhorov and ask for asylum on the Nets. Mozgov’s most notable moment of the season was having Blake Griffin scale him for a monstrous slam.

Jeremy Lin – Golden State Warriors/Reno Bighorns

Lin has spent some time in the D-League this season as the Warriors try to figure out what kind of a team they have outside of Monta Ellis. He has had two stints with the Reno Bighorns. Lin has played well in the D-League where he has averaged 18.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Here’s hoping that the Warriors’ hometown favorite can return to the NBA and stay there.

Larry Sanders – Milwaukee Bucks

Sanders can best be described as an offensively limited block machine. He is tied for second overall in blocks per 40 minutes with 3.8. Considering that he only plays an average of 14.5 minutes per game and has only appeared in 30 games that is a rather impressive statistic. He recorded eight blocks against Denver on December 1, 2010 in 33:30 minutes of playing time. Clearly, Sanders, is poised to grow into a defensive presence at the power forward. His defensive rating for the season is a 98. However, for a big man he needs to improve his post game and become more efficient around the rim.

Tiago Splitter – San Antonio Spurs

Much like Mozgov, Splitter is not a rookie in the traditional sense because he has overseas experience. In fact, Splitter had a rather successful career in the Euroleague. With the Spurs? Well, not so much. He has only appeared in 34 games for San Antonio this season and has just not found a way to work himself into Greg Popovich’s rotation and is seeing an average of just 11.4 minutes of action in the games he plays in. What is holding him back is that when he does play significant minutes in a game his production is far from consistent as he has only scored in double figures five times this season and has not recorded a double-double. He did come close once on December 22, 2010 when he had 12 points and nine rebounds but close does not cut it. It is very likely that Splitters role with the team will not change any time in the near future as San Antonio continues to breeze through the league on a pace to win 69 games.

Evan Turner – Philadelphia 76ers

Turner was drafted second overall in last summer’s draft. As of right now, that is the highlight of his short career. He was supposed to help turn around a struggling 76ers organization and has been nothing but below mediocre. When a player is drafted second overall it is expected that they are going to make an immediate impact and be in the starting lineup. Turner has only started in 12 games and only surpassed the 20 point plateau once this season. His averages for the season are 7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Yuck. That is like Derrick Favors on a good day. What this goes to show is that no player, no matter how good they were in college, is a lock to be a solid NBA player (or maybe players from Ohio State just suck at in the pros). But, hey, he is a rookie and has his career ahead of him. Maybe he will turn in around. Until then the focus of the 76ers will be the development of Jrue Holiday.

Ekpe Udoh – Golden State Warriors

Much of the first half of the season was marred by injury for Udoh. Now that he is healthy he is proving that even when he does get minutes he produces little if anything. He played almost 23 minutes against the Kings on December 21, 2010 and did not even take a shot! Not even a free throw. Enough said, moving on…

Greivis Vasquez – Memphis Grizzlies

My counterpart at the Beef had high hopes for Vasquez when the Grizzlies drafted him. Now, with half an NBA season under his belt, all expectations should be tempered. He has scored ten points just once this season and has never scored more than that and has never recorded more than seven assists. Seven assists is not a bad number but he has only recorded more than five assists five times in 39 games. Memphis is overloaded at the swing position so it is going to be a while before Vasquez finds his niche.

John Wall – Washington Wizards

The biggest concern for Wall during the first half of the season was his turnovers. (His health was also a major concern.) They were out of control and that is not a good thing, to say the least, for a point guard, especially a young one. He has not completely managed to keep them in check but has done a far better job of holding onto the ball while increasing his assists. For the season, Wall is averaging 9.2 assists. In the month of January, he has averaged 10.6 assists per game with only 4.3 turnovers during that same stretch. For the season is Wall is averaging 15.2 points but only shooting 40 percent from the field and 30.9 percent from long range. He needs to improve his shooting percentage. But, using Derrick Rose as a model, this will likely happen. If Wall can lead the Wizards to a road victory this season he should consider it a consolation prize to not winning the NBA Finals.

Clearly, rookies cannot be judged on an equal basis. Systems and coaches dictate a lot in the development of young players.  Each of the players above has a whole career ahead of them. Who is to say that any of the players who are not named Blake Griffin or John Wall on this list will not become an NBA All Star one day? It is not like all of them are going to turn out to be Hasheem Thabeet.

There is a player that must be added to this list who was not under consideration when it was originally written…

Landry Fields – New York Knickerbockers.

He has simply been brilliant in the short rotation that D’Antoni loves to employ. He has started all 44 games for the Knicks thus far and has been solid in nearly every single one. His averages of 9.8 points and 7.1 rebounds have been some of the most consistent of any rookie on a team that will more than likely make the playoffs. What certainly does not hurt is that Fields is shooting at a clip of 52.1 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from deep. In any system, he would be a major contributor.

Images via NBA.com

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