Tag Archives: Kyle Korver

by | April 27, 2012 · 5:20 PM

Chicago Bulls vs. Philadelphia 76ers First Round Preview

Why so serious?

It was an almost monumental collapse that sent the Philadelphia 76ers to the verge of missing the playoffs entirely. Luckily, they aren’t the 2007 New York Mets and they just squeezed into the postseason, aided by the perpetual hump that taunts the Milwaukee Bucks. As with anything in this culture of spin, the Sixers readily admitted that they prefer to face the Chicago Bulls, who are the number one seed in the East. It seems as though they have an aversion to playing the Miami Heat and as such they didn’t even try to win their last regular season game so that they could lock up the eighth seed. If this logic seems flawed, that’s because it is. Yet, when a team realizes who and what it is, as the Sixers may have done as they watched their excellent first half of the season be for not, they must adapt to a mindset that reaches above limited expectations. Therefore: bring on the Bulls!

Obviously, this is not an ideal scenario for the Sixers. They are the eighth seed and have lost all sense of identity as the shortened season slogged into a battle of attrition with body, fatigue, and Doug Collins. Despite having capable players and some depth the defined roles of players have been blurred and they can no longer threaten an opponent from all sides. Especially in late game situations, Philadelphia becomes a haphazard mess as player take arrant, contested jumpers and become uninterested defensively. Though they possess the ability to force turnovers late, and have done so repeatedly, their instinct to close and win games is nonexistent. If they hope to overcome this self-imposed obstacle they better have a damn good plan and execute it flawlessly because at the end of games, Chicago is their antithesis.

Perhaps, with an oft ailing Derrick Rose, the Sixers thought they matched up well with the Bulls. On paper, maybe. Andre Iguodala and Luol Deng matchup well and should cancel one another out. This same line of thinking is extended to the matchups of Elton Brand and Carlos Boozer; and Lou Williams and the shell formerly known as Rip Hamilton, who, despite riding the pine (a dated term as the folding chairs the players sit on resemble the luxury of a fine recliner) for much of the season, has shown occasional bursts of his former, productive self; and Thaddeus Young, with his range, could conceivably draw Taj Gibson out of the paint, where his shot blocking is to be feared. That is where the comparisons, flawed as they are, end.

Jrue Holiday is not the reigning NBA MVP, Rose is. Evan Turner was the second overall draft pick a couple of years ago but he has yet to fully understand his roll on the Sixers and can get completely lost over the course of a game. Then there is Jodie Meeks and Spencer Hawes. All are decent players, unrefined, but decent nonetheless. Yet, they cannot fully match the depth that Chicago brings to the table.

The Bulls, to go along with the players already mentioned, have Joakim Noah, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, John Lucas, C.J. Watson, Omer Asik, Mike James (remember him?), and the main man, Brian Scalabrine. Here the advantage is the Bulls’. Oh, and they have Rose.

One interesting note, however, is that the Sixers, this season, performed better against the Bulls when Rose was on the court. Their net rating goes from -5.2 with him on the bench to 5.8 while he is in the game. This can be attributed to the rise in their 3-point percentage from 18.8 percent to 26.3 percent with Rose on the floor.

It will be interesting to see who Iguodala guards. He will likely split time between Rose and Deng but when not guarding one, the other has the potential to thrive.

Personnel aside, the Bulls implement one of the most disciplined defenses in the league. They hold their opponents to a league low 88.2 points per game on 42.1 percent field goal shooting, a number that is second best in the league. Chicago also allowed a league low in number of 3-point shots they allowed their opponents to take as they are quick to chase players off the arc, forcing them into the teeth of their defense. Perhaps the heart of their defense is their rebounding. They led the league in defensive rebounding, rarely allowing a second chance opportunity. What the Bulls lack in mediocre offense, and it is just that, make no mistake, they more than make up for in superb defense that will be tough for the Sixers to crack.

This series will be dominated by defense. The 76ers have the third best defense in the NBA so Chicago shouldn’t feel all high and mighty entering this match up. Where the Sixers should try and exploit the Bulls is by getting to the free throw line. Philadelphia is much more adept at creating fouls and going to the line than Chicago. This could be a great equalizer as the Sixers are ranked 23 in points per game and 24 in pace.

Essentially, the meeting of the Bulls and Sixers will not be exciting to the casual fan. It will be marred with slow, tedious action, countless turnovers forced by two good defenses, and a veritable lack of scoring. In the end the Bulls will out bore (and it will be boring) the Sixers and advance to the second round. One could hope this series would be similar to the Bulls and Pacers first round meeting last season, but that seems a bit far-fetched. Those Pacers were hungry, these Sixers are lost.

Doyle Rader predicts: Bulls defeat 76ers 4-1

Travis Huse predicts: Bulls defeat 76ers 4-1

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by | May 10, 2011 · 1:13 PM

Pat Riley and Gar Forman named co-Executives of the Year

Power brokers

It is somewhat of a meaningless award in a sense, but Executive of the Year is awarded to those who generally orchestrate a trade or signing to dramatically improve their team. One of the men who finds himself the recipient of such accolades this year deserves it. The other? Well, kind of, sort of, but not so much.

Gar Forman, of the Chicago Bulls, deserves credit for bringing in players such as Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Keith Bogans, Kyle Korver, and Kurt Thomas. He deserves credit for hiring Tom Thibodeau and for the 21 more wins they had this year over last. He deserves all the credit in the world for those improvements. They still pale in comparison to what his counterpart and co-winner did.

Gordon Gekko…er, Pat Riley pulled off one of the greatest strokes of off-season genius. Not only did he retain his star player in Dwyane Wade but he also acquired LeBron James and Chris Bosh via sign-and-trade. In one summer he created one of the most talented teams in the NBA without breaking the bank as he was still able to fill the Heat’s roster with bit players to surround his three stars.

Having Forman as the co-winner of the honor is like having Marvin from Jackson Steinem & Co. being named co-stockbroker of the year along with Gekko. It just simply does not equate.

Other executives, who vote for the award, have not given Riley his full credit. This is likely because of how they truly feel about the man who is the Gordon Gekko of the NBA. However they feel about Riley is of little concern, though. Riley deserves to be the sole recipient of the award. His consolation prize will just have to be Wade, James, Bosh and the way the Miami Heat are playing right now. Tough break.

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by | April 19, 2011 · 1:12 PM

Indiana Vipāka

Young forces are at work in the Midwest.

Karma has a strange way of fiddling with the NBA.  With so many strong egos and huge personalities, there are several cosmic forces flowing within the league.

The Pacers are one franchise that could easily complain about getting the short end of the stick when it comes to receiving the fruits of the supreme God Ishvara.  However, we may be seeing a franchise experiencing enlightenment through reincarnation.

They appeared in five ABA title games and won three of them making them by far the best team in the short-lived league. In 1976, the Indiana Pacers began selling off their star players in what would be their last season in the ABA.  However, they were broke.  Somehow they raised the $3.2 million it cost to join the NBA and were one of four teams accepted in the ABA-NBA merger.

It took a large financial contribution and even a telethon to sell season tickets to keep the Pacers’ head above water for the 1977 season.  It was hard to fill seats when they only had three winning seasons in their first 13 years in the NBA.

Additionally, bad management prevented them from ever establishing a strong roster.  They had the third overall pick in the 1978 draft and passed over Larry Bird who grew up in Indiana.  They enraged their fans by picking up Rick Robey instead. They traded away Alex English for George McGinnis in 1980.  McGinnis was past his prime and faded.  English became one of the best scorers in NBA history.

Two legends that the Indiana Pacers never even gave themselves the chance to draft.

The next season, they traded away their 1984 first round draft pick to the Trail Blazers for center Tom Owen who only contributed for one season in Indiana.  Three years later, they had the worst record in the East and would of landed that second overall pick in the draft that included names such as Michael Jordan, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Perkins.

It seemed as though the NBA had made a mistake by allowing such a poor and frankly idiotic franchise into its league.  That all changed when Reggie Miller came to town but they still did not win that elusive title.  They made it in 2000 when Miller guaranteed that he would bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to Indiana but Kobe Bryant and the Lakers had different plans.  They beat them 4-2.

A year later, they sent Jalen Rose and Travis Best to Chicago for Brad Miller, Ron Artest, Kevin Ollie and Ron Mercer.  It formed what could be considered the best Pacers team ever.

On November 24, 2004, a fan named John Green threw a beer that essentially crippled the franchise.  The Malice in the Palace ensued and the Pacers never fully recovered.  A fallout was felt in Indiana with the loss of Miller and several other players as they entered a state of cleansing.

Larry Bird took over for Donnie Walsh and the seeds of Pāli vipaka have been starting to grow as the franchise begins to reenter the great wheel of samsāra that will lead to Nirvana.  In other words, they are getting their act together as a team and making the right decisions to establish something great up there at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Right now, it may not seem that way though.  They are sitting at 0-2 against the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs.  However, this series has been played in a manner that going back to Indianapolis up 2 wouldn’t be too hard to conceive.

They led for the entire first game but gave up too many rebounds and clutch shots in the remaining minutes.  Last night, they lost a key player in Darren Collison but still managed to hang in there.  It came down to turnovers and last minute plays that simply didn’t go their way.  These are all symptoms of a young team with a young coach.

Yes, being matched up against Derrick Rose and the Bulls in the first round is a daunting task and may seem unwinnable especially since they entered the playoffs with a sub .500 record.  However, we are getting to see what this team may be able to accomplish one day.

Krishna must have come to Tyler in a dream after he received a blow to the head in game one.

Tyler Hansbrough has come out strong in this series and is showing the doubters that he can take his game to the NBA level.  He hung in there after taking a hit from Kurt Thomas.  He finished the game with 22 points after barely being able to walk himself to the locker room.

In game one, they gave up a late three to Kyle Korver who has been silent for most of the series outside of two extremely clutch shots.  Danny Granger missed a late shot, Rose eventually went to the line and there wasn’t much else they could do against the Baby Bulls that are beginning to look like grown men.

Instead, it’s the Pacers that are looking like babies but there’s nothing wrong with that.  These young guys are the ones stepping up.  Acquiring Collison from New Orleans was the right thing to do.  They needed a point guard and the Hornets were willing to part with the boy that made his name by filling in for the injured Russell Westbrook at UCLA.

He sprained his ankle during the first half of the game last night and head coach Frank Vogel says that he might not return for the series.  Their depth at the position really stepped up last night though in Chicago.  T.J. Ford and A.J. Price came in with a lot of hustle but the scoring simply wasn’t there.  They got some much needed points with Ford’s 70-foot shot at the end of the third quarter and Price’s late free throws but they missed shots towards the end.  That happens especially when it’s your first trip to the postseason and your own the road so it’s no surprise.

In this tale of David vs. Goliath, it is the big men in Indiana that also deserve some recognition.  Roy Hibbert was thrown into a starting position very early in his NBA career and carries a frontcourt on a very small team.  He was out there battling as well and is getting a lot of experience.  The rookie Paul George is the same way and his 18 deflections showed that he is a hustle player.

Both games were losses but the Pacers are doing a lot better than we had expected in this series.  The 0-2 doesn’t show how hard the young players in Indiana are playing and how they are setting the Karmic wheels in the right motion.  They are the pieces that will deliver this franchise from the depths.  They are the light.

Ultimately, the Pacers will loose this series.  Rose cannot be contained and simply shutting down the rest of the Bulls wont be enough.  Korver so far has hit some really important shots and it’s really hard to compete against all the personnel that Tom Thibodeau can put on the court.

These young guys in Indiana have been playing scrappy bally all season and have come up under a franchise somewhat defined by being the underdog as of late.  They need to release that in order to achieve full nirvana they needed a period of rebirth and this is it.  With a few more pieces, they will succeed and hopefully reach the ultimate goal that has eluded them for so long.

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by | February 17, 2011 · 10:06 PM

Playoff outlooks at the All Star break

Tonight marks the end of the first half of the NBA regular season.  Each of the top eight teams in each conference have battled hard to get in the position they are in.  Each has it’s own story and each has made a case as to why they deserve a playoff berth.

Let’s break it down.

THE WEST


 

 

Methodical wins and pace have been primary themes for this perennial playoff team.  This season, it’s a more upbeat pace led by players that weren’t on the last title-winning squad (Gary Neal, DeJuan Blair and George Hill).  If they keep up and avoid injury, everyone should be very afraid of the Spurs.

 

 

Tough luck.  Injuries (Dirk Nowitzki, Rodrigue Beaubois and Caron Butler) have really set the Mavs back; however, they have responded well.  They are the only team in the league that has beaten all the other powerhouses.  The Mavericks could have three wins against the team mentioned above but again: injuries are a bitch.

 

 

They look sleepy when it matters and can’t seem to beat the Bobcats.  Combined with losses to Cleveland and Sacramento, it’s a wonder that this team is in the position they are in.  They have an opportunity to make a move and they need to capitalize in order to reinvigorate this offense.

 

 

Kevin Durant is scoring at will and Russell Westbrook has shown that he is an elite point guard.  The only thing hampering them is their age.  Westbrook is leading the league in turnovers with nearly four a game and defense isn’t exactly their forte.  The team needs a big man but who doesn’t these days?  They are scoring at home and on the road but they still need a player that can make big shots other than the Durantula.

 

 

They simply can’t rebound.  Outside of LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby, the rest of the frontcourt is a bunch of no names.  The Cambyman is injured so Aldridge has had to pick up most of the work under the basket.  With Brandon Roy injured as well, it’s kind of weird that they are on a six-game winning streak that is helping them hold onto their position in the West.  Andre Miller is the only other guy stepping up right now but he’s on the trading block.  It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out for the Trail Blazers.

 

 

A hot start has a lot to do with where the Hornets are in the West.  However, they have fallen a bit since.  It’s weird that they are even winning without the usual offensive prowess that they normally employ but Monty Williams has his guys playing defense well.  January fared well as they won 12 of 16 games.  February has been another story.  They are 2-7 this month with losses to Minnesota, New Jersey and Golden State.  Ouch.

 

 

We are all sick of all the Carmelo Anthony talk but he is playing well in the midst of the commotion.  He is scoring over 30 points per game in their last ten and they are leading the league in scoring with 107 a night.  Seems as though his performance as of late matched with the fact that they are even in the playoff hunt means he could spend the rest of the season in Denver.  However, a certain team in the East lost their superstar to free agency last year for nothing and we all know how they are performing without him this year…

 

 

A coaching change in Utah after almost three decades with Jerry Sloan isn’t proving to payoff yet.  The Jazz have lost the last four games since he entered retirement.  They are 2-6 in February and even lost to the Rockets (ewwww).  Luckily, they come back from the break with games against Dallas and Boston (sarcasm).  Looks like they are really going to have to grip to that eighth and final spot in the West.

THE EAST


 

 

The Celtics are good. They are pulling out wins and leading the East even with a myriad of injuries to several players.  They lead the league in assists and in points allowed.  However, they need Jermaine O’Neal and Shaquille O’Neal back.  Kendrick Perkins can carry the front court for now but it can be argued that his injury is what caused them to loose in the Finals.  Imagine how dangerous they will be when everyone is finally healthy…

 

 

They built a super team of only three players.  It’s sad that they are second in the East with two starters (Zydrunas Ilgouskas and Mario Chalmers) that are only putting up around six points a night.  It is a true testament as to how bad that conference is.  They are 3-6 against the Lakers, Boston, Dallas and Orlando and aren’t undefeated against any of those powerhouses.  However, they are beating up on all of the garbage that didn’t make the playoffs last season.  They are 22-4 against those teams but last time we checked, they will not be facing any of those squads in the post season this year.

 

 

The Bulls made some major moves by bringing in Carlos Boozer (frontcourt phenomenon), Kyle Korver (three-point specialist), Ronnie Brewer (athletic wing man) and Brian Scalabrine (fat cheerleader).  Head Coach Tom Thibodeau has them playing defense as they are only allowing opponents to score 92 a night.  Their mix of young talent and veteran leadership will do them well come playoff time and hopefully Derrick Rose can reach the second round for the first time in his career.

 

 

Otis Smith has the balls to make big moves.  Hedo Turkoglu looks like his old self and Jason Richardson looks at home.  Combined with Dwight Howard’s ability to rebound nearly everything, this team of shooting specialist should finish strong.  However, we don’t see them doing what they did last post season unless they actually make another move for a forward that can change things up a little for this offense that can feel predictable at times.

 

 

When you take a glance at the record of the Hawks you notice that it is a tidy 34-21. Are they really that good though? Short answer: no. Atlanta is easily the worst team with 30 or more wins this season. Their record is a result of a soft schedule so far with only two noteworthy wins, both against Orlando. As the schedule gets tougher after the All Star break do not be surprised to see the Hawks lose ground in the East at an alarming rate.

 

 

The Knicks are back, baby! Well, kind of. The hype surrounding the resurgence of the Knicks completely overshaddows the fact that this is a team that has hovered just above .500 all season. In fact, the entire up and down nature of New York can be juxtaposed by two games. This season the Knicks have lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the worst team in the league, and beaten the Spurs, the best team in the league.

 

 

The 76ers are a team that no one is really talking about this season. Doug Collins has his team in the middle of the pack in virtually every offensive and defensive category which is a great improvement over last season. They have already equaled last year’s win total with 27. Night in and night out, the Sixers give it their all. Currently, Philadelphia sits in seventh in the East which is not an ideal situation as it means they will likely not advance. However, this team is young and can only improve in the coming seasons with Collins at the helm.

 

 

The Pacers are the most dangerous team in the East right now. That is especially true if they have a first round matchup with Miami. For some reason the Pacers play the Heat better than any team not in the upper tier of the league. Their length and size will give any team fits. Rebounding and hustle plays allow the Pacers to hang tough against the league’s elite teams and those plays are generally centered around the efforts of Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough.

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by | February 10, 2011 · 4:04 PM

Jerry Sloan is done


Who's the boss

The Utah Jazz’s head coach Jerry Sloan is expected to announce his resignation this afternoon at a press conference, according to sources.  This comes as big surprise to many since he just signed an extension but the old coach has probably figured out that his days of coaching are over.

He and top assistant coach Phil Johnson are expected to concede their positions with the team and assistant Tyrone Corbin, who played for Sloan from 1991-94, is set to take over for the remainder of the season.

Sloan, 68, is in his 23rd year coaching the Jazz.  He has taken them to the playoffs 19 times and even coached in the Finals twice.  John Stockton and Karl Malone are just two great players that he drew up plays for as he made basketball relevant in Utah.  His tenure with the Jazz is the longest for any head coach in the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL.  However, the man is still ringless.

In addition, it has been a very turbulent season for the Jazz.  January alone was a month that would drive any coach to the brink of madness.  They went 7-16 with a six-game losing streak in the middle of the month.  They lost to Memphis, Washington, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Golden State.  It took overtime for them to beat the pathetic Rockets.

However, on Monday Sloan agreed to an extension with the team for a 24th season of coaching but their 91-86 loss to the Chicago Bulls in Utah on Wednesday caused tensions to flare.  One source even reported that he gave up at halftime and decided that he was done.

Apparently, he felt as though ownership would rather listen to the team’s rising star than him.

Deron Williams hasn’t commented yet on the situation yet but it has been reported that Sloan was sick of the young point guard blaming the teams woes on everyone else.  Regardless, the Jazz entered this season without some of its usual stars.

In fact, it’s former Jazz stars were the reason Chicago won.  Kyle Korver played for the Jazz from 2008 to last season and sunk a late three to put the Bulls up 87-83.  Ronnie Brewer was drafted by the Jazz and had a crucial steal with seven seconds left in the game.  Carlos Boozer was the face of the Jazz’s frontcourt for five years and had a big night as well.

The Jazz did take steps to replace their lost stars but nothing has quite worked.  Al Jefferson was brought in to put some muscle up front but the Jazz are 28th in the league in rebounding.  Raja Bell is garbage now and drafting Gordon Hayward was a pretty stupid decision.

As of now, the Jazz are sixth in the West and are poised for another run for the playoffs.  However, outside of a November 26th win over the Lakers, they really haven’t beaten many teams that are in true contention this season.  San Antonio and Dallas have beaten them twice.

Injuries have plagued them as well.  Jefferson is the only player to have appeared in all 54 games.  Mehmet Okur was their third leading scorer last season and has only played in 13 games this season due to injuries to his Achilles and back.  Williams has only missed four games but is playing with an injured hand.  His scoring is up but assists are down.

All of this translates to increased tension on a team that is struggling to maintain its position in the conference.  Denver is only half a game behind the Jazz and Portland is lurking as well.  If Houston were playing at the same level they were two seasons ago and Phoenix was doing what they did last season, we would be looking at a Utah team that would probably be out of the playoff picture entirely.

Jerry Sloan can be credited with a lot but this season has been a headache.  At his age, it seems as though he has determined that it simply isn’t worth it anymore and that it’s time to move on.

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by | February 2, 2011 · 10:44 PM

Blake Griffin Dunks on Kyle Korver

One has to wonder what possessed Kyle Korver to go up with with Blake Griffin, as the Los Angeles Clippers hosted the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, in an effort to block his shot. Korver averages 0.3 blocks per game. Maybe he was watching a Mutombo highlight reel before the game. Who knows? What we do know is that this was the end result:

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by | January 24, 2011 · 11:37 AM

Deng Efficient

Deng good

When attention is given to the Chicago Bulls much of it is focused on the young rising talent that is Derrick Rose. Rose is quickly climbing the ranks of celebrity among point guards despite his number of detractors who complain that his game is far too one-dimensional (i.e. restricted to driving the lane). Nonetheless, Rose’s numbers speak for themselves as he is averaging 24.7 points, eight assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per contest. To go along with these impressive numbers, he is shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and a career best 37.9 percent from beyond the arc. Because of his youth and talent it is no wonder why he has become the face of the franchise.

However, it is not just Rose who has helped the Bulls into the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 30-14. Over the summer, Chicago brought in a host of talent to surround their young point guard with including Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, Keith Bogans, Kurt Thomas, C.J. Watson, and they even thought that having Brian Scalabrine on the roster was a good idea. This is a completely different Bulls team than the one that was fielded last season under Vinny Del Negro. Yet, they kept three main pieces as a core to build around: Rose, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng.

Deng has found himself over looked in most discussions surrounding the Bulls. It is not surprising when his surrounding cast consists of Rose, Boozer, and Noah (especially his personality). Deng is quiet compared to his counterparts and his game is by no means flashy so it is rare to see him appear in the Sports Center highlight factory. His game does speak volumes, though.

In his seventh year out of Duke, Deng, who is just 25 years old, has established himself as a consistent and efficient wing scorer and all-around player. Yes, his numbers throughout his career have been a model of consistency but a couple of his seasons, his fourth and fifth, were shortened due to injury. His numbers across the board are close if not identical to the ones he put up in 70 games last season. This is the kind of consistency that coaches want to see and that players strive for during the course of a career.

This season Deng is averaging 17.6 points, which is third highest on the team, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Each of these statistics is in the top three on the team. His effective field goal percentage stands at 50 percent. Beyond his offensive numbers, he has lowered his defensive rating down to 102 from 106 last season. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau has definitely played a role in emphasizing defense this season as the Bulls, as a team, have the best defense in the league right now with a rating of 99.4 and they have accomplished this feat with Noah, the anchor of their interior defense, still sidelined recuperating from surgery to his right thumb. Much like Deng’s game, the team defense of Chicago is rarely discussed.

At full strength, the Bulls are difficult to match up with. Deng’s ability to stretch the floor, he is shooting 35.4 percent from long range, pared with their two big men and slashing guard pose a bevy of defensive challenges. However, it is because of Deng’s versatility and consistency that they are headed towards a high playoff seed just half way through the season. He does the dirty work for the team on both ends of the court.

Big three? No, Chicago has a big four and Deng fits squarely in it. John Paxson has been wise to refuse any offer that comes his way if it would be to send away Deng or Noah. These are two of their core players that the team hopes to build around for the foreseeable future. Especially now that Deng has become such a model of efficiency for the team it would be unlikely that any team could lure him away without giving up more than they are willing to. Though he may be quiet, Deng has solidified his role with his team and in the NBA as a premier (not elite) small forward and looks to only replicate his production year after year. Let Rose have the spotlight, Deng thrives with consistency because he does not need to drop 40 points every night but it is nice to know that he can every once in a while.

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by | October 21, 2010 · 12:45 PM

Popping the bubble in Chicago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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by | September 23, 2010 · 12:28 PM

Sources: Scalabrine signs with Bulls!!!

Teammates?

For months we have waited to hear the news.  Well, the wait is over and we now know where Brian Scalabrine will be playing next season.

Yahoo Sports has reported that the big man has agreed to a non-guaranteed contract with the Chicago Bulls.  Scalabrine, who spent his last five seasons with the Celtics, averaged 1.5 points and .9 rebounds a game in Boston last season.

For some strange reason, head coach Tom Thibodeau made a strong case for bringing in the center-forward.  Thibodeau was  part of the coaching staff under Doc Rivers that both won and lost titles against the LA Lakers in the last few years.  Obviously general manager Gar Forman and vice president John Paxson agreed with bringing in the Red-Headed Menace, sources said.

Scalabrine isn’t being brought in for his play but rather his presence.  The veteran will provide leadership to a relatively young team.  Otherwise, he is a terrible basketball player.  He joins Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Keith Bogans, Kurt Thomas, Kyle Korver and C.J. Watson in what has proven to be a very busy summer for Chicago.

It’s a simple move to provide a recognizable face on the bench for a new coach.  Thibodeau is being thrown into the gauntlet with a team that is vying for power in an increasingly talented Eastern Conference.  No, Scalabrine will not win them games on the court but rather ease the mind of a coach with a big task ahead.

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by | July 15, 2010 · 2:12 PM

NBA Free Agency post “The Decision”

A not so long time ago, in an NBA galaxy close to home…

FREE AGENCY

Since the coup d’état and emergence of the Miami Thrice there have been a remarkable amount of moves, signings, and trades by teams. So many moves have occurred in fact that it is almost dizzying. Sure, the major names that have filled the 2010 Free Agency marquee banner for two years were quickly off the table but there are certainly a number of key players that are out there that will make a great addition to any franchise looking to improve. We, hear at the Beef have taken it upon ourselves to help keep you as up to date as possible with free agency. It is likely that within hours of this posting many more signings and trades will have occurred (the number of times this piece had to be updated while being written over a two day span is proof positive of that), making this piece slightly dated but, as always, keep apprised of all the movers and shakers in free agency with up to the minute information, or at least as soon as we are able to report it, by following the Kobe Beef on Twitter.

Miami Heat

When Miami attempted to buy itself a soul by acquiring both LeBron James and Chris Bosh they had just two players under contract with the team for the coming season. Those players were Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley. Since that time, the Heat have dealt Beasley, in what equates to a salary dump, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for two second round draft picks in 2011 and 2014. Ouch, he was the second overall pick in 2008. Relieving themselves of Beasley’s services allowed the Heat to free up enough to award the Miami Thrice (will this catch on?) close to maximum contracts. Both James and Bosh will receive six-year, $110 million contracts while Wade receives $107.5 million over the same period of time. Each player also has an early termination option after the 2013-14 season.

So the Heat, at that point, had just four players under contract for the coming season. That is certainly grounds for championship speculation. Since then the organization has been in overdrive recruiting and signing free agents to bolster their roster. Mike Miller looked like a lock to join the Heat after meeting with Pat Riley and other organization officials on July 1, but now the Miami Herald is reporting that Miller may be backing out of the deal. Miami has a qualifying offer out on Joel Anthony which would pull the reins even tighter on the money that they could offer Miller. Nothing about Miller’s situation with the Heat is certain yet. At least that was the latest news as of early Wednesday afternoon. As of today, Mike Miller is in Miami and has signed a five-year contract with the Heat.

Udonis Haslem, after being pursued by the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets (who have had a knack to engage in bidding wars this summer), has decided to resign with the Heat. Haslem’s deal is worth just over $20 million over four years. The Heat are also close to a minimum level deal with Juwan Howard.

In yet another blow to the city and fans of Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, for the second time this calendar year, is leaving. This time he is leaving on his own accord and not part of a multiplayer and multi-team deal to help entice a certain player to stay put. He is following James to Miami. Ilgauskas has played his entire career in Cleveland, he was traded to the Wizards but he never played a single game for them, let alone put on a Wizards’ jersey. The deal with the Heat is expected to be for two years with a player option for the second year. How many knives will Cleveland have to remove from their back when free agency is over?

Gordon Gekko…err, Pat Riley, has done an excellent job of using the Bud Foxes at his disposal as incentive for players to join the Heat. Ilgauskas’ close relationship with James was the deciding factor in his move to South Beach. Yet, the team still lacks a point guard. Miami lost out on its attempt to lure Derek Fisher away from the Lakers and the aura of Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant. Certainly, the combo of Jackson and Bryant is Sir Lawrence Wildman to Riley’s Gekko.

New York Knicks

New Yorkers and Knickerbockers alike should not feel all too bad about missing out on the Miami Thrice (I’m going to make this stick). They successfully procured Amar’e Stoudemire. That is a very solid consolation prize. It is better than what the soon to be cross town rivals got. New York should be happy that they convinced any player to join their team since they employed Isiah Thomas to help them recruit free agents. Isiah Thomas! This is the man who gave monster contracts to “superstars” like Eddy Curry (who is going into the final year of his contract and will be paid $11.3 million) and Jared Jeffries. He almost singlehandedly drove the organization into the ground. Well, Knicks owner, James Dolan, helped too. However, the acquisition of Stoudemire was not a bad one but it meant that fan favorite and perennial double-double (this is a statistic that STAT cannot claim on a regular basis), David Lee, would no longer be a part of the Knicks’ future.

Lee was dealt to the Golden State Warriors (the AND1 Mix Tape Tour’s only NBA equivalent) via sign-and-trade where mad scientist, Don Nelson, will undoubtedly have an insane number of offensive schemes already planned with him in mind. In return the Knicks received Anthony Randolph, who was the main chip New York wanted in return, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike. Randolph will make $1.96 million this coming season, Turiaf will make $4 million, and Azubuike, who is going into the final year of his contract, will make $3.3 million. Dorell Wright is also joining the Warriors. He became expendable when the Heat orchestrated a Gekko-esque takeover and cornered the market on top free agents. After that they needed to pay them and Wright would eat up more money that they needed for their new stars. Dwyane Wade is reported to have really like Wright as a teammate but money seems to have trumped friendship. Wright has agreed to a three-year deal worth $11.5 million.

The Knicks lost Chris Duhon in free agency to the Orlando Magic so for a time they were without a starting point guard. In a Mike D’Antoni coached offense, this is the most important position. New York quickly found a solution to their vacancy in Raymond Felton. They had been after Felton since last season but the Bobcats were in no mood to trade him. Felton was originally in talks with the Knicks to sign a three-year deal with the Knicks but the two parties reached an agreement on a two-year contract worth nearly $15 million.

In addition to these players the Knicks also signed Timofey Mozgov, a 7’1” center from Russia. He is expected to sign a three-year contract worth $9 million but not all the money will be guaranteed. The Knicks are buying him out of his contract with his former team, Khimki Moscow, and are reportedly paying them $500,000. Some reports have said that he is the best prospect in Europe. We at the Beef have not read that, in fact we know nothing about him. Honestly, we thought all the Russians were in New Jersey.

The Knicks have also shown interest in resigning Earl Barron, who played the last seven games of the season with New York last season. Yet, nothing has been made official. Even after all these signings the Knicks will still have about $2-3 million in cap space. With the expiring contracts of Curry and Azubuike at the end of the season, the team looks poised and ready for free agency next summer when Carmelo Anthony becomes available if he chooses not to sign an extension with the Denver Nuggets.

Minnesota Timberwolves

What the hell is general manager David Kahn doing? Does anybody know? In recent days it has been said that an avocado would do a better job than he would. As of right now (July 14, 2010 at 1:05 pm central standard time) the Timberwolves have just reached an agreement with point guard Luke Ridnour on a four-year $16 million deal. Minnesota now has four point guards; yes that is right, four. They have Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions, Ridnour, and Spaniard holdout, Ricky Rubio. If Kahn is trying to entice Rubio to leave the now perpetually drunk Spain, he sure is sending mixed signals. However, many see the signing of Ridnour as a possible prelude to the Wolves trading Sessions. Reports say that Minnesota has been in talks with Charlotte, who just lost Felton to the Knicks, about the possibility of a trade for Sessions. The Bobcats, however, have just extended an offer to free agent guard, Shaun Livingston, which likely means that all Sessions discussions are dead.

The acquisition of Ridnour comes just days after the Timberwolves traded away their best player, Al Jefferson, to the Utah Jazz. Minnesota, in return, gets two first round draft picks and center Kosta Koufos. Utah swooped in, seemingly at the last minute, to snag Jefferson as the Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks were in serious trade discussions. The Jazz had the advantage of having a trade exception, acquired when Carlos Boozer left for Chicago, and were willing to give up first round draft picks. Minnesota’s motive for moving Jefferson was based on his style of play, slow and post oriented, which they are trying to move away from. If there is any sense of style coming out of Minnesota it is a frenetic one, spearheaded by Kahn.

David Kaaahn!

Minnesota has finalized its contract with Darko Milicic making him one of the veterans on the team. Veterans, as a term, should be used lightly since Milicic has just seven years of NBA experience. The T-Wolves have also signed draft picks, Wesley Johnson and Lazar Hayward. Center Nikola Pekovic has also agreed to terms with the team. All of these moves, along with the addition of Beasley, have, as David Kahn hopes, bolstered the frontcourt and made the team sleeker and quicker on the court. Yet, it is still hard to discern what Kahn in actually doing other than trying to improve upon last year’s 15-67 record. His roster now has four centers, and a host of wing player. This is also now one of the youngest teams in the league and plays in a division where the four other teams won at least fifty games last season. Hell, Utah is a division rival and they just shipped their best player to them for virtually nothing other than “financial flexibility.” Kahn must be leaving his team’s fan base screaming his name in anger, much like Captain Kirk in Star Trek II, every time he makes any sort of move. Though they have become a player in free agency this summer none of their moves consolidate into a coherent plan, Kahn appears to be a madman, deranged by power, hunting his white whale. His whale, of course, is Ricky Rubio.

Chicago Bulls

Chicago has benefited from defectors from Utah. Both Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver have left the confines of the Great Salt Lake and head to the Windy City. No, neither of these players is named James, Bosh, or Wade but they are still major pickups for the Bulls. Korver should help the Bulls in their three-point shooting. As a team the Bulls shot 33 percent from downtown which ranked them 28th in the league. The Bulls are also looking to further strengthen their long-range shooting as they have signed J.J. Redick to a three-year, $20 million offer sheet. Redick is a restricted free agent so his current team, the Orlando Magic can match the Bulls offer and retain him. If history is any indication (matching the Mavericks offer to Marcin Gortat last summer) of their intentions, Orlando will likely match the offer. Yet, the Magic recently agreed to a deal with Quentin Richardson so maybe they are prepared to let Redick go.

Korver’s deal is worth an estimated $15 million over three years. Boozer agreed to a five-year deal worth roughly $75 million that became a sign-and-trade with Utah with the Bulls also receiving a future protected second-round draft pick. The trade exemption that the Jazz used to trade for Al Jefferson was part of the Boozer trade.

New head coach, Tom Thibodeau, should be very pleased with the work that general manager Gar Forman has done this offseason. Fans of the Bulls should also be quite pleased with the moves the team has made. They may have been slighted in their quest to land one of the Miami Thrice but they have found themselves in a formidable position heading into next season. The same cannot be said for all the teams who were in the rat race for the big three.

New Jersey Nets

Seriously, the Nets should change the name of their team to the New Jersey Nyets. Despite the fact that they were shot down by every major free agent this summer, they constantly thought themselves to be leading the pack to land each one. The team confidently suggested in the media that they had the upper hand in landing James. Why? What hallucinogen gave them this notion? It must be some pretty potent shit to make them have pipe dreams such as this. Everyone in the world seemed to know that James would not go to the Nets except for the Nets. This ordeal has seriously hurt the reputation of Jay-Z and his supposed ability to land James due to their friendship. Who listens to a minority owner anyway? Greatest rapper alive? Give me a break, Rakim is still alive. Mikhail Prokhorov said he had a hunch that James would not be coming to his team. What tipped him off? Everyone he talked to?

What have the Nets done then, other than move to the cesspool that is Newark? Well, they lost their general manager, Rod Thorn and replaced him with Billy King. Yawn. They have reached a contract agreement with Johan Petro worth $10 million over three years. He will back up Brook Lopez. The Nets need to lure a big free agent this summer to make up for their failures thus far and they may have found just the player. Two time NBA champion, former Lakers great, Jordan Farmar has agreed to a three-year, $12 million deal with the struggling franchise. Good job, Jay-Z. I doubted you earlier but you really came through with this one. It should prove to be a spectacular competition for starting point guard when training camp begins. Farmar stated that his desire to leave the Lakers was to be a starting point guard on a team. He has a good chance of doing just that in New Jersey. Oh, wait…Devin Harris still plays in New Jersey? Oh, I see. Is that common knowledge? Did anyone tell Farmar that? Sorry, Jordan, looks like you will simply be a backup on a bad team.

By far their biggest acquisitions are those of Travis Outlaw and Anthony Morrow. Outlaw agreed to a five-year, $35 million deal. New Jersey signed Morrow to an offer sheet worth $12 million over three years that the Golden State Warriors did not match. The teams eventually worked out a sign-and-trade where the Warriors receive the Nets’ second-round draft pick in 2011.

These moves, in the wake of not landing James, are…well, they are moves. Morrow and Outlaw have the potential to thrive alongside Harris and Lopez but it will all depend on how Avery Johnson chooses to utilize their talents on the court. As for right now, the Nets look to be at least three wins better than they were last season, maybe. At least in a few years the team will be in Brooklyn where they can overcharge hipsters for tickets and merchandise. Hipsters love ironic failures and chronic underachievers. Financially, the Nets will be winners then.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns have been one of the biggest movers in the Western Conference this summer. They had to be after losing Stoudemire to the Knicks. They recently welcomed back to the league, Josh Childress and his iconic Afro with a five-year contract. Phoenix acquired him via sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks, who still retained the rights to his contract. Atlanta will receive the Suns’ 2012 second-round draft pick.

Phoenix has also traded for scorned Raptor, Hedo Turkoglu for Leandro Barbosa and Dwayne Jones. Turkolgu thrives in offenses where he gets to control the ball so a pairing with Steve Nash seems a bit odd but any situation has to be better for Turkolgu than what he went through in Toronto.

Dallas Mavericks

Dallas’ attempts to land players named Al have been thwarted at every attempt this summer. First they were in position to land Al Jefferson. Then, out of nowhere, the Jazz swooped in and nabbed him so that they could fill the void left by Boozer’s departure. Next the Mavericks set their sights on Al Harrington. Talks were advancing nicely but then the Denver Nuggets struck. They offered Harrington a longer and more valuable contract (five-year, $34 million) than the Mavericks were willing to offer him.

The Mavericks have made some moves this summer, though they are not earth shaking; they are moves to build on for the future. Dallas’ second priority this summer, after resigning Dirk Nowitzki, was signing Brendan Haywood. They did just that as the team and Haywood agreed on a six-year deal worth $55 million. The way Haywood’s contract is structured he will make $7-8 million a season, and as the Mavericks are prone to do, the last year of his contract is not fully guaranteed.

For the Mavericks, the elephant in the room was Erick Dampier’s nonguaranteed $13 million contract and their ability to use it in an attempt to lure a max free agent to Dallas to team up with Nowitzki. Dallas missed out on the marquee names but was able to move Dampier’s contract. Dampier, along with Matt Carroll, Eduardo Najera, and cash were sent to the Charlotte Bobcats for Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinca. It was not the blockbuster move that Mavs fans were hoping for and many are quite discontent at the moves their team has made this summer after being force-fed rumors and speculation about the possibility of landing a superstar. Honestly, this deal fits the Mavericks plan better than landing the likes of Jefferson who would have either been forced into a sixth man role or center. Neither of which would have been ideal for either party. Chandler gives the Mavericks and versatile shot blocker with the ability to run the floor. Running the floor is something that Chandler was accustomed to during his time with Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets and is something that he will get back to on the Mavericks with Jason Kidd and Rodrigue Beaubois. One thing is certain, the alley-oop dunk will return to prominence in Chandler’s offensive repertoire.

This deal also gives the Mavericks some financial breathing room as they have dumped Carroll’s bloated contract. It also gives the team added size and length in the frontcourt, something the team wanted so they could compete with the Lakers’ bigs. This deal came just in time too. It also acts as a counter to their in-state arch rival San Antonio Spurs’ addition of the great threat, Tiago Splitter. This nobody is making folks quake in their boots from the filthy, disease laden River Walk to the Alamo. Team front offices are whispering amongst themselves about the domination that Splitter could unleash on an unsuspecting league. Hold on, he is a South American seven footer? How many floppers do the Spurs need on their roster? The only threat he poses is to himself. It is a long way to the floor when flopping from seven feet up, concussions could become a problem.

Chandler is going into the last year of his contract which has led some to speculate that if a player became available during the season the Mavericks could use Chandler and Caron Butler, who is also entering the last year of his contract, as trade bait. However, the people who are the ones speculating this are the same ones who almost guaranteed Mavericks fans that they would land a superstar player this summer.

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz have acquired Raja Bell and thwarted Kobe Bryant’s attempts to get Bell to sign with the Lakers. Los Angeles had $1.8 million left of their mid-level exception to offer Bell while the Jazz offered him a three-year deal worth close to $10 million. (It is always about the money.) With the signing of Bell the Jazz chose to let Wesley Matthews sign with the Portland Trailblazers as they were unwilling to match the offer sheet that Matthews signed with the Blazers which was worth $32.7 million over five years.

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