Tag Archives: LaMarcus Aldridge

by | October 24, 2012 · 4:32 PM

Northwest Division Preview

New kid on the block

Doyle Rader: The Northwest Division looks to be one of, if not the most, competitive divisions in the NBA this season. Last year three teams (the Thunder, Nuggets, and Jazz) made the playoffs. Utah made a late push to secure their playoff berth only to be eliminated by the Spurs in the first round. Denver took the Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference Semi-finals. And the Thunder eventually lost in the NBA Finals. This season the division is only deeper.

Both the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves were early season darlings to make the playoffs last season with the Blazers’ hot start and the emergence of Ricky Rubio in Minny. What curtailed these teams was the fire-sale in Portland and the injuries that plagued the Timberwolves. However, Minnesota has completely reloaded their roster in an attempt to make a playoff run this year. They just have to wait for Kevin Love to recover from his broken hand.

Travis Huse: What’s remarkable about this division is that each of its franchises is looking toward the future.

Let’s begin with what’s been going on in Denver: the Nuggets’ reload looks really enticing to me, much in the same way that the Pacers have the past couple of seasons. They’re going to play blindingly fast, group-effort basketball, a hard-nosed team approach. What really makes things interesting is Iguodala’s defensive role, alongside his ball handler abilities, which were hidden behind Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday in Philly.

Iggy will have to play the roles of Danny Granger, Metta World Peace, and Lebron James simultaneously, and how successful he is at integrating with George Karl’s style will determine the success of this team. Coupled with the maturation of Ty Lawson and JaVale McGee (seems strange to mention maturity and McGee together), this is a well-built team, with players who complement their teammates’ strengths. Next step: tightening up on defense.

DR: Yes, their pace belies a low defensive effort as they want to be streaking up and down the floor. However, this team has the potential to be quite serviceable defensively and it all begins with Iguodala.

He will be their premier perimeter defensive player and will be tasked with defending the opposing team’s best wing player and even point guards at times. Denver must focus its defensive efforts in transition. This is where the team will be most venerable. In the halfcourt they have the like of McGee and Timofey Mozgov, as well as Kosta Koufos (who I particularly enjoy watching), to anchor the middle with Iguodala patrolling the arc.

Where I think Iguodala will be most beneficial to the Nuggets is when they play the Thunder. It will be his job to guard Kevin Durant. Oklahoma City won this division last year on the back of Durant’s scoring so bringing an elite defender was very important for Denver.

TH: Yeah, OKC is still the hands-down favorite to win this division this year, regardless of whether or not James Harden receives an extension. But next year, who knows? There’s so much young talent on these teams and the stars for each team are about to truly hit their stride.

Damian Lillard running the Blazers could change the entire dynamic of LaMarcus Aldridge’s game, assuming they didn’t handicap themselves too much with Nicolas Batum’s contract. In the Northwest, they’re the furthest away from being a playoff lock, and I could envision this division becoming as competitive as the Southwest was a few years ago. They’re thin as hell as just about every position, but for a rebuilding team, they don’t look to be wallowing in their sorrow for much longer.

DR: You’re right, the Thunder are the class of the division. That shouldn’t change this year and perhaps Kendrick Perkins will actually be useful to them now that Dwight Howard is in the West. Yet, he is still a liability against the more hybrid centers.

As for Portland, Lillard has shown that he is ready to compete at the NBA level. In five games this preseason, Lillard has averaged 17 points on 50 percent shooting while also dishing out six assists per game. Beyond the numbers, he is assertive on the court, even aggressive at times. Against the Lakers he frequently attacked Steve Nash off the dribble, getting to the rim with ease once he became comfortable with the flow of the game. Of course, Nash has never been a good defender but it was impressive to see a rookie go directly at a two-time MVP with little regard for his mythos.

What will hurt the Blazers is their lack of depth. Jared Jefferies will contribute more than anyone knows off the bench, though it may not always show up in the box score. Joel Freeland and Meyers Leonard, the team’s only true center, are major questions who have considerable upside.

Outside shooting will also be an issue going forward. This is a team built around the mid-range jumper. If Aldridge goes down again, this team will wallow in the basement once again.

TH: You’re neglecting Batum here. His contract is so weighty, the Portland front office will push him to fill more of a starring role, and the hiring of Terry Stotts as head coach will also give him more responsibility. If Stotts is able to formulate this team based off what he saw in Dallas, and modify the 2011 championship core of Jason Kidd-Jason Terry-Dirk Nowitzki (Lillard, Batum, and Aldridge, respectively), the Blazers have more than enough skeleton for their squad.

Which means:

Much is spoken on how the NBA’s system favors tanking. But teams are finding creative ways to rebuild without having to ride the lottery hoping for a once-in-a-generation talent. The Blazers are well on their way to rebuilding (only 7 months after blowing their team up), without having to seriously tank.

They were only 8 games out of the playoffs last year, and while this year might be a bit sore, Blazers fans should be optimistic. They managed a sizable reformation in the quietest way possible, and they did it with a vacant GM seat for over a year. Looking at what Neil Olshey created with the Clippers, it will be interesting to see how he fleshes out their roster.

Another franchise attempting a “soft rebuild” is the Utah Jazz, a team that has really reached a crossroads. Swapping Devin Harris for Mo Williams isn’t exactly a game-changer (it’s never a good idea to start a third-string PG from the Clippers), and Raja Bell is as good as gone. They need guard help badly, and the big man logjam finally must give. If the team still cannot decide whether they trust Enes Kanter or Derrick Favors, they need to move them sooner, rather than later. By all accounts, Kanter has an ego, and will not like playing second fiddle to Al Jefferson; but Jefferson’s much too good to move.

DR: If we are going to make a Mavs comparison when it comes to the Blazers, I feel that Batum represents more of a Shawn Marion role. Only his scoring responsibilities will be somewhat equivalent to Marionon the Suns.

As for the Jazz, they have a wealth of big men and they seem to be happy about it. I don’t think it’s a question about if they are willing to move Jefferson, but rather they could lose Paul Millsap. That would truly be a blow to this organization but as you pointed out they have Kanter and Favors.

Last season, Kanter was essentially a non factor. His skills around the rim were unpolished, to be kind, and played mostly during garbage time. So far in the preseason he has been drawing double-teams and averaging a team high 12 points per game. The jazz seem content to run out a platoon rotation in the post which should help later in the season as it allows their stars (Jefferson and Millsap) to rest. Kanter and Favors should garner around 20 minutes a night.

Mo Williams is a completely serviceable point guard. I doubt he can return to the form he showcased in Milwaukee, but he still has the ability to run an offense effectively while also scoring the ball. Like Memphis, Utah runs a lot of post plays but Williams’ outside shooting and ability to dish the ball should open up the floor creating opportunities for shooters like Alec Burks, Randy Foye, Gordon Hayward, and Marvin Williams.

Hayward will be key for the Jazz. He is quietly becoming a good perimeter defender and has gained a considerable amount of muscle since coming into the league. Tyrone Corbin has molded Hayward into a hardnosed, physical defender. It would not surprise me if he was at least discussed as a possible DPOY if his improvement continues. He won’t win, but he making the discussion is always a plus.

TH: I’m not saying that their big man platoon isn’t a bad idea. It’s a great thing to have through an 82-game season. However, both Kanter and Favors are starting-caliber players in the NBA right now. Favors is nearing the end of his rookie contract, a solid producer with room to grow (and a team option for next season). Aside from the solid production at a low price tag, these players are highly desirable for contending teams for many reasons. Kanter is a skilled big body who plays a thin position.

Would the suddenly broke Sam Presti really contemplate letting James Harden go in order to free up cap space? Probably not, but that is not a bad rumor to float.

I can only think of three NBA teams who wouldn’t listen to offers on Kanter, because they are seriously the only NBA teams without concerns in the middle. The Lakers have Dwight now; the 76ers are going to see where Bynum goes as a leader. I had to throw in the Raptors, because, well, they’re in a similar situation as the Jazz; the arrival of Jonas Valanciunas has made Bargnani more than expendable.

You’re also right about Mo Williams: He is a completely serviceable point guard. But with their lineup, the Jazz are one torn ligament away from Jamaal Tinsley and Earl Watson bringing the ball up the floor. The Jazz are lacking roster balance, and their contingency plan is Alec Burks.

DR: My love of the bad boy Pacers has always endeared me to Tinsley and Watson filled in well when Devin Harris was hurt last year. It could be worse for the Jazz.

One team with high hopes for the season is already bemoaning their star being out with injury. As I mentioned above, Kevin Love will miss at least the first month of the season with a broken hand resulting from the oh-so-cool-bro knuckle pushups. Luckily, the Timberwolves have reloaded their roster.

They brought in Brandon Roy, fresh from retirement, bad knees and all and added Andrei Kirilenko and Alexey Shved from Russia. Nikola Pekovic also hails from Russia and is one of the better centers in the league. Despite the number of white guys on this team, the Timberwolves are primed to make the playoffs. Hell, their guard rotation alone is enough to get them there and they are stacked beyond that. Once Love returns they could be dangerous in the West.

It will be interesting to see how Derrick Williams fits into the rotation. He seems to be the odd man out this year despite being drafted so highly two years ago.

TH: With Love out until December, this Timberwolves squad is left without its two young stars in Love and Ricky Rubio. How the team fares without them will be a good litmus test to see how the rest of the rotation fits. But this is also a team that, like you mentioned, added Roy, who’s never been afraid to put his team on his back. These injuries will strengthen the Wolves, and I anticipate one of their wings picking up the scoring slack. There are many questions as to just exactly who will rise, but their depth chart, from 1 to 3 is loaded with talent. J.J. Barea is only one year removed from being an unstoppable blur for the Mavs, and he’s still buried behind Rubio and Luke Ridnour. Shved’s a monster, and should have a fairly easy transition to the NBA with Kirilenko beside him.

And all that is forgetting Chase Budinger, who will be able to fit in much the same way that Wilson Chandler has in Denver, slashing and providing decent outside shooting (believe it or not, he posted a 40% 3-point percentage last season) for the second unit. The whitest of white dudes in the NBA these days, Budinger is often overlooked, but his time spent with Rick Adelman in Houston will give him an early chance to prove himself. He’s dangerous when left in the corner, and when Love and Rubio return, it will be key for them to utilize their passing abilities and wing talent.

Injuries or not, this team is going to be fast and fun, with a healthy amount of competition amongst players vying for minutes. The coaching change should help us to see a bit more specialization of players, as well as championship experience.

Oh, and they got rid of Michael Beasley. Thumbs up on that one.

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by | April 16, 2012 · 5:48 PM

A Conversation about the Western Conference Playoffs

Maybe next year, Ricky

Doyle Rader and Travis Huse discuss the basketball world, namely the Western Conference playoff picture (We can’t think of a creative name for these segments. Help us out.):

DR: I wrote briefly on the race to get into the playoffs and how cluttered it is yesterday with the knowledge that it wouldn’t be relevant today. It isn’t. In fact, it was smashed to pieces (not really). Right now, though, the West is stacked up from the sixth through tenth seeds and there will be a lot of position jockeying over the next week and a half to see who will actually make it into the postseason. Even the third through fifth seeds aren’t set in stone and the Spurs could win the Western Conference outright. It’s cray, essentially. Tonight the Rockets and Nuggets face off once again as both teams fight to keep their playoff chances alive. Last night Denver came out in the second half and ran rough shot all over Houston, getting out in transition for easy buckets. Corey Brewer, Arron Afflalo, and Ty Lawson were seemingly everywhere. It was an impressive win. If they can do it again tonight, Houston’s chances at making the playoffs will certainly begin to dwindle. How do you feel the West could pan out?

TH: I actually envision the conference standing pat from here until the playoffs, unless a team tanks for better positioning, like the Grizzlies did last year.  The Jazz have been playing fantastically as of late, but they’re still a game and a half behind Houston, and frankly, there’s no way that the Suns manage to squeeze in.  If there is any movement at all, I feel it’ll be upward movement from either the Mavs or the Spurs.  Dallas has been playing much better since the departure of Lamar Odom, which goes to show exactly how poisonous he was to that locker room; in fact, it seems as if the team has been brought together by kicking him out.  So there’s a distinct possibility they can overtake Memphis, in my mind.

In a typical year, San Antonio would be heavily resting their stars, so a few losses this week and next wouldn’t be surprising.  But with the increased workload Tiago Splitter‘s been able to handle, as well as the addition of Boris Diaw, Tim Duncan‘s been kept to 28.4 minutes a game.  Talk about cray.  Gregg Popovich is now in a situation where he might actually increase the minutes for Duncan and Manu Ginobili, to prepare for their roles in the playoffs.  For entertainment’s sake, I really, really, REALLY hope the postseason matchups stay as they are, though.  Clips-Grizz would be one of the most exciting, physical series of all time.  Blake Griffin can dunk over anyone, but if anyone can contain them, the Memphis bigs could.  Posters galore.  Lakers-Mavs would be a wonderful rematch of last year’s stomping, but a Bynum-Haywood matchup could be problematic for Dallas.  Spurs-Nuggets could be a highlight of the importance of depth, with each team being able to run 3 full squads at an opponent.  The 7-game format would be a dream for those interested in NBA coaching tactics, and George Karl against Pop is as close to the best as we can get in the first round.  The 8th seed is going to get reamed, though.  No question.

DR: Yeah, the fate of whoever lands in 8th has had their fate sealed. I hope Utah can sneak in there, though. The Jazz won their last meeting with the Thunder so that gives me the slightest bit of hope that if they make it to the playoffs they won’t be swept. Tyrone Corbin has done a fantastic job with Utah and should be rewarded with a playoff berth.

As for Memphis, doom and gloom is in the air as they head into the postseason. Marc Gasol hyper extended his left knee on Sunday and the entire city of Memphis is holding its collective breath. He will have an MRI today to determine the severity of the injury. For the sake of Memphis, who I see as a “dark horse” (what a cliché term) in the playoffs, I hope he is going to be able to come back quickly.

TH: Derrick Favors! I still love that kid, but he needs a role with a different team, or they need to get a guard out of one of their bigs.  The Jazz will rocket right back into the playoffs in the next season or two, their front office is too smart.  Which team missing out on the playoffs this season do you think will make it next year?

DR: I honestly feel like it’s the Blazers. They have been a steady playoff team over recent years but they blew it up this year. They are rebuilding and if they can get one or two solid players around LaMarcus Aldridge I don’t see any reason why they should miss out on the playoff party next season.

Also, the Timberwolves are right there. When Ricky Rubio went down you could hear that team’s balloon burst. Everything changed. Their defense collapsed, their offense grew stale. Nothing was working right for them except for Kevin Love. He’s the man. If the NBA had an NIT, these two teams would be a lock for it.

TH: See, I’ve got two possibilities, and they hinge on one signing.  If Steve Nash stays in Phoenix, it will signify some roster moves to improve the team.  Therefore, they’ll be able to make the playoffs.  If they don’t, Nash is gone and they’ll be looking at a major rebuilding.  Which, to be fairly honest, might be the best thing long term for the Suns.  In this very-likely scenario, I like the idea of the Timberwolves next year.  That roster is filled to the brim with underrated talent, and Rick Adelman’s already done wonders.  It’s the funniest goddamned thing that David Kahn actually set up a pretty complete basketball team.  Imagine if we’d told ourselves in 2009 (or 2010, or 2011) that it could all fit together.

DR: Well, the Wolves still have their issues. Michael Beasley still has yet to find a defined role on the team and it looks as though he isn’t even going to get a qualifying offer from Minnesota, so he will be playing elsewhere next season, and Adelman just doesn’t seem to like Darko Milicic. What will be interesting to see is how much Nikola Pekovic can improve his game during the offseason and whether Martell Webster will get a haircut. Above all else, they need to stay healthy. Rubio, Love, Barea, Beasley, Luke Ridnour, Darko, and Pekovic all missed serious time this season. No matter how well the team is playing at any given point, injuries are a team’s death knell.

Maybe David Kahn is craftier than we all thought, or maybe he just got lucky. I’m going with the latter.

As for the Suns, BLOW IT UP.

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by | January 16, 2012 · 12:55 PM

Team USA Finalists Announced

Repeat?

Earlier today the 20 finalists for Team USA were announced. These players will compete for a chance to represent the United States at the Summer Olympics in London. Here is the list:

Guards:

Deron Williams

Chris Paul

Russell Westbrook

Chauncey Billups

Derrick Rose

Kobe Bryant

Eric Gordon

Dwyane Wade

Forwards:

LeBron James

Andre Iguodala

Rudy Gay

Kevin Durant

Carmelo Anthony

Kevin Love

Blake Griffin

Lamar Odom

LaMarcus Aldridge

Chris Bosh

Centers:

Tyson Chandler

Dwight Howard

The vast majority of these players have played for Team USA before. Only Griffin and Aldridge have not suited up in the red, white, and blue.  What will be interesting to see is how these players fare after a brutally compacted season. If anything, the final 12 players selected to play in the Olympics might come down to a matter of health above all else.

From this list of 20 there are clear shoe-ins, most of whom played on the Redeem Team in Beijing. Paul, Rose, Bryant, and Wade are the top guards in the group. Bryant expressed his interest in returning to play for Team USA long ago and Wade has stated that this will be his last run as member of the squad. However, Wade’s future with the national team is up in the air presently as he is out indefinitely with an ankle injury.

As for the forwards, where Team USA is loaded, James, Anthony, Durant, and potentially Love or Bosh will be the main candidates to make the final roster. Bosh is playing exceptionally well this season but his ability to be multidimensional will come into question if he is to make the cut. If head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s philosophy remains the same, Howard will be the only center who makes the final cut. Under Coach K, the national team has become a model of hybridization. 2010′s gold metal team at the FIBA World Championships in Turkey was a pure experiment and subsequently a benchmark for teams composed of hybrid, multi-positional players. That team started Odom at center over Chandler and it worked.

With that in mind, and assuming that none of the “shoe-in” players listed above have health setbacks, there are still three positions left to make the full 12-man roster. Williams, Iguodala, and Aldridge would be, in my opinion, the best choices to round out the squad. Aldridge, because of his size and shooting ability, would serve the team nicely as a power forward/center. Iguodala, who shined in Turkey, should be included for his defense which will lead to transition offense for the team. Williams is easily the most replaceable player that I have mentioned who has a chance at making the roster. It might be wise to go with another rangy, multi-positional forward instead like Gay or even Odom, who can play three positions on the team not including point forward.

Whatever the final makeup of the roster, health allowing, Team USA will be heavy favorites this summer in London. Hopefully, they have another catchy nickname and congeal as a team. I wonder if Bryant will be spotted in the stands at the beach volleyball tournament this time. Let’s hope so.

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by | November 13, 2011 · 5:12 AM

Josh Howard’s Celebrity All-Star Basketball Game

Charity rocks!

Oh, you had better believe we were there, and we live Tweeted it. The NBA is not going on right now, and may not be for quite some time, so we took in the best basketball game our city has seen since game five of the NBA Finals. No, it was not as hype as a playoff game. No, it was not super packed and yes, the game was played on a DISD court, but this is all we have right now and dammit, we enjoyed it.

Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas estimated about 2,000 spectators to be in attendance for the game. However, having tweeted him during the game he might have had that number confused with the amount of three-pointers that Damon Jones took. Seriously, Kevin Durant was just feeding him the ball all night (Russell Westbrook take notice). Honestly, the game could not have been more entertaining. It was a perfect mix of pickup game, meets no defense, meets traveling galore, with sprinkles of flash.

Josh Howard, Nick Young, Andray Blatche (yes, it was a Wizards’ scrimmage essentially), Jarrett Jack, LaMarcus Aldridge, Desanga Diop, Corey Brewer, D.J. Mbenga (in Dallas we still love him), Reggie Evans, Marquis Daniels, Damion James, Jeremy Evans, Anthony Randolph, Trevor Booker, who coached the blue team, Damion Wilkins, Jason Maxiell, Hamady N’Diaye,  and would-be rookie Isaiah Thomas were among the notables playing.

Unfortunately, both Jeremy Evans and Mbenga had to leave the game after both being walloped in the face at one point.

Other than Durant shoveling the ball to Jones on every possession, Young was doing everything in his power to command this game. He was streaking out on the break (there was no transition defense), he was driving the lane (there was no interior defense except for a couple of Diop and Mbenga blocks), and he was knocking down an off-balance outside shot (sometimes). Look, this is what we have and it was fun. Jason Terry and John Wall were in the building as well but they were not dressed out.

Yes, it was sloppy. At one point Durant just tossed the ball out-of-bounds intentionally. It looked as though he may have been going for the off the wall dunk but he missed horribly. He was more concerned about assists on this night. At one point he ran over to the scorer’s table to ask if they were keeping statistics because he wanted to set a personal high in assists. They were not. However, he probably did set that mark.

Without an official score keeper it is safe to say that Damon Jones led all scorers. All of those three-point attempts (and they were plenty) gave him that edge. Yet, his game is boring and he is not even in the NBA anymore.

Howard’s team won the game, despite him not playing in the second half, 139-128.

Thank goodness there were people with Ball is Life t-shirts on there filming the event. The highlights will be posted here when they are available for YouTube embedding, but right now you can view them here. We will post our grainy camera phone pictures on our Tumblr.

After the game was over outside, I shouted at Blatche and Young that I hoped they have a season. Young said that he hoped they did too. Blatche was more occupied by the two women in front of him. Oh, Andre.

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by | April 14, 2011 · 2:26 PM

Western Conference Playoff Predictions: Mavs vs. Trail Blazers

Clash of the titans.

Two of the deepest teams in the NBA will square off in what could prove to be a very emotional series.

3. Dallas Mavericks vs. 6. Portland Trail Blazers

Essentially, this is the matchup that neither team really wants.  Dallas has not beaten Portland since January when things weren’t exactly clicking for the Mavs.  Dirk Nowitzki and Caron Butler were out with injuries and it was one of Dallas’ two wins in 11 games without the big German.  The series was split with both teams winning at their respective homes by the Mavs winning the first two at the AAC and the Blazers finishing it up at the Rose Garden.

The last time the two met was in Portland on April 3 amidst another Maverick’s skid that seemed to define their second half of the season.  Dallas appeared sluggish in what both teams knew but would not admit was priming for the post season.  Both sat at their respective positions in the West at the time but told the media that they were not looking too far into the future.

Portland’s previous win over Dallas was March 15 after the Mavs hosted a loss to the Lakers.  Suffice to say, the Blazers haven’t beaten Dallas in a game when the Mavs were heading full steam ahead.

Marquee Matchup:

LaMarcus Aldridge vs. Dirk Nowitzki

Aldridge has come out of his shell and made a strong case for most improved player this season.  Additionally, he has shown that this is his team as Brandon Roy has settled into a lesser role coming off the bench.  All this does is further increase the depth that Nate McMillan has to work with.  Aldridge has the ability to score really well without a three-point shot at all.  In fact, this native of Dallas has not shot a three all season.  This is especially scary since he’s scored 30 points or more 12 times this season including 40 points against San Antonio on February 1.

Nowitzki is one of the greatest seven-foot shooters of all time.  He can score from essentially everywhere on the court and has developed some better post moves this season.  That is not why Portland should fear him.  This face of an ailing franchise knows that the clock is ticking for both his career and team.  It’s been nothing but disappointment for this All Star and he knows that it’s now or never for the Mavericks.  They proved earlier this season that they can handle the best teams in the league but they slipped.  His injury took the Mavs WAY off course and he knows that it’s going to be up to him to make a successful playoff run for Dallas.

X Factors:

It’s not what he can do to help the Mavs but rather what he can do to hurt them.  All eyes will be on Jason Terry who has been experiencing a bit of frustration on the court as of late.  This sixth man’s hot head could lead to technical fouls, expulsions and even suspensions if it gets out of control.  We saw him punch Michael Finley in the 2006 playoffs and that didn’t help the Mavs out at all.  It’s up to him to turn his frustration into a healthy aggression on the floor that wont lead to fists flying.

Andre Miller had the best game of his career on January 30, 2010 when he lit the Mavericks up with 52 points.  In the first round of last year’s playoffs, he started the series off with a 31-point performance against the Suns.  He can score and run the floor with ease.  The veteran will be key in making sure all of the pieces in Portland fit.  They have a vast array of players of all sizes to throw out on the court including Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby who are two of the most diverse big men in the league.  If Andre has a good series, the Trail Blazers will be seeing the second round.

Predictions:

Portland will win the series in six games.  Dallas will experience another first-round loss to a lesser seed and no one will be surprised.  There are just too many role players on the Blazers for the Mavericks to handle.  They have the luxury of utilizing Roy as a second option, Aldridge is too hot right now, Miller loves to light up the Mavs, Wesley Matthews is not getting talked about at all, Nicolas Batum can defend and Rudy Fernandez is a prick.  Up front, Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood vs. Camby and Wallace will be a good matchup and possibly the best of the series but it wont be enough to sway either team in the right direction.  It’s going to come down to the play of the backcourt.  The Mavs have the spirit but the Blazers have the talent.

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by | February 24, 2011 · 4:50 PM

The NBA Trade Deadline was anything but Dead

Next time you see Perk in the club he will be doing the Thunder Clap

I was away from a computer and Twitter during the final one and a half to two hours before the trade deadline of 2 PM Central Time. When I was finally reconnected with the world of nonstop communication and media my partner here at the Beef sent me this text message, “Bunch of nuts trades went down.” I quickly scrambled to refresh my timeline only to be completely shocked. He was not kidding.

The rundown:

Boston and Oklahoma City

The Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder have orchestrated a deal that sends center Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder along with Nate Robinson in exchange for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic.

This season, Perkins has struggled with injury missing much of the season coming off surgery to his right knee. He has only played in 12 games thus far and is expected to be out for a week again with a sprain in the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Nonetheless, Oklahoma City got the big man they have been craving since they were ousted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs last season.

Currently, the Thunder sit just two and a half games behind the Lakers, who are in third, in the Western Conference standings. This move is clearly a shot at the defending champs who were quiet as the deadline passed. Now the Thunder have a big man who can and has matched up well against the Lakers should the two teams meet again in the playoffs.

On the Celtics end, the trade means that the team has given up all hope of ever beating the Lakers again. Doc Rivers has always said that the Lakers can never beat his starting five when they are all healthy. Now, they have traded away the key member of the starting five that allowed Rivers to make those claims in the first place.

Jeff Green is having his second best scoring season of his short career. His numbers are bound to slip upon his return to Boston, the Celtics drafted him, as he will be placed in a bench role instead of being a starter. However, with it becoming more apparent that Marquis Daniels will likely miss the rest of the season, it was important for Boston to add another reserve perimeter player to their lineup as they coast into the playoffs.

As presently constructed the Celtics’ center rotation looks like a grab bag of hobbled old pieces from formerly great teams that made the NBA Finals in the early 2000s…because it is. Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, and Krstic are all liabilities. Boston clearly must have realized that Miami has a terrible center rotation so they could trade their one good piece away and still compete in the East.

Oklahoma City and Charlotte

The Thunder also made another move to bolster their frontcourt depth before the trade deadline. In a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats, the Thunder acquired Nazr Mohammed in exchange for Morris Peterson and D.J. White (we do not know who he is either).

Charlotte and Portland

In another cost cutting measure from Michael Jordan, the Bobcats have traded versatile defender Gerald Wallace to the Portland Trail Blazers. In return the Bobcats will receive two first round draft picks. Hopefully, Jordan will not squander these draft picks as he has in the past.

Initially, Charlotte had been making a push to acquire Nicolas Batum as part of this trade but the Blazers insisted that he was not on the table at anytime during negotiations. Instead, the team settled for Joel Przybilla and Dante Cunningham (no relation to Richie).

The acquisition of Wallace gives the Blazers a lockdown wing and post defender capable of guarding and playing multiple positions. However, Wallace does not like playing power forward any longer and prefers to play small forward. Luckily for Portland that should not be an issue as they have a capable, to say the least, power forward in LaMarcus Aldridge.

For now, though, the waiting game begins. It is only a matter of time before the curse of the Blazers digs its claws into Wallace, or rather his knees. No one wants to see it happen but there is just something rotten in the water up there.

Phoenix and Houston

Aaron Brooks has had some issues with the Houston Rockets this season. That is putting it lightly. As a result, he is no longer a member of the Rockets. Houston shipped Brooks to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Goran Dragic and a first round draft pick.

Dragic made a name for himself in last years playoffs but has failed to follow up that success with any kind of consistent production as he is shooting a mere 27.7 percent from behind the arc. Yuck.

Houston and Memphis

Can anyone legitimately explain this trade? I mean seriously. Houston needs size in their frontcourt but generally speaking just having a tall guy there does not really mean a whole lot (see: Shawn Bradley). The Rockets traded the defensive minded Shane Battier for the absent-minded Hasheem Thabeet. Yes, the same Thabeet that was the highest draft pick to ever be sent to the D-League.

Well done Houston, only you could think of pairing Yao Ming and Thabeet on the same team. Well done. General Manager Daryl Morey generally does a good job about acquiring talent for his ball club but this has to be the singular low point in Rockets history. However, not all is lost. Houston will also receive a first round draft pick from the Grizzlies. The Rockets also sent Ishmael Smith (who?) to Memphis in the deal.

As for Memphis, they get a proven defender in the wake of losing Rudy Gay, who will be out for at least another three weeks with a dislocated shoulder. The team is gearing up for a playoff push as they sit in the final playoff seat in the West. A veteran like Battier will likely serve as a key contributor and locker room presence as the team looks to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

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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 7, 2011 · 6:38 PM

Overlooked Dallas could prove it’s their conference to rule

Dirk's injury caused Dallas to miss an opportunity to show the West who's the best.

After experiencing their best start in franchise history and having a steady hold of best in the West, teams should be afraid of someone else in the Lone Star State.

The Dallas Mavericks are getting miffed completely by the other team in Texas (and no, we are talking about the Houston Rockets).  This is the best team in the West that isn’t getting talked about for many reasons.

Yes, the Spurs are pretty good.  San Antonio is 42-8 and sits atop the Western Conference standings with a seven game lead over second place.  They are sixth in the league in scoring with 103.9 a game and are committing the fewest personal fouls in the NBA.

In addition, they are doing this in a new system of faster play and more scoring.  Last year, they were 15th in the league in scoring under a system that favored lock-down defense.  They are doing this with Tim Duncan playing less minutes than ever before in his career.  He has only been the leading scorer once this season for the Spurs with only 21 against the Thunder on New Years Day.  Their turnovers are staying down and they are doing it with a core that includes several young players in George Hill, DeJuan Blair and Gary Neal.  Yes, the Spurs look good.

Chicago and San Antonio are the only two teams that have beaten Dallas twice.

Dirk Nowitzki was out in both games.  They went 2-7 without the big German.  Seven losses and yes, it’s the Mavericks holding that second place spot in the West and yes, they are seven games behind them.

We can’t say whether or not the Mavs would be number one in the West if Dirk hadn’t gone down.  But you have to look at the fact that two wins in there against San Antonio would have eaten away at the Spurs lead in the conference.

He did score seven points in his debut back from injury but quickly responded with 32 a few nights later against Detroit and helped guide the Mavs in a win over the Lakers.

It’s ok though that people aren’t talking about Dallas.  It really doesn’t seem to bother this group of players that have known nothing but failure.  No one on this team has a ring and Jason Kidd is the only player on the team that has played in the finals twice (both were losses).

It’s not that the Mavs love losing but let’s be honest, it’s nothing new for some of these guys.  Dallas has only made it out of the first round once since making the finals with three first-round exits against Golden State, New Orleans and San Antonio.

Dallas is really stepping up in big games and it’s going to get them somewhere eventually.  They really showed some grit in their win against the Celtics in Boston last Friday also against the Lakers in Dirk’s third game back from injury.  They won both games without a key component as well.

The Mavs have essentially been playing and winning without the guy that is getting paid to score the second most points on the team.  Without Caron Butler, the Mavs only have two small forwards that can start and that’s Shawn Marion and now Peja Stojakovic.  DeShawn Stevenson is guarding well and shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc (a career best).  He has really emerged into an unlikely role player for Dallas and Tyson Chandler is keeping them fired up as well.

Dallas is going into tonight’s game against Cleveland on an eight-game winning streak.  It will be a nine-game streak by the end of the evening knowing the pathetic Cavs.

Additionally, February is a very easy month for the Mavs.  Aside from one game in Denver on the tenth, they have a very easy road schedule with games in Sacramento, Houston, Washington and Toronto.  They are 5-2 against those teams including Denver and they have beaten all of them except Toronto at least once.  If the Mavs ever loose to the Raptors again this year, the team should be very ashamed.

Meanwhile, the Spurs are slowing down a bit.  They have fallen down to tenth in the league in scoring in their last ten games and experienced a very questionable loss to Portland last Tuesday.  Their starters went 26-58 from the floor and LaMarcus Aldridge dropped 40 points on them.

Dallas can only look forward at this point since they should be very assured by how they have performed this season.  It’s nothing new that no one is talking about the Mavs but one thing is for sure, Dallas will be on a lot of team’s radar come playoffs.

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by | February 2, 2011 · 6:55 PM

The Beef’s All Dallas Team

We built this city...a homegrown basketball team

Here at the Beef we are very proud of our city. It has produced some serious NBA talent over the years. That got us thinking, who are the best players to come from the city that we live in? We have compiled a list, well, actually a team of the best players from our town. The team is composed of players who were either born in Dallas or played their high school ball here. Hopefully you will enjoy our All Dallas Team.

The starting lineup:

Deron Williams – Okay, we know, technically he is from The Colony. But seriously, how many people outside of the Metroplex can even locate it on a map? We annexed him. Williams’ career numbers speak for themselves when it comes to why he gets the starting point duties on the team. He has averaged 17.3 points and 9.1 assists in his five and a half years in the league. His numbers this season are even better than his career averages at 21.9 points per game and 9.4 dimes. Add that to his ability to score from anywhere and his game management and sheer will to win and you can see why he quarterbacks the All Dallas Team.

Willie “The Whale” Naulls – Naulls was listed as a forward/center however at 6’6″ he is the perfect size for a starting shooting guard in today’s NBA. As a member of the Boston Celtics, he contributed to three consecutive NBA championships from 1964-66. For his career he averaged 15.8 points and 9.1 rebounds. Having a two guard who can work in the post is nice. However, having a two guard with three rings is even better. Naulls’ streak of 30 consecutive games of scoring 30 or more points was broken this year by Amar’e Stoudemire.

Grant Hill – There was a time that Hill was considered the second coming of Jordan. That title was thrown around a lot in the late 90s. Injuries sidetracked any hope that Hill was the next chosen one. However, they did not completely derail his career. He has since performed quite well in the league keeping his averages quite respectable. His career numbers are 17.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. A solid three no matter how you look at it, especially if you look at his six seasons in the league with the Detroit Pistons.

LaMarcus Aldridge – If anyone saw his performance against the San Antonio Spurs on February 1 then you know exactly why he is the starting power forward. He smoothly dropped 40 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win over the league’s best team. Aldridge is having his best statistical year this season averaging 21.4 points and nine rebounds. He is a big that can stretch the defense and open up opportunities for the other players to slash and make cuts towards the rim. His two assists per game this season are a testiment to his court vision.

Dennis Rodman – No, Rodman is not a traditional center but who else would you want anchoring your frontcourt than the largest pestering and persistent presence the NBA has ever known? He led the NBA in total rebounding four times over the course of his career. On top of that he led the league in total rebounding average for seven consecutive seasons from 1991-98. That is what a center does, they secure the offensive and defensive glass. He was also a menace on the court getting into the minds of his opponents and then shutting them down with his defense. His career defensive rating is a 100. An added benefit to having him on the team would be his wild antics which the Dallas media would eat up … and probably spit out. What do they know though? “The Worm” has five championships under his belt.

The second unit:

Mookie Blaylock – Again, this is a case of a player from the suburbs (Garland) being annexed onto this team. So sue us. We want Mookie! Blaylock would be the team’s back up point guard and would generally be on the court with Webb in an undersized, albeit, fast backcourt. With a career average of 2.3 steals, Blaylock was crafty on the court. He twice led the NBA in steals per game average. At 13.5 points per game and 6.7 assists he is the perfect complement to back up Williams.

Spud Webb – Everything that Nate Robinson is doing today, Webb was doing better in the 1980s and 90s. Every team need an energetic bench player who can electrify the crowd with his play and especially his dunks. Webb does just that. Everybody roots for the shorter guy on the court going up against the trees. (In Webb’s case he actually did play with a Tree at one point in his career.) His career averages of 9.9 points and 5.3 rebounds are excellent second unit material on the All Dallas Team.

C.J. Miles – Miles is an excellent swingman who complements the uptempo pace that the second unit employs. He is having his best season to date this year with the Utah Jazz. As a reserve for the Jazz this season, Miles is averaging 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. He has the ability to stretch the floor, he is shooting 34.5 percent from behind the arc, as well as finish at the rim. His ability to get out on the break is what makes him important to the second unit.

Darrell Arthur – We continue our trend of undersized position players with Arthur at the four spot. He is in his third year out of Kansas with the Memphis Grizzlies and is having his best statistical year (that seems to be a common thread among active players on this list thus far). This season he is averaging 8.6 points on 51.2 percent shooting and four rebounds in 20 minutes per game.

Kurt Thomas – Thomas is not exactly a center but try telling that to the Chicago Bulls or any of the teams that he has played for over the course of his career. He has been a solid post defender for the majority of his career which has given him staying power in an increasingly young league. His veteran experience and countless playoff appearances make him a no brainer to hold down the paint on the second unit. This season Thomas’ defensive rating is a 97 while he has career averages of 12.2 points per game, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks.

Third unit:

Acie Law – In his short career, Law has managed to play for five different NBA franchises. His career numbers are not spectacular but they do not need to be on this roster as he is essentially the third string point guard. Law narrowly edged out Kevin Ollie for this spot for the simple reason that Law will likely have better numbers by his career’s end than Ollie. However, as of right now they are strikingly similar. This season in 23 games with the Golden State Warriors after being traded by the Memphis Grizzlies, Law is averaging 4.8 points on 47.2 percent shooting to go along with 1.3 assists in 15 minutes per game.

Ricky Pierce – Pierce could have easily made the second unit based on his scoring alone. However, scoring was about the only thing he did. The first two units are composed of more rounded players. At 14.9 points per game over his career while shooting 49.3 percent Pierce can come off the bench and score at will.

Quinton Ross – Ross is the ultimate Dallasite. Not only did he attend Kimball High School but he then went on to play for Southern Methodist University. Can you say fan favorite? We can. He even played on the Mavericks for a brief stint. He has averages of 4.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and one assist over the course of his ongoing career.

Tony Battie – Battie was probably drafted higher than he should have been in 1997 but that is of no concern. He has had a solid career in the NBA as a starter and reserve and he is  exactly suited for a reserve role on the All Dallas Team. He has career averages of 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds.

Greg Ostertag – Every team needs a victory cigar and what better player to have in that role than Ostertag? There was once a time that he was considered a kinda sorta formidable center. But, hey he played in two NBA Finals. He averaged 4.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks for his career.

There you have it, the All Dallas Team. Hopefully you like our selections.

Wait, what is that you said?

“Are you kidding me, don’t you realize who you left off this list?”

Oh, no we did not leave anyone off. We do not care to have fake tough guys on our team. Sorry. Do you really think that Rodman could coexist with a fake tough guy?

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by | January 31, 2011 · 7:37 PM

Lessons Learned… Hopefully

Some may refer to these as the dog days of the NBA season as January comes to an end and the All-Star break approaches.  However, it was a busy weekend in the NBA and there was a lot to be taken away from it.

The Thunder and Heat need to step up

OKC needs to find some D.

Yes, Eddie House hit the game-winning three pointer in Oklahoma City against a worn out Thunder team to seal the Heat’s 108-103 win (he only had five points for the game including that three pointer).

OKC’s previous two games against the terrible Wizards and Timberwolves had both gone into overtime.  However, they still came out with two wins.

On Sunday, they looked tired and it showed in their defense.  Miami shot 52 percent from the floor and they gave up five threes just to the Heat’s bench.  House had one of those threes on a play where Russell Westbrook didn’t even notice him in the corner.

Oklahoma still needs that defensive piece outside of Westbrook and Kevin Durant.  Nick Collison has energy but isn’t going to cut it in when it matters most.  Daequan Cook fouled out and was on the floor way too long (31 minutes).  James Harden had five fouls, which just so happens to be the same amount of points he scored.

Durant chose to run his mouth about Chris Bosh’s toughness after the game but it was the Thunder defense that looked flimsy.  It’s good that he opened his mouth but this team is 21st in the league in points allowed with 102 a game.  They only held three teams to under 100 points in the month of January (The Hornets 91, the Mavericks 99 and the Knicks 98).

However, the Heat were far from perfect.  We are still looking at a team driven by a few players that need to create their own scoring opportunities that often leave the rest of the team out.  Both Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers didn’t seem like either were included in any sort of offensive game plan.

It’s simple: they aren’t passing enough.

The Heat are 27th in league with 19 assists per game and it’s not just LeBron James coming to town.  His Cavs were second in the league last season in assists with nearly 27 a game.

The team decided to start Chalmers over Carlos Arroyo.  Great.  Chalmers is averaging a HUMONGOUS two assists per game.  In addition, Dwayne Wade is not a pass-first point guard and he has a terrible knack for turning the ball over (he had nine on Sunday).

In addition, the Heat would look a lot better if Udonis Haslem was around to help lock down the NBA’s superstars.  Here are just a few players that scored well against the Heat in January.

Kevin Durant- 33

Amar’e Stoudemire- 24

DeMar DeRozan- 30

Derrick Rose- 34

J.R. Smith- 28

LaMarcus Aldridge- 31

Dorell Wright- 30

Tough luck that Haslem is out but they still have over three weeks before the trade deadline.

It’s hard to judge this team for many reasons.  They have built a new system around two marquee players.  It has had its road bumps and there are several wins that essentially only three guys on the team have won for them.  With only three players to play against, a seven-game playoff plan may be pretty easy to develop especially if your name is Doc Rivers…

LA doesn’t mean business

It didn't really work out that well.

The Celtics didn’t just go to Los Angeles and beat the Lakers 109-96.  They went on the road, sealed their twelfth win in January and showed the defending champs whose league it is.  It would have meant something if LA had actually showed up.

Alright, Kobe Bryant scored 41 but none of the other starters showed up.

Ron Artest finished the evening 1-10 from the field with only three points.  It’s not like he was too focused on shutting down Paul Pierce since he managed to drop 32 points on him.

Andrew Bynum might as well have had on camouflage since he was essentially invisible.  We can just go ahead and refer to him as the Cotton Curtain since he wasn’t even able to slow down Glen Davis who managed to take over in the fourth and dropped 13 points in 23 minutes in the game.  Bynum’s five personal fouls almost matched his amount of rebounds at six.  Sad.

This team has nothing to rely on outside of Kobe and that shouldn’t be news to any NBA fans.  The Black Mamba shows this too.  On several key plays, he drove the lane just to find a double or triple team.  His passes turned into missed shots and his frustration turned into bad decisions in the fourth quarter.  Even he seemed to have given up when Rivers handed Nate Robinson the keys to the offense.

They miss Matt Barnes who has been out since early January with a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee.  He has a defensive bite that they need with a worn out Artest.

Everyone knew it would happen: Lamar Odom and Gasol would get worn out.  Bynum isn’t the player they thought he would be and it’s time to realize that.  Steve Blake was essentially a worthless pickup.  The Lakers are another team that are underperforming and for multiple reasons; however, it isn’t too late to make some moves that could help land them another title.

Don’t look back Dallas

Mavs may want to sign Mavs Man in order to increase their scoring.

January was a very forgettable month for the Mavericks.  They lost six straight during the middle of the month with Dirk Nowitzki out with an ankle sprain.  Caron Butler’s knee injury hasn’t helped out either.

They are 23rd in the league in scoring with only 97 a game and their 102-91 win over the Hawks shouldn’t get fans too excited.  Atlanta has been streaky all season and they have lost to both the Bucks and Nets twice this season.

Dallas misses its scoring.  Butler was bringing in 15 points a night and only Jason Terry seems to be filling in the void in scoring.  The team decided not to resign Sasha Pavlovic and Shawn Marion will have to step into the starting role.

In addition, Nowitzki needs to get back to form.  He has only been scoring an average of 19 a night since returning from injury.  He has only scored over 20 points twice since returning (32 against Detroit and 23 against the Nets).

The Mavs need more scoring but it doesn’t seem like they really want it.

Tyson Chandler, DeShawn Stevenson, J.J. Barea, Brian Cardinal and Butler are all approaching expiring contracts.  Mark Cuban’s mouth has remained essentially shut aside from stating that Roddy Beaubois is untradeable.

Why? Who knows…

Robby B hasn’t played a game all season due to a bad ankle that he broke again somewhere in there.  He was supposed to come back in November.  It’s February and we still have yet to hear when he will return.

It really doesn’t look like the Mavs will make the necessary move to really compete come playoff time.  What they are doing right now will not get them very far.

There are several lessons to take from this past weekend.  Moves need to be made and game plans need to be changed.  It’s simple to write about and criticize their problems but these teams need to take action in order for anything to change.  The answers are in their hands but only they can do something about it.

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