Tag Archives: Steve Blake

by | March 22, 2012 · 6:10 PM

Is Ramon Sessions breakout bound?

Stealing that extra bow

I have always been a fan of Ramon Sessions since his days in Milwaukee and his one odd and humdrum year in Minnesota. I remained a fan as career stagnated in Cleveland post LeBron, though his numbers were quite good during his first season with the Cavaliers. Better than those of Brandon Jennings in 2010-11, for comparison. Now, Sessions finds himself on one of the most storied franchises in NBA history and he is primed for a breakout moment. The moment I have long been waiting for. The moment to leap into the spotlight and get the attention he deserves. Or at the very least the 15 minutes Andy Warhol guaranteed him.

Though his game is at times methodical and probing, knowing when to and where to get the ball to his teammates, he has flashes of quickness and swagger, pulling up for an open, timely, three or driving the lane in order to collapse a defense and find the open man. In his short time with the Lakers, just four games totaling 100 minutes played, Sessions has shot a whopping 56.7 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from behind the 3-point arc, both of which, if they maintain present form, would blow away his previous highs in these categories (though that is unlikely based on the rule of averages). He has done all this to the tune of 17.3 points per 36 minutes. Yes, it is an incredibly small sample size and he is only playing an average of 25 minutes off the bench, so take everything with a grain of salt, but something has certainly clicked with Sessions and his new team.

The Honeymoon period is always is always a forgiving time, though. Look at the Knicks since Mike D’Antoni left: they haven’t lost. But Sessions has shown these flashes of brilliance in the past. He showed the same prowess once he became a starter to finish the 2008-09 season in Milwaukee and last season in Cleveland. This is more than just a grace period. This is Sessions melding into an offense, and team, he is comfortable with.

His average of six assists per contest further illustrate that point. This was most apparent in the Lakers’ win against a depleted Mavericks team on Wednesday night. Sessions totaled nine assists during that contest, 36 percent of the team’s assists for the evening. Since joining the team, he has tallied 27 percent of the team’s dimes and 41.8 percent of them while he is on the court. His effort is paying dividends for the Lakers’ offense as a whole. Zack Lowe of SI.com expands on just that:

…in the 100 minutes Sessions has played, the Lakers have scored 114 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would lead the league by a mile, according to NBA.com’s stats tool. The Lakers have been more efficient in just about every way possible during those 100 minutes…

With Sessions at the helm, Mike Brown‘s offense is finally making some headway. Lowe continues stating that the Lakers are also shooting more three-pointers with Sessions on the court, but this is largely do to his expended play with the second unit that does not consist of the Laker bigs looming in the post, where the ball is likely headed on many offensive sets.

Again, despite my wishful thinking, this is only the smallest of sample sizes. If they were to predicate a trend it would be a phenomenal one. Nonetheless, it has put Sessions on the map, being in L.A. has helped but his performance is what has made him note worthy and far more viable than any of the other point guards that Los Angeles has employed this season. No one is talking about Andrew Goudelock, after all.

Maybe it is too early to declare a breakout for Sessions. Maybe my dreams will have to wait. Whatever the case, he has certainly made the Lakers a scarier team. I have no doubt that he will secure the starting point guard role before season’s end as Steve Blake has been a shell of whatever he once was. There is obviously still a learning curve for Sessions with his new team and Mike Brown will likely keep him in a reserve role until he feels that Sessions has a solid grasp of the offense. That is understandable.

This is Sessions moment. Now is the time my oddly self-serving desire to see him explode onto the national scene can be realized. The interesting thing is, with Sessions, he does not even need to be stellar. All he needs to do is perform well in a major market with consistency. At least then the casual fan will understand the impact he can have on the game, they will understand that he is a solid player capable of running the offense on a playoff team. No, he isn’t Derrick Rose or Chris Paul but he doesn’t need to be. A breakout for Sessions is the notoriety that he deserves. Through four games he just may have gained it.

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by | May 5, 2011 · 9:11 AM

They Are Who No One Thought They Were

Take dat wid chu.

The city of Los Angeles is in shock and it is not because of a botched breast augmentation or one too many injections of Botox. No, it is because their team, the team they depend on so that they can be seen on national television, the Los Angeles Lakers are down 2-0 in a best of seven series with the Dallas Mavericks. Not only are they down 2-0 but the two games they lost were at the Staples Center. Right now the best thing the Staples Center has going for it is Youtube highlights of Blake Griffin, who just won rookie of the year.

This is the first time the two franchises have met in the playoffs since 1988 and the series has lived up to its billing, for one team at least. The Dallas Mavericks came back from a 16 point deficit in the first game of the series to win 96-94. This victory due to their extended bench which outscored the Lakers’ reserves 40-25. Phil Jackson was not overly thrilled about the developments in game one and went as far as emulating his star play in saying that he, and his team, was “worried.”

Kobe Bryant had said, after the Lakers game one loss, that he (I am paraphrasing here) was worried, and that the Maverick could beat the Lakers. Yes, Bryant is talking about the same Lakers that were a shoe-in to three-peat yet again. Bryant is also talking about the team with the most feared frontcourt outside of Dwight Howard. These are the Lakers, are they not? They are lords over the Western Conference (when the San Antonio Spurs are out of the equation), right? Who can possibly beat them?

The Dallas Mavericks.

Early on in game two, head coach Rick Carlisle set the tone. It wasn’t anything Marv Albert and Steve Kerr picked up on instantly, but it created an arena in which the Mavericks could operate on their terms.

Carlisle controlled the matchups. It was obvious to see from the start. When he went small and Dallas extended the lead, Phil Jackson was forced to adjust. Carlisle and Jackson have met before in the playoffs. Jackson got the best of him the first time they met. But, can one really say that when the team Jackson had before was a Bryant/Shaquille O’Neal team? No. That was the equivalent of Jordan/Pippen in 2000-03. It cannot be ignored, but it cannot be ignored in the same manner as Barry Bonds’ single season home run record cannot be ignored.

Phil Jackson and his Lakers had no answer in game two. Bryant provided and answer occasionally, but that was only to keep his team close. Close is never good enough, though.

The Dallas Mavericks played their tempo throughout the game. It would be easy to say that 40 of the 48 minutes were dominated by Dallas. The Lakers were lethargic and could not contend with a superior opponent. Los Angeles is not used to an opponent who can match them physically in the frontcourt. They have had a cakewalk to the finals the past few season. Now, they have a test. Now, they are losing.

Here at the Beef, especially this author, we love Ron Artest. However, we love him more in a pinstriped Indiana Pacers’ jersey than we ever could in purple and gold. In this series, he is little more than a distraction. The media will always want to remember him as the protagonist of the Malice in the Palace. That is not who he is any longer, though. He is still Ron Artest (and will potentially be suspended for game three), but Tony Allen has stolen his title in terms of defensive will and tenacity on the court.

Artest has become a non-factor  in this series. Who can he legitimately guard? Dirk Nowitzki can shoot over him and Shawn Marion can drive by him. He is out of place. The only player that he can flummox anymore is Peja Stojakovic and that is only because it is not difficult to defend a spot-up shooter. Yet, that is not to say that Stojakovic cannot get by Artest using the dribble. As he did so in both games.

Dallas controlled just about every aspect of game two. No, scratch that, they won the game handily and therefore controlled the game throughout. Even when the Lakers gained the lead, for the fleeting moments that they did, it did not appear as they had any semblance of control on the game. Dallas was making a statement, and that statement came from Würzburg, Germany.

Nobody in the NBA can guard Nowitzki. His off-legged jumper is something that will go down in the annals of NBA history as something that can never be duplicated. Charles Barkley said that when you guard Nowitzki you need a cigarette and a blindfold. Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Ron Artest have masked their eyes and are presently smoking. What Nowitzki has done would be incomprehensible had we not seen him execute his offense to perfection for the past 13 season. Even though we have seen it before, it is not any less remarkable and is still spectacularly difficult to defend.

The Mavericks have always been considered a soft, jump shooting team. Fair enough, they were. But ask the Lakers if that is what they are currently. Dallas has grown, not only in size but in toughness. Tyson Chandler has changed the mentality in Dallas.

Los Angeles’ lauded big men have met their match through two games in the Western Conference Semi Finals. Andrew Bynum has not played like the young, overhyped center that some mistakenly believed he was, but more like the young, oversized player who is not used to taking on a challenge equal in stature to himself.

Dallas has big men to match the Lakers. When Chandler is on the court, Bynum’s numbers drop. He has only averaged 12.8 points and has an efficiency rating of -7.2. That rating is indicative of the Mavericks’ defensive resolve thus far in the series.  It is not just Chandler who is giving Bynum fits, as he is no longer swiping at the ball and instead holding his ground and not committing the foul. Along with Chandler, Brendan Haywood has also stepped up to become an unsung hero of the playoffs for the Mavericks as well.

With Haywood on the floor, Bynum’s rebounding numbers drop from 11.4, in the two games, to 8.6. His overall efficiency sees a decline as well from 1.1 to -17.1. Added to that is the fact that, through this series so far, Haywood has been accountable for every block the Mavericks have recorded while he is on the floor. Mark Cuban paid the money for a two-headed beast in the middle and that beast is dominating the defending champions.

The Mavericks are still a jump shooting team, however. This has worked against them in the past, but not so far against the Lakers. Taking the ball into the teeth of the Lakers’ defense is exactly what Los Angeles baits their opponents into doing. The Mavericks are stubborn. They still remember that Don Nelson taught them (the ones he coached at least) that the best shot is a jump shot. Only this Dallas team does not rely entirely on it.

In the two games against the Lakers, the Mavericks have employed and offense predicated on ball movement. Sure, occasionally Jason Terry holds the ball for too long and is forced into a low percentage shot but the Lakers have yet to fully capitalize on such situations. Dallas knows that driving into the paint against the Lakers is folly to an extent. But they must do it anyway. It opens up passing lanes and, as game two displayed, it leaves perimeter shooters such as DeShawn Stevenson and Stojakovic open.Three-point shooting has been key for the Mavericks thus far.

When the Mavericks do capitalize in the paint it is with J.J. Barea. So far the Los Angeles has yet to check him. In fact, they never will. Barea’s speed on the court is something that no Laker can contend with. Shannon Brown will be a step or two behind him and wholly out-of-place in terms of defensive positioning. It is testament to Barea’s courage that he competes for the same ground  on the floor that Bynum and Gasol feel is their birthright to defend. Having Steve Blake guard Barea is laughable at best right now.

The Dallas Mavericks learned from Brandon Roy. Roy torched them and lead his Portland Trail Blazers to victory in game four of the opening round, thereby tying the series 2-2. People doubted the Mavericks’ resolve. Portland never won another game in that series. Now, Dallas is on a four game win-streak. Most everyone had them written off on six in the first round but , surprise, these are not the old Dallas Mavericks. This is a team who has won four in a row and three straight on the road. Doubt them no longer.

Yes, the Mavericks have been up 2-0 before, but this time it is different. This time there will be no phantom calls that Stern calls down to his minions. Oh yes, the Lakers will fight. They must and Bryant will spearhead their assault. But, what can they do at this point? They have yet to get a meaningful stop, they are getting out coached, and Nowitzki is playing as if his defenders were rag dolls. This is Dallas’ series to win. The Lakers, after years of coasting through the Western Conference Playoffs, have finally met their match. Dallas has stung the champs and Los Angeles will not recover.

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by | February 2, 2011 · 1:21 PM

Ron Artest Wants Out of L.A.

Departing days are here again?

Ron Artest, who helped the Los Angeles Lakers claim yet another Larry O’Brien Trophy last summer, is apparently unhappy with is role on the defending champions this season. Now, as Marc Stein of ESPN reports, it seems that Artest would not mind being shipped off in a deal to shake up the Lakers’ roster.

It comes as no surprise that Artest is unhappy in his role with the Lakers this season. He has declines almost straight across the board this season as well as a decline in minutes played. Stein points out that Artest played only 5.5 seconds, yes, seconds, in the fourth quarter and overtime combined in the Lakers’ recent victory over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers employed a three guard lineup during much of that time.

There has been rumbling recently by Lakers’ General Manager Mich Kupchak that L.A. needs to make a trade to shake up the team chemistry and get spur some life back into the team. Everyone in Lakerland has heard the rumblings and Artest sees and opportunity.

Artest’s main issues with the Lakers, Stein states (he calls them “beefs” and we are in full support of that term), are:

1. He’s weary of being scapegoated for the team’s struggles and feels that he’s destined to always absorb the bulk of the blame no matter what happens because [Phil] Jackson and [Kobe] Bryant are so dependent on the more glamorous contributions of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom and will never publicly go after regal Laker lifer Derek Fisher.

2. As we heard at various points during his stops in Indiana, Sacramento and Houston, Artest is eventually going to squawk if he’s being marginalized in the offense, which inevitably disengages him from his defensive responsibilities. (Relegated “to the corner shot” is the way Daniel Artest described it — except that he said “regulated” and surely meant “relegated.”)

Moving Artest would be hard, however. He currently has $22 million over three years left on his contract. It would be risky for any team to take on that much salary with the CBA looming. Artest is also 31 years old which would put him at 34 by the time his contract is over and with the decline in production that he has seen this season it would make any team hesitate to take a chance on him.

One thing is certain, cohabitation between Artest and the Lakers no longer seems possible. Are there teams out there who will look at the realistic possibility of bringing Artest into their program? Absolutely. However, that does not mean that anything will actually transpire. A small forward with a reputation for defense and who has won it all will always be a coveted commodity.

Artest is not the only problem that the Lakers face. Point guard play on the team is atrocious. Fisher, of the players who sees the most court time, turns the ball over second most, in terms of percentage, behind Odom. He turns the ball over almost as much as he is involved in an offensive play. Also, Fisher knows how to spell every opposing point guards’ last name as is always looking at their back as they blow by him. As for Steve Blake, well, let us just say that has not panned out so far or at all.

The Lakers have issues. Anyone who has watched them recently knows that. If is that reason that Kupchek has been so public about his trade talk even if it is just a feign. For now, though, Artest will likely have to sit on the bench, in the shadows of the personalities around him, on a team with glaring holes.

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by | November 12, 2010 · 1:39 PM

Beef Stew: Nuggets of hope and a hot Boston team

Beefy

It was a pretty busy evening in the NBA last night with two marquee teams taking the stage against worthy conference opponents.  Sounds like the perfect ingredients for some Beef Stew.

LA looses the perfection

The Lakers walked into Denver last night with an 8-0 record.  They had been playing a very heightened level of basketball to start the season with their newly acquired players adding depth and their starters showing their teeth.

Denver had other plans though last night.

The battered Nuggets, down 93-85 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, turned up the heat and began shooting lights out.  J.R. Smith hit a 3-pointer with just 4:12 left in the game that sparked an 11-0 run that inevitably handed the Lakers their first loss of the season.

Pau Gasol is showing that not all Spaniards are soft.

A shootout pursued throughout the fourth but Denver landed more shots with Smith’s causing both an end to the tiebreak but also sparking life in their defense.  Carmelo Anthony finished the game with 32 points but had a block over Pau Gasol late in the game that really got the home crowd into the game.  A series of poor shot choices is eventually what killed the Lakers as well.

Denver is a scary team that is about to get better.  Nene is finally back and had a good game with 18 points and five rebounds.  He played the entire fourth quarter with five personal fouls but did not get that sixth.  Ty Lawson and Smith led the bench with a combined 30 points.

However, Denver is far from healthy with both Chris Anderson and Kenyon Martin out.  When they return, Sheldon Williams will return to the bench but not after receiving a lot of valuable playing time to start this season off.  Their return will add to the depth that is already present in Denver.  In addition, they will allow George Karl to throw a lot more at opponents from all angles of the court.  It could be very scary.

The Lakers shouldn’t be worried about this loss and knowing Phil Jackson, they aren’t.  They came in and matched their season average in points and got production from their stars.  It’s going to be a long season for LA and a lot of teams are going to learn how to beat them.  They weren’t going to stay perfect and a loss will help Jackson work out the kinks in his rotation.  Remember, this team was retooled with two new players in Steve Blake and Matt Barnes.  In addition, Shannon Brown is looking like he could earn a solid role in this rotation.  Before last night, they had only played two teams that even made the playoffs last season (Phoenix and Portland).

Anytime Denver and LA meet it’s a fun game.  Last night did not break from the trend.  The Nuggets are going to be dangerous when they are all healthy.  LA is going to be good but still experience some losses that they will learn from.

Can Miami contend?

The Boston Celtics are officially the fire extinguisher of the NBA with their achievement of being the first team to beat the Three Amigos of South Beach twice.  Actually, it’s really not looking like much of an achievement at all.

Miami came into last night’s game with only one win over a team that finished last season over .500 and that was Orlando which has its own set of problems.  Now, they are looking at back-to-back losses to Utah and now Boston.

Again, there are two storylines.

Boston is a good basketball team.  They were last season, they were the season before that and just because LA won the title and Miami loaded up doesn’t mean that they are just going to fade.  Their blue-collar style of ball is built for a long NBA season and the players are figuring out their rolls.  Doc Rivers has let Kevin Garnett that he is to defend, Ray Allen is to decrease his shots and that it is Rajon Rondo’s team to run.  He is no longer the player with searching puppy eyes looking for Rivers to tell him what plays to run.  He is playing with veteran confidence and racking up nearly 15 assists per game (last night he had 16).

Looks like Boston can stand the Heat

In addition, the Celtics will have the opportunity to retool when Kendrick Perkins returns and they no longer have to rely on Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal for big minutes.  When they rotate to positions off of the bench, Rivers will be able to put them both up against opposing second rotations.  Most teams don’t have the kind of depth that they have at the center position and it will allow them to grind and wear down their opponents.

Then it’s the Heat.

Where to begin in Miami?  First, it’s three players surrounded by garbage.  They need not to look further than Boston to see how a championship team is born.  It needs to have a mix of All Stars and workhorses.  There are no gritty players in Miami that are willing to take the charge.  Instead, they are relying on a limited amount of players to show up big and carry the rest of the team.

Carlos Arroyo started at the point last night.  He didn’t have one assist.  Joel Anthony started at center and he didn’t have a single rebound.  Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James combined for 58 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists.  Outside of Udonis Haslem’s 21 points and 10 rebounds, no one else really showed up for the game.  The big three will not be working on all cylinders every game and with essentially no one else on the team worth sneezing at, they wont win.

The other problem is LeBron.  He hustles and plays well but does not have a knack for making those around him better.   He simply takes too many shots and doesn’t seem to trust the players around him at all to lead them to victory.  When those players around you are Bosh and Wade, it could spell out problems now and later.

We all saw what he had to work with in Cleveland and right now it really isn’t much better.  In fact, last season’s Cavs team was put together a lot better than this Heat team and actually played together very well.  The chemistry just isn’t there in Miami and we have yet to see if it forms.  As of now, it looks like they are the exception to the load-up affect that worked in LA and Boston.

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by | November 9, 2010 · 12:59 PM

Power Rankings

It's good to be undefeated

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

1. Los Angeles Lakers (7-0)

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

2. New Orleans Hornets (6-0)

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

3. Boston Celtics (6-2)

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

4. Atlanta Hawks (6-2)

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

5. Miami Heat (5-2)

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

6. Orlando Magic (5-1)

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

7. Denver Nuggets (4-3)

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

8. Portland Trail Blazers (5-3)

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

9. Dallas Mavericks (4-2)

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

10. San Antonio Spurs (5-1)

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

11. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3)

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

12. Memphis Grizzlies (4-4)

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

13. Utah Jazz (3-3)

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

14. Phoenix Suns (3-4)

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

15. Chicago Bulls (3-3)

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

16. Golden State Warriors (5-2)

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

17. New York Knicks (3-3)

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

18. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-3)

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

19. Sacramento Kings (3-3)

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

20. Milwaukee Bucks (2-5)

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

21. Houston Rockets (1-5)

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

22. Philadelphia 76ers (2-5)

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

23. Indiana Pacers (2-3)

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

24. Detroit Pistons (2-5)

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

25. Los Angeles Clippers (1-6)

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

26. New Jersey Nets (2-4)

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

27. Washington Wizards (1-4)

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

28. Charlotte Bobcats (1-6)

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

29. Toronto Raptors (1-6)

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

30. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-6)

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

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by | October 28, 2010 · 9:37 PM

Beef Stew

So beefy

After three days of NBA action there are a few storylines worth noting that are not from south Florida (you can read about ‘them’ everywhere else). With that, we bring you our first installment of a new segment: Beef Stew. This segment will be an assortment piece in which we discuss various issues, musings, and teams from around the league all in one article. We have done this before, but with the new season upon us we decided upon a snazzy new name. Please enjoy.

Hope in Clipperland?

Blake Griffin is the real deal. Clippers fans have waited a whole season to see their top draft pick in regular season action. Was the wait worth it? Well, they could have used him last year but they are sure happy to have him this season. He did not disappoint in his opening game. Griffin’s first points of his career came off a monster flush. He made it a habit of dunking regularly throughout the game even against Marcus Camby and LaMarcus Aldridge who guarded him at times. Griffin finished his evening with 20 points and 14 rebounds, nine of which were offensive. (Seriously, nine offensive rebounds!) He also chipped in four dimes and a steal. Not a bad night, huh? Looks like the Clippers finally have something going for them. Let’s see how fast Donald Sterling can mess this up.

Show me some Love

Kevin Love is good, real good. (Are we beating a dead horse yet?) Yes, yes, we write about Love extensively here at the Beef, but we have reasoning behind it. He is the best player on Minnesota’s hodgepodge roster. Therefore, it is easy to see that he should see his minutes increase over last season especially with Al Jefferson no longer being on the team. Apparently, Kurt Rambis is blind, dumb, or just stupid. Love recorded less than twenty-four minutes of game time in the Timberwolves season opener and sat the final eight and a half minutes. Rambis played Anthony Tolliver over Love for the majority of the game because of Tolliver’s defense, which allowed Carl Landry to score with almost the same ease. Love recorded a double-double with 11 points and ten rebounds in his limited role. This is an interesting occurrence as this was supposed to be Love’s year to lead the team but his head coach apparently does not agree. If this keeps up the relationship between Love and the Timberwolves could grow as cold as a Minnesota winter. KAAAHHN…err, RAAAMBIS! (Love is blogging for GQ this season. Check it out.)

When men get engaged, they lose a lot…of minutes

Sasha Vujacic is going to see a decreased role on the Los Angeles Lakers this season. Lakers’ fans, rejoice! You know what this means? It means the Lakers have a better bench than the mess of mediocrity they had last season. With Steve Blake and Matt Barnes coming to Los Angeles and Shannon Brown seeing an increased role behind a banged up Kobe Bryant, minutes are scarce for Vujacic. Do not feel bad for him, though. His consolation is being engaged to Anna Kournikova. Poor guy.

Magic Moments or Hitting the Wall

Did you know that Florida has more than one NBA team? Orlando sure does. The Magic rudely interrupted John Wall’s first regular season game with a walloping of the Washington Wizards. No, seriously, this one was ugly. Stan Van Gundy emptied his bench early in the fourth quarter with Orlando up 30. Ouch. Unfortunately, Van Gundy still has no idea how to use the talents of Brandon Bass. Couldn’t he find minutes for him in a blowout? You would think so. But, he didn’t. A win is a win and Orlando likes them in whatever fashion they arrive. Consider this a wakeup call to the boastful bunch from Dade. Wall finished the game with 14 points, nine assists, and three steals but was an atrocious 6-19 shooting.

Melo-man Madness

Yeah, Carmelo Anthony still wants to leave Denver. What else is new?

Technicalities

This season, the NBA has made it an emphasis to call a lot of technical fouls. It is like David Stern sees every player through Rasheed Wallace goggles (similar to drunk goggles). So far 16 technicals have been called (through the end of the Magic-Wizards game, at least) this season in a mere three days of play. If the league were a player it would be suspended for a game. The NBA suspends a player for a game once they accrue 16 technical fouls. From that point onward, every technical foul a player receives results in a suspension.

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by | October 16, 2010 · 10:39 AM

Roster Depth…Who needs It?

Each of these players has more rings than LeBron James

When it comes to team depth, it seems like the average NBA fan is all too ready to dismiss the notion as pure folly. They seem to feel that it is entirely irrelevant. The most common example they bring up is that depth does not win championships. It seems to them that the combination of two to three strong players (I’ll use some examples that were put in front of me by someone else: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe and Pau Gasol) and a role player or two and you can pretty much guarantee a championship. Signed, sealed, delivered, it is yours. Frequently, those who hold this belief puff up their chests and issue a challenge to prove them wrong. Well, lucky for them. I am always good for a well natured challenge and giving them that example is exactly what this article intends to do. First, however, the issue of roster depth must be addressed appropriately.

The Los Angeles Lakers have won their second title in a row and head into the 2010-11 season as favorites once more. In each of those championship runs, the Lakers rotation was sliced to six players essentially. Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest (2009-10), Trevor Ariza (2008-09), Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum were the key cogs that turned the gears of this team. In each of the championship runs the Lakers were paced by Bryant and Gasol with Odom in 2009 and Artest in 2010 logging the third most minutes. Only in 2009, when Ariza played slightly fewer minutes than Odom, was there not a dramatic fall off in the number of minutes played between the “role player” and the rest of the team. Interestingly enough, Bynum was essentially the sixth man, in terms of minutes played, on each of those playoff teams. (Can we call him a bust yet? I will.) There you have it. This is the argument that everyone makes when it comes to roster depth. You do not need it. Look at what the Lakers have done recently and you can see their point. Ah, but not so fast.

This off season, Los Angeles (not the Clippers) was sitting high and Kobe Bryant was simply sitting to rest his knee, heal his finger, ice down his body, and take pain medication. Yeah, he is beat up. Despite the fact that the team had just won its second straight championship with virtually the same roster, Artest and Ariza being the only difference, the Lakers did not seem content to try it again without making changes. So what did they do? They went out and added depth to their roster. “GASP! No, say it is not so! How can we, the Lakers faithful, who have exclaimed from on high that roster depth is a pointless pursuit come to terms with the fact that our team feels differently. Woe is us for our eyes and ears have been deceived. Oh, Zen Master, what did we do wrong to deserve such a cruel fate?”

Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, and Theo Ratliff were brought in and are all blatant roster upgrades over the likes of Jordan Farmar and Didier Ilunga-Mbenga. (No offense to Mbenga, I love that guy. But Farmar should take complete offense.) The Lakers kept Shannon Brown around, signing him to a two-year deal his offseason but will likely see his playing time dip with all the new additions. So why, if a small rotation wins championships, did the Lakers reload their bench. Simply put, their bench was terrible over the past two seasons. Awful, truly awful. Phil Jackson knew it, why do you think he played his starters so much? Sure they are good, but they need to rest at times. The bench was a liability and hurt the Lakers as a whole.

Donkey and Shrek

Look at last year’s finals, it is the perfect example of why roster depth is important. The Boston Celtics were much deeper than the Lakers were and they used it to their advantage. (“But the Lakers won so any point you are trying to make is invalidated.”) The series would not have lasted seven games if it was not for Boston’s bench. Game four is a perfect example of why bench play is important to a team. Boston’s bench doubled the point production of the Lakers’ reserves as they were led by Glen Davis and Nate Robinson. Davis contributed nine points in the fourth quarter which helped to stem a Lakers surge and secure victory for the Celtics thereby tying the series at two games apiece. Yes, the Celtics lost the series eventually, mostly because Kendrick Perkins went down in game six with a torn PCL and MCL, but their bench played a key role in the series unlike the Lakers bench. Depth improves a team.

So where is my example of a team that won a championship with an extended rotation? “Ha, you haven’t found one, have you? I knew it. What a blowhard. This guy over here doesn’t know anything about basketball. I don’t even know why I take time to read this stupid blog anyway. Pssh, I’m gonna go read the latest Bill Simmons and John Hollinger articles. At least those guys know what they are taking about. Get ready for another Lakers’ three-peat. Lakers rule!” Well, now that most of you have probably stopped reading, I can get to the team that defies this notion that depth wins nothing.

They did not need to worry when their starters sat

As a Mavericks fan, I write what I am about to write only because it proves my point. If it were not for that I could never bring myself to do such a thing as this or even admit to having knowledge of it. During the playoffs in 2007, the San Antonio Spurs used not only their star power, but also their overwhelming depth to beat every team they faced on route to a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals. Did they have a better starting five than the Cavaliers? Yes. With LeBron James worship reaching more demigod proportions everyday it would seem hard that a team could beat the chosen man-child. That being said, a better starting five will always have the advantage in the playoffs. Nonetheless, depth still helps.

Unlike the previous two Lakers championships, the Spurs in 2007 do not have a significant drop off in minutes or games played. Instead they have a steady, calculated decline with a complement of ten players receiving quite a bit of playing time. Jacque Vaughn played in all 20 of the Spurs playoff games totaling 208 minutes for an average of 10.4 minutes a game. Only Matt Bonner and Beno Udrih saw less playing time than Vaughn. Contrast that with last year’s Lakers, Jordan Farmar played in all 23 of their postseason games logging 301 minutes for an average of 13.1 minutes per game. Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic, Josh Powell, Adam Morrison, and Mbenga all saw less playing time than Farmar. Both of these players were their team’s respective back up point guards. The Spurs depth simply out classed each of their opponents, having only seen a six game series once, against Utah, on their way to the championship. Ten of the Spurs’ 12 players played in at least 18 games with eight playing in all 20. Eight of the Lakers’ players from last season appeared in all 23 of their playoff games; however, five of them only appeared in 16 or fewer of them.

Yes, rotations get shorter in the post season. It only makes since for a coach to play his best players more so that the team performs at a higher level when the stakes are greatest. This is a no brainer. Nor should Josh Powell be expected to play near as many minutes as Kobe Bryant. This is not what I am trying to say. What I am stating is that the Spurs team in 2007 breaks the argument that roster depth does not mean a thing in the playoffs. They proved that it does. Yes, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan logged the most minutes on the team but they were not forced to play 40 or more minutes a game because they had help coming off the bench who could maintain the same level of pressure on an opponent without any catastrophic decline in the team’s overall performance on the court.

Is the standard championship model based on the superstar, his sidekick, and a role player or two. For now it appears to be that way. This level of thinking is amateurish, though. The Spurs proved that in 2007. No, my example does not squash the two star player championship combination but it proves that an extended rotation is more valuable than it is generally believed. Ignoring the benefits of roster depth is to fail to grasp the entire point of a roster at all. Basketball is a team game no matter how much the media focuses on individual players. The Lakers are not about Kobe Bryant, they are about the triangle offense in which the team plays. There is absolutely every reason for a general manager to sign players who can come off the bench and replace starters while helping improve the quality of the team. This is why the Lakers signed Blake, Barnes, and Ratliff. (I think the Ratliff signing was in part because they expect Bynum to continue to underachieve and remain perennially injured.) It is why teams like Dallas signed Tyson Chandler. They do not want to see a performance dropoff when their starters leave the floor. A good second unit is a valuable thing to have, especially during the regular season when they can help you get wins to secure seeding in the playoffs.

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by | October 8, 2010 · 2:57 PM

Beefy Power Rankings

The preseason is underway and it’s time to rank these teams accordingly.  There are some obvious picks in the mix but there will be some surprises this season.  It’s our power rankings.

1. The Miami Heat

This is a no brainer.  Imagine the Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen signings happening 10 years before they did.  A mixture of three All-Stars built behind Pat Riley’s ego doesn’t spell CHAMPIONSHIP.  It spells DYNASTY.

2.  The Los Angeles Lakers

The defending champions will have the ability to compete for another title as long as Kobe Byrant Stays healthy.  The acquisition of Matt Barnes gives this defense a lot more bite and they finally have a backup point guard in Steve Blake.

3.  The Dallas Mavericks

They may be a little too high on this for some people but we need to consider how they faired after last season’s trade with Washington.  They have had an entire offseason to mold together as a team and their best pickup of free agency, Tyson Chandler, is coming off a gold performance with team USA.

4.  The Orlando Magic

Even though Stan Van Gundy can no longer sport those turtlenecks, the Magic will contend.  Yes, they lost a good defender in Barnes but their contract with Vince Carter expires at the end of the season and he could be very valuable trade bait.  If they could compete last year, they should compete yet again this season.

5.  The Oklahoma City Thunder

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both coming off of a great summer with team USA.  Their leadership has grown exponentially and we expect it to show on the court.  There will be thunder in Oklahoma City.

6.  The Boston Celtics

Age has always been this team’s Achilles heal and the Shaquille O’Neal signing didn’t make them any younger.  Rajon Rondo proved that he is one of the best point guards in the league last season.  Jermaine O’Neal will give some more depth to the frontcourt but Ray Allen and Paul Pierce need to prove their worth yet again.

7.  The Chicago Bulls

The Bulls had probably one of the most impressive offseasons outside of Miami.  Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer alone will improve the depth on this fairly young squad.  Tom Thibodeaou’s defensive mindset will work well in Chicago and Derrick Rose is proving to be a top player in the league.

8.  The Phoenix Suns

Last season’s Western Conference Playoffs were a definite surprise for everyone.  After losing Amar’e Stoudemire, don’t expect the Suns to stumble.  Hakim Warrick will score less but accomplish a lot more under the basket with his ability to actually play defense and hustle.  Goran Dragic knows what he is capable of as well as Robin Lopez.  Don’t expect anything from Hedo Turkoglu since we really don’t know what we’re going to get.

9.  The Utah Jazz

Yes, Loosing Boozer will affect the Jazz but Al Jefferson will spark that frontcourt.  Deron Williams is getting better and better and has stated that he will turn Jefferson into a better player than he already is.  We don’t expect a veteran coach like Jerry Sloan to trip up over loosing a few key players.

10.  The Atlanta Hawks

Head coach Larry Drew is expected to ease off of the isolation offense that implemented Joe Johnson so ineffectively last postseason for the Hawks.  Expect more balance on this team now that they don’t have to worry about a deal with Josh Smith.  Al Hortford is turning out to be a pretty decent basketball player and hopefully Jamal Crawford will play with the same intensity as last season despite contract issues.

11.  The Denver Nuggets

The only thing keeping Denver at 10 is the situation with Carmelo Anthony.  Contract issues can be very distracting.  However, Kenyon Martin should rebound from last season’s injury and the backcourt is stacked with Chauncey Billups and Ty Lawson.  George Karl’s presence alone should revamp this team.

12.  The Milwaukee Bucks

Buck fever hit the nation last season with utter surprise.  Hopefully they can maintain the same level of competition this year.  Andrew Bogut finally has some help in the frontcourt with Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette will offer some veteran leadership on the squad.

13.  The Portland Trailblazers

Health is the main issue for the Blazers this season as both Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla are both coming off of serious injuries.  Luckily, Marcus Camby signed a two-year extension with Portland in April and will be able to hold down the frontcourt until both return.  They must get a full season out of Brandon Roy as well if they want to compete next summer.

14.  The San Antonio Spurs

Age will slowly kill this dying dynasty but until then, plan on one more run by the Spurs.  It’s time for Popavich to put in the young fellas and let DeJaun Blair and George Hill do their thing.  It’s their only hope with such a geriatric squad and an 82-game season.

15.  The Memphis Grizzlies

It may be time for this young Griz team to make the playoffs in the post-Gasol era.  Rudy Gay has shown that this is his team and his time with team USA will hopefully payoff.  It’s a solid core and with Zach Randolph in the mix, anything can happen.  They have several options on who to start at point guard but they really need to figure it out fast since that will determine if they are ready for the playoffs.

16.  The Charlotte Bobcats

They really took a step backwards by losing both Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton.  Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace are the best players on the team but they need to stay healthy (Wallace is injured all the time).  D.J. Augustin says he is ready to be this team’s point guard while it’s Tyrus Thomas’s first full season in Charlotte.

17.  The Sacramento Kings

It’s weird putting them up this high (yes, 17 would be high for some of the more recent Kings’ teams) but it all depends on the development of these young kings.  Tyreke Evans has shown that this is his show and hopefully he wont hit a sophomore slump.  Demarcus Cousins has the potential to be a great basketball player if he keeps his head on straight.  Samual Dalembert will hopefully aid in his growth as an NBA big guy.

18.  The Houston Rockets

By limiting Yao Ming’s minutes and Brad Miller already showing signs that his career is dwindling, Houston has a big problem at the center position.  Yes, they may make the playoffs but it depends on a lot of things.  Kevin Martin has already shown that he has trouble adjusting to new offenses and new players from his time in Sacramento (even he has injury problems).  He needs to kick the old habits and start scoring if the Rockets want a chance.

19.  The Indiana Pacers

It all revolves around the point guard position this season for the Pacers.  Darren Collison is good but he really needs to prove his worth.  He is going from a very deep backcourt in New Orleans to a very shallow one in Indiana.  Danny Granger needs to play with the same intensity and injuries need to be kept to a minimum.  If all this works out, the Pacers may be seeing the postseason for the first time in years.

20.  The New Orleans Hornets

An unhappy super star on the squad never helps a team.  This is exactly what is going down in the Big Easy and signing Trevor Ariza will not be a catalyst in making Chris Paul stay.  It is Monty Williams first full season in New Orleans but we have seen that this team’s problems run deep.

21.  The Washington Wizards

Over the past few seasons, we have seen that it takes a lot more than a first round pick to turn a team around.  John Wall is good but something is stirring up in Washington.  Gilbert Arenas has said that it is no longer his team and is eying an exit.  Good luck Gil.  Washington signed you to a maximum six-year contract in 2008.  You aren’t going anywhere.

22.  The Golden State Warriors

The Nelson era is over but we have yet to see if his style of ball with depart as well.  Keith Smart is going to have to implement some defense but that may be hard with a crew that is so used to running and gunning.  We will see some upsets and good games from these young guys but it’s going to take a little more than David Lee to turn it around for the Warriors.

23.  The Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Love is coming off of a productive summer and Corey Brewer improved a lot last season.  Michael Beasley has said that he wants to turn his life around and get serious about the game and what better place than the frozen tundra (sarcasm).  Drafting both Wesley Johnson and Lazar Haywood were steps in the right direction but it isn’t the Wolves time… yet.

24.  The Cleveland Cavaliers

Don’t feel sorry for them.  They did this to themselves.  LeBron James had no incentive to stay and management did very little to make him feel welcome by not including him in the coaching decision.  Byron Scott has a lot of work on his hands.  Antawn Jamison will be leading this team now and that wont be enough.  The only glimmer of hope for the Cavs is J.J. Hickson who showed a lot of potential last season.

25.  The New York Knicks

Amar’e Stoudemire and Eddy Curry spell out maybe one of the laziest frontcourts in the NBA.  They will win more games but Mike D’antoni has his work cut out for him.  We have already seen that he has a tendency for pissing his players off with his limited rotations.  Let’s see how that rotation works with a bunch of out-of-shape washouts.

26.  The New Jersey Nets

We have seen what Avery Johnson can do with a team that is already built (The Dallas Mavericks in 2005) but we have yet to see what he does with rebuilding.  He does an excellent job of implementing defensive schemes and the players in New Jersey will prove to be good students.  They finally have some depth with Anthony Morrow, Troy Murphy and Travis Outlaw but a reunion of Devin Harris and the little general could prove disastrous.

27.  The Philadelphia 76ers

It will take more than Evan Turner to turn this team around.  Andre Iguodala has proven that he isn’t a primary scoring threat and Allen Iverson and Andre Miller attributed to his early career success.  There isn’t much else in Philly to take the attention away from him.  Don’t expect much.

28.  The Los Angeles Clippers

Baron Davis showed up for the season out of shape.  Eric Gordon played well in the FIBA Championship but has shown that he is injury prone.  Blake Griffin is showing signs of promise but do we really expect a rookie to turn it around for the other team that plays at Staples Center?

29.  The Detroit Pistons

They are being sold.  That’s about all that they got going for them.

30.  The Toronto Raptors

They will be athletic with Leandro Barbosa, Julian Wright and the growth of DeMar DeRozan but Toronto will suck.  General manager Bryan Colangelo has shown that the Raptors are not done dealing but there really isn’t much for them to offer or even acquire that can turn this franchise around.

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by | July 31, 2010 · 8:28 PM

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

Together at last

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

Movement:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other signings:

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

Roots:

Shalom

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

Team USA:

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

Shaq:

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

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by | July 3, 2010 · 4:34 PM

Free Agency: Round One

The jury is still out

The past couple of days have been hectic to say the least. Rumors have been thrown around like copious amounts of money to average players. We here at the Beef are not in the business of rumor chasing so this article will center around commitments and agreements that have been confirmed. Basically that means we will not be discussing the players pictured above who have met with just about everyone by now. LeBron James was even treated to a cartoon by the Cavaliers in their attempts to retain him.

For more up to the minute Free Agency news be sure to follow the Beef on Twitter. Since we are a two-man operation (we are open to the idea of adding a capologist) it is the easiest way to keep up with the information we bring to you in 140 characters or less.

Why don’t we start at the top with the two-time defending champions, the Los Angeles Lakers. What? Why would the Lakers need to make any moves? They just won the NBA title. Well, if you are a frequent reader of this site you know that we like to discuss the glaring deficiencies of the Lake Show. Apparently the organization is all to aware of their problems as well.

Point guard Steve Blake has reached an agreement with Los Angeles on a four-year contract worth $16 million. This helps the Lakers shore up their bench woes and gives them a valuable back up point guard. Jordan Farmar’s growing disinterest in the role he has in L.A. has been much publicized so with this pick up it looks like his days in the purple and gold are close to an end. (The Pacers are said to have interest in Farmar but nothing concrete has been reported on this matter as yet.)

Easily the biggest news out of L.A. is the news that Phil Jackson has decided to return for one more season. The prospect of a fourth three-peat must have been to tempting for the Zen Master to turn down even if it means taking a considerable pay cut.

The other team that was in the Western Conference Finals has also been making moves of their own. Phoenix has extended an offer of five years and $30 million to Channing Frye which he has excepted. Also excepting an offer from the Suns is NBA journeyman, and Kobe Beef favorite, Hakim Warick. His deal is reported to be for four years and $18 million.

Milwaukee has also made some moves, John Salmons has agreed to a five-year $40 million deal. In the quickest move of free agency, the Bucks got Drew Gooden to agree to a five-year $32 million deal. These deer look to be a playoff team for several years to come.

In what may be the most pointless deal of free agency, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Darko Milicic have agreed to a four-year $20 million deal. This is a sorry consolation prize for the T-Wolves who had their sights set on Rudy Gay this summer. However, Memphis was true to its word in their efforts to keep Gay by offering him a max contract.

Paul Pierce plans to stay with the Celtics, which is no surprise to anyone.

Other than the above deals nothing much has been officially confirmed. It is important to remember, however, that these are all merely verbal agreements. Anything can still happen between now and July 8th when contracts can be signed. If you think verbal commitments are good enough just think about what Hedu Turkoglu did last year.

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