Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Summer Love - Drew League Vs. Goodman League


Yo...the two best Summer Leagues in the nation (arguably) are about to engage in a dream battle for hoop fans everywhere...thank you basketball Gods for not letting this Summer be a total let down due to the lockout. The game will be played on August 20, 2011 at 6:30pm at Coolidge High School in Washington, DC at 6315 5th St. N.W. I plan on being in DC for this one, but if not...somebody better be streaming it online dude. And as the rosters for the teams have been released...it's gonna' be nasty...plenty of Star Power in there...here are the rosters.

Drew League - "James Harden (OKC Thunder), DeMar DeRozan (TOR Raptors), Nick Young (WAS Wizards), Dorrell Wright (GS Warriors), Brandon Jennings (MIL Bucks), Javelle McGee (WAS Wizards), Craig Smith (LA Clippers), Pooh Jeter (SAC Kings), Bobby Brown (Aris BC), Marcus Williams (MEM Grizzlies) and 3 players TBA.”

Goodman League - "Kevin Durant (OKC Thunder), John Wall (WAS Wizards), Ty Lawson (DEN Nuggets), Gary Neal (SA Spurs), Tyreke Evans (SAC Kings), Michael Beasley (MIN Timberwolves), DeMarcus Cousins (SAC Kings), Josh Selby (MEM Grizzlies), Sam Young (MEM Grizzlies), Donte Green (SAC Kings), Hugh ‘Baby Shaq’ Jones (AND1 Mixtape Tour), Emanuel ‘Duce’ Jones and Warren ‘D-Nice’ Jefferson"

WHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harlem Heat

Kevin Durant dropped 66 points at the Rucker last weekend...jesus...how unstoppable is this guy? The homie has pretty much been on a country wide Hoop tour all Summer, just blazing every legendary spot there is; The Drew in LA, The Goodman League in DC, and now the Rucker...

Swagy P

Yo...my favorite player in the NBA...Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) dropped a record breaking 60 points at the Drew last weekend...his team lost, but this video is insane...the big homie is ready for next season...looks pretty hungry to me...

50 Piece with a side of...Beard

James Harden dropped 51 in the Drew League earlier this summer, here's the video.

Summer Love (The Drew)

Lockout, Lockout, Lockout...yeah whatever, cuz' the real Hoopers in the League are still gettin' it in elsewhere. Trust me homie, I know...after a long Season, there's nothing like taking the shackles off your game and letting your skill set run free in a small, hot, sweaty gym on that part of town you know isn't typically safe; but who cares right? You tryna ball. LA's Drew League. I dream of playing on that court homie. This summer the Drew has not only been home to the hometown LA cats like Nick Young, Dorrell Wright, Bobby Brown, DeMar DeRozan, Marcus Williams, Brandon Jennings...the list goes on. But the Drew has also drawn a handful of elite players from the League because of the lockout. Bron Bron has shut the Drew down, as well as Kevin Durant, James Harden, Michael Beasley, Tyreke Evans, Wesley Johnson, Ron Artest, and Trevor Ariza, the list of pro's go on, those are just the one's off the top of my head. Here's some videos of KD and Bron at the Drew...Ball Is Life homie...

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

2011 Free Agents - SG's


Yo, now we move on to the top Shooting Guards in the 2011 Free Agent pool. Although the Point Guard position is probably the weakest position this summer's free agency class has to offer, the 2-guard position might be the strongest; a mixture of young up and coming scoring threats, and proven vets that can still get the job done. Like I said before, this FA class doesn't contain the Franchise Building Block type players, but it's full of missing pieces, teams that are missing that one thing to get them over the hump and into the caliber of the elite, will find that with these Free Agents. Now, I give you...the top 5 FA Shooting Guards...enjoy.

1. Nick Young(17 ppg.) - One of the few positives for the Washington Wizards last season was the emergence of Nick Young...finally. Buried beneath the Wizards bench for his first 3 years in the league all you knew about Young was that he was an exciting offensive player with "potential." First of all...Nick Young has crazy game. With a 6'7 frame, dude can score with the best of them; smooth mid-range game, knocks down the trey ball, has exceptional athleticism and has a sick handle on top of that; the total package offensively. Now, the knock on Young is his defense, but to tell you the truth, he's actually a pretty good on the ball defender because of his foot quickness, he's a much better defender than he gets credit for. We saw Young explode after the Gilbert Arenas trade that allowed him to become a starter for the Wizards, and it didn't take long for him to become the teams number 1 scoring option on the floor. Post-trade, Young averaged 21 ppg. including a career-high 43 points on the Kings, and two games against the Miami Heat where he gave D-Wade and Bron Bron buckets all night long; a 30 point performance, and a 38 point performance. Young is a restricted Free Agent, but he said himself he won't be giving the Wizards a "hometown discount." You add that with the emergence of fellow Shooting Guard Jordan Crawford, and you get an organization that might be chill with letting Young walk away. Young could stay in Washington and continue to play alongside John Wall and be amongst the leagues elite backcourts, or walk away and get payed, and probably win more. Young is perfect for teams who are missing a player who can create their own offensively; the top destinations for Young are Indiana, Washington (still), Chicago, New Orleans, and Dallas. Young could instantly make Chicago a title contender, and playing under Coach Thibodeau would make him solid defensively. But, Young has been spending a lot of time this summer kickin' it with the Pacers' Danny Granger and Paul George in Cali playing in the Drew League together, and I think Indiana is a perfect fit for Young as we saw in the playoffs they lack a closer and someone who can create their own shot, no disrespect to Granger. Young will get plenty of offers, we'll see what happens.


2. J.R. Smith(12 ppg.) - J.R. Smith might be the most intriguing player on this list, but I think George Karl's painting Smith as a head case will scare some teams away. Now, don't get me wrong, Smith may very well deserve his reputation as a reckless gunner with an itchy trigger finger from behind the arc, as well as an undisciplined gift from the basketball Gods. However, I think Coach Karl blew situations out of proportion as he consistently threw Smith under the bus to the media night in and night out, no player deserves that. Smith is a freak athlete with a straight burner from 3 point range when he's on, providing instant fire power for the Nuggets off the bench for the last 5 seasons. His athletic ability also gives him the ground to be a solid, and pesky on the ball defender when he wants to be. Smith started his career off with the Hornets, where I think he could have been the perfect backcourt mate for Chris Paul had the organization given him time to develop before trading him away. Smith has always butted heads with Coach George Karl since his first day in Denver, and over the years you always thought it would get better, but it just never did, and this years first round playoff series against the OKC Thunder showed us that we were probably witnessing J.R.'s last days in a Nuggets jersey. Inconsistent playing time, and a statement by George Karl to the media during the series led to Smith publicly announcing his final days in Denver, and it's sad because the Nuggets team is the perfect fit for Smith. Now, you can say what you want about Smith's past and attitude, but you can't deny homeboy's talent, Smith has game, and now that he's out of Denver, the Nuggets fan favorite is ready to be a star in this league. J.R. is an unrestricted Free Agent, and will definitely be a hot commodity in the market this summer. The top destinations for Smith are; Chicago, New Orleans, New Jersey, New York, and Boston. Teams like New Orleans, and Chicago would turn Smith into an elite Shooting Guard by adding to his defensive ability with coaches like Monty Williams, and Tom Thibodeau. I say Jersey because Smith is from there, but I don't know about him playing for Avery Johnson. And if he doesn't mind coming off the bench for another season or two, Boston would be a perfect fit as he would be the ideal successor to Ray Allen. I think Chicago is a dream fit for Smith though, he could start there and build something special with D.Rose, seems like a no-brainer for the Bulls.


3. Jamal Crawford(14 ppg. 3 apg.) - Crawford is one of the best scorers in the league and has been since his early days with the Bulls. The master of the 4-point play, he's one of only 4 players in NBA History that have had 50 point games with 3 different teams, Crawford did it with the Bulls, Knicks, and Warriors; the company he's in? Wilt Chamberlain, Bernard King, and Moses Malone. In my opinion, dude has the sickest handle in the league, especially when it comes to creating space for a shot, Crawford will chop you up. Atlanta was a great fit for Crawford but they just refused to offer the man an extension, dumping the max into Joe Johnson and chasing Al Horford. In my opinion, I think they should have gave Crawford more money, that way they wouldn't have had to give out a max deal that they did for Johnson, let J.J. walk, and start Crawford; put themselves in a position to sign someone else as a backup for Crawford for way less money. But they didn't. Crawford proved he still has a lot in his tank at 30 years old, being the best player on the Hawks throughout the playoffs, and carrying them through that first round upset against the Magic. Crawford is still a starter in the league, and he's a vet, so teams know full well what they're getting from him...buckets, he's an underrated play-maker as well. Crawford is an unrestricted Free Agent, free to test the market as he pleases, his top destinations are; Dallas, New Orleans, New Jersey, New York, and Atlanta(still). A team like Dallas would benefit from a guy like Crawford as they may lose some pieces to Free Agency as DeShawn Stevenson, JJ Barea, and Caron Butler are all Free Agents. However, Crawford may be too expensive for Dallas as re-signing Tyson Chandler is their main focus in Free Agency. Crawford may end up in Jersey, or back in New York if he doesn't ask for too much money.


4. Jason Richardson(16 ppg. 4 rpg.) - Richardson is another solid veteran, like Crawford, can score the basketball and shoot it from outside. Richardson is also a reliable perimeter defender. Richardson struggled in Orlando, but before the trade he was averaging nearly 20 ppg. with the Suns. J-Rich still got it, and at 30 years young a lot of teams lacking a scoring option on the perimeter would love to add his veteran presence on the court and in the locker room. With Gil's ridiculous contract in Orlando, I think they hope he can get back to his old self so they can start him at the two, and bring Redick off the bench. If you add that with Orlando frantically attempting to keep Dwight Howard in a Magic jersey, I don't think that leaves the room, or money for Jason Richardson to return, I could be wrong though. But Orlando isn't a good fit for J-Rich's style of play, the Magic just dump the ball into Dwight and let him be a monster, and if a double comes, he kicks it out to open shooters; J-Rich wants to get out and run, and knock down that trey in transition, not sit in the corner waiting for a kick out in a half court set. J-Rich is solid on the defensive end as well, he will get a lot of attention as well in the Free Agent market. An unrestricted Free Agent, the top destinations for J-Rich are; Dallas, New Orleans, New Jersey, Denver, and Chicago. Denver has a few important guys that are Free Agents; J.R. Smith, Arron Afflalo, and Wilson Chandler to be specific. Most likely, Smith is gone, and Chandler is up in the air, if they lose any more than Smith, Denver is a great fit for J-Rich. Also a shot at playing with great Point Guards such as CP3, D-Will, D.Rose, and the veteran savvy J-Kidd are intriguing as well. We'll see what happens if Orlando doesn't bring him back.


5. Marcus Thornton(13 ppg.) - Now, I know this might surprise a lot of people having him in my top 5, over Arron Afflalo, and aging vets Vince Carter and T-Mac, but Thornton is real. First off, throw out the season points per game average because after Thornton became a King, he averaged 21 ppg. I did a write up on Thornton earlier in the season where I addressed New Orleans' inability to cope with young developing shooting guards before trading them, only to watch them flourish on different teams. That's exactly what happened with Thornton. Dude gets buckets, has a complete offensive game and he's a sneaky athlete that can finish at the rim. I really thought he had a real shot at being CP3's long term back-court mate before the trade, but he started the season of slow, and that was that...right New Orleans? When Thornton got to Sac-Town, it was a completely different story, homeboy averaged 21 ppg. and dropped a career-high 42 on the Warriors. Thornton is an unrestricted Free Agent, and although I think he likes it in Sac-Town as it is a great fit for him, I don't think he'll end up back there. First of all, I feel like the Tyreke Evans "Point Guard Experiment" is finally over, and being the future of that Franchise, the Kings are going to move him to his more natural position and let him score like he's capable of doing from the wing. And second, with Tyreke on the wing, the Kings have the 7th pick in the draft where I believe they'll solidify their back-court of the future with U-Conn standout and National Champion Kemba Walker, leaving Thornton out of that picture. However, Marcus Thornton will get love from the market, his top destinations are; Indiana, Chicago, New Jersey, Cleveland, and Minnesota. 2 Seasons ago, when Chris Paul went down with injury, it was the rookie tandem of Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton that got the job done for the Hornets, I can see them playing together again in Indiana. Thornton would also make the Bulls a title contender, but if it's money he's after, and only money, Minnesota, and Cleveland will give him that, and he'll be able to put up as many shots as he wants.


*Other Notable Free Agent SG's - Arron Afflalo, Shannon Brown, Vince Carter, Leandro Barbosa, T-Mac, DaQuan Cook, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Michael Redd,and DeShawn Stevenson,

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

"Mama there goes that man"



The Golden State Warriors have hired Mark Jackson as their Head Coach, Jackson has spent the last few seasons as the best announcer of all time (besides Marv Albert). Jackson brought some flavor to the announcer tables letting slick, and iconic quotes spill into the microphone; "hand down man down," and "mama there goes that man" are my two personal favorites. This is a dope move for the Warriors, as a kid Mark Jackson was the PG on my favorite team (The Pacers)and he defines the position. Mark Jackson was so crafty man, the type of guy to booty bump you all the way down the court while yelling out a play to get Reggie a open trey. He wasn't a stranger to a freaky no look pass every once in awhile either. A true floor general in every sense of the phrase, and is finally going from Coach on the floor to Coach on the bench. I think Jackson can turn the Warriors around because he was always a players player, a guy people would love to play with, and I think that will translate into him being a players coach. He's real, and he knows the game. I wonder if he'll be sitting on the bench saying "hand down man down" under his breath when Steph Curry knocks down a tripple in somebody's face; well...we'll see what happens, but until then..."Mama There Goes That Man..."

Monday, June 6, 2011

2011 Free Agents - PG's


Straight up, this might be the weakest position in this Summer's Free Agent pool, but there are still some good players here. This is the appetizer for the main coarse of 2012 when the two best PG's in the league; CP3 and D-Will will be "taking their talents" elsewhere. But anyway, here's my top 5 Free Agent PG's...enjoy.


1. Aaron Brooks(11 ppg. 4 apg.) - Aaron Brooks, when given the proper minutes is one of the best scoring point guards in the league; he's got water bug quickness, is one of the fastest players in the league with the ball in his hands, and on top of that Brooks is a deadly 3 point shooter. This past season, Brooks was coming off of a career year in 2009-2010 where he averaged 20 ppg. and was the leagues most lethal shooter from deep as his 209 three pointers made was good for number 1 in the league. Brooks was also named the leagues Most Improved Player. This past season was a different story for Brooks, as injuries kept him out of the Rockets line-up, and the emergence of fellow PG Kyle Lowry made it hard for Brooks to regain his starting spot when he returned from injury. Brooks was traded to the Phoenix Suns mid-season where he struggled to get consistent minutes behind Steve Nash. Brooks is a Restricted Free Agent, which means the Suns will have the chance to match any offer Brooks gets, and Phoenix has to decide if they will rebuild with Brooks as their man, or keep Nash around. Brooks was made for an uptempo style of play, a team like New York where he could play for Coach D'antoni would be ideal, but is unlikely unless the team deals Billups. Brooks is capable of being a starter in the league, and the homie is looking to get back to his 2009-2010 form. The top destinations for Brooks are; Phoenix(if they rebuild), Sacramento, LA(Lakers), and Portland. I can see Brooks becoming a starter in Portland if they don't resign Miller, and he could definitely help out an aging back-court like the Lakers' have.

2. Rodney Stuckey(16 ppg. 5 apg.) - Stuckey is a strong PG that loves to attack the basket. The Pistons are going through a lot; they haven't won in a long time, this past season was filled with losing and coaching turmoil, and the team has recently been sold to a new owner. But even in the midst of all the negativity, the play of Stuckey has been one of the few pleasant things Detroit fans can dwell on, as he finished the season with two 29 point games in a row. Stuckey is a Restricted Free Agent and I don't really see any teams throwing cake at him attempting to lure him away from Detroit. Even though he is more of a SG than a PG, right now, he's probably the best player on the Pistons roster, along with rising wing Austin Daye. I don't see the Pistons letting him walk away. The top destinations for Rodney Stuckey are; Detroit and maybe Sacramento if they don't resign Marcus Thornton; that would give Tyreke Evans a chance to play the 2 while Stuckey ran the 1, unlikely though, I don't see Stuckey anywhere else but Detroit.


3. J.J. Barea(8 ppg. 3 apg.) - Numbers aren't important here. Barea is one of the leagues quickest and fastest PG's and is a straight game changer off the bench as he brings that energy. Solid role player, and currently playing for a ring with his Dallas Mavericks. Barea has been the perfect compliment to Jason Kidd off the bench as he brings all the elements Kidd lacks to the floor when he enters the game. When Kidd is out there, you have a brilliant basketball mind, clutch set shooter, and the definition of a Floor General, but you also have aging legs, that's where Barea comes in. Barea is a perfect fit for the Dallas Mavericks as is, a lot of teams would love to have a solid backup PG like Barea on their team, and at times where Kidd has been hurt in the past, he has proved he can step in and start when needed, his quickness and speed make him very hard to guard. Although Barea has been solid for the Mavericks, he is a Unrestricted Free Agent, he's free to test the waters, and with Beaubois still in the fold with the Mavericks, they may let Barea walk, especially if Kidd doesn't call it quits after this season. The top destinations for Barea are; Dallas, Miami, Boston, LA, and San Antonio (if George Hill goes back to the 2). I don't see Barea inking with a team that isn't a contender.

4. Andre Miller(15 ppg. 6 apg.) - Miller has a team option with the Blazers, and with the team seriously lacking a PG for the future, it is most likely they pick up his option unless they make a run at a guy like Aaron Brooks, which is what I think they should do. Miller's backup this past season was Patty Mills, who is an unrestricted free agent with a lot of upside. Although Miller is aging he is still a solid floor general, the OG knows the game. I think the most likely scenario is that Miller resigns with Portland, but if they decide to go with Mills, and bring in another young PG, Miller's veteran leadership is something contending teams would love to have in their locker rooms. If he signs anywhere else other than Portland, his starting days might be over, but Miller could help out teams like the Lakers, Miami, and Boston.

5. Mario Chalmers (7 ppg. 2 apg.) - Chalmers has had his ups and downs in Miami, but I still think he's a solid player. He can defend and knock down the open three point shot. I think that playing with three great players like Bron, Wade, and Bosh; people thought he would emerge as the second coming of Rajon Rondo, but it obviously hasn't been the case, he's just not that type of player. But he is capable of making plays and pestering the opposing teams PG all the way up the floor. Chalmers is an Unrestricted Free Agent, as well as Mike Bibby. There isn't a ton of talent in the market for PG's right now so Miami may have to resign both of them, and we may see Chalmers become the starter once again in Miami. If the homie doesn't sign back with Miami, he would make a solid backup for a lot of teams. His top destinations are; Miami, Portland, Sacramento, and Indiana.


*Other Notable Free Agent PG's - Mike Bibby, T.J. Ford, Patty Mills, and Sebastian Telfair

..."I'm taking my talents to..."


Yo, first of all, I know everybody is glued to the TV when the Finals are on, so you know what's going on, that's why I'm not covering that. So that brings us to the next big thing on the menu...this summer's Free Agent class. Although this summers sea of free agents doesn't tote the Sharks of last years frenzy, there are still some big fish swimming around. Last year was the biggest free agent class we've ever seen in the game, a class where players you could start your franchise with were available; Bron, Wade, Rudy Gay, Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh. We all let the dream scenarios play out in our imaginations, picturing Bron, or Wade with our favorite teams, only to watch the rat race end with the words "I'm taking my talents to South Beach,"...spawning a new cult of Miami Heat Fans, and Haters alike. Now, while the upcoming Free Agent class doesn't contain players you build your team around; it is full of players you complete your team with. This Free Agent Class is loaded with those missing pieces that could put a team over the top. A team like Chicago, who fell victim to that gaping hole at the 2-Guard position in the Conference Finals will be able to fill that void via Free Agency. I'm going to rank the top Free Agents at each position, we start with PG's in the next post...see you there homie.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

#BEARD


First of all...shout-out to the OKC Thunder for making it as far as they did. Now...on to business. James Harden is good outside shooter, can handle the rock, is a good on the ball defender, and most importantly to this Thunder team; he can make plays. He knows when to attack, and when to dish off. But It's not a numbers game with Harden, averaging 13 ppg. 5 rpg. and 4apg. The homie's numbers don't jump out at you, but his floor game does. Take a look at Game 4 of the Conference Finals, Harden posted numbers of just 7 points, 7 boards, and 2 dimes, but his fouling out of the game fueled the Dallas Mavericks' furious comeback in the closing minutes of that game, because his presence on the floor means THAT much. Harden is a special player, he doesn't need to post big numbers to impact the game, him being on the floor alone changes the way the Thunder do things offensively, and it changes the way the opposing team plays D. Harden can score, but he is a great play-maker with the ball in his hands, and he has a sick handle on top of that. Like we saw in Game 5, Harden broke out with 23 Points, 6 Dimes, and 5 boards, proving at points in the game that he can be the most important player on the floor for OKC; not Durant, and not Westbrook. In his College Days, back at Arizona State, he did it all for that team, homie got buckets, was the teams distributor, and a solid rebounder, and now we're starting to see the all around game Harden possesses begin to show itself. Harden, with the exception of Eric Maynor, has showed he is the best play-maker on the Thunder team, and now it's time for him to crack the starting lineup...what say you Coach Brooks?

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Dirk Nasty


Yo, I know I already gave out my playoffs award for MVP, and Dirk was my runner up, keep in mind though that I based the awards off of the first two rounds, not the East, and West finals. But...Dirk makes me want to go back. Dude is nasty, and unstoppable. Averaging just about 34 ppg. in the conference finals against OKC, including an amazing 48 point game 1, which was the best individual performance we've seen in a long time in the Playoffs, on top of another 40 point game 4, leading the MAVS to a 4th quarter comeback and OT win. The Greatest Shooting Big Man of all time continues to whisper greatness in the ears of NBA fans, and add more pages to his legacy as the face of the Dallas Mavericks. One win away from the NBA Finals...game 5 in Dallas...Dirk...I apologize for not picking you as Playoffs MVP homie...thanks for making me look like a jackass.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Playoffs 2011 (Awards) - Dynamic Duo


Yo, still handing out my awards for the 2011 Playoffs. So far you've got my Co-MVP's; D.Rose and Kevin Durant, and my "Iron Man" of the Playoffs...Rajon Rondo. Now, I give you my award for the best "Dynamic Duo." When you think of a dynamic duo, you think...Batman and Robin, Spongebob and his slightly less incompetent companion Patrick, just throwing out some random ones. But on the hardwood, you usually get duo's in the package of a guard, and a big. When you think of a great duo, you think; Stockton and Malone, Kobe and Shaq, Penny and Shaq, Magic and Kareem, Bird and McHale, Payton and Kemp, Duncan and Robinson, and then...you'll get a rare duo of two perimeter players...that's when you get something crazy special like Jordan and Pippen. Well, the basketball Gods have once again dabbled in mortal affairs, creating the best Duo of perimeter players we've seen since Jordan and Pippen. And while most hate, you don't get instant gratification with greatness, it takes time...or does it?

"AND THE WINNER(S) IS(ARE)..."

Lebron James(25 ppg. 9 rbg. 5 apg.) and Dwyane Wade(25 ppg. 7 rbg. 5 apg.) - The most hated; there is no "Batman and Robin" here; there is no, lesser companion. This duo speaks of super hero team up's straight from the pages of your favorite comic book, mirroring Justice League's Batman and Superman, or The Avengers' Captain America, and Thor, you choose. James and Wade (and Bosh) have made the Miami Heat the most hated and scrutinized team in the history of the league, and well...I think they love it. James and Wade have both averaged 25 ppg. in the playoffs while still managing to play stifling defense night in and night out. We don't need to talk about the first round (with respect to Philly) here, what we talk about is the second round grudge match against the Boston Celtics. How ironic is it that the Celtic jersey, draped in Green resembles Kryptonite; the weakness of Superman...or...Lebron James. James has never been able to get passed the Boston Celtics, the big three of bean town; Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnet (and Rondo = Big Four) has been too much in the past, and even this regular season, for James to overcome. But the playoffs were different. We finally saw James, teamed up with an equal; Dwyane Wade. The duo was too much for the Boston Celtics to handle, and Game 5 sums it all up; 34 Points by Wade, and 33 by James as the Duo took down the giant of the Eastern Conference. James finally got over the hump, knocked that big ass chip off his shoulder, how ever you want to put it. And when it was all over...the two met at center court for one of the best moments of the playoffs...#LOVE.


*Runner Up - Kevin Durant(29 ppg. 8 rpg.) and Russell Westbrook(24 ppg. 5 rpg. 6 apg.) - The young duo of the OKC Thunder have proven to be almost unstoppable in these playoffs when both are clicking on the same night. Despite some bad in game decisions by Russell Westbrook at times; taking shots away from the leagues leading scorer, the Thunder Duo has still managed to co-exist on and off the court. Durant is a pure scoring monster, how do you want it? Game winning shot, smooth mid range game, or a deep three for the dagger? And Westbrook, a freak athlete, and when he's in rhythm, playing under control, can get to the basket and finish and knock down the mid-range jumper. The young duo has got their team playing for a shot at being in the Finals...could we see a match-up of the two best duo's of the playoffs, squaring off for a shot at a title?

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Playoffs 2011 (Awards) - Iron Man


Yo, if you didn't know, I'm handing out my 2011 Playoff awards, yes I know there's still games being played, but I figure we don't need game recaps like that because most of us are watching the games anyway. And if your not...turn to Sportscenter bro. But last time I hit ya'll with my Co-MVP's of the playoffs; D.Rose and Kevin Durant, if you didn't read that, get caught up. Now, I give out my "Iron Man" award. This one right here is reserved for those who fight, no matter what, the Playoffs are a battlefield, toughness is essential homie.

"AND THE WINNER IS..."

Rajon Rondo(14 ppg. 10apg.) - Rondo averaged 14 and 10 in the playoffs, but throw the numbers out the window. The caliber of toughness the homie showed in the series against the Miami Heat was that of Allen Iverson back in his glory days. A.I. used to play banged up all the time, but nothing like what we saw in Game 3 of the Celtics Heat series. With 7 minutes to go in the 3rd in Game 3...Rondo got into a mini-wrestling match with D Wade, and the end result was one of the nastiest injuries I've ever seen on TV, I was 100% sure dude's arm was broken. No cast though, one more arm sleeve later...this fool returns to the game in the 4th Quarter and leads the Celts to victory with one arm. That's real right there, and dude didn't miss any games in the series either...#HEART.



*Runner Up - Carmelo Anthony - Dude averaged 26 ppg. in the first round, including a 42 point night where his shorthanded Knicks were straight outmatched and didn't stand a chance against the Celtics. Despite losing Chauncy and Amare early in the series, Melo still tried to put NY on his back in a losing effort.

Friday, May 20, 2011

AHHHHH!

KD drops the drawls on Haywood (Fart Noise).



Playoffs 2011 (Awards) - MVP


I'm not gonna' review every single playoff series individually like I did the Nuggets and Thunder, that was just the series I cared about the most besides Miami and Boston. But what we have seen thus far in one of the best NBA Playoffs in recent memory is the rise of an underdog, the 8th seed Memphis Grizzlies sent the Spurs home in the first round, and battled OKC for 7 games in the best series we've seen so far. The fall of a giant; the Dallas Mavericks sweep the Lakers with ease in the Conference Semi's. The rightful MVP, Derrick Rose becoming one of the best closers in basketball, and perhaps the most scrutinized duo Lebron James and D Wade rejoicing at center court after finally beating the Boston Celtics. But best of all, the new era of basketball is beginning to usher itself into the big picture; The Thunder, The Bulls (again), and of course the Miami Heat, join the Dallas Mavericks in a brand new pool of a complete conference finals make-over from last season. Now that we've seen our fair share of playoff basketball, aside from the soft ass techs being thrown out...it's fair to say this shit is back, the game. I've compiled a list of my playoff awards up to this point (Conference Finals), and all the numbers are playoff averages, these awards have nothing to do with the regular season. Lets start with my MVP...Enjoy homies...

"AND THE WINNER(S) IS(ARE)..."


Co-MVP's - Derrick Rose(28 ppg. 8 apg.) & Kevin Durant(29 ppg. 7 rbg.)- First is D.Rose. The regular season MVP hasn't let anybody down with the lights on in the playoffs. Homeboy was nasty in the first round as he repeatedly stole games from the Pacers single-handedly in the closing minutes to help the Bulls escape out of the first round in 5. Without the homie D.Rose, there's no way that team wins any of those close games. On top of those freaky reverse lay-ups in traffic, and all the buckets, the league MVP has went out and played game after game with injuries, dude has heart too. After suffering that nasty ankle injury against the Hawks, he still didn't miss a single game as he carried his team through the second round as well. D.Rose in one word....EXPLOSIVE. Next, Kevin Durant; best scorer in the league, hands down. First round, mainly in Games 1 and 5 against the Nuggets, KD exploded for 40+ showing he has a killer instinct that just will not allow him to let the Thunder lose if he can help it. Smooth mid-range jumpers, trey balls, and some sneaky athleticism and handle; Durant has shown it all in the Playoffs. He was also the hero in the 7 Game thrill ride against the Memphis Grizzlies. For Durant, it has to be frustrating playing with Russell Westbrooke, who at times, will take more shots than he should. Yo, it's like this, if your playing with the best scorer in the league (literally) then you shouldn't be taking more shots than him, period, especially on late possessions that determine the outcome of the game. But, nevertheless, Durant always keeps his head, and never throws Westbrooke under the bus in press conferences, the homie is the ultimate teammate as well.

*Honorable Mention - Dirk Nowitzki(29 ppg. 8 rbg.) (Zach Randolph(22 ppg. 11 rpg.)

First Round Wrap Up (Thunder)


Going into the Playoffs, I really thought the Nuggets had a legitimate shot at sending OKC fishing in 7 games, mainly because of the teams depth, 2 deep at every single position with starter-caliber players coming off the bench. But, yo...I was wrong. The OKC fans are the best in the league. When it came time for Game 1, all you saw on your TV was blue shirts bobbing up and down; crazy dedicated fans reminiscent of the "Cameron Crazies" at the Duke games. Ridiculous young talent, and fans like those create the dopest basketball atmosphere imaginable to any hooper on the planet, but it's hell for an away team. Kevin Durant, plus that College Basketball feel of the OKC "Ford Center" made for a crazy ass opponent for Denver. For the Nuggets, Ty Lawson proved he's a starting PG in the league, and Nene maintained solid play after dominating game 1. J.R. Smith also had a big game 4, which was the only game the Nuggets won, but Coach Karl refused to give Smith consistent minutes on the floor. But as we saw in Games 1 and 5, Kevin Durant showed he is hands down the best scorer in the League, the big homie refused to let the Thunder lose in the closing minutes of those games, ending up with 41 Points in both of them. Durant's scoring; the rapid emergence of Serge Ibaka in the paint as a defensive wall, aggressive play from Russell Westbrooke, and solid play off the bench from Eric Maynor and James Harden who was key on the defensive end frustrating J.R. Smith; was way to much for Denver to handle. Nobody in the league has a killer instinct like Kevin Durant...nobody.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

How Do You Shoot These?

Yo, I know ya'll remember this commercial for the Air Max 97 Uptempo's man. Reggie Miller was my favorite player when I was a kid, and this was a commercial he did with Spike Lee a couple years after he torched the Knicks in that 1994 Eastern Conference Finals game at the Garden. I can't lie, when I was a kid I was pissed to see my guy doing a commercial with Spike little punk ass, but it ended up being one of my favorites.

Real Talk

I actually knew Jalen Rose's mother when I was a kid, even though I never met Jalen. Here's the homie and the Fab Five boys expressing how they really felt about those Duke teams in the early 90's. If you haven't had the chance to see the Fab Five ESPN movie your missing out on one of the dopest, realest, stories ever told; the legend of the Fab Five. Dudes changed the game, not just the way we play, but they bought style to the game as well, shoes, socks, long shorts, we owe all that to the homies of the Fab Five.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Classic

If you were a young hoop fan I know you remember these colorful ass Spike Lee and Tim Hardaway Commercials for the Air Raids...I was only like 4 years old.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Melo-Drama Season 2


The Knicks are 7-9 with Melo...I said they were a better team with him because they weren't THAT good to begin with...but I know seeing the Nuggets winning is killing the big homie.

One Hornet's Trash Is A Kings Treasure



When the Hornets drafted Marcus Thornton out of LSU I instantly thought they had finally added their best shooting guard to pair alongside CP3 since drafting J.R. Smith a few years back and not giving him the chance to develop. Thornton showed last season that he was nasty. When Cp3 went out last season with injury, it was the Rookie pair of Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton that were getting it done. Thornton is an explosive scorer, he's got a slept on handle too, he can get his shot off at anytime and the homie can stroke it. Yup...I saw promise in The Big Easy, the leagues soon to be best backcourt were gonna' be entertaining...but...things changed. Even though the Hornets started off the season hot, they bought in two new shooting guards both whom got placed ahead of Thornton in the rotation, and when he got his chances, he was inconsistent. Then...the Hornets GM pulled the trigger, a trigger releasing a bullet reminiscent of the one that shipped J.R. Smith out of town...only to see him end up in Denver and become one of the leagues best 3-point shooters; this time...it was Thornton that got shipped to Sac-Town, and he has relished the opportunity. Since playing for the Kings, Thornton has averaged 22 ppg. and he dropped a career-high 42 points on the Warriors. When Tyreke Evans gets back from injury, the Kings have the potential to have one of the leagues top backcourts. First J.R. Smith, now Marcus Thornton; the Hornets have let go of two promising SG's; and while Smith and Thornton leave a sour taste in their former employers mouth, the Hornets may never see another two-guard in the Chris Paul era.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Balance






Without question, in the midst of the Post-Melo era in Denver, the Nuggets have become the leagues most balanced team. The Nuggets are 8-2 since the departure of the teams former superstar, and without a true All-Star caliber player, the Nuggets have managed to keep winning just like I said they would. With the Wizards playing awful as usual, and Aaron Brooks getting traded to the Suns, the Nuggets are probably at the top of my list of favorite teams. The balance is unreal, since Melo left, the Nuggets are averaging 109.3 PPG. They push the tempo, and have players that could start on other teams coming off of their bench. They are two deep at every single position. They have the best group of guards in the league; Lawson, Felton, Afflalo, and JR Smith, with one of the leagues best centers...Nene. They also have great wing players with Chandler and Gallo, and with K-Mart showing he's still got it, they are crazy deep. The only thing that scares me about this team is they don't have a "closer" without Melo, someone's gotta step up and be that. But they currently hold the 5th spot in the West, and if the playoffs started today, they would be locked in for a first round match up against the OKC Thunder; which would be dope. So...are the Nuggets a better team without Melo? Yes, but...the Knicks are also a better team WITH him, so the trade worked out for both teams.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Gotta "Love" It



The past few weeks I hit ya'll with my top 5 lists of each position in the league. I never got to PF's so here we go. Now, this is the probably the best position in the league right now in terms of elite guys. I'm gonna' give guys like Tim Duncan and KG a lifetime achievement award and exclude them from this list, because based on their game now, they probably wouldn't make it, and I'm not just gonna' exclude arguably the best Power Forward of all time from my list, respect and love to Duncan and KG, and don't get it twisted because the old vets do turn it up come playoff time. But, Now...the list.

1.Amar'e Stoudemire(26 ppg. 8 rpg.) - AKA S.T.A.T.(Standing Tall and Talented) it was once said that the homie wouldn't be able to hold his own in the league once he wasn't paired with Steve Nash anymore, they said he needed Nash. Now, it looks like it should have been the other way around (no shots at the 2-time MVP). Amar'e is a banger inside and since he's added that mid range jump-shot to his already full-clip arsenal he's almost been unstoppable. Amar'e saved New York before Melo joined the revival of NY Hoops, and he's in the midst of an MVP caliber season. He carried those boys on his back, now he has a little more help. One of the best big men in the league at running the pick and roll, a powerful finisher at the rim, Amar'e is the best in the L.

2.LaMarcus Aldridge(22 ppg. 9 rpg.) - Ever since Brandon Roy went down, and continued to be plagued with injuries, Aldridge has embraced the role as the teams go-to-guy and the homie has been putting up some big numbers this season, including a 42 point game against the Bulls a couple months back. Aldridge is also the league leader in alley-oop finishes, a stat that the whole world would say Blake Griffin has his foot on. Aldridge has a solid back to the basket post game, he's long, rebounds well and blocks shots, and he also has a solid mid range jumper that reminds us alot of Rasheed Wallace with that high release. Dude has game and Portland can continue to build the franchise around him.

3.Pau Gasol(19 ppg. 10 rbg.) - Before Pau even landed in Laker town he was already one of the leagues elite big men with the Grizzlies, it's just that now the whole world knows it. Pau is perfect for Kobe and he has a couple of rings on his Spanish fingers to prove that he is one of the best in the world. Gasol also puts on for his home country of Spain in the Olympics when they roll around, and also the Worlds when they roll around. Spain is definatley one of the top teams in the world, along with the U.S. and Argentina. Gasol has arguably the best low post game in the league, he's crafty as hell, can pass the ball, rebound, and can knock down the mid-range shot on top of having an amazing basketball I.Q.

4.Kevin Love(21 ppg. 16 rpg.)- The work-horse. There is no outworking Kevin Love, no matter how hard you try. The homie is a beast on the boards. Love had that amazing 31 and 31 game, which was one of the best individual performances the league has ever seen. And even though we have seen the sad end to his consecutive double double streak, it was a good run as he set a new record, toping all-time great Moses Malone with 53 straight double double's, that's greatness, and in the game where his streak ended, the homie still had 12 boards, he was just cold on the offensive end. Love is a smart player, and he can stroke the long ball as well. A-lot of people don't wanna' give Love the credit he deserves, but numbers don't lie, he's amongst the leagues best.

5.Dirk Nowitzki(23 ppg. 7rbg.) - Dirk's game speaks for itself. He has been the face of the Mavericks franchise for a while now and the German sharp-shooter has become probably the best international player the league has ever seen, along with becoming the best shooting big-man the league has ever seen. Dirk's game is crazy smooth man, back to the basket, that little fade away off one foot...shit is beautiful. He's toned down his three-point attempts this season, keeping it mostly mid-range and back to the basket. Dirk can handle the rock for a big guy as well and he's the reason the Mavs are at the top of the West with the Spurs and Lakers.

*Honorable Mention - Carlos Boozer(18 ppg. 10rpg.), Blake Griffin(22 ppg. 12 rpg.), Zach Randolph(20 ppg. 13 rpg.)

*Just Missed It - David West, Chris Bosh,

Nick Young Bangs On Biedrins

Nick Young, probably my favorite player in the league right now with a sick reverse dunk off the John Wall feed, and the homie rocks the Iverson braids...

The Smoke Has Settled (part 2)



Yo, I'm still breaking down some of the bigger deals that the trade deadline brought us. Next we have the OKC and Boston deal that sent Jeff Green to the Celtics for Kendrick Perkins (other players were involved in the deal). Now, for me as a fan,I hate this deal, it hurts. I never thought they'd break up that nucleus in OKC of Durant, Green, and Westbrook that they built the franchise around. But, for when it comes to analyzing the trade, it's a great move for both teams in my opinion. For the Thunder, they're bringing in size, they automatically become a serious contender in the West, like, I'm talking NBA Finals capability. With Perkins on board in OKC, they finally have a real big down there that can bang with anybody in the league. Perkins isn't the best offensive player, but he's solid and one of the best defensive big men int he league, Perkins puts OKC in the position to battle for the top spot in the West, and compete against the Spurs, and Lakers. For the Celtics, Jeff Green coming off the bench is good for them, they needed bench depth, but it's also a move for the future if Green sticks around. I mean, let's be real, even though Ray Allen is one of my favorite players the Celtics are old, and soon that'll be Rondo's team, adding Green with Rondo is dope for the future. Adding Green also adds a little bit more time to the Celtics title chases in the next couple years to come.

The Smoke Has Settled



I know I haven't posted anything in a couple weeks but I've been busy. But it's been a little bit since the trade deadline; stars got shipped out, and there were a lot of buyouts. First, Melo is gonna' be happy in NY with Amare, and don't count Billups out, he's still one of the leagues best PG's and I think he has a couple years left in the tank. This trade definatley solidifies NY's playoff spot in the east for this year, but I don't know how far they get, they're still a piece or two away from being elite, not just in the east. Deron Williams in Jersey, I'm not feeling that, especially not for the homie D-Will. With the exception of Brooke Lopez; who I don't think compliments Williams all that well because he's not a pick and roll guy, and Anthony Morrow, who is a dead-eye shooter that D-Will's gonna continuosly get open shots for, there's no where near enough talent on that roster to compete, even with arguably the leagues best PG. Now, D-Will can stay in hopes of attracting some other stars, which is why Jersey traded for him anyway, plus they'll be in Brooklyn soon, and D-Will and Brooklyn is a pretty good marketing combination for other players in the league. But so is Melo and Amare in NY.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

One Piece Away


Chi-Town is without question elite and D.Rose is probably the league MVP right now. You have a Top 5 PG, a decent SF in Deng, a dominant big man and top 5 PF in my opinion in Boozer, and Joakim Noah, who is the teams energizer at the Center position, he makes them boys go. You also have a straight bench, Kyle Korver, one of the leagues best pure shooters, Taj Gibson; who could start on a lot of other teams, the boy is a beast on the boards and blocks shots, then you have Brewer too, a solid defender on the perimeter. But this team is missing a shooting guard. No shots at Kieth Bogans who I think is a very good defender and good outside shooter, but he's just not a starting guard in this league. He doesn't produce enough. The Bulls need to make a move. They are after Courtney Lee of the Rockets, I think he would be a good addition. He's underrated, he went from being a starter on a good Orlando team that made it to the finals, to being traded around from Orlando, to Jersey, to Houston. The homie has game and could fill the starting spot for the Bulls. I wouldn't mind seeing Chicago bring in J.R. Smith from the Nuggets, or O.J. Mayo from the Grizzlies; both are guys that are moveable trade chips. With the deadline approaching, expect the Bulls to make a move, they need to.

D-Will to Nets


Earlier today, the Jazz pulled the trigger on a deal that sent Deron Williams to the Nets for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, and some draft picks. This is a straight move for the Nets. Because even if D-Will doesn't plan on staying put because he'll be a free agent next summer; the Nets still have the rest of the season to convince D-Will to stay. Also, he's a very attractive piece that could bring in other free agents, who wouldn't want to play with one of the leagues best PG's? But as far as this move goes for the Jazz...they took a huge ass loss. I mean, to me, they were supposed to pick between coach Sloan and D-Will, both were the face of the Franchise. When they let coach Jerry Sloan go, they should have brung in better guys to surround D-Will with. But nope, they lose Sloan (he resigns) and then they trade arguably the leagues best PG. What are they gonna' do now? Call up Jerry Sloan and say "are you cool now, you ready to come back?" Hell no, they lost...bad move. But say D-Will likes it in Jersey after this season, and he signs next summer, that would make fore a huge power shift to the eastern conference that Melo started by moving to NY. I aint' mad at this though...the Warriors are one of my favorite teams in the league, and now with D-Will out of Utah, that playoff spot is Golden State's...

Don't Count Denver Out


With Melo gone, the Nuggets obviously lack the leagues best all around scorer (in my opinion besides Kevin Durant) and they are also missing that All-Star caliber player you need on your roster to make noise in the league. But, don't count the Nuggets out. They remind me a lot of how the Rockets have been over the last couple seasons, no real star player, lot of solid young talent and good guards. Raymond Felton was ballin' in NY before the trade, one of the most underrated point guards in the L. You also have Ty Lawson behind him, a guy who's capable of even being a starting PG, then you have solid wings like Arron Afflalo who can defend and score, and J.R. Smith, one of the streakiest but best shooters in the league. Then you have one of the leagues top 5 centers in Nene, a position that is almost impossible to come by. Then, you bring in guys from the trade, Wilson Chandler, one of the most versatile players in the league, and Gallinari, who can shoot it. The Nuggets will be straight man, solid ass team. They lack a real star for now but they'll be fine, it's time for J.R. Smith to step up and be more consistent, homeboi can score. Don't count the Nuggets out.

"Melo-Drama" Over


Melo finally lands in NY! The drama is finally over, Melo lands in the Big Apple in a 3-team 13-player trade where the Knicks get; Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Renaldo Blackman, Anthony Carter, Corey Brewer(Wolves) and Sheldon Williams, while the Nuggets get; Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Kosta Koufous, Timofey Mozgov, and the T-Wolves get Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph. I think it's so dope that New York Knicks basketball is back, it's dope for the league. They aren't a title contender, but they are definatley playoff worthy and a couple pieces away from being in the upper echelon of Eastern Conference basketball. The sleeper in this deal though is Chauncey man, one of the best in the league, don't sleep on Billups man. Melo and Amare is one of the best duo's in the league though...NY is bacK!

Friday, February 11, 2011

The King


Yo...it's Friday homies. Which means I give you my top 5 list. Last week Kobe was on top of my SG's list, and the week before CP3 topped my PG list. Now, I give you my top SF's in the League.

1.Lebron James(26 ppg. 7apg. 7rpg.)- The King is slowly but surely becoming Batman in Miami, no more "Robin" bullshit. He scores when they need him to, and he runs the show when they need him to. Never has there been a player in the league with his speed, quickness, and power. Bron can score the ball with ease while being a sick playmaker on top, I mean, is there anything you would rather see than King James and D-Wade on the break toghether? Bron is having yet another MVP Caliber Season, second in the league in scoring, dropped 51 on the Magic last week and made it look easy...he's the King and he's looking to close in on a ring.

2.Kevin Durant(29 ppg. 7rpg.)- KD proved he was on Lebron's heels when he led Team USA in the Worlds last summer. Dude was in Istanbul going nuts. He put a young team that many people thought couldnt win on his back and brought back some Gold. On top of that, KD is the leader of one of the leagues best teams, and is leading the league in scoring for a second season in a row. KD is the best scorer in the league, at his size he can shoot it from anywhere on the floor, can handle it, get to the rim, finish, you can't guard this man...and the boy is clutch too. I know Portland is hurting right now...chose Greg Oden over the homie...reminds me of the 1984 draft when they chose Sam Bowie over...you know...MICHAEL JORDAN.

3.Carmelo Anthony(25 ppg. 8 rpg.)- Now...first of all I'm not going to get into none of the trade rumors man. Melo is one of the leagues best scorers and if you watch him play he's probably the best in the league at scoring out of the triple threat position. He has sick footwork and jab steps, and one of the best mid-range jumpers in the league. From a pure scorer standpoint, Melo is right there with Durant. He dropped 50 on the Rockets recently, and 42 on the Mavs last night. Dude is still having a great season and carrying the Nuggets in the midst of all the trade rumors.

4.Paul Pierce(19 ppg.)- The Truth...still. Paul Pierce isn't known for having stand out regular seasons like he used to when he was younger, but when the Playoffs come around, dude turns his game up. Pierce has always been one of the best scorers in the league, he looks slow but the homie has that Cali handle and can shoot it from deep and mid-range. He also sneaks in SportsCenter's top 10 every now and then with a sneaky dunk on somebody. Pierce is one of the greatest Celtics of all time.

5.Rudy Gay(20 ppg.)- Rudy Gay is one of the leagues most athletic players and is the center piece of the Memphis Grizzlies. The face of the franchise. Rudy proved alot over in Instanbul last summer being a part of Team USA and bringing back gold. He can score, and his best moment this season was sinking that fade away game winner in Lebron's face right in front of the Heat bench at the buzzer. He's been on the cusp of becoming one of the leagues best at the SF position and he's starting to break through.

*Honorable Mention - Danny Granger(having a bad year despite averaging 20 ppg.),Caron Butler(When Healthy)

"Trey Allen"


Last night Ray Allen became the all-time leading 3 point shooter in NBA History...passing Reggie Miller. Allen went into the game needing just 1 trey ball to tie Reggie's record, and he hit 3 from beyond the arc. Salute to the best shooter of all time....He Got Game.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

He Got Game (Still)


Ray Allen is arguably the best shooter the league has ever seen. And tonight, he looks to achieve pure greatness. When Kobe and the Lake Show come to Boston tonight, Allen will be just 1 trey ball away from tying Reggie Miller's all time record of 2,560 career 3-pointers, and 2 away from breaking the record. How dope would it be if the game was tied...and Ray hit a three at the buzzer to win? Either way...the ageless homie is making history tonight...tune in. And how fitting is it that Reggie Miller will be behind the broadcast table calling the game on TNT...time to hand down that crown Reggie.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

"Melo-Drama"


Melo has obviously been in the news just about every single day since he turned down the extension in Denver. And strangley enough, it hasn't had a negative impact on his play of late as he dropped 50 on the Rockets on Monday in a losing effort. But...on to the real news right? Melo's dream destination in New York of course, and New Jersey is out. But now the Lakers have recently emerged as another suitor for Melo, as well as the Mavericks who don't care if he signs an extenstion with the team, they just want to rent him for the rest of the year. Now...the Knicks have had a couple of good deals on the table, including a three team deal with the T-Wolves that would land Melo in NY. The problem with the Knicks is that they value their pieces too much, and they also know for a fact that if they don't get Melo this season at the cost of losing players like Wilson Chandler, and/or Danilo Gallinari, he'll walk to them in the Summer as a Free Agent. The problem the Nuggets have with this whole thing is that they don't want to lose him for free in the Summer that's why they need to trade him, but they need to stop being so picky and get a deal done as well as New York. Now, the Lakers have the pieces to bring in Melo, with Bynum and Artest, but I think their too conservative to pull the trigger on that deal. Even though the word is that Melo WOULD sign an extension with L.A., I don't see the Lakers making this move. It would be dope though, and a smart move for L.A. as it could have the same impact that the Pau Gasol deal had when they bought him in. I think Melo ending up in NY is inevitable, and I think it happens by the trade deadline this year.

Monday, February 7, 2011

"I Reminisce"





Yo, Happy Monday readers. In case you aint' know...every Monday I reminisce about something I miss in the game...a player...a team...a moment...anything. Last week it was the homie J-Will and his days in Sac-Town. This week..."I Reminisce" about the 2006-2007 Golden State Warriors Team. My most favorite NBA Team of all time, the Warriors of 2006-2007 were sick. Led by the homie Baron Davis, they were the most exciting team to watch in basketball and this team was ridiculous. The squad in 06-07 was stacked man; Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Monta Ellis, Al Harrington, Mickael Pietrus, Matt Barnes, come on man, all those versatile players on one team? These dudes used to run and gun like no other team in the league. I got NBA League Pass for my birthday just so I wouldn't have to miss a Warriors game. This was the year they made that mid-season trade that shook things up for them when they bought in Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington from the Pacers for Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy. Yeah...my bed-room; full of Baron Davis and Warriors posters and pictures...and when the playoffs came around...boooy. They locked in the 8th seed and had to face the number 1 seeded Mavericks. I remember I taped every single game, stayed up late screaming at my TV, one of the best playoff series' I've ever seen in my life. No 8th seed team had ever beaten a 1 seed in a 7-game series, but the Warriors posted too many match up problems for the Mavs. They were the first 8th seed to do it...they took down the 1. Baron Davis was a hero and the savior of Golden State, Stephen Jackson was throwing up three fingers, Jason Richardson was splashing three's and dunkin' on cats, Monta Ellis was a young blur in the open floor, it was magic. Not to mention the second round when the Warriors faced the Jazz...and Baron had that ridiculous ass dunk on Kirilenko...the best dunk I've ever seen in my whole life. I remember I woke Moms up when it happened...was the first time she'd ever heard me swear. 2006-2007 Golden State Warriors...I Reminisce.


Friday, February 4, 2011

Kobe and Company


Yo...last Friday I did my top 5 PG's in the League, now for my top 5 SG's in the league. Here's my list.

1.Kobe Bryant(25 ppg.) - 81 points. The 15 year vet is possibly the greatest Laker of all time, which is a huge statement. I don't have to say much about the Mamba...his 5 championship rings and scoring titles speak for themselves. Kobe is the best player in the League arguably with Lebron James in the same boat. Best footwork we've seen since MJ, crazy clutch, mid-range game, fadeaway, what ever...he's got it in his game, he'll be the best here until he retires.

2.Dwyane Wade(25 ppg.) - D-Wade is part of the best duo in the League, and is still running things in South Beach. Some struggles early in the season are long gone and forgotten. Wade gets to the rim whenever he wants and is one of the best scorers in the league and has been for a while, when the homie is hitting jumpers he's literally unstoppable. In my opinion, although D.Rose is first on my mvp list... D-Wade and Lebron James should be able to like...split the MVP trophy, when Kobe's out of the league...Wade will be the best hands down.

3.Ray Allen(17 ppg.) - Jesus Shuttlesworth, the ageless one. Ray Allen is arguably the greatest shooter of all time. He's only 8 trey balls away from Reggie Millers All-Time 3 Point record, and this early in the season, I think it's safe to say Allen is going to shatter the big homies record. The prettiest shot...ever. Allen is part of that "Big 3" in Boston (4 with Rondo)and is a big reason why the Celtics are the best team in the league to me. Early in the season injuries plagued Boston, but Allen is having one of his best seasons ever shooting the ball and saved them early in the year. Part of that ridiculous 1996 Draft Class...Ray Allen still has game.

4.Monta Ellis(25 ppg.) - 46 points against the Rockets earlier this season, Ellis is one of the best scorers in the league, his 25 ppg. have him ranked 4th in the NBA. He's a blur in the open court, has a very nice mid-range jumper and is an above the rim finisher. Ellis is part of what I think is the best backcourt in the league, he deserved to be an All-Star this season but didnt get in. He's third in the league in steals and has always been in the top 5 in spg. with his quick hands. He's underrated and is no question an Elite 2-Guard in the league.

5.Joe Johnson(21 ppg.) - Joe Johnson got a huge ass contract in the summer, a contract a lot of people didn't feel like he should have gotten. "Joe Johnson isn't a max player." Earlier in the year Joey wasn't playing at an elite level, but since he came back from his injury he's been playing like a Max Player. Coming off a 37 point game against the Raptors, Johnson was chosen as an Eastern All-Star reserve. Smooth game, sick handle, can shoot it from mid-range and deep, Johnson has a complete offensive game and is a tough cover for anybody in the league.

*Honorable Mention - Eric Gordon, Kevin Martin, Manu Ginobli

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

On The Come Up




















Last week Chris Paul headlined my list of the Top 5 PG's in the league. Now I give you a list of 5 PG's who are on the verge of being elite, but not quite there yet. Here's my list of "Almost, Not Top 5, Top 5" PG's in the league.

1.Raymond Felton(17 ppg. 9 apg.)- The former Tar-Heel spent the first 5 years of his NBA career with the Bobcats, where homeboy was basically playing in shackles. Now, in the free lance fast pace offense in NY, Felton is getting a chance to show his skills. He's averaging career highs in both points and assist, and his career season has him running the show effectivley in the Big Apple alongside Amare. The two have been one of the best duo's in the league all season long.

2.Stephen Curry(19 ppg. 6 apg.)- The son of former NBA Sharp-Shooter Dell Curry continues to carry the sharp-shooting DNA from Davidson (where he led the nation in scoring)to the NBA. Curry started the season off sort of rough, dealing with multiple ankle injuries. He's also in the midst of the dreaded "sophmore slump" but he's been getting back to his old form. Curry can score and is a very underrated play-maker, and I think the homie has the best in-and-out move in the league. My personal favorite on this list and 1-half of the best backcourt in the League.

3.Darren Collison(14 ppg. 5 apg.) - Darren Collison had a break out rookie season last year when Chris Paul got injured and he took over the PG duties. He had a game against the Mavericks where he posted 35 points and 15 dimes, and he also had a 20 assist game against the Warriors. Collison proved he was a solid NBA PG and the Pacers traded for him in the Summer. This season has been a bit different for Collison as he hasn't posted the spectacular numbers he was putting up last season, but he's far from a dissapointment. He was splitting minutes with back up point T.J. Ford early in the season and I think Coach O'Brien had him shackled up a little bit. Since O'Brien got fired last week Collison has been playing more freely, look for better numbers from him soon.

4.John Wall(15 ppg. 9 apg.) - The unanimous 1st pick in the draft, If it wasn't for Blake Griffin, Wall would be rookie of the year. He's a freak athlete and one of the fastest players in the league end-to-end with the ball in his hands. Wall's numbers have been solid all season long but he's still not 100%. It's scary what he's capable of at 100% as he's been battling the injury bug all season long showing he has some real toughness. Wall is a gifted player but he needs to improve his jump shot, defenses almost play him like they play Rondo. But the the man has game, he'll be an Elite PG next season.

5.Jrue Holiday(14 ppg. 7 apg.)- The 76ers PG is a very solid player. I had trouble deciding between Holiday and Brandon Jennings for this last spot. I gave it to Holiday because Jennings has been out for so long, but thats not to take anything away from Holiday. He's a solid player, good on the ball defender, and a good mid-range shooter. He had a really good Summer in the NBA Summer League and has proved he can be a starting PG in the league. He's the future of Philly.

*Honorable Mention - *Brandon Jennings, Aaron Brooks(Having a bad year),

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Foye Stepping Up


Yo, I told you guys early last week that the Clippers would be ok with the absence of Eric Gordon due to his wrist injury because Randy Foye had game and could step up and fill the void. And the homie from Villanova has done just that. Averaging 18.6 ppg. since he stepped into the starting lineup for the Clips; I think they'll be fine until Gordon gets back. Look for the Clippers to make a serious run at the 8th spot in the West while they try to make up ground for that 1-13 start on the season.

Monday, January 31, 2011

"I Reminisce"
















Yo, every Monday I'm going to reminisce about something I miss in the game. A player, a team, a moment, anything. And today...I Reminisce about Jason Williams...White Chocolate. I was a huge Jason Williams fan when I was growing up. Had posters and cut outs of him throwing that no look pass all over my bedroom walls. I was a big Sac-Town fan because of the homie, and I used to record all of his games that came on TV. When the Kings traded J-Will for Mike Bibby it broke my heart because they use to show all of Sacramento's games on national tv (TNT) so I always got to watch Williams play, but when he went to the Grizzlies...I never got to see him anymore...until NBA League Pass came about. The most exciting player to watch when he was a King, he was key to turning the Grizzlies franchise around getting them to the playoffs, and the homie won a ring with Miami...which was crazy dope. I remember he did that elbow pass in the rookie sophmore game, and i tried it in a game when I was a kid...and it went out of bounds. The epic no-look passes, the flashy, the sick handle, the pull up trey ball in transition, and that number. I wore 55 in high school and as a kid because of J-Will...I Reminisce.