NBA Playoffs 2011: Lakers vs. Mavericks Game 4 Afterthoughts

Post-game Analysis: Today marked the end of the Phil Jackson era. Though it didn't end the way he would've liked, no one can deny the accomplishments and success that Phil Jackson has earned. 

"They (Mavs) brought the rain and Kobe and Phil didn't have an umbrella"

                                                       - Kamal Y

• Dallas 122, LA 86. Dallas completes the sweep in convincing fashion. The Mavericks' second line was the star today. Their bench scored 86 points. Yes, you read that correctly; their bench scored as many points as the entire Laker squad. It also didn't help the Lakers much that every player in a Maverick uniform seemed like he was on fire from behind the arc. Dallas tied a NBA postseason record with 20 three-pointers. Jason Terry led all scorers with 32 pts (9/10 from behind the arc), followed by J.J. Barea with 22 pts, and Peja Stojakovic with 21pts (6/6 from three pt range). 
• I've never been a huge Dirk fan, but I've always had a ton of respect for his game. Today was yet another example of how versatile this man is. Nowitzki played solid defense, attacked the lanes, and hit the 3-ball to contribute a modest 17 points without taking any opportunity away from... 
• ...Terry and Peja. What I loved about these guys more than their 15 combined three pointers was that they made them while playing within the system. They didn't launch threes simply for the sake of making threes (It also helped that the Lakers didn't even bother to try sticking a hand in their faces).
• The Lakers never really found their rhythm today on either end of the floor. On offense, ball-movement was slow or non-existent, and easy buckets were missed. On defense, rotations around the rim were slow and close-outs just didn't happen. The Lakers wilted during Dallas's most momentous runs. Simply put, they didn't come ready to play. The ugliness of the situation went beyond the box score, as the Lakers' frustration clearly showed late in the game with a series of unsportsmanlike fouls from Odom and Bynum. Kobe led LA scoring with 17 points on 7/18 shooting...
• ... but Kobe completely failed to lead his team to a win (or even to being competitive). For a guy whose name is mentioned as one of the top 10 NBA players of all time, and playing alongside the league's best power forward and sixth man, Kobe left a lot of NBA fans astonished with just how quickly and hard the mighty have fallen. There was absolutely no sense of urgency or passion in Kobe today. Instead of hunkering down to get his team back into the game, Kobe spent his time launching ill-advised long-range jumpers or looking to the refs to bail him out every time he lost the ball in the lane. This was not a champion's performance in any way.
• Bynum and Odom: Completely uncalled for guys. I understand that getting blown out and swept must be frustrating... but you can't risk another player's safety just cause you're pissed... 

The Spurs were ousted in the first round, Lakers swept in the second... the torch has officially been passed onto the next wave of younger teams. In this series, the Mavs were just hungrier and the better team. Regardless of which team advances in the OKC/Memphis series, Mavs will have an obvious experience advantage... I like their odds of making it to the Finals.

For a video recap, you can visit NBA.com

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Halftime Update: When it rains, it pours, and Terry and Peja are making it rain hard on the Purple and Gold. When I turned on the tv, I thought I was watching someone play NBA Live on Rookie level difficulty. The Mavs are up 63-39 at the half...whaaaaaaat is going on?! If the Lakers want to get back into this game, they need to pick it up on both ends of the floor. Kobe is trying too hard to be the hero and it's not working out. Gasol and Bynum also need to rotate more quickly on defense, protect the rim, and grab some boards.

This is nuts... the brooms are coming out.






  

Christmas Day Games Afterthoughts: Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks

(click here for recap)
The first of five games on the NBA schedule on Christmas Day. It was a pretty close game for the first half, but the Heat managed to create some separation late in the second quarter. The Heat's 10 point cushion lasted until the final minutes of the fourth quarter, when the Knicks came rumbling back to get within three.

• Dwayne Wade put up another signature monster stat-line: 30points (11-21), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. He had was hitting from all over the floor in the fourth quarter, effectively neutralizing the Knicks final rally. And did you see that dunk in the last frame? Ridiculous.
• Michael Beasley is playing with so much more confidence than last year, and proving his worth as last year's #2 draft pick. The Knicks just could not figure out how to stop his lefty drives today, and Beasley capitalized on his opportunities with drives to the hoop and some mid-range jumpers. Beasley finished the game with 19 points, but not much else (2 rebounds, 0 assists/steals/blocks).
  
• David Lee, you have to love the guy. On a night when the entire team was struggling to put the ball in the rim, Lee was the only consistent source of buckets. His awareness of the ball, excellent hands, and touch around the rim make up for any lack of athleticism he might have. Lee finished with 19points and 16 rebounds.
  
• Nasty. That's all I can really say about Al Harrington's outing. He (and the rest of the Knicks) spent much of the night bombing away from behind the arc. When he did decide to attack the rim, good things happened... it's too bad he didn't figure that out til the final two minutes. 12 points on 5-20 shooting...blehh
  
• I can't decide whether I like Danilo Gallinari or not. He's got a real smooth stroke from long range, and when the threes weren't falling, he hit the lane. At 6'10" with a shooting guard's game, he can pretty much shoot over whoever's manning him up. But this guy's craftiness reminds me of Ginobilli. His little number on Q-rich at the end of the 4th was shady- smart? yes... but still shady. Danilo had a pretty good outing with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists.
  
• D'Antoni - I think Nate's learned his lesson. Let Kryptonate play!
  

All in all, the game wasn't much excitement until the last couple of minutes. For a game featuring D'Antoni's "uptemo" offense, the game felt pretty slow.

Nike Hyperize TV Spot

I have been eyein' these shoes for the longest time.

Rashard has some nice flow on the mic.

The Tape

Here's a pretty clear version of "The Dunk on Lebron"

Check it out, see what you think. I'd say that a pretty good poster.

NBA In Flux: Part II

You won't be seeing this next season... hopefully...

And the player movement continues

For Part 1, click here

Atlanta Hawks trade Acie Law and Speedy Claxton to the Golden State Warriors for Jamal Crawford.

The Hawks managed to give away two guys they never really use for a proven and deadly scorer. Since his days on the Bulls, I have been a fan of Jamal Crawford. At 29, he's currently ballin' in his prime, and will provide Atlanta with some extra firepower from beyond the arc. The only thing I'm wondering about is how he's going to fit into the rotation; the Hawks just inked Bibby to a four-year deal, clearly making him the starting PG for the foreseeable future. Even though Joe Johnson has gotten flak over his ability to lead a team, he's still the Hawks most well rounded player and top dog. The way I see it, Jamal is going to have to come off the bench.

And the Warriors? Let me put it this way; I doubt you or Golden State will care much for him this next season.

Fantasy Relevance: The player that will take the biggest hit with Crawford in town is Flip Murray. Flip played well as 6th man last season, but with the way the rotation is rounding out, he'll be the first man out. Aside from that, don't expect Crawford to be as consistent as he was last season. 15 shots with 19 points a game are going to be hard to come by when you've got as many weapons as Atlanta.

Toronto trades Shawn Marion, Kris Humphries, and Nathan Jawai to Dallas for Devean George and Antoine Wright. Toronto also acquires Hedo Turkoglu from Orlando for cash and a future pick from Memphis.

Too many parties involved with too many irrelevant players changing places. The only two people that matter here are obviously Shawn Marion and Hedo Turkoglu.

It seems like it's been forever since the Matrix was running and gunning next to Steve Nash and the Suns. Since then, Marion has fallen a bit into obscurity. He's failed to make favorable impressions during his stops in Miami and Toronto. And now a few years removed from the last season he's played more than 70 games, he seems to be but a shell of his former slam-dunking self. But looks can be deceiving. Despite his struggles over the last few years, Dallas is raving about this acquisition. Marion gives the Mavs that extra versatility they haven't had in a long time; he scores from inside and out, rebounds extremely well for a man of 6'7", and can defend four positions. Take a look at the Mav's lineup for next season: Kidd, Josh Howard, Marion, Dirk, and Dampier (...ok so Dampier isn't really that impressive). Jason "The Jet" Terry remains their sixth man, and they've got Barea/rookie summer league standout Rodrigue Beaubois to back up Kidd's aging legs. A pretty solid rotation if you ask me.

The Raptors weren't half bad either; Turkoglu opens up a number of more options for the Raptors' offensive attack. He's a crafty guy that can light it up from downtown, and can also take it to the rim. The Raptors also have a pretty nice looking rotation heading into next season. They've got a nice combination of scoring and assists in their two headed point guard of Jose Calderon and newly signed Jarret Jack. At the two, they've got human highlight machine Demar Derozan. Hedo comes in to fill the three. And they've got twin towers in Bosh and Bargnani to anchor the paint. In the wackness that is the Eastern Conference, this team definitely has a legit chance at making some noise in the playoffs next season.

Fantasy Relevance: Marion isn't going to become Matrix circa 2005, but I'm pretty sure he's going to put up a better all-around statline than the ones posted in the last two years. He's never been a guy that's needed plays run for him to be effective, and I expect that to remain the case. He's going to find ways to contribute on both ends of the floor without getting in his teammates way. Things are looking up for this guy. I'm not entirely sure if he'll be worth a 2nd round pick, but if he's available in the third, his potential makes him worth taking a risk on.

The same can be said for Hedo. He was brought into Toronto to score down the stretch, and that's exactly what he's going to do. His inside-outside abilities will compliment Bosh and Bargnani very well, seeing how they both can also stretch defenses away from the paint. Expect him to maintain his 16-5-5 averages from last season without screwing over anyone else. You can draft Raptors with peace of mind.

Detroit Pistons sign Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva...

... these are my hometown heroes and they deserve an article of their own. More on this action later...

Ron Artest Agrees to a five-year deal with the L.A. Lakers

Sick.

The NBA's top team just got better. Relatively speaking, his antics have cooled off a bit (but that Michael Jackson tribute was real creepy). And the fact of the matter is that Artest is an offensively capable SF that defends with a tenacity that most other players can't, or choose not to do. On offense, he's another guy that the Lakers can toss the ball to when Kobe gets doubled. Artest's jumper is sufficient, and also does a good job of getting to the rim. On defense, he's going to be the guy that sticks the opposing team's best man. This allows Kobe to save his own energy for the offensive end. If he manages to assimilate into the Lakers chemistry-wise (a big if), I don't see any other team being able to take the title from them in summer 2010.

Fantasy Relevance: Artest is NOT going to get the 15 shots he got last year in Houston. LA is Kobe's team, and Ron Ron better be ready to play 3rd or 4th fiddle in terms of offense. Expect his 17ppg to drop to somewhere around 13ppg. He'll get his minutes, just don't expect the stats. Houston is now a tossup. Guys like Brooks, Wafer, and Ariza will be looked to for points. Keep an eye on all of them in the latter rounds of your draft.

...and a little bit about the smaller moves...

Amir Johnson in Milwuakee

It's too bad he never panned out in Detroit. Tall and athletic, he just couldn't stay out of foul trouble. Hopefully he gets some serious minutes with Jennings over there in Milwaukee. I wish him the best.

Darko in New York

I can see it now: all of Madison Garden chanting "Darko! Darko! Darko!..." I can't wait. In all seriousness though, he's got a chance at getting a good 15 minutes at the center position each night. He's only competition is a slimmed down Eddy Curry and unknown Mouhamed Sene.

Brandon Bass in Orlando

Otis Thorpe pulled a nice one on Dallas. And now he's got a legitimate power forward to help Dwight Howard out on the boards. Bass is one of those guys any coach would want on their team. He works hard and puts the team first.

Antonio McDyess to San Antonio

Dyess and newly drafted DeJuan Blair add some muscle to San Antonio's thin front line. Can you believe Matt "Red Rocket" Bonner actually started last season? Neither can I...

Clippers swap away Zach Randolph for Quentin Richardson

The Clippers do something right for once. Z-Bo can go get his 20-10 in some other town.

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Jamario Moon

Someone on the Cavs not named Lebron has a chance to be in some SportsCenter Highlights.

...ok I actually really like this move. Moon gives some depth behind Lebron at the SF slot. Though he's raw on offense, he's still long, freakishly athletic, and a capable defender. He's no Artest or Bowen, but he's a great addition.

Artistry of Michael Jordan

Came across this video today on Youtube - a must see for any Jordan fan.

Coming from a fanatic, trust me when I say it's worth your time to watch. There's a lot of good footage that you don't come across in most Jordan highlight clips.

I am convinced no one does the up-and-under better than MJ

NBA In Flux: Part I

Absolute Craziness

It seems like every other time I check ESPN.com a new trade just went down, or a free agent has switched teams. All this player movement means shifts in the NBA Power Totem-Pole. Almost as nearly important, transactions means shifts in player fantasy basketball valuation. In an attempt to prepare you for your league next year, this is my 2 cents on what's happened so far.

San Antonio trades Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto to Milwaukee for Richard Jefferson

As much as I hate them, I have to respect the Spurs. They've managed to acquire an athletic, offensively gifted forward while only giving up three veterans in the waning stages of their careers. Riddled with injuries last season, San Antonio recognized that they had a hard time scoring when one of Duncan/Ginobili/Parker were out. Given Manu's penchant for injuring himself and Duncan's gradual decline into middle-age, upper management reached out to nab some very talented insurance. If Duncan stays healthy, this is a very deadly squad in the wild west.

The Bucks? They did this purely for financial reasons.

Fantasy Relevance: Though Jefferson's stats will most likely drop from last year's levels, I expect him to hover around 16ppg with 4 rebs a game. RJ is capable enough on both ends of the floor, and will still get his 30+ mins a night. Additionally, his production depends much on the health of Duncan/Ginibili/Parker. If one of them go down, his numbers will be the first to go up. Because of age, I also think Duncan will be relied upon a little less on the offensive end now that RJ is in town, but I still expect Duncan to put up 18-10 consistently.

Minnesota T-Wolves send Randy Foye and Mike Miller to Washington for #5 draft pick (aka Ricky Rubio), Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, and Oleksly Pecherov.

Oleksly who? Minnesota's moves continue to baffle me; basketball-wise, this move doesn't seem to get them anywhere, but at least they probably cleared out some cap-space...

The Wizards on the other hand got a nice deal here, and addressed one of their weaknesses for the past many years: depth. Foye, cursed with having a shooting guard's mentality in a point guard's body, now has a chance to play protege to one of the league's best shoot-first point guards in Gilbert Arenas. Mike Miller, known for his long-ball, put in one of his worst statistical seasons in 08-09. If the change of scenery (and maybe some wins) can motivate him into playing the high quality basketball that earned him a spot on the USA Basketball Team in 2007, he will provide the Wizards with some offensive firepower outside their Big Three.

Fantasy Relevance: Rubio is the only player that has a remote chance of having fantasy value out of the players the T-Wolves received, and he might not even play in the US this year... so don't bother with those guys. On Washington's side, Foye and Miller might have some highlights throughout the year, but Washington has too many offensive weapons for them to consistently put up any more than ten points a night. Foye and Miller are going to be on and off the waiver wire this year.

New Jersey trades Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Tony Battie.

So far, this is my favorite trade of the off-season.

With Hedo Turkoglu's inevitable leave approaching, Orlando went out and brought back the original Half-Man, Half-Amazing. Though he's nowhere near what he used to be, VC is still an upgrade over Hedo. Vince can do everything Hedo did, and he can do it better. Now in the latter half of his career, he has a legitimate opportunity to add a championship ring to his trophy case. Though Alston played well in the playoffs, he was expendable with the return of Jameer Nelson's return - and Anthony Johnson is adequate as a backup point guard. Orlando is reloaded and ready for another run at the title.

...And now for the other side. It's clear that New Jersey is now rebuilding from the ground up, and they've got a great backcourt to build around. Devin Harris proved last year that he's a star-caliber player. Newly acquired Courtney Lee, now entering his 2nd season, played with the poise of a veteran at multiple points throughout the season. He's athletic, commits to defense, shoots well, and plays smart. Though they might not win many games next year, Harris and Lee make Net's games more than worth it to watch.

Fantasy Relevance: I see Vince's numbers dipping ever so slightly; Orlando is a loaded team. However, I think the one that will be affected most is Rashard Lewis. You know Dwight Howard will continue to get his touches, given his Superstar status. Jameer is also still young and on the rise. Thus, it's Rashard's touches that will decrease. In NJ, you can expect Courtney's 8.4ppg, 2.3rpg, and 1.2apg to all at least double. He's bound to struggle a bit with a lot more responsibility on his plate, but I expect him to rise above all that. Keep an eye on Lee in the mid to late rounds of your draft.