NBA FanHouse

Tip-Off Timer: Rise of the Three-Pointer Since '80

Tom Ziller — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Saturday, there are exactly 80 days remaining.

When the NBA completed in merger with the American Basketball Association in 1976, it borrowed a few great things: the slam dunk contest, Dr. J and -- most importantly -- the three-point line. Well, the NBA didn't grab the three-point line right away. It wasn't until the 1979-80 season that the NBA opened the arc for business.

In that premiere '80 season for downtown, the average NBA team took only 227 threes. Last year, Rashard Lewis himself took well more than twice that many (554). The league has come around on the importance of the trey, but it's taken a long time.

This chart shows how much more NBA offenses depend on the three-pointer today versus back closer to its '80 debut.

Back in '80, three-pointers made up only 3.1% of total NBA field goal attempts. Last season, the league set a record with 22.4% of FGAs coming from downtown.

It's been a slow, steady climb ... save for the unfortunate spell in which the league tried to juice offenses by moving the line up to 22 feet. It took no time for teams (and shooters) to realize what a boon the shorter three-point line was. Leaguewide three-point shooting went from 33% in 1994 to 36% in 1995 (the first year with the shorter arc). In just two years, the use of the three-point shot catapulted from 11% of all FGAs in 1994 to 20% in 1996. Fortunately, the league went back to the standard three-point line we see today in 1998.

Nonetheless, the fundamentals of NBA players -- in terms of shooting, at least -- are getting stronger.

Along with the rise of the three-pointer as a weapon, there has been a general increase in the efficiency of the tool. The leaguewide shooting percentage on threes last season (36.7%) equaled the previous high: 1996, one of those's short-arc seasons. In other words, players are shooting 24-footers as well today as they shot 22-footers in 1996. (Or something like that.)

It will be interesting to see whether shooters get so good at some point that the league will consider moving the line back to 24-1/2 or 25 feet. I doubt it (chicks dig the long ball, and viewers dig offense), but we could be heading toward a day when more offenses become undefendable thanks to supreme long-range efficacy.

As always, thanks to Basketball-Reference for the data.

Tip-Off Timer: Rise of the Three-Pointer Since '80 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Gets High Marks For Diversity

Tom Ziller — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Eastern, Western

American sports leagues have often been fairly criticized for a lack of diversity at the management level. College football famously has problems fixed its incredible lack of blacks among its head coaching ranks, and pro baseball and football have faced the same talk in terms of its front offices.

But a recent study by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport showed that the NBA is doing it well. Women fill 43 percent of the league's "professional" positions, and the NBA remained the only major American professional sports league with a 'A' grade in both racial and gender diversity. The study also reported that over its history, the NBA has had more than twice as many black head coaches than any other league.

NBA Gets High Marks For Diversity originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cuban Denies Calling Martin 'a Punk'

Ariel Helwani — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:44:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Nuggets, Western, Playoffs, FanHouse Exclusive

Tempers were flying high following the Denver Nuggets' Game 3 victory on Saturday in Dallas.

While cameras caught Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, shoving a cameraman after the buzzer sounded, Cuban is denying a Denver Post report claiming he approached Nuggets' forward Kenyon Martin's mother, Lydia Moore, after the game and said, "Your son is a punk."

FanHouse contacted Cuban via e-mail on Monday and asked if he ever said that to Moore. "Absolutely not," Cuban replied.

Martin's agent, Brian Dyke, told the Denver newspaper that Cuban did in fact say that to Martin's mother.

Martin is convinced Cuban approached his mother unprovoked, and is reportedly not happy about it.

"Don't say nothing to my kids or my family," Martin said, according to The Post. "If you got something to say, say it to me. But I'm going to take care of it. I'm not going to do the whole media thing, back and forth. That's his thing. I'm more of a face-to-face type of dude."

"So whenever the opportunity presents itself, then I will address it. But I got a game to go win. At some point I will, but I got a game to go win, first and foremost. So that's my focus and concentration right now."

Cuban did admit to the Denver Post on Sunday that he said to Martin's mother, "That includes your son," when a fan screamed about the Nuggets being "thugs."

Latest NBA Playoff Photos

Jay Triano , right, and Toronto Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo pose for pictures following a news conference in Toronto on Monday, May 11, 2009. Triano signed a three-year contract Monday to coach the Toronto Raptors, dropping the interim tag after taking over the team during the season. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Chris Young)

Jay Triano smiles at a news conference in Toronto on Monday, May 11, 2009. Triano signed a three-year contract Monday to coach the Toronto Raptors, dropping the interim tag after taking over the team during the season. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Chris Young)

Jay Triano reacts to a reporter's question during a news conference in Toronto on Monday, May 11, 2009. Triano signed a three-year contract Monday to coach the Toronto Raptors, dropping the interim tag after taking over the team during the season. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Chris Young)

ORLANDO - MAY 10: Rajon Rondo #9 of the Boston Celtics rebounds against the Orlando Magic in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rajon Rondo

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Ray Allen #20 of the Boston Celtics shoots against Dwight Howard #12 and Rashard Lewis #9 of the Orlando Magic in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ray Allen;Dwight Howard;Rashard Lewis

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics shoots against Rashard Lewis #9 of the Orlando Magic in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kendrick Perkins;Rashard Lewis

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic takes the ball to the basket against Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Howard;Kendrick Perkins

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Rajon Rondo #9 of the Boston Celtics tracks a rebound against the Orlando Magic in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rajon Rondo

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Glen Davis #11 of the Boston Celtics is defended on his drive to the basket by Tony Battie #4 of the Orlando Magic in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Glen Davis;Tony Battie

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Of course, Cuban was fuming over the fact that no whistle was blown after it appeared as though Mavs guard Antoine Wright had deliberately tried to foul Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony with seconds remaining in the game. Some NBA analysts have suggested that the reason no foul was called was because Wright lifted both his hands after hitting Anthony, a reaction most players do to show they haven't touched an opposing player.

"They are wrong," Cuban replied when asked about the foul in question. "Any offensive player will tell you that in that situation, when you feel the foul, or feel it coming, you start in a shooting motion. So Wright risked having a shooting foul with three shots being called."

Did You See That?

John Daly of USA looks happy with his putt during the final round of the BMW Italian Open at Royal Park I Roveri on May 10, 2009 near Turin, Italy.

Stuart Franklin, Getty Images

Porto's coach Jesualdo Ferreira celebrates winning the Portuguese Premier League title after beating Nacional in their soccer match at Dragon stadium in Porto May 10, 2009.

Fernando Veludo, Reuters

Troy Corser of Australia and BMW Motorrad Motorsport and Tommy Hill of Great Britain and Honda Althea Racing crash into each other in the first corner of race 1 of the World Superbike Championship in the Monza Circuit on May 10, 2009 in Monza, Italy.

Mirco Lazzari, Getty Images

Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin (bottom) collides with Washington Capitals' Sergei Fedorov during second period in Game 4 of their NHL Eastern Conference semi-final hockey series in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania May 8, 2009.

Jason Cohn, Reuters

Michael Waltrip (55) catches fire as his engine blows in turn three during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Southern 500 auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C., Saturday, May 9, 2009.

Richard Shiro, AP

Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis, center, is congratulated by teammate Bill Walker, right, as J.R. Giddens celebrates after Davis made a game-winning shot with time running out during the second half of a second-round NBA playoff basketball game in Orlando, Fla., Sunday, May 10, 2009. The Celtics won 95-94.

Phelan M. Ebenhack, AP

San Diego Padres shortstop Chris Burke makes a diving attempt on a ground ball hit up the middle by Houston Astros' Miguel Tejada in the fourth inning during a baseball game in Houston on Sunday, May 10, 2009.

Bob Levey, AP

Aaron Ward #44 of the Boston Bruins gets punched by Scott Walker #24 of the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Brian Babineau, NHLI / Getty Images

Chad Dawson, right, punches Antonio Tarver during the sixth round of their IBF light heavyweight championship boxing match at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Saturday, May 9, 2009 in Las Vegas. Dawson won by unanimous decision.

Isaac Brekken, AP

Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, right, celebrates with guard J.R. Smith after Anthony hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the second half of Game 3 of the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinals, Saturday, May 9, 2009, in Dallas. Denver won 106-105.

Matt Slocum, AP

Cuban Denies Calling Martin 'a Punk' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 11 May 2009 16:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blake Griffin Will Enter the NBA Draft

Will Brinson — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Eastern, Western, NBA Draft

Blake Griffin has been picking up hardware for the past few weeks (the Naismith, AP and CBS player of the year awards spring immediately to mind) and, considering that he announced his decision Tuesday to enter the NBA Draft, it's safe to say he's going to be getting a pretty substantial pay raise as well.

Griffin called choice a "tough decision," but the reality is grounded closer in what Oklahoma Jeff Capel meant when he called the decision a "no brainer."

The Oklahoma big man is a virtual lock for the No. 1 overall selection in the upcoming draft -- although there are some folks that currently disagree with that theory -- and stands to make millions and millions of dollars, regardless of who ends up winning the lottery.

And it's not like this decision was ever going to be shocking; nearly everyone knew heading into this year that Griffin had always planned to be a "one and done," primarily because there is simply too much money available to him at the pro level to consider coming back to school for another year.

Blake Griffin Will Enter the NBA Draft originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Rotation: Is NBA's Doomsday Real?

Tom Ziller — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:03:00 EST

Filed under: Eastern, Western

The Rotation is a weekly study on the NBA by one of our All-Star voices. In rotation this week is Tom Ziller.

NBA owners continue to scream bloody apocalypse. The year 2011 marks the doomsday date, with the L-word -- "lock-out" -- graduating from whisper to constant ink. Non-basketball losses and flagging attendance (see update, end of post) make every cent count, and apparently the stars of the show make too many of the dollars. "Two pounds of flesh or stay home," the owners warn.

But David Stern assures you the NBA is fine. Thriving, even. Ratings boom nightly and the league's (to date) soft slip amid global economic Armageddon should reassure those who fret, Stern argues. A ~~$175~~ $200 million expansion of the league's credit store for franchises -- not a "bail-out," but further proof of the league's health!

Should we believe a commissioner preaching relaxation, or are the owners seizing with (some combination of) fear and blood-lust? Is the NBA really screwed?

Six months ago came the first mainstream mention of "lock-out" in the press -- an anonymous owner offered up a quote to Newsday threatening that without major concessions from the players the owners would cancel a season (or two!) Since then, the economy imploded, touching every industry in America. NBA owners tend to dabble in other industries (or maybe I have that backwards?), and many have been reportedly taking baths since the summer. Layoffs in Charlotte and Secaucus, coach flights for billionaire playboys, fire sales everywhere.

Cap space ruled everything around us, but cold cash has taken new precedence. Indiana's owners claim $30 million in losses and a dreadful franchise value. Sacramento might lose $25 million. The aforementioned anonymous seer quoted by Newsday pegged only a half-dozen teams as profitable. This all fuels the believable threats of a work stoppage, and screams for solution.

Let us be frank: all this dire shock doctrine thrashing -- true or not -- helps the owners. No matter how dedicated players have been to sensible financial management, their losses in this downturn will be smaller than those of the owners. It's a simple matter of scale. The owners have their beggar's hands out ... only the beggars can keep their marks from working until they empty their wallets.

Yet, here's Stern -- face of the owners -- painting the rosiest portrait of the NBA imaginable.

"I'd just say the 'doomsday scenario' is that the NBA is somehow going to be irretrievably damaged by some event or another. The predictions of the demise of the NBA were frequent and profound [over the years], and they've always been wrong."

Machismo pride, or an attempt to steady the ship? The commissioner not only asserts full health, but has sanctioned owners and executives who dare relay the doomsday fears on the record. (NBA spokesman Tim Frank said, via e-mail, that speculation on what will happen in 2011 is premature at this point, and reiterated that Stern and the union have regular contact on this matter.)

As the walls crumble, setting the stage for a massive coup for the owners, Stern raises a facade -- potentially true, probably optimistic -- that dampens his case at the negotiating table.

Why? Stern doesn't come across as a man who learns lessons. Pardon my doe eyes, but he's a completely brilliant ball-buster. The Fake David Stern Twitter feed is hilarious because the over-the-top, fictionalized megalomania remains quite nearly believable. Whatever lessons Wall Street and America have learned or are learning from the financial meltdown don't apply to the NBA ... because Stern writes his own play sets. Wall Street covered its collective eyes as the ship burst into flames, and Stern at least appears to be doing the same. "We're fine, we're fine, I SAID WE'RE FINE! GET OFF MY LAWN!"

Now those enabling goons who refused to accurately capture the deep despair the crumbled economy would cause find themselves in the crosshairs of public opinion. Anyone who parrots Stern's lines potentially faces the same fate. Consider that which Stern implies: the collective bargaining agreement going into affect in 2011 must have major concessions from the players ... and we're going to get them, no problem. By brushing the matter under the rug, Stern raises his arms to the sky and declares, "We win."

We can only imagine how shocking Stern's demands will be. The increased age minimum (to 20 years old) is a no-brainer (unfortunately). Shorter contracts? The 2005 contract restricted player deals to six years maximum; Stern will likely want to go five (with four years being the limit for outside free agents). Small contracts? Stern will likely look to limit contract size a few ways: through the elimination of some salary cap exceptions (like the mid-level, which has turned $2-million players into $6-million players), through a constriction of the share of the salary cap maximum-salary players can earn, perhaps through a one-year extension of the rookie scale (a team option, of course).

Can the players say no to anything? Stern has said he'll meet with union chief Billy Hunter this summer to work on the CBA. What stance could Hunter possibly take? If the players association earns a victory, it'll be because Stern asked for far more than the above. Hunter and the players stood against the wall in 1998 and 2005 as Stern and the owners cocked their pistols. I don't see a dissimilar situation this time around.

So why, I asked, has Stern attempted to check the yelps of fear from the NBA's owner class, given that a doomsday horizon only helps make his case come 2011? It's because he has already won. Only the details remain at stake ... unless some hero steps up and defends the players association from conquest.

UPDATE: The NBA said attendance is actually slightly up this season, but does not maintain publicly accessible collected attendance numbers.

The Rotation: Is NBA's Doomsday Real? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amar'e Stoudemire Done for Season

Shane Bacon — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Suns, Western, NBA Injuries

With Phoenix on the outside looking in on the Western conference playoff picture, one saving grace for a late season run was the potential return of All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire.

The Arizona Republic reported on Thursday that Stoudemire, who had previously been expected to return for the playoffs, will be out for the remainder of the season with a torn retina.

"Not this season, not at all," said Dr. Pravin Dugel, the Valley eye surgeon who operated on Stoudemire's detached retina two weeks ago. "The Suns have the same goal - to make sure he can resume his career.

"It's very difficult to explain to anyone how serious this is. It's more serious than any knee or ankle surgery. The healing is excruciatingly slow and delicate."

This is obviously tough news for Suns fans, but the truth is, they weren't making a title run this season. Giving Stoudemire adequate time to recover is the best possible scenario.

This injury that occurred on Feb. 18 against the Clippers was the second time his eye had been damaged this season, and Amar'e said he will most likely wear protective goggles the rest of his career.

"Now it's a matter of just waiting for his body to resorb the fluid," Dugel said. "So far, it's resorbing slowly."

The only way to accelerate resorbing of the thick fluid is through surgery, which would require a gas bubble that could cause a cataract.

Yeah, I think I can speak for Amar'e when I say, the words "gas bubble" and "cataract" in the same sentence are reason enough to take a little extra time to recover. The Suns, who sit ninth in the West, face off against the Rockets at 8:30 PM ET on Friday.

Amar'e Stoudemire Done for Season originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roundtable: Are the Jazz for Real?

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Hornets, Jazz, Lakers, Spurs, Western

The Utah Jazz are starting to put things together. In the midst of a stretch in which they've won eight of their last nine, Utah has home victories against the Lakers, Celtics, and Hornets. But not everyone is a believer just yet.

A few of us gathered around the FanHouse Roundtable to discuss Utah's recent surge, and to see if, in the grand scheme of things, it means anything at all. Matt Moore, Tom Ziller, and I get together for some serious Jazz talk, after the jump.

Matt Moore: I'm curious to know how high you guys think the Jazz can climb in the seedings. I for one am on the edge of my seat wondering if they'll lose to Denver, Portland, San Antonio or LA in the first round.

Tom Ziller: With a marginally healthy Boozer and AK-47, they can beat Denver and Portland. Okur is out of his mind, Williams is Williams. How can you hate a team that uses the D-League as well as anyone outside of San Antonio and Detroit?

MM: I don't hate them. They're a small market team with D-League ties. I love them in a way.

But this talk about them being any sort of contender is based off of what? Their ability to beat Golden State after one of the most historic upsets in NBA history? Their time-tested ability to beat Tracy McGrady?

Portland, yeah, they can take. If Nene's okay (MRI today, by the way), it's over in five. Maybe the Jazz will make a run and land a top seed so they can get Houston or New Orleans, though. Then they get to be vanquished from the Earth once more by the Lakers or Spurs in six (if they're lucky). I don't have anything against them, but everyone talks about "good solid playoff basketball" and then talks about Mehmet Okur. I love Memo, but he's a big man that likes to hang on the perimeter. NOT A GOOD MATCHUP.

TZ: Say whatever you want about matchups, but they made the Western Conference Finals two years ago. Williams is better, Brewer (!), Kyle Korver's here ...

Boozer isn't the defender Duncan is, but ... who is matching up with Memo in that series this season? Bonner? Oberto? Jazz-S.A. would be a great, close series. Maybe it ends in six, but it's hardly a crime losing to the Spurs in six.

MM: Why does everyone say "They made the Western Conference Finals!" without considering the fact that they went through freaking Golden State? It's not like they toppled a top seed. They got lucky because Dallas drew the only team that season that had their number and then fell apart. It's not like they overcame a series of great teams to get there. They drew a favorable path and rolled in before being dismissed again by an elite team.

Williams is better, Korver is here, but they still rely on the human block magnet and AK to keep his head. And if you like Memo, San Antonio answers with Bonner. If you try and get big, they counter with Kurt Thomas. They're a good team. A nice team. They're not living past game 6 of the conference semis. They're just not. I think Millsap's been awesome, which is why it will be sad when Boozer takes his minutes.

TZ: Why does everyone say "They made the Western Conference Finals!" ...

Because they, um, made the Western Conference Finals?

Of course it comes with context. But even with the salt, it's a heck of an accomplishment. And again, the team has improved. I would state that (due in part to the aging of Bruce Bowen) S.A. has not gotten better.

MM: Woohoo! We were lucky enough to be the team that got the biggest upset of the last fifteen years after we got a team that we have a huge tactical advantage against! Crown our asses!

I'm sorry, but until they prove they can beat, nay, hang with a team that's not Houston or a freaking 8 seed, they've accomplished about as much as the Magic have, in more time.

You think...hold on... you think the Jazz can beat San Antonio? In the playoffs? When they're trying and stuff? Did Brad Miller give you his stash before he split town? SA hasn't gotten better. Which will make the beatdown they might deliver Utah all the stronger evidence of Utah's fraudulent existence as a "contender."

TZ: You think...hold on... you think the Jazz can beat San Antonio? In the playoffs? When they're trying and stuff?

I think it's within the realm of possibilities. Utah can't hang with the Lakers (no one in the West can if Lamar Odom keeps this up), but they could end up being the second-best team in the conference still. No amount of question marks or references to how lucky they were to make the WCF two seasons ago will change that.

MM: If I were to write an encyclopedia entry for the term "Regular Season Team," I would include this chart. They're 6-11 against teams with a "good" Net Points stat and 7-13 against teams with good defensive field goal percentage allowed.

They could become the second best team in the conference, but then, so could Atlanta. I'm not exactly holding my breath, here.

Crikey their upcoming schedule blows, though. They could rattle off 10 straight and not break a sweat. Excellent, this will make betting against them in the playoffs much more profitable.

Brett Pollakoff: Here's the thing about the Jazz: At home, they're really tough. That crowd is like an older, more moral, less tech-savvy version of what goes on in Golden State. It's bonkers. Few teams are up to the regular season task of winning there. The New Orleans game, though? The Hornets had no shot in that one, playing less than 24 hours after losing an overtime game in L.A. that (admittedly) they should have won. They were dead on arrival.

Fact is though, Utah beat the Lakers and Celtics there in the past week, and seem to be getting contributions from just about everyone -- which, as we know, is the key to advancing in the playoffs. When Boozer comes back, in whatever capacity, there will be an adjustment period. And it won't be pretty while that's happening. But it's totally possible that they could creep up to the second or third seed in the playoffs, and with Ginobili's on-again, off-again injury status, the Spurs are not better than they've been in previous seasons. In fact, they might be ripe for an earlier than expected upset.

TZ: Wait, you're telling me that the Jazz play better against bad teams? Surely that is an extremely rare phenomenon!

Oh wait, no it's not.

MM: Fair play.

/served

Sign 'em up for the Finals!

I mean, really going .500 against good teams and going 6-11 are really the same.

BP: Getting to the Finals is not a fair measurement of a solid team, especially in a season where no one in the West is going to take out the Lakers. Last year, everyone crowned the Hornets after getting to Game 7 -- of the second round. Utah is certainly capable of that this season, and somehow they suck? That doesn't make any sense. And speaking of New Orleans, there's a team that could totally lose in the first round this season.

MM: This is just opinion, but I really feel like that Hornets team (not this one, Jesus they fell apart like a flan in a cupboard) was better than any Jazz team of the past four years.

"But they went to the Conference Finals!"

Give the Hornets the Golden State freaking Warriors or hell, even just have Game 7 not be the night they decided to have a horrific shooting night and the Hornets are there too.

The Hornets could totally lose in the first round this year. There are two really great West teams, and the Spurs only fit that description when they show up.

But to quote that Nike commercial, Portland/Denver/San Antonio's better is better than Utah's better. And the Lakers better is best. So unless Utah can figure out a way to bend time and space to not have to play any of those teams and only play weaklings like they will in the first round (and even then I think Houston could jump up and just sweep the hell out of them, same with Dallas), Utah's going to be the same team it's been. A good team that has great fans that's not good enough to advance past the second round without historic levels of help.

Roundtable: Are the Jazz for Real? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LeBron: Dunk Contest Needs to Be 'Cleaned Up'

Will Brinson — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:10:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Mavericks, Eastern, Western, NBA All-Star Game, NBA Fans, NBA Rumors

LeBron James made arguably the biggest noise of the entire All Star Weekend during the dunk contest when he told Cheryl Miller that he was "preliminarily" committing to the 2010 Dunk Contest in Dallas. He followed that up the next day by throwing down an absolutely Earth-shattering, off-the-backboard yimyam that got everyone thinking about the future possibilities.

And, lest you think he was bluffing, he confirmed his early entrance to the contest while explaining that the whole process needs to be "cleaned up."

"It's got to be cleaned up, they have to go back to maybe the '80s with [Michael Jordan] and Dominique [Wilkins]," James said. "You can't have so many chances at dunking the basketball. The whole anticipation of a dunk contest is one or two tries and that's it. If not you get (a score of) 30 or 35. Guys are getting 10 opportunities to do the same dunk, by the time they complete it, it is like ... 'OK, we've seen it.'"

I couldn't agree more, frankly. While it's almost never possible to have every dunk go smoothly on the first try, limiting contestants to one or two attempts is a vastly superior solution to letting Pau Gasol try his behind-the-back flip pass to Rudy Fernandez 40 times. Or watching Nate Robinson awkwardly win (in 2006) after attempting his dunk approximately 452 times before actually hitting it.

James went on to elaborate on his entry, stating that as of right now "I am going to be in it" and taking some prelim steps to entice other "big name" contestants by making sure we know he will "get a few guys." Yes, it's a little early to get too enthusiastic, because plenty of things could derail the 2010 contest. But as of right now, there's no reason to think that it won't be the best one we've seen in 20 some years, "cleaned up" or not.

LeBron: Dunk Contest Needs to Be 'Cleaned Up' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TNT Sells Out H-O-R-S-E to GEICO

Will Brinson — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Eastern, Western, NBA All-Star Game, NBA Fans, NBA Media Watch

TNT finally ceded to Bill Simmons' demands this year, offering up a game of H-O-R-S-E at the All Star Game festivities. The competitive game is a throw back to every playground and childhood basketball memory. Despite some giving the network a hard time for going this direction, a game of H-O-R-S-E is awesome for everyone.

Well, unless they try to ruin it with corporate sponsorship. Which is what TNT appears set on doing. Because they're not playing H-O-R-S-E anymore; now it's G-E-I-C-O (via FirstCuts).

As that contest joins dunking and three-point shooting contests as part of TNT's NBA All-Star Weekend coverage, the as-yet unnamed three contestants - who'll be overseen by an NBA ref - will play G-E-I-C-O. As in the insurance company that will be the event's unavoidable sponsor. (Suggestion: The winner then takes on the famous ad lizard to really drive home the brand awareness.)

Actually, if they brought out the GEICO gecko, that would be kind of awesome. Or the pile of money with squiggly eyeballs. What would not be awesome is selling a childhood dream (Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and a heap of thousand island dressing started this thing way back when) down the river for a few bucks.

Look, I understand that the economy stinks that everything needs to be sponsored (this is why Sportscenter has the Coors Light Cold Hard Facts Sponsored by GMC, of course) but at least keep the integrity of the game intact and let it be TNT's HORSE presented by GEICO. Then, instead of selling all our souls, just have a commercial every 12 seconds (fit it in between the Closer, perhaps?) where the gecko and the pile of money with eyes play G-E-I-C-O against each other.

It would have the same effect really, and no one would feel dirty.

TNT Sells Out H-O-R-S-E to GEICO originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Under The Microscope: LaMarcus Aldridge, Under the Lights

Matt Moore — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers, Western

Each week, Under The Microscope looks at a different player and examines him in the context of a game that week. On Thursday, the Blazers fell to the Mavericks, and we focused on LaMarcus Aldridge. Here's a look at how Aldridge fared. This is part two; you can read part one of this week's UtM here.

The Phrase Is: Strength Without Brutality, Finesse Without Bravado

The Story Of One: Do you ask for more?

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 points tonight, added 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 steals in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas survived a furious rally by the Blazers at the end to hold off. But if you want to dissect what LaMarcus Aldridge did, you have to ask yourself what you want from a player like him, in Portland. And it's not an easy question to answer.

Aldridge displayed all the talents that have made him one of the key components on the Trail Blazers. The question is whether this is his ceiling, and if so, if it is due to talent or attitude.

Normally that question revolves around effort in the NBA, particularly when you have a player under 25. It's definitely not the case with Aldridge. The entire night, the thing that always caught me was how after every play on either end of the floor, I'd see the same thing when Aldridge was on the floor. That huge frame, like a running table, hustling down the end of the floor as hard as he can. Now, granted, there were problems with this, like his inability to maintain focus in transition. Repeatedly trailing shooters (Dirk Nowitzki to start, Josh Howard throughout) would get open because Aldridge was rushing to the low post. This is still a pretty positive attribute against almost every team but the Mavericks. This may have something to do with the incredibly long winning streak the Mavs have over the Blazers in Dallas. But the hustle is also indicative of a willingness to work, which is of vital importance for a young player like that.

The attitude Aldridge displayed was fascinating. Aldridge took the phrase "Let the game come to him" and became one with it. He shot 50% from the floor, and didn't waste almost any of his possessions, notching zero turnovers. He also knocked down a solid variety of shots, showcasing sharp footwork in the paint, a cross-lane step-hook, the classic power forward mid-range jumper, and the clean-up dunk. It was just what the Blazers needed from him offensively. What's strange is that Aldridge never called for the ball. He never forced the issue. Most times the ball just kind of flowed to him and he took his shot. Nowitzki was able to take him out of his game, forcing him to the fadeaway before he picked up early foul trouble.

Looking at the stat line, it would be easy to think Aldridge was inactive on the boards. But that doesn't really tell the whole story. After struggling at the perimeter on the pick and roll, the Blazers moved him down low. And he put in the work, but his bulk wasn't enough to reel in a ton of boards.

The relationship with the stars in Portland is another peculiar thing to see in action. You can tell that Portland wants to initiate action with Oden. They feed him constantly, even when he's not in a prime position for success. Worse yet,Brandon Roy, for all his brilliance, sometimes monopolizes the ball, making rash decisions and forcing shots. The Blazers have such a devastatingly deep bench, yet they too often seem like they're trying to force the issue of the top level stars. You have to wonder if they used Aldridge's athleticism more in the post if he could contribute more. Which feels wrong, since he's their second leading scorer. But you always get the sense that Aldridge is filling in gaps, not laying the groundwork.

Aldridge's screens were softer than over-ripened peaches. He danced in and out of contact. Defensively, his happy feet were a good thing, keeping him moving and active in the lane. But on offense, he'd hop in and out of a screen without committing to it. It did help his mid-range jumper which has an excellent release.

There was no killer instinct displayed by Aldridge, but he did show tremendous clutch instincts. He managed a late and-one to put the Blazers back in a position to charge to make it a game. He also shouted out for the press which created the turnover which in turn brought it to a single possession ballgame in the last thirty seconds. So what Aldridge lacks in alpha-male mentality, he makes up for in floor generalship and a willingness to do the job when it's got to get done.

So is Aldridge's lack of drive to dominate a bad thing? You'd have to say yes, given the Blazers' success and their abundance of stars. Aldridge does what he does, puts in his work, racks up the second most points, and heads home. He's a workman's workman, even at 23. And if he manages to be succesful with that attitude,maybe it makes him the perfect addition. Capable of contributing significantly without needing to affect the flow of the game.

Defensively, Aldridge is typically just as good on the perimeter as he is downlow. But against the Mavericks' wings he suffered, so the Blazers sent Aldridge down low. He was not intimidating. Active, but not intimidating. Yet you get the impression that with time, training and coaching, Aldridge will develop into the kind of all-around interior defender coaches dream of.

Aldridge is at times, all things, and not specifically anything. Perimeter forward, post-presence, near-All-Star and role player. He's everything to everyone, and if he keeps performing at this level or raises even noticably, the Blazers may have to re-examing their hierarchy.

Under The Microscope: LaMarcus Aldridge, Under the Lights originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Under the Microscope: LaMarcus Aldridge

Matt Moore — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:39:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers, Western

Each week, Under The Microscope looks at a different NBA player and where they are in the season, how they're perceived on and off the court, and gives you a look at them in detail. On Wednesday night, the Portland Trail Blazers are in Dallas to take on the Mavericks. We'll be keeping an eye on LaMarcus Aldridge, who may be the most underrated player on a playoff team. Join us after the jump to see where Aldridge is and where he might be headed.

Name: LaMarcus Nurae Aldridge

Tangibles: 6'11'', 240 lbs., 7' 4.75'' wingspan, 34'' max. standing vertical (measurement stats via Draft Express).

Position: F/C

Born: 7/19/85

Drafted: 2nd Overall, 2006

Key stats: 17.6 ppg, 17.5 ptsper36, 48% FG, 48.5% EFG (according to Basketball-Reference.com), 18.87 PER (Hollinger, natch), 6.9 rpg

Where He's At: The basketball equivalent of a great bass player without a cool name. Solid, consistent (as much as any 23 year old is), with a sense of subtlety and none of the antics of the lead singer or brain damage of the drummer. Aldridge was drafted with mild expectations, always overshadowed by Brandon Roy. Then Greg Oden was drafted, and Aldridge was spoken of as a side-note, a nice touch, a solid backup. Yet in the same season that Oden went down, Aldridge flourished, becoming the second-leading scorer on the Blazers.

Since then, Aldridge has become an acquired taste, preferred by those in Portland and rarely elsewhere. Yet Aldridge is a major reason the Blazers are closing in on the Nuggets for the division lead and have a cushion to make the playoffs. He's a workman, coachable and productive, even if his numbers are never exuberant.

Aldridge is the primer for the Blazers' paint job. He's capable of working the perimeter on offense and muscling up against larger opponents on offense. He's a jack of all trades, master of none. He's neither a lockdown one-on-one defender, nor an explosive scorer. But he's got a solid array of post moves, range, fluidity, and athleticism. Aldridge is also still only 23, in his third season with the Blazers. If the Blazers are going to go deep in the playoffs this year, they're going to need the best Aldridge can give them.

Who He Is To Us: Not very much, apparently. Wages of Wins torched him. He's been widely criticized across the internet for not producing enough. And it's certain that he's not putting in enough per minute. But at some point, putting in 17 points per game and making plays should count for something, right?

Aldridge fits in very oddly in the conceptual mindset of the fans. We never really expected much of him, he's surprised us, but he's not flashy or dominant. Even his personality is primed in a way that we don't idolize. His temptation is to defer to Oden, to be satisfied with being overlooked for Roy. He's not the alpha male. And for some reason, that makes me more drawn to him. To be a player that goes out and produces, who pushes himself to work, without gearing for personal accolades or recognition. This isn't to say Aldridge is a blue collar worker capable of doing the dirty work. But he is a talented player with significant skills who hasn't wasted them, and has in fact excelled in a pretty difficult situation.

Oh, and he's been improving steadily through the season, hitting highs in January in points, rebounding, and shooting percentage. The best may be to come.

What To Watch Tonight: Yikes. Matched up against Dirk Nowitzki is not exactly a cakewalk for the kiddo. The good news is that as power forwards go, Aldridge has the kind of game to counter Dirk's range and athleticism. He'll need to accept the fact that Nowitzki's going to get his fair share of elbow jumpers and there's not much he can do. But if he picks his spots and victimizes Nowitzki off Roy's driving ability, he could have a pretty good game. On offense, it'll be interesting to see how he reacts to McMillan's rotations in response to Dallas' frontcourt depth. Should be a great game, and it has opportunities for Aldridge to make a statement.

Under the Microscope: LaMarcus Aldridge originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Andrew Bynum Injures Knee, MRI Tomorrow; Early Diagnosis Promising

Matt Moore — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:20:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, Western, NBA Injuries

Ruh-Roh.

Andrew Bynum had finally woken up this season. He'd been exploding for points and rebounds and blocked shots lately, looking very much like the dominant player he was predicted to be. But tonight against the Grizzlies, in a rather meaningless late-January game, Bynum went down clutching his knee after a collision with Kobe Bryant.

You may remember this sequence from such films as "Last January In A Meaningless Game Against The Grizzlies" and "Lakers Fans' Worst Nightmare."

Good news is this does not look like it's as serious as the last go-around.

For starters, it was his right knee, not the left knee which sustained the kneecap dislocation last year and needed surgery. Second, the LA Times is reporting that x-rays were negative. An MRI is scheduled in New York tomorrow.

Perhaps the best news was that the preliminary diagnosis was a sprained knee, which wouldn't keep him out terribly long, even with Bynum's notoriously slow recovery time. That would be good news for basketball fans in general, as Bynum really had come on as a player worthy of the lofty praise bestowed on him.

More than likely, Bynum will be back shortly and the Lakers will be back to the dominance they've displayed this season.

If not, though, the Lakers will need to find a rebuilding Western Conference team to supply picks and a great foreign prospect, too, in exchange for an All-Star big man that can't dunk without hitting rim.

Wait ... that may not be a viable plan.

An interesting storyline to track will be whether or not Bynum has the Lakers doctors treat him or if he turns to "his" doctors, as he did with the kneecap injury. That injury went from a six-week injury to a 10-week injury to out-for-the-season.

We'll keep you updated over the weekend on the status of Andrew Bynum. Get well, big kid.

Andrew Bynum Injures Knee, MRI Tomorrow; Early Diagnosis Promising originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 NBA All-Star Reserves: Western Conference Discussion

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:40:00 EST

Filed under: Western, NBA All-Star Game

The reserves for this year's NBA All-Star game were announced, and as always, there were a few surprises. Head on past the jump for the list of who was selected, and a discussion of who was snubbed.

The Western Conference reserves went mostly as expected but, of course, there's always room for discussion. Here's who will head to Phoenix, as voted on by the coaches:

C- Shaquille O'Neal
F- Pau Gasol
F- David West
F- Dirk Nowitzki
G- Tony Parker
G- Chauncey Billups
G- Brandon Roy

It's hard to argue with most of those choices. Now, I'm not really a fan of teams getting multiple players in, unless those teams are among the top two or three in the league, but I understand wanting to have the host city well-represented. Shaq has the numbers this year, he's one of the league's biggest personalities, and the game's being played in Phoenix. I get that.

The Lakers have been at the top of the conference all season, so seeing Pau Gasol selected makes sense as well. Same goes for the Spurs' Tony Parker; no complaints there.

But do the New Orleans Hornets really need two players in the game?

Besides the fact that the Hornets have yet to show that they're as good as they were a season ago and deserve to have two players representing them, David West certainly hasn't been better than some of the guys that were left out.

Carmelo Anthony, though recently injured, has more solid all-around numbers than West, and can actually create his own shots and get his teammates involved -- whereas West's success is a direct result of playing with Chris Paul. Melo's numbers back me up here: He's averaged 21.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, versus West's averages of 20 points and 7.1 boards.

Besides Anthony, we have the curious case of Al Jefferson.

For some reason, playing in the state of Minnesota has made Jefferson completely invisible to everyone as far as the All-Star game is concerned. Big Al has better numbers than Shaq, and his season averages of 22.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game have been the main reason the Timberwolves had the best record in the entire league this month before last night's loss to the Pistons. Jefferson is by far the biggest snub in the West.

Paul Millsap's name is worth mentioning too, as he's been great in Carlos Boozer's absence. But with averages of 15.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, there's no one on the list I would remove in his favor.

Also on FanHouse:
A look at the Eastern Conference reserves.

2009 NBA All-Star Reserves: Western Conference Discussion originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When a Rumor Goes Wild Over a Big Man Child, That's Amare (Stoudemire)!

Matt Moore — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:46:00 EST

Filed under: Suns, Western, NBA Rumors

So here's a fun one: Ken Berger of CBSSports.com is reporting that the Suns have added another player to Steve Kerr's trading-block-o-rama-rama: Amare Stoudemire.

You may recognize this block from such staples as now-Bobcats-who-beat-the-Suns-on-Friday Boris Diaw and Raja Bell, Leandro Barbosa, and pretty much every player except Shaquille O'Neal (whose arrival pretty much coincided with Phoenix's plummet from the top of the Western Conference standings, but hey, he's an All-Star!)

Now if this report was true, Kerr's looking to trade a perennial All-Star who all of a sudden is struggling mightily. At the start of the season, Stoudemire was an MVP candidate. Now his own fans have turned against him, and his GM thinks he's worth more on the open market. Not exactly a great start to the new year.

So if you decide to go that route, and you think that a 6-foot-10, 249-pound, 26-year-old power forward with range, power, and unbelievable athleticism who came back from microfracture surgery to perform at unbelievably high levels suddenly just lost that ability and is not "giving the effort," what do you trade for?

Obviously you can't consider this rebuilding effort a failure and need to continue on with the "playoff basketball" approach, so you're aiming for a defender and rebounder. Of course, without Stoudemire, your offense has a pretty big hole in it, and since your franchise All-Star is a 37-year-old center with conditioning issues who doesn't play back to backs, you might need some offense, too. Oh, and Stoudemire's shooting 81.6% from the stripe, so he's going to need to be able to hit free throws, too. And with Steve Nash and Jason Richardson still on the team with Leandro Barbosa, he probably has to be able to get up and down the floor.

Okay, so does anyone have any tall, skilled, offensively sound, defensively dominant, rebounding, free-throw competent, fast break proficient, high-energy, super-hustle power forwards they don't need? Anybody? Guys?

Now of course, this rumor could be nothing but that. But if it turns out to be true, it will be another in a long line of dazzling maneuvers by Steve Kerr that continually move the Suns from a more successful basketball team to a less successful one. At some point you'd think someone would realize maybe it's not the personnel, it's the system. But hey, it's not like Mike D'Antoni has his new team playing better.

So let's hear it, 'Housers. If the Suns decide to trade Amare, who's having significant problems, who should they aim for?

When a Rumor Goes Wild Over a Big Man Child, That's Amare (Stoudemire)! originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amare Voted All-Star Starter

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, Suns, Western, NBA All-Star Game

The official announcement of who will start the NBA All-Star game on Feb. 15 in Phoenix is due Thursday night at 7 PM ET on TNT. But word of who at least one of the starters will be has leaked early, and it really was the only position that there was even a question about.

Amare Stoudemire has reportedly beaten out Carmelo Anthony for the second starting forward spot in the West. The last returns that were released on January 8th had shown 'Melo ahead of Amare by less than 10,000 votes, but it appears that either Stoudemire's campaign or Carmelo's injury inspired the fans to put Amare back in the starting spot.

Amare's recent play (especially that stinker in Boston) has been under scrutiny, as fans who follow the team closely have cited his lack of defense this season as a big reason for the team's inconsistency.

The All-Star game however, has never been about defense -- just ask Marcus Camby. It's about getting the most exciting offensive players in the game on the floor together to put on a high scoring, alley-oop filled affair that the fans will get excited about. And if Amare can do nothing else, he can throw down some powerful slam dunks.

We'll have to wait another week to see if Carmelo will end up making it in as a reserve, because the coaches vote on that and the announcement doesn't come until next Thursday. Between his injury and the fact that Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol look to be perhaps more deserving choices, I'd say that Anthony getting in is, at this point, a long shot.

Amare Voted All-Star Starter originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rudy Fernandez Wins Fan Vote for Final Slam Dunk Contestant

Matt Moore — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:33:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers, Western, NBA All-Star Game

The NBA held a contest, decided by fan vote, to determine the final contestant in the 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest, brought to you by Sprite (in case you missed that). Turns out that Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, and the rather amusing Joe Alexander of Milwaukee couldn't do what a 6-foot-6 Spaniard shooting guard could do.

Portland's Rudy Fernandez has been selected to join defending champion Dwight Howard, Rudy Gay, and Nate Robinson in the event. This according to Jason Quick of The Oregonian.

As far as Rudy's odds, he's definitely staring up at a pretty big (say seven feet) disadvantage. Howard is the most prolific Dunk Contest Winner of the last decade, Rudy Gay has an amazing set of skills for the event, and Robinson is the token Short Guy. So Fernandez is going to need to bring something pretty impressive to pull this off. I recommend dunking over the Darius Miles' cap space. That's a pretty long way.

Rudy Fernandez Wins Fan Vote for Final Slam Dunk Contestant originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kobe vs. LeBron I: T-Minus Five Days

Matt Moore — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Lakers, Eastern, Western

LeBron. Kobe.

Kobe. LeBron.

In a little more than five days, LeBron James and the Cavaliers will travel to Los Angeles to take on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. It is their first meeting of the season, and only the 10th meeting ever between the two superstars. Kobe has three rings, yet none without Shaquille O'Neal. LeBron has been crowned the king since his arrival in 2004, but has only one Finals appearance. LeBron fills a stat sheet in incredible ways; Kobe won the MVP last season. Kobe is the embodiment of lethal precision; LeBron the next step of athletic evolution.

In a season filled with "Games of the Year," this is unquestionably the Game of the Year.

Over the next five days, we'll be bringing you posts about metrics and legend, nuance and intensity, and speed and power, in anticipation of this matchup. We look forward to sharing with you our anticipation of this game, between not only two giants in basketball, but the two best teams in the league. We'll have haters and lovers of both players, defense and prosecution of both sides of the Kobe V. LeBron schism. We all have opinions about it, as we're sure you do. We invite you to share, because we won't get many of these, and we should enjoy every one. Not only are these two exemplary entities of the NBA, but their teams aren't too shabby either.

The Lakers started the season with a dominance rarely seen in the league. They've trailed off a bit, particularly defensively, but the question is whether it represents a fundamental flaw or a lack of interest in the regular season. The fact is they share the league's best record, have won convincingly and consistently, and feature an incredible lineup. Pau Gasol on the inside with Andrew Bynum. Experienced dream killer Derek Fisher at point, The Machine Sasha Vujacic the shooter off the bench, and the instant energy Trevor Ariza. Cleveland, on the other hand, has the best incarnation with James it has ever had, hitting on all cylinders on offense as well as defense. The addition of Mo Williams has sparked the backcourt with Delonte West and Daniel Gibson, and provided James with the offensive weaponry he has long asked for. The game's supporting cast make up a formidable set of rotations, deep and versatile.

But ultimately, everything comes back to Kobe vs. LeBron. Through their nine meetings, LeBron owns the series, 6-3, leading in points, rebounds, assists (!), steals, and blocks, but also leading in turnovers. He's outperformed Kobe in FG% and, amazingly, 3 point shooting, but of course trails at the stripe. It's important to note that in the first two games they played at Staples, Kobe was suffering from a shoulder injury in 2004 and a tweaked ankle in 2005. Still, you have to give the numbers edge to LeBron.

This matchup represents something greater when you take it to the philosophical level. Kobe is so often compared to Jordan, and for a long time, it was merely due to them both being guards and the level of greatness that Kobe has risen to. It's an unfair comparison for dozens of reasons, but there is an intricate link between the two, and it is what separates him from LeBron. Kobe is the natural evolution of the path Jordan set. Not better, but the final link in the elite shooting guard chain: The post-up turnaround fadeaway, the running leaner, the quick striking dunks, the shut-down man defense. Everything that an NBA player is supposed to be at his height, Kobe has become. And while he may never reach the level of Jordan (and I'm not definitively saying he won't), he's to be considered in that line. He's the modern payoff for the work of history.

LeBron, on the other hand, could be considered the next step in basketball evolution. While it's true we've seen point forwards before, players with power that could pass, who could drive and could handle, we've never seen this combination. And the haters will note how easy it has come to James. While Bryant has had to work endlessly, mercilessly, to become the greatest he can be, LeBron is largely more athletically gifted than 99% of the planet. This matchup represents precision built by resolve versus lethal efficiency built by determination. Kobe wills himself to be better than you, better than anyone; LeBron asserts self-determination to be a force of nature.

And, as always, something's gotta give.

What will be lost in the breakdown of shooting, living up to their own standards, and in each team's finals hopes is how amazing these two players are, and how incredible it is that we get to see their careers intersect. It's a golden era of basketball we live in, and this game is a shining example. Where amazing hap...no. Hope you'll enjoy it. We know we will.

Kobe vs. LeBron I: T-Minus Five Days originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Grizzlies Are Weathering the Recession Through Creative Personnel Moves

Matt Moore — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:14:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Western, NBA Transactions

So you're the General Manager of a small-market team. You've been pretty bad for several years, and even when you were a one-and-done playoff team, the fans weren't exactly clamoring for tickets. In a town where the college basketball team rules all, you have to get a little inventive to make a buck, especially in a recession.

The Memphis Grizzlies are using a veteran with injury issues on the cheap, particularly in a way that is bad for other teams. Let me explain.

Or rather, let David from David's Memphis Grizzlies Blog explain.

So by now, everyone's aware of the warning from the Portland Trailblazers regarding Darius Miles, which may or may not result in fines for them, and which may or may not result in a lawsuit from the NBAPA. And you're also probably aware that Memphis thought Portland could, in the words of the immortal Limp Bizkit, take their cookie and stick it up their yeah. They signed Miles, putting the heat back on the Portland cap if they play him twice more.

Everyone's reaction to this move was two-fold. Obviously, this is a professional environment, and as Memphis had already picked up Miles for a stint, and continue to suffer on the boards with Darko Milicic out, this just made the best sense for them. Two, say what you want about Memphis owner Michael Heisley, but he's not the kind of guy to get bullied.

But as David points out, there's an additional twist. Once you assume that the Grizzlies need to sign someone to fill the roster spot, you've got this nifty little addition for a small market team that is light years away from the luxury tax.

"Once Miles appears in two more games, his previous contract with the Portland Trailblazers, which had been removed from Portland's salary cap when Miles' career was said to be over by team doctors, will be back on the Trailblazers' books. That will put Portland over the luxery [sic] tax threshold for this season, which means the Blazers will owe all NBA teams under the threshold (like the Grizzlies for example) some percentage of the penalty."

So essentially, the Grizzlies aren't just flipping the bird to the Trailblazers' intimidation techniques (even if Kevin Pritchard wasn't involved), they're making bank off a necessary acquisition by shoving a Western Conference competitor over the tax, which is money that they'll get back.

Killing three birds, one stone. Not bad for a franchise that's often mocked, despite their promising young talent, bright draft outlook, and about a bajillion dollars in cap room.

The Grizzlies Are Weathering the Recession Through Creative Personnel Moves originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your Weekend NBA Guide: What to Watch During the NFL Commercials

Matt Moore — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Bobcats, Bucks, Bulls, Celtics, Clippers, Hawks, Heat, Jazz, Kings, Knicks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Pistons, Raptors, Rockets, Spurs, Suns, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Wizards, Eastern, Western, Thunder

FanHouse's NBA Guide gives you a daily look at all the games that matter ... and some that don't.

Look, we recognize that this the arguably the best weekend of football of the year. But if Kerry Collins and Joe Flacco trading getting pounded into the turf, or watching Bryant Westbrook just irritates you, there some options.

SATURDAY HEADLINER:
Detroit at Utah, 8PM

Two teams that have been exemplary over the past three years that are struggling to maintain their championship aspirations, but who have been on a tear, putting the pieces back together. Detroit's starting to figure out their rotation after the Allen Iverson trade, and Rodney Stuckey has been lights out. Utah just laid a beatdown of epic proportions on Chris Paul and the Hornets, in defense of the Utah-held "8>3" movement. The Jazz were particularly boosted by the new-and-suddenly-premier Paul Millsap. So you've got Utah's home crowd and the Paul Millsap demolition movement against Detroit's efficiency. Something's gotta give.

SUNDAY HEADLINER:
Miami at LA Lakers, 9:30PM

You really need me to break this down? Dwyane Wade's not being talked about in MVP discussions, even though his team is more competitive than expected, he leads the league in scoring, and the rest of his game is nothing to sneeze at.Kobe Bryant, after a sluggish (by his standards, don't get your underwear in a trapezoid, Lakers fans) start, has been absolutely blistering. His line last night almost made me pass out. Now, clearly the Lakers have the better squad and should dominate, but it'll be fun to see the matchup. Of course, if there was ever a night Andrew Bynum should be able to show why people think he'll be the next great NBA center (any day now, seriously), it's Sunday night.

WEEKEND UNDERCARD:
Orlando at San Antonio, Sunday, 8:30PM

This is the first time in years where this looks like a fair fight. The Magic come in after laying out the Hawks much like this. San Antonio has gotten its magic together now that they're healthy, though they're no longer the ultra-deep, versatile unit they used to be and are relying on more and more last second game-winners. Of course, every time the Magic have wound up against a "contender" they never seem to put it away. It'll be interesting to see if Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, and Rashard Lewis can match up with Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Tim Duncan. The deciding factor may be Roger Mason versus Jameer Nelson. Should be a good one, maybe a better one than Wade v. Kobe.

New York at Houston, Saturday, 8:30PM:

Hey, say what you want about the tanking-for-2010, 13-21 New York Knicks, they're at least entertaining. The Rockets have been peeling themselves up off the floor. With a fast pace and no interior players, the Knicks provide an excellent counterpunch to the bleeding approach of the Rockets. Al Harrington has been playing pretty well, and should be able to get some shots off against Luis Scola with Scola's preference to stay close the lane. Of course, Yao Ming could also score 300 points. Furthermore, with Nate Robinson versus Rafer Alston, you have a pretty amazing matchup of inconsistent, unbalanced point guards .

Philadelphia at Atlanta:

Hawks, if you want to go ahead and pick up your dignity and try again, that would be optimal. Thanks.

Golden State at Portland, Saturday, 10:00PM
Thank goodness Portland doesn't have any off-the-court distractions going on.

Charlotte at Washington, Saturday, 6:00PM
Milwaukee at Minnesota, Saturday, 8:00PM
Oklahoma at Chicago, Saturday, 8:30PM
Golden State at Portland, Saturday, 8:30PM
Boston at Toronto, Sunday, 12:30PM
Phoenix at LA Clippers, Sunday, 3:30PM
Indiana at Golden State, Sunday, 9:00PM
Dallas at Sacramento, Sunday, 9:00PM

Your Weekend NBA Guide: What to Watch During the NFL Commercials originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 19:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carmelo Anthony Suffers 'Probable Fracture' of Right Hand, Will See Specialist

Matt Moore — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:10:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, Western, NBA Injuries

Carmelo Anthony was finally having a good season.

He'd stayed out of trouble, got himself a gold medal, and even though the Allen Iverson experiment was an unmitigated disaster, the arrival of Chauncey Billups has invigorated the entire team and brought new life to him.

So, naturally, on Monday night he suffered what is being referred to as a "probable fracture" by team officials and will see a specialist on Tuesday. ESPN reports that Anthony could barely use his hand at all due to the pain and injury.

The good news is that it's possible from the sound of the article that it won't be a long-term injury. Still, for a guy who's had a pretty amazing run, it's too bad to see that, especially with the big Dick Vitale game on Wednesday night.

It's also stunning to me that we're talking about a matter of days here. To play professional basketball with giant guys. Think about that. If I broke my hand, I'd be unsuccessfully trying to get out of honey-do chores with the ball and chain for six months. The fact that we're talking about a matter of days for Melo to return to action speaks both to his commitment, which is often questioned, and modern science.

Carmelo Anthony Suffers 'Probable Fracture' of Right Hand, Will See Specialist originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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