Elsa/Getty ImagesThe Celtics Have gone 3-3 on there 6 game home-stand with an impressive 3 quarter showing against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 4th quarter the Celtics were outscored 32-19 but it was down to the fact they wern't moving on offense they were resorting to their jump shooting and the cavaliers were rebounding and breaking on the Boston defense and with the best player in the NBA finishing the cavaliers smelled blood and LeBron was in "Attack mode" to quote the 6'8'' 250lb offensive JuggernautRay Houston Texans jersey
Allen was immense he shot the ball very well and stretched the lead the telling point was the fact Nate Robinson didn't log a single second which is interesting but i did feel nate was due a dose of DNP hes been very erratic with his shooting and has put his team in a hole at times unlike J.R Smith he can't get to the rim (though he is the dunk champion) and he resorts to jump-shots all the time he is yet to log a 20 point performance for the Celtics and he is drifting into not being part of Doc's Play-Off rotation.I feel this game mean't alot to the Celtics for one reason in particular if the cavaliers went to win this game and the final games they would tie the 2007-2008 Celtics record of 66-16 which is one of the best records in NBA historyMarquis Daniels is another underachiever like he said he was not brought in to be offensive player he was brought in to defend but his defense numbers are sporadic and to me if he was brought in for defensive duties why is he shooting the corner 3 a shot hes yet to hit by the way and I've watched pretty much all of Celtics basketball The Celtics have lost 13 games in which they have had 10 point leads that puts them up there with Memphis if they lost none of those games they would have a record of Indianapolis Colts jersey
and 15 better than cleveland's and 17 and were very close to losing a 20 point game going into the 4th quarter what must be stressed is the Celtics must start playing 48 minute basketballThe only plus is Milwaukee have lost Bogut to an injury and he is out indefinitely he was the guy who single-handedly outplayed Kendrick Perkins in my eyes the only Center to have done that all seasonThe Guys who Get my vote for the playoff rotation other than the starters are Rasheed Wallace,Tony Allen,Glen Davis and Michael Finley with a reduced role for Shelden Williams, I just feel when Nate comes on everyone tunes into his show but his show is on the verge of being cancelled because of poor rating hes a crowd pleaser a sideshow act if you will he doesn't help the team in anyway offenisvely or defensively hes not a guy to go to in to manufacture points the only good he is to the team is a ball handler for rajon when hes getting his rest if he wants to be part of the Celtics team he must do his bit and that means being more of a team player he is key to the second string i feel rasheed has been far more consistent as of late but is still struggling with his mouthI Think the Celtics should make a run at Manu Ginoblli come close-season he's a ball handler and a great shooter it makes sense for the celtics to go after him especially if they keep and re-sign ray Allen consistent help off the bench will be a must and if the Celtics can sign ray Allen to a cheaperJacksonville Jaguars jersey
deal and opt to allow scalabrine and Nate Robinson to to sign to other teams the Celtics will have money to sign manu with is 10 million dollar salary though i do feel the Celtics will muster a way to sign D-wade but that is another article for another day
2010年12月30日星期四
2010年12月29日星期三
29 Dec 10 Toronto Raptors Report: Season Review
Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesThe Raptors season can be summed up into two wordsonly if. Only if this team could have kept play well after the all star break, only if Chris Bosh didn't have to get injured twice in the stretch run, only if Chris Bosh didn't miss that lay-up against Golden State, only if Bryan Colangelo didn't sign Hedo Turkoglu to a huge contract. Only if. The list goes on and on.The Raptors missed the playoffs for the second straight year, and its disappointing. Not because they missed the playoffs, but because this team had so much Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
potential. There was a point where everything was going well, they were in fifth and had so much momentum going into the all star break. Then disaster struck.This team was in complete free fall and Chris Bosh's huge year (contract year) was gone to waste. They missed the playoffs by a mere game. If somebody asked you at the all star break which team were most likely to come in ninth, it most definitely wouldn't have been the Raptors. But, they finished 40-42, and in ninth place.Defense was the problem this year for the Raptors. There were stretches where they were determined, and they actually played some pretty good defense. But for the most part, the defense was inconsistent and pathetic. Too bad.Hedo Turkoglu was one of the biggest busts of the season, but hey, its not his Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
fault that Colangelo offered him such a huge deal. Triano isn't the one who should be losing his job this off-season, it's Colangelo. Every year, he keeps rebuilding, but he can't seem to realize that his approach isn't working. Bringing in soft Euros, and having a huge ego like you know it all in this league just doesn't work. The sooner he accepts that Andrea Bargnani will never be a tough centre, the sooner this team evolves.There are many questions coming up this off-season, and the main one will be if Chris Bosh stays. I believe if Bosh goes, Colangelo is out of a job. If he lures Bosh back in, he's safe. But so what?We have the same roster as last year, there will be similar results. Maybe slight improvement of the young guys like Weems and DeRozan, but will it make a huge difference. Probably Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
not. Colangelo needs to get some real help for Bosh. Trade Turkoglu, bring in Rudy Gay or Joe Johnson. That's a real team.The million dollar question this offseason will be: is Chris Bosh going to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors? Well, it's more like a $23 million question. I guess we'll have to wait, hope and pray.I guess this season was an improvement from last season?GO RAPS!
potential. There was a point where everything was going well, they were in fifth and had so much momentum going into the all star break. Then disaster struck.This team was in complete free fall and Chris Bosh's huge year (contract year) was gone to waste. They missed the playoffs by a mere game. If somebody asked you at the all star break which team were most likely to come in ninth, it most definitely wouldn't have been the Raptors. But, they finished 40-42, and in ninth place.Defense was the problem this year for the Raptors. There were stretches where they were determined, and they actually played some pretty good defense. But for the most part, the defense was inconsistent and pathetic. Too bad.Hedo Turkoglu was one of the biggest busts of the season, but hey, its not his Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
fault that Colangelo offered him such a huge deal. Triano isn't the one who should be losing his job this off-season, it's Colangelo. Every year, he keeps rebuilding, but he can't seem to realize that his approach isn't working. Bringing in soft Euros, and having a huge ego like you know it all in this league just doesn't work. The sooner he accepts that Andrea Bargnani will never be a tough centre, the sooner this team evolves.There are many questions coming up this off-season, and the main one will be if Chris Bosh stays. I believe if Bosh goes, Colangelo is out of a job. If he lures Bosh back in, he's safe. But so what?We have the same roster as last year, there will be similar results. Maybe slight improvement of the young guys like Weems and DeRozan, but will it make a huge difference. Probably Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
not. Colangelo needs to get some real help for Bosh. Trade Turkoglu, bring in Rudy Gay or Joe Johnson. That's a real team.The million dollar question this offseason will be: is Chris Bosh going to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors? Well, it's more like a $23 million question. I guess we'll have to wait, hope and pray.I guess this season was an improvement from last season?GO RAPS!
2010年12月28日星期二
28 Dec 10 Firing Vinny Del Negro Was the Right Move
Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesIt was the right move for the Chicago Bulls to relinquish Vinny Del Negro of his coaching duties. Del Negro just could not cut it during his brief two-year stint. He was strategically overmatched on many nights by his contemporaries, failed to consistently place his players in a position to succeed, and had a difficult time making in-game adjustments. Something one would expect from someone learning in the midst of their first ever coaching journey at any level of organized basketball. Team vice president Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
John Paxson has made a lot of undesirable decisions in the front-office, but firing Del Negroafter the head scratching hirehad to be done. Del Negro was just not ready. Combined with a middling roster that could not overcome his inexperience spelled doom from the beginning. Sure, the former NBA guard led Chicago to back-to-back playoff seasons in his only two seasons and amassed a respectable 82-82 record in the process even with an inexperienced roster, injuries, and trades along the way. But with Del Negro at the helm, the Bulls were far from championship contenders. The bottom half of the Eastern Conference has been average at worst for several seasons. So making the postseason was nothing to write home about. If the NBA were the NCAA Tournament, the Bulls would have been Arkansas Pine Bluff or Morgan State. In the 2008-09 season, Chicago finished with the 15th best record in the league. 2009-10 was no different record wise, but Del Negro's bunch had the 17th best record. Not exactly on the path to a conference title. Taking the then NBA champion Boston Celtics to the limit in a memorable seven-game first-round series was believed to be push the Bulls needed to propel themselves to at least into the upper tier of the Eastern Conference. How much better could the team be with a healthy Luol Deng to go along with John Salmons, Brad Miller, Joakim Noah, and Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose who all played well in the playoffs? Not much better. Although Rose ultimately became an NBA All-Star, Noah improved dramatically and rookie Taj Gibson became a nice revelation, the group was still stuck in basketball mediocrity hovering either around or a few games below .500 for much of the season. Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
The offense still was elementary, predictable and featured little ball movement. Sure, James Johnson, who was drafted ahead of Gibson, did not develop his game at all. Then there was Jarrett Jack of the Toronto Raptors tying his shoes at center court with Del Negro and his players window dressing. Blowing a 35-point second half lead to the lowly Sacramento Kings did not help matters much either, as well as dropping a pair of games to the win allergic New Jersey Nets. The press can speculate all they want about the March 30 Del Negro-Paxson scuffle leading to Tuesday's firing. But it was Del Negro's coaching inability that sealed his fate. Should Bulls fans trust Paxson and GM Gar Forman to attract a quality head coach in addition to signing one of the possible franchise changing free agents this summer? Considering the front office botched a deal that would have sent Pau Gasol to Chicago in exchange for Deng, signing Ben Wallace to a $60 million deal in a weak 2006 free agent class, trading the draft rights of Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
LaMarcus Aldridge to the Portland Trailblazers for Tyrus Thomas, and blowing the chance at securing a veteran NBA coach after Scott Skiles was fired, you make the call. One of the few decisions Paxson got right was turning in an index card with Rose's name on it making him the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Seven years of running in place in the Paxson era has gotten the Bulls in rebuild mode for the umpteenth time.Here's hoping this blueprint wor
John Paxson has made a lot of undesirable decisions in the front-office, but firing Del Negroafter the head scratching hirehad to be done. Del Negro was just not ready. Combined with a middling roster that could not overcome his inexperience spelled doom from the beginning. Sure, the former NBA guard led Chicago to back-to-back playoff seasons in his only two seasons and amassed a respectable 82-82 record in the process even with an inexperienced roster, injuries, and trades along the way. But with Del Negro at the helm, the Bulls were far from championship contenders. The bottom half of the Eastern Conference has been average at worst for several seasons. So making the postseason was nothing to write home about. If the NBA were the NCAA Tournament, the Bulls would have been Arkansas Pine Bluff or Morgan State. In the 2008-09 season, Chicago finished with the 15th best record in the league. 2009-10 was no different record wise, but Del Negro's bunch had the 17th best record. Not exactly on the path to a conference title. Taking the then NBA champion Boston Celtics to the limit in a memorable seven-game first-round series was believed to be push the Bulls needed to propel themselves to at least into the upper tier of the Eastern Conference. How much better could the team be with a healthy Luol Deng to go along with John Salmons, Brad Miller, Joakim Noah, and Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose who all played well in the playoffs? Not much better. Although Rose ultimately became an NBA All-Star, Noah improved dramatically and rookie Taj Gibson became a nice revelation, the group was still stuck in basketball mediocrity hovering either around or a few games below .500 for much of the season. Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
The offense still was elementary, predictable and featured little ball movement. Sure, James Johnson, who was drafted ahead of Gibson, did not develop his game at all. Then there was Jarrett Jack of the Toronto Raptors tying his shoes at center court with Del Negro and his players window dressing. Blowing a 35-point second half lead to the lowly Sacramento Kings did not help matters much either, as well as dropping a pair of games to the win allergic New Jersey Nets. The press can speculate all they want about the March 30 Del Negro-Paxson scuffle leading to Tuesday's firing. But it was Del Negro's coaching inability that sealed his fate. Should Bulls fans trust Paxson and GM Gar Forman to attract a quality head coach in addition to signing one of the possible franchise changing free agents this summer? Considering the front office botched a deal that would have sent Pau Gasol to Chicago in exchange for Deng, signing Ben Wallace to a $60 million deal in a weak 2006 free agent class, trading the draft rights of Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
LaMarcus Aldridge to the Portland Trailblazers for Tyrus Thomas, and blowing the chance at securing a veteran NBA coach after Scott Skiles was fired, you make the call. One of the few decisions Paxson got right was turning in an index card with Rose's name on it making him the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Seven years of running in place in the Paxson era has gotten the Bulls in rebuild mode for the umpteenth time.Here's hoping this blueprint wor
2010年12月27日星期一
27 Dec 10 Who Needs Puppets When You Have Celtics and Lakers?
Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesThanks to a rejuvenated Kevin Garnett, we can dowithout a pairpuppets and a possibleKobe/LeBron matchup becausewe'll be getting the next best thing: Boston vs. L.A. No disrespect to Orlando and Phoenix, but let's be serious, it's all about the Lakers and Celtics this year, again.It's typically out of my character to just write teams off in the middle of a series but why not? Everybody else is doing it. I couldn't wait to get a crack at previewing this series, with so many twists and plots, it should be another great one.So if Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
Boston and L.A. do eventually matchup for the 12th time in NBA Finals history, things should be pretty interesting. Despite the historic brilliance of both clubs, the Celtics/Lakers Finals series has been pretty one-sided so far. Boston owns a 9-2 edge in the series with their last victory coming in 2008 when visions of a Boston comeback, a Boston blowout and Doc Rivers being doused with Gatorade defined the series. But things could be different this time around. Or could they?After all, Pau Gasol is a better player now, Kobe Bryant is still Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers are more experienced and better equipped to scrap with a rough and rugged Boston squad. But Boston is also sporting a different look these days. Gone is the dominance of the "Big Three" and in is the superstardom of All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo.Rondo's emergence has continued the Celtics' image of a lock and block defensive unit while upping the tempo and transforming them into a fast-paced drive and dish team.The Lakers have had a history of being openly victimized by athletic point guards and a new defensive game plan will have to be in order for a Finals rematch. Bryant exclusively locked up with Rondo in the '08 Finals in an effort to give him a rest on defense and out of Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
chasing Boston sniper Ray Allen off screens.But Rondo was nowhere near the scorer in '08 that he is now, so Bryant typically gave him an open cushion and the green light to launch jumpers. While perimeter shooter still isn't one of Rondo's strengths, it would be a huge mistake for the Lakers to put Bryant on him again should the teams meet. Rondo has stamina to burn while Bryant, 31, is nowhere near the thoroughbred he used to be.L.A. will be in a tough position regardless of which direction they look to because putting Derek Fisher on Rondo will be just an open invitation to the rim for the Celtics point guard.There'll be a lot of clashes in this possible series to keep note of; Ron Artest vs. Paul Pierce and Gasol vs. Kevin Garnett will both weigh heavily on the outcome but Boston doesn't have a man to check Lamar Odom off the bench and with the way Odom is playing right now, the Celtics will definitely have to key on him.Everything about this series screams television viewership records from the names on the front ofReebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
jerseys to the ones on the back. No other teams are hotter right now than the Lakers and Celtics. Los Angeles has turned into a scoring machine while Boston has been the premiere defensive unit of the postseason.It shouldn't be long now, just have to wait for Orlando and Phoenix to lie down and let history take its course. The last two NBA Champions set to slug it out in what could be the last hurrah for both clubs.Kobe vs. LeBron would've been nice but who needs puppets when you have the Celtics and Lakers?
Boston and L.A. do eventually matchup for the 12th time in NBA Finals history, things should be pretty interesting. Despite the historic brilliance of both clubs, the Celtics/Lakers Finals series has been pretty one-sided so far. Boston owns a 9-2 edge in the series with their last victory coming in 2008 when visions of a Boston comeback, a Boston blowout and Doc Rivers being doused with Gatorade defined the series. But things could be different this time around. Or could they?After all, Pau Gasol is a better player now, Kobe Bryant is still Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers are more experienced and better equipped to scrap with a rough and rugged Boston squad. But Boston is also sporting a different look these days. Gone is the dominance of the "Big Three" and in is the superstardom of All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo.Rondo's emergence has continued the Celtics' image of a lock and block defensive unit while upping the tempo and transforming them into a fast-paced drive and dish team.The Lakers have had a history of being openly victimized by athletic point guards and a new defensive game plan will have to be in order for a Finals rematch. Bryant exclusively locked up with Rondo in the '08 Finals in an effort to give him a rest on defense and out of Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
chasing Boston sniper Ray Allen off screens.But Rondo was nowhere near the scorer in '08 that he is now, so Bryant typically gave him an open cushion and the green light to launch jumpers. While perimeter shooter still isn't one of Rondo's strengths, it would be a huge mistake for the Lakers to put Bryant on him again should the teams meet. Rondo has stamina to burn while Bryant, 31, is nowhere near the thoroughbred he used to be.L.A. will be in a tough position regardless of which direction they look to because putting Derek Fisher on Rondo will be just an open invitation to the rim for the Celtics point guard.There'll be a lot of clashes in this possible series to keep note of; Ron Artest vs. Paul Pierce and Gasol vs. Kevin Garnett will both weigh heavily on the outcome but Boston doesn't have a man to check Lamar Odom off the bench and with the way Odom is playing right now, the Celtics will definitely have to key on him.Everything about this series screams television viewership records from the names on the front ofReebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
jerseys to the ones on the back. No other teams are hotter right now than the Lakers and Celtics. Los Angeles has turned into a scoring machine while Boston has been the premiere defensive unit of the postseason.It shouldn't be long now, just have to wait for Orlando and Phoenix to lie down and let history take its course. The last two NBA Champions set to slug it out in what could be the last hurrah for both clubs.Kobe vs. LeBron would've been nice but who needs puppets when you have the Celtics and Lakers?
2010年12月26日星期日
26 Dec 10 Teams Must Be Regretting Not Signing Allen Iverson This Season
The Boston Celtics are headed back to the NBA Finals and will probably meet the Lakers for one of the best series in NBA history. The Celtics have dominated everyone in their path with their amazing defense and they just stole the hearts out of all the teams they played.Fans were predicting a Orlando Magic and New York Giants jersey
Cleveland Cavaliers Eastern Conference Finals, but the Celtics dominated both teams and took the heart right out of them. All players on the teams gave up including the stars Dwight Howard, LeBron James and Vince Carter. The Celtics took advantage of that and punished both teams, now LeBron James is going to leave Cleveland and the Magic maybe done with Vince Carter too.These team's owners are now being blamed for not having players on the roster that cared and that brought it every night. It is not only the Magic and Cavaliers who just lost their drive there are other teams that could have done well but lost heart and stopped caring, teams like the Raptors, Heat and Spurs.Now that the guys running these teams look back at the names on the 2009 free agency they should be ashamed of themselves for not signing Allen Iverson.First of all, forget about the fact that he has more heart than any player in the league; I just want to say that other than Dwight Howard and LeBron James in this years Eastern Conference Finals, I did not see one player who is better than Allen Iverson. The Magic and Cavalier respective supporting casts managed no better than the Allen Iverson we saw in Philadelphia for 25 games, the one who put up 14 points per game and 29 minutes per game, and the one that was forced to run the most structured basketball offense in the league.The Magic and Cavaliers blew it.Both teams had the chance to sign a legend, a first ballot Hall Of Famer who is hands down one of the 25 greatest players to ever play the game; they had a chance to sign a guy who wouldn't give up like Mo Williams, Antwan Jamison, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis did when their teams needed them; they had a chance to sign a guy who could go off for 30 points any game and if given the minutes and touches could go for 25 a night.These teams were delusional when Iverson was a free agent, treating him like he a criminal that would rob and kill when he was in the locker room, worried that he would destroy team chemistry. They forgot that he is one of the greatest of all-time and has never choked or broken down in pressure. Teams were paying attention to what Iverson was off the courteven though that part of him is blown out of New York Jets jersey
proportionand they weren't paying attention to what he could have done for their teams on the basketball court.The Magic and Cavaliers could have called up Iverson before the series started and he would have laced up his shoes and brought more effort than any other player on the team. He could have even won them a game or two and maybe even the series.But in the off-season these teams wanted Iverson to come off the bench for some reason. Well what did the Magic and Cavalier starting lineups do when they needed them? What did the Mario Chalmers do for the Heat? What about the Spurs starting SG?How about the Raptors weren't they supposed to be a No. 4 seed this season? Were their guards better than Iverson? Reports say Hedo Turkoglu wants out now. How about the Clippers, who wanted Iverson to come off the bench? What about Mike Conley? The Grizzlies didn't want Iverson starting over him so they released him.Were the 12-70 Nets too good for Allen Iverson? Weird how one of the worst teams in NBA history thought they didn't need one of the greatest players in NBA history.The Knicks passed on Iverson after he was put on the waivers and that didn't turn out too well.What did Detroit do without Allen Iverson? They used his contract to get Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanuevaand the team finished 27-55, much worse than last year.But Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva didn't have cornrows and tattoos and weren't cultural icons, so their careers weren't destroyed by the media.The championship contenders aren't the only ones that blew it by not signing Iverson. The list of teams goes on and on. Teams that didn't even look at Iverson in free agency blew it. They had a chance to get a guy who was hungry at proving the world wrong and if was given 36 minutes per game, the touches and shots, he could have been a top five scorer in the league.Miami, Toronto, New Jersey, Memphis, San Antonio, Indiana, Charlotte, New York are teams that blew it by not picking up Iverson when the had the chance. The funniest part about all this is that Iverson was only asking for a one-year $5 million deal and teams still passed. That price is nothing in the NBA, especially if you have Iverson on the rosterhe will sell $5 million worth of jerseys in just two months.Iverson would never quit on his team like the starters on playoff teams like the Magic, Spurs, Cavaliers and Heat did this year.I will do a breakdown of some starting guards in the league and Oakland Raiders jersey
compare them to what Iverson did this season. Again, I am comparing them to an Allen Iverson who didn't play basketball for six months after the Detroit fallout, went into Memphis training camp as rusty as can be, tore his hamstring, and came back to play three games for Memphis and then retired for a month.In that month, God knows what Iverson may have done.Then he came back to the Sixers even rustier than when he arrived in Memphis, had one workout and played 37 minutes against Denver. Later in the season he learned he had an arthritic knee.By the way, he played in Eddie Jordan's Princeton Offense, which for those of you that don't know, tgoes something like this: pass the ball, wait for a screen, fill the spot and set a screen, wait for a screen and then maybe touch the ball.Other than Detroit, all the offenses Iverson played in went like this: give the ball to Allen and get out of the way. He played just 29 minutes per game and took just 11 shots a night.So here it is; Allen Iverson compared to other starting guards in the league. Allen Iverson: 13.8 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.8 rpg, in just 29 mpgOther Guards:Anthony Parker, SG, Cavaliers: 8.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 30 mpgEven an injured, rusty Allen Iverson could have helped the Cavaliers more than Anthony Parker.Jason Terry, SG, Mavericks: 12.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 29 mpgOh, look: Allen also outplayed Jason Terry, who wasn't able to get the Mavericks as far as they were supposed to go in the playoffs.Mario Chalmers, PG, Heat: 10.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.6 apgThis guy is the reason Iverson wasn't brought to Miami. Looks like Allen outplayed him, too. A back court of D-Wade and AI would be amazing, and would give teams fits. Too bad Pat Riley decided to pass.Courtney Lee, G, Nets: 12.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.7 apg. 34 mpgIf Iverson was playing over this guy on the Nets, he would lead the league in scoring and he would probably win 25 games for this team himself. Instead the Nets finished 12-70.Chris Duhon, G, Knicks: 7.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.6 apg, 31 mpgTracy McGrady, G, Knicks: 8.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.3 apgYes, T-Mac was injured but so was AI and he outplayed him. Chris Duhon is the guy they thought they should stick with when Allen was put on the waivers by MemphisAI would get 25 in his sleep in coach D'Antoni's high-octane offense in New York, and would probably be able to lead the Knicks to the playoffs. Since he was going to "ruin team chemistry," the Knicks passed.LeBron, Bosh and Wade all want to go to New York but the Knicks have no names on the roster that would help lure them in; if they had Allen Iverson on the roster it would be a guy who has had a better career than all three players and they would be Knicks on July 1.Jameer Nelson, PG, Magic: 12.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.4 apgIf Iverson was on the Magic he would have done more than Jameer did this season and would be playing with heart every game and wouldn't give up when there was pressure. Just having him there Philadelphia Eagles jersey
would be an inspiration. In Orlando's system Iverson probably wouldn't have a problem getting 20 a night.TJ Ford, PG, Pacers: 10.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.8 apgEarl Watson, PG, Pacers: 7.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.1 apgIverson outplayed these guys, and the Pacers would have at least a 20-points-per-game scorer in Iverson. He and Danny Granger would probably be able to lead the Pacers to the playoffs. What was Indiana thinking when they chose these guys over Allen?Beno Udrih, G, Pacers: 12.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.7 apgAllen out played Udrih as well and a Tyreke and Iverson back court would be amazing to watch. Not to mention effective.George Hill, G, Spurs: 12.4 ppg, 2.9 apg, 2.6 rpgIverson would have been a perfect fit for the Spurs and would have them in the Western Conference Finals neck and neck with the Lakers. But the Spurs passed on Iverson and chose this guy. Don't give me the "Hill is younger" excuse, because at the end of the day, it's about who gets it doneand AI outplayed him. Plus, the Spurs are already old... what is one young, inexperienced guard going to do for them?Jose Calderon, G, Raptors: 10.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.9 apgJarret Jack, G, Raptors: 11.4 ppg, 5.0 apg, 2.7 rpgDeMar DeRozan, G, Raptors: 8.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.7 apgIverson would have been the perfect fit for Toronto. A Bosh and AI combo would lock up a fourth seed by All-Star break, and Allen would probably be averaging at least 20 points a night.AI, Turkoglu, and Bosh would be a deadly combo come playoff time. If fans hated Vince Carter because of his lack of heart they would have loved Allen because of his style, the kind locals love. He would bring the passion, excitement and heart every night to the ACC. Brian Colangelo should have thought about Allen very hard.Mike Conley, G, Grizzlies: 12.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.3 apgThe Grizzlies chose this scrub over Iverson, which may have led to his decision to departfrom the team. The Grizzlies may have made the playoffs had they started AI and the city of Memphis would have loved Iverson. Too bad the Grizzlies let him go like that.Raymond Felton, G, Bobcats: 11.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 5.0 apgAllen Iverson was a Bobcat for about a day when he and Brown agreed to have the reunion all Iverson fans wanted. Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
Iverson would give the Bobcats that scorer and he certainly outplayed Felton. It probably wouldn't be like 2001 but it would have been something good. But Michael Jordan said no to Iverson and the deal broke down.So there it is; Allen outplayed so many starting guards this season, and again, this was an injured and rusty Iverson who was running the most structured offense in the league, taking 11 shots a night and playing just 29 mpg.Iverson could have helped contenders get to the Finals and maybe even win it all, and he could have helped other teams (like the Raptors) become contenders.A lot of teams must be regretting not taking Allenand they even had two chances to sign him because he was a free agent once again when Memphis released him.If an unhealthy, rusty Iverson in a situation as there was in Philadelphia can outplay these guys, then imagine what he can do in the right situation when healthy.Iverson will be a free agent once again, and some are saying he will return and others are saying he won't. People have been all over Twitter saying that they saw Allen in clubs and he is telling people that he is working out everyday and wants to return.These owners and GM's across the league must keep in mind that Allen could have helped them a lot, and they screwed up by not signing him once. And more offers will come this year because he proved he isn't a distraction and a chemistry-killer like some people make him out to be.This is what Nets President and GM, Ed Stefanski, had to say recently when asked about the Iverson signing:"The impact he had on the locker room, the spark he provided, playing good basketball and the way he blended in was good for the team."When he got here, he was terrific. People ask me all the time if I would do it again. I tell them I would in a second. He was good for our team, and no one's career got thrown down while he was here." Teams need to compare their guards to Iverson and they will realize that even an unhealthy Iverson is better than a lot of starting guards in the league.Iverson should stop acting stubborn, offer himself to teams, and ask coaches for workouts to prove he can still play. He should start working out everyday to get his explosiveness back and he will be fine. San Diego Chargers jersey
This summer, when all the young superstars are signed and the second tier guys are signed, the guy with the best career in the 2010 free agency pool will be leftand he is the "Answer" Allen Iverson.And he can be the answer to a lot of teams next season.
Cleveland Cavaliers Eastern Conference Finals, but the Celtics dominated both teams and took the heart right out of them. All players on the teams gave up including the stars Dwight Howard, LeBron James and Vince Carter. The Celtics took advantage of that and punished both teams, now LeBron James is going to leave Cleveland and the Magic maybe done with Vince Carter too.These team's owners are now being blamed for not having players on the roster that cared and that brought it every night. It is not only the Magic and Cavaliers who just lost their drive there are other teams that could have done well but lost heart and stopped caring, teams like the Raptors, Heat and Spurs.Now that the guys running these teams look back at the names on the 2009 free agency they should be ashamed of themselves for not signing Allen Iverson.First of all, forget about the fact that he has more heart than any player in the league; I just want to say that other than Dwight Howard and LeBron James in this years Eastern Conference Finals, I did not see one player who is better than Allen Iverson. The Magic and Cavalier respective supporting casts managed no better than the Allen Iverson we saw in Philadelphia for 25 games, the one who put up 14 points per game and 29 minutes per game, and the one that was forced to run the most structured basketball offense in the league.The Magic and Cavaliers blew it.Both teams had the chance to sign a legend, a first ballot Hall Of Famer who is hands down one of the 25 greatest players to ever play the game; they had a chance to sign a guy who wouldn't give up like Mo Williams, Antwan Jamison, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis did when their teams needed them; they had a chance to sign a guy who could go off for 30 points any game and if given the minutes and touches could go for 25 a night.These teams were delusional when Iverson was a free agent, treating him like he a criminal that would rob and kill when he was in the locker room, worried that he would destroy team chemistry. They forgot that he is one of the greatest of all-time and has never choked or broken down in pressure. Teams were paying attention to what Iverson was off the courteven though that part of him is blown out of New York Jets jersey
proportionand they weren't paying attention to what he could have done for their teams on the basketball court.The Magic and Cavaliers could have called up Iverson before the series started and he would have laced up his shoes and brought more effort than any other player on the team. He could have even won them a game or two and maybe even the series.But in the off-season these teams wanted Iverson to come off the bench for some reason. Well what did the Magic and Cavalier starting lineups do when they needed them? What did the Mario Chalmers do for the Heat? What about the Spurs starting SG?How about the Raptors weren't they supposed to be a No. 4 seed this season? Were their guards better than Iverson? Reports say Hedo Turkoglu wants out now. How about the Clippers, who wanted Iverson to come off the bench? What about Mike Conley? The Grizzlies didn't want Iverson starting over him so they released him.Were the 12-70 Nets too good for Allen Iverson? Weird how one of the worst teams in NBA history thought they didn't need one of the greatest players in NBA history.The Knicks passed on Iverson after he was put on the waivers and that didn't turn out too well.What did Detroit do without Allen Iverson? They used his contract to get Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanuevaand the team finished 27-55, much worse than last year.But Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva didn't have cornrows and tattoos and weren't cultural icons, so their careers weren't destroyed by the media.The championship contenders aren't the only ones that blew it by not signing Iverson. The list of teams goes on and on. Teams that didn't even look at Iverson in free agency blew it. They had a chance to get a guy who was hungry at proving the world wrong and if was given 36 minutes per game, the touches and shots, he could have been a top five scorer in the league.Miami, Toronto, New Jersey, Memphis, San Antonio, Indiana, Charlotte, New York are teams that blew it by not picking up Iverson when the had the chance. The funniest part about all this is that Iverson was only asking for a one-year $5 million deal and teams still passed. That price is nothing in the NBA, especially if you have Iverson on the rosterhe will sell $5 million worth of jerseys in just two months.Iverson would never quit on his team like the starters on playoff teams like the Magic, Spurs, Cavaliers and Heat did this year.I will do a breakdown of some starting guards in the league and Oakland Raiders jersey
compare them to what Iverson did this season. Again, I am comparing them to an Allen Iverson who didn't play basketball for six months after the Detroit fallout, went into Memphis training camp as rusty as can be, tore his hamstring, and came back to play three games for Memphis and then retired for a month.In that month, God knows what Iverson may have done.Then he came back to the Sixers even rustier than when he arrived in Memphis, had one workout and played 37 minutes against Denver. Later in the season he learned he had an arthritic knee.By the way, he played in Eddie Jordan's Princeton Offense, which for those of you that don't know, tgoes something like this: pass the ball, wait for a screen, fill the spot and set a screen, wait for a screen and then maybe touch the ball.Other than Detroit, all the offenses Iverson played in went like this: give the ball to Allen and get out of the way. He played just 29 minutes per game and took just 11 shots a night.So here it is; Allen Iverson compared to other starting guards in the league. Allen Iverson: 13.8 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.8 rpg, in just 29 mpgOther Guards:Anthony Parker, SG, Cavaliers: 8.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 30 mpgEven an injured, rusty Allen Iverson could have helped the Cavaliers more than Anthony Parker.Jason Terry, SG, Mavericks: 12.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 29 mpgOh, look: Allen also outplayed Jason Terry, who wasn't able to get the Mavericks as far as they were supposed to go in the playoffs.Mario Chalmers, PG, Heat: 10.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.6 apgThis guy is the reason Iverson wasn't brought to Miami. Looks like Allen outplayed him, too. A back court of D-Wade and AI would be amazing, and would give teams fits. Too bad Pat Riley decided to pass.Courtney Lee, G, Nets: 12.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.7 apg. 34 mpgIf Iverson was playing over this guy on the Nets, he would lead the league in scoring and he would probably win 25 games for this team himself. Instead the Nets finished 12-70.Chris Duhon, G, Knicks: 7.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.6 apg, 31 mpgTracy McGrady, G, Knicks: 8.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.3 apgYes, T-Mac was injured but so was AI and he outplayed him. Chris Duhon is the guy they thought they should stick with when Allen was put on the waivers by MemphisAI would get 25 in his sleep in coach D'Antoni's high-octane offense in New York, and would probably be able to lead the Knicks to the playoffs. Since he was going to "ruin team chemistry," the Knicks passed.LeBron, Bosh and Wade all want to go to New York but the Knicks have no names on the roster that would help lure them in; if they had Allen Iverson on the roster it would be a guy who has had a better career than all three players and they would be Knicks on July 1.Jameer Nelson, PG, Magic: 12.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.4 apgIf Iverson was on the Magic he would have done more than Jameer did this season and would be playing with heart every game and wouldn't give up when there was pressure. Just having him there Philadelphia Eagles jersey
would be an inspiration. In Orlando's system Iverson probably wouldn't have a problem getting 20 a night.TJ Ford, PG, Pacers: 10.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.8 apgEarl Watson, PG, Pacers: 7.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.1 apgIverson outplayed these guys, and the Pacers would have at least a 20-points-per-game scorer in Iverson. He and Danny Granger would probably be able to lead the Pacers to the playoffs. What was Indiana thinking when they chose these guys over Allen?Beno Udrih, G, Pacers: 12.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.7 apgAllen out played Udrih as well and a Tyreke and Iverson back court would be amazing to watch. Not to mention effective.George Hill, G, Spurs: 12.4 ppg, 2.9 apg, 2.6 rpgIverson would have been a perfect fit for the Spurs and would have them in the Western Conference Finals neck and neck with the Lakers. But the Spurs passed on Iverson and chose this guy. Don't give me the "Hill is younger" excuse, because at the end of the day, it's about who gets it doneand AI outplayed him. Plus, the Spurs are already old... what is one young, inexperienced guard going to do for them?Jose Calderon, G, Raptors: 10.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.9 apgJarret Jack, G, Raptors: 11.4 ppg, 5.0 apg, 2.7 rpgDeMar DeRozan, G, Raptors: 8.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.7 apgIverson would have been the perfect fit for Toronto. A Bosh and AI combo would lock up a fourth seed by All-Star break, and Allen would probably be averaging at least 20 points a night.AI, Turkoglu, and Bosh would be a deadly combo come playoff time. If fans hated Vince Carter because of his lack of heart they would have loved Allen because of his style, the kind locals love. He would bring the passion, excitement and heart every night to the ACC. Brian Colangelo should have thought about Allen very hard.Mike Conley, G, Grizzlies: 12.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.3 apgThe Grizzlies chose this scrub over Iverson, which may have led to his decision to departfrom the team. The Grizzlies may have made the playoffs had they started AI and the city of Memphis would have loved Iverson. Too bad the Grizzlies let him go like that.Raymond Felton, G, Bobcats: 11.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 5.0 apgAllen Iverson was a Bobcat for about a day when he and Brown agreed to have the reunion all Iverson fans wanted. Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
Iverson would give the Bobcats that scorer and he certainly outplayed Felton. It probably wouldn't be like 2001 but it would have been something good. But Michael Jordan said no to Iverson and the deal broke down.So there it is; Allen outplayed so many starting guards this season, and again, this was an injured and rusty Iverson who was running the most structured offense in the league, taking 11 shots a night and playing just 29 mpg.Iverson could have helped contenders get to the Finals and maybe even win it all, and he could have helped other teams (like the Raptors) become contenders.A lot of teams must be regretting not taking Allenand they even had two chances to sign him because he was a free agent once again when Memphis released him.If an unhealthy, rusty Iverson in a situation as there was in Philadelphia can outplay these guys, then imagine what he can do in the right situation when healthy.Iverson will be a free agent once again, and some are saying he will return and others are saying he won't. People have been all over Twitter saying that they saw Allen in clubs and he is telling people that he is working out everyday and wants to return.These owners and GM's across the league must keep in mind that Allen could have helped them a lot, and they screwed up by not signing him once. And more offers will come this year because he proved he isn't a distraction and a chemistry-killer like some people make him out to be.This is what Nets President and GM, Ed Stefanski, had to say recently when asked about the Iverson signing:"The impact he had on the locker room, the spark he provided, playing good basketball and the way he blended in was good for the team."When he got here, he was terrific. People ask me all the time if I would do it again. I tell them I would in a second. He was good for our team, and no one's career got thrown down while he was here." Teams need to compare their guards to Iverson and they will realize that even an unhealthy Iverson is better than a lot of starting guards in the league.Iverson should stop acting stubborn, offer himself to teams, and ask coaches for workouts to prove he can still play. He should start working out everyday to get his explosiveness back and he will be fine. San Diego Chargers jersey
This summer, when all the young superstars are signed and the second tier guys are signed, the guy with the best career in the 2010 free agency pool will be leftand he is the "Answer" Allen Iverson.And he can be the answer to a lot of teams next season.
2010年12月25日星期六
25 Dec 10 Boston Celtics Courting SHAQ-Tastrophe!
Elsa/Getty ImagesThe Celtics are courting SHAQ-tastrophe.Last season NBA Finals Runner Ups are flaunting with failure as the Celtics have signed 38 year-old NBA All Star Shaquille ONeal to a two year contract.In this coming NBA season, look for a series of SHAQ-tastrophies beginning with a kelly green clad sputtering Carolina Panthers jersey
Big Diesel who will be lumbering down the parquet court of Boston TD Bank North Garden.Already limited in their fast break, an aged Celtics team has added the glacier quick Shaq to their squadcertain to tether itself further to the immovable foundation of Boston iconic John Hancock Building.At first, watch the plodding Planet Cryptonite schmooze teammates with his signature shuck and jive and influence his new Boston friends with a feigned team-first philosophy. However, ONeal game has always been Shaq vs .. well, everybody else...cause it always been all about 71 Chicago Bears jersey
and 335 lbs. of Shaq and his monumental ego!Then, just wait til December when Shaq Daddy wants more touches and disheartened guards like Rajon Rondo and Nate Robinson howl at the horrific sight of this Big Fella hampering their way to the hoop.Worse yet, wait until February when the original Celtic Big Three of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have had enough hubris from the Hulking Ham in the Hub City hoping to become a Cozy Celtic Quartet. But that won ever happen.Expect ONeal to exit Boston after just one season or maybe even sooner. History documents his less than magical departure from Orlando, his petty parting from the Lakers, Shaq scorched separations from the Suns and Heat and his cavalier departure from Cleveland.Despite my prognostications, here hoping the Celtics Cincinnati Bengals jersey
will salvage this season by muzzling this megalomaniac and sparingly utilizing his waning talents. Otherwise, Coach Doc Rivers will be courting a sure SHAQ-tastrophe with the NBA former Superman and now sputtering Big Diesel.Straight talk. No static.MIKE;thee American made voice of sports.
Big Diesel who will be lumbering down the parquet court of Boston TD Bank North Garden.Already limited in their fast break, an aged Celtics team has added the glacier quick Shaq to their squadcertain to tether itself further to the immovable foundation of Boston iconic John Hancock Building.At first, watch the plodding Planet Cryptonite schmooze teammates with his signature shuck and jive and influence his new Boston friends with a feigned team-first philosophy. However, ONeal game has always been Shaq vs .. well, everybody else...cause it always been all about 71 Chicago Bears jersey
and 335 lbs. of Shaq and his monumental ego!Then, just wait til December when Shaq Daddy wants more touches and disheartened guards like Rajon Rondo and Nate Robinson howl at the horrific sight of this Big Fella hampering their way to the hoop.Worse yet, wait until February when the original Celtic Big Three of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have had enough hubris from the Hulking Ham in the Hub City hoping to become a Cozy Celtic Quartet. But that won ever happen.Expect ONeal to exit Boston after just one season or maybe even sooner. History documents his less than magical departure from Orlando, his petty parting from the Lakers, Shaq scorched separations from the Suns and Heat and his cavalier departure from Cleveland.Despite my prognostications, here hoping the Celtics Cincinnati Bengals jersey
will salvage this season by muzzling this megalomaniac and sparingly utilizing his waning talents. Otherwise, Coach Doc Rivers will be courting a sure SHAQ-tastrophe with the NBA former Superman and now sputtering Big Diesel.Straight talk. No static.MIKE;thee American made voice of sports.
2010年12月24日星期五
24 Dec 10 Evan Turner: How Early Can Philadelphia 76ers Fans Panic?
Apparently, the Panic Button has been hit here in Philly about Evan Turner. Some of the writers who frequent Daily News Live have been skeptical about Turner so far. There have been a few rumors that Doug Collins doesn't like him that much. People are wondering how he Chicago Bears jersey
and Iguodala are going to coexist.Probably the worst of the worst is when Bill Simmons, in his recent article, compared him to Adam Morrison. That might be the worst insult anyone can give a rookie."Man, I wish we got Wall instead."Needless to say, the common Sixers fan is ready to push the Panic Button on Evan Turner. The Sixers and Turner's preseason play have backed up these rumblings. He is shooting only 30% from the field, averaging only 10 PPG, 3.6 APG and 2.8 turnovers per game."We should have taken Cousins."Cousins has been dominating down in Sacramento, while Turner is struggling in Philly. Philadelphia is notoriously tough on their athletes too. We aren't pessimistic, just cautiously optimistic."He can't shoot, and he's not athletic enough."Here is why I am not ready to panic yet. Last year in the first month of the season, Jrue Holiday was coming off the bench while Ty Lawson was filling up some stat sheets in the up-tempo Nuggets system, and people began wondering why we didn't take Cincinnati Bengals jersey
Lawson, who was proven, instead of Jrue, who was raw talent.Now Holiday is our most valuable commodity, perhaps the only player the 76ers wouldn't trade, unless they were offered something amazing."Why did we take Turner when we have Iggy and no center?"It is tough to come to a new team as rookie, especially a bad team, and fit right in. Unless you are ball-dominant, like a Tyreke Evans, even good rookies don't explode on the scene right away.It is also tough when the teams supposed best player plays basically the same position as you. When ET gels with Holiday, the Sixers will have a real future.The main reason why it is too early to give up Turner is that he is tough. While other players miss half an NBA season with an inner ear infection (Hansbrough), or cry on the court (Morrison), this man broke his back, yet returned within a few weeks. He came back and carried his team to a 2-seed in the NCAA tournament, and clearly was their only true prospect.Toughness cannot be taught. Cleveland Browns jersey
A consistent jump shot and chemistry can. Other Sixers fans are ready to panic, and have been saying negative things like the quotes above, but not me.I don't expect Turner to win Rookie of the Year, but i expect ET and Jrue to be leading this team into the future by the end of the year. As a Sixers fan, it's our only hope to get out of the basement, and throw away the Panic Button.
and Iguodala are going to coexist.Probably the worst of the worst is when Bill Simmons, in his recent article, compared him to Adam Morrison. That might be the worst insult anyone can give a rookie."Man, I wish we got Wall instead."Needless to say, the common Sixers fan is ready to push the Panic Button on Evan Turner. The Sixers and Turner's preseason play have backed up these rumblings. He is shooting only 30% from the field, averaging only 10 PPG, 3.6 APG and 2.8 turnovers per game."We should have taken Cousins."Cousins has been dominating down in Sacramento, while Turner is struggling in Philly. Philadelphia is notoriously tough on their athletes too. We aren't pessimistic, just cautiously optimistic."He can't shoot, and he's not athletic enough."Here is why I am not ready to panic yet. Last year in the first month of the season, Jrue Holiday was coming off the bench while Ty Lawson was filling up some stat sheets in the up-tempo Nuggets system, and people began wondering why we didn't take Cincinnati Bengals jersey
Lawson, who was proven, instead of Jrue, who was raw talent.Now Holiday is our most valuable commodity, perhaps the only player the 76ers wouldn't trade, unless they were offered something amazing."Why did we take Turner when we have Iggy and no center?"It is tough to come to a new team as rookie, especially a bad team, and fit right in. Unless you are ball-dominant, like a Tyreke Evans, even good rookies don't explode on the scene right away.It is also tough when the teams supposed best player plays basically the same position as you. When ET gels with Holiday, the Sixers will have a real future.The main reason why it is too early to give up Turner is that he is tough. While other players miss half an NBA season with an inner ear infection (Hansbrough), or cry on the court (Morrison), this man broke his back, yet returned within a few weeks. He came back and carried his team to a 2-seed in the NCAA tournament, and clearly was their only true prospect.Toughness cannot be taught. Cleveland Browns jersey
A consistent jump shot and chemistry can. Other Sixers fans are ready to panic, and have been saying negative things like the quotes above, but not me.I don't expect Turner to win Rookie of the Year, but i expect ET and Jrue to be leading this team into the future by the end of the year. As a Sixers fan, it's our only hope to get out of the basement, and throw away the Panic Button.
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