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Before I get started with this week’s entry, let’s pay homage to Josh Smith’s posterization of yet another Oklahoma City Thunder big man. Serge Ibaka, smile on the count of three….
At this point there is only one team in the entire NBA that can win the championship. That team is the Miami Heat. They are far and away the best team in the NBA. Although the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder have comparable records, neither has a remote chance of beating Miami in a seven game series. The Bulls and Thunder are both good teams and on the surface they seem to be real competition for the Heat. However, the NBA has LOTS of bad teams (contraction is needed badly, and I’m sure that will be a blog entry at a later date), and it is easy for good teams to rack up wins. This is especially the case when good teams play extremely hard night in and night out as both the Bulls and Thunder do. As talented as the Bulls and Thunder are, fans in both cities may as well prepare themselves of falling just short of winning the title this season, unless….
THEY MAKE THE APPROPRIATE TRADE (or lineup change in the case of Oklahoma City).
There are several teams that are one trade away from being able to push the Miami Heat and possibly beat them in the playoffs. Being the benevolent young man that I am, I am going to save NBA general managers a lot of work by letting them know what move is needed to transform their team from a good team with absolutely no chance to win a championship to a great team that will be able to stand toe-to-toe with anyone in the playoffs, including the Heat.
Before I get to that, there is one thing that I must address concerning my hometown Atlanta Hawks. Starting (I still can’t figure out why) small forward Marvin Williams has reportedly requested a trade from the Hawks. (Marvin has denied this report, but I don’t believe him for one second) This begs the question ‘is Marvin assuming that another NBA team will actually want him?’ He is the worst starting small forward in the entire league. I am not exaggerating; he really is, for proof just read last week’s blog entry. No team will be stupid enough to take on Williams and the two years and roughly $15.7 million he has remaining on his contract after this season. The Hawks did call the University of Kentucky and try to trade him straight up for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, but Caliparri turned them down with an emphatic HELL NO! So the Hawks are stuck with not only a scrub, but the worst kind of scrub; a disgruntled scrub. My advice to Marvin is to shut up and continue to be the bum that you are, and I will continue to talk about you on my blog for just that reason. Be glad that you are “stuck” in Atlanta and only have to deal with ATLiens like myself calling you a bust and a bum for a little while longer. (If you were to get traded to another market you would be opening yourself up to significantly more ridicule) In two years you will be out of Atlanta and on your way to play in Europe anyway.
Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, where was I?... Oh yeah, trades for teams that are actually contenders.
Ray Allen to the Los Angeles Clippers – Although the Celtics pulled of an overtime win against the Knicks on Sunday, thanks largely to the monster game by my favorite NBA player (more on Rondo later), they are no longer real contenders. The Celtics are a prideful bunch that will fight their hearts out and give a valiant effort in the playoffs. That being said, they don’t hand out pride trophies in the NBA. The Celtics are old and staring the need to start over with youth directly in the face. It’s time to move the veterans, and a homecoming in Los Angeles for Ray Allen would be the perfect landing spot for him. The L.A. Clippers are a very good team with a gaping hole at shooting guard. Allen will be able to give them the shooter that will keep teams from double-teaming Blake Griffin in the post and also force them to play Chris Paul honestly. Allen is also battle-tested and knows what it takes to win a championship. He will keep this young team focused and provide a calming influence when the rigors of the NBA playoffs begin to rattle the young Clippers. It will probably take Mo Williams and a draft pick or a combination of Ryan Gomes, Eric Bledsoe, and a draft pick to get him. As long as it doesn’t take Paul, Griffin, DeAndre Jordan , or Caron Butler to get Allen, this is a deal that has to be made.
Pau Gasol to the Chicago Bulls – For some strange reason the Lakers’ are dead set on moving the most skilled big man in the game. We all know that he is soft, but he is also the most skilled post player to hit the NBA since Tim Duncan. For my money, I think the Lakers are idiots for trying to move him, but I’m sure that Derrick Rose and the people in Chicago are hoping that they send him their way. This is an easy trade to make. The Bulls will take on the Lakers highly skilled, but soft post player and send the Bulls their moderately skilled, but physically tough power forward in return. That’s right the Lakers should take back Carlos Boozer in return. Although Boozer is averaging nearly 19 points and 10 rebounds per game this season, he just doesn’t seem to be the right fit to play with Derrick Rose. I think he will be more valuable in Los Angeles where he can provide some toughness inside. Boozer’s and Gasol’s numbers this season are similar, so neither team will lose much production. However, stylistically I think both teams will be better off making this trade.
Rajon Rondo to the Los Angeles Lakers – Since I’m mentioning the Lakers, let me start by saying I HATE KOBE BRYANT! Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the most obvious hole that any team in the entire NBA has. The Lakers simply don’t have a starting caliber point guard on their roster. In addition to not having a point guard on the team, the Lakers are also getting old and need an influx of youth to keep the team relevant for the next couple of years. As much as it pains me to say this, the team I hate the most is the perfect team to acquire my favorite player. Acquiring Rondo will give the Lakers young all-star level talent at the two most important positions on the court, point guard and center. They also have that other guy that I mentioned earlier that is still a top three player in the league. Rondo will lighten the defensive burden that Kobe has to handle on a nightly basis and also allow him to play off the ball more and get easy baskets. I don’t know what the Lakers have to offer the Celtics, except draft picks because they should be moving Gasol to Chicago for Boozer. There were rumors earlier in the season of a Gasol for Rondo swap, but that wouldn’t make sense because that would leave the Lakers with a gaping hole at power forward, unless they can figure out a way to get Luis Scola from Houston. The Lakers don’t have much on their roster that anyone else would want outside of Gasol, and Bynum (no need to mention Bryant here because we all know that he is untouchable). However, I’m sure that won’t stop them, because this is the team that managed to get Pau Gasol from Memphis in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol, and a couple of draft picks. So basically Memphis got a bag of basketballs, 3 pair of NBA logo socks, and Gasol’s little brother (who eventually became a good player). Therefore, I truly feel that if the Lakers want Rondo, they will figure out a way to get him.
James Harden starts in Oklahoma City – As I stated last week, the Thunder are doing their opponents a huge favor by bringing their third best player off the bench. By simply inserting Harden into the starting lineup, the Thunder will have the most complete starting five in the entire league. They will have three scorers that can shoot from outside and blow past defenders. Their inside players (Perkins and Ibaka) and the perfect complement to such strong perimeter players. They are ego-less and love doing the dirty work, defending the basket and rebounding. Having Harden in the lineup will force the opposition to guard all three perimeter players and prevent them from letting one of their better scorers rest on defensive by guarding a player that is not a threat to score.
If the Lakers, Bulls, Clippers, or Thunder want to give Miami any real competition this summer, these moves absolutely have to be made. If they aren’t, the city of Miami may as well go ahead and approve police overtime to cover the parade.
This may sound crazy, but there is a way that my hometown Hawks can suddenly become real contenders. They just have to make the following move….
LeBron James to the Atlanta Hawks – I know this sounds crazy but it would give the Heat some valuable cap space. The Hawks will give up Marvin Williams (who is just oozing with potential) for James, who is clearly on the downside of his career. In addition to Williams, the Hawks will also give up Kirk Hinrich (that way Udonis Haslem won’t be the only Heat player rocking the always fresh Converse) and their next 5 first round draft picks. See that’s an offer that’s too good for the Heat to refuse. I’m sure that LeBron would welcome it also. He gets to play with Joe Johnson, who isn’t quite as good as Dwyane Wade, and Josh Smith, who is almost at the level of Chris Bosh. How can he turn down the opportunity to go to a slightly worse team in a city that doesn’t care about their sports teams unless they have a superstar. There’s the selling point, he IS a superstar. He can make an entire city give a damn about their home team. Who could possibly turn that down?
I know it will never happen, but a guy can dream!
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week….
BALLER – Rajon Rondo: He’s not getting this honor because he is my favorite NBA player or because he played for my favorite college basketball team. He is getting this honor because he (Ice Cube Voice) “messed around and got a triple-double” against the Knicks on Sunday. This wasn’t your run of the mill triple double, this one was special. He torched the “Chosen One” (Jeremy Lin) and the “Washed-up One” (Baron Davis) for 18 points, 20 assists, and 17 rebounds. Yeah, I think that deserves Baller of the Week status.
SCRUB – The NFL: Ok, the New Orleans Saints paid bounties to players for knocking opposing players out of games. That is wrong, we get that. However, let’s not get all crazy and act like this is some reprehensible act that you can’t believe is going on. Football players are wired a little differently from the rest of us. A defensive player’s entire existence (unless he plays corner) is based on the ability to knock someone’s block off. They do it week in and week out in exchange for their regular salaries. The bounty program wasn’t about the money, it was about recognition from teammates. If a player is making several hundred-thousand dollars per game, an extra $1500 isn’t going to make them want to hit any harder. They are always trying to knock players out of the game with every hit. I’m sure that the punishment for the Saints organization will be severe and will probably include a seven-figure fine, a lot of suspensions of players and coaches, as well as the loss of some draft picks. This will be simply to make an example out of the Saints. That is unfortunate because we all know that this happens in locker rooms all over the league. You can’t tell me that the Baltimore Ravens don’t have a standing bounty on Ben Roethlisberger. If you are going to make an example out of the Saints, you must conduct an investigation of the other 31 teams to see just how rampant this practice is and level them with the same punishments that you hit the Saints with.
This is strictly a public relations move. I wish the NFL would realize that you can’t make a gladiator sport safe. Your best bet is to make sure that everyone is well-aware of the dangers of the game at that level upon entering the league, and let the chips fall where they may. Football collisions have the same affect on the body as car accidents. This simply isn’t a safe sport. It’s a gladiator sport played by men with no regard for their physical well-being, or the physical well-being of their opponents. It’s time to stop pretending that it is anything else.
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Showing posts with label marvin williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marvin williams. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
THE ANTI-ALL-STAR TEAM
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
This past weekend Orlando, Florida was the center of the basketball universe. It hosted the NBA’s annual All-Star weekend. This means that all of the top players in the NBA were there, along with the top NBA groupies, a plethora of celebrities, and everyday people that traveled there with hopes of spending too much money to get into the club and “party” with stars. I am a huge fan of the NBA All-Star game. Once a year we get to see the best the league has to offer (except for Josh Smith) on one court. The game is always highly entertaining for 3 quarters, and intensely competitive for the final quarter. It is by-far the best all-star game in sports. In addition to the actual game, I also enjoy seeing what the shoe companies will have their live billboards wearing on the court. Only in the All-Star game will players wear mismatched shoes (Tracy McGrady started it and high school and college kids immediately followed suit), or awesome shoes in colorway’s that don’t remotely match the uniform. It is truly an awesome event that deserves all of the pomp and circumstance that it currently receives.
The number of All-Star appearances on your resume is a badge of honor for NBA players. It is an acknowledgement that you were one of the best or most popular players (fan voting) in the league for any given year. All-Star players are celebrated by basketball fans, the media, as well as their peers. They are usually the players that receive the endorsement deals, shoe contracts, and guest appearances on television shows and in movies. They are shouted out in rap songs, and practically own the towns in which they play. This is the glamorous NBA life that kids grow up dreaming about. However, this is not the NBA life that everyone gets to experience. NBA teams are allowed to carry 15 players and have 12 in uniform for games. Five of those players start the game, and are generally considered to be the best players on their team at their given positions. Most teams have three bench players that contribute heavy minutes. The remaining players are who we consider to be the “scrubs”. They generally don’t play unless a regular rotation player is out of action due to an injury, suspension, etc. This means there is a generally accepted belief among basketball fans that about seven players on each roster (with some exceptions of course) are not very good players and could be easily replaced.
Let’s pause for a brief PSA:
Before I proceed, I want to be clear about one fact. Every player on an NBA roster is a great basketball player (with the exception of Mario West who is thankfully no longer taking up space for the Atlanta Hawks). They would be the first player picked and the most dominant player on the court at any recreation or fitness center in the world. However, when comparing NBA players to other NBA players, some of them are TERRIBLE! This is the perspective that I am using in this blog. These guys may be good basketball players, but they fall short of the mark of a good NBA player.
O.K, now back to the regularly scheduled blog already in progress.
There are many bench players in the NBA that are walking-talking punch lines for fans, the media, and other players. Note to NBA players: Here are some signs to look for to see if you fit into the “walking-talking punch-line” category:
-You only get into the game in the fourth quarter when your team is up or down by 25+ points.
-The fans chant your name as a sign to the coach to put you into the game (again, only when the game is already been decided).
-Your teammates jump up and down, cheer, and wave towels around their heads like a helicopter (shout-out to Petey Pablo) whenever you score.
In other words, watch a Chicago Bulls blowout and see the treatment that Brian Scalabrine receives. If your experience is similar to his, YOU ARE A SCRUB!
These players are easy targets for ridicule, so I will not waste any time discussing how they are basically stealing money, or how they are so lucky to wear NBA licensed warm-up suits for a living. However, I do want to discuss another group of NBA players. They are what I would like to call the Anti-All-Stars. These are the players that start for their respective teams, which would lead us to believe that they are good NBA players.
However, the truth of the matter is that they suck! They really make you wonder just how bad their back-up is. (Please note that this list is based strictly on current ability. It has nothing to do with previous performances, or a players potential.) These players aren’t celebrated like their all-star teammates (and they shouldn’t be), but I am going to give them some attention anyway (which I’m sure that they don’t want).
I now present to you, the 2012 NBA Anti-All-Star Team (cue the applause):
Point Guard – Derrick Fisher: Fisher is a victim of evolution. He came into the league when a point guard’s job was to bring the ball up court, get the team organized, space the floor, and hit open jumpers when the center was double-teamed. Unfortunately for the old and slow Fisher things have changed over the last 15 years and a lot more is expected of today’s point guards. First and foremost, they are no longer depended on to space the floor, they are now responsible for getting into the paint and finishing or finding finishers and shooters. Not to mention the fact that these younger guys are freakishly athletic. I think it’s safe to say that point guards in 1996 didn’t have the speed or agility of Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, or Russell Westbrook, all of whom have given the aforementioned Fisher recurring nightmares. Even the more conventional guards of today, such as Chris Paul and Deron Williams are simply stronger and too skilled for Fisher to even hope to contain them. Therefore, Fisher is to the Laker’s the very definition of a defensive liability, and on the offensive end, he is only good for 5.5 points and 3.4 assists per game. I guess he is still the starter because there really isn’t a better option behind him. His backup, Steve Blake isn’t exactly tearing it up with his season averages of 6.8 points and 3.0 assists per game. Although Fisher has had a better career than he could have ever dreamed of, it is safe to say that he is no longer a starting point guard for a contender. As of right now, the Lakers are not serious contenders so I guess Fisher isn’t exactly holding them back. However the addition of a legitimate starting point guard like say Rajon Rondo in a trade, could easily change the outlook for a team like the Lakers.
Shooting Guard – Thabo Sefolosha: I don’t know how in the world he is still in the Thunder’s starting lineup when James Harden plays behind him. Sefolosha is nothing more than a token starter. That being said, I really don’t understand the point of a token starter in the NBA. Thabo only plays 20 minutes per game, while Harden plays nearly 32. The token starter contributes only five points to the scoreboard on a nightly basis, while you can pencil Harden in for nearly 17. The feeling in Oklahoma City is that Sefolosha is a defensive stopper, which is why he is in the starting lineup. On that I’m calling BS! In today’s NBA, calling a player a defensive stopper is just a polite way of saying that he contributes nothing on offense. The last true defensive stoppers in the league were Bruce Bowen, Ron Artest (when he was actually Ron Artest), Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace, and Dennis Rodman when they were all in their prime years. Sefolosha isn’t 1/8th of the defender that they were. These players gave opposing players fits and made opposing coaches alter their game plans. I haven’t heard one star perimeter player talk about how Sefolosha makes it difficult for them to attack, as a matter of fact, I’m sure that opposing coaches are glad that Sefolosha is keeping the Thunder point total down by keeping Harden off of the court. The Thunder are really helping their opponents out by bringing Harden off the bench. Benching their “defensive stopper” who doesn’t stop anyone and putting Harden in the starting lineup will give them the most complete starting five since the ‘’03 Pistons.
Small Forward – Marvin Williams: Marvin Williams was inexplicably drafted before both Chris Paul and Deron Williams. He was drafted on potential, not actual ability or college production. Apparently former Hawks GM Billy Knight was the only person who saw this potential, because no one else saw it before the draft and Marvin has yet to show it since entering the league. Williams averaged a somewhat respectable 14.8 points per game in his third season, but instead of using that season to spring-board his career, he felt that it was too good, and decided to regress. He is now down to a whopping 9 points per game this season (and that’s without Al Horford, so there should be more opportunities for him). To put in perspective just how bad Williams is, the oft-injured, light-years past his prime Tracy McGrady is seeing minutes for the Hawks at the small forward position, when Williams at 25 years old should be entering his prime. The Hawks have been smart enough to keep him off the court in crunch time when the game is on the line. Now they just have to be smart enough to replace him with a capable starting small forward. Knowing the Hawks they will try to trade him to San Antonio for Richard Jefferson, which would be tragic because Williams barely beat out the equally inept Jefferson for this spot. Don’t put it past them, this is the team that passed over Paul and Williams, and (close your eyes if you have a weak stomach) TRADED DOMINIQUE WILKINS FOR DANNY MANNING!
Power Forward – Boris Diaw: When Boris Diaw played for the Hawks, he was honestly the worst player in the NBA. I promise you, I am not exaggerating. This may not be common knowledge because the Hawks were terrible during those years so no one outside of metro-Atlanta was forced to watch them on television. Then he went to Phoenix and became a capable NBA player, proving that Steve Nash can indeed make anyone look better than they actually are. He later moved on to Charlotte, where he has morphed into an over-weight power forward that only contributes 7 points and 4 rebounds per game for the worst team in the league. Boris isn’t a terrible basketball player, in fact he is very skilled, however, at the power forward position his lack of athleticism is a huge liability. After looking like a promising player with the Suns, it is obvious that Diaw doesn’t care anymore and is simply collecting his guaranteed contract, while he continues to ask the equipment manager for bigger uniforms.
Center – Brendan Haywood: Here we have Mr. Haywood, or as I like to call him the “Black Shawn Bradley”. He may not look like Bradley, but his play is about as good as Bradley’s. Brendan Haywood is 7 feet tall and weighs 263 pounds, yet he averages just 5 points per game. In a league that only has three real centers that can actually play (Dwight Howard,Andrew Bynum, & Roy Hibbert), you would think that Haywood would dominate. His teammates should be able to toss him the ball and let him dunk it. He has the size to get any post position that he wants. Now you would think that since he isn’t exactly a scoring machine, Haywood must use that size to dominate the boards and grab every rebound in sight. WRONG! Haywood averages only 6.8 rebounds a game. Kevin Durant (the guy that weighs 103 pounds) averages more. Then you would think, he must be a shot blocking machine. WRONG AGAIN! John Wall (yeah, that John Wall, the point guard) is just as scary a shot blocker as Haywood is. Although Haywood is big and tall, he isn’t very athletic at all. Everything about his movement on the court is awkward and his production is underwhelming. I guess that explains why he is indeed the worst starting center in the NBA.
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week….
BALLER – Robert Griffin III: I am a football nerd, so naturally I have been watching the NFL combine. While doing so, I saw Robert Griffin III run a 4.38 40-yard dash. That is absolutely ridiculous, especially when you consider that he is a quarterback. That is the second fasted time by a quarterback in the history of the combine (Vick ran a 4.31). We all know that he will be a threat the moment he touches the field in the NFL. Teams will be preparing for his speed, because of his reputation alone. However, now he has posted a number that will ensure that opposing defensive coaching staffs have lots of sleepless nights before facing him. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that he won’t be getting caught from behind once he gets into the secondary. Oh yeah, he also has a strong arm and is extremely accurate. This is going to be fun to watch!
SCRUB – NBA Slam Dunk Contest: END IT NOW! That is all.
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
This past weekend Orlando, Florida was the center of the basketball universe. It hosted the NBA’s annual All-Star weekend. This means that all of the top players in the NBA were there, along with the top NBA groupies, a plethora of celebrities, and everyday people that traveled there with hopes of spending too much money to get into the club and “party” with stars. I am a huge fan of the NBA All-Star game. Once a year we get to see the best the league has to offer (except for Josh Smith) on one court. The game is always highly entertaining for 3 quarters, and intensely competitive for the final quarter. It is by-far the best all-star game in sports. In addition to the actual game, I also enjoy seeing what the shoe companies will have their live billboards wearing on the court. Only in the All-Star game will players wear mismatched shoes (Tracy McGrady started it and high school and college kids immediately followed suit), or awesome shoes in colorway’s that don’t remotely match the uniform. It is truly an awesome event that deserves all of the pomp and circumstance that it currently receives.
The number of All-Star appearances on your resume is a badge of honor for NBA players. It is an acknowledgement that you were one of the best or most popular players (fan voting) in the league for any given year. All-Star players are celebrated by basketball fans, the media, as well as their peers. They are usually the players that receive the endorsement deals, shoe contracts, and guest appearances on television shows and in movies. They are shouted out in rap songs, and practically own the towns in which they play. This is the glamorous NBA life that kids grow up dreaming about. However, this is not the NBA life that everyone gets to experience. NBA teams are allowed to carry 15 players and have 12 in uniform for games. Five of those players start the game, and are generally considered to be the best players on their team at their given positions. Most teams have three bench players that contribute heavy minutes. The remaining players are who we consider to be the “scrubs”. They generally don’t play unless a regular rotation player is out of action due to an injury, suspension, etc. This means there is a generally accepted belief among basketball fans that about seven players on each roster (with some exceptions of course) are not very good players and could be easily replaced.
Let’s pause for a brief PSA:
Before I proceed, I want to be clear about one fact. Every player on an NBA roster is a great basketball player (with the exception of Mario West who is thankfully no longer taking up space for the Atlanta Hawks). They would be the first player picked and the most dominant player on the court at any recreation or fitness center in the world. However, when comparing NBA players to other NBA players, some of them are TERRIBLE! This is the perspective that I am using in this blog. These guys may be good basketball players, but they fall short of the mark of a good NBA player.
O.K, now back to the regularly scheduled blog already in progress.
There are many bench players in the NBA that are walking-talking punch lines for fans, the media, and other players. Note to NBA players: Here are some signs to look for to see if you fit into the “walking-talking punch-line” category:
-You only get into the game in the fourth quarter when your team is up or down by 25+ points.
-The fans chant your name as a sign to the coach to put you into the game (again, only when the game is already been decided).
-Your teammates jump up and down, cheer, and wave towels around their heads like a helicopter (shout-out to Petey Pablo) whenever you score.
In other words, watch a Chicago Bulls blowout and see the treatment that Brian Scalabrine receives. If your experience is similar to his, YOU ARE A SCRUB!
These players are easy targets for ridicule, so I will not waste any time discussing how they are basically stealing money, or how they are so lucky to wear NBA licensed warm-up suits for a living. However, I do want to discuss another group of NBA players. They are what I would like to call the Anti-All-Stars. These are the players that start for their respective teams, which would lead us to believe that they are good NBA players.
However, the truth of the matter is that they suck! They really make you wonder just how bad their back-up is. (Please note that this list is based strictly on current ability. It has nothing to do with previous performances, or a players potential.) These players aren’t celebrated like their all-star teammates (and they shouldn’t be), but I am going to give them some attention anyway (which I’m sure that they don’t want).
I now present to you, the 2012 NBA Anti-All-Star Team (cue the applause):
Point Guard – Derrick Fisher: Fisher is a victim of evolution. He came into the league when a point guard’s job was to bring the ball up court, get the team organized, space the floor, and hit open jumpers when the center was double-teamed. Unfortunately for the old and slow Fisher things have changed over the last 15 years and a lot more is expected of today’s point guards. First and foremost, they are no longer depended on to space the floor, they are now responsible for getting into the paint and finishing or finding finishers and shooters. Not to mention the fact that these younger guys are freakishly athletic. I think it’s safe to say that point guards in 1996 didn’t have the speed or agility of Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, or Russell Westbrook, all of whom have given the aforementioned Fisher recurring nightmares. Even the more conventional guards of today, such as Chris Paul and Deron Williams are simply stronger and too skilled for Fisher to even hope to contain them. Therefore, Fisher is to the Laker’s the very definition of a defensive liability, and on the offensive end, he is only good for 5.5 points and 3.4 assists per game. I guess he is still the starter because there really isn’t a better option behind him. His backup, Steve Blake isn’t exactly tearing it up with his season averages of 6.8 points and 3.0 assists per game. Although Fisher has had a better career than he could have ever dreamed of, it is safe to say that he is no longer a starting point guard for a contender. As of right now, the Lakers are not serious contenders so I guess Fisher isn’t exactly holding them back. However the addition of a legitimate starting point guard like say Rajon Rondo in a trade, could easily change the outlook for a team like the Lakers.
Shooting Guard – Thabo Sefolosha: I don’t know how in the world he is still in the Thunder’s starting lineup when James Harden plays behind him. Sefolosha is nothing more than a token starter. That being said, I really don’t understand the point of a token starter in the NBA. Thabo only plays 20 minutes per game, while Harden plays nearly 32. The token starter contributes only five points to the scoreboard on a nightly basis, while you can pencil Harden in for nearly 17. The feeling in Oklahoma City is that Sefolosha is a defensive stopper, which is why he is in the starting lineup. On that I’m calling BS! In today’s NBA, calling a player a defensive stopper is just a polite way of saying that he contributes nothing on offense. The last true defensive stoppers in the league were Bruce Bowen, Ron Artest (when he was actually Ron Artest), Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace, and Dennis Rodman when they were all in their prime years. Sefolosha isn’t 1/8th of the defender that they were. These players gave opposing players fits and made opposing coaches alter their game plans. I haven’t heard one star perimeter player talk about how Sefolosha makes it difficult for them to attack, as a matter of fact, I’m sure that opposing coaches are glad that Sefolosha is keeping the Thunder point total down by keeping Harden off of the court. The Thunder are really helping their opponents out by bringing Harden off the bench. Benching their “defensive stopper” who doesn’t stop anyone and putting Harden in the starting lineup will give them the most complete starting five since the ‘’03 Pistons.
Small Forward – Marvin Williams: Marvin Williams was inexplicably drafted before both Chris Paul and Deron Williams. He was drafted on potential, not actual ability or college production. Apparently former Hawks GM Billy Knight was the only person who saw this potential, because no one else saw it before the draft and Marvin has yet to show it since entering the league. Williams averaged a somewhat respectable 14.8 points per game in his third season, but instead of using that season to spring-board his career, he felt that it was too good, and decided to regress. He is now down to a whopping 9 points per game this season (and that’s without Al Horford, so there should be more opportunities for him). To put in perspective just how bad Williams is, the oft-injured, light-years past his prime Tracy McGrady is seeing minutes for the Hawks at the small forward position, when Williams at 25 years old should be entering his prime. The Hawks have been smart enough to keep him off the court in crunch time when the game is on the line. Now they just have to be smart enough to replace him with a capable starting small forward. Knowing the Hawks they will try to trade him to San Antonio for Richard Jefferson, which would be tragic because Williams barely beat out the equally inept Jefferson for this spot. Don’t put it past them, this is the team that passed over Paul and Williams, and (close your eyes if you have a weak stomach) TRADED DOMINIQUE WILKINS FOR DANNY MANNING!
Power Forward – Boris Diaw: When Boris Diaw played for the Hawks, he was honestly the worst player in the NBA. I promise you, I am not exaggerating. This may not be common knowledge because the Hawks were terrible during those years so no one outside of metro-Atlanta was forced to watch them on television. Then he went to Phoenix and became a capable NBA player, proving that Steve Nash can indeed make anyone look better than they actually are. He later moved on to Charlotte, where he has morphed into an over-weight power forward that only contributes 7 points and 4 rebounds per game for the worst team in the league. Boris isn’t a terrible basketball player, in fact he is very skilled, however, at the power forward position his lack of athleticism is a huge liability. After looking like a promising player with the Suns, it is obvious that Diaw doesn’t care anymore and is simply collecting his guaranteed contract, while he continues to ask the equipment manager for bigger uniforms.
Center – Brendan Haywood: Here we have Mr. Haywood, or as I like to call him the “Black Shawn Bradley”. He may not look like Bradley, but his play is about as good as Bradley’s. Brendan Haywood is 7 feet tall and weighs 263 pounds, yet he averages just 5 points per game. In a league that only has three real centers that can actually play (Dwight Howard,Andrew Bynum, & Roy Hibbert), you would think that Haywood would dominate. His teammates should be able to toss him the ball and let him dunk it. He has the size to get any post position that he wants. Now you would think that since he isn’t exactly a scoring machine, Haywood must use that size to dominate the boards and grab every rebound in sight. WRONG! Haywood averages only 6.8 rebounds a game. Kevin Durant (the guy that weighs 103 pounds) averages more. Then you would think, he must be a shot blocking machine. WRONG AGAIN! John Wall (yeah, that John Wall, the point guard) is just as scary a shot blocker as Haywood is. Although Haywood is big and tall, he isn’t very athletic at all. Everything about his movement on the court is awkward and his production is underwhelming. I guess that explains why he is indeed the worst starting center in the NBA.
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week….
BALLER – Robert Griffin III: I am a football nerd, so naturally I have been watching the NFL combine. While doing so, I saw Robert Griffin III run a 4.38 40-yard dash. That is absolutely ridiculous, especially when you consider that he is a quarterback. That is the second fasted time by a quarterback in the history of the combine (Vick ran a 4.31). We all know that he will be a threat the moment he touches the field in the NFL. Teams will be preparing for his speed, because of his reputation alone. However, now he has posted a number that will ensure that opposing defensive coaching staffs have lots of sleepless nights before facing him. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that he won’t be getting caught from behind once he gets into the secondary. Oh yeah, he also has a strong arm and is extremely accurate. This is going to be fun to watch!
SCRUB – NBA Slam Dunk Contest: END IT NOW! That is all.
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Sunday, November 9, 2008
ALL ABOARD!!!!
As self-appointed President of the unofficial Atlanta Hawks Fan Club, I have an announcement to make. YOU HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER 10TH TO GET ON THE HAWKS BAND WAGON before it leaves the station. On December 10th the Hawks will have played 20 games, which approximately ¼ the of the season, and once we reach that point, I WILL BE CLOSING THE DOORS OF THE BANDWAGON, AND NO ONE, AND I MEAN NO ONE ELSE WILL BE ALLOWED TO GET ON!!!!
Some of you may be reading this and wondering why in the world would anyone restrict the Hawks bandwagon. I mean over the last couple of years they have been a team that couldn’t even half fill their arena on a nightly basis. One would think, that they would take all of the fans that could get, no matter if they are true fans or bandwagon fans that are simply along for the ride. However things have changed, and as the only person who has been a dedicated Hawks fan throughout this entire prolonged and excruciatingly slow rebuilding process, I REFUSE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO JUST TAG ALONG FOR THE SPECIAL PLAYOFF RUN THAT AWAITS US AFTER THE REGULAR SEASON!!!! For those of you that have been living under a rock for the past twelve days and not paying attention to the most important team in the NBA, I will fill you in on what you missed. THE HAWKS ARE 4 – 0!!!! Not only are they 4 – 0, but their four wins are all over teams that made the playoffs last year and have a good chance to make the playoffs this year. To date, they have defeated the Orlando Magic (the defending Southeast Division champions), the Philadelphia 76er’s (playoff team from a year, who added Elton Brand this off-season), the New Orleans Hornets (2nd best team in the Western Conference a year ago, and also feature Chris Paul the best point guard in the NBA), and the Toronto Raptors (starring Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal). This proves that this team is no fluke.
It’s amazing that although they currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference and is tied for the best record in the NBA, this is still a team that only gets 10 second highlight packages and brief mentions on Sportscenter. In case you haven’t noticed, this team has the third best starting lineup in the Eastern Conference. That’s right, I said third best in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks lineup consisting of Joe Johnson (simply amazing), Mike Bibby (the much needed point guard), Josh Smith (the ultimate stat-stuffer), Al Horford (an absolute beast), and Marvin Williams (good player, but wrong draft pick) is only behind defending champion Boston, and the new look Detroit Pistons (featuring Allen Iverson). The bench is even pretty good. When you look at the contributions being made by the likes of Zaza Pachulia, Acie Law, Flip Murray, and Maurice Evans, you have to be amazed. THIS IS A COMPLETE TEAM, AND THEY ARE THE TRUTH!!!!
The Hawks went into the off-season riding high off of their shocking playoff appearance of last season. They seemed to lose some of that momentum when Josh Childress elected to sign with Olympiacos of the Euroleague for much more money than the Hawks offered. Although I still believe that the Hawks made a huge mistake by not signing Josh Childress, the combination of Acie Law and Maurice Evans has been able to minimize the loss. Childress was by far the most versatile player on the team. He could defend three positions. He could also slash to the basket, make an open jump shot, rebound, and was essentially the team's backup point guard. The emergence of Acie Law as a capable backup to Mike Bibby has filled in the ball handling void left by Childress, and Maurice Evans has been able to handle the other jobs that Childress handled so well.
Another tough decision that the Hawks had to deal with during the off-season was the status of lame-duck head coach Mike Woodson. People all around Atlanta have been calling for Woodson’s head for the last couple of years, but I have not been one of them. If you watch the Hawks as much as I do (I watch about 75 of the 82 regular seasons game each year) and know anything about basketball, you would know that Woodson was not the problem. He simply inherited the youngest team in the NBA, which also happened to be a franchise that was allergic to point guards. Just look at what happened as the young team began to mature and they traded for a legit point guard. For all of those who have been calling for his head, I think it’s time for you to question your own basketball IQ. He has held this team together through some tough times and we are now reaping the rewards of his hard work. He not only led this team to the playoffs last year for the first time since the 1998 – 1999 season, but he also took the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics to game seven in their first round playoff series.
Although I am a Hawks fan, I am not delusional. I don’t expect this team to win the NBA championship this season, or even to make the NBA Finals. However, I do expect them to win the Southeast Division and to win a playoff series. This team is truly a treat to watch because they are incredibly athletic and exciting. It’s too bad that they don’t get to play on national TV regularly (a topic that I will discuss at a later date), because people who do not live in Atlanta truly deserve the opportunity to watch this team in action. Now that they have an identity, which is predicated on defense and a run-in-gun style offense, the sky is the limit.
REMEMBER THE DATE, DECEMBER 10TH. CIRCLE IT ON YOUR CALENDARS AND BE SURE TO BE SAFELY SECURED ON THE HAWKS BANDWAGON BY THAT DATE! IF YOU’RE NOT ON BY THEN, WE WILL BE LEAVING THE STATION AND HEADING TOWARD THE PLAYOFFS WITHOUT YOU!!!!
I would be remised if I didn’t mention the historic event that took place on Tuesday night around 11pm. BARACK OBAMA WAS ELECTED THE 44th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. HE IS THE 1st AFRICAN AMERICAN TO EVER BE ELECTED TO THE NATIONS HIGHEST OFFICE!!!! America has spoken and decided that it is time for things to change. America as a whole is facing some very tough times on several fronts and, as a member of my favorite rap group once said, Something’s Gotta Give. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. Go ahead and tell them Big Boi….
As you know, I have been urging people to get out and vote each week on this blog. I would like to personally thank everyone who cast his or her vote in this election. No matter how you voted, it is important that you let you voice be heard. You should feel proud.
I would also like to urge all of the people reading this that voted for the first time, to continue to vote and not let this be your first and only time.
Some of you may be reading this and wondering why in the world would anyone restrict the Hawks bandwagon. I mean over the last couple of years they have been a team that couldn’t even half fill their arena on a nightly basis. One would think, that they would take all of the fans that could get, no matter if they are true fans or bandwagon fans that are simply along for the ride. However things have changed, and as the only person who has been a dedicated Hawks fan throughout this entire prolonged and excruciatingly slow rebuilding process, I REFUSE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO JUST TAG ALONG FOR THE SPECIAL PLAYOFF RUN THAT AWAITS US AFTER THE REGULAR SEASON!!!! For those of you that have been living under a rock for the past twelve days and not paying attention to the most important team in the NBA, I will fill you in on what you missed. THE HAWKS ARE 4 – 0!!!! Not only are they 4 – 0, but their four wins are all over teams that made the playoffs last year and have a good chance to make the playoffs this year. To date, they have defeated the Orlando Magic (the defending Southeast Division champions), the Philadelphia 76er’s (playoff team from a year, who added Elton Brand this off-season), the New Orleans Hornets (2nd best team in the Western Conference a year ago, and also feature Chris Paul the best point guard in the NBA), and the Toronto Raptors (starring Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal). This proves that this team is no fluke.
It’s amazing that although they currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference and is tied for the best record in the NBA, this is still a team that only gets 10 second highlight packages and brief mentions on Sportscenter. In case you haven’t noticed, this team has the third best starting lineup in the Eastern Conference. That’s right, I said third best in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks lineup consisting of Joe Johnson (simply amazing), Mike Bibby (the much needed point guard), Josh Smith (the ultimate stat-stuffer), Al Horford (an absolute beast), and Marvin Williams (good player, but wrong draft pick) is only behind defending champion Boston, and the new look Detroit Pistons (featuring Allen Iverson). The bench is even pretty good. When you look at the contributions being made by the likes of Zaza Pachulia, Acie Law, Flip Murray, and Maurice Evans, you have to be amazed. THIS IS A COMPLETE TEAM, AND THEY ARE THE TRUTH!!!!
The Hawks went into the off-season riding high off of their shocking playoff appearance of last season. They seemed to lose some of that momentum when Josh Childress elected to sign with Olympiacos of the Euroleague for much more money than the Hawks offered. Although I still believe that the Hawks made a huge mistake by not signing Josh Childress, the combination of Acie Law and Maurice Evans has been able to minimize the loss. Childress was by far the most versatile player on the team. He could defend three positions. He could also slash to the basket, make an open jump shot, rebound, and was essentially the team's backup point guard. The emergence of Acie Law as a capable backup to Mike Bibby has filled in the ball handling void left by Childress, and Maurice Evans has been able to handle the other jobs that Childress handled so well.
Another tough decision that the Hawks had to deal with during the off-season was the status of lame-duck head coach Mike Woodson. People all around Atlanta have been calling for Woodson’s head for the last couple of years, but I have not been one of them. If you watch the Hawks as much as I do (I watch about 75 of the 82 regular seasons game each year) and know anything about basketball, you would know that Woodson was not the problem. He simply inherited the youngest team in the NBA, which also happened to be a franchise that was allergic to point guards. Just look at what happened as the young team began to mature and they traded for a legit point guard. For all of those who have been calling for his head, I think it’s time for you to question your own basketball IQ. He has held this team together through some tough times and we are now reaping the rewards of his hard work. He not only led this team to the playoffs last year for the first time since the 1998 – 1999 season, but he also took the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics to game seven in their first round playoff series.
Although I am a Hawks fan, I am not delusional. I don’t expect this team to win the NBA championship this season, or even to make the NBA Finals. However, I do expect them to win the Southeast Division and to win a playoff series. This team is truly a treat to watch because they are incredibly athletic and exciting. It’s too bad that they don’t get to play on national TV regularly (a topic that I will discuss at a later date), because people who do not live in Atlanta truly deserve the opportunity to watch this team in action. Now that they have an identity, which is predicated on defense and a run-in-gun style offense, the sky is the limit.
REMEMBER THE DATE, DECEMBER 10TH. CIRCLE IT ON YOUR CALENDARS AND BE SURE TO BE SAFELY SECURED ON THE HAWKS BANDWAGON BY THAT DATE! IF YOU’RE NOT ON BY THEN, WE WILL BE LEAVING THE STATION AND HEADING TOWARD THE PLAYOFFS WITHOUT YOU!!!!
I would be remised if I didn’t mention the historic event that took place on Tuesday night around 11pm. BARACK OBAMA WAS ELECTED THE 44th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. HE IS THE 1st AFRICAN AMERICAN TO EVER BE ELECTED TO THE NATIONS HIGHEST OFFICE!!!! America has spoken and decided that it is time for things to change. America as a whole is facing some very tough times on several fronts and, as a member of my favorite rap group once said, Something’s Gotta Give. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. Go ahead and tell them Big Boi….
As you know, I have been urging people to get out and vote each week on this blog. I would like to personally thank everyone who cast his or her vote in this election. No matter how you voted, it is important that you let you voice be heard. You should feel proud.
I would also like to urge all of the people reading this that voted for the first time, to continue to vote and not let this be your first and only time.
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