Can Danny?

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not a great year for my predictions, I had Tim Duncan as MVP and a rookie of the year choice who probably won't even end up as a first team All-Rookie (at least, he shouldn't be). And with Manu out, my Spurs in the NBA Finals prediction doesn't look too good.

Still, I'd like to see how my season ranking predictions held up to Math Man aka John Hollinger. 

In the Eastern Conference:

SoulHonky had: Boston, Detroit, Orlando, Cleveland, Miami, Philly, Toronto, Atlanta.

Hollinger had it: Boston, Detroit, Philly, Orlando, Cleveland/Toronto (tied), Indiana, Charlotte

Both of us underestimated Lebron and neither of us foresaw the Canadien collapse but Hollinger missed more picks than I did, picking Indiana and Charlotte to make the second season. You may recall, Hollinger went batshit insane when the Hawks lost Josh Childress and pegged the Hawks for a collapse, falling to the 13th spot in the Eastern Conference. He had Miami tied for 9th but did say that they were the hardest team to peg. Still, I have three of the top four right (albeit in the wrong order) while he only has two and in the bottom of the bracket three of his teams aren't even in the playoffs.

He should get points for picking the Bobcats resurgance (I had them near the bottom of the East) but it's still a worse job than yours truly. 

In the Western Conference:

SoulHonky had: Los Angeles, New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Utah, Phoenix, Dallas, Denver

Hollingers had: Utah, Los Angeles, Houston, New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix/Dallas, Portland

Pretty even as we both had Phoenix making the second season and underestimated our 8th seeds. I really want to say that I get the nod on this because Hollinger said the #2 team in the West wasn't going to make the playoffs but I'll call it even. The one glaring difference is Hollinger's faith in Utah, a team that is the 8th seed. He thought the Jazz would be unbeatable at home but he apparently didn't think that they would be so awful on the road.

In the end, I think I get to claim victory over Math Man this season.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The loss of KG for the playoffs (assuming he can't come back) and the season ending injury to Manu Ginobili basically makes the 2009 playoffs shape up to Cleveland vs. LA Lakers. I really can't see anyone sticking it to them in a seven games series. The Lakers have the tougher road but I still think they should come away from it unscathed.

ROUND 1

Cleveland in 4: Maybe the Pistons steal a game but I think LeBron and company are going to be too focused while the 'Stones are going to be too soft. Rodney Stuckey has been a disappointment this year but he's been downright invisible against the Cavs. 

Celtics in 6: Apparently John Salmons is banged up which is good news for the Celtics. The Bulls have been on a nice run of late, going 11 - 5 to close the season - a run that started with victories over New Orleans and Boston. I wouldn't be stunned if they were able to push the C's to a 7th game but I'd be very disappointed if Pierce, Ray, and Co. dropped a game seven at home. But the Bulls are a team full of wildcards and if Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Ty Thomas, and even Tim Thomas show up, the Celtics will struggle.

Orlando in 5: The Sixers have been terrible at the end of the season but I still like their matchup against the Magic. They have the big guys to throw at Dwight, Thad Young can play the PF spot against Rashard Lewis, and Lou Williams could be primed for a breakout series. In the end, it all comes down to Iggy and I'm just not sure he has what it takes to be The Man in the playoffs.

Atlanta in 7: I hate betting against Dwyane Wade but I think the Hawks just have the better lineup and they are going to come out with more fire IMO. The key matchup will be Jermaine O'Neal vs. Al Horford. If JO can step up, the Heat could take game 7. I'm just not seeing that happen. Also, with Udonis Haslem back, Michael Beasley's minutes will go back down and I really believe that he is the X-factor who would give the Heat their best chance of winning.

Lakers in 4: Maybe the Lake Show loses one in Utah but I think this team is going to come out with a chip on their shoulder.

Denver in 6: CP3 is going to have his hands full with Billups. Melo is the reason the Hornets got a guy like James Posey. David West is going to have to deal with the Birdman and K-Mart. And in the end, I have more faith in Nene beating up Chandler and JR Smith going off. It's the Nuggets' series to lose but, then again, if there was ever a team capable of shooting themselves in the foot...

San Antonio in 6: Dallas could put a scare into the Spurs but even without Manu, San Antonio is too much. Tony Parker is going to show why he's the most underrated PG's in the NBA as the Mavericks really have nobody who can stop him. Roger Mason Jr. should be able to run circles around Jason Kidd while Bowen beats up Dirk.

Houston in 7: I really want to pick Portland but one thing really bothers me: the Blazers have looked AWFUL when they've been on the big stage. There were a couple of marquee games this season in which the Blazers just looked like deer in the headlights. Maybe they've gotten past that but I think playoff experience is worth at least two wins in this series and that's two wins the Blazers can't afford to give up.

ROUND 2

Cleveland in 4: LeBron vs. Josh Smith should be an interesting matchup but I just don't see the Hawks having enough to win more than one game. Mike Bibby is going to have to step up for them to have any chance but I think the only way they win is if the Cavs come in unfocused for one game.

Boston in 7: Yeah I'm biased. Still, I think too much of the Magic's game depends on the three point shot and I like the Perkins vs. Howard matchup and I LOVE Rondo vs. Rafer. The X-Factor is Mickeal Pietrus. He's a player who could make the Magic a legit contender if he D's up and plays to his potential. Still, I just have no faith in Orlando and won't until they show me different.

Lakers in 6: Unfortunately for the Lakers, the winner of the Houston/Portland series is going to be a tougher matchup than the Nuggets or Spurs. Throwing Artest and Battier at Kobe could slow him down a bit but this is the kind of series in which Yao would need to step up and establish himself as a superstar and I just don't think he has that personality.

Denver in 6: Melo is going to be the key to whether they win or lose and I'm going to say that he rises to the occassion. I also think the Nuggets big men are all crafty/dirty enough to get Duncan to spend more of his time whining to the refs than focusing on the game at hand.

Conference Finals

Cleveland in 5: Without KG, it's not a contest. The Celtics would have to play at their best to get three games and then they'd just find themselves in Cleveland for game 7.

Los Angeles in 5: The Nuggets only real shot at slowing down Kobe is either sticking Billups on him (which is going to take a lot out of their PG) or to roll the ball out for 'Melo and JR Smith and tell them to outscore the Mamba. The Nuggets could blow the Lakers out one game but LA is just too good for George Karl's squad.

Finals

Lakers in 6: The Cavs fate rests in the hands of Mo Williams. He's really the only guy they have that could step up and help take out the Lakers. LeBron vs. Kobe is a draw and Odom, Gasol, Bynum give the Lake Show a heavy advantage. And when you look at it, the Lakers have more people to throw at LeBron in Odom and Ariza (as well as Kobe) whereas the Cavs really have nobody to slow down Bryant. In the battle of the men who wish they were Michael, LeBron would have to put forth a Jordan-esque performance to get his squad the championship.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know these are just two examples but sports reporting in Dallas really needs to be revamped. A few weeks ago, a story about Gerald Green and his world of potential ran in a Dallas newspaper. I wrote the author of the piece not to be fooled by Green and that he shouldn't look at a game against the Warriors of all people as a sign of anything to come.

The response? "agree on all of that. He's an incredible tease. But, hey, I need a story."

That was bad but let's be honest, Gerald Green is still an enticing prospect and every great game makes you hope that he's finally putting it together. I can forgive the writer for that although his rationale is weak and he could have as easily written an honest appraisal of Gerald rather than a puff piece.

The latest rumor out of Dallas, however, is just plain ridiculous.

The word is that Dallas is looking to get Chris Paul by taking on New Orleans' two worst contracts along with CP3. This is nearly impossible. The Mavericks are over the cap so it's not like they can absorb salary. They have two guys who are expiring contract, Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse (Howard has a team option on his last year so he's techinically expiring). But that's just 17 million. Paul, Peja Stojakovic, and Tyson Chandler make 38 million. In order to make the deal work, the Hornets would have to take back a terrible deal like Erick Dampier or Jason Terry.

So in order to make the deal, the Hornets would have to give up the only guy who really gets people to come out to the arena for a contract that is worse than their two worst and another that's longer than their worst contract. Even if you consider Morris Peterson or James Posey as one of their worst contracts, losing Paul would probably cost the franchise more money than the worst contracts eat up.

Of course, the Dallas sports fans aren't as foolish as their writers think they are and the comments on the article are all mocking the writer for being ignorant.

I thought the Shira Springer era was bad but this is ridiculous.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

RealGM posted up a story about how the Bobcats are the first team in 12 years to finish their season on a four game road trip. They are trying to make the playoffs and this won't help but Gerald Wallace said that the NBA can't be blamed completely and that it was a call that came from the front office.  

The Bobcats have their arena occupied by the Charlotte Jumper Classic, a horse jumping event, this weekend. Owner Bob Johnson's daughter competes in the event.

"It's no secret that our owner's daughter is an equestrian and he has a huge affinity for the jumping business," Bobcats president Fred Whitfield said. "It's just one of the events that he feels strongly about, that he feels should be a part of the whole cultural experience that we offer in this building."

This is the type of thing that makes this Charlotte franchise seem like a joke. The Bulls have their circus trip (when the circus comes to Chicago and fill their Arena) but that's in the first half of the year. How can you push a team that some people had making a run for the playoffs this season out of their home court for the last four games of the season? 

Hopefully Bob Johnson will learn from his mistake and not do this next year. 

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Tournament did not really create any rising stars. Last year, Stephen Curry shot up the ranks and this year he was shooting in the NIT. UNC won with a balanced attack of good but not great prospects while Louisville's talented do-everything forwards didn't really do anything to make them seem like Marvin Williams-level role players.

So what's the lotto looking like today?

1. Sacramento Kings - Ricky Rubio

A lot would depend on how these guys perform in draft camps but right now Blake Griffin and Rubio seem pretty even and the Kings need a point guard more than a power forward. If they really believe in Griffin, they could take him and look to move Spencer Hawes or Jason Thompson for a point guard. Also, in these economic times, Rubio could be the bigger draw, especially for Kings fans who loved the White Chocolate era.

2. Washington Wizards - Blake Griffin

The Wizards need to make some moves and I wouldn't think twice about trying to deal Antawn Jamison. He's good but this is a team that needs help and 'Tawn ain't getting any younger. Ideally, they draft Griffin and then move Jamison for a combo guard who can complement Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler.

3. LA Clippers - Greg Monroe

The Clippers own this pick but they desperately need to use it to dump some of their current roster. I'm not sure what they'll be able to get but they need to do something. If they keep it, they should still take Greg Monroe and look to move either Z-Bo or Kaman.

4. OKC Thunder - James Harden

Harden had a terrible tournament but he's still a perfect fit in OKC. He's a good complement to both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and he fill the void at the 2 guard.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Brandon Jennings

Who knows if Jennings is the real deal or just the next Bassy? The Wolves best move would be to trade down but I'm not sure how many teams are going to be all that interested in trading up. Although if Thabeet is available, I'm sure someone would make a run at the big man. The workouts could drop Jennings and vault someone else like Jeff Teague up here but for now we'll believe the hype and go with Brandon.

6. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet

Jordan Hill seems like the most logical choice here but I really don't like his game and he seems closer to Chris Wilcox than Chris Bosh. Yes, the Grizzlies have Marc Gasol but I think they need defense and that's what Thabeet provides. This move also gives Thabeet time to get used to the NBA game and doesn't throw him into the fire right away (which is good because he's not ready).

7. Golden State Warriors - Gerald Henderson

This pick should be traded, along with some of the talented youngsters on the Warriors roster, for a star player. Chris Bosh is the most likely target but they should really look for anyone to help give this roster some stability. If they keep the pick, I'm not sure what they do with it. Earl Clark was my first choice but they re-signed Stephen Jackson, have Corey Maggette, and are waiting on future star Anthony Randolph. Jordan Hill is an option but I'm really not sure if he's going to be better than Ronny Turiaf, nevermind Brandan Wright. Tyreke Evans makes some sense but they don't need a volume shooting guard next  to Monta Ellis. In the end, the choice is between Gerald Henderson or Derma Derozen and I'd go with the guy who knows how to actually play basketball and might actually be a nice complement to Ellis.

8. New York Knicks - Earl Clark

Clark seems like a Mike D'Antoni guy. The one problem seems to be his consistency but I think he can be a solid enough player and should be able to complement Danilo Gallinari or replace him if The Rooster is never healthy. One of the point guards could work their way up to this selection but right now I'd go with Clark.

9. Toronto Raptors - Demar Derozen

Derozen has ridiculous amounts of bust potential but he also could pan out to be a very good player. He has a lot to work on but, on the bright side, he definitely showed improvement during the season so a full year of working with an NBA coaching staff should help him immensely. Also, since the Raptors are likely going to have to move Chris Bosh this offseason, I think it's obvious that they are heading towards full on rebuilding so they have time to wait on Demar's progress.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Jordan Hill 

One of the point guards would seem to fill a need but I'm a fan of Ramon Sessions and I'm not really sure if any of the point guards really have a) star potential or b) fit Scott Skiles's game plan. So they roll the dice on Hill to replace Charlie Villenueva at the power forward spot.

11. New Jersey Nets - Willie Warren

This is the spot where a high riser will likely go. The shooting guard class is pretty weak and a couple of good workouts could help vault someone up to the lottery. For now I'll put Warren here even though it appears that he is going to go back to school.

12. Indiana Pacers - Patrick Patterson

This will never happen. Coach Jim O'Brien isn't going to want a project and I'm sure scouts have other guys ranked higher. But I think Patterson is arguably the best available PF prospect available (if he even enters  the draft). Again, point guard could be an option here although I think the Pacers are either going to keep TJ Ford as their starter or move Ford and hand the reins to Jarrett Jack. Power forward seems to be the biggest spot of need and Patterson can learn from the bench while Troy Murphy handles the position next season.

13. Charlotte Bobcats - Stephen Curry

Here's another spot where a smart, effective player could move up and take a spot. Or it's yet another pick that will be dealt.  For now, Curry seems to be a guy that Larry Brown might like at this spot. He can handle minutes at the two, adds another shooter to the lineup, and is an intelligent player. His defense isn't the greatest so another combo guard could steal this spot from him but he's got the spot right now.

14. Phoenix Suns - Tyreke Evans

It's hard to figure out the Suns pick because nobody knows who is going to be around. Amar'e seems like he's gone. Shaq might be on the outs. Nash is getting up there in years.  Evans might be the pick because he has the height to handle the shooting guard spot so he can play there or take over the point guard position if Goran Dragic doesn't improve.

So after the lottery, there is a chance that, like in 2001, most of the top point guard prospects could be available. This could lead to a flurry of activity in the middle of the round as people try to trade for or buy picks. I'm not sure if the Celtics would be willing to spend the money but they good find themselves a very solid backup if they are able to acquire a pick. Even with the late pick in the second round, there's a shot that Ainge could grab another worker like Leon Powe or Ryan Gomes.

While this is one of the more underwhelming drafts in recent memory, it also could be one of the most interesting as players will be moving up and down the boards and many teams will be looking to deal their picks or could be willing to dump their picks if it means cutting salary along with it. 

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star-Ledger reports that Rod Thorn recently said, in response to a question about Lawrence Frank's job:

"I can't guarantee anyone will be here," Thorn said Tuesday, when asked about Frank's job security. "It's true. At the end of the year, we'll assess what's happened. We'll have a full assessment, just like we did last year. But I would have said the same thing last year: I can't guarantee anything or anyone on any level -- player, coach or president -- will be here."

The only reason they could fire Frank is because he's doing too good of a job. What more could they really ask? Devin Harris is developing into one of the best PG's in the game. Brook Lopez is a Rookie of the Year candidate. The team is winning in spite of the fact that they've gutted the roster in hopes of landing a big free agent 2010. How could anyone fault Lawrence Frank? Perhaps they want to dump Frank, get a top pick next year, and then bring in a high profile player coach ala Jeff Van Gundy who could help attract free agents.

Still, it's a lousy way to treat Frank who has been a good soldier as the Nets give away guys like Richard Jefferson for cap space and projects like Yi Jianlian. One team that should be hoping that this firing goes down is The Clippers. Adding a competent GM (like yours truly) and then bringing in a coach like Frank could help them look like a legitimate NBA franchise.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)