Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe No. 9 Stanford Cardinal will face off against the No. 4 Oregon Ducks on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 8 pm ET, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.Both teams are 4-0 and are coming off big wins in Week 4 as they head into a game that could decide who will lead the Pac-10 by the conclusion of this weekend.The latest college football odds show the Ducks as -7 favorites over the Cardinal with a total of 65.5 points.The biggest question surrounding the Cardinal (4-0) coming into the 2010 season was whether or not it Baltimore Ravens jersey
could be a contender for the Pac-10 title without standout running back Toby Gerhart. The answer is yes.Meanwhile, the offseason tribulations surrounding the Oregon Ducks (4-0) camp had many doubting Oregonchances of repeating as Pac-10 champions. They are, of course, without heralded quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who is now plying his trade at Ole Miss after being kicked off the team before the start of the 2010 season.In last yearmeeting between these two teams, Oregon was coming off a big win over the USC Trojans but suffered its first conference loss of the season at Stanford, 51-42.It would be easy to get caught up in thinking that the Ducks will roll over Stanford when you look at the way they have outscored their opponents thus far, 231-44. In reality, both the offense and the defense have not really lived up to all the preseason hype, the latter of the two showing in last weekgame at ASU, where the Ducks gave up plenty of yards: 597, Arizona Statemost since 2000.While the Ducks have struggled against the run this year, Buffalo Bills jersey
their pass rush has been solid.With that being said, the run game of Stanford could give the Ducks defensive line serious problems all day. The Cardinal will likely set up in a big formation with a pair of tight ends and run it right at Oregon from the get-go.Stanford will also bring its 12th overall defense to Autzen, which is limiting its opponents to just 13 points per game. Now they will face the triple threat of Darron Thomas, LaMichael James, and Kenjon Barner. There arenmany teams that match up well with the Ducks' speedy rushing attack, and the Cardinal defenders will need to be on their toes.Where the rubber meets the highway is the passing attack, and it here that Stanford truly has the advantage with QB Andrew Luck.Mind you, Oregon has been getting solid play from their pass defenders, but they are about to see a quarterback unlike any they have seen all year. He is aided by a solid receiving corps with Doug Baldwin, Chris Owusu, and Ryan Whalen. All three have the potential to make big catches and stretch the secondary.The key to Lucksuccess will be the success of the run game. If Stanford can get the running game going, Luck will be able to go to play action and take his shots downfield.MattFree Football Picks: Stanford+7Oregon will have the advantage of playing at home, but that wonbe enough to capsize a Stanford ship that is driven by Luck and his supporting cast.If you are looking to beat the college football odds this season, be sure to make your way back for our expert college football picks each week from the best handicappers in the business.
2011年1月24日星期一
24 Jan 11 Stanford-Oregon: College Football Lines Show Ducks the Favorites
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe No. 9 Stanford Cardinal will face off against the No. 4 Oregon Ducks on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 8 pm ET, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.Both teams are 4-0 and are coming off big wins in Week 4 as they head into a game that could decide who will lead the Pac-10 by the conclusion of this weekend.The latest college football odds show the Ducks as -7 favorites over the Cardinal with a total of 65.5 points.The biggest question surrounding the Cardinal (4-0) coming into the 2010 season was whether or not it Baltimore Ravens jersey
could be a contender for the Pac-10 title without standout running back Toby Gerhart. The answer is yes.Meanwhile, the offseason tribulations surrounding the Oregon Ducks (4-0) camp had many doubting Oregonchances of repeating as Pac-10 champions. They are, of course, without heralded quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who is now plying his trade at Ole Miss after being kicked off the team before the start of the 2010 season.In last yearmeeting between these two teams, Oregon was coming off a big win over the USC Trojans but suffered its first conference loss of the season at Stanford, 51-42.It would be easy to get caught up in thinking that the Ducks will roll over Stanford when you look at the way they have outscored their opponents thus far, 231-44. In reality, both the offense and the defense have not really lived up to all the preseason hype, the latter of the two showing in last weekgame at ASU, where the Ducks gave up plenty of yards: 597, Arizona Statemost since 2000.While the Ducks have struggled against the run this year, Buffalo Bills jersey
their pass rush has been solid.With that being said, the run game of Stanford could give the Ducks defensive line serious problems all day. The Cardinal will likely set up in a big formation with a pair of tight ends and run it right at Oregon from the get-go.Stanford will also bring its 12th overall defense to Autzen, which is limiting its opponents to just 13 points per game. Now they will face the triple threat of Darron Thomas, LaMichael James, and Kenjon Barner. There arenmany teams that match up well with the Ducks' speedy rushing attack, and the Cardinal defenders will need to be on their toes.Where the rubber meets the highway is the passing attack, and it here that Stanford truly has the advantage with QB Andrew Luck.Mind you, Oregon has been getting solid play from their pass defenders, but they are about to see a quarterback unlike any they have seen all year. He is aided by a solid receiving corps with Doug Baldwin, Chris Owusu, and Ryan Whalen. All three have the potential to make big catches and stretch the secondary.The key to Lucksuccess will be the success of the run game. If Stanford can get the running game going, Luck will be able to go to play action and take his shots downfield.MattFree Football Picks: Stanford+7Oregon will have the advantage of playing at home, but that wonbe enough to capsize a Stanford ship that is driven by Luck and his supporting cast.If you are looking to beat the college football odds this season, be sure to make your way back for our expert college football picks each week from the best handicappers in the business.
could be a contender for the Pac-10 title without standout running back Toby Gerhart. The answer is yes.Meanwhile, the offseason tribulations surrounding the Oregon Ducks (4-0) camp had many doubting Oregonchances of repeating as Pac-10 champions. They are, of course, without heralded quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who is now plying his trade at Ole Miss after being kicked off the team before the start of the 2010 season.In last yearmeeting between these two teams, Oregon was coming off a big win over the USC Trojans but suffered its first conference loss of the season at Stanford, 51-42.It would be easy to get caught up in thinking that the Ducks will roll over Stanford when you look at the way they have outscored their opponents thus far, 231-44. In reality, both the offense and the defense have not really lived up to all the preseason hype, the latter of the two showing in last weekgame at ASU, where the Ducks gave up plenty of yards: 597, Arizona Statemost since 2000.While the Ducks have struggled against the run this year, Buffalo Bills jersey
their pass rush has been solid.With that being said, the run game of Stanford could give the Ducks defensive line serious problems all day. The Cardinal will likely set up in a big formation with a pair of tight ends and run it right at Oregon from the get-go.Stanford will also bring its 12th overall defense to Autzen, which is limiting its opponents to just 13 points per game. Now they will face the triple threat of Darron Thomas, LaMichael James, and Kenjon Barner. There arenmany teams that match up well with the Ducks' speedy rushing attack, and the Cardinal defenders will need to be on their toes.Where the rubber meets the highway is the passing attack, and it here that Stanford truly has the advantage with QB Andrew Luck.Mind you, Oregon has been getting solid play from their pass defenders, but they are about to see a quarterback unlike any they have seen all year. He is aided by a solid receiving corps with Doug Baldwin, Chris Owusu, and Ryan Whalen. All three have the potential to make big catches and stretch the secondary.The key to Lucksuccess will be the success of the run game. If Stanford can get the running game going, Luck will be able to go to play action and take his shots downfield.MattFree Football Picks: Stanford+7Oregon will have the advantage of playing at home, but that wonbe enough to capsize a Stanford ship that is driven by Luck and his supporting cast.If you are looking to beat the college football odds this season, be sure to make your way back for our expert college football picks each week from the best handicappers in the business.
2011年1月22日星期六
22 Jan 11 Michigan Football: 'Shoelace' Has Left His Prints on First Three Games
Denard puts up over 380 total yards in win over UconnGregory Shamus/Getty Images The start of the 2010 Michigan football season has been nothing short of spectacular. The Wolverines have started off to impressive victories over Uconn and Notre Dame. It is not only the 3-0 start that has Michigan fans excited Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
about this season, but the way they won those games and who they defeated.Of course, there is a player that deserves much of the accreditation, Denard Robinson. To say he has been good is an understatement.Robinson has not only broken records at Michigan, but he has shattered them. With a total 383 combined yards in the victory over Uconn, he stunned the record attending crowd. He has rushed for nearly 200 yards, but that wasneven his most impressive statistic.Robinson was 19-of-22 in passing, which arm accuracy was his biggest issue coming into the season.I, myself, and many others thought that he had improved, but the Uconn showing was nearly a career game that would never happen again, we were wrong.Robinson put up 502 total yards against rival Notre Dame, which made everyone a believer in Shoelace. He has been so good the first two games that his third game (345 total yards) didneven create that much buzz. The QB's performance against Umass was the 10th best single player performance in Michigan history.Robinson has had three 345 plus yard games not just in the first three games, but his first three starts. I know he will face many tougher defenses and they will start to key in on him, but so far that has not happened; and no team has even challenged him.Many people throughout the country say that Robinson has been the whole offense and a one man show. Of course he has carried the offense, but he has been so successful that giving anyone else the ball wouldnmake sense.We saw in the Umass game that when the defense locks in on Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
Shoelace it opens holes for the other players, especially running backs. Shaw has over 100 yards rushing including the touchdown run that sealed the victory.Stonum and Roundtree have also looked very impressive. Robinson has shown a surprisingly strong arm in his first three starts, which is what impresses me the most.The defense has come up when it matters, especially in big plays. For example, the forced fumble by Floyd when the Huskies were threatening to score inside Michigan10-yard line.Now although the Wolverines are 3-0 and have been lead by a strong Heisman candidate, they still have shown some concerns.The defense has been inconsistent and seems to make it a habit of letting 10-yard runs turn into 25-yard gains. They let up a disappointing 37 points to a D 1-AA team, and the secondary has been terrible.The biggest improvement has been the amount of turnovers they have created, but they still need to consistently make teams go three and out. The front line has been the most impressive, but they still need to improve on getting to the quarterback.The secondary has blown many coverages, but has created some interceptions that have made a difference in scoring.The special teams has definitely shown that they are the teambiggest weakness. Gibbons has been plain bad, and the returners are very inexperienced, or at least they have been playing inexperienced. Special teams should be the easiest team to fix, but we need to see some changes happen.Before anyone says that Michigan is back, flashback to last year4-0 start and look at what happened.I really feel that this years team is much better from last years. They have a much better quarterback in Robinson, the defense has created more turnovers, they have arguably beaten stronger opponents and the offense looks like Rich Rodoffense at Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
West Virginia.If the offensive motors continue and Robinson keeps putting up these types of numbers, then Michigan should be looking at at least a 5-0 if not 6-0 start to the 2010 season.It is too early to tell how good this team will be, since their harder part of the schedule is their second half. We can only judge them from their first three games, and in those games
about this season, but the way they won those games and who they defeated.Of course, there is a player that deserves much of the accreditation, Denard Robinson. To say he has been good is an understatement.Robinson has not only broken records at Michigan, but he has shattered them. With a total 383 combined yards in the victory over Uconn, he stunned the record attending crowd. He has rushed for nearly 200 yards, but that wasneven his most impressive statistic.Robinson was 19-of-22 in passing, which arm accuracy was his biggest issue coming into the season.I, myself, and many others thought that he had improved, but the Uconn showing was nearly a career game that would never happen again, we were wrong.Robinson put up 502 total yards against rival Notre Dame, which made everyone a believer in Shoelace. He has been so good the first two games that his third game (345 total yards) didneven create that much buzz. The QB's performance against Umass was the 10th best single player performance in Michigan history.Robinson has had three 345 plus yard games not just in the first three games, but his first three starts. I know he will face many tougher defenses and they will start to key in on him, but so far that has not happened; and no team has even challenged him.Many people throughout the country say that Robinson has been the whole offense and a one man show. Of course he has carried the offense, but he has been so successful that giving anyone else the ball wouldnmake sense.We saw in the Umass game that when the defense locks in on Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
Shoelace it opens holes for the other players, especially running backs. Shaw has over 100 yards rushing including the touchdown run that sealed the victory.Stonum and Roundtree have also looked very impressive. Robinson has shown a surprisingly strong arm in his first three starts, which is what impresses me the most.The defense has come up when it matters, especially in big plays. For example, the forced fumble by Floyd when the Huskies were threatening to score inside Michigan10-yard line.Now although the Wolverines are 3-0 and have been lead by a strong Heisman candidate, they still have shown some concerns.The defense has been inconsistent and seems to make it a habit of letting 10-yard runs turn into 25-yard gains. They let up a disappointing 37 points to a D 1-AA team, and the secondary has been terrible.The biggest improvement has been the amount of turnovers they have created, but they still need to consistently make teams go three and out. The front line has been the most impressive, but they still need to improve on getting to the quarterback.The secondary has blown many coverages, but has created some interceptions that have made a difference in scoring.The special teams has definitely shown that they are the teambiggest weakness. Gibbons has been plain bad, and the returners are very inexperienced, or at least they have been playing inexperienced. Special teams should be the easiest team to fix, but we need to see some changes happen.Before anyone says that Michigan is back, flashback to last year4-0 start and look at what happened.I really feel that this years team is much better from last years. They have a much better quarterback in Robinson, the defense has created more turnovers, they have arguably beaten stronger opponents and the offense looks like Rich Rodoffense at Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
West Virginia.If the offensive motors continue and Robinson keeps putting up these types of numbers, then Michigan should be looking at at least a 5-0 if not 6-0 start to the 2010 season.It is too early to tell how good this team will be, since their harder part of the schedule is their second half. We can only judge them from their first three games, and in those games
2011年1月18日星期二
18 Jan 11 UNC Football Suspensions: Burney and Williams To Repay Benefits, Miss Games
Williams (27) and Burney (16) have been suspended for additional games and ordered to repay a portion of their received benefits.Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesNorth Carolina cornerback Kendric Burney and safety Deunta Williams have finally had their fate determined by the NCAA after weeks of deafening silence, as both Dallas Cowboys jersey
players will be forced to repay benefits received and sit additional games, pending an appeal by the UNC athletics department.Burney, a senior with nine career interceptions, will have to repay $575.19 to a charity of his choice after the NCAA revealed he had accepted $1,333 in benefits from an individual who falls under the classification of "agent."His six-game suspension is already two games deep, and will be appealed to the NCAA, according to UNC athletics director Dick Baddour.Williams, a fellow senior with 12 career picks, will have to repay $450.67 of the $1,426 he received, also to a charity of his choice. He has been suspended an additional two games on top of the two already missed, the length of which will also be appealed by UNC.Burney's benefits included trips to Atlanta, Las Vegas, and California, the purpose of which have not been explicitly specified.The name of the "agent" who paid for Burney's trips has not been released, but conventional wisdom says it was the same Chris Hawkins who has been involved in Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green's Denver Broncos jersey
jersey-selling scandal.Williams had two trips to California payed for him by a former North Carolina football player. It is believed that these trips were made in connection for a training camp attended by football players of various levels, while rumors hold that Seattle Seahawks defensive end Kentwan Balmer was the former Tar Heel who paid for the trips.Both of these players will be unable to play while the appeal process is going on. Given the slow-footedness of the NCAA regarding, well, everything they do, it would be safe to assume that both players will be absent for Detroit Lions
Saturday's contest against Rutgers in beautiful Piscataway, NJ.The reaction in Tar Heel nation is bittersweet: Bitter in that it is now fact that some players were involved in improper actions, but sweet in that official news has finally started to trickle out.The jury is still out regarding nearly a dozen other Tar Heels, on both academic and benefit-receiving allegations, as the season that was supposed to change the nation's view on UNC football continues on its path towards infamy.
players will be forced to repay benefits received and sit additional games, pending an appeal by the UNC athletics department.Burney, a senior with nine career interceptions, will have to repay $575.19 to a charity of his choice after the NCAA revealed he had accepted $1,333 in benefits from an individual who falls under the classification of "agent."His six-game suspension is already two games deep, and will be appealed to the NCAA, according to UNC athletics director Dick Baddour.Williams, a fellow senior with 12 career picks, will have to repay $450.67 of the $1,426 he received, also to a charity of his choice. He has been suspended an additional two games on top of the two already missed, the length of which will also be appealed by UNC.Burney's benefits included trips to Atlanta, Las Vegas, and California, the purpose of which have not been explicitly specified.The name of the "agent" who paid for Burney's trips has not been released, but conventional wisdom says it was the same Chris Hawkins who has been involved in Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green's Denver Broncos jersey
jersey-selling scandal.Williams had two trips to California payed for him by a former North Carolina football player. It is believed that these trips were made in connection for a training camp attended by football players of various levels, while rumors hold that Seattle Seahawks defensive end Kentwan Balmer was the former Tar Heel who paid for the trips.Both of these players will be unable to play while the appeal process is going on. Given the slow-footedness of the NCAA regarding, well, everything they do, it would be safe to assume that both players will be absent for Detroit Lions
Saturday's contest against Rutgers in beautiful Piscataway, NJ.The reaction in Tar Heel nation is bittersweet: Bitter in that it is now fact that some players were involved in improper actions, but sweet in that official news has finally started to trickle out.The jury is still out regarding nearly a dozen other Tar Heels, on both academic and benefit-receiving allegations, as the season that was supposed to change the nation's view on UNC football continues on its path towards infamy.
2011年1月15日星期六
15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams "Post Shutout?" Commentary
Victory, decisive and unrelenting, was garnered by the Rams Sunday. So dominant was their win, the Rams allowed nary a single point to be posted by their opponents. Rams fans across the nation can rejoice in the exaltation of glorious victory before reading the recaps and realizing:It was only the Raiders. Raider Nation members who were able to post bond in time for kickoff were treated to a war between two teams that were desperate not only for a win, but for anything positive with which to build upon for next season.The classic confrontation for who's less inept was Dallas Cowboys jersey
waged on Sunday in the home of all things silver and black. As it turns out, the Rams were the team that was able to avoid losing and pulled out a quasi-decisive 20-0 victory over an even more hapless foe.Marc Bulger observed, "Around halftime, we figured out they were struggling on offense." Thus, with an insurmountable 6-0 lead at the half, the Rams began running the clock out with the tandem rushing attack of Steven Jackson and Matt Turk.OK, so Turk is the punter, but this detail just goes to show that on a day where even the Rams special teams can get away with big plays, St. Louis could do very little wrong. The Rams' defense was stout for a change, holding Justin Fargas to a mere 43 yards rushing and harassing the Oakland quarterbacks all day. The Rams flashed the turnover-happy, defensive dominance unseen since opening day against the Broncos. However, in reality, they shouldn't think they've even begun to fix their broken defense, because:It was only the Raiders.In all fairness, the Raiders aren't actually that bad: They lost a closely contested battle with the Chargers, nearly beat the Broncos and Chiefs, and lost to the Texans at home...OK, maybe they are that bad.The only thing Steven Jackson truly had to fear Sunday afternoon was nearly being showered in yellowish-brown liquid by Black Hole Denver Broncos jersey
members who flung cups of, one hopes was only beer, at the running back after each of his touchdown runs.Even with an injury-riddled O-line that featured only a single man playing in his starting spot, the Rams' offense played well. Bulger absorbed a few too many sacks, but they were more often than not a result of his holding the ball too long. The line opened up holes for Jackson and St. Louis protected the ball all afternoon. However, the Rams' offense was guilty of far too many penalties (I can't recall, but I believe Alex Barron was flagged for a false start walking to the huddle).For Detroit Lions
possibly the first time this year, the Rams played reasonably well in all three phases of the game. Players and fans alike can feel good about a St. Louis team that walked away with its first decisive victory of the season. Indeed, the Rams finally have a performance from which to build upon for the remainder of the year, as well as next season. However, let us not forget to temper those joyful feelings with a healthy dosage of reality, folks, because, after all:It was only the Raiders. (4)
waged on Sunday in the home of all things silver and black. As it turns out, the Rams were the team that was able to avoid losing and pulled out a quasi-decisive 20-0 victory over an even more hapless foe.Marc Bulger observed, "Around halftime, we figured out they were struggling on offense." Thus, with an insurmountable 6-0 lead at the half, the Rams began running the clock out with the tandem rushing attack of Steven Jackson and Matt Turk.OK, so Turk is the punter, but this detail just goes to show that on a day where even the Rams special teams can get away with big plays, St. Louis could do very little wrong. The Rams' defense was stout for a change, holding Justin Fargas to a mere 43 yards rushing and harassing the Oakland quarterbacks all day. The Rams flashed the turnover-happy, defensive dominance unseen since opening day against the Broncos. However, in reality, they shouldn't think they've even begun to fix their broken defense, because:It was only the Raiders.In all fairness, the Raiders aren't actually that bad: They lost a closely contested battle with the Chargers, nearly beat the Broncos and Chiefs, and lost to the Texans at home...OK, maybe they are that bad.The only thing Steven Jackson truly had to fear Sunday afternoon was nearly being showered in yellowish-brown liquid by Black Hole Denver Broncos jersey
members who flung cups of, one hopes was only beer, at the running back after each of his touchdown runs.Even with an injury-riddled O-line that featured only a single man playing in his starting spot, the Rams' offense played well. Bulger absorbed a few too many sacks, but they were more often than not a result of his holding the ball too long. The line opened up holes for Jackson and St. Louis protected the ball all afternoon. However, the Rams' offense was guilty of far too many penalties (I can't recall, but I believe Alex Barron was flagged for a false start walking to the huddle).For Detroit Lions
possibly the first time this year, the Rams played reasonably well in all three phases of the game. Players and fans alike can feel good about a St. Louis team that walked away with its first decisive victory of the season. Indeed, the Rams finally have a performance from which to build upon for the remainder of the year, as well as next season. However, let us not forget to temper those joyful feelings with a healthy dosage of reality, folks, because, after all:It was only the Raiders. (4)
2011年1月13日星期四
14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks "It's about time Patrick Kerney came to play"
Patrick Kerney signed with the Seattle Seahawks in March. He finally showed up in November.The Seahawks gambled by giving the 30-year-old defensive end a monster six-year, $37.5 million deal on March 5, hailing him as the missing pass-rushing link in their defense -- a high-energy sack man who would bring a consistent rush to opposing quarterbacks. Kerney was billed as a healthier, higher-energy defensive end than the worn-down Grant Wistrom had been.The team was so confident Kerney would come back from a torn pectoral muscle to provide Cleveland Browns jersey
a steady rush that it gave him a $10 million signing bonus and let Wistrom go a few days later. But, for most of the first half of the season, you couldn't tell whether that was Kerney or Wistrom starting at end for the 'Hawks. Kerney made his presence known in the first game, recording 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits as the Seahawks knocked Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Garcia and running back Carnell Williams out of the game. But after that, Kerney disappeared. He had just two more sacks over the next seven games, and that $37.5 million sure looked as if it might turn into the same bad investment the team had made in Wistrom.But along came November, and back came Kerney. In the past three games alone, he has shown the relentless rush he was known for in Atlanta, where he had three years of double-digit sacks. Kerney has recorded seven sacks over the past three contests and now has 10.5 to rank second in the NFL behind Green Bay's Aaron Kampman (11).The last time Kerney had such an incredible sack run was in 2004, when he recorded seven in the first four games and went to the Pro Bowl after finishing with 13.During this stellar stretch of games, Kerney also has caused three fumbles -- two of which led to Seattle touchdowns -- and recorded an interception (his first since that 2004 season). He Dallas Cowboys jersey
has helped Seattle's defense surge to 11th overall, fourth in scoring (16.6) and second in sacks (35, three behind the New York Giants). Kerney's nonstop work ethic is a big reason he is able to increase his production so late in the season."Kerney is just one of those guys, over the course of a season, he just has a motor and he goes and he goes," coach Mike Holmgren told reporters. "Some guys are slowing down, and he's going."Kerney is the first Seattle defensive end to reach double digits in sacks since Michael Sinclair led the league with 16.5 in 1998. Wistrom was paid $21 million for 11.5 sacks in 41 games, and Kerney already has nearly reached that total in 11 games.The 6-foot-5, 272-pound Kerney credits his increase in big plays to an increase in his comfort with the Seahawks' defense."I've reached a point of Denver Broncos jersey
familiarity with the system where every play I know what (defensive coordinator) John Marshall is thinking when he makes a call," Kerney told reporters. "That certainly helps, but really just the play of all my teammates has helped me get the numbers I've had the past few weeks."And when it's all over, he could be thanking his teammates for getting him back to the Pro Bowl while the Seahawks are thanking him for giving them the big plays they had been missing from that position.
a steady rush that it gave him a $10 million signing bonus and let Wistrom go a few days later. But, for most of the first half of the season, you couldn't tell whether that was Kerney or Wistrom starting at end for the 'Hawks. Kerney made his presence known in the first game, recording 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits as the Seahawks knocked Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Garcia and running back Carnell Williams out of the game. But after that, Kerney disappeared. He had just two more sacks over the next seven games, and that $37.5 million sure looked as if it might turn into the same bad investment the team had made in Wistrom.But along came November, and back came Kerney. In the past three games alone, he has shown the relentless rush he was known for in Atlanta, where he had three years of double-digit sacks. Kerney has recorded seven sacks over the past three contests and now has 10.5 to rank second in the NFL behind Green Bay's Aaron Kampman (11).The last time Kerney had such an incredible sack run was in 2004, when he recorded seven in the first four games and went to the Pro Bowl after finishing with 13.During this stellar stretch of games, Kerney also has caused three fumbles -- two of which led to Seattle touchdowns -- and recorded an interception (his first since that 2004 season). He Dallas Cowboys jersey
has helped Seattle's defense surge to 11th overall, fourth in scoring (16.6) and second in sacks (35, three behind the New York Giants). Kerney's nonstop work ethic is a big reason he is able to increase his production so late in the season."Kerney is just one of those guys, over the course of a season, he just has a motor and he goes and he goes," coach Mike Holmgren told reporters. "Some guys are slowing down, and he's going."Kerney is the first Seattle defensive end to reach double digits in sacks since Michael Sinclair led the league with 16.5 in 1998. Wistrom was paid $21 million for 11.5 sacks in 41 games, and Kerney already has nearly reached that total in 11 games.The 6-foot-5, 272-pound Kerney credits his increase in big plays to an increase in his comfort with the Seahawks' defense."I've reached a point of Denver Broncos jersey
familiarity with the system where every play I know what (defensive coordinator) John Marshall is thinking when he makes a call," Kerney told reporters. "That certainly helps, but really just the play of all my teammates has helped me get the numbers I've had the past few weeks."And when it's all over, he could be thanking his teammates for getting him back to the Pro Bowl while the Seahawks are thanking him for giving them the big plays they had been missing from that position.
2011年1月12日星期三
13 Jan 11 Your Parents Lied To You...You Should Be Scared Of The Thunder
Stephen Dunn/Getty ImagesRemember the first time you were in a thunderstorm and how terrified you heard the thunder crashing? Remember how your parents told you how it was just a noise and you shouldn't be scared? If you are playing the Oklahoma City Thunder, what your parents said was a lie. Thunder can, and will, hurt you.A few years ago I told everyone how I was scared of two teams, Portland and Atlanta. Not because how good they were at the time, but because I saw an abundant amount of talent. Now, both of those teams areReebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
solid playoff contenders (Portland would be better than its 23-16 record if not for suffering about a million injuries). I look at the Thunder this season and think the same thing.To say that they have a star in the making with Kevin Durant doesn do him justice. At the age of 21, Durant is one of the greatest pure-scorers of the game. Yea, a guy like LeBron is better overall, but Durant is an artist when it comes to putting up points. He is shooting .484 from the field this year, which is second amongst guards scoring at least 20 points per game. He might have an absolutely awful taste in shoes, but the NBA needs to get him in front of a national audience more often. As someone who doesn live in Oklahoma (which is a great thing 99.9 percent of the time), I don have the ability to see him much.Durant isn the only reason I see great potential for the Thunder. Guys like Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green have developed into very good compliments to Durant, and rookie James Harden is doing a great job contributing off of the bench. The scary thing about the guys that I just named is that they are all 23 years old or younger.Think about this, the Thunder only won 23 games all of last year; they have won 21 in just 37 games so far this season. They will surpass that total in a week or so and will finish the NBA season with the league most improved record. Going from 23 wins to a team that will probably make the playoffs is an achievement that shouldn be under-sold.Another critical factor is the improvements they have made on the defensive end. They are currently 7th in the NBA in defense, giving up 96.1 points per contest. Last season, opponents had no trouble putting up big numbers, and averaged over 103 points. For those of you who can do math, that is a seven point difference right there.If am Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
the GM of the Thunder, my job is almost done. I have a young core of excellent guards that are progressing quicker than most thought. However, the Thunder still need somewhat of a low post presence if they want to be anything other then an annual playoff one-and-done. Right now, Oklahoma City is relying on guys like Nenad Kristic and Nick Collison, who aren averaging ten rebounds a game COMBINED.The current GM seems to share this thought with me because he traded for Tyson Chandler last season, which was a great move. Unfortunately, Chandler failed the physical because of his toe. Considering the physical is usually just a formality, this was a surprise for us all. It a shame though, because Chandler could be great working with that group of guards.In addition to that, the team needs a veteran guard to come off the bench to provide leadership and experience. Atlanta became my perfect example because they traded for Mike Bibby and now are serious contenders in the east. While nobody will say he is as good as he was in the early 2000 when his Sacramento Kings went head-to- head with the Lakers several years in a row, he provided leadership to a Hawk team that had tons of raw talent, but had trouble converting that into wins. The Thunder don need a starting point guard like Bibby because Russell Westbrook is playing great, but I still think that adding a vet will be a good idea.With teams eager to shed big contracts, adding these pieces shouldn be that difficult. The Thunder are under the salary cap and have three players who Arizona Cardinals jersey
have large contracts that expire at the end of the season. This is invaluable to teams trying to shed salaries because it means that all of the money on the contract comes off their cap number at the end of the year. The guys that could draw some interest because of this are Etan Thomas (7.9 million), Matt Harpring (6.5 million), and Earl Watson (3.4 million). None of these players are contributing much to the cause and should be traded if given anyone of value. Hell, Watson isn even on the team any more!Even if these moves aren made, you still have to keep an eye on this team. They might not be able to make much noise in the playoffs this year, but in a year or two, the Lakers better be watching their back.
solid playoff contenders (Portland would be better than its 23-16 record if not for suffering about a million injuries). I look at the Thunder this season and think the same thing.To say that they have a star in the making with Kevin Durant doesn do him justice. At the age of 21, Durant is one of the greatest pure-scorers of the game. Yea, a guy like LeBron is better overall, but Durant is an artist when it comes to putting up points. He is shooting .484 from the field this year, which is second amongst guards scoring at least 20 points per game. He might have an absolutely awful taste in shoes, but the NBA needs to get him in front of a national audience more often. As someone who doesn live in Oklahoma (which is a great thing 99.9 percent of the time), I don have the ability to see him much.Durant isn the only reason I see great potential for the Thunder. Guys like Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green have developed into very good compliments to Durant, and rookie James Harden is doing a great job contributing off of the bench. The scary thing about the guys that I just named is that they are all 23 years old or younger.Think about this, the Thunder only won 23 games all of last year; they have won 21 in just 37 games so far this season. They will surpass that total in a week or so and will finish the NBA season with the league most improved record. Going from 23 wins to a team that will probably make the playoffs is an achievement that shouldn be under-sold.Another critical factor is the improvements they have made on the defensive end. They are currently 7th in the NBA in defense, giving up 96.1 points per contest. Last season, opponents had no trouble putting up big numbers, and averaged over 103 points. For those of you who can do math, that is a seven point difference right there.If am Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
the GM of the Thunder, my job is almost done. I have a young core of excellent guards that are progressing quicker than most thought. However, the Thunder still need somewhat of a low post presence if they want to be anything other then an annual playoff one-and-done. Right now, Oklahoma City is relying on guys like Nenad Kristic and Nick Collison, who aren averaging ten rebounds a game COMBINED.The current GM seems to share this thought with me because he traded for Tyson Chandler last season, which was a great move. Unfortunately, Chandler failed the physical because of his toe. Considering the physical is usually just a formality, this was a surprise for us all. It a shame though, because Chandler could be great working with that group of guards.In addition to that, the team needs a veteran guard to come off the bench to provide leadership and experience. Atlanta became my perfect example because they traded for Mike Bibby and now are serious contenders in the east. While nobody will say he is as good as he was in the early 2000 when his Sacramento Kings went head-to- head with the Lakers several years in a row, he provided leadership to a Hawk team that had tons of raw talent, but had trouble converting that into wins. The Thunder don need a starting point guard like Bibby because Russell Westbrook is playing great, but I still think that adding a vet will be a good idea.With teams eager to shed big contracts, adding these pieces shouldn be that difficult. The Thunder are under the salary cap and have three players who Arizona Cardinals jersey
have large contracts that expire at the end of the season. This is invaluable to teams trying to shed salaries because it means that all of the money on the contract comes off their cap number at the end of the year. The guys that could draw some interest because of this are Etan Thomas (7.9 million), Matt Harpring (6.5 million), and Earl Watson (3.4 million). None of these players are contributing much to the cause and should be traded if given anyone of value. Hell, Watson isn even on the team any more!Even if these moves aren made, you still have to keep an eye on this team. They might not be able to make much noise in the playoffs this year, but in a year or two, the Lakers better be watching their back.
12 Jan 11 Derrick Rose Makes Eastern Conference All-Star Team
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesYahoo Sports is reporting that ChicagoBulls guard Derrick Rose has been named a reserve on the Eastern Conference All-Star team. The game will be played in the new Cowboys' Stadium in Dallas, TX on Feb. 14.On Wednesday, Rose was named to the Sophomore team in the Rookie Challenge; Taj Gibson will represent the Bulls on the Rookie squad.After beginning the season with injury issues, Rose has been dominant of late. The 2008-09 NBA Rookie of the Year is averaging 19.8 points, 5.9 assists and 3.8 Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
rebounds per game.According to Yahoo's report, Bulls center Joakim Noah will be left off the roster despite being among the league leaders in rebounds and blocked shots. The selection of Rose continues theelevation of the Simeon product into the league's elite point guards.For more Chicago sports coverage, check out Tab's blog on ChicagoNow: Daily Chicago Sports Tab!
rebounds per game.According to Yahoo's report, Bulls center Joakim Noah will be left off the roster despite being among the league leaders in rebounds and blocked shots. The selection of Rose continues theelevation of the Simeon product into the league's elite point guards.For more Chicago sports coverage, check out Tab's blog on ChicagoNow: Daily Chicago Sports Tab!
2011年1月10日星期一
10 Jan 11 Pivot Points: Lakers' Heart Can't Conceal Absence of Kobe Bryant
Harry How/Getty ImagesThe Los Angeles Lakers lost a game against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night that they very well could have won. During the continued absence of Kobe Bryant, this defeat should serve as lesson No. 1 for those who claim the team is better without him.Yes, it's true the Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
Lakers have performed above expectations since Bryant has been sidelined, blitzing opponents in each of the previous four games, but this game against a quality opponent clearly illustrates how valuable Bryant is to the defending champs.Please disregard L.A. point guard Derek Fisher's futile attempt at the buzzer, which by the way was a made-for-Bryant moment, because that's not even the most instructive aspect of this loss. Instead look to the other end of the floor for irrefutable proof of Bryant's importance to the Lakes title aspirations. Celtics guard Ray Allen's offensive performance begged to be met with the defensive tenacity that Bryant consistently brings to his position.Allen, who has visibly lost a step in recent years, seemed invigorated by Bryant's absence, scoring 24 points. No Laker in uniform was up to the task of defending him.Allen continuously exposed the Lakers and their attempts to adjust only opened up the floor for teammates. When Shannon Brown switched to Allen then Rajon Rondo carved up the porous perimeter defense. Without the Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
ability to stop the Celtics' guards at the top of the key or on the wings, the Lakers were victimized by repeated forays to the rim.Surely, Bryant's defense would have been a welcome sight for Left Coast fans. Other than the aforementioned defensive deficiencies, the Lakers stood toe-to-toe with the physical Celtics.Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum were dominant in the paint and Ron Artest played inspired basketball at both ends of the floor, providing key resistance to Paul Pierce, and making tough plays in the offensive game.In an even contest, the difference between a win and a loss hinged on a player who has built his reputation by succeeding in moments such as these.There is no guarantee that Bryant would have come through in the clutch where Fisher failed, but based on prior performances, I would be reluctant to bet against him and those are the moments in which he thrives.The Lakers have shown they have the will, the talent, and the passion to compete even without the services of Kobe Bryant, but every once in a while a quick dose of reality is needed.Los Angeles may seem to be a more precise team since Bryant has been out of the lineup, and the Lakers' stellar play the last four games could be used as evidence of that.The last time the Lakers played the Celtics, the end of the game Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
played out in much the same manner, and the difference in that contest was Kobe Bryant taking the last shot to win the game.So to those who claim to see a better team without Bryant, there are always reminders of the way greatness can affect the outcomes of games, and the Lakers could have benefited from that magic Thursday night.
Lakers have performed above expectations since Bryant has been sidelined, blitzing opponents in each of the previous four games, but this game against a quality opponent clearly illustrates how valuable Bryant is to the defending champs.Please disregard L.A. point guard Derek Fisher's futile attempt at the buzzer, which by the way was a made-for-Bryant moment, because that's not even the most instructive aspect of this loss. Instead look to the other end of the floor for irrefutable proof of Bryant's importance to the Lakes title aspirations. Celtics guard Ray Allen's offensive performance begged to be met with the defensive tenacity that Bryant consistently brings to his position.Allen, who has visibly lost a step in recent years, seemed invigorated by Bryant's absence, scoring 24 points. No Laker in uniform was up to the task of defending him.Allen continuously exposed the Lakers and their attempts to adjust only opened up the floor for teammates. When Shannon Brown switched to Allen then Rajon Rondo carved up the porous perimeter defense. Without the Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
ability to stop the Celtics' guards at the top of the key or on the wings, the Lakers were victimized by repeated forays to the rim.Surely, Bryant's defense would have been a welcome sight for Left Coast fans. Other than the aforementioned defensive deficiencies, the Lakers stood toe-to-toe with the physical Celtics.Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum were dominant in the paint and Ron Artest played inspired basketball at both ends of the floor, providing key resistance to Paul Pierce, and making tough plays in the offensive game.In an even contest, the difference between a win and a loss hinged on a player who has built his reputation by succeeding in moments such as these.There is no guarantee that Bryant would have come through in the clutch where Fisher failed, but based on prior performances, I would be reluctant to bet against him and those are the moments in which he thrives.The Lakers have shown they have the will, the talent, and the passion to compete even without the services of Kobe Bryant, but every once in a while a quick dose of reality is needed.Los Angeles may seem to be a more precise team since Bryant has been out of the lineup, and the Lakers' stellar play the last four games could be used as evidence of that.The last time the Lakers played the Celtics, the end of the game Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
played out in much the same manner, and the difference in that contest was Kobe Bryant taking the last shot to win the game.So to those who claim to see a better team without Bryant, there are always reminders of the way greatness can affect the outcomes of games, and the Lakers could have benefited from that magic Thursday night.
2011年1月9日星期日
9 Jan 11 With Jason Kidd Playing All Out, Dallas Mavericks Are Legit Contenders
Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesIt official: the Mavericks won the Jason Kidd trade. The Nets, though they got promising young point guard Devin Harris, came out on the losing end.Now, if you know me, you know Ive been saying this pretty much since it went down. I was always in favor of the trade, because I Oakland Raiders jersey
didn think the Mavericks as constructed going into February 2008 could win a championship.But the problem was that the trade didn necessarily push the Mavericks over the top. Sure we got Jason Kidd, one of the best creators/distributors in the game, and he was going to make life easy for shooters like Josh Howard, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.But we all know what happened. Howard never really gelled with Kidd (which seems to be, in retrospect, Howard fault), the Mavericks were ousted in the first round in 2008 by the Hornets, and ousted in the second round by the Nuggets in 2009.That doesn speak to Jason Kidd and his abilities. After all, the success of distributors is only as good as the people around them. Jason Kidd does not have enough of an offensive game to carry a team in the respect.LeBron James is a great example. Part of his otherworldly gifts include a passer eye possessed by only the best basketball players. LeBron has a much better offensive game than Kidd, which is why he gone farther than Kidd has with the Mavericks.But LeBron also spent the 2007 Finals dishing the ball to Eric Snow and Larry Hughes, and wasn able to win a single game.Jason Kidd has had the fortune of passing to a great shooter like Dirk, but he also been passing to the hot-and-cold Terry, an unmotivated Howard and a lead-gloved Erick Dampier.But all of a sudden the Mavericks, energized by another February trade, are playing their best basketball of the season, and Jason Kidd is a huge reason behind it.One need not look farther than Kidd historic performance against the Atlanta Hawks Friday night, when he did something that only three others in NBA history had done (two of which are a couple of unknowns by the name of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson), getting a triple-fifteen, with 19 points, 17 assists and Philadelphia Eagles jersey
16 rebounds.Take a second to look at how incredible that is. Its amazing when people like Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Carlos Boozer snag 16 rebounds. A point guard doing it is almost unheard of.The numbers are something else from Kidd performance, but he also had one of those plays, one of those intangible plays that turns the momentum to your favor, and those plays are essential for a team battling on the road (which the Mavs were) and from a large, late deficit (which the Mavs were).Atlanta Coach Mike Woodson was on the court calling out a play for the team, and he lingered a little too long, and Kidd took advantage, creating contact and resulting in an automatic technical foul.Now people (particularly Hawks fans) took umbrage with Kidd maneuver, saying it was cheap, it was bending the rules, blah, blah, blah. All of it is stupid, and if you don think it was a fantastic play, youre just jealous that a player on your team didn use a move that like your team in a close game.For a full rebuttal on the criticism levies at Kidd, visit DallasBasketball.com.Since the All-Star break, Kidd numbers have gone way up, and the results can be seen in the Mavericks record since the break, where theyre 6-1.We know were going to get assists from Kidd, that what he was put on this earth to do. But his newfound scoring touch has really made the Mavs a team to be reckoned with.He has scored in double-digits every game since the All-Star break, which is absolutely HUGE for a team with the Mavericks, who have a lot of shooters.We saw it at the end of the Hawks game, where the defense was forced to start paying attention to Kidd along the perimeter, and as a result, players like Dirk, Terry, Haywood, Marion and in the future Caron Butler are going to be open.Kidd weakness in the scoring department allowed teams to leave him alone so they could double team someone else, but with Kidd hitting his shots, defenses aren going to leave him alone, freeing up the better offensive players on the Mavs for better looks.A Mavs team where Jason Kidd is an offensive weapon is a very dangerous team indeed.Weve seen what he Mavs can do against good teams, as their win streak includes wins over playoff teams like the Hawks, Lakers, Suns, Magic and Heat.The win over the Lakers was the first time Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
they've beaten them with Gasol playing. And the Mavs didn't have Butler.All of a sudden, the Mavs are looking like the team that no one wants to play in the first round. And with Jason Kidd playing the way he is and his teammates responding in kind, theyre right in being afraid.For my writing on the NBA's Southwest Division, check me out at Fan Huddle.
didn think the Mavericks as constructed going into February 2008 could win a championship.But the problem was that the trade didn necessarily push the Mavericks over the top. Sure we got Jason Kidd, one of the best creators/distributors in the game, and he was going to make life easy for shooters like Josh Howard, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.But we all know what happened. Howard never really gelled with Kidd (which seems to be, in retrospect, Howard fault), the Mavericks were ousted in the first round in 2008 by the Hornets, and ousted in the second round by the Nuggets in 2009.That doesn speak to Jason Kidd and his abilities. After all, the success of distributors is only as good as the people around them. Jason Kidd does not have enough of an offensive game to carry a team in the respect.LeBron James is a great example. Part of his otherworldly gifts include a passer eye possessed by only the best basketball players. LeBron has a much better offensive game than Kidd, which is why he gone farther than Kidd has with the Mavericks.But LeBron also spent the 2007 Finals dishing the ball to Eric Snow and Larry Hughes, and wasn able to win a single game.Jason Kidd has had the fortune of passing to a great shooter like Dirk, but he also been passing to the hot-and-cold Terry, an unmotivated Howard and a lead-gloved Erick Dampier.But all of a sudden the Mavericks, energized by another February trade, are playing their best basketball of the season, and Jason Kidd is a huge reason behind it.One need not look farther than Kidd historic performance against the Atlanta Hawks Friday night, when he did something that only three others in NBA history had done (two of which are a couple of unknowns by the name of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson), getting a triple-fifteen, with 19 points, 17 assists and Philadelphia Eagles jersey
16 rebounds.Take a second to look at how incredible that is. Its amazing when people like Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Carlos Boozer snag 16 rebounds. A point guard doing it is almost unheard of.The numbers are something else from Kidd performance, but he also had one of those plays, one of those intangible plays that turns the momentum to your favor, and those plays are essential for a team battling on the road (which the Mavs were) and from a large, late deficit (which the Mavs were).Atlanta Coach Mike Woodson was on the court calling out a play for the team, and he lingered a little too long, and Kidd took advantage, creating contact and resulting in an automatic technical foul.Now people (particularly Hawks fans) took umbrage with Kidd maneuver, saying it was cheap, it was bending the rules, blah, blah, blah. All of it is stupid, and if you don think it was a fantastic play, youre just jealous that a player on your team didn use a move that like your team in a close game.For a full rebuttal on the criticism levies at Kidd, visit DallasBasketball.com.Since the All-Star break, Kidd numbers have gone way up, and the results can be seen in the Mavericks record since the break, where theyre 6-1.We know were going to get assists from Kidd, that what he was put on this earth to do. But his newfound scoring touch has really made the Mavs a team to be reckoned with.He has scored in double-digits every game since the All-Star break, which is absolutely HUGE for a team with the Mavericks, who have a lot of shooters.We saw it at the end of the Hawks game, where the defense was forced to start paying attention to Kidd along the perimeter, and as a result, players like Dirk, Terry, Haywood, Marion and in the future Caron Butler are going to be open.Kidd weakness in the scoring department allowed teams to leave him alone so they could double team someone else, but with Kidd hitting his shots, defenses aren going to leave him alone, freeing up the better offensive players on the Mavs for better looks.A Mavs team where Jason Kidd is an offensive weapon is a very dangerous team indeed.Weve seen what he Mavs can do against good teams, as their win streak includes wins over playoff teams like the Hawks, Lakers, Suns, Magic and Heat.The win over the Lakers was the first time Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
they've beaten them with Gasol playing. And the Mavs didn't have Butler.All of a sudden, the Mavs are looking like the team that no one wants to play in the first round. And with Jason Kidd playing the way he is and his teammates responding in kind, theyre right in being afraid.For my writing on the NBA's Southwest Division, check me out at Fan Huddle.
2011年1月8日星期六
8 Jan 11 Buy or Sell: Thank the Schedule for Miami Heat's Hot March Start mlb jersey, nba jersey, nfl jersey, nhl jersey, soccer jersey
Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesThe Miami Heat began the month of March with a 6-1 record, and the team appeared to be making significant strides after back-to-back victories over the L.A. Lakers and Atlanta Hawks.After losing four in a row to end their February schedule, Miami began playing their best offensive stretch of the season. In their six wins in March, they're averaging over 107 points, well above the team's season average of 96.2.But in the middle of their two three-game winning streaks was an ugly 83-78 meltdown loss to the Seattle Seahawks jersey
Charlotte Bobcats. That was a game Miami was up by nine in the fourth quarter, before getting outscored 21-12 in the final period.The loss again raised season-long questions about the Heat's lack ofconsistency. Head coach Eric Spoelstra was againcriticizedfor his late-game rotation; Michael Beasley was left out of all but one minute of the fourth quarter.It seems this is the same story that's been coming out of Miami all season.But then the Heat won another three games in a row and the frustration of the fans temporarily came to a halt.Dwyane Wade looked like, well Dwyane Wade again. Quentin Richardson continued to shine from long-range, under the basket, and on defense. It appeared like the Heat really got a steal when they traded bench warmer Mark Blount for the well-traveled swingman.Jermaine O'Neal has been playing better as of late, and Carlos Arroyo has quelled any immediate issues at the point since the season-long suspension of Rafer Alston. Even James Jones made an impression in his relief of Dorell Wright; Wright was suspended two games following a DIU arrest last week.And then all that confidence that's been building, all the momentum that turned the Heat's way, it simply disappeared overnight.On Tuesday, Miami got embarrassed by the San Antonio Spurs in a 88-76 beatdown that was much worse than the box score would suggest.The Heat trailed by 15-20 points for most of the evening, entering the fourth quarter down 71-54. Beyond Wade, no one on the roster put up much of a fight.That's all that really needs to be said about the loss.The issue is bigger than that though. Was Tuesday's game a slip up or was the 6-1 start to March an anomaly?The victories over the Lakers and Hawks were impressive and shouldn't be discounted. But the Heat have a history of St. Louis Rams jersey
stepping up for big time games on occasion and then disappearing once the limelight fades.If you've followed this team recently, that much should be evident to you.Since beating the Lakers and Hawks, Miami lost to the Bobcats and then beat a Clippers team that's now lost eight in a row. After that, they beat a Bulls team that's also in the middle of an eight-game losing streak.Their last win was a 104-91 victory over the 76ers, who've gone 1-9 in their last 10. Then the Heat came back down to earth against the Spurs.From looking at the list, the soft schedule probably played a big role in Miami's recent surge up the Eastern Conference ladder. That andsimultaneousslumps by the Raptors and Bulls has the Heat sitting comfortably in playoff position.So while fans can be pleased about the way things have gone recentlydespite the no-show in Tuesday's game against San Antonioit must be taken with a grain of salt.Miami beat up on bad teams that were playing some of their worst basketball of the season. Yes, they also beat the Lakers and Hawks. But don't ignore that L.A. went on a three-game losing streakbeginningwith that loss, and Atlanta dropped two of their next three.The Heat caught them at the right time.In a 88-76 win to the Spurs sings closer to home than a 6-1 start to March. That's who Miami's Tennessee Titans jersey
been this season, and while the season draws to a close, it doesn't appear that will change.The Orlando Magic (47-21) come into town on Thursday. That game will go a long way toward proving which Heat team is the fraud.Is it the one that won six of seven, and six straight at home? Or the one that was down by 20 points for most of Tuesday night?Tune in and you'll get a better idea. After all, with the game on TNT, most of the country will get to see what's what.Follow Michael on Twitter here
Charlotte Bobcats. That was a game Miami was up by nine in the fourth quarter, before getting outscored 21-12 in the final period.The loss again raised season-long questions about the Heat's lack ofconsistency. Head coach Eric Spoelstra was againcriticizedfor his late-game rotation; Michael Beasley was left out of all but one minute of the fourth quarter.It seems this is the same story that's been coming out of Miami all season.But then the Heat won another three games in a row and the frustration of the fans temporarily came to a halt.Dwyane Wade looked like, well Dwyane Wade again. Quentin Richardson continued to shine from long-range, under the basket, and on defense. It appeared like the Heat really got a steal when they traded bench warmer Mark Blount for the well-traveled swingman.Jermaine O'Neal has been playing better as of late, and Carlos Arroyo has quelled any immediate issues at the point since the season-long suspension of Rafer Alston. Even James Jones made an impression in his relief of Dorell Wright; Wright was suspended two games following a DIU arrest last week.And then all that confidence that's been building, all the momentum that turned the Heat's way, it simply disappeared overnight.On Tuesday, Miami got embarrassed by the San Antonio Spurs in a 88-76 beatdown that was much worse than the box score would suggest.The Heat trailed by 15-20 points for most of the evening, entering the fourth quarter down 71-54. Beyond Wade, no one on the roster put up much of a fight.That's all that really needs to be said about the loss.The issue is bigger than that though. Was Tuesday's game a slip up or was the 6-1 start to March an anomaly?The victories over the Lakers and Hawks were impressive and shouldn't be discounted. But the Heat have a history of St. Louis Rams jersey
stepping up for big time games on occasion and then disappearing once the limelight fades.If you've followed this team recently, that much should be evident to you.Since beating the Lakers and Hawks, Miami lost to the Bobcats and then beat a Clippers team that's now lost eight in a row. After that, they beat a Bulls team that's also in the middle of an eight-game losing streak.Their last win was a 104-91 victory over the 76ers, who've gone 1-9 in their last 10. Then the Heat came back down to earth against the Spurs.From looking at the list, the soft schedule probably played a big role in Miami's recent surge up the Eastern Conference ladder. That andsimultaneousslumps by the Raptors and Bulls has the Heat sitting comfortably in playoff position.So while fans can be pleased about the way things have gone recentlydespite the no-show in Tuesday's game against San Antonioit must be taken with a grain of salt.Miami beat up on bad teams that were playing some of their worst basketball of the season. Yes, they also beat the Lakers and Hawks. But don't ignore that L.A. went on a three-game losing streakbeginningwith that loss, and Atlanta dropped two of their next three.The Heat caught them at the right time.In a 88-76 win to the Spurs sings closer to home than a 6-1 start to March. That's who Miami's Tennessee Titans jersey
been this season, and while the season draws to a close, it doesn't appear that will change.The Orlando Magic (47-21) come into town on Thursday. That game will go a long way toward proving which Heat team is the fraud.Is it the one that won six of seven, and six straight at home? Or the one that was down by 20 points for most of Tuesday night?Tune in and you'll get a better idea. After all, with the game on TNT, most of the country will get to see what's what.Follow Michael on Twitter here
2010年12月30日星期四
30 Dec 10 LeBron, D-Wade, and Melo To Be Teammates? How It Could Happen
Yes it could happen.Three of the NBA's fivebest players could be teammates as soon as 2011.How?It's simple.Unless you live under a rock, you probably know by now that Dwyane Wade and LeBron James are free agents this summer.Unless you've been in a coma the last two years, you probably know by now that the New York Knicks would give anything to get them.When I say everything, I mean Zach Randolph, Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson, Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill, Tracy McGrady, Cuttino Mobley, Al Harrington, and David Washington Redskins jersey
Lee, among others.Let's face it, the Knicks will not offer the most talented team at the beginning of the summer, but what they will offer is the life.The ability to cruise through Times Square and past Broadway knowing you are the man.You hear me Dwyane Wade?It's no secret that Wade is by far the NBA's most stylish player. As you can tell by his multiple ATT commercials where he is billed as, well, the man.Chicago is the clear favorites to acquire Wade's services, but if he wants to truly be the man, and everybody knows he does, then what would be a better match for Wade than The City That Never Sleeps?I don't think Wade himself understands exactly how perfect a match he and New York would be.If Dwyane Wade came to New York he would love every minute of it.Wade throws his body on the line every day, kind of like Paul O'Neill, whom New Yorkers fell for like a teenage girl for her boyfriend. If Wade came to New York he would become an idol quickly, and then comes the endorsements.Hint: Dwyane Wade + attention = Happy Dwyane Wade.Is New York the front runners for Wade?No.Could it happen?Absolutely.LeBron James would be the next acquisition to this unstoppable threesome.How would the Knicks bring him in?Well in case you haven't heard by now (if you haven't you need to get in touch with the outside world) LeBron James is a free agent this summer.It has become quite obvious that the Knicks and Cavs are the two front-runners to sign him.The Knicks would be a perfect fit for LeBron, they just need to let him know.They offer him the city, lifestyle, and ability to become New York royalty.Who wouldn't want to be mentioned in the same sentence as Messier, Reed, and Jeter?New York gives LeBron the chance to become more than legendary; New York offers LeBron the chance to become immortal.Coming to New York gives LeBron the chance to become the all time greatest.It also gives him the chance to play in The Worlds MostReebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
Famous Arena, and have his name chanted, which he has already made known is a lifelong dream of his.Much like Wade, bringing LeBron to New York will be no easy task, but it can most certainly be done.Then comes Carmelo Anthony.You're probably scratching your head right now and wondering how the Knicks expect to dethrone the King of Denver.With the legendary 2010 free agent class on the horizon people often fail to realize the strong 2011 free agent class headlined by Carmelo Anthony.There's no way the Knicks would be able to afford Carmelo Anthony with LeBron and D-Wade already on the roster, right?Wrong.This is where the stupidity of Isiah Thomas might pay off.Remember when Isiah traded two players and four draft picks for Eddy Curry?Well the man who was at the time dubbed "Baby Shaq" carried a long, HUGE contract with him to New York. That contract expires in 2011, the same season that Carmelo Anthony will be able to test the free agency waters.When the Knicks can finally ditch Eddy Curry and all the bad memories he brings, the Knicks can give Carmelo Anthony 11 million reasons to come to New York.In fact lets make that 11,000,001 reasons to come to New York, because Melo attended Syracuse Universitydo you know what state Syracuse is in?New York.Add in the chance of playing with The King and Flash, and the Knicks signing Melo would be a foregone conclusion.Much like signing Wade and LeBron it will not be easy, but it most certainly could happen.The chances of the Knicks inking all three would be unlikely, but just one three-way phone call between Wade, LeBron, and Donnie Walsh could make it all the more likely.Everybody wants to be a champion, and if these three guys can't team up to win one than nobody can.Donnie Walsh learned how to write a persuasive essay in the fourth grade much like the rest of us, but if he wants all three of these guys than he better get his notes out.Where would this team rank amongst the greatest of all time?Well why don't we compare it to the Bulls of the 1990s.Michael Jordan was on his own planet, Scottie Pippen was great, and Horace Grant was good.LeBron James is on his own planet, Dwyane Wade is punching Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
his ticket to that planet, and Carmelo Anthony is great.Combine those three with the sharpshooting Danilo Gallinari, the soon-to-be court general point guard in Toney Douglas, the up and coming swingman in Wilson Chandler, and you have maybe the greatest team in NBA History.Now lets not get ahead of ourselves because this team will probably never play a game together, but if they do, boy will they be fun to watch.Let's just hope there are enough basketballs to go around.
Lee, among others.Let's face it, the Knicks will not offer the most talented team at the beginning of the summer, but what they will offer is the life.The ability to cruise through Times Square and past Broadway knowing you are the man.You hear me Dwyane Wade?It's no secret that Wade is by far the NBA's most stylish player. As you can tell by his multiple ATT commercials where he is billed as, well, the man.Chicago is the clear favorites to acquire Wade's services, but if he wants to truly be the man, and everybody knows he does, then what would be a better match for Wade than The City That Never Sleeps?I don't think Wade himself understands exactly how perfect a match he and New York would be.If Dwyane Wade came to New York he would love every minute of it.Wade throws his body on the line every day, kind of like Paul O'Neill, whom New Yorkers fell for like a teenage girl for her boyfriend. If Wade came to New York he would become an idol quickly, and then comes the endorsements.Hint: Dwyane Wade + attention = Happy Dwyane Wade.Is New York the front runners for Wade?No.Could it happen?Absolutely.LeBron James would be the next acquisition to this unstoppable threesome.How would the Knicks bring him in?Well in case you haven't heard by now (if you haven't you need to get in touch with the outside world) LeBron James is a free agent this summer.It has become quite obvious that the Knicks and Cavs are the two front-runners to sign him.The Knicks would be a perfect fit for LeBron, they just need to let him know.They offer him the city, lifestyle, and ability to become New York royalty.Who wouldn't want to be mentioned in the same sentence as Messier, Reed, and Jeter?New York gives LeBron the chance to become more than legendary; New York offers LeBron the chance to become immortal.Coming to New York gives LeBron the chance to become the all time greatest.It also gives him the chance to play in The Worlds MostReebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
Famous Arena, and have his name chanted, which he has already made known is a lifelong dream of his.Much like Wade, bringing LeBron to New York will be no easy task, but it can most certainly be done.Then comes Carmelo Anthony.You're probably scratching your head right now and wondering how the Knicks expect to dethrone the King of Denver.With the legendary 2010 free agent class on the horizon people often fail to realize the strong 2011 free agent class headlined by Carmelo Anthony.There's no way the Knicks would be able to afford Carmelo Anthony with LeBron and D-Wade already on the roster, right?Wrong.This is where the stupidity of Isiah Thomas might pay off.Remember when Isiah traded two players and four draft picks for Eddy Curry?Well the man who was at the time dubbed "Baby Shaq" carried a long, HUGE contract with him to New York. That contract expires in 2011, the same season that Carmelo Anthony will be able to test the free agency waters.When the Knicks can finally ditch Eddy Curry and all the bad memories he brings, the Knicks can give Carmelo Anthony 11 million reasons to come to New York.In fact lets make that 11,000,001 reasons to come to New York, because Melo attended Syracuse Universitydo you know what state Syracuse is in?New York.Add in the chance of playing with The King and Flash, and the Knicks signing Melo would be a foregone conclusion.Much like signing Wade and LeBron it will not be easy, but it most certainly could happen.The chances of the Knicks inking all three would be unlikely, but just one three-way phone call between Wade, LeBron, and Donnie Walsh could make it all the more likely.Everybody wants to be a champion, and if these three guys can't team up to win one than nobody can.Donnie Walsh learned how to write a persuasive essay in the fourth grade much like the rest of us, but if he wants all three of these guys than he better get his notes out.Where would this team rank amongst the greatest of all time?Well why don't we compare it to the Bulls of the 1990s.Michael Jordan was on his own planet, Scottie Pippen was great, and Horace Grant was good.LeBron James is on his own planet, Dwyane Wade is punching Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
his ticket to that planet, and Carmelo Anthony is great.Combine those three with the sharpshooting Danilo Gallinari, the soon-to-be court general point guard in Toney Douglas, the up and coming swingman in Wilson Chandler, and you have maybe the greatest team in NBA History.Now lets not get ahead of ourselves because this team will probably never play a game together, but if they do, boy will they be fun to watch.Let's just hope there are enough basketballs to go around.
2010年12月29日星期三
29 Dec 10 Washington Wizards Season Wrap-Up: Here's Looking at Next Year
Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesThe 2010 season is finally over for the Washington Wizards and with it goes a number of difficulties they'd rather forget. Their 26-56 record gives them the fifth-worst record to close out the season.This day couldn't come fast enough for the Wizards.It is difficult to compare the way the season started with the way it ended because the cast is completely different, despite opening and closing with wins. I know the stories have been told before, but it bears repeating in the spirit of this retrospective. Chicago Bears jersey
Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the season following a December 2009 locker room incident involving multiple firearms as part of a joke. Not long after that scenario played out, the Wizards' front office orchestrated deals that sent Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas and Antawn Jamison to Cleveland.That equates to 80 percent of the starting line-up, with only Mike Miller remaining active with the team.All the familiar names and faces the Wizards had were gone, leaving a collection of youth and relative unknowns to soldier on through the rest of the season. Meet Andray Blatche, the consummate "potential" player who finally got his chance to shine in the changing of times.He made the most of his opportunity, proving once and for all that he was worth all the fuss made over his star potential.After opening the season as the starter for the injured Jamison, he averaged 14 points over the first nine games. He returned to his off-the-bench role once Jamison returned, and his performance was generally written off as a fluke. There was no way he could be THE guy for the Wizards.The very night Jamison was traded, Blatche scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.Blatche has averaged 23 points and eight rebounds in 31 games since becoming a starter. He did have a brief run-in with head coach Flip Saunders after he was particularly lazy on defense. It looked like there might be a rift developing, but since that night, Blatche has been playing hard.Another player who benefited from the trade deadline roster purge is JaVale McGee.He logged minimal minutes through the first half of the season, but when Haywood was traded, McGee became the starter. He had an up and down season thereafter, but recorded 25 points and 15 rebounds against in an 18-point win over Golden State on Apr. 9 and logged six blocks in a single game against the Knicks on Apr. 12.But as I said earlier, the Wizards became a tryout team over the last 30 games or so, giving relatively unknown players a shot to make a name for themselves.Cartier Martin, an undrafted D-League player, was signed on March 30 and contributed to wins over Indiana and New Jersey. Alonzo Gee, another D-League signing, scored in double-figures three times before his 10-day contract expired. He has since been signed by the Spurs and may be valuable for their playoff run.The most intriguing player to don the blue and gold has to be Shaun Livingston.If you don't know Livingston, and aren't faint of heart, look up the video of his injury from 2007. He was a top five draft choice and missed substantial chunks of time due to various injuries before this season. After a stint in the D-League, Livingston caught on with the Bobcats, but was waived late last year.He was signed to a pair of ten day contracts before the Wizards signed him for the rest of the season, and showing he still has something to give the NBA.In the beginning of his time with Washington, Livingston didn't quite have the flow of the game yet. Eight games in, he scored 18 points with eight assists against Orlando. Over the last 11 games, he averaged 14 points and five assists in 35 minutes of Cincinnati Bengals jersey
play per night.If nothing else, the last handful of games served as a great platform for players who won't be around Washington next season.With the team's plans for resigning players unknown, it is safe to assume that most of the players the fans had grown familiar with down the stretch will be gone come next season. There are of course exceptions, but even that isn't completely certain.James Singleton showed a Marcus Camby-like ability to rebound on certain nights and a nose for the basket on others. Josh Howard looked like a decent second scoring option before his season-ending injury. Randy Foye ended his season with an injury, Quinton Ross gave good depth and Earl Boykins gave the Wizards a spark in some games.No matter who returns next season, and no matter how bad this season was, there was clearly a difference in the effort given over the first half of the season and the second half of the season.And as part of this season wrap-up, and keeping things positive, how about some unofficial awards?Best Moment of the SeasonApr. 9, 2010, vs. Boston Celtics, W: 106-96The Wizards pulled out a ten point win against the playoff bound Celtics, giving them their third win in four games and showing they can compete with the so-called great teams in the NBA. It showcased Blatche against Kevin Garnett, a resurgent Livingston, and a 42-point fourth quarter by Boston that wasn't enough to win the game.Blatche scored 31 points with 11 rebounds, complimented by Livingston's 25 points, Nick Young's 19 points and McGee's 19 points and 11 rebounds. (Honorable Mention: Blatche's near triple-double).Best Story of the SeasonShaun LivingstonSeriously, watch the video of his injury and tell me he didn't look great on the floor for the Wizards. If I wanted to be corny, he would win the "Give That Man a Contract" award for the performance he put on over the last several games.It is impossible not to like Livingston and hope his career can continue somewhere in the NBA, even if not in Washington. (Honorable Mention: Anything not related to Gilbert Arenas).Sixth Man AwardGiven that the entire roster became a sixth man towards the end of the season, this award is difficult to give to just one guy. I would have to split it between Boykins and Young. Between the two of them there is an entire season's worth of production. Boykins was good early for the Wizards and Young was good late. (Honorable Mention: Al Thornton).Most Improved Player Andray BlatcheHands down, Blatche wins this award. He started the season showing his abilities and got the chance to finish the season cementing himself as a real NBA player on the verge of stardom. (Honorable Mention: JaVale McGee).Most Cleveland Browns jersey
Valuable PlayerMike MillerEven though he missed all of December and most of January with an injury, it is impossible to deny that Miller helped the Wizards whenever he was on the floor. He was up and down for most of the season, but what he lacked in consistency he made up for in effort every night. He finished second in the league at 48-percent from beyond the arc and did all the little things when he couldn't scored. He rebounded, he defended, he got his teammates involved. (Honorable Mention: Blatche).
Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the season following a December 2009 locker room incident involving multiple firearms as part of a joke. Not long after that scenario played out, the Wizards' front office orchestrated deals that sent Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas and Antawn Jamison to Cleveland.That equates to 80 percent of the starting line-up, with only Mike Miller remaining active with the team.All the familiar names and faces the Wizards had were gone, leaving a collection of youth and relative unknowns to soldier on through the rest of the season. Meet Andray Blatche, the consummate "potential" player who finally got his chance to shine in the changing of times.He made the most of his opportunity, proving once and for all that he was worth all the fuss made over his star potential.After opening the season as the starter for the injured Jamison, he averaged 14 points over the first nine games. He returned to his off-the-bench role once Jamison returned, and his performance was generally written off as a fluke. There was no way he could be THE guy for the Wizards.The very night Jamison was traded, Blatche scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.Blatche has averaged 23 points and eight rebounds in 31 games since becoming a starter. He did have a brief run-in with head coach Flip Saunders after he was particularly lazy on defense. It looked like there might be a rift developing, but since that night, Blatche has been playing hard.Another player who benefited from the trade deadline roster purge is JaVale McGee.He logged minimal minutes through the first half of the season, but when Haywood was traded, McGee became the starter. He had an up and down season thereafter, but recorded 25 points and 15 rebounds against in an 18-point win over Golden State on Apr. 9 and logged six blocks in a single game against the Knicks on Apr. 12.But as I said earlier, the Wizards became a tryout team over the last 30 games or so, giving relatively unknown players a shot to make a name for themselves.Cartier Martin, an undrafted D-League player, was signed on March 30 and contributed to wins over Indiana and New Jersey. Alonzo Gee, another D-League signing, scored in double-figures three times before his 10-day contract expired. He has since been signed by the Spurs and may be valuable for their playoff run.The most intriguing player to don the blue and gold has to be Shaun Livingston.If you don't know Livingston, and aren't faint of heart, look up the video of his injury from 2007. He was a top five draft choice and missed substantial chunks of time due to various injuries before this season. After a stint in the D-League, Livingston caught on with the Bobcats, but was waived late last year.He was signed to a pair of ten day contracts before the Wizards signed him for the rest of the season, and showing he still has something to give the NBA.In the beginning of his time with Washington, Livingston didn't quite have the flow of the game yet. Eight games in, he scored 18 points with eight assists against Orlando. Over the last 11 games, he averaged 14 points and five assists in 35 minutes of Cincinnati Bengals jersey
play per night.If nothing else, the last handful of games served as a great platform for players who won't be around Washington next season.With the team's plans for resigning players unknown, it is safe to assume that most of the players the fans had grown familiar with down the stretch will be gone come next season. There are of course exceptions, but even that isn't completely certain.James Singleton showed a Marcus Camby-like ability to rebound on certain nights and a nose for the basket on others. Josh Howard looked like a decent second scoring option before his season-ending injury. Randy Foye ended his season with an injury, Quinton Ross gave good depth and Earl Boykins gave the Wizards a spark in some games.No matter who returns next season, and no matter how bad this season was, there was clearly a difference in the effort given over the first half of the season and the second half of the season.And as part of this season wrap-up, and keeping things positive, how about some unofficial awards?Best Moment of the SeasonApr. 9, 2010, vs. Boston Celtics, W: 106-96The Wizards pulled out a ten point win against the playoff bound Celtics, giving them their third win in four games and showing they can compete with the so-called great teams in the NBA. It showcased Blatche against Kevin Garnett, a resurgent Livingston, and a 42-point fourth quarter by Boston that wasn't enough to win the game.Blatche scored 31 points with 11 rebounds, complimented by Livingston's 25 points, Nick Young's 19 points and McGee's 19 points and 11 rebounds. (Honorable Mention: Blatche's near triple-double).Best Story of the SeasonShaun LivingstonSeriously, watch the video of his injury and tell me he didn't look great on the floor for the Wizards. If I wanted to be corny, he would win the "Give That Man a Contract" award for the performance he put on over the last several games.It is impossible not to like Livingston and hope his career can continue somewhere in the NBA, even if not in Washington. (Honorable Mention: Anything not related to Gilbert Arenas).Sixth Man AwardGiven that the entire roster became a sixth man towards the end of the season, this award is difficult to give to just one guy. I would have to split it between Boykins and Young. Between the two of them there is an entire season's worth of production. Boykins was good early for the Wizards and Young was good late. (Honorable Mention: Al Thornton).Most Improved Player Andray BlatcheHands down, Blatche wins this award. He started the season showing his abilities and got the chance to finish the season cementing himself as a real NBA player on the verge of stardom. (Honorable Mention: JaVale McGee).Most Cleveland Browns jersey
Valuable PlayerMike MillerEven though he missed all of December and most of January with an injury, it is impossible to deny that Miller helped the Wizards whenever he was on the floor. He was up and down for most of the season, but what he lacked in consistency he made up for in effort every night. He finished second in the league at 48-percent from beyond the arc and did all the little things when he couldn't scored. He rebounded, he defended, he got his teammates involved. (Honorable Mention: Blatche).
29 Dec 10 Washington Wizards Season Wrap-Up: Here's Looking at Next Year
Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesThe 2010 season is finally over for the Washington Wizards and with it goes a number of difficulties they'd rather forget. Their 26-56 record gives them the fifth-worst record to close out the season.This day couldn't come fast enough for the Wizards.It is difficult to compare the way the season started with the way it ended because the cast is completely different, despite opening and closing with wins. I know the stories have been told before, but it bears repeating in the spirit of this retrospective. Chicago Bears jersey
Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the season following a December 2009 locker room incident involving multiple firearms as part of a joke. Not long after that scenario played out, the Wizards' front office orchestrated deals that sent Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas and Antawn Jamison to Cleveland.That equates to 80 percent of the starting line-up, with only Mike Miller remaining active with the team.All the familiar names and faces the Wizards had were gone, leaving a collection of youth and relative unknowns to soldier on through the rest of the season. Meet Andray Blatche, the consummate "potential" player who finally got his chance to shine in the changing of times.He made the most of his opportunity, proving once and for all that he was worth all the fuss made over his star potential.After opening the season as the starter for the injured Jamison, he averaged 14 points over the first nine games. He returned to his off-the-bench role once Jamison returned, and his performance was generally written off as a fluke. There was no way he could be THE guy for the Wizards.The very night Jamison was traded, Blatche scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.Blatche has averaged 23 points and eight rebounds in 31 games since becoming a starter. He did have a brief run-in with head coach Flip Saunders after he was particularly lazy on defense. It looked like there might be a rift developing, but since that night, Blatche has been playing hard.Another player who benefited from the trade deadline roster purge is JaVale McGee.He logged minimal minutes through the first half of the season, but when Haywood was traded, McGee became the starter. He had an up and down season thereafter, but recorded 25 points and 15 rebounds against in an 18-point win over Golden State on Apr. 9 and logged six blocks in a single game against the Knicks on Apr. 12.But as I said earlier, the Wizards became a tryout team over the last 30 games or so, giving relatively unknown players a shot to make a name for themselves.Cartier Martin, an undrafted D-League player, was signed on March 30 and contributed to wins over Indiana and New Jersey. Alonzo Gee, another D-League signing, scored in double-figures three times before his 10-day contract expired. He has since been signed by the Spurs and may be valuable for their playoff run.The most intriguing player to don the blue and gold has to be Shaun Livingston.If you don't know Livingston, and aren't faint of heart, look up the video of his injury from 2007. He was a top five draft choice and missed substantial chunks of time due to various injuries before this season. After a stint in the D-League, Livingston caught on with the Bobcats, but was waived late last year.He was signed to a pair of ten day contracts before the Wizards signed him for the rest of the season, and showing he still has something to give the NBA.In the beginning of his time with Washington, Livingston didn't quite have the flow of the game yet. Eight games in, he scored 18 points with eight assists against Orlando. Over the last 11 games, he averaged 14 points and five assists in 35 minutes of Cincinnati Bengals jersey
play per night.If nothing else, the last handful of games served as a great platform for players who won't be around Washington next season.With the team's plans for resigning players unknown, it is safe to assume that most of the players the fans had grown familiar with down the stretch will be gone come next season. There are of course exceptions, but even that isn't completely certain.James Singleton showed a Marcus Camby-like ability to rebound on certain nights and a nose for the basket on others. Josh Howard looked like a decent second scoring option before his season-ending injury. Randy Foye ended his season with an injury, Quinton Ross gave good depth and Earl Boykins gave the Wizards a spark in some games.No matter who returns next season, and no matter how bad this season was, there was clearly a difference in the effort given over the first half of the season and the second half of the season.And as part of this season wrap-up, and keeping things positive, how about some unofficial awards?Best Moment of the SeasonApr. 9, 2010, vs. Boston Celtics, W: 106-96The Wizards pulled out a ten point win against the playoff bound Celtics, giving them their third win in four games and showing they can compete with the so-called great teams in the NBA. It showcased Blatche against Kevin Garnett, a resurgent Livingston, and a 42-point fourth quarter by Boston that wasn't enough to win the game.Blatche scored 31 points with 11 rebounds, complimented by Livingston's 25 points, Nick Young's 19 points and McGee's 19 points and 11 rebounds. (Honorable Mention: Blatche's near triple-double).Best Story of the SeasonShaun LivingstonSeriously, watch the video of his injury and tell me he didn't look great on the floor for the Wizards. If I wanted to be corny, he would win the "Give That Man a Contract" award for the performance he put on over the last several games.It is impossible not to like Livingston and hope his career can continue somewhere in the NBA, even if not in Washington. (Honorable Mention: Anything not related to Gilbert Arenas).Sixth Man AwardGiven that the entire roster became a sixth man towards the end of the season, this award is difficult to give to just one guy. I would have to split it between Boykins and Young. Between the two of them there is an entire season's worth of production. Boykins was good early for the Wizards and Young was good late. (Honorable Mention: Al Thornton).Most Improved Player Andray BlatcheHands down, Blatche wins this award. He started the season showing his abilities and got the chance to finish the season cementing himself as a real NBA player on the verge of stardom. (Honorable Mention: JaVale McGee).Most Cleveland Browns jersey
Valuable PlayerMike MillerEven though he missed all of December and most of January with an injury, it is impossible to deny that Miller helped the Wizards whenever he was on the floor. He was up and down for most of the season, but what he lacked in consistency he made up for in effort every night. He finished second in the league at 48-percent from beyond the arc and did all the little things when he couldn't scored. He rebounded, he defended, he got his teammates involved. (Honorable Mention: Blatche).
Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the season following a December 2009 locker room incident involving multiple firearms as part of a joke. Not long after that scenario played out, the Wizards' front office orchestrated deals that sent Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas and Antawn Jamison to Cleveland.That equates to 80 percent of the starting line-up, with only Mike Miller remaining active with the team.All the familiar names and faces the Wizards had were gone, leaving a collection of youth and relative unknowns to soldier on through the rest of the season. Meet Andray Blatche, the consummate "potential" player who finally got his chance to shine in the changing of times.He made the most of his opportunity, proving once and for all that he was worth all the fuss made over his star potential.After opening the season as the starter for the injured Jamison, he averaged 14 points over the first nine games. He returned to his off-the-bench role once Jamison returned, and his performance was generally written off as a fluke. There was no way he could be THE guy for the Wizards.The very night Jamison was traded, Blatche scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.Blatche has averaged 23 points and eight rebounds in 31 games since becoming a starter. He did have a brief run-in with head coach Flip Saunders after he was particularly lazy on defense. It looked like there might be a rift developing, but since that night, Blatche has been playing hard.Another player who benefited from the trade deadline roster purge is JaVale McGee.He logged minimal minutes through the first half of the season, but when Haywood was traded, McGee became the starter. He had an up and down season thereafter, but recorded 25 points and 15 rebounds against in an 18-point win over Golden State on Apr. 9 and logged six blocks in a single game against the Knicks on Apr. 12.But as I said earlier, the Wizards became a tryout team over the last 30 games or so, giving relatively unknown players a shot to make a name for themselves.Cartier Martin, an undrafted D-League player, was signed on March 30 and contributed to wins over Indiana and New Jersey. Alonzo Gee, another D-League signing, scored in double-figures three times before his 10-day contract expired. He has since been signed by the Spurs and may be valuable for their playoff run.The most intriguing player to don the blue and gold has to be Shaun Livingston.If you don't know Livingston, and aren't faint of heart, look up the video of his injury from 2007. He was a top five draft choice and missed substantial chunks of time due to various injuries before this season. After a stint in the D-League, Livingston caught on with the Bobcats, but was waived late last year.He was signed to a pair of ten day contracts before the Wizards signed him for the rest of the season, and showing he still has something to give the NBA.In the beginning of his time with Washington, Livingston didn't quite have the flow of the game yet. Eight games in, he scored 18 points with eight assists against Orlando. Over the last 11 games, he averaged 14 points and five assists in 35 minutes of Cincinnati Bengals jersey
play per night.If nothing else, the last handful of games served as a great platform for players who won't be around Washington next season.With the team's plans for resigning players unknown, it is safe to assume that most of the players the fans had grown familiar with down the stretch will be gone come next season. There are of course exceptions, but even that isn't completely certain.James Singleton showed a Marcus Camby-like ability to rebound on certain nights and a nose for the basket on others. Josh Howard looked like a decent second scoring option before his season-ending injury. Randy Foye ended his season with an injury, Quinton Ross gave good depth and Earl Boykins gave the Wizards a spark in some games.No matter who returns next season, and no matter how bad this season was, there was clearly a difference in the effort given over the first half of the season and the second half of the season.And as part of this season wrap-up, and keeping things positive, how about some unofficial awards?Best Moment of the SeasonApr. 9, 2010, vs. Boston Celtics, W: 106-96The Wizards pulled out a ten point win against the playoff bound Celtics, giving them their third win in four games and showing they can compete with the so-called great teams in the NBA. It showcased Blatche against Kevin Garnett, a resurgent Livingston, and a 42-point fourth quarter by Boston that wasn't enough to win the game.Blatche scored 31 points with 11 rebounds, complimented by Livingston's 25 points, Nick Young's 19 points and McGee's 19 points and 11 rebounds. (Honorable Mention: Blatche's near triple-double).Best Story of the SeasonShaun LivingstonSeriously, watch the video of his injury and tell me he didn't look great on the floor for the Wizards. If I wanted to be corny, he would win the "Give That Man a Contract" award for the performance he put on over the last several games.It is impossible not to like Livingston and hope his career can continue somewhere in the NBA, even if not in Washington. (Honorable Mention: Anything not related to Gilbert Arenas).Sixth Man AwardGiven that the entire roster became a sixth man towards the end of the season, this award is difficult to give to just one guy. I would have to split it between Boykins and Young. Between the two of them there is an entire season's worth of production. Boykins was good early for the Wizards and Young was good late. (Honorable Mention: Al Thornton).Most Improved Player Andray BlatcheHands down, Blatche wins this award. He started the season showing his abilities and got the chance to finish the season cementing himself as a real NBA player on the verge of stardom. (Honorable Mention: JaVale McGee).Most Cleveland Browns jersey
Valuable PlayerMike MillerEven though he missed all of December and most of January with an injury, it is impossible to deny that Miller helped the Wizards whenever he was on the floor. He was up and down for most of the season, but what he lacked in consistency he made up for in effort every night. He finished second in the league at 48-percent from beyond the arc and did all the little things when he couldn't scored. He rebounded, he defended, he got his teammates involved. (Honorable Mention: Blatche).
2010年12月28日星期二
28 Dec 10 The Case for Amir Johnson: Toronto Raptors Offseason Decisions
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesAfter resolving the Chris Bosh situation, Bryan Colangelo offseason work may have just begun.Leaving aside the numerous trade scenarios that must be under consideration, the Toronto Raptors have five free agents to make decisions about, and only Sonny Weems is under the team control.At the top of this second list of priorities appears to be the Raptors' athletic big man, Amir Johnson.Johnson became a favorite of many Raptors followers this season because of his hustle and ability to run the floor. A cast-off from theBaltimore Ravens jersey
Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars finally gave up on the kid after four seasons, much to the delight of fans at the ACC.But Johnson run in Toronto has hardly been without its ups and downs. Like the team, he was a model of inconsistency, and after five seasons in the NBA, shouldn Johnson obvious potential have been realized to a greater extent by now?This past season Johnson averaged 6.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 3.1 fouls in 17.7 minutes. Johnson played in all 82 games and saw reasonably consistent minutes all season for the first time in his NBA career.But in all honesty, those aren even particularly impressive statistics for a decent rookie.And in a contract year, one would have expected this to be the best NBA season of Johnson young career. Arguably, this wasn the case.Ignoring the 11 NBA games Johnson played during his first two seasons, when he spent time in the D-league, this season Johnson had more fouls and fewer blocks than he did in Detroit. Plus, his free throw shooting plummeted to under 63 percent.And during those first two NBA seasons, Johnson looked like a better scorer from the field.But it wasn all downhill statistically for Johnson this past season. His rebounding bounced up to 4.8 per game from 3.7 the year before, and he shot 62 percent from the field.Plus Johnson sure is pretty to watch when he runs the floor. Johnson did add something the Raptors haven had in recent yearsa big man who can play like an athletic wing.And Johnson numbers didn move much when the Raptors played the better teams in the league.Against playoff-bound teams, Johnson averaged 5.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks.His numbers were only slightly worse against the league top eight teams with 5.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks.But against the big three in the East, Johnson looked over-matched, and it showed in his statistics. In 12 games against Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando, Johnson only managed 4.4 points, Buffalo Bills jersey
3.6 boards, and 0.4 blocks.Johnson's Best Games Portland, two games at 11.5 points and seven boardsNew York, four games at 11.5 points and 6.5 boardsGolden State, two games at 11.0 points and six boardsDetroit, four games at 10.8 points and four boards Atlanta, four games at 10.2 points and 7.5 boards. Johnson's Worst GamesUtah, two games at one point and three boardsHouston, two games at 1.5 points and 3.5 boardsSacramento, two games at two points and 1.5 boardsMinnesota, two games at two points and 5.5 boards Boston, four games at three points and 3.2 boardsSome might have noticed Johnson tendency to disappear at times in games in which the other team has effective big men.With Bosh late season injury, Johnson was afforded an opportunity to play more minutes and started four games. From a scoring perspective, he responded.Over the last six games of the season, Johnson averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in 30.7 minutes. The only slight against his late season work was the three games with just two rebounds. But surpassing his career high in scoring twice in the last two games was impressive.However, late season success against teams out of the playoffs is not what a GM should be basing a new contract on.And there should be little doubt that Johnson was overpaid on his last deal. It was the $10 million contract from Joe Dumars that got Johnson shipped out of Detroit for virtually nothing.It has been suggested by some that Johnson is in line for a new contract for the mid-level exception. That would look like a mistake.There have been numerous unproven big men signed to deals like that in the past, and far too many of them resulted in salary cap hardship for the signing team. Carolina Panthers jersey
And there is a good argument that Johnson didn produce to the level of the contract that he was on this past season.Colangelo has stated that he intends to bring Johnson back to the Raptors for next season, and without much doubt, that would be a popular move with the fans.But Colangelo can afford to make the same mistake Dumars made three seasons ago and overpay for potential that may never be realized.Here hoping the young gun returns to Toronto anyway.
Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars finally gave up on the kid after four seasons, much to the delight of fans at the ACC.But Johnson run in Toronto has hardly been without its ups and downs. Like the team, he was a model of inconsistency, and after five seasons in the NBA, shouldn Johnson obvious potential have been realized to a greater extent by now?This past season Johnson averaged 6.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 3.1 fouls in 17.7 minutes. Johnson played in all 82 games and saw reasonably consistent minutes all season for the first time in his NBA career.But in all honesty, those aren even particularly impressive statistics for a decent rookie.And in a contract year, one would have expected this to be the best NBA season of Johnson young career. Arguably, this wasn the case.Ignoring the 11 NBA games Johnson played during his first two seasons, when he spent time in the D-league, this season Johnson had more fouls and fewer blocks than he did in Detroit. Plus, his free throw shooting plummeted to under 63 percent.And during those first two NBA seasons, Johnson looked like a better scorer from the field.But it wasn all downhill statistically for Johnson this past season. His rebounding bounced up to 4.8 per game from 3.7 the year before, and he shot 62 percent from the field.Plus Johnson sure is pretty to watch when he runs the floor. Johnson did add something the Raptors haven had in recent yearsa big man who can play like an athletic wing.And Johnson numbers didn move much when the Raptors played the better teams in the league.Against playoff-bound teams, Johnson averaged 5.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks.His numbers were only slightly worse against the league top eight teams with 5.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks.But against the big three in the East, Johnson looked over-matched, and it showed in his statistics. In 12 games against Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando, Johnson only managed 4.4 points, Buffalo Bills jersey
3.6 boards, and 0.4 blocks.Johnson's Best Games Portland, two games at 11.5 points and seven boardsNew York, four games at 11.5 points and 6.5 boardsGolden State, two games at 11.0 points and six boardsDetroit, four games at 10.8 points and four boards Atlanta, four games at 10.2 points and 7.5 boards. Johnson's Worst GamesUtah, two games at one point and three boardsHouston, two games at 1.5 points and 3.5 boardsSacramento, two games at two points and 1.5 boardsMinnesota, two games at two points and 5.5 boards Boston, four games at three points and 3.2 boardsSome might have noticed Johnson tendency to disappear at times in games in which the other team has effective big men.With Bosh late season injury, Johnson was afforded an opportunity to play more minutes and started four games. From a scoring perspective, he responded.Over the last six games of the season, Johnson averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in 30.7 minutes. The only slight against his late season work was the three games with just two rebounds. But surpassing his career high in scoring twice in the last two games was impressive.However, late season success against teams out of the playoffs is not what a GM should be basing a new contract on.And there should be little doubt that Johnson was overpaid on his last deal. It was the $10 million contract from Joe Dumars that got Johnson shipped out of Detroit for virtually nothing.It has been suggested by some that Johnson is in line for a new contract for the mid-level exception. That would look like a mistake.There have been numerous unproven big men signed to deals like that in the past, and far too many of them resulted in salary cap hardship for the signing team. Carolina Panthers jersey
And there is a good argument that Johnson didn produce to the level of the contract that he was on this past season.Colangelo has stated that he intends to bring Johnson back to the Raptors for next season, and without much doubt, that would be a popular move with the fans.But Colangelo can afford to make the same mistake Dumars made three seasons ago and overpay for potential that may never be realized.Here hoping the young gun returns to Toronto anyway.
2010年12月27日星期一
27 Dec 10 Stuck on Cloud No. 9: Utah Jazz Forced To Take a Shot in the Dark at NBA Draft
Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesSo after all these years, this is it?After all these years of holding out hope that a monumental bonehead move by Isiah Thomas would prove to be another franchise savior, this is it.No. 9.Not even a team with a rotting Tracy McGrady and a bunch of "who's that?" question marks could help out the Utah Jazz.This shouldn't come at much of a surprise, though.Utah General Manager/Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin O'Connor held this pick so close to his heart, one could have confused it for a newborn grandchild.The chip that could have helped bring a proven veteran on board over the past few years proved to be the ninth-best pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.For those who were watching the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday, you saw the face ofReebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
what looked to be a downtrodden, scowling old man that didn't get the ball to bounce his way.That's not a bingo, Mr. O'Connor.Now what?With the future of the franchise as shaky as the earth's crust lately, this is the ultimate sink-or-swim moment for the Jazz and, more importantly, their front office.The second-highest pick in the last 27 years has to be a hit.It just has to.After watching O'Connor and his cronies flunk more tests than Floyd Landis and Jose Canseco combined, the time is now. If not, something's got to give.Desperately needing size to compete with the top-flight teams in the league, there's no doubt the Jazz will look to add size and length at the No. 9 spot.Who will be there? Who will they covet?Your run-of-the-mill NBA insiders have singled out Georgetown big man Greg Monroe as a "perfect fit" for Jerry Sloan's offense. A 6'11" big player who can make passes as well as spot up and hit the 15-foot jumper.Monroe is no doubt skilled and could be a good piece on a good team, but if it's defense and shot-blocking ability Utah is looking for, it wouldn't matter if Monroe was the second-coming. A softer, less-athletic Lamar Odom with less rangethat's Monroe.There's Cole Aldrich out of Kansas, who most Jazz fans view as a potential Greg Ostertag 2.0 disaster. Aldrich really bears no similarity to Ostertag, aside from the body type and hairdo.Standing at 6'11" and sporting a 7'4" wingspan, O'Connor would undoubtedly be tempted to nab the former Jayhawk and try and morph him into a two-way impact player.Rounding out the rest of the possibilities are Baylor's Ekpe Udoh, North Carolina's Ed Davis, and Marshall's raw youngster Hassan Whiteside.The dish on Udoh is that his athletic ability could help him be a lively defender at the next level, and his offensive game could morph and develop into something impressive over time.Davis has always been a lock to be a top-10 pick, but, for the life of me, I couldn't see why. Watching Davis for two seasons, there wasn't much to Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
gawk over. He wasn't the best player on the floor for a horrible Tar Heel team in 2009, and one can only wonder if he just benefited from being a cog on the 2008 national champion UNC squad.As for Whiteside, he's the guy with "character issues," as they so often say these days leading up to professional drafts. Scouts have compared his potential to a more athletic Marcus Camby, with a deft ability on the defensive end.Basically, all the guy needs is a swift kick in the ass and a good coach.Utah, you have something along those lines, right?The Jazz would unquestionably drool at the off-chance of a DeMarcus Cousins or Wesley Johnson falling into their laps at No. 9.That won't be happening.If you're looking for a dark horse, look to Butler's gangly star Gordon Hayward. A versatile 6'9" small forward with range and athleticism, coupled with a tireless work ethic. Not to mention he's an Indiana kid. I wouldn't be surprised to see his name at the top of Sloan's favorite-player list of this draft.Gun to my head, I'd say the Jazz will force their own hand and take Monroe. While the pick could turn out to be a decent addition for the team for years to come, Utah needs to take a long look at these big men and ask themselves, "Who can guard Pau Gasol, or attempt to pester him?"Seems silly to single out one player, but at this rate, the Lakers are going nowhere but up, up, up, and Utah has done nothing to show it can handle LA's size or even guard the post and contest shots at the rim in regard to playing any teamregular Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
season or postseason.I see Aldrich and Whiteside as ultimate boom-or-bust shots, but at this point it's time for the experts and fans to step back and allow O'Connor, Greg Miller, and the Jazz brass to make their move and take a necessary step forward in exorcising the demons of past first-round disasters.They have no other choice.Who'll be donning the new Utah digs come opening night of the 2010 NBA season?The jury is still out.But you can count on one thingO'Connor's trigger finger will be tentative. And for good reason.
what looked to be a downtrodden, scowling old man that didn't get the ball to bounce his way.That's not a bingo, Mr. O'Connor.Now what?With the future of the franchise as shaky as the earth's crust lately, this is the ultimate sink-or-swim moment for the Jazz and, more importantly, their front office.The second-highest pick in the last 27 years has to be a hit.It just has to.After watching O'Connor and his cronies flunk more tests than Floyd Landis and Jose Canseco combined, the time is now. If not, something's got to give.Desperately needing size to compete with the top-flight teams in the league, there's no doubt the Jazz will look to add size and length at the No. 9 spot.Who will be there? Who will they covet?Your run-of-the-mill NBA insiders have singled out Georgetown big man Greg Monroe as a "perfect fit" for Jerry Sloan's offense. A 6'11" big player who can make passes as well as spot up and hit the 15-foot jumper.Monroe is no doubt skilled and could be a good piece on a good team, but if it's defense and shot-blocking ability Utah is looking for, it wouldn't matter if Monroe was the second-coming. A softer, less-athletic Lamar Odom with less rangethat's Monroe.There's Cole Aldrich out of Kansas, who most Jazz fans view as a potential Greg Ostertag 2.0 disaster. Aldrich really bears no similarity to Ostertag, aside from the body type and hairdo.Standing at 6'11" and sporting a 7'4" wingspan, O'Connor would undoubtedly be tempted to nab the former Jayhawk and try and morph him into a two-way impact player.Rounding out the rest of the possibilities are Baylor's Ekpe Udoh, North Carolina's Ed Davis, and Marshall's raw youngster Hassan Whiteside.The dish on Udoh is that his athletic ability could help him be a lively defender at the next level, and his offensive game could morph and develop into something impressive over time.Davis has always been a lock to be a top-10 pick, but, for the life of me, I couldn't see why. Watching Davis for two seasons, there wasn't much to Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
gawk over. He wasn't the best player on the floor for a horrible Tar Heel team in 2009, and one can only wonder if he just benefited from being a cog on the 2008 national champion UNC squad.As for Whiteside, he's the guy with "character issues," as they so often say these days leading up to professional drafts. Scouts have compared his potential to a more athletic Marcus Camby, with a deft ability on the defensive end.Basically, all the guy needs is a swift kick in the ass and a good coach.Utah, you have something along those lines, right?The Jazz would unquestionably drool at the off-chance of a DeMarcus Cousins or Wesley Johnson falling into their laps at No. 9.That won't be happening.If you're looking for a dark horse, look to Butler's gangly star Gordon Hayward. A versatile 6'9" small forward with range and athleticism, coupled with a tireless work ethic. Not to mention he's an Indiana kid. I wouldn't be surprised to see his name at the top of Sloan's favorite-player list of this draft.Gun to my head, I'd say the Jazz will force their own hand and take Monroe. While the pick could turn out to be a decent addition for the team for years to come, Utah needs to take a long look at these big men and ask themselves, "Who can guard Pau Gasol, or attempt to pester him?"Seems silly to single out one player, but at this rate, the Lakers are going nowhere but up, up, up, and Utah has done nothing to show it can handle LA's size or even guard the post and contest shots at the rim in regard to playing any teamregular Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
season or postseason.I see Aldrich and Whiteside as ultimate boom-or-bust shots, but at this point it's time for the experts and fans to step back and allow O'Connor, Greg Miller, and the Jazz brass to make their move and take a necessary step forward in exorcising the demons of past first-round disasters.They have no other choice.Who'll be donning the new Utah digs come opening night of the 2010 NBA season?The jury is still out.But you can count on one thingO'Connor's trigger finger will be tentative. And for good reason.
2010年12月26日星期日
26 Dec 10 NBA Draft: John Wall to Set Gilbert Arenas Free
Jeff Gentner/Getty ImagesWith a brilliant stroke of luck, the Washington Wizards came behind from a 10% chance of landing the top pick in the 2010 draft to grabbing the top spot in the upcoming draft's lottery. With the first pick, they are set to take Kentucky freshman PG John Wall.No surprises Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
here.For the Wiz, the pick comes as a breath of fresh air after a tumultuous season in which superstar Gilbert Arenas was arrested on gun charges. To make things worse, the team decided to blow it up and trade away veterans Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, and Brendan Haywood.Selecting John Wall is going to help out the Wiz tremendously, especially if they opt to keep Arenas. With Wall in the lineup, Arenas can move to the shooting guard position. This move will give Arenas a license to shoot at will.Arenas will be able to readjust to his position as one of Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
the NBA's elite scorers and lead a young Wizard team as Wall matures into one of the NBA's best point guards.For the Wizards and Gilbert Arenas, John Wall could just be the change they need in Washington.This article is also featured onMockDraftHQ.com Draft Blog
here.For the Wiz, the pick comes as a breath of fresh air after a tumultuous season in which superstar Gilbert Arenas was arrested on gun charges. To make things worse, the team decided to blow it up and trade away veterans Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, and Brendan Haywood.Selecting John Wall is going to help out the Wiz tremendously, especially if they opt to keep Arenas. With Wall in the lineup, Arenas can move to the shooting guard position. This move will give Arenas a license to shoot at will.Arenas will be able to readjust to his position as one of Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
the NBA's elite scorers and lead a young Wizard team as Wall matures into one of the NBA's best point guards.For the Wizards and Gilbert Arenas, John Wall could just be the change they need in Washington.This article is also featured onMockDraftHQ.com Draft Blog
2010年12月25日星期六
25 Dec 10 Derrick Rose: Destined To Be Best Player in NBA
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesForget about all the MVP talk surrounding Derrick Rose; in two or three years,he willbe the best player in the NBA. This may sound crazy, but it is just a matter of time. Kobe is getting old, and LeBron squandered his top dog status by fleeing to Miami.Thunder fans areNew York Jets jersey
probably pulling their hair out right now, but Kevin Durant is less dimensional and athletic than Derrick Rose. In fact, Durant will be the second best player on the Thunder in a few years. Russell Westbrook is the only rising star who poses a legitimate threat to Rose becoming the best player in the NBA, and he is lagging way behind Rose emerging perimeter game.Derrick Rose contributions cannot be measured by stats alone, however impressive they may be. Derrick Rose is a field general who can lead the Bulls to a 130-128 overtime victory one night, and allow the Bulls to squeak by in a low scoring gamethe next. The only real knock on Rose is his lack of defense; however, if his perimeter shooting continues to improve, he could go for 35 points per game. That's right, Derrick Rose could flirt with statistics only Kobe and Michael have achieved recently.Rose has the potential to play defense as well as anybody. Up until this point, he has never needed to. On the defensive end, Derrick sometimes looks like he is out of position, but when he does get burned, he tends to burn several defenders on the next play. Rose just needs to recognize that he cannot take plays off on defense if he wants to be recognized as the NBA top player.Rose potential was never more visible than in a loss to the Lakers at the Staples Center. After a game in which Rose was unstoppable, an upset Rose was taken aside by Kobe Bryant. Bryant whispered something into Derrick Rose ear, and one can only speculate that he was saying, Oakland Raiders jersey
Derrick, don worry. In two years, this is your league.Of course, it's stillKobe, andhe probably added, But for now it still my league.Even though Durant has been anointed the successor to Kobe and LeBron, there is no set line of succession to determine who the NBA best player is. Kevin Durant lacks the explosiveness that will be needed more and more in the coming years of the NBA. Derrick Rose isjust as explosive as LeBron James, just in a smaller package. While James can lay out defenders on the way to the rim thanks to a six foot eight frame, Derrick Rose can maneuver between three players mid-air while taking the ball to the basket.Durant relies too much on the line. His most explosive move is hooking his elbow under a defender outstretched arm and going up with the ball to draw a foul even though he has created no shot. That is the key difference between Durant and Rose;Durant cannot create shots likeRose. His deadly aim creates shots thanks to the dynamic qualities of Westbrook, but Rose currently averages higher field goal percentages from the floor, and the three point line,than Durant this year. If Durant wants any hope of being as good as Rose, he will need to get strong like Rose. Once Rose starts getting superstar calls, his lack of talent at drawing fouls will be marginalized. Rose is so athletic that he completes drives that he is fouled on, while making it look like he has not been touched.Based on the improvement Derrick Rose has shown in his game this year, it is safe to assume he is one of the hardest working players in the NBA. If he continues to uphold that work ethic, he will become the best player in the league. Derrick Rose is developing a dependable three, and opponents should be wary of the day he becomes deadly from beyond the arc. Once this happens, we will no longer judge him based on his peers, but instead by how many rings he has won.Of course, Rose best characteristic has not even been mentioned yet. He is a born winner. He won Philadelphia Eagles jersey
two state championships in high school,and he was robbed of the NCAA Championship in his lone collegiate year by a coaching blunder that allowed Kansas to shoot a three, when they should have simply been fouled. In two NBA seasons, Rose has piloted a mediocre Bulls teams to the playoffs. Now they are good, and if Omer Asik can become a reliable member of the rotation in crunch time, the Bulls could win the NBA Finals this year. Crazier things have happened.
probably pulling their hair out right now, but Kevin Durant is less dimensional and athletic than Derrick Rose. In fact, Durant will be the second best player on the Thunder in a few years. Russell Westbrook is the only rising star who poses a legitimate threat to Rose becoming the best player in the NBA, and he is lagging way behind Rose emerging perimeter game.Derrick Rose contributions cannot be measured by stats alone, however impressive they may be. Derrick Rose is a field general who can lead the Bulls to a 130-128 overtime victory one night, and allow the Bulls to squeak by in a low scoring gamethe next. The only real knock on Rose is his lack of defense; however, if his perimeter shooting continues to improve, he could go for 35 points per game. That's right, Derrick Rose could flirt with statistics only Kobe and Michael have achieved recently.Rose has the potential to play defense as well as anybody. Up until this point, he has never needed to. On the defensive end, Derrick sometimes looks like he is out of position, but when he does get burned, he tends to burn several defenders on the next play. Rose just needs to recognize that he cannot take plays off on defense if he wants to be recognized as the NBA top player.Rose potential was never more visible than in a loss to the Lakers at the Staples Center. After a game in which Rose was unstoppable, an upset Rose was taken aside by Kobe Bryant. Bryant whispered something into Derrick Rose ear, and one can only speculate that he was saying, Oakland Raiders jersey
Derrick, don worry. In two years, this is your league.Of course, it's stillKobe, andhe probably added, But for now it still my league.Even though Durant has been anointed the successor to Kobe and LeBron, there is no set line of succession to determine who the NBA best player is. Kevin Durant lacks the explosiveness that will be needed more and more in the coming years of the NBA. Derrick Rose isjust as explosive as LeBron James, just in a smaller package. While James can lay out defenders on the way to the rim thanks to a six foot eight frame, Derrick Rose can maneuver between three players mid-air while taking the ball to the basket.Durant relies too much on the line. His most explosive move is hooking his elbow under a defender outstretched arm and going up with the ball to draw a foul even though he has created no shot. That is the key difference between Durant and Rose;Durant cannot create shots likeRose. His deadly aim creates shots thanks to the dynamic qualities of Westbrook, but Rose currently averages higher field goal percentages from the floor, and the three point line,than Durant this year. If Durant wants any hope of being as good as Rose, he will need to get strong like Rose. Once Rose starts getting superstar calls, his lack of talent at drawing fouls will be marginalized. Rose is so athletic that he completes drives that he is fouled on, while making it look like he has not been touched.Based on the improvement Derrick Rose has shown in his game this year, it is safe to assume he is one of the hardest working players in the NBA. If he continues to uphold that work ethic, he will become the best player in the league. Derrick Rose is developing a dependable three, and opponents should be wary of the day he becomes deadly from beyond the arc. Once this happens, we will no longer judge him based on his peers, but instead by how many rings he has won.Of course, Rose best characteristic has not even been mentioned yet. He is a born winner. He won Philadelphia Eagles jersey
two state championships in high school,and he was robbed of the NCAA Championship in his lone collegiate year by a coaching blunder that allowed Kansas to shoot a three, when they should have simply been fouled. In two NBA seasons, Rose has piloted a mediocre Bulls teams to the playoffs. Now they are good, and if Omer Asik can become a reliable member of the rotation in crunch time, the Bulls could win the NBA Finals this year. Crazier things have happened.
2010年12月24日星期五
24 Dec 10 The Chicago Bulls 5th Pre-Season Game: An Analysis
Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesThe Chicago Bulls lost for the third time in five preseason games 109-105 in their rematch with the Dallas Mavericks in overtime. Many factors worked against the Bulls including not having either of their natural power forwards in the game (both Carlos Boozer and Taj Seattle Seahawks jersey
Gibson did not play due to injuries). However, the contest marked bit of a regression for the Bulls. It also exposed some of the Bulls persistent issues that are magnified by their hole at the power forward position.The Bulls were surprised early in the game by the Maverick’s zone defense. It created a lot of shooting difficulty for Chicago who persistently tried to drill the ball in the paint, a part of the game they have experimented with having Joakim Noah playing power forward. Adjustment to the zone defense came quickly but disappeared just as quick in the second half. In addition, the Bulls were still vulnerable to cutting Mavericks players who ran behind the Bulls defense on hard cuts to the rim. Throughout the game, Dallas often beat Bulls defenders while driving the corners. The Bulls were initially able to build a sizable lead, primarily because the Mavericks underestimated the Bulls perimeter shooting. But late in the first half the Maverick’s closed the gap with Bulls bench on the floor. Again, Chicago’s attempts at feeding the ball in the paint became somewhat predictable and led to many careless passes to anticipating Maverick players. For a large part of the second half, the Bulls did not push the ball up the court which had worked well for them early and after starting with good ball movement; it slowed in the middle of the game. The Bulls also could not capitalize on Dallas mistakes including multiple illegal defenses. Chicago seemed to be standing around more in the second quarter looking for plays to come to them instead of making it happened, a result of not using their driving ability to attack the basket. Their offensive sets looked much more tentative after the first quarter. It seemed as though once the Dallas zone St. Louis Rams jersey
defense shut down the Bulls ability to feed it inside, they could have used Derrick Rose and James Johnson or even Ronnie Brewer to break down the Mavericks by slashing to the basket. That may have limited errant passes and perhaps put Bulls players on the foul line more often. Dirk Nowitzki was able to capitalize on the Bulls weakness at the power forward position and got plenty of assistance from the referees, one of which led to yet another dubious technical on the Bulls in the past two games this time on Coach Tom Thibodeau. After the Bulls struggled to score, Thibodeau made an interesting move putting Brewer, Rose, and Keith Bogans on the floor which seemed to suggest deference to defense in an effort to stop the Mavericks scoring. The Bulls did finish very strong and their defense had more energy later in the game.Chicago did a tremendous job in hitting perimeter three point shots especially in the first half. That was supposedly a weakness for the team going into the season. If they can consistently hit from the outside as they demonstrated against the Mavericks, they should be considered one of the elite three point shooting teams in the league. The three point threat has been shown significantly by Keith Bogans, Kyle Korver, and Luol Deng; with C.J. Watson and James Johnson providing a better than decent effectiveness from beyond the arch; and Derrick Rose now being more consistent and confident with his shot. During the beginning and the end of the game, the Bulls showed good momentum. Their speed off the ball was effective. On defense the Bulls showed good hands pursuing the ball and making a number of steals. They were also effective driving to the rim the few opportunities they took which may have tilted the game in their favor if they utilized their slashers more often.Individually the Bulls had mixed results. Derrick Rose shined hitting a three point shot to send the game into overtime. He had his almost now customary dramatic fast breaks especially a lightning quick burst in the first quarter for a layup. Luol Deng was equally as effective both from the three point line and the moderate number of times he drove the ball. He was 5-for-7 from behind the arc. Deng had a monster outing hitting beyond the arch. Both Rose and Deng scored 23 pointsOmer Asik is becoming a more potent weapon for the Bulls in the paint and showed particular strength off of a feed for a successful layup. In addition, another area that was Tennessee Titans jersey
considered a weakness for the Bulls, Asiks free throws, is looking less like a liability. Asik had a nice block in the first quarter which was unfortunately stolen back and ended in a three point play, however it demonstrated that Asik is pretty good at picking off passes and lobs. He finished with 7 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in 21 minutes of action. James Johnson provided contributions to the Bulls in a number of ways in limited minutes including a great toss to Rose who elevated and slammed the ball. In addition, Johnson took a timely charge towards the end of the game. His effectiveness when pushing the ball to the basket during overtime suggests that he should have been driving more often and drawing fouls. Johnson finished with 8 points and 6 rebounds. Noah again had a strong game and showed nice footwork. For the second straight contest he played heavy minutes (35). Bogans continued to be a three point mercenary with two connects in the game but that was on 6 attempts. Brewer’s athleticism was good and he also should have been allowed to try to get to the basket more often. His defense was also strong with him picking off a pass ball for a steal just as he entered the game. Kyle Korver had an off night missing several shots including a free throw on a technical foul. C.J Watson also had a terrible shooting night going 2-for-13. Brian Scalabrini seemed to be having problems handling the ball.Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesWhile the Bulls can point to numerous reasons why they lost the game one of the more frustrating must be the terrible officiating by the referees. There were a considerable amount of fouls called or not called which affected the outcome more than it should have. That included a no-call on Jason Kidd for obviously fouling Derrick Rose on a break; another obvious no-call late in the second quarter again involving Rose; what should have been a flagrant on Dirk Nowitzki on a breaking C.J. Watson, and a no foul call on Dallas Maverick Ian Mahinmi off of a blatant push off. Unfortunately the game of basketball is a competition where excuses don’t matter and bad calls must be endured. For the Bulls, this latest outing should be a wakeup call to remind them what it takes to Washington Redskins jersey
close out games. The Dallas Mavericks are arguably one of three best teams in the Western conference and the Bulls appeared to be competitive in a game that clearly both teams were somewhat focused on winning. But the Bulls were exposed for some of their enduring weak spots and must make adjustments in order to compete at the highest levels and reach the potential that they continue to show. For the game, I would grade the Bulls defense an B, and the offense a B-, coaching an A- and the team overall a B
Gibson did not play due to injuries). However, the contest marked bit of a regression for the Bulls. It also exposed some of the Bulls persistent issues that are magnified by their hole at the power forward position.The Bulls were surprised early in the game by the Maverick’s zone defense. It created a lot of shooting difficulty for Chicago who persistently tried to drill the ball in the paint, a part of the game they have experimented with having Joakim Noah playing power forward. Adjustment to the zone defense came quickly but disappeared just as quick in the second half. In addition, the Bulls were still vulnerable to cutting Mavericks players who ran behind the Bulls defense on hard cuts to the rim. Throughout the game, Dallas often beat Bulls defenders while driving the corners. The Bulls were initially able to build a sizable lead, primarily because the Mavericks underestimated the Bulls perimeter shooting. But late in the first half the Maverick’s closed the gap with Bulls bench on the floor. Again, Chicago’s attempts at feeding the ball in the paint became somewhat predictable and led to many careless passes to anticipating Maverick players. For a large part of the second half, the Bulls did not push the ball up the court which had worked well for them early and after starting with good ball movement; it slowed in the middle of the game. The Bulls also could not capitalize on Dallas mistakes including multiple illegal defenses. Chicago seemed to be standing around more in the second quarter looking for plays to come to them instead of making it happened, a result of not using their driving ability to attack the basket. Their offensive sets looked much more tentative after the first quarter. It seemed as though once the Dallas zone St. Louis Rams jersey
defense shut down the Bulls ability to feed it inside, they could have used Derrick Rose and James Johnson or even Ronnie Brewer to break down the Mavericks by slashing to the basket. That may have limited errant passes and perhaps put Bulls players on the foul line more often. Dirk Nowitzki was able to capitalize on the Bulls weakness at the power forward position and got plenty of assistance from the referees, one of which led to yet another dubious technical on the Bulls in the past two games this time on Coach Tom Thibodeau. After the Bulls struggled to score, Thibodeau made an interesting move putting Brewer, Rose, and Keith Bogans on the floor which seemed to suggest deference to defense in an effort to stop the Mavericks scoring. The Bulls did finish very strong and their defense had more energy later in the game.Chicago did a tremendous job in hitting perimeter three point shots especially in the first half. That was supposedly a weakness for the team going into the season. If they can consistently hit from the outside as they demonstrated against the Mavericks, they should be considered one of the elite three point shooting teams in the league. The three point threat has been shown significantly by Keith Bogans, Kyle Korver, and Luol Deng; with C.J. Watson and James Johnson providing a better than decent effectiveness from beyond the arch; and Derrick Rose now being more consistent and confident with his shot. During the beginning and the end of the game, the Bulls showed good momentum. Their speed off the ball was effective. On defense the Bulls showed good hands pursuing the ball and making a number of steals. They were also effective driving to the rim the few opportunities they took which may have tilted the game in their favor if they utilized their slashers more often.Individually the Bulls had mixed results. Derrick Rose shined hitting a three point shot to send the game into overtime. He had his almost now customary dramatic fast breaks especially a lightning quick burst in the first quarter for a layup. Luol Deng was equally as effective both from the three point line and the moderate number of times he drove the ball. He was 5-for-7 from behind the arc. Deng had a monster outing hitting beyond the arch. Both Rose and Deng scored 23 pointsOmer Asik is becoming a more potent weapon for the Bulls in the paint and showed particular strength off of a feed for a successful layup. In addition, another area that was Tennessee Titans jersey
considered a weakness for the Bulls, Asiks free throws, is looking less like a liability. Asik had a nice block in the first quarter which was unfortunately stolen back and ended in a three point play, however it demonstrated that Asik is pretty good at picking off passes and lobs. He finished with 7 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in 21 minutes of action. James Johnson provided contributions to the Bulls in a number of ways in limited minutes including a great toss to Rose who elevated and slammed the ball. In addition, Johnson took a timely charge towards the end of the game. His effectiveness when pushing the ball to the basket during overtime suggests that he should have been driving more often and drawing fouls. Johnson finished with 8 points and 6 rebounds. Noah again had a strong game and showed nice footwork. For the second straight contest he played heavy minutes (35). Bogans continued to be a three point mercenary with two connects in the game but that was on 6 attempts. Brewer’s athleticism was good and he also should have been allowed to try to get to the basket more often. His defense was also strong with him picking off a pass ball for a steal just as he entered the game. Kyle Korver had an off night missing several shots including a free throw on a technical foul. C.J Watson also had a terrible shooting night going 2-for-13. Brian Scalabrini seemed to be having problems handling the ball.Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesWhile the Bulls can point to numerous reasons why they lost the game one of the more frustrating must be the terrible officiating by the referees. There were a considerable amount of fouls called or not called which affected the outcome more than it should have. That included a no-call on Jason Kidd for obviously fouling Derrick Rose on a break; another obvious no-call late in the second quarter again involving Rose; what should have been a flagrant on Dirk Nowitzki on a breaking C.J. Watson, and a no foul call on Dallas Maverick Ian Mahinmi off of a blatant push off. Unfortunately the game of basketball is a competition where excuses don’t matter and bad calls must be endured. For the Bulls, this latest outing should be a wakeup call to remind them what it takes to Washington Redskins jersey
close out games. The Dallas Mavericks are arguably one of three best teams in the Western conference and the Bulls appeared to be competitive in a game that clearly both teams were somewhat focused on winning. But the Bulls were exposed for some of their enduring weak spots and must make adjustments in order to compete at the highest levels and reach the potential that they continue to show. For the game, I would grade the Bulls defense an B, and the offense a B-, coaching an A- and the team overall a B
2010年12月23日星期四
23 Dec 10Toronto Raptors Acquire Peja Stojakovic and Bayless for Jack, Spare Parts
The Toronto Raptors have made a move for their future in acquiring Jerryd Bayless from the Hornets.Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesBryan Colangelo has done it again.Yes, I know some of us are still lamenting over the Michael Beasley debacle, but he was a potential locker room cancer, so lets all move onReebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
.Bryan Colangelo proved he has still got ‘it’ by acquiring a massive $14 million dollar expiring deal and our potential point guard of the future.The Toronto Raptors acquired Jerryd Bayless and Peja Stojakovic for Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks, a trade exception and David Andersen.It was too quiet in Raptor land to begin the season with not even a rumour being bandied about, which led one to reason that Bryan Colangelo must be working on something big. This deal is big indeed.Now while there are conflicting reports on whether or not Bryan Colangelo acquired Peja merely as a trade asset to utilize at this year's deadline, as a massive expiring deal they would let come off the books this summer, or as someone he wants Jay Triano to use in his rotation.We are hoping he plans to use him as a trade asset to help expedite our rebuilding process.But Peja is not what or who this deal was about.This deal was all about Jerryd Bayless and his outstanding potential.Jerryd Bayless has the potential to be our Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
point guard of the future and possesses excellent quickness and is an excellent scorer.He is a fearless slasher in the Monta Ellis mold and is someone who has a unique ability to draw contact time and time again when he gets in the paint. He is the type of point guard we have been waiting and clamoring for and I for one could not be happier about this deal.Toronto Raptors fans are going to be pleasantly surprised.Our Full Trade Analysis. This article can also be found at Raptors Digest.
.Bryan Colangelo proved he has still got ‘it’ by acquiring a massive $14 million dollar expiring deal and our potential point guard of the future.The Toronto Raptors acquired Jerryd Bayless and Peja Stojakovic for Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks, a trade exception and David Andersen.It was too quiet in Raptor land to begin the season with not even a rumour being bandied about, which led one to reason that Bryan Colangelo must be working on something big. This deal is big indeed.Now while there are conflicting reports on whether or not Bryan Colangelo acquired Peja merely as a trade asset to utilize at this year's deadline, as a massive expiring deal they would let come off the books this summer, or as someone he wants Jay Triano to use in his rotation.We are hoping he plans to use him as a trade asset to help expedite our rebuilding process.But Peja is not what or who this deal was about.This deal was all about Jerryd Bayless and his outstanding potential.Jerryd Bayless has the potential to be our Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
point guard of the future and possesses excellent quickness and is an excellent scorer.He is a fearless slasher in the Monta Ellis mold and is someone who has a unique ability to draw contact time and time again when he gets in the paint. He is the type of point guard we have been waiting and clamoring for and I for one could not be happier about this deal.Toronto Raptors fans are going to be pleasantly surprised.Our Full Trade Analysis. This article can also be found at Raptors Digest.
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