With every team having played at least one game it's time for some early thoughts.
Amar'e Stoudemire is going to get beat up all season long. Unless the Knicks can trade for someone ('Melo) he is going to get double and triple teamed every time he touches the ball. And why not? Danilo hasn't proven anything, Felton is average, and Wilson Chandler can't even crack the starting rotation. To beat the Knicks all you have to do is shut down Amar'e, which is going to happen a lot this year.
Boston is going to beat a lot of great teams this year, but they are also going to struggle at times. For example, the 2nd game of a back to back. Games against lesser teams. And of course the long road trips. All of these things can be attributed to the fact the Celtics are old...Very old. This team is going to get up against the likes of the HEAT, Bulls, Magic, Hawks, Lakers, Mavs, Spurs etc...but against teams like the Cavs (who they just lost to) they will struggle more than a top team should. It's hard for a bunch of mid 30-year-olds to get up for every single game and there is little motivation to play hard against the Warriors or the Wolves.
At some point Rudy Fernandez is going to explode at everyone in the Blazers organization. He has been asking for a trade for months now and in two games he's averaging a mere 19 minutes a night. This isn't going to end well. Either Fernandez is going to force his way out off the team or be a HUGE distraction all season long. There is no in between.
Miami may have lost opening night, but they are going to crush most teams. Losing at Boston is nothing to be ashamed of considering it's the first time the 'Big 3' actually played together. And how did they follow up the big loss? By dominating the 76ers in Philadelphia. The HEAT are going to lose games this year, but rarely will they lose to the likes of the Sixers, Wolves, or Nets. It takes time for players to gel so beating the top teams in the league may not happen right away, but they have way to much talent to lose to the crappy teams.
Speaking of Miami, Chris Bosh is about to become the highest paid 14 point per game scorer in history. Everyone is talking about who will lead LeBron or Wade, but I'm much more interested in watching Bosh become a third banana. If anyone is going to blow up after a few losses it will be Bosh demanding more shots and wanting the ball more. I am really hoping this happens. In two games this season, Bosh is averaging 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. Way to earn that max money.
Blake Griffin looked ridiculously good in his first game. His athleticism is unmatched at the power forward spot. He flies around the court like a guard. As soon as this year he could be a top five player at his position and that is really saying something considering he is competing against Dirk, Bosh, Boozer, etc...
The Suns are still going to be a lot of fun to watch, but they are at best a first round playoff team. They have no inside scoring presence and as a Bulls fan I know you can only go so far with a team based on the perimeter. Plus Hedo looks terrible. I'm still confident the Suns will sneak into the playoffs, but they won't be able to repeat their success of last year's playoff run.
So on to some Bulls thoughts. First and foremost for the Bulls to be a great team Derrick Rose cannot shoot 30 shots a night. I know he has to score, but there were several opportunities in the fourth quarter where Derrick took a tough shot despite someone being open either underneath or on the perimeter. One such occasion was during a pick and roll with Noah where he rolled to the basket. The Thunder doubled Rose, but instead of throwing an alley-oop for an easy two, Rose forced up a floater that he missed. That was a key moment in the game that could have helped swing things in the Bulls favor. I'm not saying Derrick shouldn't force some shots, but he has to learn when to force it and when to trust his teammates, and anytime Noah is involved he should always trust him.
Ronnie Brewer looks terrible. He looks slow, his jumper is even worse than I remember it, and he can't hit a free throw. The Bulls desperately need Brewer to be their starter. They need his athleticism on the break and his ability to lockdown players like Kobe and Wade. Without him it's a steady dose of Bogans and that is never good.
Kurt Thomas should never play, Omer Asik proved in the preseason he deserves a shot at being Noah's backup. He runs, he defends, he rebounds, and he blocks shots. Thomas does none of these things. That is the only complaint I had from Thibs first game as a coach and hopefully it will be my last.
Deng had a rough first game, but I'm not worried about that. He actually played pretty good defense on Kevin Durant for most of the game and it was clear that's where his focus was. Moving forward he needs to continue to be aggressive and then the Bulls should be fine.
Boozer gets his cast off Tuesday, with any luck he'll be back before December. Since it's Boozer expect him back in January. Just kidding...Hopefully.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The West
It took a while, but here are my West picks...A little abbreviated, I am a very important and busy person after all.
1. Lakers-This is the easiest pick in the League. Barring a major injury to Kobe or Pau they will have the best record in the West.
2. San Antonio-I think this is truly the last hoorah for them, plus Tony Parker is playing for a contract so you know he's going to be good.
3. Dallas-They are just built for the regular season.
4. Thunder-The West is going to be loaded from 1-8 in the playoffs and I think the Thunder win 50+ games and win the division, but picking them any higher is tough to do when they are so thin up front.
5. Utah-DWill, Sloan, Al Jefferson, they will be too good to fall to far in the rankings.
6. Portland-If Oden can play 55 games they will be even higher, since we know he can't this feels about right. I like to make my West picks based on feel and not any actual statistical evidence.
7. Houston-With or without Yao this team is good enough to make the first round, assuming they don't trade Kevin Martin for nothing.
8. Phoenix-They could miss the playoffs, but the NBA will be a worse place once Steve Nash is finally done. So I'm picking them to eke it out.
Teams that missed: Memphis-I think they take a step back, Gay has nothing to play for and everyone else is already pissed.
New Orleans-As great as Chris Paul is, there just isn't enough talent.
Denver-I think 'Melo gets traded East and this team gets taken apart.
Minnesota-A lot of fun pieces, Beasely, Love, Wes Johnson, but they are not a real good fit with each other. Fun to watch, but they won't win too many games.
Golden State-Until they make a choice between Curry and Ellis this team isn't sniffing the playoffs.
Sacramento-From top to bottom, this team isn't close to having enough talent to make the playoffs. Talent wise they are easily in the bottom five of the League.
Clippers-If they could stay healthy they would have a shot, but since it's the Clippers they won't stay healthy. Plus there's that whole VDN thing!
1. Lakers-This is the easiest pick in the League. Barring a major injury to Kobe or Pau they will have the best record in the West.
2. San Antonio-I think this is truly the last hoorah for them, plus Tony Parker is playing for a contract so you know he's going to be good.
3. Dallas-They are just built for the regular season.
4. Thunder-The West is going to be loaded from 1-8 in the playoffs and I think the Thunder win 50+ games and win the division, but picking them any higher is tough to do when they are so thin up front.
5. Utah-DWill, Sloan, Al Jefferson, they will be too good to fall to far in the rankings.
6. Portland-If Oden can play 55 games they will be even higher, since we know he can't this feels about right. I like to make my West picks based on feel and not any actual statistical evidence.
7. Houston-With or without Yao this team is good enough to make the first round, assuming they don't trade Kevin Martin for nothing.
8. Phoenix-They could miss the playoffs, but the NBA will be a worse place once Steve Nash is finally done. So I'm picking them to eke it out.
Teams that missed: Memphis-I think they take a step back, Gay has nothing to play for and everyone else is already pissed.
New Orleans-As great as Chris Paul is, there just isn't enough talent.
Denver-I think 'Melo gets traded East and this team gets taken apart.
Minnesota-A lot of fun pieces, Beasely, Love, Wes Johnson, but they are not a real good fit with each other. Fun to watch, but they won't win too many games.
Golden State-Until they make a choice between Curry and Ellis this team isn't sniffing the playoffs.
Sacramento-From top to bottom, this team isn't close to having enough talent to make the playoffs. Talent wise they are easily in the bottom five of the League.
Clippers-If they could stay healthy they would have a shot, but since it's the Clippers they won't stay healthy. Plus there's that whole VDN thing!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Predictions
Normally I make predictions after I've read the SI NBA Preview issue, but since I no longer receive it in the mail and I'm cheap, I'm just going to throw my predictions out there. Today I'm going to do the East, mainly because the Bulls are in the East and I know more about it. Tomorrow I'll give the world the West.
1. Miami Heat (66-16)-This pretty easy. Anyone who picks any team to have a better record in the East than the Heat is smoking something or a serious 'homer.' The Heat are loaded and are going to win and win and win. But winning 70 or 72 games is just ridiculous. LeBron isn't Jordan, Wade isn't Pippen, and no one has ever been Dennis Rodman. Plus Wade is already nursing injuries and every team in the League is going to get up for playing them. Best record in the NBA, Yes. Best record in the history of the NBA, NO!
2. Orlando Magic (59-23)-Dwight Howard is pissed and is going to have his best season to date. He could even throw up a MVP type season. Jameer Nelson looks healthy and should have a pre injury type year. JJ Redick is entering what should be a very good prime. Those are the good things. The bad things? They are getting almost nothing from Rashard Lewis. The League has figured him out, don't let him shoot threes and be physical with him if he ever tries to post up. Vince Carter really really sucks. I don't care what he's done in the preseason there is no way he will be the teams best two guard by the time the playoffs start. It's tough to win a championship when two of your starters are below average at their position.
3. Chicago Bulls (49-33)-That's right, I am picking the Bulls to earn the three seed despite Carlos Boozer starting the year injured. Also, the gap between the Heat and Magic and the rest of the East is really big. Ten games might be conservative. But I digress. The Bulls have a good coach, a star PG, a top 6 center, and a SF who appears to be getting back to his slashing cutting studly ways. This team is a healthy Carlos Boozer away from winning 55 games, which means it will never happen. But with Rose, Noah, Deng and parts, this team is going to push 50 wins for the next several years. Also, look for Rose to make a leap this year and be talked about with Deron Williams and Chris Paul.
4. Boston Celtics (48-34)-They are old, and they are going to miss Kendrick Perkins more than they realize. Jermaine and Shaquille O'Neal are not defensive players and are not rebounders. That is what this team needs and those two players are terrible. If Perkins is healthy come playoff time than anything is possible, but I will be very surprised if this team wins 50 games. The only real bright spot is Rajon Rondo is a terrific player. I hate him, but he causes havoc on the defensive end and even though he can't shoot he seems to get into the paint whenever he wants.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (46-36)-The only thing that could derail this team is if the players quit on Coach Skiles and unfortunately that has happened in Chicago AND Phoenix. But baring that catastrophe, which I do not expect to happen (at least not until next season), the Bucks are going to be tough. They are deep, have a good floor general in Brandon Jennings and arguably the second best center in the League. Yes he is injury prone, but when healthy he is tough on defense and one of the few bigs you can run your offense through. The downside to this team, they overpaid for John Salmons, Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette so this is it for the next three or four years.
6. Atlanta Hawks (45-37)-The Hawks are going the wrong direction and have already peaked. They've proven they can't beat the good teams in the playoffs and their best player just signed the biggest deal of the offseason. What motivation does he have. The coach is arguing with the defensive stud about his terrible shot selection. The Sixth Man of the year is either going to sabotage the season or get traded. There is just nothing to like here, except for Al Horford, who continues to play out of position.
I think the top six teams are pretty much set. Barring some disasters these six teams will make the playoffs, the seeding may change but they'll be there. The last two could be just about anyone.
7. New Jersey (41-41)-This is purely because I think they land Carmelo Anthony by December 1st. A team with Anthony, Brook Lopez, and Troy Murphy should probably make the playoffs. But if they don't land Anthony then they have very little shot.
8. New York (40-42)-I think D'Antonio's style will win them just enough games to get into the playoffs. Amare' will score and even though Ray Felton is no Steve Nash he is a big upgrade over what the Knicks have had the best few years. I don't like this team, but the bottom of the East is just plain terrible.
Teams that missed, in no particular order: Indiana Pacers-Right now, only Collison and Granger are NBA caliber starters. Roy Hibbert could get there in a year or two, but right now this team is terrible. The Smoker aka Larry Bird, needs to break this thing down completely and rebuild...again. Get rid of Granger while he has value and build around Collison and Hibbert and whatever draft picks you get.
Charlotte Bobcats-Their season went straight into the toilet the minute they traded Tyson Chandler. I know he only played half the game for them, but they need his defensive presence and without it Larry Brown is going to wear out his welcome real quick. Plus any team that HAS to rely on Tyrus Thomas is in big trouble. I'll always root for Thomas, but I doubt he ever gets anywhere near his potential, especially after he just signed a big extension.
Toronto Raptors-They have zero talent and could fight for the worst team in the League. Colangelo should lose his job at the end of this season, that's how bad a job he has done since drafting Andrea Bargnani.
Detroit Pistons-They should be able score this year, but no one, and I mean NO ONE will play any defense. Tayshaun Prince has had enough, you can see it every time he steps on the court, plus he is their only tradeable asset. Ben Wallace is old and terrible and the rest of their team are wing scorers like Richard Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, and Charlie V. This team is going to be a train wreck to watch. And speaking of GMs who should have been fired, it's amazing Joe Dumars still has a job.
Philadelphia 76ers-I like the players, but the pieces don't fit. If Evan Turner can learn to play off the ball then the Sixers should have a starting five worthy of making the playoffs. Jrue Holliday, Turner, the new AI, Thadeous Young, and Elton Brand. That is the team new coach Doug Collins should throw out there and that is a team that should win at least 41 games.
Washington Wizards-As long as Gilbert Arenas is around this team isn't going anywhere. As an aside, John Wall is good. See below for further details.
Cleveland Cavs-There is nothing to talk about here. If the best player in the League leaves your team and you didn't have a backup plan, you are going to struggle for a few years. That's where the Cavs are right now. Hopefully they will gut this team and rebuild through free agency and the draft as quickly as possible.
1. Miami Heat (66-16)-This pretty easy. Anyone who picks any team to have a better record in the East than the Heat is smoking something or a serious 'homer.' The Heat are loaded and are going to win and win and win. But winning 70 or 72 games is just ridiculous. LeBron isn't Jordan, Wade isn't Pippen, and no one has ever been Dennis Rodman. Plus Wade is already nursing injuries and every team in the League is going to get up for playing them. Best record in the NBA, Yes. Best record in the history of the NBA, NO!
2. Orlando Magic (59-23)-Dwight Howard is pissed and is going to have his best season to date. He could even throw up a MVP type season. Jameer Nelson looks healthy and should have a pre injury type year. JJ Redick is entering what should be a very good prime. Those are the good things. The bad things? They are getting almost nothing from Rashard Lewis. The League has figured him out, don't let him shoot threes and be physical with him if he ever tries to post up. Vince Carter really really sucks. I don't care what he's done in the preseason there is no way he will be the teams best two guard by the time the playoffs start. It's tough to win a championship when two of your starters are below average at their position.
3. Chicago Bulls (49-33)-That's right, I am picking the Bulls to earn the three seed despite Carlos Boozer starting the year injured. Also, the gap between the Heat and Magic and the rest of the East is really big. Ten games might be conservative. But I digress. The Bulls have a good coach, a star PG, a top 6 center, and a SF who appears to be getting back to his slashing cutting studly ways. This team is a healthy Carlos Boozer away from winning 55 games, which means it will never happen. But with Rose, Noah, Deng and parts, this team is going to push 50 wins for the next several years. Also, look for Rose to make a leap this year and be talked about with Deron Williams and Chris Paul.
4. Boston Celtics (48-34)-They are old, and they are going to miss Kendrick Perkins more than they realize. Jermaine and Shaquille O'Neal are not defensive players and are not rebounders. That is what this team needs and those two players are terrible. If Perkins is healthy come playoff time than anything is possible, but I will be very surprised if this team wins 50 games. The only real bright spot is Rajon Rondo is a terrific player. I hate him, but he causes havoc on the defensive end and even though he can't shoot he seems to get into the paint whenever he wants.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (46-36)-The only thing that could derail this team is if the players quit on Coach Skiles and unfortunately that has happened in Chicago AND Phoenix. But baring that catastrophe, which I do not expect to happen (at least not until next season), the Bucks are going to be tough. They are deep, have a good floor general in Brandon Jennings and arguably the second best center in the League. Yes he is injury prone, but when healthy he is tough on defense and one of the few bigs you can run your offense through. The downside to this team, they overpaid for John Salmons, Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette so this is it for the next three or four years.
6. Atlanta Hawks (45-37)-The Hawks are going the wrong direction and have already peaked. They've proven they can't beat the good teams in the playoffs and their best player just signed the biggest deal of the offseason. What motivation does he have. The coach is arguing with the defensive stud about his terrible shot selection. The Sixth Man of the year is either going to sabotage the season or get traded. There is just nothing to like here, except for Al Horford, who continues to play out of position.
I think the top six teams are pretty much set. Barring some disasters these six teams will make the playoffs, the seeding may change but they'll be there. The last two could be just about anyone.
7. New Jersey (41-41)-This is purely because I think they land Carmelo Anthony by December 1st. A team with Anthony, Brook Lopez, and Troy Murphy should probably make the playoffs. But if they don't land Anthony then they have very little shot.
8. New York (40-42)-I think D'Antonio's style will win them just enough games to get into the playoffs. Amare' will score and even though Ray Felton is no Steve Nash he is a big upgrade over what the Knicks have had the best few years. I don't like this team, but the bottom of the East is just plain terrible.
Teams that missed, in no particular order: Indiana Pacers-Right now, only Collison and Granger are NBA caliber starters. Roy Hibbert could get there in a year or two, but right now this team is terrible. The Smoker aka Larry Bird, needs to break this thing down completely and rebuild...again. Get rid of Granger while he has value and build around Collison and Hibbert and whatever draft picks you get.
Charlotte Bobcats-Their season went straight into the toilet the minute they traded Tyson Chandler. I know he only played half the game for them, but they need his defensive presence and without it Larry Brown is going to wear out his welcome real quick. Plus any team that HAS to rely on Tyrus Thomas is in big trouble. I'll always root for Thomas, but I doubt he ever gets anywhere near his potential, especially after he just signed a big extension.
Toronto Raptors-They have zero talent and could fight for the worst team in the League. Colangelo should lose his job at the end of this season, that's how bad a job he has done since drafting Andrea Bargnani.
Detroit Pistons-They should be able score this year, but no one, and I mean NO ONE will play any defense. Tayshaun Prince has had enough, you can see it every time he steps on the court, plus he is their only tradeable asset. Ben Wallace is old and terrible and the rest of their team are wing scorers like Richard Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, and Charlie V. This team is going to be a train wreck to watch. And speaking of GMs who should have been fired, it's amazing Joe Dumars still has a job.
Philadelphia 76ers-I like the players, but the pieces don't fit. If Evan Turner can learn to play off the ball then the Sixers should have a starting five worthy of making the playoffs. Jrue Holliday, Turner, the new AI, Thadeous Young, and Elton Brand. That is the team new coach Doug Collins should throw out there and that is a team that should win at least 41 games.
Washington Wizards-As long as Gilbert Arenas is around this team isn't going anywhere. As an aside, John Wall is good. See below for further details.
Cleveland Cavs-There is nothing to talk about here. If the best player in the League leaves your team and you didn't have a backup plan, you are going to struggle for a few years. That's where the Cavs are right now. Hopefully they will gut this team and rebuild through free agency and the draft as quickly as possible.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
View From the Stanchion
Sorry it's been so long since my last post (not that anyone is reading), but I just made the big move from Sunny Saint Augustine, Florida to cold and windy Chicago. But now that I am officially moved in it should give me time to update more regularly. So on to the blogging.
Throughout this NBA Season I will be going to many Bulls basketball games, I am a season ticket holder after all. When I view a game live I will be breaking it down with the title "View From the Upper Rafters" since my seats are in the upper balcony. However, I also work in television so I will occasionally watch a game from a court side kneeling position right next to the basket (or Stanchion). This past Friday was one such occasion as I had the privilege of working on a Derrick Rose shoot for Adidas. So here's what I saw in the Bulls/Pacers Game. By the way, sitting this close to the action is every bit as amazing as it sounds!!!
-First and foremost, and this may shock some people, it certainly did me. But LARRY BIRD IS A SMOKER!!! Seriously, one of the greatest basketball players EVER smokes cigarettes. How could someone who had the physical gifts of Larry Bird treat his body like such crap now? It boggles the mind. The only excuse I can come up with is the pressure of destroying the Pacers has finally gotten to him and he needs some kind of release. This really bothers me, it bothers me more than it should, but SMOKING? REALLY?
-Roy Hibbert has a chance to be good, not great, but good. He has good footwork, he moves pretty quickly for a man his size and he has a very nice jump hook that he can shoot with either hand. The big problem? He is a below average rebounder for someone his size. There is no reason he shouldn't average close to 10 boards a game and against the Bulls Omer Asik, a rookie, ate him up all night on the glass and he ended up with only 3 rebounds in over 30 minutes. That's just terrible.
-Speaking of Asik, he is already a decent back up center. He has no offensive moves and is a terrible free throw shooter, but he moves well on defense, is a monster on the boards, and won't force up a shot offensively unless he gets stuck late in the shot clock. He is already better than Kurt Thomas and I expect him to be Noah's backup to start the season. I'm not saying he'll ever be anything more than a career backup, but what I am saying is by the end of the year he'll be one of the better backups in the league.
-And speaking of Kurt Thomas, he will be one of the slowest players in the league this year. Yes he is intimidating, and yes he sets good picks, but the man moves like a turtle.
-The Pacers are going to be just terrible this year. Definitely one of the four worst teams in the East and probably top 7 worst in the league. It's really sad to see this team in person. Without Granger (who sat out) there is just zero talent on this team. Collison is a nice player, but he's better served being your fourth option, not your number one or two. In other words, it's going to be a long year for Pacer fans.
-Luol Deng had the best game I've seen him play. He was everywhere defensively ending up with 8 boards in 30 minutes and he only missed 4 shots going 7-11 from the field and 12-12 from the charity stripe. He ended the night with 29 points and had a plus/minus of +29. I'm no Mathematician but those numbers add up to a championship...Just kidding, but that is one hell of a night.
-Lastly, Derrick Rose up close is unbelievable. He's quick as lightning, as strong as most small forwards, and seems to always be in control. My only knocks on him, he turns the ball over too much and sometimes he has a hitch in his shot. The turnovers bother me more than anything because a lot of times they are silly turnovers. Like forcing his dribble into a double team when a guy is open on the perimeter. The hitch in his shot is a minor thing and only seems to come out when he is shooting threes. His 15-18 footer looks perfect, but when he backs up to 23'9'' he does a weird little thing with his wrist sometimes. When he was warming up it showed up on almost every three he took, but during the game the three he made looked perfect, the three he missed looked terrible. Neither of these knocks are a big deal and really I'm just looking for something to criticize him about otherwise all I would be doing is blowing smoke up his butt.
Throughout this NBA Season I will be going to many Bulls basketball games, I am a season ticket holder after all. When I view a game live I will be breaking it down with the title "View From the Upper Rafters" since my seats are in the upper balcony. However, I also work in television so I will occasionally watch a game from a court side kneeling position right next to the basket (or Stanchion). This past Friday was one such occasion as I had the privilege of working on a Derrick Rose shoot for Adidas. So here's what I saw in the Bulls/Pacers Game. By the way, sitting this close to the action is every bit as amazing as it sounds!!!
-First and foremost, and this may shock some people, it certainly did me. But LARRY BIRD IS A SMOKER!!! Seriously, one of the greatest basketball players EVER smokes cigarettes. How could someone who had the physical gifts of Larry Bird treat his body like such crap now? It boggles the mind. The only excuse I can come up with is the pressure of destroying the Pacers has finally gotten to him and he needs some kind of release. This really bothers me, it bothers me more than it should, but SMOKING? REALLY?
-Roy Hibbert has a chance to be good, not great, but good. He has good footwork, he moves pretty quickly for a man his size and he has a very nice jump hook that he can shoot with either hand. The big problem? He is a below average rebounder for someone his size. There is no reason he shouldn't average close to 10 boards a game and against the Bulls Omer Asik, a rookie, ate him up all night on the glass and he ended up with only 3 rebounds in over 30 minutes. That's just terrible.
-Speaking of Asik, he is already a decent back up center. He has no offensive moves and is a terrible free throw shooter, but he moves well on defense, is a monster on the boards, and won't force up a shot offensively unless he gets stuck late in the shot clock. He is already better than Kurt Thomas and I expect him to be Noah's backup to start the season. I'm not saying he'll ever be anything more than a career backup, but what I am saying is by the end of the year he'll be one of the better backups in the league.
-And speaking of Kurt Thomas, he will be one of the slowest players in the league this year. Yes he is intimidating, and yes he sets good picks, but the man moves like a turtle.
-The Pacers are going to be just terrible this year. Definitely one of the four worst teams in the East and probably top 7 worst in the league. It's really sad to see this team in person. Without Granger (who sat out) there is just zero talent on this team. Collison is a nice player, but he's better served being your fourth option, not your number one or two. In other words, it's going to be a long year for Pacer fans.
-Luol Deng had the best game I've seen him play. He was everywhere defensively ending up with 8 boards in 30 minutes and he only missed 4 shots going 7-11 from the field and 12-12 from the charity stripe. He ended the night with 29 points and had a plus/minus of +29. I'm no Mathematician but those numbers add up to a championship...Just kidding, but that is one hell of a night.
-Lastly, Derrick Rose up close is unbelievable. He's quick as lightning, as strong as most small forwards, and seems to always be in control. My only knocks on him, he turns the ball over too much and sometimes he has a hitch in his shot. The turnovers bother me more than anything because a lot of times they are silly turnovers. Like forcing his dribble into a double team when a guy is open on the perimeter. The hitch in his shot is a minor thing and only seems to come out when he is shooting threes. His 15-18 footer looks perfect, but when he backs up to 23'9'' he does a weird little thing with his wrist sometimes. When he was warming up it showed up on almost every three he took, but during the game the three he made looked perfect, the three he missed looked terrible. Neither of these knocks are a big deal and really I'm just looking for something to criticize him about otherwise all I would be doing is blowing smoke up his butt.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Stars in the Making
If you're a diehard NBA guy like myself you've seen what some of the young guys can do. The two that are getting the most praise right now are John Wall and Blake Griffin. Having seen Wall play against Rose last week and watching Griffin play against San Antonio last night it's pretty clear to me that both players will be very good. I never predict superstardom for players, because so much of that depends on a team's popularity and how well they market their players. I expect, injuries not withstanding, for both players to make several all-star teams before it is all said and done. Wall is already a terrific NBA defender. He beats players to spots, his hands are as quick as anyone's in the league, and he has excellent off the ball instincts. Offensively he can get to just about anywhere on the floor and is an excellent passer, his shooting needs to improve but I expect that to happen. The question with Wall over the next decade is going to be 'who's better, him or Rose?' Hopefully it's Rose, but one thing is certain, John Wall is a going to be a force for years to come.
As for Blake Griffin, a player his size is usually not that athletic. He is quick like a guard, has a solid midrange game, and went around Tim Duncan last night like he was Eddy Curry (ok not that badly, but you get my point). Griffin is a high flier who can already finish with the best Power Forwards in the game. The downside for Griffin however is quite big. He plays for the LA Clippers, so he's bound to get injured again, Baron Davis is his Point Guard, so getting the ball will be an issue, and his head coach is Vinny Del Negro. VDN is not known as a 'Teacher' of the game. I hope he improves on his last job coaching my beloved Bulls, but I doubt it. If VDN can hold Griffin accountable he could be a defensive monster as well as a 20ppg guy.
Some others to watch for:
Xavier Henry-I haven't seen him play, but there is already rumblings about Mayo not being the long term fit in Memphis with Gay signed and Gasol and Randolph both seeking extensions. Plus all signs out of camp are he is a legit two guard in the NBA.
DeMarcus Cousins-Another player I haven't seen play yet, but he sure is getting a lot of Pub on Yahoo, ESPN, and NBA.com.
DeJaun Blair-He might not be a rookie, but he is going to have a break out season. He WILL end up being the starter sooner rather than later and he will be able to take a lot of pressure off of Duncan having to do everything down low. Blair is going to be a double/double machine this season and could win the Most Improved Player Award. I know he doesn't have any cartilage in his knees, but it's still amazing every team in the league passed on this guy at least once.
Michael Beasley-He's in his third year and I, like most, have ripped him since day one. But he seems to have found a home in Minnesota. He gets to do whatever he wants offensively (he's their first option), he's got a set position (Small Forward), and he isn't expected to save the franchise. It's really the perfect situation for him. I'm not a huge fan of his, but he is still only 21, and don't forget if not for Derrick Rose he would have been the first pick in the draft. Beasely can definitely score and I think this is the year he averages 20 points a night because he finally gets the minutes and at least in preseason almost everything flows through him offensively. Whether or not he rebounds or plays defense I have no idea, that's up to Coach Kurt Rambis. I don't expect Beasley to ever be an all-star, but I do expect him to score and in Minny that's what they need him to do.
As for Blake Griffin, a player his size is usually not that athletic. He is quick like a guard, has a solid midrange game, and went around Tim Duncan last night like he was Eddy Curry (ok not that badly, but you get my point). Griffin is a high flier who can already finish with the best Power Forwards in the game. The downside for Griffin however is quite big. He plays for the LA Clippers, so he's bound to get injured again, Baron Davis is his Point Guard, so getting the ball will be an issue, and his head coach is Vinny Del Negro. VDN is not known as a 'Teacher' of the game. I hope he improves on his last job coaching my beloved Bulls, but I doubt it. If VDN can hold Griffin accountable he could be a defensive monster as well as a 20ppg guy.
Some others to watch for:
Xavier Henry-I haven't seen him play, but there is already rumblings about Mayo not being the long term fit in Memphis with Gay signed and Gasol and Randolph both seeking extensions. Plus all signs out of camp are he is a legit two guard in the NBA.
DeMarcus Cousins-Another player I haven't seen play yet, but he sure is getting a lot of Pub on Yahoo, ESPN, and NBA.com.
DeJaun Blair-He might not be a rookie, but he is going to have a break out season. He WILL end up being the starter sooner rather than later and he will be able to take a lot of pressure off of Duncan having to do everything down low. Blair is going to be a double/double machine this season and could win the Most Improved Player Award. I know he doesn't have any cartilage in his knees, but it's still amazing every team in the league passed on this guy at least once.
Michael Beasley-He's in his third year and I, like most, have ripped him since day one. But he seems to have found a home in Minnesota. He gets to do whatever he wants offensively (he's their first option), he's got a set position (Small Forward), and he isn't expected to save the franchise. It's really the perfect situation for him. I'm not a huge fan of his, but he is still only 21, and don't forget if not for Derrick Rose he would have been the first pick in the draft. Beasely can definitely score and I think this is the year he averages 20 points a night because he finally gets the minutes and at least in preseason almost everything flows through him offensively. Whether or not he rebounds or plays defense I have no idea, that's up to Coach Kurt Rambis. I don't expect Beasley to ever be an all-star, but I do expect him to score and in Minny that's what they need him to do.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Preseason NBA League Pass
I just have one question, why doesn't the NBA League Pass televise all of the preseason games? I understand if some games aren't televised locally, there is no feed to show. But most games, even preseason games, are televised by the local cable affiliate. For example, I had to watch the Bulls play the Wizards the other night on a crappy internet stream from some random dudes blog. Why can this guy broadcast the game and the NBA can't? I would just like an answer, if there is a legit reason for it then I'll stop complaining, if not FIX IT!
As for everything else about the League Pass, I love it. I love the price (usually around 170), I love that you get the Broadband League Pass for free, and I love the Stat Channel as well. Getting back to the Broadband. It's amazing, and the fact that's it's free is the best deal around. MLB charges over 100 bucks for it. Being able to watch whatever game I want, whenever I want, anywhere I want is pretty much the perfect thing for a diehard NBA guy like myself. I have nothing but nice things to say about the League Pass once the season starts.
As for everything else about the League Pass, I love it. I love the price (usually around 170), I love that you get the Broadband League Pass for free, and I love the Stat Channel as well. Getting back to the Broadband. It's amazing, and the fact that's it's free is the best deal around. MLB charges over 100 bucks for it. Being able to watch whatever game I want, whenever I want, anywhere I want is pretty much the perfect thing for a diehard NBA guy like myself. I have nothing but nice things to say about the League Pass once the season starts.
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Bulls Finally Win!
The Bulls trounced the Washington Wizards tonight getting their first win of the preseason. I was never worried about them losing, but it is nice to get a W. So here are some thoughts.
-Rose still looks like he's rushing on offense, I get the sense he is taking on too much burden offensively. Yes everything HAS to flow through him, but he does have some other weapons. Noah on the high post, Deng slashing and posting up, and Korver camping out behind the arc. I would like to see Rose look for others just a little more, which should lead to easier opportunities for himself.
-It was great to see the Bulls get back to dominating the boards. I know the Wizards are a bit undersized, but tonight's effort was much closer to what I expect during the regular season with Noah going for double digit boards and the Wizards being out rebounded by 16. Early in the season if the Bulls have any chance of winning with Boozer out they have to out rebound their opponent, it's the one big advantage they have over most teams.
-Gilbert Arenas seems completely uninterested in playing for the Wizards. This is a guy who was expected to do anything at the University of Arizona. He was a second round draft pick. And he turned himself into one of the top stars in the League by playing with a HUGE chip on his shoulder. That chip is gone and what remains is a guy who stands out by the three point line and waits for someone to pass him the ball so he can jack a long jumper. It's really sad to see. Gilbert was a very entertaining player and personality before injuries and crazy took over. I'm rooting for him to get his passion back and form an explosive exciting back court with John Wall.
-As for Wall, he is much better than I thought he'd be. He might as quick as Rose, which is really saying something. He is a solid defender and is a better passer than I was expecting. Right now he is not as good as Rose (Rose is an all-star after all), but moving forward who knows. Two years from now these two could be battling for best point guard in the league! That being said, Rose will always be my favorite player.
Other NBA Notes
-The Miami Heat may average close to 110 points per game. Which is really amazing because they will definitely hold their opponents to under 100 points. That's a significant difference. They're still not winning 70 games though.
-It's nice what the Indiana Pacers are doing bringing in Darren Collison but they are still a lottery team and they still don't play any defense. If they win 30 games it will be a successful season.
-Vince Carter scored 25 points tonight, and he won't do it again for a couple of months. The Magic are screwed if they are going to rely on Carter to score 20 a night, completely screwed. My prediction stands, JJ Redick will be the starter by the all-star game.
-Rose still looks like he's rushing on offense, I get the sense he is taking on too much burden offensively. Yes everything HAS to flow through him, but he does have some other weapons. Noah on the high post, Deng slashing and posting up, and Korver camping out behind the arc. I would like to see Rose look for others just a little more, which should lead to easier opportunities for himself.
-It was great to see the Bulls get back to dominating the boards. I know the Wizards are a bit undersized, but tonight's effort was much closer to what I expect during the regular season with Noah going for double digit boards and the Wizards being out rebounded by 16. Early in the season if the Bulls have any chance of winning with Boozer out they have to out rebound their opponent, it's the one big advantage they have over most teams.
-Gilbert Arenas seems completely uninterested in playing for the Wizards. This is a guy who was expected to do anything at the University of Arizona. He was a second round draft pick. And he turned himself into one of the top stars in the League by playing with a HUGE chip on his shoulder. That chip is gone and what remains is a guy who stands out by the three point line and waits for someone to pass him the ball so he can jack a long jumper. It's really sad to see. Gilbert was a very entertaining player and personality before injuries and crazy took over. I'm rooting for him to get his passion back and form an explosive exciting back court with John Wall.
-As for Wall, he is much better than I thought he'd be. He might as quick as Rose, which is really saying something. He is a solid defender and is a better passer than I was expecting. Right now he is not as good as Rose (Rose is an all-star after all), but moving forward who knows. Two years from now these two could be battling for best point guard in the league! That being said, Rose will always be my favorite player.
Other NBA Notes
-The Miami Heat may average close to 110 points per game. Which is really amazing because they will definitely hold their opponents to under 100 points. That's a significant difference. They're still not winning 70 games though.
-It's nice what the Indiana Pacers are doing bringing in Darren Collison but they are still a lottery team and they still don't play any defense. If they win 30 games it will be a successful season.
-Vince Carter scored 25 points tonight, and he won't do it again for a couple of months. The Magic are screwed if they are going to rely on Carter to score 20 a night, completely screwed. My prediction stands, JJ Redick will be the starter by the all-star game.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
First Impressions (Bulls and NBA Wide)
Having missed the first Bulls preseason game I will give my first impressions now that I've seen them play the Mavs.
Derrick Rose appears to be rushing his jump shot. The fundamentals look the same, but everything seems a little sped up. And for someone who spent most of the offseason working on his jumper, there is no way he should be rushing or pressing on his shot. My hope is once he trusts it he will take his game from All-Star level to superstar level.
With no Boozer, this is just a slightly upgraded offensive team than last season. The ball moves a lot better than it did last year which is a plus, but it's still drive and kick with average shooters on the perimeter (Korver is a great shooter, but he can't shoot all the shots for the Bulls). Hopefully, if Boozer does come back healthy in December they will be able to play a little more inside/out and that will take some pressure off of Rose to always create for everyone. I will say it's nice to see that the Bulls don't run the pick and roll every single time down the floor like they did last year, that is a BIG POSITIVE to the new coaching regime!
The Bulls Defense is everything I hoped it would be, even the backups. Guys are constantly moving, jumping out to double team, getting hands in the passing lanes. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Bulls had a top five D at the end of the year, and if they do they will earn a top three seed.
Kyle Weaver (Bulls backup shooting guard) does not have a guaranteed contract with the Bulls. However, he SHOULD make the team and he SHOULD take Keith Bogans (who owns a several million dollar contract) spot on the bench. He is a much better player and has a lot more potential moving forward than Bogans.
Dwayne Wade is going to be out for two weeks or so with a strained hamstring. I'm obviously hoping this is a long term problem and affects him throughout the season. Unfortunately, even without him the Heat are the best team in the East. I'm not saying they would win in the playoffs if Bosh or Wade went down, but during the regular season, as long as they have LeBron they will end up with 60+ wins. Watching the Heat first preseason game was just like watching the Cavs last year. LeBron was everywhere and it doesn't matter who he plays with, his team is going to dominate, at least until the playoffs.
A lot of talk is that the Mavs or Oklahoma City will challenge the Lakers for the West, while I like both of those teams, I think the only legit shot of taking down the Lakers will be the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have a good mix of youth and veteran leadership and they have a lot of size. Splitter is big, Blair, and of course Timmy Duncan. And let's not count out Tony Parker, Manu and Richard Jefferson just yet. I think they have a lot left in the tank and proved it when they took apart the Mavs in last year's playoffs. I was all over the Mavs last year and thought they had a real chance to reach the Finals, but this year I refuse to believe they can be elite in the playoffs until they prove it. As for OKC, I think they can run off 55 wins or so, but they don't really have the size to compete with the Lakers come playoff time. Of course if Durant and Westbrook get even better then anything is possible.
I'm pretty tired of all this Yao Ming and Houston Rocket talk. HE'S ONLY GOING TO PLAY 24 MINUTES A NIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON! that means, they are going to be a bottom rung playoff team at best. Plus the Rockets refuse to extend any players this off season and I think that is going to piss some guys off. Mainly Aaron Brooks, and I think it's going to be an issue for a long time. Bottom line, they just don't have enough talent to compete with the top of the West.
Derrick Rose appears to be rushing his jump shot. The fundamentals look the same, but everything seems a little sped up. And for someone who spent most of the offseason working on his jumper, there is no way he should be rushing or pressing on his shot. My hope is once he trusts it he will take his game from All-Star level to superstar level.
With no Boozer, this is just a slightly upgraded offensive team than last season. The ball moves a lot better than it did last year which is a plus, but it's still drive and kick with average shooters on the perimeter (Korver is a great shooter, but he can't shoot all the shots for the Bulls). Hopefully, if Boozer does come back healthy in December they will be able to play a little more inside/out and that will take some pressure off of Rose to always create for everyone. I will say it's nice to see that the Bulls don't run the pick and roll every single time down the floor like they did last year, that is a BIG POSITIVE to the new coaching regime!
The Bulls Defense is everything I hoped it would be, even the backups. Guys are constantly moving, jumping out to double team, getting hands in the passing lanes. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Bulls had a top five D at the end of the year, and if they do they will earn a top three seed.
Kyle Weaver (Bulls backup shooting guard) does not have a guaranteed contract with the Bulls. However, he SHOULD make the team and he SHOULD take Keith Bogans (who owns a several million dollar contract) spot on the bench. He is a much better player and has a lot more potential moving forward than Bogans.
Dwayne Wade is going to be out for two weeks or so with a strained hamstring. I'm obviously hoping this is a long term problem and affects him throughout the season. Unfortunately, even without him the Heat are the best team in the East. I'm not saying they would win in the playoffs if Bosh or Wade went down, but during the regular season, as long as they have LeBron they will end up with 60+ wins. Watching the Heat first preseason game was just like watching the Cavs last year. LeBron was everywhere and it doesn't matter who he plays with, his team is going to dominate, at least until the playoffs.
A lot of talk is that the Mavs or Oklahoma City will challenge the Lakers for the West, while I like both of those teams, I think the only legit shot of taking down the Lakers will be the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have a good mix of youth and veteran leadership and they have a lot of size. Splitter is big, Blair, and of course Timmy Duncan. And let's not count out Tony Parker, Manu and Richard Jefferson just yet. I think they have a lot left in the tank and proved it when they took apart the Mavs in last year's playoffs. I was all over the Mavs last year and thought they had a real chance to reach the Finals, but this year I refuse to believe they can be elite in the playoffs until they prove it. As for OKC, I think they can run off 55 wins or so, but they don't really have the size to compete with the Lakers come playoff time. Of course if Durant and Westbrook get even better then anything is possible.
I'm pretty tired of all this Yao Ming and Houston Rocket talk. HE'S ONLY GOING TO PLAY 24 MINUTES A NIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON! that means, they are going to be a bottom rung playoff team at best. Plus the Rockets refuse to extend any players this off season and I think that is going to piss some guys off. Mainly Aaron Brooks, and I think it's going to be an issue for a long time. Bottom line, they just don't have enough talent to compete with the top of the West.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Shame on me
Over the past five years I have butchered Carlos Boozer. Called him a traitor, a wimpy jump shooter, and a wuss who doesn't play through a bad hangnail, much less an actual minor injury. But when the Bulls signed him this offseason I bought into the hype. I said he was the perfect fit for the Bulls, a pick and roll specialist that would jump Rose's assist total to near double digits. Just last week I argued with a friend of mine about how Boozer will have a better season than Chris Bosh. I even argued Boozer's deal was better for the Bulls because it was cheaper and one less year, saying that both players will have issues in four years with injuries but then Boozer will be coming off the books while Bosh will have one more season. I was so convinced that Boozer was the answer the Bulls were looking for after missing out on the big three that I forgot one HUGE thing! CARLOS SCREWED OVER A BLIND GUY!
Karma is an unforgiving bitch and she has her sights set on Boozer. If Carlos was on any other team I would have called his contract 'INSANE,' I would have ripped the team that signed him and when he got injured laughed at them. Sadly, I was suckered in by the Bulls hype machine and now I am paying the price.
I'm not saying the season is over, not by any means. I still think if the Bulls have a healthy team come playoff time they will be very tough and should make a deep run possibly to the Eastern Conference Finals. When the season starts Taj Gibson will be the starter at PF and he has proven to be very capable of holding down the fort. The sad part is the hardest part of the Bulls schedule is the first month of the season, which Carlos WILL definitely miss. The good news, if this happened after the season started he'd miss 30 games or so instead of just 15. It's not much of a silver lining, but it's what I'm clinging to.
Lastly, this does change my prediction for the upcoming season. I had the Bulls winning 52 games and finishing with the third seed, now I'm saying 48 and earning the fourth seed. The reason the drop off isn't greater? I expected the Bulls to lose quite a few of these early games anyway so that's something. I'm so unhappy right now.
Karma is an unforgiving bitch and she has her sights set on Boozer. If Carlos was on any other team I would have called his contract 'INSANE,' I would have ripped the team that signed him and when he got injured laughed at them. Sadly, I was suckered in by the Bulls hype machine and now I am paying the price.
I'm not saying the season is over, not by any means. I still think if the Bulls have a healthy team come playoff time they will be very tough and should make a deep run possibly to the Eastern Conference Finals. When the season starts Taj Gibson will be the starter at PF and he has proven to be very capable of holding down the fort. The sad part is the hardest part of the Bulls schedule is the first month of the season, which Carlos WILL definitely miss. The good news, if this happened after the season started he'd miss 30 games or so instead of just 15. It's not much of a silver lining, but it's what I'm clinging to.
Lastly, this does change my prediction for the upcoming season. I had the Bulls winning 52 games and finishing with the third seed, now I'm saying 48 and earning the fourth seed. The reason the drop off isn't greater? I expected the Bulls to lose quite a few of these early games anyway so that's something. I'm so unhappy right now.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Ramblings
With training camps opening up I thought I'd take a look around the League, as always I'll start with the Bulls.
Everything coming out of Bulls camp right now is beyond positive. The team is already meshing together, the coach is an actual coach (unlike what they have currently have in Clipperland), and Loul Deng looks great. Not 12 million a year great, but still great. For more check out Sam Smith at Bulls.com and Doug Thonus at Bulls Confidential.
NBATV is doing a behind the scenes look at several team practices. The one that I saw was the Miami Heat intra-squad scrimmage. Watching the Heat play made me sick, every time LeBron touched the ball I was hoping he would trip. Of course he's the best player in the world, so he never did. The Heat moved very well without the ball, there was lots of backdoor cutting, lots of ball movement and several times the D trapped the ball after they crossed half court. Sadly I was very impressed, but it was the starters on one team and the backups on the other team for most of the scrimmage, so this is what you would expect. The one thing I did see that made me happy (as a Bulls fan that is) was Chris Bosh was relegated to watching Wade and James on offense. My hope for the Heat this year is Bosh starts complaining about his role, he is clearly number 3 in the pecking order and I am hoping he gets pissed off and spends a lot of time complaining.
I'm glad 'Melo didn't get traded yet. I love talking about trades, I love reading about trades, and I love it when players have to stay in a town they don't want to play in. Basically everything that is going on in Denver is a lot of fun for me. As for where 'Melo ends up this season I believe one of three things will happen. The Nuggets will acquiesce and trade him to the Knicks for junk before October 31st and he'll sign an extension. The Nuggets will acquiesce and trade him to the Bulls for junk before October 31st and he'll sign an extension. Or the Nuggets will roll the dice and tell 'Melo they are refusing to trade him and if he wants an extension he'll have to sign with THEM. Believe it or not, I think the Nuggets take a stand and do the last one and I think 'Melo caves. He has said all along he wants the long term security over everything else. If he doesn't take the Nuggets 3 year 65 million dollar offer and they refuse to trade him before the season starts he stands to lose more money than I can even comprehend. If the lockout happens and the owners 'win' the contract negotiations, 'Melo's next deal could be some thirty million less than the deal the Nuggets are offering.
Speaking of contract extensions, I don't expect very many of the players up for extensions from the 2007 rookie class to get them. There is just no reason for the owners to offer big deals to players they will have under contract for at least 2 more seasons unless the team feels it will be a slight discount over what they could get on the open market in a few years. Houston has already said they aren't doing any extensions this year. This means Al Horford, Jokim Noah, Jeff Green, Aaron Brooks etc...probably won't get extensions. What I'm saying is Noah should take that 5 year 57 million offer from the Bulls and giggle all the way to the bank. I haven't heard of any other offers to players and I don't expect many.
Everything coming out of Bulls camp right now is beyond positive. The team is already meshing together, the coach is an actual coach (unlike what they have currently have in Clipperland), and Loul Deng looks great. Not 12 million a year great, but still great. For more check out Sam Smith at Bulls.com and Doug Thonus at Bulls Confidential.
NBATV is doing a behind the scenes look at several team practices. The one that I saw was the Miami Heat intra-squad scrimmage. Watching the Heat play made me sick, every time LeBron touched the ball I was hoping he would trip. Of course he's the best player in the world, so he never did. The Heat moved very well without the ball, there was lots of backdoor cutting, lots of ball movement and several times the D trapped the ball after they crossed half court. Sadly I was very impressed, but it was the starters on one team and the backups on the other team for most of the scrimmage, so this is what you would expect. The one thing I did see that made me happy (as a Bulls fan that is) was Chris Bosh was relegated to watching Wade and James on offense. My hope for the Heat this year is Bosh starts complaining about his role, he is clearly number 3 in the pecking order and I am hoping he gets pissed off and spends a lot of time complaining.
I'm glad 'Melo didn't get traded yet. I love talking about trades, I love reading about trades, and I love it when players have to stay in a town they don't want to play in. Basically everything that is going on in Denver is a lot of fun for me. As for where 'Melo ends up this season I believe one of three things will happen. The Nuggets will acquiesce and trade him to the Knicks for junk before October 31st and he'll sign an extension. The Nuggets will acquiesce and trade him to the Bulls for junk before October 31st and he'll sign an extension. Or the Nuggets will roll the dice and tell 'Melo they are refusing to trade him and if he wants an extension he'll have to sign with THEM. Believe it or not, I think the Nuggets take a stand and do the last one and I think 'Melo caves. He has said all along he wants the long term security over everything else. If he doesn't take the Nuggets 3 year 65 million dollar offer and they refuse to trade him before the season starts he stands to lose more money than I can even comprehend. If the lockout happens and the owners 'win' the contract negotiations, 'Melo's next deal could be some thirty million less than the deal the Nuggets are offering.
Speaking of contract extensions, I don't expect very many of the players up for extensions from the 2007 rookie class to get them. There is just no reason for the owners to offer big deals to players they will have under contract for at least 2 more seasons unless the team feels it will be a slight discount over what they could get on the open market in a few years. Houston has already said they aren't doing any extensions this year. This means Al Horford, Jokim Noah, Jeff Green, Aaron Brooks etc...probably won't get extensions. What I'm saying is Noah should take that 5 year 57 million offer from the Bulls and giggle all the way to the bank. I haven't heard of any other offers to players and I don't expect many.
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