NBA 08/09

[Superstition]

Man is a cancer to any team he's on. He's even been blasting his teammates in the press, for not coming out and publicly sticking up for him :lol:Knicks will buy him out as soon as they can, or ship him to any team who's crazy enough to take him.On another note - WTF is up with Rajon Rondo? 16 points, 13 rebounds, 17 assists, and 3 steals! Against Indiana, but still.... where did that come from? This guy keeps surprising me... I never thought the Celts could win a ring with him as the starting PG, but he's learned quickly among the best, and is steady improving. This season he's stepped it up further. Gets to the hoop when he wants, distributes it intelligently, plays good defence. Sick guy.

[Mr Q]

Quentin Richardson came out and said how he does not even consider Marbury as a team-mate any more. It is funny because when he got drafted he was crying about how playing for new york was his dream in life. SMHRondo showed his talent in the finals against the Lakers man, he progressing nicely and looking good this season. But i hate him and i hate the Celtics!!

[Mr Q]

Tonight they are showing Raptors Cavaliers, dont know if i can be assed for that.

[Mr Q]

Ahh f*ck this just checked NBA and know how this finishes. LOL @ Giggs being on the programme next weekI'm Sorry but Lebron is a f*ck*ng BEAST!!

[Superstition]

Ahh f*ck this just checked NBA and know how this finishes.

Come on man, you knew how this was gonna go befoe they even tipped offChannel 5 are f*ck*ng frustrating. If they have the rights to show NBA in the UK, why marginalise it to one single slot on a Tuesday night? When about half the time, there'll be no good games on that night (e.g., tonight)? Even if they're only allowed to show one game per week, why not have some flexibility, and show the week's best matchup? Apparently, Quiz Call is so f*ck*ng important that they can't broadcast none of the big weekend fixtures...And whoever picks what game they show must have a mancrush on Lebron - I swear they've had nondescript Cleveland games on for the last three weeks. I would've rather watched Spurs-Dallas or Knicks-Bulls tonight, and I can never find decent streams any more.But LMAOOO @ Giggs being on the show next week I'll definitely lock in for that sh*t.

[Numero001]

Ryan Giggs yeah?Five have exclusive rights? Could explain why I havent seen Sky advertise any in a while

[Mr Q]

LOL no, not Ryan Giggs. Giggs (As in, "If your talkin' the 'ardest). This is why its funny, all because of Westwood. Also Five show a different American sport every night dont they, probably explains why there is only one night of NBA.

[Trilliam]

killer night. f*ck*ng pacers.

[DJSPARK]

lol gigs next week yeah, and i swear it is a new studio their in.

[Superstition]

Derrick Rose injuring himself in an apple-cutting accident

[Mr Q]

College season is two weeks in, and they are already saying this year will be swag for draft picks. Preview of 2009: Draft Picks

[Mr Q]

What you think of this Superstition?

Suns trade Bell, Diaw for Bobcats' RichardsonPosted Dec 10 2008 8:09PMPHOENIX (AP) -- Phoenix traded Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday as part of a deal that sent Jason Richardson to the Suns.Rookie point guard Sean Singletary also went to Charlotte, while the Suns got small forward Jared Dudley and a 2010 second-round draft pick."We felt like we needed to shake things up a little bit," Suns general manager Steve Kerr said in a telephone interview. "We wanted to add a great scorer in the backcourt to give us better balance to take some of the pressure off of Steve [Nash]"The 6-foot-6 Richardson is a two-time NBA slam dunk champion and an accomplished 3-point shooter who is averaging 18.7 points this season and 18.8 for his pro career.Bell, a first-team all-defensive team selection in 2006-07 and second team last season, had made it clear he was not happy with the Suns' switch from coach Mike D'Antoni's high-flying style to the more deliberate approach of new coach Terry Porter. He was averaging 9.4 points per game this season.The versatile Diaw had seen his playing time dwindle behind Amar'e Stoudemire. The Suns still liked his skills but not his salary. He earns $9 million this season and has three more years on his contract.Dudley, a 6-foot-7 second-year pro, started seven games for Charlotte this season.

[Superstition]

Damn, Phoenix's offence just improved a lot. J-Rich is a great scorer, can shoot it or penetrate, very difficult to stop, especially with someone like Nash feeding it to him. He's well-equipped for a fast system, but I don't know if Phoenix are still doing that. Their bench just got thinner though, and they still don't have backup for Nash.Don't really understand it from Charlotte's point of view though. Diaw is a decent big man, but they didn't really get value for their star player. They might be trading for contracts that expire in 2010, but I don't know what kind of deals Bell or Diaw are on. And they really shouldn't be giving away draft picks.

[Numero001]

LOL no, not Ryan Giggs. Giggs (As in, "If your talkin' the 'ardest). This is why its funny, all because of Westwood. Also Five show a different American sport every night dont they, probably explains why there is only one night of NBA.

WTF? How did that one come about? What did Westwood do?

[Mr Q]

LOL no, not Ryan Giggs. Giggs (As in, "If your talkin' the 'ardest). This is why its funny, all because of Westwood. Also Five show a different American sport every night dont they, probably explains why there is only one night of NBA.

WTF? How did that one come about? What did Westwood do?

When Westwood was on the show, he was just bigging him up and sh*t. Must of had a influence.

[Numero001]

LOL no, not Ryan Giggs. Giggs (As in, "If your talkin' the 'ardest). This is why its funny, all because of Westwood. Also Five show a different American sport every night dont they, probably explains why there is only one night of NBA.

WTF? How did that one come about? What did Westwood do?

When Westwood was on the show, he was just bigging him up and sh*t. Must of had a influence.

Westwoon on basketball show? I'm missing out. They always had that battyman on there when I used to watch it

[Mr Q]

LOL no, not Ryan Giggs. Giggs (As in, "If your talkin' the 'ardest). This is why its funny, all because of Westwood. Also Five show a different American sport every night dont they, probably explains why there is only one night of NBA.

WTF? How did that one come about? What did Westwood do?

When Westwood was on the show, he was just bigging him up and sh*t. Must of had a influence.

Westwoon on basketball show? I'm missing out. They always had that battyman on there when I used to watch it

What Battyman?! lolHmm, TBH Westwood was good on it, he didnt overtalk and schooled the other two clowns on presenting. Suppose thats the difference working for 5 and BBC!

[Numero001]

LOL no, not Ryan Giggs. Giggs (As in, "If your talkin' the 'ardest). This is why its funny, all because of Westwood. Also Five show a different American sport every night dont they, probably explains why there is only one night of NBA.

WTF? How did that one come about? What did Westwood do?

When Westwood was on the show, he was just bigging him up and sh*t. Must of had a influence.

Westwoon on basketball show? I'm missing out. They always had that battyman on there when I used to watch it

What Battyman?! lolHmm, TBH Westwood was good on it, he didnt overtalk and schooled the other two clowns on presenting. Suppose thats the difference working for 5 and BBC!

John Amaechi or whatever his name is

[Mr Q]

Interesting Article on KG and his big mouth..

Kevin Garnett has a big mouth.Everyone knows that.I blogged about it a little the other day. No more than a passing mention, it nevertheless got a big reaction. All kinds of e-mail and comments flooded in, with strong emotions on all sides. Apparently I had stumbled across one of the NBA's emotional trip wires.My assumption has always been that Kevin Garnett is no different from the loudest guy at your pickup game. What he says means not too much, in the big picture. But maybe there is more to it.I have asked many and various NBA experts to weigh in:The Circus SideshowNo current NBA players I spoke to would speak on the record about Garnett (which tells you something, I guess) but three said that while he talks too much, it is to little effect. They dismissed Garnett's mouth as something between a non-factor and a nuisance, echoing Quentin Richardson, who told the Associated Press last month that Garnett is no threat to back up his many tough claims:I come from a neighborhood where you can say what you want to say, but 'til you do something, it don't mean nothing. Some of those guys are happy to get a ring, but you ain't been in the league long enough to talk to people like that. I don't have a lot of respect for that. Like I said, I'd be curious to hear what they have to say in a different setting, I'd be very curious to see that.In this view, Garnett's screaming could be seen as the funny-looking sidecar hitched to the turbo-charged motorcycle that is his passion. It's a great package. But maybe the motorcycle could be improved by ditching the sidecar?Or maybe it doesn't matter. Former Maverick, Sonic and Pacer Sam Perkins, who is known for his laid-back demeanor as a player, and is currently the Pacers' vice president of player relations, weighs in:I don't think he's crossed any lines. KG is in the same category emotion-wise as Terrell Owens. Those two guys play with such emotion that some people mistake it for being boastful or arrogant. KG wears his emotions on the outside, some players show it differently. People just aren't as used to it.Chris Ballard of Sports Illustrated says that while what comes out of Garnett's mouth can certainly cross a line (remember in 2004 when Garnett talked about "loading up the Uzis" and the like in preparation for a playoff game) a lot of Garnett's talk appears to be almost random -- to himself, to no one, even to the basket supports:I'm not sure aggressive is the right word so much as surreal, especially in the case of that treeing-Jerryd-Bayless moment. There are different types of trash talk, and that was a far cry from the kind that Jordan and Bird employed -- you know, with a purpose, as part of a mind game, often playful. It's as if, after winning a title, Garnett's finally given himself license to go totally primal whenever the urge strikes. ... But if this is the price that must be paid to see Garnett at full intensity -- and I'm not so sure it is, but I suppose it's possible -- then it's a price I'm willing to pay.ElitismPlayers, front office personnel and others suggest that against the NBA's real tough men, Garnett is deferential. He saves his disdain for players he considers beneath his level. (Indeed, my original mention of Garnett was about his menacing rookie benchwarming guard Jerryd Bayless.)One typical story is of a rookie from another team, a few seasons ago, attempting to make small talk with Garnett in a meaningless game at the end of the year. The player had grown up admiring Garnett, but the veteran told him in no uncertain terms that he did not want to hear from any such rookie.Steve Aschburner writes for MinnPost.com and Sports Illustrated, and covered just about every moment of Garnett's Minnesota career. He explains:I always found it, let's say, quirky that Garnett would have these dust-ups with some of the most unlikely combatants. Guys like Andrew Bogut (no offense but not yet all-NBA), Mark Pope, Joel Przybilla, Rick Rickert (in a summer pickup game), Wally Szczerbiak, Francisco Elson, Tyrone Nesby, Anthony Peeler. The list doesn't exactly read like an All-Star roster, which then makes people wonder if he is more likely to bully a fringe guy than he is to take on one of his giants-of-the-game peers. Some growling or staredowns with fellas such as Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire through the years, but nothing approaching flailing, skirmishes or donnybrooks. No doubt it stems from some sort of passion, but it also seems to pack an element of umbrage taken when some mere mortal gets on his cloud. It would be nice if he would cool it.Fuel of TitlesOne view -- and it seems to be the default view among Celtics fans -- is that Garnett's passion is the fire that galvanizes the Celtics and forged a champion, and that his mouth is a key to the passion that drives his team, the league, the companies that he represents, and the sport itself.Basketball trainer Idan Ravin has worked with many NBA All-Stars, and believes what Garnett is doing is no accident:Never underestimate the level of sophistication of the professional athlete.While some may consider Kevin Garnett's antics to be over-the-top and reckless, I think they are intentional and part of his basketball psychology: to motivate and inspire his teammates and himself, and to disorient and annoy his opponents. This basketball psychology is a large part of why Kevin Garnett has had years of success at this level, and why he has been able to maintain an incredible level of intensity and consistency for over a decade.Ask anyone who has played with him and they will tell you he is a great teammate. Ask anyone who has played against him, and they will tell you he is a fierce competitor. Dave Zirin is a Slam columnist, and author of "A People's History of Sports in the United States." He says:The tired complaint against pro athletes is that they "just don't care" or are in it "just for the money."Now Kevin Garnett is under fire for caring too much?!? Do people really believe this? What color is the sky in this alternative universe? I want players to slap the floor with their hands, shoot daggers with their eyes, and bang the ball against their heads. That's what we did on my NYC High School team because we gave a damn something fierce. I'm sure an 82-game season is an unholy grind. But it's our privilege that we have a player who acts like it's anything but. A decade ago Garnett warned us that it wasn't about "the loot." We should have listened. Anthony Macri of The Basketball Academy & Pro Training Center at IMG Academies says:There have been a great many trash-talkers, aggressive and vocal on the court, in games, in practice, etc., whose team success trumps whatever negative aspects their yapping may put forth. Michael Jordan was a great example -- let us not forget he took the vocal sparring to a different level when he, according to reports, punched Steve Kerr in the face in practice. KG, I believe, uses his jawing to an advantage, working his opponent into a furor and creating, for his opponent, a "me against him" mentality. That creates extremely positive situations for the Celtics defense, which thrives on shutting down players who attempt to do everything themselves. In fact, it is only supremely unselfish teams, who can make quick passes from one side of the floor to the other, that can penetrate their defense. When one player is so focused on the "me against him" battle with KG, it gives their defense a helping hand.A MenaceThere is a certain minority out there who simply think Garnett's current actions have to be stopped, for the good of the game and the image of the League. A Western Conference executive speaks for this group when he says:I think the normal reaction to a situation like this [emotional player on another team drawing the ire of everyone outside of that particular team] is to say "well, you'd like it if he was on your team" ... call it the "Manu Ginobili Response." And in some ways it's true: many teams wish they had an aggressive, vocal leader to rile up the troops and get under the opposing players' skins.That being said, Kevin Garnett this year goes above and beyond that threshold. Crawling on all fours, clapping and pointing in a player's face as he dribbles up the court ... these antics are classless and have no place in our game. If Dikembe Mutombo can get T'd up for a finger wag (or a player who dunks on Mutombo can be T'd for wagging a finger back), where do you classify what Garnett did to Calderon?The fact that the Celtics won the title last year (and continue to be the cream of the league this year) should not change the fact that what has been going on is unacceptable. As a league, we have certain guidelines and parameters for professionalism and sportsmanship, and these guidelines are not dictated by a team's record.I'm not saying get rid of all trash talking; basketball is a competitive sport, and letting those competitive juices fly on the court is a good thing. Passion for the game is a good thing. Being a complete jackass is not.Putting it All TogetherOne Eastern Conference executive explained to me that Garnett's mouth gets him in trouble now and again. He has both argued and fought with teammates (last week he apparently reduced Glen Davis to tears), actions that potentially come with costs to the team's cohesion and success. But, he argues, you accept that, because it is indicative of his extraordinary passion, and because he puts forth such tremendous effort. Complaining about Kevin Garnett's mouth, he says, is like quibbling with the lipstick on a supermodel -- it misses the big point. The time Garnett's mouth really gets in the way? This expert says it's about the only thing that keeps Garnett from being the ideal role model for young players. He looks right at home in that adidas video, talking to teenaged players. Of course everyone from high school big men to NBA rookies should study all kinds of things about Garnett. How he defends the pick and roll (love that fearlessness containing faster guards!), how he fires up his teammates, how his motor runs high at every moment ... in a these and a thousand other elements of the game, he is essentially perfect. In how he talks, however, Garnett really is not to be emulated.That's not the most important thing in the world. But it's not nothing, either. Like presidents, players tend to start worrying about their legacies at some point. And in that, having young players looking up to you might start to matter.Through it all, I remain unconvinced that Garnett needs to verbally abuse people to play basketball well, just as I remain convinced that there is tremendous value, in all walks of life, in treating others with dignity.Does that mean I'd be happy if Kevin Garnett toned it down?Honestly? I can't say it's that clear cut to me.Yes, he's rude. KG-5 is not PG-13. (I dare the NBA to mic that guy all night long.) The way he uses his voice is the kind of behavior that would get you kicked out of many pre-schools or fired from many workplaces. In almost any social setting, this would be considered somewhere between petulance and bullying. That doesn't mean I want those social standards applied here. Sports are special. On the playing field, certain kinds of immoderate behavior are, thank goodness, not only welcome, but helpful. Kids who aren't supposed to jump on the couch, throw things, or run too hard in the living room are supposed to jump higher, throw things harder, and run faster in sports.So all NBA players ought to have a certain leeway. And if Garnett goes even beyond that ... I wholly believe in the rule of doing things the right way. I also believe that sometimes, you break those rules, too.

[Mr Q]

Heres one on Rondo Superstition....Allstar 2009 you think?

Rajon Rondo - 2009 All-Star? Call it an insurgent campaign, but the platform for Rondo, the Boston Celtics' third-year point guard, has a lot of appeal. The pro-Rondo camp puts forward an impressive case. How many 6' 1" point guards hit more than 52 percent from the floor? How many average nearly 5 rebounds per game? [Answer: Two. Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo] Rondo has seen his assist rate skyrocket, and his FT/game number increase at a 50% clip.Naysayers dismiss Rondo as the basketball equivalent of the #6 hitter with inflated RBI numbers because he's batting behind a couple of on-base machines. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen are always in scoring position, so why the fuss over a guy who's more of a facilitator than a playmaker?The numeric résumé and rebuttals aside, what else does candidate Rondo bring to the argument? Let's take a look at his point guard qualifications against a struggling Washington squad Thursday night. Rondo's primary matchup is Washington's Juan Dixon.• Drive and Kick: Rondo sparks the drive-and-kick offense, just one facet of Boston's versatile arsenal. He does it by controlling the "T" area of the halfcourt composed of the paint and the baseline. At the 10:41 mark of the first quarter, he blows by Juan Dixon with a left-handed drive along the far side of the lane. As he's met by Jamison down low, he swings a baseline pass to Ray Allen in the left corner. Allen flirts with the shot, but Deshawn Stevenson closes quickly [a nanosecond later, and Allen has his first three-point FG of the night], and Allen dishes it off. Ultimately, the Celtics convert on a Garnett tip-in, largely because the Wizards' defense never recovers after the Rondo blowby. At 7:15, Rondo initiates a similar set, penetrating into the lane with the help of a high Paul Pierce screen. He drives all the way to the rack before swinging a baseline pass to Allen, who nails the three - and one. There's a beautiful play at the 1:40 mark of the first where Rondo, like a back in an "I" formation, gets a running start from up top. He takes a little snap pass from Pierce, then glides with a show-and-go motion through the lane in traffic, wrapping the ball across his body to hit Perkins beautifully underneath.Rajon Rondo: Is this man an All-Star?(Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) • Know Where Your Shooters Are: Even Rondo's supporters concede that he's no more than the fourth or fifth option in the Celtics' offense. That being the case, Rondo's primary function is to distribute. By and large, Rondo's primary spot-up target, Ray Allen, will have only split-second windows when he's legitimately open. To be in a position to capitalize on these snapshot opportunities, Rondo must have a strong intuition of where Allen is on the court at every moment. Rondo demonstrates this at 5:45 in the second quarter when he knocks the ball away from Nick Young, then stumbles into transition without full control of the ball. Once he picks up possession, Rondo gathers himself, then begins his drive toward the hole. The Washington defense isn't set. As he reaches the paint, Rondo sees in his periphery Ray Allen spotting up alone beyond the arc on the weak side. Rondo threads the needle through two Washington defenders with a perfect bounce pass. Allen misses the shot, but if the Celtics replicate that sequence 10 times, they come away with 21 points. A couple of minutes later at the 3:05 mark of the second quarter, Rondo finds Allen in a much more structured set. Rondo dribbles up top with Allen to his right. Allen takes a full lap, curling around a Garnett baseline screen, landing at a spot on the perimeter to Rondo's left. Rondo's pass is perfectly timed. He hits Allen in motion so that Allen never has to break stride from the moment he clears the screen to the moment he lays the ball in. Hitting a guard coming off a screen seems simple, but a less precise feed breaks the flow of the play. Allen might have to slow up to receive the ball, allowing the lock-and-trail defender to catch up to him. The pass might be too high, denying Allen the angle for that easy drive. It might be too early, which would let Caron Butler, the nearby help defender, to step out on Allen. With Rondo, Boston rarely sacrifices precision.• Feed Your Bigs: Just before halftime at 0:58 in the second period, Rondo has the ball up top. Garnett wants to set up at the left elbow, but Caron Butler decides to play in front of KG. There's instant recognition on the part of both Rondo and Garnett. Rondo leads KG with a perfect lob pass over the top of the defense. Garnett grabs the lob pass with two hands, puts it on the floor once, then goes up for a lay-in, plus one.• Don't Take Any Bad Shots: Rondo takes seven shots in 24 minutes of action. Five of the seven are in the paint; the pair of 19-footers are wide-open looks he has to take to keep the defense honest. He goes one for two on the long shots, and three for five on the close-range shots. One of Rondo's makes comes on a zippy coast-to-coast drive in transition just before the four minute mark in the first quarter. He splits a pair of Washington defenders at the foul line before elevating for a reverse layup. On a couple of occasions, Rondo fails to finish at the rim. At 3:46 in the first, he comes up short on a scoop layup after weaving through the Wizards' defense in transition. Then again just before halftime, he barely misses the finish on a break after beating the backpedaling Wizards transition defense. He leaves his feet a little too early. Rondo has improved greatly finishing around the basket since his rookie season...and he'll improve some more.• Move Off the Ball: In their second possession of the second half, the Celtics work the ball around, and ultimately go into Garnett in the post off the right block against JaVale McGee. Garnett drives left, drawing Dixon off Rondo, who stands at the top of the key. The second Dixon commits, Rondo dives to the hole, where Garnett finds him for the easy layup. A few possessions later at the 9:10 mark, the Celtics are in transition. Pierce rushes the ball upcourt. When Rondo recognizes that Dixon got caught guarding the ball on the break, he immediately cuts to the hoop. There's instant recognition by Pierce, and Rondo gets another easy two. Rondo has the benefit of working with the best passing forward tandem in the league. He also shares the floor with guys who constantly demand double-teams. Still, Rondo displays a knack for finding space on the floor -- usually a spot a help defender has vacated -- where Garnett and Pierce can find him for an open look.• Protect the Basketball: 24 minutes, zero turns tonight, though one item for Rondo's to-do list is to nudge his turnover ratio of 12 down closer to 10.Defensively, Rondo applies his usual pressure, and collects three steals. At times, he disrupts Dixon [1st, 9:00] and forces a turnover. At other times, he overplays Dixon out on the perimeter, and gets beat [3rd, 10:53]. Rondo plays only 24 minutes, and we don't get to see him defend the pick and roll -- something he does exceptionally well -- because Washington doesn't run screens with Dixon as the ballhandler all that frequently.The casual fan may be dimly aware that Rajon Rondo is a championship point guard. There are a bunch of Eastern Conference guards with superior statistics - though only Devin Harris has a higher PER at the point. Cynics might argue that Rondo is the lucky beneficiary of three hall-of-fame teammates. But it's impossible to offer any serious appraisal of his team's success without recognizing that Rajon Rondo makes the Boston Celtics a more efficient team on both ends of the floor. Whether that means Rajon Rondo is an All-Star really depends on how you define your criteria.

[Trilliam]

Rudy Gay + OJ Mayo + An emergent Marc Gasol = good nucleus

[Superstition]

Heres one on Rondo Superstition....Allstar 2009 you think?

I couldn't object to that... him, Rose and Devin Harris are setting the pace for PGs this season. That article is a really good breakdown of his game. The KG sh*t is hilarious

[Trilliam]

Rockets vs Nuggets

[Superstition]

Rockets vs Nuggets

Clyde Drexler on the commentary team. Ledge.

[DJSPARK]

who saw giggs on 5 last nightsome cringeworthy tv tbhi swear this nigga cnt even string a sentance togetherworse interview ever