Hines Ward and His Super Bowl Blood Treatment
February 5, 2009Remember When We Wanted Elton Brand?
February 5, 2009
Coast To Coast is your bi-weekly (as in, twice a week, not every other week…or does that mean it’s semi-weekly?) look at the NBA outside of Cleveland through the perspective of the Cavaliers. Because 52-10-11 is still blowing my mind.
Dwyane Wade to New York? Not so fast. Amidst all the seemingly daily hoopla about where everyone in the class of 2010 will be going, a story broke a few days ago in which Dwyane Wade seemed to imply there’s a chance he and LeBron might go to New York together. But now, Wade says he was misquoted and wants to set the record straight:
”Is it a possibility me and LeBron will play together? It’s always a possibility,” Wade said after the Heat’s practice Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena. “We’re both free agents. Is it a possibility I’m going to New York? That’s not a possibility in my mind.”
Now, to be clear, Wade doesn’t say LeBron won’t go to New York, just that he, himself, will not consider going there. Wouldn’t it be magical to hear those words come out of LeBron’s mouth? Obviously, that’s never going to happen, but one can dream. Anyway, if Wade wants to play with LeBron, but not in New York, they could always consider Cleveland. I’m just sayin’.
[Guard Dwyane Wade Committed to Miami Heat]
Jameer Nelson’s injury might change everything. The thought of losing your All-Star PG just makes me sick to my stomach. I mean, it’s a benefit to the Cavaliers that the Magic will be without Nelson for some time, but it’s hard to be happy about that. Imagine losing Mo Williams to this kind of injury. Wait, strike that, nevermind…..don’t imagine that at all. It’s entirely too frightening to even joke about. Anyway, The Orlando Sentinel’s Brian Schmitz talks about how long Nelson might be out:
Magic point guard Jameer Nelson will have surgery at some point to repair a torn labrum, General Manager Otis Smith said Tuesday.
Smith said the club was trying to determine whether Nelson will have the operation soon, which would end his season, or try to rehab and play through the injury.
Most likely, Nelson will be out for the season.
Ouch. There’s been an awful lot of talk about the Magic’s role as contenders this year, and many Cavaliers fans have voiced their opinion that the Magic were a bigger threat to the Cavaliers than the Celtics this year. Is that still the case now? Are the Magic title contenders without Nelson? I don’t think they are. It will be fascinating to see what kind of moves they make, but you know the Magic will be acquiring another PG at some point this season now.
[Nelson Will Have Surgery; Question Is When]
Who do you think is the best big man of this era? You really only have two choices, Tim Duncan or Shaquille O’Neal. It’s a really great question, and when Don from With Malice threw this question at a bunch of us bloggers, I found myself really struggling to answer the question:
So where do we draw any kind of meaningful variance between these two players?
Tim Duncan has 4 titles. Shaq has 4 titles, along with 2 other NBA Finals appearances. Shaq has a slight postseason head-to-head advantage with a 3-2 series edge over Duncan.
In the regular season, Shaq has a 17-13 edge, but their numbers against each other were incredibly even. Shaq averages 22.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game against Duncan, while Duncan has put up 22.3 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in games against Shaq.
Duncan has 2 MVPs, Shaq has one. Each player has 3 Finals MVP awards. Each player was rookie of the year. Shaq was a first team All-NBA player 7 consecutive seasons. Duncan was on 8 straight. These two players are about as even as it gets.
To me, though, if I had to pick just one guy, I’m going with Shaq.
His raw power was just more dominant over the rest of the league for a longer period of time than Duncan’s sheer precision and artistry. Shaq’s teams have made the playoffs every year of his career except his rookie season. That’s 15 straight playoff appearances. In the span of 12 NBA seasons from 1994 to 2006, Shaq appeared in the NBA Finals in half of them, winning 4 of those 6 Finals Appearances. Shaq is 8th all time in FGs, 2nd in FG%, 4th in FT attempts, 19th in rebounds, 8th in blocks, and 8th in points.
The Diesel has been the game’s biggest body and the game’s biggest personality for 16 incredible seasons. In his prime, Shaq had the ability to just physically abuse any player he wanted, including Tim Duncan. Nobody will ever question that Duncan was the more skilled player, the guy with the most natural abilities to play the game of basketball. But Shaq always seemed more dominating.
You can read the rest of my contribution if you feel so inclined, by clicking on the link below. I would highly recommend checking out the excellent piece over there regardless of my contribution. So many great writers chimed in with fascinating perspectives. And while I went with Shaq as the guy I would take, there are plenty of great arguments over there for Duncan. Definitely a worth while read and a great topic for debate.
[Tim vs Shaq: The Big Fundamental Aristotle Diesel Robot]
Kobe Bryant makes the Andrew Bynum injury more tolerable. And for Lakers fans, Kobe provided some much-needed medicine the other night in Madison Square Garden. Kurt from Forum Blue & Gold writes about the significance of how Kobe put some fears at ease:
Today the sun has pierced the clouds. Hope has returned. There are a couple reasons for that
First, there was the slow realization that while this is not good for Bynum, this is totally different than last year. Rehab starts in a couple weeks, hard rehab gets underway in about a month. He should be back for the playoffs. Listen to the words of Bynum himself:
“I was worried until we got the results of the MRI, obviously I didn’t want to miss the whole season because I just did that last year. After we got the results back they told me it was a pretty severe sprain but it’s better than anything else that could have happened. No surgery needed, I’m just going to rehab it and get back on the court…..
When you have a doctor tell you this is the best thing that could have happened to you, having seen the play, you get a little bit relieved, and he said no surgery, which was a little more of a relief.”
The other thing was the reminder of just how special Kobe Bryant is, and how beautiful and fun the game can be. We shouldn’t need that reminder, but we Lakers fans have come to take the amazing as the expected from Bryant. We take is greatness for granted.
Just further reminder that every team in the NBA has to deal with injury issues, and it’s how those teams deal with their injuries that defines their greatness. The Lakers will probably survive the loss of Bynum just as the Cavs have survived losses to Z and Delonte so far.
[Like A Sun Burst Through The Clouds]
That doesn’t mean some people aren’t happy to see Bynum go down, though. In addition to some Bobcats fans who feel this is a healthy dose of karma for the Gerald Wallace injury inflicted by Bynum, some Blazers fans are also eager to throw it back in the face of Lakers fans. Blaze Of Love’s Kellex writes:
Anyone else NOT feeling bad for Lakers’ fans right now? How much garbage was thrown at Greg Oden for hurting his foot after returning from his micro-fracture surgery? How much hate was poured out from L.A. fans onto Portland about the next Sam Bowie? How about the comparisons between Bynum and Oden and how much better Bynum would be?
Well look who’s laughing now Hollywood? Let’s just say I’d rather have a guy coming back full strength from micro-fracture and tweaking his foot a little than the guy that just followed up a dislocated kneecap with a torn MCL.
For those of you who aren’t aware, the Blazers and Lakers have a pretty healthy rivalry, so it’s fun to see posts like these. You don’t normally want to take delight in the injuries of others, but for me personally, I just love seeing the passion of rival fan bases go at each other.
[So Much For Those Historic Bynum vs Oden Match-Ups]
Since Mike Brown is coaching the All-Star game, he should do his best to wear out Garnett and Pierce, right? Well, Coach Brown thinks so:
Cavs coach Mike Brown was asked whether he’d be trying to make sure James got his third All-Star Most Valuable Player Award next weekend when Brown will be the Eastern Conference All-Star coach.
“It’s hard to be the MVP playing not more than three minutes,” Brown joked.”We’ll have to see, that honor may go to Kevin Garnett. When you’re playing 48 minutes, you can put up big numbers. Just don’t tell [Celtics coach] Doc [Rivers] I said that.”
Clearly he’s joking, but I will be closely watching to see how he handles rotating minutes for LeBron vs the Celtics stars.
[Cavaliers Insider: What Frenzy?]
Don’t think Mo Williams is forgetting about his perceived All-Star snub any time soon. Matt Watson, writing for Fanhouse, had a chance to talk to some players about whether or not the players themselves should pick the All-Star reserves. I found this quote from Mo enticing:
Williams initially called his omission “a tragedy,” but to his credit, he was a bit more level-headed by the time I spoke with him. “The coaches had the opportunity to vote me in,” he said. “If they felt like I was worthy of it, they would have voted me in. I’ll just take it out on every Eastern conference coach – and Western conference teams by default.”
I love the sound of that. Frankly, as much of an honor as it is to be an All-Star selection, if it means extinguishing that flame that’s burning inside of Mo, then I hope David Stern picks Ray Allen to take Jameer Nelson’s vacated spot on the All-Star team. Actually, I think Ray deserves it more than Mo anyway, so I think it would be the right move all around. (come on, Mo, you know I just said that to keep your fire stoked)
[The Rotation: Let The Players Choose]
What if NBA players weren’t drafted, but just played for whatever team was closest to their hometown? A reader of Depressed Fan wondered, and decided to do something about it. So he compiled the All-Hometown teams for every franchise. Pretty fascinating stuff. How would the Cavs look?
PG Michael Redd (Columbus, OH)
SG Kevin Martin (Zanesville, OH)/OJ Mayo (Huntington, WV)
SF LeBron James (Akron, OH)
PF James Posey (Twinsburg, OH)
C Calvin Booth (Reynoldsburg, OH)
BG Analysis: With LeBron they are obviously talented and good shooters around him but with no serviceable big men or rebounders this team looks like it would be pushed around by most teams.
My Take: Too small, although I did chuckle at the thought of Michael Redd running the point.
Yeah, there’s no doubt the Cavaliers would be small, but my question is, where’s Kosta Koufos? I’ll take my chances with Koufos at center over Calvin Booth. Besides, a lineup with Redd, Martin, and LeBron is going to score a ton of points. Anyway, check it out and see which teams you think are the best. Tough to argue with the Charlotte starting 5 of CP3, Ray Allen, Josh Howard, Antwarn Jamison, and KG.
[The NBA’s Hometown Heroes]
Can you imagine Mike Brown arbitrarily giving LeBron, Mo, and Z a night off together? I certainly cannot. But that’s precisely what San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did the other night. The Spurs blog 48 Minutes Of Hell writes:
Last night in Denver, Gregg Popovich sought nothing less than to destroy the game of basketball.
When the Spurs tipped off against the Nuggets, a starting five of Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, Matt Bonner, Roger Mason, and George Hill took the floor. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili would all receive DNP-CDs. Their absence was nothing less than one of the most radical coaching decisions made in the history of the game.
After yesterday evening’s contest, the Nuggets sit a single game back of the Spurs. It was billed as a match-up between the upper echelon of the Western Conference’s second tier: A battle to decide who would be the favorite to take on the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. By removing Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili from the mix, Popovich completely robbed the game of any broader symbolism it may have held.
I can honestly say I’m not sure I can recall another instance of a coach resting his 3 best players in any game, let alone a big game against a conference opponent you are fighting with over seeding. I would be furious if Mike Brown pulled a stunt like this. Look, far be it from me to speak out about the situation in San Antonio. I have no clue what their injury and fatigue situation is really like behind closed doors there. It’s just hard to reconcile any team with a competitive spirit surrendering a big game like this. I would imagine most Cavs fans would lose it if Mike Brown sat the Cavs’ big 3 in their next game against Orlando. Poppovich better hope the extra rest was worth it for his guys.
[The Notebook: The Death Of The Game]
Kobe is a most generous tipper, it would seem. Kobe felt so great after his 61 point performance the other night, he treated his friends to a night out and then treated the waitress to a huge tip (get your mind out of the gutter). The NY Post has the scoop (via SLAM ONLINE):
At least Bryant was happy to be patted down and stayed until 4 a.m. “He was in the VIP area, where there were strict orders not to let any women in near him,” we’re told. On his way out, Bryant (who drank water), after ordering two bottles of champagne for his pals, left the waitresses a $2,000 tip.
I have 3 thoughts on this. One, it’s good to see he’s making sure he stays clear of women on the road these days. Two, it’s interesting that Kobe was drinking water…..just goes to show how much of a professional he truly is at all times. And three, that’s how you leave New York in style. Well done, Kobe.
[Diddy Flees Party]
And I can think of no finer way of ending this edition of Coast To Coast than that.
13 Comments
Here’s your new Orlando point guard:
Orlando Magic trade Keith Bogans for former Magic guard Tyronn Lue
Wow, great post. There are so many valuable nuggets in there.
I will be honest, I was glad to see Nelson go down (and not just because I play against him this week in fantasy basketball). The Magic and Celtics havent had any injuries but have had plenty of smack talk when we struggled without Z and West. Now I will wait for the major injury Boston will sustain so I can see how well they handle it.
I had heard one of the 3 Popovich sat (Parker I think) had Tonsilitis or something and he didnt want to push the other two too hard on a back to back.
Hey Rock, isn’t it time that you put Amare Stoudemire on your guys’ poll on the left? My boy Adrian from Yahoo reported today that the Suns are actively seeking offers for Amare. Do the Cavs stand a chance in hell of getting him?
Pops also sat Michael Finley.
here’s the story….Ginobli is banged up and definitely needed a night off after he went through a wall to help beat GS the night before.
Finley is old and a bench player, but he had to break the longest active NBA streak of 284 straight games played to get his DNP-CD.
Parker and Duncan could use the day off…but the main reason he seemed to do it was to challenge the rest of the team to come together and get the win. They ended up with a loss, but their reserves who have not been playing well recently all came through with good efforts and it was a close game.
Consider this a motivational ploy that will pay off if Bowen and Mason and others elevate their recently slipping play.
I’ve been a Nelson fan since draft day when teams were passing on him left and right just because he was short. I really would have loved to see how the Cavs and Magic matched up against each other when healthy. I’ll take the advantage where I can get it, though, and hopefully this will mean Mo gets unshafted re: the All Star game.
I’d take Duncan over Shaq. Shaq’s consistently had more to work with on his championship teams (Kobe and DWade), and has more early round playoff exits than Duncan. Further, Duncan is a far better defender and that face up off the glass jumper is killer. He’s a more skilled player, and like all great players makes his teammates better. Shaq’s bigger and stronger, sure, but if you want to use the size argument just think about this: taking both of them in their primes, Olajuwon could Dreamshake Shaq out of his sneakers every time. Finesse and skill can go a LONG way in making up size disparities, and when it comes to skill Duncan is the Big Fundamental.
Rock, would you still be mad at Mike Brown for pulling a Popovich maneuver if Brown had the same number of championships as the Spurs?
Amar, good point. I can’t figure what the Suns would really want that the Cavs can give up. That’s the biggest problem. I would have to assume they want more than just an expiring contract. Maybe Wally, JJ, and the 2009 and 2011 first round picks? I dunno, something like that.
Craig, I think I would, indeed. From the sound of the post on the Spurs site, it doesn’t sound like Spurs fans are thrilled with it. It’s definitely controversial, to say the least.
Popovich made a great move. I think it was brilliant.
I knew Jameer would be done. The Magic were smart to put up the 8-12 weeks story so they had at least a little room to work with in their trade negotiations.
Funny you post that link about local players on local teams. I just had that conversation at work today about what the league would be like, and how team pride would be a lot greater with something like that in place.
And for big men, I think I’d rather have Charles Oakley playing C than Booth, even at his advanced age. For that matter, just about any guy could play C over Booth if I was coach.
I think Coast to Coast has become my favorite recurring post on the site! Excellent job!!
Thanks for the feedback Glaumdawg. I’m happy you enjoy it, because I really like doing these.
Coast to Coast is my favorite as well even though Rock and I will never see eye to eye on David Lee……..but that’s ok.