“Hines Ward” Rule Added to NFL
March 26, 2009WFNY East Meetup: Thursday, April 2 at 5 PM
March 26, 2009And there is no charge for awesomeness…
We’re clearly biased here. We recognize that and embrace it. We’ve said time and time again that LeBron James is simply standing a little above the other MVP candidates this year. Hollinger agrees. So does Skeets. But what about the players? LeBron has endorsed both Wade and Bryant. Wade says LeBron. But what about the rest of the league? A new poll of 190 NBA players reveals that LeBron James is the player they would “most like to have on their team.” (Can you believe I got a tip from Fred and AC?) If that doesn’t sound like an MVP endorsement, I don’t know what would. Who can blame them? Not only can he carry his team on his back when needed, but he gets you the ball in unbelievable ways. How about that behind the back pass to Varejao last night?
More LeBron before we move on. Sometimes stats tell a story. They can be very revealing. The latest stat that is blowing me away? LeBron’s elite company. 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assist seasons don’t happen very often. LeBron has now done it 4 times. The only player with more seasons with the same numbers is Oscar Robertson. He did it 6 times, over a 14 year career. James is in his 6th season. Michael Jordan did it twice. Larry Bird did it 3 times. Wow.
Saw that stat during last night’s game. Read it again this morning in Windhorst’s article in which he discusses an interesting topic. Will Ben Wallace slide back into the starting rotation when he returns? He asked Mike Brown, and I was a little surprised by the answer-
“With the way the team is playing, I have to think about it,” Brown said. “We don’t have to deal with it right now. It’s not anything to hide from. The team that is starting has played well, it’s something we’ll address as time goes on.”
I guess I just assumed Brown would put Andy back on the bench. You do have to wonder though. The offense is not nearly as potent with Ben Wallace on the floor. What a difference a year makes huh? Last year I would have given Andy only a slight edge offensively. This year he and LeBron have really found a groove with the two man game. Perhaps the more important question isn’t who will start, but how many minutes Wallace will be on the floor. To be honest, Ben would be even more dangerous in shorter bursts. If he was only on the floor for say 5 minute increments, how much energy and intensity could he give? Whether those 5 minutes were at the start of the game or the end of the first quarter, it doesn’t really matter. The important thing is that Ben comes back healthy and gives us a presence in the lane. I say play more match-up games with your big men. Use different combinations. It’s all good.
By the way, can you believe our first round opponent could end up being the Pistons? Honestly, the teams trying to get the last playoff spot in the East are on big time losing streaks (see Knicks, New York.) Only the Bulls seem interested in making it.
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
19 Comments
i would have said the Bobcats are still clawing for a playoff spot until they blew a 20 point second half lead….to the Clippers
I’m a little nervous about playing the Pistons in the 1st round. They’d give us a much tougher series than any of the other 8th seed pretenders.
Let Andy keep his starting role. I like the idea of using Ben in small bursts, didn’t think of that. It also led me to the idea of having Ben super fresh for the dreaded third quarter when we seem to always let teams back into the game. Limit his minutes in the first half, let Ben wreak havoc on the defensive end for 6-8 minutes in the third.
Only an idea, I’ll leave it to Mike Brown and get back to my desk job.
The Pistons will end in the 7th spot hopefully. Imagine if Boston has to face Det and Orlando before us…I love it.
Still not looking forward to a potential second round match-up with Miami. Hopefully we can get some more help from teams like Indiana last night to push Wade and co. down to the six seed. That would just be the perfect scenario to see Boston have to take down Miami then Orlando for the opportunity to face us in the Conference Finals. I would gladly play the inexperienced winner of the Atlanta/Philadelphia first round series.
Here is how the 4-8 race looks now:
4. Atlanta 42-30 (16.5 games back of CLE)
5. Miami 38-33 (20 games back)
6. Philadelphia 37-33 (20.5 games back)
7. Detroit 34-36 (23.5 games back)
8. Chicago34-38 (24.5 games back)
No team is currently within three games of the Bulls. They have about as good a chance of making it as do the Dallas Mavericks out West in front of the Phoenix Suns.
A second frontcourt line of Ben and Joe Smith would be awesome – although they’d be pulling AARP benefits, I think they could be good compliments to each other, with Ben’s passing ability and Joe’s mid-range shot.
Why are we afraid of Miami? They’re not winning in Cleveland, series goes up 2-0. We double team Wade, the rest of the team cannot be relied upon for 2 games, we’re up 3-1. Back to Cleveland. Series.
Detroit? 2 years ago that series was a laugher. Since then they’ve gotten worse, we’ve gotten better, and we have home court.
Don’t get me wrong, if the 76ers somehow squeak into the 5 spot over Miami I think we need to send them a gift basket. EZ waltz into the conference finals.
Something that I think needs mentioning is how well D-Block has played lately. He is starting to score to go along with playing exceptional defense. Last night when he ran the floor to finish that break was a great thing to see. I hope he keeps on developing and got ourselves a diamond in the rough!!
@ Swig – I understand the thought process, but I’m glad we have a coach who won’t let the players think that way.
I dont remember the 2007 ECFs being a laugher at all. Aside from game 6 I was basically puking my guts out from nervousness.
Game 1DET 79, CLE 76
Game 2DET 79, CLE 76
Game 3CLE 88, DET 82
Game 4CLE 91, DET 87
Game 5CLE 109, DET 107 (2OT)
Game 6CLE 98, DET 82
I need a better sense of humor I guess.
But outside of Bos, and Orlando, I dont see anyone else challenging us in the Eastern playoffs.
Ahhh…Game 5
On Sportscenter this morning, after showing LBJ’s behind-the-back assist to AV, they said, “…and LeBron James continues to make Anderson Varejao look like the second coming of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.”
lol.
@Chris, agree 100%
@Tom, Yeah, guess I remember games 5 & 6 the most. However, after the first two games I really felt we took control of that series in games 3-4 at home.
Irregardless, the Pistons are at best a shell of that team.
There’s no doubt about that.
Ok, pet peeve time, Irregardless isn’t a word. The word you want is regardless.
I think the real question is will Ben want to come off the bench? He was not happy at all in Chicago when they tried that idea. I think being on this team will lessen that strain, but he seems like the type of guy who would be a little upset at not starting anymore.
With that said, i’d still sit him. Andy starting gives us so much more than Ben
@Summit, au contraire
Irregardless IS a word. However, it has not received general acceptance.
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
I want no part of Detroit in the first round. Yes, they are a shell of their former selves but they hate the Cavs and Detroit is a much tougher place to play during the playoffs than Chicago. Plus that series is likely to get pretty physical. I still think the Cavs win against either team though.
at deep13: very funny quote. Varejao hardly seems to know what has hit him half of the time as the ball is rifled into his hands while he stands under the basket. There’s a fraction of a second in which he seems hesitant, and you wonder if he is even going to catch the ball, if not get knocked over by it. But he usually finishes well enough, and often enough, to make the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar line funny.