The Sixers are terrible. Like terrible terrible. They have very little in the way of talent without Andrew Bynum and Thaddeus Young outside of Jrue Holiday, and Doug Collins has completely botched any and all opportunities to develop young guys because he is an insane person.
But, at least Jrue Holiday is fun to watch, even if Damien Wilkins and the laughable front court are not. So here is Jrue and his fellow all-stars butchering popular songs down in Houston during all-star weekend.
Also, the Flyers are assholes. For real.
I get that last night's absolutely pathetic 5-2 drubbing against the Panthers was a trap game. The night before, the Flyers played in a wild, emotional game at Pittsburgh, edging the Penguins 6-5 in dramatic fashion. But guess what? This team can't afford to have any letdowns in this short season, not anymore. Not after starting abysmally and digging themselves a nice hole.
While the Flyers are only a point out of the eighth spot in the East right now, they also have played more games than any other team in the NHL (19), meaning they have less games to make up those points — a decided disadvantage.
I don't want to hear anymore about back-to-backs or travel fatigue or anything else. These slow starts are inexcusable, and the inconsistency is maddening. Sure, it hurts big time losing guys like Scott Hartnell and Matt Read, among others, but that doesn't excuse the absolutely pathetic lack of effort these guys start games with, and the completely embarrassing first period last night.
It's one thing to lose while playing hard. It's completely another thing to look like dogs out on the ice. The Flyers have been the latter more times than not this year, which is exactly why they are 8-10-1 and in 10th place in the East.
No more excuses left. There's not enough time for that.
Showing posts with label blake griffin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blake griffin. Show all posts
Friday, February 22, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Chris Paul Is a Joy to Watch
At this point, everyone knows where I stand on Chris Paul. Like most NBA fans, I know he is clearly the best point guard in basketball and easily one of the best I have ever seen take the hardwood.
Last night, I got to see Paul's brilliance firsthand, as I headed down to the Wells Fargo Center with silver fox to watch the Sixers host the far superior Los Angeles Clippers.
Simply put, Paul put forth a virtuoso performance. In just 24 minutes of action, Paul posted an insanely easy double-double, scoring 21 points and dishing out 11 assists while also notching 5 steals, shooting 9-11 from the field and turning the ball over just once. But even more impressive than his stat line was the absolute control he had over the game from the opening tip until he was rested for good in the fourth quarter.
Paul was just abusing fellow all-star point guard Jrue Holiday, pick and rolling him to death and creating obscenely easy shots for his teammates or himself. If that sounds like hyperbole, it's not. Proof? Beyond Paul shooting an insane 9-11 himself, the Clips shot 58.7 percent from the floor on the night as a team, and it was up near the 62 percent mark before Paul sat for good.
He was quite literally toying with the Sixers for all 24-plus minutes he was out there. He honestly looked like the best sixth grader in elementary school playing against the 3rd graders. He was so much better than everyone out there that he made it look effortless, almost as if he was letting off a bit because he felt so damn sorry for the pathetic saps he was abusing.
For all the strides he's made this year, Jrue Holiday still is lacking defensively despite his physical talents that you would think should translate well on defense. And Paul exposed that clearly last night, using screens by his bigs to shed Holiday and force the defense's hand.
Of course, Jrue had no help himself, as the Sixers quite literally put forth one of the most lackadaisical and quite frankly pathetic performances I've seen in years. It didn't look like anyone out there was even trying besides Nick Young, who scored a game-high 29 points. Without Young dropping some buckets, the Sixers could have easily lost by 50 instead of the eventual 17 the final score indicated (107-90). It was almost embarrassing to watch — not getting blown out by the Clippers, a legitimately great team, but looking like no one even gave a damn at all.
As a result, the game eventually turned into a dunk fest, with Blake Griffin doing what Blake Griffin does and DeAndre Jordan trying to keep pace. Dunks all over the place.
Really, it shouldn't be surprising given that the Sixers have quite possibly the worst interior in the NBA. Spencer Hawes is a 7-foot shooting guard who isn't a very good shooter. Lavoy Allen is a backup, 8th-11th man who somehow starts. Arnett Moultrie is a rookie who is only now getting his shot because Doug Collins is an insane person. Kwame Brown is evidentially dead, and Andrew Bynum has been dead all season.
From top to bottom, the Clippers outclass the Sixers in every regard. I mean, when the starters were announced, you could argue the Clippers have a better player at every spot except shooting guard, where Willie Green is slightly inferior to Nick Young. But Green's backup, Jamal Crawford, is clearly better than Nick Young, so there's that.
This was a game of the haves and have-nots, sure. I mean, at one point with the game near its merciful end, the Sixers had a lineup out there that consisted of Damien Wilkins, Royal Ivey, Dorell Wright, Jeremy Pargo and Moultrie, which resembles a D-League squad much more than an NBA roster, while the Clippers are one of the most talented and deep teams in the league, with backups who would most definitely start on a team like the Sixers.
But it was also a game of a team that clearly is lost without Thaddeus Young and still awaiting the promise of Andrew Bynum, which may never come. And it's a team that has a coach who simply does not know what to do, or simply refuses to make changes. It's evident in the way that Collins didn't go to his scrubs earlier even though the starters and regular rotation guys looked like they didn't given even a little bit of a shit by the midway point of the second quarter.
It was ugly. It was embarrassing. And it was painful, at least on the Sixers side.
But watching Chris Paul run an NBA team is a joy, and last night, he was toying with the hapless Sixers, putting up one of the most effortless double-doubles I've ever seen. It was a beautiful thing to watch as a fan of the game, no matter how damaging it was as a Sxiers fan.
I sure hope Jrue Holiday was paying attention.
Last night, I got to see Paul's brilliance firsthand, as I headed down to the Wells Fargo Center with silver fox to watch the Sixers host the far superior Los Angeles Clippers.
Simply put, Paul put forth a virtuoso performance. In just 24 minutes of action, Paul posted an insanely easy double-double, scoring 21 points and dishing out 11 assists while also notching 5 steals, shooting 9-11 from the field and turning the ball over just once. But even more impressive than his stat line was the absolute control he had over the game from the opening tip until he was rested for good in the fourth quarter.
Paul was just abusing fellow all-star point guard Jrue Holiday, pick and rolling him to death and creating obscenely easy shots for his teammates or himself. If that sounds like hyperbole, it's not. Proof? Beyond Paul shooting an insane 9-11 himself, the Clips shot 58.7 percent from the floor on the night as a team, and it was up near the 62 percent mark before Paul sat for good.
He was quite literally toying with the Sixers for all 24-plus minutes he was out there. He honestly looked like the best sixth grader in elementary school playing against the 3rd graders. He was so much better than everyone out there that he made it look effortless, almost as if he was letting off a bit because he felt so damn sorry for the pathetic saps he was abusing.
For all the strides he's made this year, Jrue Holiday still is lacking defensively despite his physical talents that you would think should translate well on defense. And Paul exposed that clearly last night, using screens by his bigs to shed Holiday and force the defense's hand.
Of course, Jrue had no help himself, as the Sixers quite literally put forth one of the most lackadaisical and quite frankly pathetic performances I've seen in years. It didn't look like anyone out there was even trying besides Nick Young, who scored a game-high 29 points. Without Young dropping some buckets, the Sixers could have easily lost by 50 instead of the eventual 17 the final score indicated (107-90). It was almost embarrassing to watch — not getting blown out by the Clippers, a legitimately great team, but looking like no one even gave a damn at all.
As a result, the game eventually turned into a dunk fest, with Blake Griffin doing what Blake Griffin does and DeAndre Jordan trying to keep pace. Dunks all over the place.
Really, it shouldn't be surprising given that the Sixers have quite possibly the worst interior in the NBA. Spencer Hawes is a 7-foot shooting guard who isn't a very good shooter. Lavoy Allen is a backup, 8th-11th man who somehow starts. Arnett Moultrie is a rookie who is only now getting his shot because Doug Collins is an insane person. Kwame Brown is evidentially dead, and Andrew Bynum has been dead all season.
From top to bottom, the Clippers outclass the Sixers in every regard. I mean, when the starters were announced, you could argue the Clippers have a better player at every spot except shooting guard, where Willie Green is slightly inferior to Nick Young. But Green's backup, Jamal Crawford, is clearly better than Nick Young, so there's that.
This was a game of the haves and have-nots, sure. I mean, at one point with the game near its merciful end, the Sixers had a lineup out there that consisted of Damien Wilkins, Royal Ivey, Dorell Wright, Jeremy Pargo and Moultrie, which resembles a D-League squad much more than an NBA roster, while the Clippers are one of the most talented and deep teams in the league, with backups who would most definitely start on a team like the Sixers.
But it was also a game of a team that clearly is lost without Thaddeus Young and still awaiting the promise of Andrew Bynum, which may never come. And it's a team that has a coach who simply does not know what to do, or simply refuses to make changes. It's evident in the way that Collins didn't go to his scrubs earlier even though the starters and regular rotation guys looked like they didn't given even a little bit of a shit by the midway point of the second quarter.
It was ugly. It was embarrassing. And it was painful, at least on the Sixers side.
But watching Chris Paul run an NBA team is a joy, and last night, he was toying with the hapless Sixers, putting up one of the most effortless double-doubles I've ever seen. It was a beautiful thing to watch as a fan of the game, no matter how damaging it was as a Sxiers fan.
I sure hope Jrue Holiday was paying attention.
Friday, April 8, 2011
It's Friday, Time to Dance
Yesterday, Average Bro wrote a controversial piece that was dripping with homerism over at Ed the Sports Fan, proclaiming that John Wall will eventually be (much) better than Blake Griffin.
The article itself was pretty over the top, stating that "five years from now, he won't even be half the player John Wall is. Not even in the same stratosphere."
That's a completely and utterly absurd thing to say, because it's pretty clear that both of these guys are studs that work incredibly hard at their craft and seemed destined for greatness. There's no way in hell one of them is vastly superior in terms of talent or potential, so such a statement is simply hyperbole. Personally, I think both players are going to be superstars sooner rather than later. I don't think one will be far superior than the other, though personally I love me some Blake Griffin.
But all of this is beside the point. The point is, it reminded me of when John Wall did the Dougie before his D.C. debut against the Sixers.
Then he went out and damn near had a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 13 assists and 9 steals. Those 9 steals tied a Wizards record for most in a game. So yeah, he's good. Really good. And he's only going to get better. But the same thing goes for Blake, who oh by the way is a lock for Rookie of the Year, won the Dunk Contest, made the all-star team and is averaging a double-double (22.5 and 12.2). Moral of the story? They're both awesome.
The article itself was pretty over the top, stating that "five years from now, he won't even be half the player John Wall is. Not even in the same stratosphere."
That's a completely and utterly absurd thing to say, because it's pretty clear that both of these guys are studs that work incredibly hard at their craft and seemed destined for greatness. There's no way in hell one of them is vastly superior in terms of talent or potential, so such a statement is simply hyperbole. Personally, I think both players are going to be superstars sooner rather than later. I don't think one will be far superior than the other, though personally I love me some Blake Griffin.
But all of this is beside the point. The point is, it reminded me of when John Wall did the Dougie before his D.C. debut against the Sixers.
Then he went out and damn near had a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 13 assists and 9 steals. Those 9 steals tied a Wizards record for most in a game. So yeah, he's good. Really good. And he's only going to get better. But the same thing goes for Blake, who oh by the way is a lock for Rookie of the Year, won the Dunk Contest, made the all-star team and is averaging a double-double (22.5 and 12.2). Moral of the story? They're both awesome.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
If You Could Add One Player …
So the other day, my roommate asks me, "If you could add one player in any sport to a Philadelphia team, who would you add?" At first I hesitated. One athlete and one athlete only, regardless of sport. Then it hit me relatively quickly. Blake Griffin. No question about it.
For me, Blake is a no-brainer. He would bring some much-needed excitement to the Sixers, and with all due respect to the rest of the NBA, no one is more of a must-see player right now than Blake Griffin. That doesn't mean he's the best, but he's the one guy I'd want in this city more than any other right now.
The funny thing is, as my roommate pointed out, a few months ago I might have said Cliff Lee. And I probably would have. Now I don't have to, because we all know the greatest man who ever lived is back where he belongs.
We both agreed that Griffin was a tremendous pick, and if you had to pick just one athlete to come to your city, it would almost have to be a basketball player. The reason being that one NBA superstar can change the course of a franchise more than any one player can in football, baseball or basketball all by himself. Of course there are exceptions, so we took it a step further: Who would you add if you could add one player to each team in each sport?
That's when it gets tricky. You can look at it one of two ways: Adding that player to your team's current makeup, or the guy you'd like to start your team from scratch with. For instance, for football, my roommate said he take Ndamukong Suh, and he might even take him over anyone else in any sport.
Frankly, that choice is hard to argue. I'd absolutely love to have Suh terrorizing the NFC East as a member of the Eagles. But if I had to add one player right now to this current Eagles roster, I think it would be Patrick Willis.
My reasoning for Willis is twofold. For starters, the Eagles haven't had a terrorizing linebacker since a young Jeremiah Trotter, and it's a position they sorely need an upgrade in. Second, he would bring a presence that opposing offenses fear, a hard-hitter who will terrify wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks alike. That's something they haven't had since Brian Dawkins went to Denver.
Of course, in reality, I desperately want the Eagles to sign Nnamdi Asomugha and pry Albert Haynesworth away from Washington to reunite with Jim Washburn here in the Philadelphia. Just imagine Haynesworth and Trent Cole up front with Asante Samuel and Nnamdi protecting the back end. Still, in a dream scenario, Patrick Willis is my guy.
However, if we were starting a team from scratch, Aaron Rodgers would be my man. He's only 27 and on the precipice of being one the few elite quarterbacks in the NFL, the most important position in professional sports.
As for baseball, that's a no-brainer for me: Albert Pujols.
There's really no debate, especially when it comes to the Phillies. They already have the most ridiculous pitching staff assembled in my lifetime. What they're lacking is a power-hitting right-handed bat. Pujols is just that. Yeah, he plays first, but who cares? I'd trade Ryan Howard for him today. In fact, if the Cardinals can't sign him, I'm down with a sign and trade, sending Howard back home to St. Louis in exchange for Albert.
That's no slight to Howard, who I love, but Pujols is the best. Even if the Phillies had no hitting at all, Pujols is still my pick. He's just so much better than everyone else in baseball right now. He's my guy.
Then there's hockey. With the Flyers currently tied for the most points in the NHL with Vancouver, there isn't much this team lacks. The one obvious area would be goaltender, that ever-elusive position for the Flyers. However, 22-year-old rookie Sergei Bobrovsky has been fantastic, as has veteran Brian Boucher. And the team is stacked with talent.
Still, I'll take a goalie. And my guy is Ryan Miller.
Miller's have a little bit of a down year, but he's been so damn good in front of a mediocre team. I'd love to see him in Orange and Black. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to get an Alexander Ovechkin or, dare I say, Sidney Crosby. But I like rooting against those guys too much. Give me Ryan Miller.
But first, give me Blake Griffin. He's one player I'd trade an entire franchise for. He's just that good and that fun to watch.
For me, Blake is a no-brainer. He would bring some much-needed excitement to the Sixers, and with all due respect to the rest of the NBA, no one is more of a must-see player right now than Blake Griffin. That doesn't mean he's the best, but he's the one guy I'd want in this city more than any other right now.
The funny thing is, as my roommate pointed out, a few months ago I might have said Cliff Lee. And I probably would have. Now I don't have to, because we all know the greatest man who ever lived is back where he belongs.
We both agreed that Griffin was a tremendous pick, and if you had to pick just one athlete to come to your city, it would almost have to be a basketball player. The reason being that one NBA superstar can change the course of a franchise more than any one player can in football, baseball or basketball all by himself. Of course there are exceptions, so we took it a step further: Who would you add if you could add one player to each team in each sport?
That's when it gets tricky. You can look at it one of two ways: Adding that player to your team's current makeup, or the guy you'd like to start your team from scratch with. For instance, for football, my roommate said he take Ndamukong Suh, and he might even take him over anyone else in any sport.
Frankly, that choice is hard to argue. I'd absolutely love to have Suh terrorizing the NFC East as a member of the Eagles. But if I had to add one player right now to this current Eagles roster, I think it would be Patrick Willis.
My reasoning for Willis is twofold. For starters, the Eagles haven't had a terrorizing linebacker since a young Jeremiah Trotter, and it's a position they sorely need an upgrade in. Second, he would bring a presence that opposing offenses fear, a hard-hitter who will terrify wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks alike. That's something they haven't had since Brian Dawkins went to Denver.
Of course, in reality, I desperately want the Eagles to sign Nnamdi Asomugha and pry Albert Haynesworth away from Washington to reunite with Jim Washburn here in the Philadelphia. Just imagine Haynesworth and Trent Cole up front with Asante Samuel and Nnamdi protecting the back end. Still, in a dream scenario, Patrick Willis is my guy.
However, if we were starting a team from scratch, Aaron Rodgers would be my man. He's only 27 and on the precipice of being one the few elite quarterbacks in the NFL, the most important position in professional sports.
As for baseball, that's a no-brainer for me: Albert Pujols.
There's really no debate, especially when it comes to the Phillies. They already have the most ridiculous pitching staff assembled in my lifetime. What they're lacking is a power-hitting right-handed bat. Pujols is just that. Yeah, he plays first, but who cares? I'd trade Ryan Howard for him today. In fact, if the Cardinals can't sign him, I'm down with a sign and trade, sending Howard back home to St. Louis in exchange for Albert.
That's no slight to Howard, who I love, but Pujols is the best. Even if the Phillies had no hitting at all, Pujols is still my pick. He's just so much better than everyone else in baseball right now. He's my guy.
Then there's hockey. With the Flyers currently tied for the most points in the NHL with Vancouver, there isn't much this team lacks. The one obvious area would be goaltender, that ever-elusive position for the Flyers. However, 22-year-old rookie Sergei Bobrovsky has been fantastic, as has veteran Brian Boucher. And the team is stacked with talent.
Still, I'll take a goalie. And my guy is Ryan Miller.
Miller's have a little bit of a down year, but he's been so damn good in front of a mediocre team. I'd love to see him in Orange and Black. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to get an Alexander Ovechkin or, dare I say, Sidney Crosby. But I like rooting against those guys too much. Give me Ryan Miller.
But first, give me Blake Griffin. He's one player I'd trade an entire franchise for. He's just that good and that fun to watch.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Making Statements
This weekend it was bitterly cold here in Philadelphia. We're talking so cold your face hurts when you go outside. So naturally, it made for the type of weekend where your best bet was to hunker down inside and relax on the couch.
Thankfully, it was the perfect weekend for that. Saturday marked one of the best slate of college basketball games I can remember it a while: UConn-Tennessee, Ohio St.-Illinois, Texas-Kansas, Michigan St.-Purdue, Cincinnati-St. John's, Kansas St.-Texas A&M, Temple-Xavier … and those are just some of the great matchups. Of course, the day started with the most enticing game of all, Villanova taking on Syracuse in the Carrier Dome.
The funny thing is Syracuse has all the Philly guys and Nova has all the New York City guys. The Orange have three players — Scoop Jardine, Rick Jackson and Dion Waiters — from Philadelphia and just one from NYC, Griffin Hoffmann. Villanova has three players — Corey Fisher, Antonio Pena and JayVaughn Pinkston (suspended for the semester) — from New York and just one from Philadelphia, Maalik Wayns.
Simply put, Nova looked awesome on Saturday. I'm not sure I've ever seen a team bust up a Jim Boeheim zone so effectively in my life. The Wildcats played the most patient offensive game I can remember under Jay Wright, working the ball around, using the shot clock and getting incredible looks. It didn't hurt that everything they threw up seem to go in.
Watching Villanova in that first half, when they outscored Syracuse 40-29, it looked like they were shooting into the ocean. Maalik Wayns flat out dominated, scoring 17 of his team-high 21 points in the first half, nine of those coming from beyond the arc. The Orange had absolutely no answer for Wayns, who came out gunning from the opening tip-off. It was easily Wayns' most impressive half of basketball to date, and his teammates followed suit. Nova hit 8 threes in the first half alone, with Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes, who each scored 16 points in the game, chipping in.
And with Nova lighting it up from beyond the arc, Syracuse had to start extending its zone even more. That made them vulnerable inside, and the Wildcats obliged, picking Cuse apart down low. It was really a thing of beauty.
However, you knew Nova couldn't keep shooting the way it did in the first half the entire game. And they didn't. The shooting cooled off a bit in the second, and Syracuse made its run. Neumann-Goretti's Rick Jackson was a monster inside, putting up 16 points and 15 rebounds, and Kris Joseph, back from a head injury, scored a game-high 23 points, including a huge steal and dunk that made things incredibly tight.
In the end though, Nova was just too much. Wayns and Fisher far outplayed Scoop Jardine, who had a dismal game: 2 points, 1-8 shooting, 3 assists, 2 turnovers. Stokes rebounded from his embarrassing game against UConn to net 16. And Antonio Pena made it four Wildcats in double digits, with 10, 7 and 4. The biggest key, though, was Nova's efficiency. Going against one of the nation's best defenses, the Wildcats made it look effortless. They carved up the zone, shooting 50 percent form the field and 45.8 percent from three. They also ensured victory by going 22-24 from the line, having about as good a shooting game as a team can have.
Conversely, Nova's own defense was outstanding, limiting the Orange to just 43.5 percent shooting in the game.
It was a huge statement by Villanova in the packed Carrier Dome — a statement that they weren't going to let last year's road loss at Syracuse haunt them, a statement that the sophomores are ready to take the next up and make up for last year's departed seniors, a statement that they're not going anywhere. It was a really impressive victory, and it was my favorite Nova player, Maalik Wayns, who led the way.
Unfortunately, the impressive road play wouldn't extend to Temple. Xavier is one of the toughest places in the country to play, so I pretty much expected the Owls to lose. But how they lost was the depressing part, getting virtually nothing, and in Lavoy Allen's case literally nothing, from their best players. Temple's three top scorers on the season — Ramone Moore (14.9), Juan Fernandez (10.4) and Lavoy Allen (10.1) — combined to shoot an embarrassing 5-20 from the field for just 16 points. Lavoy Allen was a complete nonfactor, literally giving the Owls nothing offensively with zero points. He picked up two quick fouls in the game and had to sit the majority of the first half, then compounded that by being a complete fucking moron to start the second, committing fouls on back-to-back freaking plays. That meant he had to sit again for nearly the entire game. He played just 13 minutes, grabbing just 3 boards, in the biggest game of the season so far. Absolutely horrendous and inexcusable performance by Allen.
Lavoy wasn't alone. Juan Fernandez, who looks to still be struggling with his ankle, scored just 6 points on 2-9 shooting and turned the ball over 4 times. He also proved that he still has no left hand, attempting a layup on the left side with this right hand with a defender there instead of going left and easily making the layup. He did get fouled, but it would have been an and-1 if he had a left. The fact that any D-1 basketball player can't make a left-handed layup is absurd. I can make a left-handed layup, and my left hand is retarded.
Then there is Ramone Moore, who went scoreless in the first half and finished with 10 points on 3-8 shooting. When add in that Michael Eric looked like he had never played basketball before in his life, you wonder how Temple wasn't down by a million points. The fact that the Owls were even in this game late is a miracle. And the only players that were keeping them in the game were Scootie Randall and Khalif Wyatt.
Randall had a career game, scoring 17 points in the first half just like Wayns had for Nova and finishing with a game-high 28. His three-point shooting — he went 5-9 — and overall play kept Temple in it. If it wasn't for Scootie, this thing would have been over by halftime.
And Wyatt provided a huge spark off the bench, scoring 19 points and connecting on 4 threes to help Temple tie it up in the 2nd half. But this was a game where the Owls needed their stars to shine. Instead, Allen, Fernandez and Moore didn't even bother to show up. For Xavier, Tu Holloway led the way with 21, 9 and 7; Mark Lyons added 19 and 5 more; and Jamel McLean had 16 and 7. The Minutemen's best played well. Temple's might as well have stayed in Philadelphia.
Nova kicked things off right, but then the Flyers lost to the lowly Devils, despite this awesome goal on Richard to Giroux to JVR play:
Then Temple brought it all back down to earth with uninspired play by its stars.
Luckily, there was still plenty of excitement. Jared Sullinger was monstrous in Ohio St.'s 73-68 win. The freshman phenom had 27 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks. I don't care what the Sixers have to do to get him in the draft, but they have to get him. He's a beast.
Speaking of beasts, Blake Griffin did this:
And this:
I would trade the entire Sixers roster for him.
Oh, and Kevin Durant did this:
Damn. I really wish the Sixers, who did beat the Jazz by the way, were fun to watch again.
Thankfully, the Flyers are. Yesterday, they provided a great appetizer the NFL Championship games, easily defeating the Blackhawks 4-1. Claude Giroux was the best player on the ice yet again, notching an assist on all four goals. And Jeff Carter continued his hot play, scoring goals 21 and 22 to go along with an assist. Ever since Giroux and Carter have been playing together, both of them have been dominant.
Sergei Bobrovsky was excellent as well, stopping 30 of 31 shots, the loan goal coming on a penalty shot by Marian Hossa.
The victory really showed the different directions the teams have headed since the Stanley Cup final. Chicago lost key players and are now struggling to hold on to a playoff spot, sitting at 7th in the West. The Flyers added key pieces and now hockey's deepest team, with three incredible scoring lines, an excellent checking line, and three legitimate top defense pairings, which has resulted in and NHL-leading 69 points.
It was a statement game for the Flyers and a great way to rebound from the loss on Saturday. That's what it was, a statement weekend. The Flyers, Villanova, Xavier, Jared Sullinger, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin all made major statements. So did the Bears and Jets, but theirs weren't nearly as good.
Theirs were Andy Reid-like statements, baffling coaching decision statements. For the Bears, it was that dreadful 3rd and 3 reverse call, a play they unnecessarily wasted a timeout for with the clock already stopped only to lose yardage and keep the clock running. Horrible.
For the Jets, it was the insane decision to keep Shonn Greene on the bench in favor of LaDanian Tomlinson on the final two drives despite Greene killing it, not to mention a slew of questionable play calls.
Please let the Packers win.
Thankfully, it was the perfect weekend for that. Saturday marked one of the best slate of college basketball games I can remember it a while: UConn-Tennessee, Ohio St.-Illinois, Texas-Kansas, Michigan St.-Purdue, Cincinnati-St. John's, Kansas St.-Texas A&M, Temple-Xavier … and those are just some of the great matchups. Of course, the day started with the most enticing game of all, Villanova taking on Syracuse in the Carrier Dome.
The funny thing is Syracuse has all the Philly guys and Nova has all the New York City guys. The Orange have three players — Scoop Jardine, Rick Jackson and Dion Waiters — from Philadelphia and just one from NYC, Griffin Hoffmann. Villanova has three players — Corey Fisher, Antonio Pena and JayVaughn Pinkston (suspended for the semester) — from New York and just one from Philadelphia, Maalik Wayns.
Simply put, Nova looked awesome on Saturday. I'm not sure I've ever seen a team bust up a Jim Boeheim zone so effectively in my life. The Wildcats played the most patient offensive game I can remember under Jay Wright, working the ball around, using the shot clock and getting incredible looks. It didn't hurt that everything they threw up seem to go in.
Watching Villanova in that first half, when they outscored Syracuse 40-29, it looked like they were shooting into the ocean. Maalik Wayns flat out dominated, scoring 17 of his team-high 21 points in the first half, nine of those coming from beyond the arc. The Orange had absolutely no answer for Wayns, who came out gunning from the opening tip-off. It was easily Wayns' most impressive half of basketball to date, and his teammates followed suit. Nova hit 8 threes in the first half alone, with Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes, who each scored 16 points in the game, chipping in.
And with Nova lighting it up from beyond the arc, Syracuse had to start extending its zone even more. That made them vulnerable inside, and the Wildcats obliged, picking Cuse apart down low. It was really a thing of beauty.
However, you knew Nova couldn't keep shooting the way it did in the first half the entire game. And they didn't. The shooting cooled off a bit in the second, and Syracuse made its run. Neumann-Goretti's Rick Jackson was a monster inside, putting up 16 points and 15 rebounds, and Kris Joseph, back from a head injury, scored a game-high 23 points, including a huge steal and dunk that made things incredibly tight.
In the end though, Nova was just too much. Wayns and Fisher far outplayed Scoop Jardine, who had a dismal game: 2 points, 1-8 shooting, 3 assists, 2 turnovers. Stokes rebounded from his embarrassing game against UConn to net 16. And Antonio Pena made it four Wildcats in double digits, with 10, 7 and 4. The biggest key, though, was Nova's efficiency. Going against one of the nation's best defenses, the Wildcats made it look effortless. They carved up the zone, shooting 50 percent form the field and 45.8 percent from three. They also ensured victory by going 22-24 from the line, having about as good a shooting game as a team can have.
Conversely, Nova's own defense was outstanding, limiting the Orange to just 43.5 percent shooting in the game.
It was a huge statement by Villanova in the packed Carrier Dome — a statement that they weren't going to let last year's road loss at Syracuse haunt them, a statement that the sophomores are ready to take the next up and make up for last year's departed seniors, a statement that they're not going anywhere. It was a really impressive victory, and it was my favorite Nova player, Maalik Wayns, who led the way.
Unfortunately, the impressive road play wouldn't extend to Temple. Xavier is one of the toughest places in the country to play, so I pretty much expected the Owls to lose. But how they lost was the depressing part, getting virtually nothing, and in Lavoy Allen's case literally nothing, from their best players. Temple's three top scorers on the season — Ramone Moore (14.9), Juan Fernandez (10.4) and Lavoy Allen (10.1) — combined to shoot an embarrassing 5-20 from the field for just 16 points. Lavoy Allen was a complete nonfactor, literally giving the Owls nothing offensively with zero points. He picked up two quick fouls in the game and had to sit the majority of the first half, then compounded that by being a complete fucking moron to start the second, committing fouls on back-to-back freaking plays. That meant he had to sit again for nearly the entire game. He played just 13 minutes, grabbing just 3 boards, in the biggest game of the season so far. Absolutely horrendous and inexcusable performance by Allen.
Lavoy wasn't alone. Juan Fernandez, who looks to still be struggling with his ankle, scored just 6 points on 2-9 shooting and turned the ball over 4 times. He also proved that he still has no left hand, attempting a layup on the left side with this right hand with a defender there instead of going left and easily making the layup. He did get fouled, but it would have been an and-1 if he had a left. The fact that any D-1 basketball player can't make a left-handed layup is absurd. I can make a left-handed layup, and my left hand is retarded.
Then there is Ramone Moore, who went scoreless in the first half and finished with 10 points on 3-8 shooting. When add in that Michael Eric looked like he had never played basketball before in his life, you wonder how Temple wasn't down by a million points. The fact that the Owls were even in this game late is a miracle. And the only players that were keeping them in the game were Scootie Randall and Khalif Wyatt.
Randall had a career game, scoring 17 points in the first half just like Wayns had for Nova and finishing with a game-high 28. His three-point shooting — he went 5-9 — and overall play kept Temple in it. If it wasn't for Scootie, this thing would have been over by halftime.
And Wyatt provided a huge spark off the bench, scoring 19 points and connecting on 4 threes to help Temple tie it up in the 2nd half. But this was a game where the Owls needed their stars to shine. Instead, Allen, Fernandez and Moore didn't even bother to show up. For Xavier, Tu Holloway led the way with 21, 9 and 7; Mark Lyons added 19 and 5 more; and Jamel McLean had 16 and 7. The Minutemen's best played well. Temple's might as well have stayed in Philadelphia.
Nova kicked things off right, but then the Flyers lost to the lowly Devils, despite this awesome goal on Richard to Giroux to JVR play:
Then Temple brought it all back down to earth with uninspired play by its stars.
Luckily, there was still plenty of excitement. Jared Sullinger was monstrous in Ohio St.'s 73-68 win. The freshman phenom had 27 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks. I don't care what the Sixers have to do to get him in the draft, but they have to get him. He's a beast.
Speaking of beasts, Blake Griffin did this:
And this:
I would trade the entire Sixers roster for him.
Oh, and Kevin Durant did this:
Damn. I really wish the Sixers, who did beat the Jazz by the way, were fun to watch again.
Thankfully, the Flyers are. Yesterday, they provided a great appetizer the NFL Championship games, easily defeating the Blackhawks 4-1. Claude Giroux was the best player on the ice yet again, notching an assist on all four goals. And Jeff Carter continued his hot play, scoring goals 21 and 22 to go along with an assist. Ever since Giroux and Carter have been playing together, both of them have been dominant.
Sergei Bobrovsky was excellent as well, stopping 30 of 31 shots, the loan goal coming on a penalty shot by Marian Hossa.
The victory really showed the different directions the teams have headed since the Stanley Cup final. Chicago lost key players and are now struggling to hold on to a playoff spot, sitting at 7th in the West. The Flyers added key pieces and now hockey's deepest team, with three incredible scoring lines, an excellent checking line, and three legitimate top defense pairings, which has resulted in and NHL-leading 69 points.
It was a statement game for the Flyers and a great way to rebound from the loss on Saturday. That's what it was, a statement weekend. The Flyers, Villanova, Xavier, Jared Sullinger, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin all made major statements. So did the Bears and Jets, but theirs weren't nearly as good.
Theirs were Andy Reid-like statements, baffling coaching decision statements. For the Bears, it was that dreadful 3rd and 3 reverse call, a play they unnecessarily wasted a timeout for with the clock already stopped only to lose yardage and keep the clock running. Horrible.
For the Jets, it was the insane decision to keep Shonn Greene on the bench in favor of LaDanian Tomlinson on the final two drives despite Greene killing it, not to mention a slew of questionable play calls.
Please let the Packers win.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
I Should Have Off During All Basketball Marathons
You know how I know there is no justice in this world? Two reasons, really. Number 1, the first Thursday and Friday of the NCAA Tournament are still not national holidays, which is just completely absurd. And number 2, my company doesn't give its employees off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day despite it being recognized as a national holiday … which pisses me off to no end because every MLK Day there is a star-studded basketball marathon.
Yet thanks to work, I missed Louis Williams showing Andre Iguodala what clutch is.
That shot sent the game to overtime, where Andre Iguodala took Lou's hint by hitting the go-ahead jumper with 37 seconds left to give the Sixers a 96-92 win. Lou Will had perhaps his best game of the season, scoring a team-high 23 points on 8-15 from the field including the game-tying three, and he received a ton of help from his two highest-paid teammates. Elton Brand continued his quietly good season, posting yet another double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, not to mention five blocks. And Andre Iguodala matched Brand's double-double with one of his own, putting together an all-around excellent floor game: 16 points on 6-10 shooting, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and just 1 turnover. The win propelled the Sixers to 7th in the East, for whatever that's worth.
I also missed Blake Griffin continue to demolish all comers with a career-high 47 points.
Don't look now, but the Clippers have won 10 of their last 14 games, including victories over the Lakers, Heat, Nuggets and at Chicago. Not only should Blake Griffin be a lock for the Rookie of the Year and starting in the all-star game, but if the Clippers, who currently reside in 13th in the West (6 games behind 8th-place Portland), somehow manage to sneak into playoff contention, he just may be an MVP candidate. The man is a monster. He really is.
And I missed all but the final minute of the Villanova-UConn game up in Storrs, walking through my front door just in time to see Corey Fisher tie the game from the line with points 27 and 28 with 35 seconds left only to get thwarted by a ridiculous floater by Kemba Walker.
I thought for a split second that Fisher's last-second heave from half court was going to go in, and why wouldn't I? Fisher was awesome yesterday, scoring a game-high 28 points, dishing out 6 assists with zero turnovers and matching Kemba Walker and the rest of the Huskies shot for shot down the stretch. Well, at least until that last one.
The problem is Fisher was a one-man show. Literally. He was the only Wildcat to score in double figures. His usual partner-in-crime and Villanova's leading scorer Corey Stokes didn't make a single field goal (0-6) and finished with just three points. Maalik Wayns struggled with just 9 points and 4 turnovers while shooting 4-10 from the field and 0-4 from three. And Mouphtaou Yarou, who played so well against Lousiville, did manage to grab 10 boards, but shot only 3-8 from the field for 8 points.
Setting aside Fisher's 10-22 performance, the rest of the Wildcats shot a dismal 12-38, with not a single other Wildcat besides Fisher making a three-pointer. Meanwhile Walker, who struggled shooting (6-18), managed to still score 24 points thanks to getting to the line 12 times while receiving huge help from Alex Oriakhi (14 and 12) and freshman Jeremy Lamb (14 and 8).
Fisher still almost willed the Wildcats to victory with virtually no help at all on the road in a tough environment. While the loss is tough to swallow, that bodes well for the Wildcats. There won't be many games, if any at all, where only one Villanova player scores in double figures, and I'd be shocked if Corey Stokes has another game remotely resembling yesterday's. Regardless, Nova suffered its first conference loss of the season in a really remarkable finish.
Thankfully, I did get to watch the two games that had the most native Philadelphians in it: Syracuse-Pitt and Kansas-Baylor. (By the way, did you know Villanova only has one player — Maalik Wayns — from Philadelphia? Seriously, check out the roster.)
Between Syracuse and Pitt, there are five Philadelphians (well, one's from Chester, but close enough). For the Orange, as you should well know by now, there is Rick Jackson and Scoop Jardine, who were teammates at Neumann-Goretti, and freshman Dion Waiters from Burlington Life Center Academy.
For Pitt, there's senior Brad Wanamaker from Roman Catholic and junior Nasir Robinson out of Chester.
Philadelphia was all over the place in the game with the single craziest first half of basketball I've ever seen. That's not even hyperbole. Honest. I have never in my life seen anything like the first half of this game.
Feeding off the home crowd and amped to give their Big East rival its first loss of the season, the Panthers came out like a buzzsaw, giving Cuse no room to move or even breathe with suffocating defense and scoring at will inside on offense. Before you could blink, Pitt was up 19-0. That's right, 19-0.
But just as quickly as Pitt burst out to that improbable lead, it vanished. Jim Boeheim steadied his troops, and all they did was go on a 17-0 run themselves to make it a two-point game. It was unreal. I can't believe I actually saw that happen. A 19-0 by one team followed by a 17-0 run by the other to start the game. After such a frenetic start, suddenly both teams were back to square one. Unbelievable.
By halftime, it was just like any other game, with Pitt leading 31-27 and eventually winning 74-66 after the Orange climbed all the way to tie it at 41.
And leading the way for Pitt was the two local Philadelphia boys. Nasir Robinson was the player of the game, netting a game-high 21 points on 8-12 shooting to go along with 7 rebounds and two assists. Wanamaker did a little bit of everything with his 15 points trailing only Robinson's 21 for Pitt while nabbing 5 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal and a block.
Syracuse's Philly trio wasn't quite as good. Rick Jackson did record yet another double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds while also registering three blocks and three steals; Scoop Jardine did score the second-most points for the Orange with 12 behind C.J. Fair's 16; and Dion Waiters did get 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals off the bench. But with their best player and leading scorer Kris Joseph out, Syracuse needed more from them. Jardine shot just 4-13 from the field, not making a single shot inside the three-point arc, and missed both his free throws. Jackson missed 6 of his 11 shots and failed to get to the foul line. And Waiters shot just 3-9 himself, failing to reach double digits to help make up for Joseph's absence.
The good news for the Syracuse faithful and Philadelphia hoops enthusiasts is that North Philadelphia native and Academy New Church senior Rakeem Christmas, who is headed to Syracuse next year, has been named to the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit U.S. roster.
Check out Christmas and his ANC teammates — Villanova-bound Savon Goodman and Pitt-bound Malcolm Gilbert.
And that brings us to the nightcap: Kansas-Baylor. The Jayhawks, now one of only three unbeaten teams remaining in the country along with Ohio State and San Diego State after Syracuse's loss, won easily 85-65. They may be the most loaded team in the nation, and that's thanks largely to the twins from Philadelphia, Markieff and Marcus Morris.
Marcus leads in the Jayhawks in scoring at 17.2 points per game and leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at an absurd 61.2 percent. Markieff leads Kansas in blocks with over one a game and leads the Big 12 in rebounds at 8.7 per contest. Basically, they've been dominant all year, but never more dominant than last night.
In that 20-point victory, the Morris brothers combined for 44 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. They shot a combined 19-24 from the field. 19-24. That's 79 percent. Markieff only missed one shot, going 9-10 for 19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Marcus was way off by comparison, only making 10 of his 14 shot attempts for 25 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Ho-hum. Nothing to see here.
Damn. Those two are good. Too bad they didn't stick around the city to play their college ball, but man are they fun to watch.
And really, all those games were or would have been a blast to watch, just like the first two days of the tournament are so much fun to take in. Which is why I should always have off during basketball marathons, like the one that takes place every MLK Day. It's the only reasonable thing to do.
Yet thanks to work, I missed Louis Williams showing Andre Iguodala what clutch is.
That shot sent the game to overtime, where Andre Iguodala took Lou's hint by hitting the go-ahead jumper with 37 seconds left to give the Sixers a 96-92 win. Lou Will had perhaps his best game of the season, scoring a team-high 23 points on 8-15 from the field including the game-tying three, and he received a ton of help from his two highest-paid teammates. Elton Brand continued his quietly good season, posting yet another double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, not to mention five blocks. And Andre Iguodala matched Brand's double-double with one of his own, putting together an all-around excellent floor game: 16 points on 6-10 shooting, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and just 1 turnover. The win propelled the Sixers to 7th in the East, for whatever that's worth.
I also missed Blake Griffin continue to demolish all comers with a career-high 47 points.
Don't look now, but the Clippers have won 10 of their last 14 games, including victories over the Lakers, Heat, Nuggets and at Chicago. Not only should Blake Griffin be a lock for the Rookie of the Year and starting in the all-star game, but if the Clippers, who currently reside in 13th in the West (6 games behind 8th-place Portland), somehow manage to sneak into playoff contention, he just may be an MVP candidate. The man is a monster. He really is.
And I missed all but the final minute of the Villanova-UConn game up in Storrs, walking through my front door just in time to see Corey Fisher tie the game from the line with points 27 and 28 with 35 seconds left only to get thwarted by a ridiculous floater by Kemba Walker.
I thought for a split second that Fisher's last-second heave from half court was going to go in, and why wouldn't I? Fisher was awesome yesterday, scoring a game-high 28 points, dishing out 6 assists with zero turnovers and matching Kemba Walker and the rest of the Huskies shot for shot down the stretch. Well, at least until that last one.
The problem is Fisher was a one-man show. Literally. He was the only Wildcat to score in double figures. His usual partner-in-crime and Villanova's leading scorer Corey Stokes didn't make a single field goal (0-6) and finished with just three points. Maalik Wayns struggled with just 9 points and 4 turnovers while shooting 4-10 from the field and 0-4 from three. And Mouphtaou Yarou, who played so well against Lousiville, did manage to grab 10 boards, but shot only 3-8 from the field for 8 points.
Setting aside Fisher's 10-22 performance, the rest of the Wildcats shot a dismal 12-38, with not a single other Wildcat besides Fisher making a three-pointer. Meanwhile Walker, who struggled shooting (6-18), managed to still score 24 points thanks to getting to the line 12 times while receiving huge help from Alex Oriakhi (14 and 12) and freshman Jeremy Lamb (14 and 8).
Fisher still almost willed the Wildcats to victory with virtually no help at all on the road in a tough environment. While the loss is tough to swallow, that bodes well for the Wildcats. There won't be many games, if any at all, where only one Villanova player scores in double figures, and I'd be shocked if Corey Stokes has another game remotely resembling yesterday's. Regardless, Nova suffered its first conference loss of the season in a really remarkable finish.
Thankfully, I did get to watch the two games that had the most native Philadelphians in it: Syracuse-Pitt and Kansas-Baylor. (By the way, did you know Villanova only has one player — Maalik Wayns — from Philadelphia? Seriously, check out the roster.)
Between Syracuse and Pitt, there are five Philadelphians (well, one's from Chester, but close enough). For the Orange, as you should well know by now, there is Rick Jackson and Scoop Jardine, who were teammates at Neumann-Goretti, and freshman Dion Waiters from Burlington Life Center Academy.
For Pitt, there's senior Brad Wanamaker from Roman Catholic and junior Nasir Robinson out of Chester.
Philadelphia was all over the place in the game with the single craziest first half of basketball I've ever seen. That's not even hyperbole. Honest. I have never in my life seen anything like the first half of this game.
Feeding off the home crowd and amped to give their Big East rival its first loss of the season, the Panthers came out like a buzzsaw, giving Cuse no room to move or even breathe with suffocating defense and scoring at will inside on offense. Before you could blink, Pitt was up 19-0. That's right, 19-0.
But just as quickly as Pitt burst out to that improbable lead, it vanished. Jim Boeheim steadied his troops, and all they did was go on a 17-0 run themselves to make it a two-point game. It was unreal. I can't believe I actually saw that happen. A 19-0 by one team followed by a 17-0 run by the other to start the game. After such a frenetic start, suddenly both teams were back to square one. Unbelievable.
By halftime, it was just like any other game, with Pitt leading 31-27 and eventually winning 74-66 after the Orange climbed all the way to tie it at 41.
And leading the way for Pitt was the two local Philadelphia boys. Nasir Robinson was the player of the game, netting a game-high 21 points on 8-12 shooting to go along with 7 rebounds and two assists. Wanamaker did a little bit of everything with his 15 points trailing only Robinson's 21 for Pitt while nabbing 5 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal and a block.
Syracuse's Philly trio wasn't quite as good. Rick Jackson did record yet another double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds while also registering three blocks and three steals; Scoop Jardine did score the second-most points for the Orange with 12 behind C.J. Fair's 16; and Dion Waiters did get 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals off the bench. But with their best player and leading scorer Kris Joseph out, Syracuse needed more from them. Jardine shot just 4-13 from the field, not making a single shot inside the three-point arc, and missed both his free throws. Jackson missed 6 of his 11 shots and failed to get to the foul line. And Waiters shot just 3-9 himself, failing to reach double digits to help make up for Joseph's absence.
The good news for the Syracuse faithful and Philadelphia hoops enthusiasts is that North Philadelphia native and Academy New Church senior Rakeem Christmas, who is headed to Syracuse next year, has been named to the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit U.S. roster.
Check out Christmas and his ANC teammates — Villanova-bound Savon Goodman and Pitt-bound Malcolm Gilbert.
And that brings us to the nightcap: Kansas-Baylor. The Jayhawks, now one of only three unbeaten teams remaining in the country along with Ohio State and San Diego State after Syracuse's loss, won easily 85-65. They may be the most loaded team in the nation, and that's thanks largely to the twins from Philadelphia, Markieff and Marcus Morris.
Marcus leads in the Jayhawks in scoring at 17.2 points per game and leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at an absurd 61.2 percent. Markieff leads Kansas in blocks with over one a game and leads the Big 12 in rebounds at 8.7 per contest. Basically, they've been dominant all year, but never more dominant than last night.
In that 20-point victory, the Morris brothers combined for 44 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. They shot a combined 19-24 from the field. 19-24. That's 79 percent. Markieff only missed one shot, going 9-10 for 19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Marcus was way off by comparison, only making 10 of his 14 shot attempts for 25 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Ho-hum. Nothing to see here.
Damn. Those two are good. Too bad they didn't stick around the city to play their college ball, but man are they fun to watch.
And really, all those games were or would have been a blast to watch, just like the first two days of the tournament are so much fun to take in. Which is why I should always have off during basketball marathons, like the one that takes place every MLK Day. It's the only reasonable thing to do.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
An Apple a Day Links
As a single 26-year-old male, I rarely eat healthy food, which is to be expected. But the other day, I actually bought some fruit, and yesterday I ate an apple for the first time in what feels like forever. Let me tell you, that thing was delicious.
It makes me want to eat an apple, or some other kind of fruit, every day. And I would if I could, because I find fruit to be delicious. But damn, that shit is expensive. It seems like all healthy food is expensive. When you think about it, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. No wonder this country is so damn obese. Unhealthy food is cheap as shit — I mean, every fast food joint has a freaking dollar menu. But healthy food, like fruits and vegetables and anything in that awful supermarket Whole Foods, is expensive as hell. I can't afford to eat healthy and go to a ton of sporting events and blow my money on alcohol on my budget … and lord knows I can't stop drinking and going to sporting events. So it's my diet my suffers.
Oh, and fuck you assholes in Idaho and Washington. I swear to god, every Mega Millions and Powerball winner comes from some obscure state that no one cares about. When the hell is someone from Philadelphia, namely me, going to win a $300 million jackpot? It's bullshit.
Links …
-Joe Paterno denied Robert Bolden's transfer request, which is completely baffling to me, and Bolden and his father are pretty pissed about it:
Do you feel like the coaching staff lied to you in any way or do you feel like they were being honest with you?: I don't think they were being honest, I don't think they lied. I think they kind of like avoided the whole situation, with me talking to Jay week to week, trying to see what's up with me getting back on the field. He kind of told me the same thing that he told me today, so I've just been hearing the same stories for a while now. — Rob Bolden
…
Q: How surprised are you by this?:
A: I completely expected a release. He could have told me over the phone. I could have stayed in Michigan. I didn't have to drive down here for that. There's nothing to talk about after that. No is no. I'm not looking to change his mind. If he's made his mind up that he's not going to release him, I didn't have to drive down for that. — Rob Bolden Sr.
I'm really not sure why Paterno wouldn't agree to release a kid from his scholarship if he no longer wants to be there. Perhaps he'll grant him his release in time and just wants him to think it over more, but in this instance I don't agree with Paterno at all. Why make a kid stay somewhere he doesn't want to be? I don't know, it just doesn't seem like a good situation for Bolden or Penn State.
-Some intriguing Andre Iguodala trade scenarios with the Mavs, Blazers, Rockets and Nuggets/Nets. I wouldn't have a problem with any of them, especially the one that would bring Derrick Favors to Philadelphia.
-Rich Rod is fired for real this time. Damn, I enjoyed his time in Ann Arbor a lot.
-Blake Griffin will save the dunk contest.
Not only that, but get this, my man Brandon Jennings is going to participate too.
The other contestants are reportedly Serge Ibaka and JaVale McGee.
-Dwyane Wade got ups:
-A new Philly-NY rivalry. Great rundown of the Villa Holiday Classic held at the Palestra.
-Your 2010-11 NFL Penn Staters recap. The best of the bunch? Tamba Hali, who led the AFC in sacks with 14.5, finishing second only to DeMarcus Ware in the entire NFL (15.5).
Maybe if the Eagles didn't sit Jason Peters and instead allow clueless rookie Austin Howard play, Hali would have finished atop the NFL. Regardless, great season by Tamba. He and Poz are easily the best Penn Staters in the NFL right now. Oh, andDerek Cameron Wake, who finished right behind Hali with 14 sacks. The weird thing is Wake made the Pro Bowl but Tamba didn't. He definitely should have made it, but whatever. The man is still awesome.
-The Sixers give their New Year's resolutions. Good stuff.
-Chris Pronger was cleared to start skating, which is definitely a good thing.
I found this video of Allen Iverson when I searched Blake Griffin on YouTube and sorted it by upload date.
Finally, I watched the Spurs-Knicks game on NBA TV on our top TV while watching the Sugar Bowl on the bottom. The game was completely nuts.
After one quarter the score was 36-35 Knicks. At halftime, the Knicks led 72-69. In their loss to New Orleans Monday, the Sixers scored 77 points in the entire game. After three, New York led 101-95. It was insanity. The fewest amount of points the Knicks scored in a quarter was 27 in the 4th. The Sixers only hit the 20-point mark once in four quarters Monday.
The moral of the story? The Knicks are way more fun to watch than the Sixers. The Spurs too.
If you're interested, the Sixers take on the Wizards tonight at the Wells Fargo Center.
It makes me want to eat an apple, or some other kind of fruit, every day. And I would if I could, because I find fruit to be delicious. But damn, that shit is expensive. It seems like all healthy food is expensive. When you think about it, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. No wonder this country is so damn obese. Unhealthy food is cheap as shit — I mean, every fast food joint has a freaking dollar menu. But healthy food, like fruits and vegetables and anything in that awful supermarket Whole Foods, is expensive as hell. I can't afford to eat healthy and go to a ton of sporting events and blow my money on alcohol on my budget … and lord knows I can't stop drinking and going to sporting events. So it's my diet my suffers.
Oh, and fuck you assholes in Idaho and Washington. I swear to god, every Mega Millions and Powerball winner comes from some obscure state that no one cares about. When the hell is someone from Philadelphia, namely me, going to win a $300 million jackpot? It's bullshit.
Links …
-Joe Paterno denied Robert Bolden's transfer request, which is completely baffling to me, and Bolden and his father are pretty pissed about it:
Do you feel like the coaching staff lied to you in any way or do you feel like they were being honest with you?: I don't think they were being honest, I don't think they lied. I think they kind of like avoided the whole situation, with me talking to Jay week to week, trying to see what's up with me getting back on the field. He kind of told me the same thing that he told me today, so I've just been hearing the same stories for a while now. — Rob Bolden
…
Q: How surprised are you by this?:
A: I completely expected a release. He could have told me over the phone. I could have stayed in Michigan. I didn't have to drive down here for that. There's nothing to talk about after that. No is no. I'm not looking to change his mind. If he's made his mind up that he's not going to release him, I didn't have to drive down for that. — Rob Bolden Sr.
I'm really not sure why Paterno wouldn't agree to release a kid from his scholarship if he no longer wants to be there. Perhaps he'll grant him his release in time and just wants him to think it over more, but in this instance I don't agree with Paterno at all. Why make a kid stay somewhere he doesn't want to be? I don't know, it just doesn't seem like a good situation for Bolden or Penn State.
-Some intriguing Andre Iguodala trade scenarios with the Mavs, Blazers, Rockets and Nuggets/Nets. I wouldn't have a problem with any of them, especially the one that would bring Derrick Favors to Philadelphia.
-Rich Rod is fired for real this time. Damn, I enjoyed his time in Ann Arbor a lot.
-Blake Griffin will save the dunk contest.
Not only that, but get this, my man Brandon Jennings is going to participate too.
The other contestants are reportedly Serge Ibaka and JaVale McGee.
-Dwyane Wade got ups:
-A new Philly-NY rivalry. Great rundown of the Villa Holiday Classic held at the Palestra.
-Your 2010-11 NFL Penn Staters recap. The best of the bunch? Tamba Hali, who led the AFC in sacks with 14.5, finishing second only to DeMarcus Ware in the entire NFL (15.5).
Maybe if the Eagles didn't sit Jason Peters and instead allow clueless rookie Austin Howard play, Hali would have finished atop the NFL. Regardless, great season by Tamba. He and Poz are easily the best Penn Staters in the NFL right now. Oh, and
-The Sixers give their New Year's resolutions. Good stuff.
-Chris Pronger was cleared to start skating, which is definitely a good thing.
I found this video of Allen Iverson when I searched Blake Griffin on YouTube and sorted it by upload date.
Finally, I watched the Spurs-Knicks game on NBA TV on our top TV while watching the Sugar Bowl on the bottom. The game was completely nuts.
After one quarter the score was 36-35 Knicks. At halftime, the Knicks led 72-69. In their loss to New Orleans Monday, the Sixers scored 77 points in the entire game. After three, New York led 101-95. It was insanity. The fewest amount of points the Knicks scored in a quarter was 27 in the 4th. The Sixers only hit the 20-point mark once in four quarters Monday.
The moral of the story? The Knicks are way more fun to watch than the Sixers. The Spurs too.
If you're interested, the Sixers take on the Wizards tonight at the Wells Fargo Center.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Poster Child
The Sixers lost to the Bulls by 45 points last night. There's nothing worth talking about in that pathetic effort other than Derrick Rose is really, really good, and the Bulls are way better than the Sixers. But you know what is worth talking about? Blake Griffin.
I heard yesterday on PTI that there's a movement out there to nickname Blake Griffin "The Poster Child." The following is why. (Via You Been Blinded, mostly You Got Dunked On and YouTube)
This young man is a monster, and at this point, I don't see any possible way he won't be Rookie of the Year. Through 29 games, Griffin is averaging 20.8 points and 12.2 rebounds a game. He's shooting 51.7 percent from the floor. And he's already made more posters in the first two months of his rookie seasons than most players make in a lifetime.
The Clippers may suck, but Blake Griffin is ridiculous right now.
I heard yesterday on PTI that there's a movement out there to nickname Blake Griffin "The Poster Child." The following is why. (Via You Been Blinded, mostly You Got Dunked On and YouTube)
This young man is a monster, and at this point, I don't see any possible way he won't be Rookie of the Year. Through 29 games, Griffin is averaging 20.8 points and 12.2 rebounds a game. He's shooting 51.7 percent from the floor. And he's already made more posters in the first two months of his rookie seasons than most players make in a lifetime.
The Clippers may suck, but Blake Griffin is ridiculous right now.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Young Guns
With the Eagles in first place and the Phillies — OH MY GOD CLIFF LEE IS BACK! — dominating the local headlines, it's pretty easy to overlook the two Philadelphia teams that call the Wells Fargo Center home. But it'd be wise to start paying attention. Right now, both teams are streaking.
The Flyers beat the Canadiens 5-3 last night in Montreal just one night after defeating the Penguins. It was their fourth straight victory, and the Flyers have won 6 of their last seven games.
The Sixers easily defeated the Clippers 105-91 thanks to a huge third quarter, their third straight victory. Believe it or not, the 76ers are 5-2 in the month of December, winners of 5 of their last 6, 7 of their last 10, and have climbed out of the basement of the Eastern Conference. In fact, the Sixers currently reside in the 9 spot, just a half game behind the Milwaukee Bucks.
In both contests last night, it was the young guns leading the way. For the Flyers, 21-year-old James van Riemsdyk netted two goals including the game-winner, while the Sixers were led by 20-year-old point guard Jrue Holiday, who scored a game-high 24 points and added 6 rebounds and 5 assists with just one turnover.
First, I want to get this out of the way: Blake Griffin is an absolute stud. He's a monster on the boards, and his incredible athleticism allows him to score at all times. Last night, the Sixers actually did a very good job containing him, especially in the first half, yet at the midway point he still had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and by night's end, he had another absurd stat line of 20 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, a steal and a block. Whenever a shot came off the rim, you just had the feeling Griffin was getting the rebound. He completely controlled the glass.
John Wall is impressive. Really impressive. But the Rookie of the Year is Blake Griffin's to lose. He really is remarkable. It's amazing just how far modern medicine has come. Even after suffering a horrific injury to his knee, Griffin can still jump higher and quicker than just about anyone in the league. Microfracture surgery is no longer a dirty word in the NBA. Just ask Amare, who had himself quite an interesting finish last night.
Though Griffin still got his, I have to say how incredibly awesome Spencer Hawes played last night. Right from the get-go, he let the rookie know he wasn't going to be getting anything easy, blocking Griffin four times in two possessions.
Hawes finished the night with a double-double of his own and actually played Griffin to a draw, getting 16 and 12 to go along with 5 blocks. I have to admit, I was completely killing Hawes earlier in the year. He looked completely useless out there, immobile, unathletic, unimpressive. But it looks as though his early-season troubles stemmed from being out of shape due to injury. Because now that Hawes is healthy and back in game shape, he's been fantastic. Way better than I thought he'd be — quicker, more agile, better defender and an excellent shooter. Last night he was tremendous again, and Spencer Hawes may just turn out to be a damn good player yet. He's showing why he was one of the most coveted recruits coming out of high school.
As good as Hawes was, this was unquestionably the Jrue show. Holiday really is the most exciting player on this team to watch, and the more he plays, the better he is going to get. He's certainly making me forget all about Ty Lawson on the like. Last night, Jrue absolutely dominated Eric Bledsoe and Baron Davis. He was superior to both his counterparts in every conceivable way. He nailed three of six threes, hit half his shots, and played about as efficiently as he ever has.
In his young career, Jrue has struggled at times with turnovers. But not last night. He had only one, and incredibly, the Sixers only turned the ball over three times all game. That is completely unheard of in any level of basketball, and it was a huge reason the Sixers won going away — 3 turnovers to LA's 14.
Andre Iguodala also had a quietly efficient game, really going off in the fourth quarter. He had 20 points on a ridiculous 8-10 shooting night, hitting all three free throws he took and the only three-pointer he attempted. He also added four boards and five assists without turning the ball over. He was basically the Andre Iguodala fans want him to be: not jacking up ridiculous shots, penetrating, and throwing down monstrous dunks.
Believe it or not, the Sixers are actually fun to watch these days. Even though Evan Turner has done nothing but see his playing time steadily decrease, the other Sixers are giving fans more than enough reasons to watch. They're balanced, unselfish and energetic, all things that were completely lacking in the early going. Last night, five guys scored in double digits, and just about everyone contributed. It's hard to believe, but the 76ers aren't terrible. In fact, they're actually pretty fun to watch right now.
Though not as fun as the Flyers, which is no shock to anyone. Since the puck first dropped in the fall, the Flyers have been at or near the top of the standings, and they currently have the most points (47) and wins (21, tied with Pittsburgh) in the entire NHL. They remained in first last night, keeping pace with the Penguins, thanks largely to James van Riemsdyk and his linemates.
On the second night of a back-to-back, the Flyers looked incredibly gassed from the closing moments of the first period on. The Canadiens were much more fresh and it showed. Montreal outshot the Flyers in every period and finished with a 41-30 shot advantage.
The two "top" lines — Richards-Giroux-Nodl and Hartnell-Briere-Leino — were fairly quiet on the night. In fact, Richards had an absolutely horrendous game, giving the puck away routinely — one on a failed clear while down a man that turned into a goal — and looking sluggish all night. The Betts-Carcillo-Powe line did their usual good work providing energy, but even they got pinned deep at times. And to make matters worse, Chris Pronger left the game with a lower-body injury and did not return.
Thank goodness Peter Laviolette's newest line, Jeff Carter-JVR-Nikolay Zherdev, was able to make up for it.
That line scored the first four goals of the game, with each player lighting the lamp. Goals one and two game off turnovers by P.K. Subban, surely making Mike Richards smile. The first was a beautiful move by Carter using his speed to blow by the defense wide, then cutting to the middle to his backhand and easily beating Carey Price. He got a great pass by Matt Carle to spring him. The second was just James van Riemsdyk throwing the puck toward the net with Carter crashing. It went off the Montreal defender's leg and in.
Zherdev got his goal on another awesome move, and JVR had the game-winner on the power play — the second night the Flyers' power play looked like complete dog shit until they needed a goal in the 3rd period — by banking it off Price and in. Claude had the other tally for the Flyers, as the Canadiens giftwrapped him a goal with another turnover. That resulted in Giroux all alone with Price, and he made Price look foolish — the norm with Giroux in one-on-one situations.
It was quite different story than earlier in the year when Price was impenetrable. The Flyers treated him like a sieve, getting 5 past him.
On the other end, Sergei Bobrovsky had one hiccup, the third goal for Montreal off the stick of Brian Gionta, but overall had a tremendous game. Bob had no shot on Subban's power-play goal or Plekanec's rebound goal, but he absolutely should have stopped Gionta's. At the time, it was huge, tying the game, but JVR bailed him out.
Though that was Bob's only black mark on the night. He stopped 38 of the 41 shots he faced, including this dandy:
That's another young gun making one hell of play.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
4 (Somewhat) Under-the-Radar NBA Teams to Watch
The Sixers finally got off the schnide, avenging their game three 13-point loss in Indiana by clobbering the Pacers 101-75 in front of about 35 people at the Wells Fargo Center last night. Good for them.
I only half watched the game as I played quizzo at a bar, but looking at the box score, it seems as though the Sixers put together quite a nice game. Six 76ers put up double figures, led by Elton Brand's monster of a game: 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 turnovers, a steal, two blocks, 7-7 from the line and 9-15 from the floor. No wonder Ed Stefanski made him the $82 million man. Joining Brand in the scoring parade were Thaddeus Young (16), Evan Turner (12), Lou Williams (11), Jrue Holiday (11) and Andre Iguodala, who had a nice all-around game with 9 boards, 4 assists, 0 turnovers, a steal and 4 blocks to go along with this play.
Marreese Speights also got his rebounding shoes on, grabbing 11 boards. Good win for the Sixers of what promises to be the first of very few wins.
As nice as it was to see the Sixers finally get on the board in the win column, I have to admit I was way more enthralled with the two games that were on ESPN: Celtics-Bucks and Kings-Lakers. The reason is simple — I really, really like these Milwaukee Bucks and these Sacramento Kings. It was icing on the cake that they were taking on two teams that I love to root against.
Sadly, neither team I was pulling for in those two contests won. Boston outlasted Milwaukee 105-102 in overtime of an incredibly exciting game. Paul Pierce led all scorers with 28 points and became just the third Celtic in franchise history to surpass 20,000 points (joining John Havlicek and Larry Bird). Ray Allen added 23, Rajon Rondo continued to prove he is the real truth with 17 points, 15 more assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and a block, and KG gave Andrew Bogut a facial.
In the late game, which I stupidly stayed up to watch in its entirety, was never really that close after the first quarter. Kobe Bryant is still public enemy No. 1 in Philadelphia, but god damn he is still just incredible to watch. Kobe had a triple-double last night, toying with the Kings for a game-high 30 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Pau added a double-double himself with 22 and 11, and Lamar Odom almost did too, finishing with 18 and 8. The Lakers are a machine.
Anyway, even though the Kings and Bucks lost, those games reaffirmed that any chance I get to watch them, I'm going to make it a point to do so. They are two of the four teams that don't get a ton of hype the way the Lakers, Heat, Celtics, Magic, Thunder and even teams like the Blazers, Bulls and others receive, but that are still worth watching. Here they are.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks certainly got a good amount of attention last year thanks in large part to Brandon Jennings' early-season 55-point game and the team's surprising run to the playoffs. But they aren't exactly a team full of household names just yet. Doesn't matter to me. Any chance I get to see Brandon Jennings play, I'm gonna take it.
Once I saw Jennings play in Gunnin' for that #1 Spot, where he was named co-MVP of his team by scoring 12 points and dishing out 15 incredibly awesome assists, I was hooked.
I've followed him devoutly ever since. Right now, he's my favorite player in the NBA, no question about it. His flair, his style of play, it reminds me somewhat of a young Allen Iverson, though a less skilled scorer and more willing passer. While he may not put up the same kind of statistics just yet as some the the league's best point guards — Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Rondo, Derrick Rose, Steve Nash, etc. — he is the unquestioned floor general for a Bucks team that is on the rise.
So far this season, Milwaukee has struggled, sitting with the same record as the Sixers at 1-4. But with a roster that includes Andrew Bogut, Drew Gooden, Carlos Delfino, Corey Maggette, former 76er and Plymouth Whitemarsh grad John Salmons, and the corpse of Michael Redd, there's a lot of complementary talent. Bogut has developed into one of the best centers in the league, Salmons has somehow become a legitimate scorer, Gooden gives them rebounding, Delfino has been briliant, Maggette is a solid scorer as well and Jennings is plain fun to watch.
Then you add to that 5'5 Earl Boykins, not to mention the athletic Chris Douglas-Roberts and you have yourself an extremely entertaining team. The Bucks are must-see TV in my book. By the way, they come to Philly on Nov. 19 and again on Jan. 14. You can bet your ass I'll be there for at least one of those games.
Sacramento Kings
I first heard about Tyreke Evans when he was a freshman in high school. A product of Chester, he's followed in the footsteps of Jameer Nelson to make a name for himself in high school, college and now the NBA. He has been so hyped from such a young age that at a Beastie Boys concert I attended at Penn's Landing, MCA gave props to Tyreke, then just 16 years old. He was also featured in Gunnin' for that #1 Spot with Jennings.
It wasn't the first or last time these two were linked either. With Jennings getting out to such a quick start last year, he was the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year. But Tyreke wound up winning the award going away, becoming just the fourth rookie in the history of the NBA to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The only others to do it are some guys named Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Perhaps you've heard of them.
Evans alone is reason enough to watch the Kings, but he's hardly the only reason. Much like John Calipari groomed Tyreke for the NBA, he did the same for DeMarcus Cousins, the man selected 4th overall by Sacramento. Cousins may end up being the second best rookie in this class (excluding Blake Griffin, who was drafted in 2009) behind John Wall this season and someone that is sure to become a dominant big man in the league.
Other notables include "You Ugly as Shit, Donte" Greene, Israeli Omri Casspi, Luther Head, Carl Landry, Jersey boy Jason Thompson, everyone's favorite former Philadelphia 76er Samuel Dalembert and intriguing rookie prospect Hassan Whiteside.
The Kings are currently 3-2 on the season. They come to Philadelphia March 27.
Los Angeles Clippers
Yeah, those Los Angeles Clippers. The historic laughingstock of the NBA. Believe it or not, this team is most definitely one to watch, and the biggest reason is Blake Griffin.
The No. 1 overall pick in 2009, Griffin suffered the curse of the Clippers by missing the entire year thanks to a torn ACL. It was tragic, especially for a player so explosive and powerful. It looked as though his career may be doomed. But fret not, because Griffin has dominated in his first 5 NBA games, averaging a double-double — 17 points and 10 rebounds. He's the clear-cut favorite for Rookie of the Year. And about that explosiveness and power — yeah, it's still there.
This is a young man you have to see play. The Clippers also have Eric Gordon, a guy who can fill it up, a solid center in Chris Kaman, and Baron Davis, who when motivated can be one of the better point guards in the NBA. They also have rookies Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Bledsoe, another Calipari product, not to mention Philly flavor in LaSalle's Rasual Butler and Villanova's Randy Foye. The Clippers come to Philadelphia Dec. 15.
New Jersey Nets
Again, yes, I'm talking about the New Jersey Nets. The same New Jersey nets that gave the 1972-73 Sixers a run for their money as the worst team ever. If you look at the roster, this team isn't far away, at least foundation-wise. They really aren't.
The Nets have a good, relatively young point guard in Devin Harris. They have a very skilled center in Brook Lopez, the 22-year-old that is already one of the league's best at his position. And now they have Derrick Favors, the man picked immediately after Evan Turner.
Hindsight is always 20-20, and at the time Evan Turner seemed like the clear-cut No. 2 pick after John Wall. I admitted as much, talking myself into liking Evan Turner as the pick for the Sixers even though I really didn't like him all that much. At the same time, I lobbied for Derrick Favors, the player I really wanted the Sixers to draft. I can't blame Philadelphia for picking Turner. No one really can, no matter how this plays out. But it's pretty clear that Favors is and will be the more exciting player, and potentially the better one too. In his first five games, he's averaging nearly a double-double — 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds — in just 22 minutes a night. And he dunks all over people with extreme regularity.
The man looks legit. I wish he was looking that way in a Sixers uniform.
The Nets also have intriguing Louisville product Terrence Williams, a multifaceted player who has tremendous point-forward skills, rookie from Texas Damion James, instant offense scorer Anthony Morrow and one-time Sixer Joe Smith. As an Atlantic Division foe, the Nets visit the Sixers twice — Nov. 27 and April Fool's Day.
So there you have it, four teams that should be fun to watch for one reason or another. I'll also have my eye on Detroit to see how rookie Greg Monroe fares, among several other teams and players. Truth is, I can find an excuse to watch any team in the NBA, because there are some many individual players I enjoy following. The league may have plenty of disparity between the haves and have nots, but there's always a reason to watch. These teams are just four examples of that.
I only half watched the game as I played quizzo at a bar, but looking at the box score, it seems as though the Sixers put together quite a nice game. Six 76ers put up double figures, led by Elton Brand's monster of a game: 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 turnovers, a steal, two blocks, 7-7 from the line and 9-15 from the floor. No wonder Ed Stefanski made him the $82 million man. Joining Brand in the scoring parade were Thaddeus Young (16), Evan Turner (12), Lou Williams (11), Jrue Holiday (11) and Andre Iguodala, who had a nice all-around game with 9 boards, 4 assists, 0 turnovers, a steal and 4 blocks to go along with this play.
Marreese Speights also got his rebounding shoes on, grabbing 11 boards. Good win for the Sixers of what promises to be the first of very few wins.
As nice as it was to see the Sixers finally get on the board in the win column, I have to admit I was way more enthralled with the two games that were on ESPN: Celtics-Bucks and Kings-Lakers. The reason is simple — I really, really like these Milwaukee Bucks and these Sacramento Kings. It was icing on the cake that they were taking on two teams that I love to root against.
Sadly, neither team I was pulling for in those two contests won. Boston outlasted Milwaukee 105-102 in overtime of an incredibly exciting game. Paul Pierce led all scorers with 28 points and became just the third Celtic in franchise history to surpass 20,000 points (joining John Havlicek and Larry Bird). Ray Allen added 23, Rajon Rondo continued to prove he is the real truth with 17 points, 15 more assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and a block, and KG gave Andrew Bogut a facial.
In the late game, which I stupidly stayed up to watch in its entirety, was never really that close after the first quarter. Kobe Bryant is still public enemy No. 1 in Philadelphia, but god damn he is still just incredible to watch. Kobe had a triple-double last night, toying with the Kings for a game-high 30 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Pau added a double-double himself with 22 and 11, and Lamar Odom almost did too, finishing with 18 and 8. The Lakers are a machine.
Anyway, even though the Kings and Bucks lost, those games reaffirmed that any chance I get to watch them, I'm going to make it a point to do so. They are two of the four teams that don't get a ton of hype the way the Lakers, Heat, Celtics, Magic, Thunder and even teams like the Blazers, Bulls and others receive, but that are still worth watching. Here they are.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks certainly got a good amount of attention last year thanks in large part to Brandon Jennings' early-season 55-point game and the team's surprising run to the playoffs. But they aren't exactly a team full of household names just yet. Doesn't matter to me. Any chance I get to see Brandon Jennings play, I'm gonna take it.
Once I saw Jennings play in Gunnin' for that #1 Spot, where he was named co-MVP of his team by scoring 12 points and dishing out 15 incredibly awesome assists, I was hooked.
I've followed him devoutly ever since. Right now, he's my favorite player in the NBA, no question about it. His flair, his style of play, it reminds me somewhat of a young Allen Iverson, though a less skilled scorer and more willing passer. While he may not put up the same kind of statistics just yet as some the the league's best point guards — Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Rondo, Derrick Rose, Steve Nash, etc. — he is the unquestioned floor general for a Bucks team that is on the rise.
So far this season, Milwaukee has struggled, sitting with the same record as the Sixers at 1-4. But with a roster that includes Andrew Bogut, Drew Gooden, Carlos Delfino, Corey Maggette, former 76er and Plymouth Whitemarsh grad John Salmons, and the corpse of Michael Redd, there's a lot of complementary talent. Bogut has developed into one of the best centers in the league, Salmons has somehow become a legitimate scorer, Gooden gives them rebounding, Delfino has been briliant, Maggette is a solid scorer as well and Jennings is plain fun to watch.
Then you add to that 5'5 Earl Boykins, not to mention the athletic Chris Douglas-Roberts and you have yourself an extremely entertaining team. The Bucks are must-see TV in my book. By the way, they come to Philly on Nov. 19 and again on Jan. 14. You can bet your ass I'll be there for at least one of those games.
Sacramento Kings
I first heard about Tyreke Evans when he was a freshman in high school. A product of Chester, he's followed in the footsteps of Jameer Nelson to make a name for himself in high school, college and now the NBA. He has been so hyped from such a young age that at a Beastie Boys concert I attended at Penn's Landing, MCA gave props to Tyreke, then just 16 years old. He was also featured in Gunnin' for that #1 Spot with Jennings.
It wasn't the first or last time these two were linked either. With Jennings getting out to such a quick start last year, he was the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year. But Tyreke wound up winning the award going away, becoming just the fourth rookie in the history of the NBA to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The only others to do it are some guys named Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Perhaps you've heard of them.
Evans alone is reason enough to watch the Kings, but he's hardly the only reason. Much like John Calipari groomed Tyreke for the NBA, he did the same for DeMarcus Cousins, the man selected 4th overall by Sacramento. Cousins may end up being the second best rookie in this class (excluding Blake Griffin, who was drafted in 2009) behind John Wall this season and someone that is sure to become a dominant big man in the league.
Other notables include "You Ugly as Shit, Donte" Greene, Israeli Omri Casspi, Luther Head, Carl Landry, Jersey boy Jason Thompson, everyone's favorite former Philadelphia 76er Samuel Dalembert and intriguing rookie prospect Hassan Whiteside.
The Kings are currently 3-2 on the season. They come to Philadelphia March 27.
Los Angeles Clippers
Yeah, those Los Angeles Clippers. The historic laughingstock of the NBA. Believe it or not, this team is most definitely one to watch, and the biggest reason is Blake Griffin.
The No. 1 overall pick in 2009, Griffin suffered the curse of the Clippers by missing the entire year thanks to a torn ACL. It was tragic, especially for a player so explosive and powerful. It looked as though his career may be doomed. But fret not, because Griffin has dominated in his first 5 NBA games, averaging a double-double — 17 points and 10 rebounds. He's the clear-cut favorite for Rookie of the Year. And about that explosiveness and power — yeah, it's still there.
This is a young man you have to see play. The Clippers also have Eric Gordon, a guy who can fill it up, a solid center in Chris Kaman, and Baron Davis, who when motivated can be one of the better point guards in the NBA. They also have rookies Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Bledsoe, another Calipari product, not to mention Philly flavor in LaSalle's Rasual Butler and Villanova's Randy Foye. The Clippers come to Philadelphia Dec. 15.
New Jersey Nets
Again, yes, I'm talking about the New Jersey Nets. The same New Jersey nets that gave the 1972-73 Sixers a run for their money as the worst team ever. If you look at the roster, this team isn't far away, at least foundation-wise. They really aren't.
The Nets have a good, relatively young point guard in Devin Harris. They have a very skilled center in Brook Lopez, the 22-year-old that is already one of the league's best at his position. And now they have Derrick Favors, the man picked immediately after Evan Turner.
Hindsight is always 20-20, and at the time Evan Turner seemed like the clear-cut No. 2 pick after John Wall. I admitted as much, talking myself into liking Evan Turner as the pick for the Sixers even though I really didn't like him all that much. At the same time, I lobbied for Derrick Favors, the player I really wanted the Sixers to draft. I can't blame Philadelphia for picking Turner. No one really can, no matter how this plays out. But it's pretty clear that Favors is and will be the more exciting player, and potentially the better one too. In his first five games, he's averaging nearly a double-double — 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds — in just 22 minutes a night. And he dunks all over people with extreme regularity.
The man looks legit. I wish he was looking that way in a Sixers uniform.
The Nets also have intriguing Louisville product Terrence Williams, a multifaceted player who has tremendous point-forward skills, rookie from Texas Damion James, instant offense scorer Anthony Morrow and one-time Sixer Joe Smith. As an Atlantic Division foe, the Nets visit the Sixers twice — Nov. 27 and April Fool's Day.
So there you have it, four teams that should be fun to watch for one reason or another. I'll also have my eye on Detroit to see how rookie Greg Monroe fares, among several other teams and players. Truth is, I can find an excuse to watch any team in the NBA, because there are some many individual players I enjoy following. The league may have plenty of disparity between the haves and have nots, but there's always a reason to watch. These teams are just four examples of that.
Friday, December 5, 2008
An Extreme Ball Tap
Last night, as I was watching Marty Biron give the game away to the Devils, I also was flipping over to the USC-Oklahoma game to catch a glimpse of Blake Griffin and Demar DeRozen.
When I flipped over during a commercial, I saw them cutting away from a replay with Blake holding his junk, then saw the officials checking the monitor. Next thing I new, Leonard Washington was getting ejected from the game. I found out what happened, but I never got to see it. And I fell asleep before Sportscenter.
Thankfully, Ziller's got my back:
Also, I didn't see much of the game with my focus on the Flyers, but from what I did see, DeRozen is not ready for the NBA—not yet anyway. He's too timid and doesn't seem strong enough just yet.
Oh, and Blake's brother, Taylor, had a nasty block on him. Taylor ain't too bad at basketball himself.
When I flipped over during a commercial, I saw them cutting away from a replay with Blake holding his junk, then saw the officials checking the monitor. Next thing I new, Leonard Washington was getting ejected from the game. I found out what happened, but I never got to see it. And I fell asleep before Sportscenter.
Thankfully, Ziller's got my back:
Also, I didn't see much of the game with my focus on the Flyers, but from what I did see, DeRozen is not ready for the NBA—not yet anyway. He's too timid and doesn't seem strong enough just yet.
Oh, and Blake's brother, Taylor, had a nasty block on him. Taylor ain't too bad at basketball himself.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
This Man is an Idiot
You wanna know why Fran Fraschilla is no longer coaching college basketball? Because he's an idiot. Just an absolute moron.
You see, after I was done watching UNC completely dismantle Kentucky, I flipped on over to ESPN2 to check out Stephen Curry mostly and also see Blake Griffin. And let me tell you something, neither kid disappointed.
Griffin led his Sooners to an 82-78 win at home against No. 21 Davidson, and did it in impressive fashion. The big man scored a team-high 25 points on an extremely efficient 7 of 11 from the field and an even more impressive 11-12 from the line. Last year, he sucked at free throw shooting, so making 11 of 12 is damn impressive. Oh, and he also added 21 rebounds. You know, just another day at the office for Blake.
Without question, 25 and 21 is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, that's pretty much as awesome as you can get. Unless you're playing Stephen Curry. Curry, who everyone fell in love with last year, showed exactly why. Dell's son lit it up, scoring 44 points and almost single-handedly willing Davidson to victory. He came up just short.
And this brings me back to Fran Fraschilla. The entire second half, Fraschilla kept saying that Curry was playing bad but could still score 40 points. First of all, I'm not even sure that's possible, to play bad in a college basketball game, which is all of 40 minutes, and score 40 points, unless you have like 15 turnovers or something. Curry had 3.
Furthermore, he was saying this in the second half when Curry had 22 points. Early in the second half. Like immediately after halftime. And as Curry just kept scoring and scoring, making improbable shot after improbable shot (did you see his one-handed floater off the backboard on an angle? Or his plethora of real deep threes, often contested?), Fraschilla kept saying he was having a bad game.
What was this man watching? Sure, Steph shot just 12 of 29 from the field, certainly not his best percentage, but he scored 44 points. Against 14th ranked Oklahoma. On the road. Basically all by himself. Oh, and he went 14-14 at the foul line and hit 6 of 15 threes. If that's a bad game, then I don't know dick about sports.
So in summation, Blake Griffin and Stephen Curry are all sorts of good. If you have a chance to watch them, take it. And Fran Fraschilla is a moron. Plain and simple.
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