The NBA’s 30 Men Of Intrigue: Brandon Jennings
Showing posts with label brandon jennings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brandon jennings. Show all posts
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
TSFJ’s 6 NBA Players Of Intrigue For The 2013-14 Season
TSFJ’s 6 NBA Players Of Intrigue For The 2013-14 Season
Andrew
Bynum because I fully expect him to put up 25-12 playing with Kyrie
Irving, re-establishing himself as the best young big in the league, and
becoming a perennial all-star … all without ever having stepped foot on
the court during his remarkable Philadelphia 76ers career. But then
again, this is Cleveland, and we all know God hates Cleveland … which
may explain why Bynum still has not actually stepped on the court in
live game action yet — and is still not cleared to play. Can I change my
answer to watching Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings — two of my favorite
players in the league — in Detroit? I guess not, since I already
destroyed Joe Dumars. Bynum it is. - See more at:
http://www.thesportsfanjournal.com/sports/basketball/6-nba-players-intrigue-2013-14-season/4/#sthash.RhcVL8yh.dpuf
Andrew Bynum because I fully expect him to put up 25-12 playing with Kyrie Irving, re-establishing himself as the best young big in the league, and becoming a perennial all-star … all without ever having stepped foot on the court during his remarkable Philadelphia 76ers career. But then again, this is Cleveland, and we all know God hates Cleveland … which may explain why Bynum still has not actually stepped on the court in live game action yet — and is still not cleared to play. Can I change my answer to watching Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings — two of my favorite players in the league — in Detroit? I guess not, since I already destroyed Joe Dumars. Bynum it is.Wednesday, November 14, 2012
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.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Thank God for College Basketball
The Sixers just lost back-to-back games to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors. They are dreadfully bad. Yes, they were without Andre Iguodala in both games, and yes, the Cavs are playing better than expected, but still. The Cavaliers are not a good team. The Raptors are a terrible team. That makes the Sixers the worst team in the East right now, and potentially the worst team in the entire NBA.
In fact, the Sixers are currently the worst team in the Eastern Conference. They have the fewest wins, 2, and most losses, 10, sitting dead last at 15th in the Eastern Conference after losing by eight to Toronto in the battle for last place. It was just the third win of the season for the Raptors.
Currently, the Sixers are mired in a five-game losing streak, this after losing their first four games to start the season. They're bad. Really bad. Clippers bad. Elton Brand must feel right at home.
The Clippers are the only team, at 1-11, with a worse record than the Sixers, but I'd argue that Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon give Clippers fans much more hope than this depressing Sixers roster, especially if they once and for all cut ties with Andre Iguodala and mercifully ship him off to a better situation. I hope they do, and I hope they put themselves in position to get a guy like Jared Sullinger, the freshman at Ohio State who has dominated in the first two games for the Buckeyes with two double-doubles in two victories. Against N.C. A&T, whoever the hell that is, in his college debut, Sullinger was the best player on the court, scoring 19 points, hauling in 14 rebounds (6 on the offensive end), and shooting 6-10 from the floor and 7-8 from the line.
Then he went out the very next game and proved it was no fluke, pouring in 26 points on an absurd 13-17 from the floor to go along with 10 rebounds (5 offensive), two assists and two steals against No. 9 Florida in a 93-75 route. Yes, I want that man in a Sixers uniform in 2011.
As difficult as it may be watching the Sixers this year, at least we have plenty to be excited about in college basketball in this city. Temple is the favorite to win the A-10 yet again with Lavoy Allen a favorite for A-10 Player of the Year, and they won their opener against the big bad Big East's Seton Hall 62-56, and easily rolled Toledo 82-49 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Villanova sits at 3-0 on the year beating cupcakes Bucknell, Marist and Boston University, and the standout has been sophomre Maalik Wayns. Wayns had 15, 6 and 4 in the opener; 17 points, 7 rebounds, four assists, one steal and just one turnover while shooting 6-11 from the field and 2-5 from three against Marist; and registered a very balanced double-double last night against Boston, scoring 12 points, dishing out 12 assists and adding six rebounds and a block while only turning the ball over once.
The switch from #5 to #2 has been serving him quite well so far, as have the increased minutes. I'm incredibly excited to see what Wayns can do this year as the starter alongside Corey Fisher.
La Salle sophomore Aaric Murray is off to an awesome start as well for the 1-1 Explorers, making Playboy's preseason All-American prediction for the Glen Mills product less eye-raising than some may have thought.
Murray was a force in the opener, scoring 19 points on 9-11 shooting, grabbing 8 rebounds and swatting away 4 shots in La Salle's 82-71 win over Columbia. He followed that up with an equally impressive performance, albeit it a 10-point loss, against No. 17 Baylor. Murray had 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals and a block.
The future is certainly bright for Murray, a 6-10, 250 lb. power forward who defends, scores and rebounds. NBA potential for sure.
Drexel and Penn also have one win apiece, with Drexel sitting at 1-0 and Penn at 1-1. The two face each other on Saturday at the Palestra.
St. Joe's, on the other hand, sucks complete and utter donkey balls. The Hawks lost to Western Kentucky by 28 — at home — in the season opener, then lost by 9 to my alma mater, the terribly coached Penn State Nittany Lions. Embarrassing.
Where are Jameer and Delonte and Marvin O'Connor when you need them?
It would be nice if they were on the Sixers becuase they stink.
At least I get to go watch Brandon Jennings tomorrow.
In fact, the Sixers are currently the worst team in the Eastern Conference. They have the fewest wins, 2, and most losses, 10, sitting dead last at 15th in the Eastern Conference after losing by eight to Toronto in the battle for last place. It was just the third win of the season for the Raptors.
Currently, the Sixers are mired in a five-game losing streak, this after losing their first four games to start the season. They're bad. Really bad. Clippers bad. Elton Brand must feel right at home.
The Clippers are the only team, at 1-11, with a worse record than the Sixers, but I'd argue that Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon give Clippers fans much more hope than this depressing Sixers roster, especially if they once and for all cut ties with Andre Iguodala and mercifully ship him off to a better situation. I hope they do, and I hope they put themselves in position to get a guy like Jared Sullinger, the freshman at Ohio State who has dominated in the first two games for the Buckeyes with two double-doubles in two victories. Against N.C. A&T, whoever the hell that is, in his college debut, Sullinger was the best player on the court, scoring 19 points, hauling in 14 rebounds (6 on the offensive end), and shooting 6-10 from the floor and 7-8 from the line.
Then he went out the very next game and proved it was no fluke, pouring in 26 points on an absurd 13-17 from the floor to go along with 10 rebounds (5 offensive), two assists and two steals against No. 9 Florida in a 93-75 route. Yes, I want that man in a Sixers uniform in 2011.
As difficult as it may be watching the Sixers this year, at least we have plenty to be excited about in college basketball in this city. Temple is the favorite to win the A-10 yet again with Lavoy Allen a favorite for A-10 Player of the Year, and they won their opener against the big bad Big East's Seton Hall 62-56, and easily rolled Toledo 82-49 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Villanova sits at 3-0 on the year beating cupcakes Bucknell, Marist and Boston University, and the standout has been sophomre Maalik Wayns. Wayns had 15, 6 and 4 in the opener; 17 points, 7 rebounds, four assists, one steal and just one turnover while shooting 6-11 from the field and 2-5 from three against Marist; and registered a very balanced double-double last night against Boston, scoring 12 points, dishing out 12 assists and adding six rebounds and a block while only turning the ball over once.
The switch from #5 to #2 has been serving him quite well so far, as have the increased minutes. I'm incredibly excited to see what Wayns can do this year as the starter alongside Corey Fisher.
La Salle sophomore Aaric Murray is off to an awesome start as well for the 1-1 Explorers, making Playboy's preseason All-American prediction for the Glen Mills product less eye-raising than some may have thought.
Murray was a force in the opener, scoring 19 points on 9-11 shooting, grabbing 8 rebounds and swatting away 4 shots in La Salle's 82-71 win over Columbia. He followed that up with an equally impressive performance, albeit it a 10-point loss, against No. 17 Baylor. Murray had 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals and a block.
The future is certainly bright for Murray, a 6-10, 250 lb. power forward who defends, scores and rebounds. NBA potential for sure.
Drexel and Penn also have one win apiece, with Drexel sitting at 1-0 and Penn at 1-1. The two face each other on Saturday at the Palestra.
St. Joe's, on the other hand, sucks complete and utter donkey balls. The Hawks lost to Western Kentucky by 28 — at home — in the season opener, then lost by 9 to my alma mater, the terribly coached Penn State Nittany Lions. Embarrassing.
Where are Jameer and Delonte and Marvin O'Connor when you need them?
It would be nice if they were on the Sixers becuase they stink.
At least I get to go watch Brandon Jennings tomorrow.
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, August 27, 2010
I Miss Basketball Links
You know what's weird? We're in the stretch run of the Major League Baseball season, the NFL is about to kick off and I watched a replay of game 4 of the Flyers-Bruins series — you know, the one where Simon Gagne returned from injury to score the overtime winner and propel the Flyers to the greatest comeback in NHL history — yet for some reason I have basketball on my mind today.
So here's some basketball links …
-Kobe's dad could throw down. Just ask Kareem.
-So could Dr. J. Just ask Kareem.
-Brandon Jennings to John Wall creates magic, via TrueHoop.
-Agreed, Tyreke's jump shot does look better. A lot better, via TrueHoop.
-Just another reason I think I'd get along quite well with Holly MacKenzie: The Slept-on Files featuring Jrue Holiday.
-Kevin Durant's boy Deuce Bello putting on a show.
-Delonte got suspended for 10 games after pleading guilty to this.
-This 11-year-old looks like he's already better than half the Sixers.
His name is Damon Harge.
-5 NBA players that deserve their own statue:
3. Allen Iverson (Philadelphia) To say Iverson was the heart and soul of Philadelphia would be an understatement. Iverson was the pride of the city during his run with the 76ers. In his prime, he was on top of the world, even without a championship. Iverson was at one point the most beloved player in the League; it got to the point where you couldn’t walk outside without seeing someone in an Iverson jersey, especially in Philly.
During his time with the Sixers he won Rookie of the Year, MVP and four scoring titles, but what really won over the hearts of fans in Philly was his passion and energy. Iverson also revolutionized the game with his swag, starting several NBA trends (cornrows, headbands, arm sleeves, widespread tattoos) and made a huge impact in the hip-hop culture. His impact on and off the court helped shape the NBA and made him a Philadelphia legend along the lines of Dr. J, Mike Schmidt and Bobby Clarke, and there is absolutely no reason Iverson shouldn’t have his own statue at the Wachovia Center.
I couldn't agree more.
-Kwame Brown and Michael Jordan — together again.
-Really in-depth, thoughtful breakdown of Andre Iguodala, and some potential trades that probably won't happen. Honestly, great work, and pretty dead-on assessment of Andre Iguodala's career:
Throw everything together and what you get is the rare type of player who is somehow both overrated and underrated at the same time.
Which is why sometimes I love watching Iguodala play and other times I absolutely hate it.
-A history of Jordan commercials, via Ball Don't Lie.
-MJ breaking a backboard.
-OK, one non-basketball link. Matt P. of The700Level did a tremendous job with the Flyers Mount Puckmore over at Puck Daddy.
So here's some basketball links …
-Kobe's dad could throw down. Just ask Kareem.
-So could Dr. J. Just ask Kareem.
-Brandon Jennings to John Wall creates magic, via TrueHoop.
-Agreed, Tyreke's jump shot does look better. A lot better, via TrueHoop.
-Just another reason I think I'd get along quite well with Holly MacKenzie: The Slept-on Files featuring Jrue Holiday.
-Kevin Durant's boy Deuce Bello putting on a show.
-Delonte got suspended for 10 games after pleading guilty to this.
-This 11-year-old looks like he's already better than half the Sixers.
His name is Damon Harge.
-5 NBA players that deserve their own statue:
3. Allen Iverson (Philadelphia) To say Iverson was the heart and soul of Philadelphia would be an understatement. Iverson was the pride of the city during his run with the 76ers. In his prime, he was on top of the world, even without a championship. Iverson was at one point the most beloved player in the League; it got to the point where you couldn’t walk outside without seeing someone in an Iverson jersey, especially in Philly.
During his time with the Sixers he won Rookie of the Year, MVP and four scoring titles, but what really won over the hearts of fans in Philly was his passion and energy. Iverson also revolutionized the game with his swag, starting several NBA trends (cornrows, headbands, arm sleeves, widespread tattoos) and made a huge impact in the hip-hop culture. His impact on and off the court helped shape the NBA and made him a Philadelphia legend along the lines of Dr. J, Mike Schmidt and Bobby Clarke, and there is absolutely no reason Iverson shouldn’t have his own statue at the Wachovia Center.
I couldn't agree more.
-Kwame Brown and Michael Jordan — together again.
-Really in-depth, thoughtful breakdown of Andre Iguodala, and some potential trades that probably won't happen. Honestly, great work, and pretty dead-on assessment of Andre Iguodala's career:
Throw everything together and what you get is the rare type of player who is somehow both overrated and underrated at the same time.
Which is why sometimes I love watching Iguodala play and other times I absolutely hate it.
-A history of Jordan commercials, via Ball Don't Lie.
-MJ breaking a backboard.
-OK, one non-basketball link. Matt P. of The700Level did a tremendous job with the Flyers Mount Puckmore over at Puck Daddy.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Not Sweet Caroline Links
The Phillies are playing the Red Sox at Fenway this weekend. As a city, I typically hear nothing but nice things about Boston, especially for 20-something singles such as myself. Well, if you're white anyway. Lavar's Love Child lives there, and he doesn't seem to mind all that much. There are a ton of bars, (some where everybody knows your name), lots of seafood and those funny accents.
The fans are annoying as hell, but at least they're passionate and know sports. It's not Philadelphia fans aren't overbearing to outsiders as well. But one thing I cannot overlook, one thing I cannot stand, and one thing that makes every single person from Boston deserve to get their teeth kicked — "Sweet Caroline."
Sweet fucking christ, how I hate this song. I hate it so god damn much. Thanks to stupid ass Boston Red Sox fans singing this song with unending joy during fucking baseball games, the epidemic has spread. It's played at Penn State home games, and a bunch of the retarded fucking students that pop their collars and sing their hearts out. To Sweet Caroline. At a fucking football game. This is not right. That song has no place near a sporting events. Sports are meant to be physical, and violent, and intense. The proper soundtrack is hard, intense music, Rage Against the Machine, White Zombie, hard rock, heavy metal. Not this pussy shit. And it all started because of Boston and the stupid Red Sox and their stupid fans. I hate them all so much for it.
If you are one of these morons at a sporting that just can't wait for Sweet Caroline to start blaring over the loudspeakers so you can sing along, I hope you die. Seriously. You are all that is wrong with taking in a sporting event in person these days. The people who get up and down 50 times during a game to get food, walk around, meet friends, use the bathroom. The people who talk all god damn game long about everything under the sun except for the actual game. The people who sing along to gay-ass songs like Sweet Caroline and Living on a Prayer. Die. All of you. I hate you all so much. You ruin the fan experience for those of us who go to, you know, actually watch the game. I place the blame largely at Boston's feet.
Links …
-With the World Cup set to begin this weekend, Ed has an interesting post comparing some of the world's best soccer players with some of the NBA's best basketball players. Definitely worth a read.
-Decision time for the Flyers.
-35 memorable things from the Flyers' season.
-The Sixers added Quin Snyder to their coaching staff.
Yes, the same Quin Snyder who did a tremendous job at Missouri before he resigned amongst scandal. Oh yeah, and he went to Duke, so you know he's an asshole. Awesome. Though I have to admit, he did do one hell of a job coaching it up at Missouri.
-Big Baby drooling like a big baby, as the Celtics tied the NBA Finals at 2-2 thanks in large part to Davis, Nate Robinson, Tony Allen and Rasheed Wallace:
Mark Jackson had a great line afterward as well. I can't get enough Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy.
-Speaking of Sheed, this was awesome:
And also, that wasn't a foul. At all. I love Sheed.
-More Sheed, this time an in-depth look at his battle with Pau Gasol.
-Don't tell the national media, but Philadelphia fans showed some incredible class, giving Michael Leighton a standing ovation and much love, soft goals or no soft goals.
-If you like the NBA and you like organized crime, you're gonna love Shoals and Ziller breaking down LeBron's potential destinations based on cities' historical organized crime figures.
-SLAM's Fresh 25 - 2012:
10 Amile Jefferson 6-7 SF/PF Friends Central (PA) Lanky forward has a very polished game.
Here's some of Amile doing his thing:
-Philadelphia 76er Marreese Speights and Philadelphia native/former Villanova Wildcat Kyle Lowry are hosting a basketball clinic in Bryn Mawr later this month.
That's a mighty big trophy, Kyle.
-So Roy Halladay Pitched Yesterday:
Roy's ERA on the year is now a face-breaking 1.96. His record, 8-4. Seriously, Phillies. This man should be like 11-1. Get your shit together.
Couldn't agree more.
-Video of Brandon Jennings doing his thing? Yes please:
-Old NBA video? Worthy of another yes please:
-A plea from beelove to Ruben Amaro to call up Domonic Brown to the big show, preferably replacing the utterly useless Greg Dobbs. I completely and utterly agree.
-Oh yeah, and all hell is breaking loose in college sports, precipitating by football, as you all know. Nebraska is joining the Big 10, Colorado is going to the Pac-10, and the domino effect is going to be insane. Like Boise State joining the Mountain West. What I do know is that Penn State can't demolish Nebraska enough. I really hate Nebraska, which should fit well for my extreme hatred for Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and every other Big 10 school not from Pennsylvania.
And finally, to show I have no ill will toward Neil Diamond despite my disdain for that one particular song, enjoy some Neil Diamond cover action courtesy of Saving Silverman.
The fans are annoying as hell, but at least they're passionate and know sports. It's not Philadelphia fans aren't overbearing to outsiders as well. But one thing I cannot overlook, one thing I cannot stand, and one thing that makes every single person from Boston deserve to get their teeth kicked — "Sweet Caroline."
Sweet fucking christ, how I hate this song. I hate it so god damn much. Thanks to stupid ass Boston Red Sox fans singing this song with unending joy during fucking baseball games, the epidemic has spread. It's played at Penn State home games, and a bunch of the retarded fucking students that pop their collars and sing their hearts out. To Sweet Caroline. At a fucking football game. This is not right. That song has no place near a sporting events. Sports are meant to be physical, and violent, and intense. The proper soundtrack is hard, intense music, Rage Against the Machine, White Zombie, hard rock, heavy metal. Not this pussy shit. And it all started because of Boston and the stupid Red Sox and their stupid fans. I hate them all so much for it.
If you are one of these morons at a sporting that just can't wait for Sweet Caroline to start blaring over the loudspeakers so you can sing along, I hope you die. Seriously. You are all that is wrong with taking in a sporting event in person these days. The people who get up and down 50 times during a game to get food, walk around, meet friends, use the bathroom. The people who talk all god damn game long about everything under the sun except for the actual game. The people who sing along to gay-ass songs like Sweet Caroline and Living on a Prayer. Die. All of you. I hate you all so much. You ruin the fan experience for those of us who go to, you know, actually watch the game. I place the blame largely at Boston's feet.
Links …
-With the World Cup set to begin this weekend, Ed has an interesting post comparing some of the world's best soccer players with some of the NBA's best basketball players. Definitely worth a read.
-Decision time for the Flyers.
-35 memorable things from the Flyers' season.
-The Sixers added Quin Snyder to their coaching staff.
Yes, the same Quin Snyder who did a tremendous job at Missouri before he resigned amongst scandal. Oh yeah, and he went to Duke, so you know he's an asshole. Awesome. Though I have to admit, he did do one hell of a job coaching it up at Missouri.
-Big Baby drooling like a big baby, as the Celtics tied the NBA Finals at 2-2 thanks in large part to Davis, Nate Robinson, Tony Allen and Rasheed Wallace:
Mark Jackson had a great line afterward as well. I can't get enough Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy.
-Speaking of Sheed, this was awesome:
And also, that wasn't a foul. At all. I love Sheed.
-More Sheed, this time an in-depth look at his battle with Pau Gasol.
-Don't tell the national media, but Philadelphia fans showed some incredible class, giving Michael Leighton a standing ovation and much love, soft goals or no soft goals.
-If you like the NBA and you like organized crime, you're gonna love Shoals and Ziller breaking down LeBron's potential destinations based on cities' historical organized crime figures.
-SLAM's Fresh 25 - 2012:
10 Amile Jefferson 6-7 SF/PF Friends Central (PA) Lanky forward has a very polished game.
Here's some of Amile doing his thing:
-Philadelphia 76er Marreese Speights and Philadelphia native/former Villanova Wildcat Kyle Lowry are hosting a basketball clinic in Bryn Mawr later this month.
That's a mighty big trophy, Kyle.
-So Roy Halladay Pitched Yesterday:
Roy's ERA on the year is now a face-breaking 1.96. His record, 8-4. Seriously, Phillies. This man should be like 11-1. Get your shit together.
Couldn't agree more.
-Video of Brandon Jennings doing his thing? Yes please:
-Old NBA video? Worthy of another yes please:
-A plea from beelove to Ruben Amaro to call up Domonic Brown to the big show, preferably replacing the utterly useless Greg Dobbs. I completely and utterly agree.
-Oh yeah, and all hell is breaking loose in college sports, precipitating by football, as you all know. Nebraska is joining the Big 10, Colorado is going to the Pac-10, and the domino effect is going to be insane. Like Boise State joining the Mountain West. What I do know is that Penn State can't demolish Nebraska enough. I really hate Nebraska, which should fit well for my extreme hatred for Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and every other Big 10 school not from Pennsylvania.
And finally, to show I have no ill will toward Neil Diamond despite my disdain for that one particular song, enjoy some Neil Diamond cover action courtesy of Saving Silverman.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Ball Is Life
I am a sports fanatic. To say I love one sport more than another is a tough proposition — football, baseball, basketball, hockey, I love them all to no end. But if I had to choose one sport that I could watch at any time at any level, it would probably be basketball. High school, college, pros — doesn't matter. I consume it with vigor. And I certainly play basketball (very poorly, mind you) more often than any other sport. Ask me if I want to go shoot hoops, and as long as I don't have any other important obligation that must take place right away, I'm game. I guess you can say, ball is life in my world.
Thanks to SLAM's partnership with BALL IS LIFE, I was reminded of a truly great site that provides some of the best basketball videos you will find anywhere, especially when it comes to high school hoops. So I figured I'd share some of my favorites from Ball Is Life, because we could all use some sweet videos on a Friday.
Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE
Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE
Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE
Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE
Thanks to SLAM's partnership with BALL IS LIFE, I was reminded of a truly great site that provides some of the best basketball videos you will find anywhere, especially when it comes to high school hoops. So I figured I'd share some of my favorites from Ball Is Life, because we could all use some sweet videos on a Friday.
Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE
Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE
Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE
Find more videos like this on BALL IS LIFE
Thursday, January 28, 2010
$80 Million Gets You This …
(At the 1:20 mark)
As Joltin Joe put it: "Nothing like a missed layup from your 80 million dollar investment to lose a game …"
You can take your 26 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks and go kill yourself. Never has such a good-looking statline meant so little. When you make $80 million and miss one of the easiest layups you could possible hope to get at the end of a game to tie it, you suck. Horribly. Die.
Brandon Jennings, on the other hand, is the truth, as he displayed yet again: 18 points, 7 dimes, just two turnovers … and killing the Sixers with an array of floaters and drives in the 4th quarter to take the game.
For the record, Brand was a -6 last night while Jennings was a +5. Seriously, I'd trade the entire team for Jennings. All of them. And picks. I hate these guys.
As Joltin Joe put it: "Nothing like a missed layup from your 80 million dollar investment to lose a game …"
You can take your 26 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks and go kill yourself. Never has such a good-looking statline meant so little. When you make $80 million and miss one of the easiest layups you could possible hope to get at the end of a game to tie it, you suck. Horribly. Die.
Brandon Jennings, on the other hand, is the truth, as he displayed yet again: 18 points, 7 dimes, just two turnovers … and killing the Sixers with an array of floaters and drives in the 4th quarter to take the game.
For the record, Brand was a -6 last night while Jennings was a +5. Seriously, I'd trade the entire team for Jennings. All of them. And picks. I hate these guys.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Stop or My Mom Will Link
So last night I watched the Pitt-Cincy game for two reasons: 1. to hopefully watch Pitt lose; 2. Lance Stephenson. Sadly, Pitt ended up winning 74-71, and while Stephenson showcased flashes of his immense talent, he never really took over the game like I was hoping.
I've been paying close attention to Lance Stephenson ever since I saw him in "Gunnin for That #1 Spot", where as a 15-year-old, Born Ready was more than holding his own against players that are now in NBA. So when I got a chance to see him at work finally in his freshman year, I was eager to see what he could do.
It's evident that he is Cincy's best player. No question about that. And despite reports to the contrary, he didn't look like a selfish player throwing up wild shots. Actually, he played almost too unselfish against Pitt last night. Yes, he took a game-high 15 shots, but considering the Panthers were leading most of the way, I was looking for him to take over. Instead, he sort of deferred to Yancy Gates and deonta Vaughn, both of whom had excellent games for the Bearcats. I was hoping for Lance to be the one taking over.
It's not that he had a bad game, because he didn't. He finished with 15 points on 7-15 shooting and dished out four assists, doing a particularly nice job filling the middle of Pitt's zone near the foul line and then distributing to teammates. But he didn't show the aggressiveness I've seen him have as a high schooler, evident by him getting to the line just once and grabbing only one rebound. Hopefully next time around, I'll see the dominant, aggressive, physical player that has had college coaches excited since he was 14 years old. But last night, he was a bit underwhelming.
As was UNC, by all accounts. Since the Tar Heels were taking on the College of Charleston, the game wasn't of much interest. But when Charleston was hanging tough, ESPN routinely cut in to show the action, and then eventual fall. First off, that was one hell of a sick ass shot to send the game into overtime by Andrew Goudelock.
As you know, the game went to OT, and Charleston outlasted UNC 82-79. Looking at the box score, it's a familiar scene. The UNC guards struggled as Dexter Strickland and Larry Drew shot less than 30 percent combined, and that was their downfall. Conversely, Charleston got a great game from Goudelock, clearly winning the guard battle and the game. The Tar Heels may still finish in the top 15 this season, but they won't get too far in the tournament because the guard play simply isn't good enough.
Underwhelming basketball last night for sure.
Links …
-As expected, Navorro Bowman is going pro.
If he by some miracle became an Eagle, I would cream my pants and immediately buy a Bowman jersey. Of course, Bowman will already be off the board by then and the Eagles will draft an offensive lineman in the first round, so that won't happen.
-Juwan Howard is still alive:
-The Eagles miss Stewart Bradley.
-Danys Baez is a Phillie. Danys is a stupid name, and I'd rather have Chan Ho Park back.
-Brandon Jennings on the cover of SLAM because he's the man.
-A trip down memory lane: One of the greatest articles I've ever read, Scoop Jackson's 1998 profile of streetball hoop legend Billy Harris. Seriously, read it. It's an awesome story and shows the excellence Scoop displayed at SLAM. Too bad he moved to ESPN and turned into the rambling, misplaced writer he is today. SLAM is where Scoop belongs.
-David Lee, franchise player?
I don't know about all that, but the guy is a monster. And I've loved watching him play ever since seeing him beat James White in that dunk contest.
-They just don't make commercials like they used to:
-A human highlight reel:
-Made the rounds yesterday, but awesome:
I especially enjoy Harvey Bars' explanation of the video above:
While most of the sports loving world submerged itself in all the profound excitement that was the NFL’s week 17, Florida’sTeddy Dupuy Mike Miller David Lee Matt Walsh Chandler Parsons was sinking a 60 foot shot against NC State and setting the bar rather high for 2010’s shot of the year.
Why is it that I like Teddy Dupay, David Lee and don't mind Mike Miller, but I absolutely hate Matt Walsh, who went to Germantown Academy in suburban Philadelphia? Perhaps because he's a ginger? I don't know.
-As a journalist and journalism school graduate, I couldn't agree with this more.
-I'll let the headline do the talking here: Domino's CEO named new athletic director at University of Michigan (seriously)
-Stafon Johnson is the toughest human being on Earth. He will play in the Senior Bowl.
I've been paying close attention to Lance Stephenson ever since I saw him in "Gunnin for That #1 Spot", where as a 15-year-old, Born Ready was more than holding his own against players that are now in NBA. So when I got a chance to see him at work finally in his freshman year, I was eager to see what he could do.
It's evident that he is Cincy's best player. No question about that. And despite reports to the contrary, he didn't look like a selfish player throwing up wild shots. Actually, he played almost too unselfish against Pitt last night. Yes, he took a game-high 15 shots, but considering the Panthers were leading most of the way, I was looking for him to take over. Instead, he sort of deferred to Yancy Gates and deonta Vaughn, both of whom had excellent games for the Bearcats. I was hoping for Lance to be the one taking over.
It's not that he had a bad game, because he didn't. He finished with 15 points on 7-15 shooting and dished out four assists, doing a particularly nice job filling the middle of Pitt's zone near the foul line and then distributing to teammates. But he didn't show the aggressiveness I've seen him have as a high schooler, evident by him getting to the line just once and grabbing only one rebound. Hopefully next time around, I'll see the dominant, aggressive, physical player that has had college coaches excited since he was 14 years old. But last night, he was a bit underwhelming.
As was UNC, by all accounts. Since the Tar Heels were taking on the College of Charleston, the game wasn't of much interest. But when Charleston was hanging tough, ESPN routinely cut in to show the action, and then eventual fall. First off, that was one hell of a sick ass shot to send the game into overtime by Andrew Goudelock.
As you know, the game went to OT, and Charleston outlasted UNC 82-79. Looking at the box score, it's a familiar scene. The UNC guards struggled as Dexter Strickland and Larry Drew shot less than 30 percent combined, and that was their downfall. Conversely, Charleston got a great game from Goudelock, clearly winning the guard battle and the game. The Tar Heels may still finish in the top 15 this season, but they won't get too far in the tournament because the guard play simply isn't good enough.
Underwhelming basketball last night for sure.
Links …
-As expected, Navorro Bowman is going pro.
If he by some miracle became an Eagle, I would cream my pants and immediately buy a Bowman jersey. Of course, Bowman will already be off the board by then and the Eagles will draft an offensive lineman in the first round, so that won't happen.
-Juwan Howard is still alive:
-The Eagles miss Stewart Bradley.
-Danys Baez is a Phillie. Danys is a stupid name, and I'd rather have Chan Ho Park back.
-Brandon Jennings on the cover of SLAM because he's the man.
-A trip down memory lane: One of the greatest articles I've ever read, Scoop Jackson's 1998 profile of streetball hoop legend Billy Harris. Seriously, read it. It's an awesome story and shows the excellence Scoop displayed at SLAM. Too bad he moved to ESPN and turned into the rambling, misplaced writer he is today. SLAM is where Scoop belongs.
-David Lee, franchise player?
I don't know about all that, but the guy is a monster. And I've loved watching him play ever since seeing him beat James White in that dunk contest.
-They just don't make commercials like they used to:
-A human highlight reel:
-Made the rounds yesterday, but awesome:
I especially enjoy Harvey Bars' explanation of the video above:
While most of the sports loving world submerged itself in all the profound excitement that was the NFL’s week 17, Florida’s
Why is it that I like Teddy Dupay, David Lee and don't mind Mike Miller, but I absolutely hate Matt Walsh, who went to Germantown Academy in suburban Philadelphia? Perhaps because he's a ginger? I don't know.
-As a journalist and journalism school graduate, I couldn't agree with this more.
-I'll let the headline do the talking here: Domino's CEO named new athletic director at University of Michigan (seriously)
-Stafon Johnson is the toughest human being on Earth. He will play in the Senior Bowl.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Been a While Since I Hit the Links
So, the three of you who actually read this thing might be wondering, "Gee, the Rev sure hasn't done a links post in a while. Wonder why …" Because work sucks, that's why. I've been so damn busy, being forced to pick up other people's slack, that I haven't had any time for myself to slack off. That's not right.
Considering last week was a week from hell, I really began to question my life. Every damn weekday, I wake up way earlier than I want to, go to a place I have no desire to be, do shit I have no desire to do for 8 hours, go home and relax for a few hours, go to sleep, and then do the whole damn thing over again the next day. It's absurd. Whoever decided this is how life is supposed to go deserves to be punched right in the cock. If I had it my way, I'd sleep until well past noon, play video games and sports all day and drink/watch sports all night. Essentially, I'd be a college kid the rest of my life, minus the classes. Now that would be the life.
Links …
-Finally, two seasons too late, the Eric Bruntlett joke is over.
-Sadly, that good news is offset by some horrible news: Marreese Speights is out 6-8 weeks with a knee injury.
Speights was playing the most inspiring basketball of any 76er and establishing himself as a real force this season. He was playing so well that people have been calling for him to take over Elton Brand's starting spot. Now, the most entertaining player so far this season is on the shelf for two months. What little excitement I had for the Sixers is already fading.
-Zac Robinson, meet Jamar Wall:
-No matter how you slice it, Penn State flat-out does not deserve a BCS bowl bid, even though they still might get one.
-As Ed mentioned, Brandon Jennings dropped 55 points on Golden State Saturday in a 129-125 win:
I don't care what Blake Griffin does when he returns, this Rookie of the Year race is over. Just give Jennings the award right now.
-Stephen Jackson was traded to Charlotte along with Acie Law in exchange for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic. It should be interesting to see how Larry Brown handles Jackson.
-More on Jennings from Shoals:
After that third quarter, the Milwaukee feed flashed a graphic on the screen that lumped in Jennings's early season averages of 20 points and 5 assists per game with Oscar, LeBron, Jordan and Iverson, the only others to achieve this statistical feat. You can argue that other players could've been there, had their circumstances differed. But there's no disputing this: Even if it's horribly premature to draw conclusions about where Jennings is headed, long-term, Saturday didn't just prove he could score, or that he's reached some arbitrary statistical benchmark.
Like those future Hall of Famers on the screen, Jennings attacks the game from multiple angles. He does what he has to, and so far, it's looking like that's a lot more than anyone had ever anticipated.
Seriously, watch Brandon Jennings. You will be impressed. And excited. Unless you hate good basketball. In that case, keep watching nothing but the Sixers.
-More on Speights too:
3. Marreese Speights (Sixers): Speights caught a bad break over the past weekend by injuring his left knee and could be out until January. But don’t forget about him, he is going to be really good in this league. Prior to getting hurt, he was averaging 15 ppg and 7.1 rpg in just 24 minutes per contest. With Elton Brand still trying to get back to his old self, he has also helped out with the Sixers’ interior. He is a huge presence downlow on both ends of the floor, and like evryone else on this list, he has intangibles. The future looks bright for this promising big man, barring more injuries, of course.
-The No. 1 ranked high school player in the class of 2010, Harrison Barnes, is going to UNC:
“I just felt that, not only is Coach Williams so good at instructing the game,” said Barnes, “I felt that I had developed a great relationship with the players, and I’m just so anxious to play with them.”
Barnes is widely regarded as a one-and-done player who many believe has the potential to be the top pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
A 6-7 small forward, Barnes’ offensive repertoire is virtually flawless and he plays with a warrior-like intensity on both ends of the floor.
Here's what the defending champs are getting:
-Speaking of UNC, Ty Lawson got ups:
-Saturday may have been Navorro Bowman's last game in Beaver Stadium. Rumor has it he's going pro. It would be all sorts of awesome to see him in an Eagles uniform, but considering Bowman is projected as a first- or second-round pick, that's unlikely. I fully expect the Birds to draft four offensive linemen in the 2010 draft.
-Chris Paul is out indefinitely.
-Larry Johnson is heading to the Bengals. Talk about an upgrade in teams … from pathetic Kansas City to first-place Cincinnati. Moral of the story: You will be rewarded for spitting drinks on women, calling out your coach and using gay slurs. Good to know.
-Dream Team highlights, just because:
-Wade's sick dunk from last week:
-Roman thinks J.A. Happ got jobbed, finishing second to Chris Coghlan in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. I think Happ isn't really that good, though he did have a fine season.
-Check out the season previews at Big 5 Post.
And I have to say, I hate the Patriots and the Colts annoy me because they're always so damn good, but man, watching those two quarterbacks face off is a thing of beauty. I'm a Donovan McNabb guy. Truly, a fan. But watching these two go at it, it's just amazing. Every pass, you expect it to be right on the money, hitting the receiver right in stride perfectly each time. When Peyton Manning or Tom Brady make a bad throw, it's shocking. We just expect greatness from them. The throws these two guys make on a consistent basis are astounding.
Those guys are incredible.
Considering last week was a week from hell, I really began to question my life. Every damn weekday, I wake up way earlier than I want to, go to a place I have no desire to be, do shit I have no desire to do for 8 hours, go home and relax for a few hours, go to sleep, and then do the whole damn thing over again the next day. It's absurd. Whoever decided this is how life is supposed to go deserves to be punched right in the cock. If I had it my way, I'd sleep until well past noon, play video games and sports all day and drink/watch sports all night. Essentially, I'd be a college kid the rest of my life, minus the classes. Now that would be the life.
Links …
-Finally, two seasons too late, the Eric Bruntlett joke is over.
-Sadly, that good news is offset by some horrible news: Marreese Speights is out 6-8 weeks with a knee injury.
Speights was playing the most inspiring basketball of any 76er and establishing himself as a real force this season. He was playing so well that people have been calling for him to take over Elton Brand's starting spot. Now, the most entertaining player so far this season is on the shelf for two months. What little excitement I had for the Sixers is already fading.
-Zac Robinson, meet Jamar Wall:
-No matter how you slice it, Penn State flat-out does not deserve a BCS bowl bid, even though they still might get one.
-As Ed mentioned, Brandon Jennings dropped 55 points on Golden State Saturday in a 129-125 win:
I don't care what Blake Griffin does when he returns, this Rookie of the Year race is over. Just give Jennings the award right now.
-Stephen Jackson was traded to Charlotte along with Acie Law in exchange for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic. It should be interesting to see how Larry Brown handles Jackson.
-More on Jennings from Shoals:
After that third quarter, the Milwaukee feed flashed a graphic on the screen that lumped in Jennings's early season averages of 20 points and 5 assists per game with Oscar, LeBron, Jordan and Iverson, the only others to achieve this statistical feat. You can argue that other players could've been there, had their circumstances differed. But there's no disputing this: Even if it's horribly premature to draw conclusions about where Jennings is headed, long-term, Saturday didn't just prove he could score, or that he's reached some arbitrary statistical benchmark.
Like those future Hall of Famers on the screen, Jennings attacks the game from multiple angles. He does what he has to, and so far, it's looking like that's a lot more than anyone had ever anticipated.
Seriously, watch Brandon Jennings. You will be impressed. And excited. Unless you hate good basketball. In that case, keep watching nothing but the Sixers.
-More on Speights too:
3. Marreese Speights (Sixers): Speights caught a bad break over the past weekend by injuring his left knee and could be out until January. But don’t forget about him, he is going to be really good in this league. Prior to getting hurt, he was averaging 15 ppg and 7.1 rpg in just 24 minutes per contest. With Elton Brand still trying to get back to his old self, he has also helped out with the Sixers’ interior. He is a huge presence downlow on both ends of the floor, and like evryone else on this list, he has intangibles. The future looks bright for this promising big man, barring more injuries, of course.
-The No. 1 ranked high school player in the class of 2010, Harrison Barnes, is going to UNC:
“I just felt that, not only is Coach Williams so good at instructing the game,” said Barnes, “I felt that I had developed a great relationship with the players, and I’m just so anxious to play with them.”
Barnes is widely regarded as a one-and-done player who many believe has the potential to be the top pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
A 6-7 small forward, Barnes’ offensive repertoire is virtually flawless and he plays with a warrior-like intensity on both ends of the floor.
Here's what the defending champs are getting:
-Speaking of UNC, Ty Lawson got ups:
-Saturday may have been Navorro Bowman's last game in Beaver Stadium. Rumor has it he's going pro. It would be all sorts of awesome to see him in an Eagles uniform, but considering Bowman is projected as a first- or second-round pick, that's unlikely. I fully expect the Birds to draft four offensive linemen in the 2010 draft.
-Chris Paul is out indefinitely.
-Larry Johnson is heading to the Bengals. Talk about an upgrade in teams … from pathetic Kansas City to first-place Cincinnati. Moral of the story: You will be rewarded for spitting drinks on women, calling out your coach and using gay slurs. Good to know.
-Dream Team highlights, just because:
-Wade's sick dunk from last week:
-Roman thinks J.A. Happ got jobbed, finishing second to Chris Coghlan in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. I think Happ isn't really that good, though he did have a fine season.
-Check out the season previews at Big 5 Post.
And I have to say, I hate the Patriots and the Colts annoy me because they're always so damn good, but man, watching those two quarterbacks face off is a thing of beauty. I'm a Donovan McNabb guy. Truly, a fan. But watching these two go at it, it's just amazing. Every pass, you expect it to be right on the money, hitting the receiver right in stride perfectly each time. When Peyton Manning or Tom Brady make a bad throw, it's shocking. We just expect greatness from them. The throws these two guys make on a consistent basis are astounding.
Those guys are incredible.
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