Monday, August 31, 2009

The Year In Review (Part IV)

Here's another one of those Top 10 videos from NBA.com. This one covers the top circus shots of the year. The #2 play by Vince Carter is hilarious. He literally walks all over Delonte West.



Also I should point out that Zee! has finally added his comments to our preseason power rankings post. It's better late than never. Everyone scroll down on this page and check 'em out.

ZEE!: That's cold Kay, but I guess you don't understand that greatness takes time. Roffle.

Friday, August 28, 2009

The Year In Review (Part III)

Below are the top 10 blocks from last season according to NBA.com. Meh. I wasn't too impressed with their selections. Although the Anthony Randolph block on Tyrus Thomas was pretty nasty. I'm surprised that Dwight Howard didn't have any highlights...

ZEE!: Why is it that Brooke Shiel...er Lopez getting blocked began and ended the countdown?



For those people who are keeping track, below are the top remaining free agents on the market. I expect most of these guys to get signed within the next few weeks. For example, Iverson is rumored to have gotten a contract offer from Memphis. As you can see there's a big drop-off in talent from the top 5 compared to the rest. So the pickings are starting to get slim. The bottom 5 picks are pretty interchangeable. In fact, there were a handful of other players that I was considering for those spots who were equally deserving; but won't get any mention here. There just weren't any clear cut favorites.



1. Allen Iverson


2. David Lee


3. Raymond Felton


4. Ramon Sessions


5. Nate Robinson

6. C.J. Watson


7. Rashad McCants


8. Flip Murray


9. Wally Szczerbiak


10. Desmond Mason

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Preseason Power Rankings

Just for kicks, Zee and I decided to throw together an early preseason power ranking. We both picked our top 5 teams from each conference, based on the current rosters. Between now and the start of the season, I'm sure there will be some additional trades, injuries and free agent signings. So we'll be sure to update this list as the start of the season approaches. With that said, we present the first edition of our preseason power rankings. Let us know your thoughts.


Western Conference


Kay's Picks

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
Zee's Picks

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.


Kay's Comments: The Lakers are the defending champions and arguably the most talented team in the league. Resigning Odom might have been the most significant move made during the offseason by any team. Swapping out Artest for Ariza has the potential to make them an even better team. There's no reason to think that they won't make the Finals again. And if Bynum can stay healthy... Yikes.

ZEE!: I have to agree with you 100 percent on this one. For you to give the Lakers such props must mean that they have a team (and possible dynasty perhaps?) to be reckoned with for several years to come. I for one can't believe the move that Trevor Ariza made in leaving a team you just won a championship with, to go play for a team you beat in your title run, who has lost arguably it's two best players in Yao and Ron Artest. In addition, you have T-Mac on the bench taking up space until possibly the middle of the season. Have fun playing wallowing in mediocrity. While the Lakers team you left, should they stay healthy, will make continuous runs at a title for the next few years to come.

The Spurs have reloaded their roster and look like the only team in the West that could challenge the Lakers. Jefferson and McDyess are huge upgrades over Finley and Bonner. And the return of Manu should help this team greatly as well. They have some nice young talent on this roster too: Hill, Blair and Mahinmi. Can they stay healthy?

ZEE!: Umm...what to say here....SMH @ Kay thinking the Spurs will challenge the Lakers. I'm gonna go ahead and circle Tuesday, January 8th, 2010 and look forward to the first meeting between the defending champs, and your San Antonio Spurs. FYI: Timmy and Manu aren't getting any younger/healthier.

The addition of Miller on the Trailblazers could push them to elite status. He'll bring some much needed leadership and experience to this team. Roy continues to be one of the brightest young players in the league. Aldridge is a star in the making. If Oden and Rudy can live up to their potential, this team could be downright scary.

ZEE!: I agree, the Trailblazers are solid from top to bottom. Had they been able to grab Hedo, wow. But even without Turkoglu, these young guys really should make some noise this season, and hopefully Brandon Roy will step out into national recognition for his game. TNT needs to book as many Blazer/Lakers, Blazers/Spurs matchups as possible for airing on T.V.

I like the changes that Dallas made to their team in the offseason. The addition of Marion and Gooden are huge improvements in their frontcourt. When you add them to the mix of Dirk, Terry, Howard and Kidd, you have a dark horse team. Young guns Beaubois and Barea have shown flashes of brilliance so far.

ZEE!: I really don't like this team, seriously. Cubes is spending money on players that really aren't gonna do crap this season. Jason Kidd basically passed up on a ring back in the day when he could have signed with the Spurs, and opted to go to Jersey. Now he's at it again, playing for a team with no shot, but he is steady cashing checks....pathetic. Anyhow, the breakdown for this team goes like this: Soft perimeter oriented team will shoot, shoot, and shoot. They will play no defense, they will not make it out of the first round. Mark Cuban will rip his hair out and grind those ugly yellow plaque crusted teeth of his as he realizes he wasted more money. But isn't that what he does best?

For the last spot, I went with Denver (over Utah or New Orleans). They were the surprise team of last year thanks to the addition of Billups. The loses of Kleiza and Jones will hurt this team's depth, but they should still be competitive next season. JR Smith is primed for a breakthrough. K-Mart, Birdman and Nene need to stay healthy.

ZEE!: Ahh the Nuggs. Thanks for that wake up call in the WCF fellas! This team is so talented, yet so primed to self destruct at any moment that it isn't even funny. Billups didn't look like himself in the playoff series vs the Lakers, and I wonder if he was just trying to do to much, or if he's starting to wear down. Anyhow, I expect a second round playoff exit from this ballclub come next season.


Eastern Conference


Kay's Picks

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
Zee's Picks

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.


Kay's Comments: It's only fair that the defending Eastern Conference Champions start at the top of the power ranking. They've completed retooled their roster. Out go Turkoglu, Lee, Alston and Battie. And in come Carter, Barnes, Bass, White Chocolate and Anderson. I like their depth and talent on paper, but only time will tell if they are able to recapture the magic and chemistry of last year's team. Also don't forget that Nelson missed a huge chunk of last year.

ZEE!: I think this team was fortunate last year to not have had to play a healthy Celtics squad. This go round, if they want to prove that last season wasn't a fluke they're gonna need to completely destroy Boston and Cleveland, which I don't think is going to happen. Expect Van Gundy to be out as Head Coach in a couple of years. However, I am juiced to see if JWill still has it. Ill advised 3 pointers anyone?

Had KG not been injured last season, we could have been talking about a Lakers and Celtics rematch. The addition of Rasheed, Daniels and Williams should provide some necessary depth in the frontcourt. This will hopefully allow them to rest their Big 3 and ensure that they are healthy for the postseason. Rondo is on the verge of stardom; if he can keep his head straight. They need a backup PG, though.

ZEE!: The silly, grammatically butchered off season twitters from Paul Pierce about the Lakers vs Magic series were comical . And after an early post season exit the Celts have gotten desperate and picked up Sheed, so they could fulfill the possibility of having two maniacs on their squad at the same time. Now to the optimist, hope springs eternal that the Celts turn out to be as interesting on the court as they seem to be on paper. Only problem with this team thinking they are going to go all the way is Cleveland and Orlando, which have beefed up their respective squads, and are ready to go mano y mano with each other. Makes for great T.V. no?

The Cavs could finish anywhere from 1 to 3. The addition of Shaq is a big wildcard. Can he stay healthy and how will he affect team chemistry? He improves their offense, but he doesn't help their pick-and-roll defense at all. The addition of Parker, Powe and Moon are all underrated moves. This team doesn't look as intimidating on paper as the other Big 3, but they have Lebron James and play great defense.

ZEE!: Poor poor LeBron. Who does Danny Ferry think you are? Why does he seem content to surround you with average and past-their-prime players? Quote me, if this season produces nothing less than a finals win, LeBron is gone like the wind. No joke, even Stevie Wonder could see that. But hey if they do win, LeBron may just stay for another year or so. If Shaq can produce at a level on par with his time in Phoenix, then the Cavs may be on to something.

Pending the healthy of Arenas and Butler, this Wizards team is my dark horse pick. I expect them to make a huge turnaround this year. Arenas will be a beast. Let's not forget that Haywood missed nearly all of last year, too. The additions of Miller and Foye give this team even more firepower and depth. But the success of this team is pending on the development of Blatche, McGee and Young.

ZEE!: Gilbert Arenas, the first minute you come into camp, give back 1/3rd of your gaudy salary you were paid by the Wizards, learn to be a point guard, and shut up. That probably won't happen so Arenas and co (Butler, Jamison and ..... meh) are going to need to step it up from last years season, anything will be an improvement, but everyone on that team needs to focus on the next step. For goodness sakes, you play in front of the President of the United States!!

I had a tough time deciding on the 5th team, but I elected to go with the Bulls. I like them slightly better than either Miami or Atlanta. Rose will continue to develop, and the return of Deng from injury should help fill the void left behind by Gordon. To make it to the next level, however, they will need their big men to step up: Thomas, Noah, Miller and the rookies. Time will tell if last year was a fluke.

ZEE!: Derrick Rose, how do you fail the ACT 5 times?!?!?

Friday, August 14, 2009

The Year In Review (Part II)

Here are a few more of those Top 10 videos from NBA.com. You can tell that they are running out of ideas. Top Plays from Rookies. Top Plays from International Players. Lol. And I also see some duplicate plays between the videos. That's just lazy. But anyways...

Top 10 Alley Oops of the Year



Top 10 Plays of the Year from Rookies



Top 10 Plays of the Year from Internationa Players

Friday, August 7, 2009

Hyperizers - Don’t Criticize (Hyperize)

Check out this hilarious faux music video by Nike, which features Mo Williams, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Rashard Lewis.



Speaking of Rashard Lewis, he was suspended for 10 games without pay by the NBA for failing a drug test. According to the article, Lewis "took an over-the-counter supplement late last season that included a substance he did not realize was banned by the NBA... He will be suspended without pay for the first 10 regular-season games for which he is eligible and physically able to play. He will be docked about $1.6 million of his $18 million salary for the 2009-10 season." Ouch.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Offseason Moves: Part II



Cleveland signed Jamario Moon (2 years, $6 million)

He's not going to be a starter for this Cleveland squad, but his versatility and athleticism will be a big help for them off of the bench. He can play either Forward position. Moon is one of those rare players who has the ability to average over 1 3pt, 1 stl and 1 blk per game. He provides the Cavs with a big man who has the quickness and length to defend hybrid forwards like Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. He should improve Cleveland's defense of the pick-n-roll. On offense, he's a streaky shooter with limited ball handling and play making skills. But he uses his athleticism well to collect rebounds, block shots and thrown down the occasional highlight dunk. He should be a valuable contributor for Cleveland; playing a situational defender type role. I like the duo of Lebron and Moon at the Forward spots on the defensive end. He won't put up big numbers, but his play will be huge.

Toronto signed Jarret Jack (4 years, $20 million)

This a very underrated signing. Jack is a combo guard who can play either G position effectively. He's a solid defender and will add some much needed toughness to this Toronto team. I expect him to start at the SG position replacing Anthony Parker. He can score from anywhere on the floor and has very good play-making and ball-handling skills. A lineup with Calderon, Jack and Turkoglu sounds very dynamic on the offensive end. I expect Toronto to be a much improved team next season. Of equal importance is that he's a close friend of Chris Bosh. So this signing improves their chance of retaining Bosh next year when his contract expires. To throw out some random stats, after the all-star break, Jack averaged 17.3 pts, 4.9 asts, 1.5 stls and 1.1 3pts per game on excellent percentages 48 FG% and 85 FT%. Jack is definitely a baller. And they signed him at a reasonable deal.



Portland signed Andre Miller (3 years, $22 million)

A great signing by Portland. I think he fits their team much better than Lee or Millsap, who they also pursued earlier. He is a great leader and play-maker on the basketball court. Miller is a crafty passer, who will make his teammates better. He doesn't have a great 3pt shot, but he is a very efficient scorer. He takes high percentage shots and attacks the basketball well. Miller gets to the free throw line at a nice clip, where he shoots over 80% from the charity line. He is also a solid defender and rebounder. He will provide this young Portland team with some much needed experience. And he improves their PG position greatly. Blake is an average starting PG, but a great backup PG. He will be turning 33 this year, but based on his production last year, he still has plenty of gas in the tank. Portland could be dangerous next season.

Detriot signed Chris Wilcox (2 years, $6 million)

I'm not a big fan of Wilcox, but he has a shot at playing a major role on the revamped Pistons squad. His only competition at the C position will be Kwame Brown; one of the biggest busts in recent memory. Just a couple years ago, Wilcox averaged 14 pts and 8 rebs per game in only 30 minutes for the Seattle Supersonics. So he does have some talent. He has a reputation of being an underachiever who lacks focus and consistency. So it will be interesting to see how he adapts to his new team. Detriot will need him to improve on his rebounding and defensive stats. He is a solid scorer within a couple feet of the basket. He runs the floor well, can finish at the rim and has nice leaping ability and quickness. He needs to improve on his post game and his outside shot. He'll get every opportunity to prove himself in Detriot. He's still a relatively young talent, with a lot to prove.



Dallas signed Drew Gooden (1 year, $4.5 million)

This is a nice low-risk move by Dallas. Anyone is a big improvement over Eric Dampier. Hah! Though Gooden is mainly famous for his beard, he also is one of the league's top rebounders. He'll score points on put-backs and offensive rebounds, and will hit the occasional jump shot. He has a nice mix of size and quickness, and some decent post moves. And he can hit free throws which is always a plus from your big men. He will need to improve on his consistency though. He sometimes has mental lapses on the court. And he can play passive at times, not asserting himself like he is capable of. But still he should be a valuable contributor for this revamped Dallas squad, who could make some noise in the postseason. I like the frontcourt of Marion, Nowitzki and Gooden. I should also mention that Dallas has signed Tim Thomas. While he's never quite lived up to his full potential, he is a solid role player. He can stretch the floor with his outside shooting, and is a decent rebounder. He has nice length and size and can cause mismatch problems for the opposing team. He proves some depth for Dallas.

Orlando signed Matt Barnes (2 years, $3.2 million)

Wow. This Orlando team is stacked. All they need is an upgrade at backup PG, and they are Finals bound. It should be fun to see Pietrus and Barnes back on the same team again. If they elect to start Lewis at PF again, than Barnes will be competing with Pietrus for the SF position. He can play either Forward position, and can help stretch the opposing team's defense with his outside shooting. He handles the ball well for his size, but is prone to turnovers. He is a solid rebounder and defender; who always plays with a lot of passion, energy and toughness. He is just another weapon for this Orlando team, who should have no problems leading the league in scoring. They key for Orlando will be keeping everyone happy and getting them to buy into the team concept. There won't be enough minutes to go around for everyone.



New Orleans traded Tyson Chandler to Charlotte for Emeka Okafor

Wow. This trade was unexpected. I don't see how it helps out either team very much. I'm surprised that the Hornets pulled the trigger on this trade; since they are in a cost-saving mode. And they just took back more salary. Okafor's contract is 3 years longer than Chandler, and he is owed over $40 million during than span. For Charlotte, I don't know why they would mess with team chemistry when they were so close to making the playoffs. In general, Okafor puts up better numbers, and more importantly, has managed to stay healthy during the past 2 years. Both players serve a similar role for their respective teams; though they have different strengths. Okafor is a bit undersized at the C position, but he is a banger and an outstanding inside defender. He is amongst the league's top shot blockers and rebounders. He has a high basketball IQ also. He has limited offensive moves, but is capable of scoring from within a couple feet of the basket. He can hold his own in the post, but isn't a particularly quick or agile player. On the flip side, Chandler has 0 offensive moves. The only points that he scores are from alley-oop lobs from Chris Paul. He has great length and athleticism, and can run the floor like a Forward. He doesn't have the muscle to bang in the post like Okafor does, though. He still manages to be a solid rebounder and shot-blocker, though. But he is more of a help defender, who uses his agility and quickness to cover for his teammates. It seems like Chandler is better suited for New Orleans and Okafor for Charlotte. Doesn't it? It's tough to see how this will play out for either team.

Milwaukee signed Hakim Warrick (1 year, $3 million)

While not the biggest name in the market. Warrick has a chance to secure a starting spot in the Bucks lineup. He played PF for Memphis, but he may get some minutes at SF for this Milwaukee team. Hakim has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his young career. His strength is slashing to the basket, and he gets to the free throw line at a nice clip. He is also an effective fisher in the open floor due to his impressive athleticism. His jump shot still needs some work though. He has nice length and quickness, but isn't a particularly good defender or rebounder. He will also need to learn how to pass the ball better and work on his consistency. But he is still a young player and has room to grow. As a starter 2 years ago, he average 17 points and 7 rebounds per game. I'm sure the Bucks would be happy if he could reproduce those stats. He has limited competition for minutes.