Where is Ricky Bobby when you need him?
China is just being ridiculous right now. But this is nothing new. I’m guessing everyone forgets about five years ago when Yao came into the league how China was tripping. Here is a refresher courtesy of USA Today. It took nine entities just for him to sign off on any contract. Plus remember this little diddy; “…he will have to give half of his NBA earnings to the Chinese government.” You think China is really just planning on walking aay from the money that Yi will bring in? Ninja please. I don’t buy any of this nonsense for one minute. Just like I didn’t think Kobe was getting traded or KG was getting traded, I don’t think Yi is not coming to America. Case closed.
Over on ESPN.com right now, Mr. Hollinger has a list of his top 15 teams who have improved for 07-08. Hollinger has found ways to peeve me off with his power rankings (don’t get me started) and top champions (an impossible list to even try to do). Let us see how I feel reading this one. As usual, I’m writing all my reactions as I read them…its just more natural that way.
#1 on the list is…sidenote, I think I’m a bigger fan of lists that start at the bottom and work their way up. There is more intrigue that way. So lets go from the bottom to the top. #15 is Philly says Mr. H. He says that losing Joe Smith will put a dent but that Thaddeus and Jason Smith should offset it. But then he says their won’t be much difference in the win column and he “suspects the Sixers will be terrible”.
What? Wasn’t this a list of teams who have improved for next year. How can you put a team that you thought was going to be terrible and that you still think is going to be terrible on this list? Other then that I disagree. I don’t think Joe Smith has ever been that good. And Philly will only be as good as Mo Cheeks allows them to be. They are decent everywhere, so now it is on Mo. So I think they will be fine.
#14 is Detroit who added Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo. Hollinger of course immediately states “I’m not sold on Afflalo at all” which makes me wonder again WHY THEY ARE ON THIS LIST? Apparently he didn’t watch any summer league games or hasn’t seen Afflalo play ever. At worst he is going to be a defensive bulldog. If he had a willingness to play D in summer league, he’ll definitely give his best during the game. He can knock down an open jumper and come off screens ala Rip Hamilton. Stuckey looks pretty good but I doubt any Piston fans are going to think he is sthe second coming of Dave Bing. Come on John, really?
#13 is Toronto who added Maceo Baston and Jason Kapono while losing Mo-Pete. Losing Mo-Pete should put them in the top 10, maybe top 5 right? I know Baston is a former Euroleague guy so he’ll get the benefit of the doubt because of Colangelo. Kapano is another guy who can spread the floor for the Raptors. He is at his best when he is catching and shooting, at his worst when anyone makes him dribble. I don’t think he’ll be having to do any dribbling. But I agree with Hollinger that anything was better than Joey Graham. Anything. I would pick Sidney Spencer and Becky Hammon on my team before him. Plus Hollinger points out how deadly their pick and roll will be. Why is Toronto so low on this list?
#12 is Chicago. He is kidding right? He puts the Bulls over Toronto? Why are the Bulls even on this list? They have one need, ONE NEED, and they have yet to fill it. All they need is a low-post scorer but apparently they don’t understand that. Hollinger immediately angers me by saying “Maybe power forward isn’t the weak spot on the roster anymore.” Umm yes it is. You have Tyrus Thomas, Noah and Joe Smith. Three guys who can’t score in the post who play alongside Ben Wallace..another guy who can’t score in the post. You have duplicates everywhere. “Hi I’m Joakim Noah and I bring a lot of the same stuff to the table that Tyrus Thomas brings.” “Oh really? Hey I’m Joe Smith, I’m 32 years old and I’m basically like PJ Brown so I’m not quite sure why you signed me but I like money.” I did a head-to-head comparison of PJ Brown and Joe Smith’s numbers from last year…Smith averaged 2.4 more points and 1.4 more rebounds. What a good upgrade…good job Chicago. FYI, there is no hope for this list. But at least it gives me something to talk about.
#11 is the Lakers. Groan. They added Javaris Crittenton and Derek Fisher to the squad. People are forgetting a few things here, including you Mr. Hollinger. As much as Smush lost his way and started to suck last year…Derek Fisher didn’t have that good of a regular season. True he has been a lost puppy ever since he left the Lakers and he is an upgrade but its not as big as people are trying to make it seem. At least Crittenton will have time to get in the game and develop..oh wait no he won’t, he’s behind three other point guards.
#10 is Sacramento. Hollinger cannot be serious. They added Spencer Hawes, Mikki Moore and Reggie Theus. Of course, Hollinger starts off with this gem; “I have no idea if Theus can coach or not” and then says that neither Hawes or Moore are going to be great and that these moves might not keep them out of the lottery. Well then how in gods name did they improve? How are they, a team who was in the lottery this year, a team you say will probably be in the lottery next year improve? Because they got a crazy guy and another big white guy? By the way, underrated fact about Mikki Moore was that the big 3 had him under control. During the playoffs whenever there was a call on Moore, you could count that either Kidd, Jefferson or Carter would be around him. They just wouldn’t let him be crazy. In Sac-Town…he has money and Ron Artest. Mikki Moore will fight someone next year, I guarantee it.
#9 is New Orleans, who until I hit the refresh button didn’t even have a paragraph up. They added Morris Peterson and Julian Wright who Hollinger says should be a “big upgrade over Rasual Butler and Desmond Mason”. Yep the guy who shot 35.9% from three point land (Peterson) is an upgrade from the guy who shot 36.9% (Butler). Plus, Morris Peterson is about to become Donyell Marshall I can feel it.
#8 is Washington. I might actually agree with this one. A scorer like Nick Young is a major upgrade over Roger Mason Jr, I will agree with you on that Hollinger. If they keep Juan Carlos Navarro then they become even better offensively. If they trade him then they’ll probably get rid of either Haywood or Etan Thomas’ contract.
#7 is Memphis. They added Mike Conley and Darko, lost Chucky Atkins and got a new coach. I agree with Hollinger that giving Pau a “frontcourt sidekick” was big-time. But I completely disagree with Hollinger saying that Conley will be “filling some big shoes”. Hollinger writes, “Unbeknownst to many, Atkins played out of his mind a year ago.” Umm…ok stat guy, I have two words for that “contract year”. And since when is a “point guard” averaging 13 and 4 assists playing “out of his mind”. Sadly that is the most assists he has averaged in a full year. Atkins reached 10+ assists only seven times in 2006-07. To put that in perspective, Dwyane Wade had 10+ assists eight times in between November 5th and December 25th. All Conley has to do is pass the ball and he will be infinitely better than Atkins.
(I have a feeling Denver is going to be in the top 6.)
#6 is Boston. They added Ray Allen and lost Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West. Ray Allen is a major upgrade over Wally any way you slice it. Plus, he doesn’t have to be the man every night. He doesn’t have to go out there and try and take over like he had to at times in Seattle. He has Paul Pierce who can take a major load off of him. (Pierce is infinitely better than Rashard Lewis ever will be). He can throw it in the post to Al Jefferson. I think Boston is being sle
pt on a little bit to be honest.
#5 is Atlanta. I think that is pretty low. They added Al Horford and Acie Law and officially now have everything they need. What more needs to be said. This is the best Atlanta has looked since the Steve Smith/Dikembe/Mookie Blaylock/hideous black and red jersey Era.
#4 is New York? Really? At least Hollinger acknowledges that Curry and Randolph won’t even sniff at trying to play defense. He says “the two will combine to give the Knicks the league’s most defensively disinterested frontcourt” True that. But Hollinger refuses to state some of the obvious points.
- Both these guys love to operate in the low post..especially Curry
- Both these guys need shots to even approach a level resembling happiness.
- They could potentially soak up David Lee’s effectiveness and minutes
Not only does he not bring up any of this he then goes to state that “…Randolph is a beast in the post, and he can play the high post and float in his feathery left-handed jumper if he needs to clear the lane for Curry.” Feathery jumper? There is nothing feathery about Zach Randolph’s jumper. I can’t wait for MSG to erupt in boos when Randolph camps out, wags that damn left hand, jab-steps, jab-steps and feathers one right off the back rim. Unreal.
#3 is Phoenix. I agree. Sorry, but I think Alando Tucker is better then James Jones. And they got a star in Grant Hill. I like Hill running the point more than Barbosa, Diaw or Marcus Banks when Nash has to sit out. Plus he could pull a Corey Dillon and his hunger could rally the rest of the team. I’m telling you, this could be Phoenix’s year. They have revenge stories against Dallas and San Antonio, they are hungry, mad and their window is closing. Watch the bleep out.
#2 is Charlotte. The fact that Hollinger thinks they could make the playoffs kind of scares me. I’ve already gone over them enough so I won’t draw Coup’s ire and speak on the Bobcats any longer.
#1 is Houston. Really? Added Mike James, Luis Scola, Jackie Butler and Aaron Brooks. Apparently this Scola guy is good or something. I don’t like Mike James on Houston for some reason. Maybe as the backup 2, but nowhere near the point guard position. I do think him and Brooks will work in a run and gun, plus Bonzi Wells will be playing for a coach he likes and he’ll be playing in a contract year. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix in the Western Conference Semis? That’s a dream right there.
Tomorrow Hollinger presents the losers aka the other 15 teams. How the Blazers aren’t on this winners list is amazing.
In other news (YAY LONG POSTS)…Stephon Marbury wants to play in Italy when his contract runs out. Marbury is quoted saying “I’m not just thinking of doing it, I’m going to do it…My wife loved it there. It’s like a Beckham thing.”
Really Steph? The difference between you and David Beckham is astronomical…you’re not even a star in America! Come on man. Beckham is getting love for coming out here because he is a mega star around the world. We all know if I went to Russia with your picture they would say Michael Jordan or someone else.
Luckily, the Blazers can’t add Travis Outlaw to the list of ‘guys who started killing in other places’. At least not yet…3 more years of T-Law. Ime Udoka is as good as gone, and while I liked his effort and fire I think it would be best if he got paid to play somewhere else. I’m happy we gave him the chance though.
Theo Ratliff apparently feels as “strong as ever”…contract year!