Finally have a bit of time and a solid internet connection here in Berkeley, so here is the flow of randomness for the day:
- Well, we all knew the Blazers Honeymoon was over as this long trip started. The players did a good job responding in New Jersey, we’ll see how they respond to last night’s loss. As a fan you can’t really hang your head. Boston has the best record in the league and is the best home team in the league. Portland managed to score 90 points in Boston and lose by 10. The reason for the loss: Ray freakin’ Allen reminded everyone who Ray freakin’ Allen is. Nothing you can really do about that. I found Brandon Roy’s quote interesting though:
“I don’t think we believed we could beat them,” Roy said. “We’ve been playing to win lately, but tonight I think we just came in to give them a good game. The next time we play them we have to believe that we can actually beat them.”
We’re still a very young team, as the Bulls showed though playing at Miami is always the best remedy to forget about struggles.
- Speaking of Miami…the Diesel returned, had 24 and 10 and the Heat STILL lost by 30 at home. It doesn’t make any sense, literally. Actually it does: Nocioni outscored Miami’s bench 20-12. Pat Riley has no one to blame but himself. Isiah Thomas has gotten a lot of flack for what he has done in New York, but people are letting Riley off the hook because they won a championship. You can’t go through an off-season, lose players, add virtually nothing and then wonder why you’re 8-30.
- Chris Sheridan talks about the big names who could be traded before the deadline. Juicy indeed.
- Gerald Green is reportedly going to be in the Slam Dunk Contest. If I was a Minnesota fan I would rather have news that he is in a gym shooting jumpers or watching film. My six year old cousin has a higher basketball IQ than him. I swear.
- The New York Knicks have won 3 games in a row. PLAYOFFS BABY! Seriously, the Knicks are only 6 games out of the NBA Playoffs right now. That right there could be more commentary and on current the state of the Eastern Conference than I could give. But (start Charles Barkley mode) “Jamal Crawford is ballin'” (end Charles Barkley mode). I still don’t like their complete lack of a true point guard, but there are so many problems in NYC that might not even make the list. This should be enough proof that they should trade Marbury. Teams always go up after he leaves and they’re 6-8 when he doesn’t play. .500 basketball will give you a shot at the playoffs in the East.
- The team who lost to the Knicks last night? The New Jersey Nets. Rap fans should be happy, I’ve heard a rumor that the last two Nets home losses inspired Jay-Z to make a new album ala American Gangster. Except he’s going to make this one so he doesn’t have to watch Net games. 9-14 at home is pathetic. Vince Carter makes me ill and I wonder how Jason Kidd hasn’t exploded on his teammates yet.
- Mike Bibby returned to the Kings lineup last night, dropping 19 points in 29 minutes. As a matter of fact, Reggie Theus brought Kevin Martin, Ron Artest and Bibby all off of the bench. Now that is a coach who has a handle on things. I like that…he’s coaching on common sense. Sure they ended up with the lion share of the minutes and the Kings lost but still. It’s the principle that counts. If anyone was wondering, I’m in the camp that thinks the Kings should trade Bibby and Artest and really try this rebuilding thing. Because right now they are in no man’s land. They’re not completely horrible but are still nowhere near ready to compete in the West. They have to make a move quick.
- In the East I would count on seeing these six teams in the playoffs for sure. And not because they are really good, just because the rest aren’t too much of a threat. Boston, Detroit, Orlando, Washington, Toronto and Cleveland. The rest, sadly enough is still a wide open race. Honestly, look at the rest of those teams and try and tell me you think any of them are solid enough to even think about penciling them in. Exactly.
- I just realized: The Los Angeles Lakers have the #1 record in the Western Conference. It won’t last..but still.
- Three games on tonight’s NBA slate. Two on TNT, one not. Utah/Denver will not be televised. It will interesting to see how Utah responds to finally having to leave Salt Lake and how a battered and bruised Denver responds to….well being battered and bruised. Finals rematch between Cleveland and San Antonio. Yucky. The real interesting to me is the Phoenix/Lakers matchup. Will Kobe jack up a million shots? Will Amare run wild? How old will Doug Collins look? Stay tuned.