- Donnie Walsh was named the Knicks new President today…let there be joy in New York. Today should be a celebration. And not because Donnie Walsh is getting the power. No, no that would be a mistake. Knick fans should be celebrating because Isiah is halfway out the door. And celebrate because the most important half is out. Isiah Thomas will no longer be making any sort of basketball decision for the Knicks. That’s the most important fact of the day. Not that Walsh turned the Pacers around back in the day, because the Knicks are a mess that even Mr. Clean would walk away from.
- Sam Vincent is pretty much pleading to keep his job these days. I would put a small amount of money that he is as good as done as the Bobcats coach. He really has done a horrible job. If MJ weren’t the greatest player of all time he would be getting slandered left and right for a) drafting Kwame #1 and b) hiring Sam Vincent as a head coach. I know this is Vincent’s first year but there is no excuse why the Bobcats are not closer in this Eastern “playoff race”. I know he’ll point to this being his first year and the injuries to Sean May and Adam Morrison…but he has made some pretty inexplicable moves. Moves so dumb that even if May and Morrison were there I seriously doubt he could sue them in a way to cover up his ineptitude. He had no idea how to use his players in the right way. I mean at the beginning of the year he had a pretty solid rotation. Felton, Richardson, Wallace, Okafor, Brezec, Matt Carroll and Hermann. You could do a lot worse than that. Of course he had no idea how to use Carroll or Hermann. He ended up moving Gerald Wallace to power forward which has shortened years off of his career and life. Despite the fact that they waived Brevin Knight to let Raymond Felton run the show, Vincent moves him to SG and starts Jeff freakin’ McInnis at the point. Really? Then to make matters worse halfway through the season they decided to waive McInnis (he’s only started half of their games) and decide to sign Earl Boykins for no apparent reason. When Wallace went down to injury, Matt Carroll stepped up and reminded people that he could play. So of course Vincent acted like nothing happened and went back to playing him inconsistently. The Bobcats traded for a decent big man, got Nazr Mohammed and then decided not to start him alongside Okafor. I’m going to stop now. I think you get the point…Sam Vincent sucks.
(By the way, for reference sakes I’m the same guy that said Sam Mitchell sucked. And then he won Coach of the Year. I still don’t think he’s that great (look at this year and the butcher job with Calderon) but I’ve been wrong before.)
- Also on the hot seat….Grizzlies’ first year coach Marc Iavaroni. This is one of those types I’d suggest you just click on the link, read the article and draw your own conclusion. It’s a good-read and makes an argument for both sides (keeping him and firing him).
- Ron Artest is ‘likely’ coming back to Sacramento. You have to love the fact that Ron is so completely insane and unreliable when it comes to this stuff that people feel confident reporting on a ‘likely’ statement. I mean likely is even less than probably. Anyways, I don’t really buy it either way. This is the same guy who has gone to the locker room mid-game and changed to a different pair of shoes. Not really buying into him making a solid decision right now. Besides the whole Artest Era in Sacramento has been completely forgettable. He’s put up good numbers but it just feels Mitch Richmond-esque in the fact that he really is not doing anything. They are not winning and you never really talk about him in the top 15 players in the league anymore.
- News Flash: Gilbert has been cleared to play since Saturday. Reading his blog and various interviews it sounds like he’s ready but he also sounds hesitant. If he’s healthy he is nothing but a plus to the Wizards. If he is hobbled in anyway he’ll be a major detriment. I know that sounds pretty obvious but its worth stating. The Wizards are a pretty fine-tuned machine right now, I’m interested in seeing if Gilbert can a) come back and b) fit in the scheme of things.
- Looks like Pau Gasol is returning to the Lakers lineup, just in time to play the Blazers. Good thing for LA…they’re 5-4 since he went down with that sprained ankle. Bynum is still the key to their run when the money is on the line.
- Bobby Jones became the first player to play for five different NBA teams in one season. For those who are keeping track (or think I’m full of doo-doo) that’s Denver, Memphis, Houston, Miami and San Antonio. Surprising that a) Miami let him go and b) that same NBDL team kept taking him back. Here’s an extra fun-fact on Bobby Jones: he’s scored in double figures for three of the teams (Denver, Memphis and Miami). Interesting. He has to be on his way to being the ultimate journeyman right? You can breath easy Chucky Brown you still have the thrown. Just don’t go all Mercury Morris on me and start making rap songs and going off and all that.
(That would be funny…come on now. Can someone call Chucky Brown and have him do the Mercury Morris speech and put it on YouTube? Please?)
- Elton Brand is coming back to the Clippers tomorrow. In an exclusive interview Project Correspondent, The Rock got word with Brand earlier.
Rock: “So Elton, how does it feel to be coming back to a 22-52 Clipper team to play 8 meaningless games where you are basically telling everyone in the league that ‘Yes I can still run and jump please play me large amounts of money’.
(pause…Elton begins to speak)
Rock: “IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW YOU FEEL!!!”
I definitely saw that one coming.
- Also, Golden State has to make the playoffs. I’m resigned to the fact that Denver and Dallas can both be semi-entertaining and threatening, but if the Warriors don’t make the playoffs I’ll be really hurt.
- Quick screw you to Joe Dumars for sitting Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton out last night. They’re on my fantasy team…it’s the freakin playoffs for pete’s sake.
Game of the Night…Golden State vs. Dallas
Worst Game of the Night…Knicks at Memphis.
There you have it.