http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/4631 Recent articles about Jameer Nelson en-us A Daily Babble Production As was discussed (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=3549 Itemid=260) yesterday in this space, the Chris Duhon signing fills a need for the hated Knickerbockers but isn't likely on its own to instigate any ground-breaking changes in the results for the team in the Sizable Apple. So our attention turns to an Eastern contender that seems to be quite bothered by losing out on what apparently became a sweepstakes of sorts for the former Duke guard's services. The very beginnings of desperation are beginning to seep into the air around the Orlando Magic with regard to their point-guard situation. Though he wrote that the Magic were looking for a back-up, the Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz reported (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_magic/2008/07/magic-adjust-ga.html) that the team was quite high on Duhon and frustrated that he went elsewhere -- and that re-signing Keyon Dooling has become a priority there. Given that Duhon has started more than half the games he has played in his four-year career and that the team knew he was likely to command starter money, it seems time to wonder if the Magic are finally headed toward throwing in the towel on Jameer Nelson after four years of his own. Read More.. (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=3553... Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:23:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286878 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286878    One year ago, the NBA's two flagship franchises appeared to be in total disarray. The Boston Celtics had just completed a demoralizing 24-58 season and their "reward" for posting the worst record in the Eastern Conference was the fifth pick in what was considered to be a two player draft. The L.A. Lakers earned the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 42-40 record and got destroyed 4-1 by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. Kobe Bryant had just won his second straight scoring title with a 31.6 ppg average and he poured in a playoff career-high 32.8 ppg versus the Suns but he did not look forward to wasting the prime years of his career going into battle with Kwame Brown and Smush Parker starting at the two most important positions, center and point guard. Bryant had always wanted to be a Laker for life but he also wanted to win championships, so he publicly blasted the team's management and demanded that they work as hard to put together a championship team as he worked at being the best player in the league. What a difference a year makes! The Celtics packaged the fifth overall pick with other considerations and acquired All-Star guard Ray Allen from a rebuilding Seattle team. Now that the Celtics had two All-Stars on the roster, Kevin Garnett agreed to be traded from Minnesota to Boston and the remade Celtics were suddenly a bona fide threat to win the East and contend for a championship. Meanwhile, young Andrew Bynum emerged as a legit double double threat and the Lakers raced to a 26-11 start. Bynum went down with what turned out to be a season ending knee injury but Bryant held the team together until the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol from Memphis in exchange for Brown and other considerations. The Lakers now had a legit second option, which meant that overmatched second option Lamar Odom could now become a solid third option. The Celtics finished with the best record in the NBA (66-16), while the Lakers had the best record in perhaps the most competitive Western Conference race ever (57-25). The top two seeds have generally not both made it to the Finals in recent seasons but the Celtics and Lakers each vanquished tough foes to advance to the championship round, where Boston earned the right to hoist a 17th championship banner, denying Phil Jackson his 10th coaching title and Bryant his fourth ring as a player and in the process completing the one blank space on the Hall of Fame resumes of Garnett, Allen and 2008 Finals MVP Paul Pierce. I correctly predicted the outcome of 12 of the 15 playoff series this year and I correctly predicted that the Celtics and Lakers would meet in the Finals; my three incorrect predictions were that the Lakers would beat the Celtics, the Suns would beat the Spurs and the Mavericks would beat the Hornets. Last year, I also went 12-3, including picking the correct Finals matchup and the eventual winner. In 2006, I went 10-5 but did not correctly pick either Finalist, while in 2005 I went 9-6, correctly picking both Finalists but picking the wrong champion. So, in four years of posting playoff predictions online I have a 43-17 record (.716) and I have correctly picked six out of eight Finalists, though I have only been right about one out of four champions. Here are some final thoughts and observations about each of the 16 playoff teams: 1) My default position about players and teams is skepticism and there were plenty of good reasons to be skeptical about the Celtics prior to the start of the season. None of their "Big Three" had been able to lead their teams to the playoffs in 2007, the Boston bench was of questionable quality (Danny Ainge shrewdly strengthened it later in the season) and neither Pierce nor Allen had previously been known as great defensive players. However, once I saw the Celtics play during the regular season I began to modify my opinion of their team because they played so hard and so well defensively night after night. After their 5-0 start, I was already convinced that they could win more than 60 games, a significant departure from my preseason expectations. A couple days later, I saw them in person for the first time, observed that Pierce was playing at an elite level offensively and concluded, "I am impressed by how hard they played throughout the game, particularly on defense...Call it tenacity, heart or will to win, the great teams have it and that is how they win even when they are not at their best. The Celtics provided a glimpse of this against Indiana and it will be interesting to see if they can replicate such efforts at playoff time against the very best teams." The Celtics proved to be the best team in the NBA from start to finish, answering all questions about chemistry, defense and depth. The only question now is whether or not they can duplicate this high level of play next season. It is unlikely that they will win 66 regular season games, because that requires not only skill and tenacity but also good health, something that is hard to maintain two years in a row; the real issue is what level will the Celtics be playing at by the time next year's playoffs roll around. Are the "Big Three" satisfied with winning one title or will they pursue a repeat title with the same hunger that fueled their chase for the 2008 championship? My initial thought is, as usual, that I am skeptical; it is difficult to repeat, though the teams that have done so in the past 15 years were tough minded squads led by multiple All-Stars, a description that certainly fits the Celtics. 2) The blowout loss in game six of the Finals was without question a bitter pill for the Lakers to swallow but it should not lead to rash judgments or actions. The Lakers still have the same strengths that enabled them to not only post the best record in the West but also defeat three 50-plus win teams in the playoffs: they have a Hall of Fame coach, the best all-around player in the NBA and a high powered offense. The Finals highlighted the weaknesses that they overcame to have such a great season: a lack of toughness that manifests itself defensively and on the boards and the lack of a legit, top flight small forward who can make a significant offensive contribution and/or lock down the opposing team's high scoring small forward. If Andrew Bynum returns to health and is productive then he can start at center and Pau Gasol can shift to power forward. In that scenario, the ideal move for the Lakers would be to trade Lamar Odom for a quality small forward. Odom is not an ideal small forward, so a frontline of Bynum-Gasol-Odom is not feasible, despite what some people may try to convince you; the only way that those three players can effectively coexist is if one of them comes off of the bench. Gasol is the second best player on the team, so he is not going to be a reserve. Bynum is the best postup player, so it does not make sense to sit him either. 3) As long as the San Antonio Spurs have Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich they are going to be a formidable team. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are perfect complements to Duncan and the Spurs do an excellent job of finding veteran players who fit in perfectly to their system. Barring injuries or a marked decline by Duncan, the Spurs should be right back in the mix as a contender. 4) Joe Dumars finally figured out that Flip Saunders was never going to lead the Pistons back to the Finals, let alone win a championship. The question now is whether the team's championship-contending window is still open with the current nucleus of players or if Dumars is going to overhaul the roster. Until I see what happens on that front it is impossible to predict how good the Pistons will be in 2009. 5) The Utah Jazz have a dynamic young duo in Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, plus a talented supporting cast that includes two former All-Stars, Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko. They certainly have to be considered a Western Conference contender. If not for Kobe Bryant's heroics against them in the Western Conference semifinals (33.2 ppg, 7.2 apg, 7.0 rpg, .491 field goal shooting) they could very well have made it to the Finals for the first time since the Stockton-Malone era. 6) The Cleveland Cavaliers remain one of the most misunderstood and underrated teams in the league. All season long I heard "experts" talking about how the Cavs would not even make the playoffs, a ludicrous idea that I consistently rejected. The Cavaliers' formula for success is the brilliance of LeBron James, defense and rebounding. Everyone except Skip Bayless realizes that LeBron James is a great player but few people appreciate or respect the way that Coach Mike Brown has turned the Cavs into San Antonio East in terms of defense and rebounding. What happened to the Cavs in the playoffs is that they ran into a Boston team that matched their commitment defensively and on the glass and had three All-Stars to match James' offensive production. The Cavs need one more player who can create his own shot and/or create shots for other players but even if they don't add that player they still will be a serious Eastern Conference contender next year. Injuries or personnel moves around the league could change this but right now they are the biggest threat to knock off the Celtics in the East. 7) Chris Paul emerged as the best point guard in the NBA, David West is probably still underrated even though he made the All-Star team and New Orleans looks like a legit Western Conference contender. The playoff experience that the Hornets gained this year should serve them well in the future. The Hornets' defense is underrated and that defense--combined with the brilliance of the Paul-West duo--could very well carry them to the Western Conference Finals in 2009. 8) Dwight Howard is already the dominant low post force in the NBA and the scary thing is that he is still improving. I question whether Jameer Nelson is a championship level point guard and I think that the Magic need to still improve their overall talent base but Orlando is a team on the rise. 9) I've been saying for a couple years that the Raptors are the Phoenix Suns East: that means that they can win a lot of regular season games and be a tough playoff matchup but unless they become more stout defensively and on the glass they will not beat Boston, Cleveland, Detroit or Orlando in a seven game series. 10) The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the real surprise teams of the season--as opposed to a team like the Cavs that only surprised people who were foolish enough to not understand how good they are. No one expected the 76ers to be a playoff team. Whenever a young team comes out of the woodwork like that there is always a question of whether they were one year wonders or if this was the first step toward bigger and better things. I think that the Sixers took the first step toward bigger and better things but they won't be a serious contender unless they upgrade their roster a little bit and become a better half court team. 11) The Phoenix Suns were never going to win a championship with their previous nucleus, so I still think that trading for Shaquille O'Neal was a worthwhile risk to take, even though they still failed to beat the Spurs. New Coach Terry Porter will surely try to instill more of a defensive mindset in this team but if the Suns' championship window has not close the opening is very, very small: young teams have emerged in L.A., New Orleans and Utah and the Suns have yet to prove that they can beat their old nemesis San Antonio, let alone deal with the new kids on the block. 12) Point blank, it seems like the Mavericks have never recovered from blowing a 2 3/4 games to 0 lead over the Miami Heat in the 2006 Finals; one more good quarter and they might have swept Diesel and Flash but it's been all downhill for the Mavs since Gary Payton hit one of his few playoff field goals in 2006. The Mavs still have a very good team but it just seems like the rest of the top West teams are better than they are now. 13) Houston put together an amazing winning streak but everyone understood that the Rockets could not go far in the West playoffs without Yao Ming. If Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming can both stay healthy for a full season, this would be a very formidable team. Rick Adelman has proven that he can take teams deep into the playoffs, though he has yet to win a title. 14) The Atlanta Hawks almost rewrote the entire script of the 2008 playoffs, pushing the Celtics to seven games in the first round. The future looks bright but keep in mind that Golden State knocked off the defending conference champion one year and did not even make the playoffs (albeit in a very tough conference) the next season. As with the Sixers, there is the question of whether the Hawks are a team on the rise or a one year wonder. 15) The Denver Nuggets are the NBA's mystery team: they have a former MVP who is still playing at a high level (Allen Iverson), one of the premier scorers in the league (Carmelo Anthony), a former Defensive Player of the Year (Marcus Camby), a top sixth man (J.R. Smith)--and yet they simply cannot get out of the first round of the playoffs. Despite all of the talent on their roster, they have problems at both ends of the court: their defense is terrible and their offensive execution is wildly inconsistent, with Iverson and Anthony taking turns running the show while the other players pick up the table scraps that are left over. It is either entertaining or sickening to realize that ESPN pays "expert" Stephen A. Smith a lot of money for "insights" such as saying prior to the 2008 season that the Cavs won't make the playoffs and the Nuggets would win the West. Hey, I don't get everything right but I don't miss the mark that wildly either. 16) The Washington Wizards will never make it further than the second round of the playoffs as long as Gilbert Arenas is their primary offensive option. Period. I don't care how certain people crunch various numbers to "prove" his value and I don't care that the Wizards were once in first place in the East for a minute and a half almost two years ago when Arenas had some high scoring games. Arenas is a player who is primarily focused on scoring points and on settling old scores (being a second round pick, being left off of Team USA, etc.). It seems highly unlikely that he will ever change his mindset and that makes him ill equipped to lead a legit contender. OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Portable, Battery-Driven CT Scanner for Bats to Be Unveiled - The Biz of Baseball MLB Launches "Welcome Back Veterans" Initiative - The Biz of Baseball Sunday MLB on TBS: Comments from Red Sox/Cards Game - The Biz of Baseball Matt Sosnick Talks Being a Player Agent - The Biz of Baseball New Bidders in the Mix for Cubs. One Would Offer Shares - The Biz of Baseball Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football Big Ten Network Nearing First Major Cable Deal with Comcast - The Biz of Football Cowboys Stadium Site Allows Fans to View Their Seat Before They Buy Tickets - The Biz of Football Former NFL Steroids Dealer Found Shot to Death - The Biz of Football Cowboys, Bank of America Extend Sponsorship Deal - The Biz of Football NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of HockeyNASCAR on TNT Live: Comments and Interviews from the Toyota/Save Mart 350 from Infineon Raceway in Sonoma - Maury Brown's Biz of SportsDavid Friedman is a weekly contributor to the Business of Sports Network. To read more of his basketball articles, just take a 20 Second Timeout. His general sports commentary can be found at Best Ever Sports Talk, where "Tiger's High Stakes Gamble Pays Off—For Now," "Tiger Woods Marches—and Limps—Toward Golf Immortality," "Sports are Part of What Makes Us Uniquely Human" and "'The Kid' is 'The Man': Griffey Blasts His 600th Home Run—Naturally" are among the subjects that have been recently discussed. Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:50:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/281654 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/281654 Jameer Nelson continued his vicious streak of lies after a Game 5 loss with this statement: "I didn't guarantee a win," [Nelson] said. "I didn't say, 'we're going to …' I said 'we have to go win, we're going to come get this win.' And the media took it out of proportion or whatever they want to do. The media always wants a story. I mean, I really don't care what people write, you know?" If you take his words literally, Nelson is fibbing: he did predict a win. It wasn't manufactured by the media. He didn't use the word "guarantee," but his exact words were, "We're going to go there and win this game." There's no ambiguity there. Thu, 15 May 2008 17:41:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267430 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267430 Wow, this is Detroit's 6th straight conference final in by far the least dramatic series in the playoffs. Jameer Nelson couldn't quite come through on his guarantee even though the Pistons played without Chauncey Billups. I think we could say Detroit has a conference dynasty in their hands. Tue, 13 May 2008 20:51:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266661 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266661 The Pistons try to close out the Magic at home. Chauncey Billups is questionable tonight, but AccuScore still sees Detroit having the edge. Tue, 13 May 2008 16:06:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266561 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266561 Over the next five weeks, I will go position by position and rank the top 30 players by total value. The NBA is a business, so it doesn't make sense to purely rank the players only by their talent or stats, or by some other qualitative measure (though those factors do matter). We must also look at a player's salary relative to his peers. Obviously, if a player is in the middle of a very reasonable contract, he'll get a boost in the rankings. To summarize a player's stats, I'll use the NBA Efficiency statistic, which is defined as: EFF = ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) - ((Field Goals Att. - Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Att. - Free Throws Made) + Turnovers)) I'll list Efficiency Per Game (EPG) for each player, which will give a nice snapshot of his stats. To compare two players that get vastly different minutes, I'll occasionally mention Efficiency Per Minute (EPM), which is simply the player's total efficiency divided by his minutes. I'll also consider a player's age and potential. All else being equal, a franchise would probably prefer a 25 year-old point guard to a 32 year-old point guard, right? Essentially, the order of this list comes down to this question – would you trade Player X for Player Y, assuming the goal is to win a title in the next three seasons at a reasonable payroll? To summarize, there are four major factors I'll consider: talent (statistical performance), contract, age and potential. Without further adieu, here are the top 30 point guards, ranked by total value: 1. Chris Paul, Hornets Age: 23 EPG: 27.8 Contract: two years, $10.6 M ($5.3 M per) Not only has Paul emerged as hands-down the best point guard in the game, he is still on his rookie contract, so he's a bargain to boot. 2. Deron Williams, Jazz Age: 23 EPG: 23.0 Contract: two years, $11.8 M ($5.9 M per) Williams is bigger and stronger than Paul, and is also a better outside shooter. But Paul has the edge in quickness, ball handling and court vision. 3. Tony Parker, Spurs Age: 25 EPG: 16.9 Contract: three years, $37.7 M ($12.6 M per) Parker is young, speedy and a proven player in the clutch. Plus, his salary is fairly reasonable for a player of his caliber. His defense is mediocre at best. (See the rest of the list after the jump.) Mon, 12 May 2008 14:33:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266125 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266125 Chris Paul is for real. He lead the New Orleans Hornets from no playoffs the year before to the 2 spot in the highly competitive West. He's extremely dangerous to other teams when it comes to decison making. From pulling up for a jumper, to driving in the lane to dishing it back out to an open teammate, they're all possibilities for him in just one play. He is the best point guard in the NBA. Player (Current Team/Former Team) PPG, RPG, APG, SPG * = Best in Category (R) = Rookie Steals 1+ Shown 1. Chris Paul (NOH) 21.1, 4, 11.6*, 2.7* 2. Baron Davis (GSW) 21.8*, 4.7, 7.6, 2.3 3. Deron Williams (UTA) 18.8, 3, 10.5, 1.1 4. Tony Parker (SAS) 18.8, 3.2, 6 5. Steve Nash (PHX) 16.9, 3.5, 11.1 6. Gilbert Arenas (WAS) 19.4, 3.9, 5.4, 1.8 (13 Games) 7. Chauncey Billups (DET) 17, 2.7, 6.8, 1.3 8. Jason Kidd (DAL/NJN) 10.8, 7.5*, 10.1, 1.7 9. Andre Miller (PHI) 17, 4, 6.9, 1.3 10. Mo Williams (MIL) 17.2, 3.5, 6.3, 1.2 11. Jamal Crawford (NYK) 20.6, 2.6, 5, 1 12. Raymond Felton (CHA) 14.4, 3, 7.4, 1.2 13. Jamaal Tinsley (IND) 11.9, 3.6, 8.4, 1.7 (39 Games) 14. Jose Calderon (TOR) 11.2, 2.9, 8.3 1.1 15. Rafer Alston (HOU) 13.1, 3.5, 5.3, 1.3 16. Rajon Rondo (BOS) 10.6, 4.2, 5.1, 1.7 17. Devin Harris (NJN/DAL) 14.8, 2.7, 5.8, 1.4 18. Kirk Hinrich (CHI) 11.5, 3.3, 6, 1.2 19. T.J. Ford (TOR) 12.1, 2, 6.1, 1.1 20. Beno Udrih (SAC) 12.8, 3.3, 4.3 21. Derek Fisher (LAL) 11.7, 2.1, 2.9, 1 22. Mike Bibby (ATL/SAC) 13.9, 3.3, 6, 1.1 23. Jameer Nelson (ORL) 10.9, 3.5, 4.6 24. Sam Cassell (BOS/LAC) 11.2, 2.5, 3.9 25. Nate Robinson (NYK) 12.7, 3.1, 2.9 26. Louis Williams (PHI) 11.5, 2.1, 3.2, 1 27. Daniel Gibson (CLE) 10.4, 2.3, 2.5 28. Delonte West (CLE/SEA) 8.3, 3.2, 3.8, 1 29. (R) Mike Conley (MEM) 9.4, 2.6, 4.2 30. Kyle Lowry (MEM) 9.6, 3, 3.6, 1.1 Just Missed It Ramon Sessions (MIL) 11.5, 4.9, 11.3, 1.5, (10 Games April) Antonio Daniels (WAS) 8.4, 2.9, 4.8, 1 Sebastian Telfair (MIN) 8.3, 2.3, 5.9, 1 Just a few things to say before I wrap this up. Jamal Crawford, he's a shooting guard running the point. He did pretty good, but Nate Robinson really should have taken that spot, and he might get that chance with Mike D'Antoni heading to New York and Marbury possibly opting out or getting traded. In fact a lot of players in the NBA are going to get their chance to shine in the NBA soon. A lot of the star veterans are nearing retirement. Players like Steve Nash, Chauncey Billups, Allen Iverson, Shaq, Dirk Nowitzki, even Shawn Marion turned 30 a few days ago. Soon they'll start to break down and eventually retire, making room for the younger guys to take charge. In a few years, the NBA's going to be a whole differnt game. Mon, 12 May 2008 13:19:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266095 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266095 "I'm not trying to be arrogant or cocky or anything like that," said Nelson after the Magic fell to the Pistons 90-89 Saturday in Game 4. "But tonight, we let it slip out of our hands. Game 2 we let slip out of our hands." "We're going to win this game in Detroit." Sun, 11 May 2008 13:56:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265747 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265747 "I'm not trying to be arrogant or cocky or anything like that," said Nelson after the Magic fell to the Pistons 90-89 Saturday in Game 4. "But tonight, we let it slip out of our hands. Game 2 we let slip out of our hands. "We're going to win this game in Detroit." ~Jameer Nelson Sun, 11 May 2008 12:12:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265723 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265723 To be honest, I'm not completely sure what happened in Game 4. The Raptors looked like they were starting to pull away, were up by about 7 and then all of a sudden, the wheels fell off. Much in the same way that big time players come through in the 4th quarter, big time teams come through in the 4th quarter and the Raptors showed that they just aren't ready for that sort of responsibility right now. If you have that sort of collapse in the 4th quarter in the playoffs, then you don't have the foundation necessary to win in the playoffs. One of the things I notice (well, it isn't like you have to look that hard) is just how afraid the Raptors are of attacking the lane with Dwight Howard there. The Raptors are taking off balance shots, are pulling up for jumpers when a lane to the basket is more than apparent and are rushing shots when they have them. Look, Howard is going to get his blocks. That's going to happen. Who cares? When he starts getting into block mode, he is also going to foul more because he starts looking for the block every time the opposition comes down the court. When you have an athletic advantage over your opposition, you should be able to exploit their deficiencies, not play into their strengths. On D, the Raptors are almost embarrasing in how they let Howard rule the boards and pickup easy putbacks. Sure, it is easier said than done, but you have to make some sort of effort against him. At this point, you might as well put Hump in there for some minutes against Howard. I'm dead serious. Are you telling me that Hump wouldn't at least Humpslap Howard at least once? I guarantee you he would get his money's worth in there. Hump may not be the best guy to have on the court for extended minutes, but when he has been asked to walk in and play a role for a short period of time, he has been effective. The Raptors are down 3-1, there really isn't that much to lose. So into Game 5. I still don't think the Magic are that much better of a team than the Raptors, I really don't. If the Raptors are able to not fall into another giant hole in Orlando, they still have a chance to bring this back to Toronto. If you bring it back to Toronto, the crowd is going to be seriously pumped. You pick up a win there and then anything can happen. Sure, it is a lot to ask, but it isn't completely impossible. If I see Hedo walk through the Raptors for another layup, I am going to lose it. They are making Hedo and Jameer look like they are the fastest guys in the league. Also, the Raptors PGs have to realize that if they are playing up to their regular standards, Jameer shouldn't even come close to beating them off the dribble, so when he has the ball, they have to get up on him. You can't sit as far back from him as they have been, because he has shown in this series that he can get hot with his shot. Hedo and Jameer are very similar in that fashion, they can both get hot in a hurry and then they just get on one of those streaks that is tough to stop. So once again, just like many times during the season, the Raptors have a big game. Hell, they're all big games from here on in. But just like during the regular season, the Raptors have to get tougher. They can't get pushed around, especially in the 4th quarter. Somebody has to knock Howard down, I don't care if you have to cheap shot him, it has to happen. I'm not talking about something like cutting his legs out from under him, you don't want to see anybody get hurt, I just mean that somebody has to pull something like what Hedo did to Bosh. Make a statement. Another statement game for the Raps? There's a surprise. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:25:09 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/260468 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/260468 There are some things that need to be stopped in the world. Greenhouse gas emissions, murder, the Black Eyed Peas and athletes making "guaranteed victory" statements. Honestly, is there anything more lame than somebody coming out and guaranteeing a victory? It is done in almost every series in every league, but what makes it worse is that now any dude on the team can make the statement. It doesn't matter if it is the damned waterboy, somebody always feels they are important enough to guarantee a victory. When Broadway Joe did it, it was a HUGE statement, because nobody had really done it before, well not on that level and not when they were huge underdogs. Even when Messier did it, it was a big statement, because he was the captain in a big city that hadn't won the cup in about 50 years. So when Rashard Lewis starts doing it for Game 4 against the Raptors in the first round of the playoffs, honestly, who gives a shit? What has Lewis done to warrant any sort of credibility? If the Raptors win, what is Lewis going to do? Nothing. He'll just show up for Game 5 and act like it never happened. If the Magic win, he'll say I told you so. I am so tired of this crap, it really needs to stop. So now that I have that off my chest, the Raptors have the best home court advantage in the league. The atmosphere at the ACC for Game 3 was insane. You have to give it up for a city that has continually been criticized in other sports for its quiet fans. In hockey, while we have very knowledgable fans, they're not the loudest and the same goes for baseball and football. Toronto FC actually has the best crowd in the league (credit to the Red Patch Boys) and the Raptors are enjoying that same sort of soccer fanaticism going on in the stands. The sea of red was looking for blood in Game 3 and they got it, as the Magic were served up on a platter. Even Dwight Howard said that it was great, that it reminded him of high school when everybody was loud and they were booing him. He said it with a smile on his face, because even the other team's best player knows when the crowd is into a game. Let's hope that same enthusiasm carries over into Game 4 this afternoon and it troubles the Magic again. Jamario Moon was a key factor in Game 3. His athleticism could not be matched as he was all over the court picking up rebounds and making guys adjust shots. The whole key for the Raptors was making sure they used their advantage in athleticism over the Magic, as the PGs were torching the Magic on a regular basis with TJ shooting first and Jose being the court general. It was the classic one-two punch from the position that we haven't seen in a while. If the Raptors are able to mix in a bit more Bosh in this game, it should be another victory for them. Jameer Nelson had some problems with back spasms after the game, which I think may have been from him having to look over his shoulder every other play, thus creating tension between the neck and back. 85% having to turn his head around so often, 15% shame. "Oh, woes me, my back hurts so much I have collapsed in the hallway! Security, shut down the hallway! I'm in danger! Oh wait, Game 4 is Saturday? Oh, I'm okay, I'm ready to play…but if I suck on Saturday, just remember that my back hurts okay?" Jameer, I thought you were saying how you are as good as Jose and TJ? Ask TJ about pain or danger with the back. Sissy of the Week (SOW)? JAMEER NELSON. Anyway, enjoy the game. Sat, 26 Apr 2008 10:47:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/259495 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/259495 Well, it wasn't rocket science. The key for the Raptors in Game 3 was to come out and compete right from the opening tip. They couldn't afford to come out flat and while they did seem a little slow at the start, they turned on the jets and never looked back. The Raptors were able to use their speed to create open looks, which allowed them to go away from Bosh a bit more. Bosh didn't even get going until there were a few minutes left in the half. When you drop 61 in the first half and haven't had Bosh as part of that output, you're doing something right. I wonder what all the people who were bashing TJ will be saying tomorrow. Lucky night? It was all because of Calderon? There's always an excuse for people not to give TJ credit, but let's let the light shine on him tonight. He dropped 21 points, had 5 rebounds and 3 assists, but what I liked the most on his night is that he went 6-6 from the line. Six points with the clock stopped and forcing Jameer Nelson to put himself into foul trouble with a lot of time left on the clock. We've said it a few times here, but Orlando cannot match Toronto's speed. If Ford is able to realize that his dribble penetration can be lethal in this series, the Raptors will still be able to pull this off. The key is for him not to force shots after he has penetrated and is approaching the key. I would still like to see him get more assists, but when you have the other stats to support your night, at least you can show that you are hustling. When you are able to put 11 points on the board in a span of just over 3 minutes, you're on. Calderon was well…Calderon. Another highly efficient night for Jose, finding his teammates and getting them the ball quickly so there was a lot of time left for them to check some different options. I'm not completely sure if I'm a fan of him taking 8 3-point shots over the game, but I can live with that if he is distributing the ball and creating openings. 13 assists in 24 minutes is an impressive stat, but I would still like to see him attack the basket a bit more, especially against Orlando. Everybody knows how the Raptors don't rebound, but tonight they actually brought a little toughness to their game. Jamario Moon provided the rebounding the Raptors have been looking, the key is to just keep him under control, but still attacking the rim. You have to give it up for the fans down at the ACC. That game was loud. The fans were into it…somebody should go and steal Manu's trophy, because the Raps' fans are the 6-man of the year. That kind of thing can really help motivate a team and the Toronto fans were amazing. Let's hope that Saturday sees the Raptor fans even louder than they were tonight Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:27:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/257156 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/257156 All things considered, the Raptors really haven't played that bad basketball over their first two playoff games this year. They have had two absolutely terrible quarters, which happen to be the first quarters of both games, but outside of those first two quarters, they have outscored the Magic 162-140. Until Hedo hit his miracle shot to put the Magic up in Game 2, he hadn't done anything in the second half and the Raptors had done a pretty good job controlling the Magic offense. They had a horrible last play and some defensive lapses were clearly evident, but I don't think the situation is as bad as everybody seems to think it is. If the Raptors are able to win on home court and even it up, I think they'll take the series. I know, I'm the only person saying that and I know that the numbers are heavily against them, but when it comes to the playoffs, momentum has everything to do with everything. If you start getting your opponent to question themselves, you're already halfway there. While the Raptors didn't win Game 2, if they had, you would probably hear people talking about the great job the Raptors did in splitting away from home. So 2 points one way or the other defines how well or how poorly a team played? Let's keep it in perspective. Let's not kid ourselves though, the Raptors have some serious work to do in order to come out strong in the first quarter. Right now, nothing is working for them in the first quarter. They can't stop anybody, they can't get anything started, they're a mess. Sam has said that he is going to shake up the lineup, which will most likely mean that Jose will start, Rasho will sit and Kapono will be in. They really do need to get a better first 8 minutes from the PG position, as TJ has not been attacking the way he usually does, which is strange. If anything, you would expect TJ to be trying to do too much. Instead, we are watching TJ pull up for jumpers. Speaking of pulling up for jumpers, Kapono will most likely be in, because when a guy has so much confidence in his shot that he will put on the breaks and spot up for a jumper on a 3 on 1, you have to find a way to get him as many minutes as possible. They key for Bargnani will be to stay active. Too many times on offense and defence, we see Bargs standing around. He has to learn to bring the game to himself, to try to work the flow of the game into his part of the court. At this point in the series, I think it would be a good idea to go with TJ and Jose on the court at the same time for extended periods of time. We have seen that when the Raptors are attacking, the Magic cannot handle their speed. It's not even close. We saw Hedo and Nelson get into foul trouble because they had magnetic feet and I don't think it would be that hard to get them into that situation again. Jameer Nelson also thinks he is the cow's teat right now, which has led to him trying to hot dog, which has then led to him turning the ball over. Belief in yourself is a dangerous thing. A little too much placed in the wrong spot and all of a sudden, you can go from the hero to the goat in (say it with me) a millisecond. Jameer Nelson just can't handle speed. He thinks he can, but he can't. If the Raptors go small with Jose and TJ on the floor at the same time, the Magic could be exposed. This might mean that AP would see a little less time on the floor, but you can't have a guy who is supposed to be taking shots out there not taking shots. That's just wasting your space on the floor. Either shoot it or sit. AP's defensive game is decent, but it's not good enough that he is going to win playing time on it. I also think it would be a good idea to get Jamario some more PT, but only if he is going to attack the rim. He can fly with the best of them, but his problem all season has been getting him to realize that he is not a SG. I would love to see him challenge D12, just go up and try to dunk on him. If it doesn't work, hey, you're a rookie who tried, but if it works, you'll get the Starks over Jordan treatment…and then maybe Leo and Chuck will start talking about how much they love your body…er…awkward. Anyway, I don't think the situation is as dire as everyone seems to have made it out to be (I mean, really, trade Bosh talk? Come on.). True, the Magic won more games on the road than at home this season, but that was the regular season. Totally different situation. For example, the Raptors typically serve themselves up to their opponent in the 3rd quarter…but in the playoffs, they have been doing it in the first. See? Totall different. Enjoy the game! Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:19:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/256281 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/256281 The way the Raptors came out to start their first playoff game of 2008, you would almost think they were playing a preseason game. This looked like an All-Star game (minus the All-Stars) with no defense being played and nobody wanting to lay a hand on anybody. Sam Mitchell acted like he was in an All-Star game, just standing and looking on, randomly subbing guys in and out and tinkering with the lineup for no apparent reason. Too bad the Raptors weren't able to put any sort of All-Star performance together. So let's start with the tinkering of the lineup. There was a lot of talk about the international on international matchup of Bargs on Hedo, but really, sometimes you just have to manufacture a story when the boss is looking for ink. The real story would be why in the first game of the playoffs, a coach would start a player who has been incosistent at best throughout the season, has had many defensive miscues over that same season and has never really been known for his defensive ability. One has to wonder why you start a guy who has struggled in his sophomore season when you know he will be facing one of the most improved if not THE most improved player in the league. This isn't to say that Andrea was the reason the Raptors lost, because he wasn't. Sure, Hedo had far too many untouched lanes to the basket, taking Andrea off the dribble, but he also made some nice fadeaways too. Overall, Hedo didn't tear the Raptors apart and I have to give credit to Bargs that he was also one of the few people who was willing to actually slap Dwight Howard on his way up to the rim. The guy looked like he had just run a marathon, but switching between Hedo and D12 is no easy task for any player. So essentially, what was the point of starting Andrea? I'm not really sure. If you believe the post game interview of TJ Ford, the players didn't even know until game time that Andrea was starting, which seems somewhat strange. I guess some guys need to know in advance so they can get themselves prepared, while other guys might just get even more tense if they know they are going to start. Either way, it was strange. There was some suggestion that it was done in order to match up more on size, but we all know that while that looks good on paper, it doesn't always translate well onto the court. Mitchell said that he was looking to avoid post-ups by having Bosh and Andrea on the floor at the same time, but really, at any point this season, have we seen teams not be able to post up against the Raptors because they have had Bosh and Bargs on the floor? At any point, has "Bosh and Bargs" brought any fear into Raptor opponents? No. Also strange were some of the defensive strategies the Raptors employed this afternoon, if you can call them strategies at all. Why on Earth the Raptors were double-teaming Dwight Howard 16 feet from the basket is beyond me. You could be trying to capitalize on the fact that he is not comfortable being out there and will look to get rid of the ball as soon as he can, possibly creating a turnover, but I'm more of the thinking that I'm happy with him that far from the basket. Also, if I am going to double-team, I don't think I am going to use TJ Ford as my second man in there. True, TJ does have some quick hands and is pretty good at stripping the ball, but Howard is most likely going to keep that thing up high, which would just lead to a reach-in foul. Interesting how the Raptors were quick on getting two guys out on D12 when he was away from the basket, but when all of their shooters were setting up, there were no Raptors to be found, providing more open looks than a night at the Brass Rail. A while earlier, I was saying that the Raptors should watch what they wish for. They were celebrating when they got the news that they were going to be facing the Magic in the first round and now that has come around to slap them in the face. The Magic put a stamp on things, dropping 43 points in the first quarter, which is almost too big of a number to even believe. At some point, you have to start seeing that the other team is getting far too many good looks from the perimeter and you have to adjust. The post season is all about making quick adjustments and the Raptors and their coaching staff just weren't about it today. You have to give it up to Jason Kapono. Not too long ago, I criticized him for his lack of effort in creating open looks for himself. Tonight we saw Kapono working off screens, hustling into open spaces and generally finding spots on the floor where he was going to be able to use his patented quick release. He made it easier for himself to get minutes and kept the Raptors in the game, when they easily could have been light years out of it. You also have to appreciate how stead Rasho is. Can it mean anything that the two guys who had the most solid games are both guys who have some playoff victories under their belts, some championship success? Those guys looked like a couple of guys who had done this before. Can anybody explain to me why Bosh was on the bench for so long, especially when the Raptors had closed the gap to 5? There is always an interesting debate over whether to keep going with the squad on the floor that has closed the gap or insert the star player, but when you are the Raptors and you have seen on repeated occasions what happens to the team when the star is not in the lineup, you would think that you should get the star back on the floor before things fall apart. Well, you would think that, but Sam Mitchell wouldn't. When you have 8 minutes left in the game and you have managed to get the score down to 5 from being 24 at one point, you have to make a move to get your star back in the lineup and slow the game down so you can maximize what he has to offer. By the time Bosh was back in the game, it was much too late. That's a risk I'm willing to take. Put Bosh back in with 8 minutes to go and 2 fouls available. If he fouls out with a couple of minutes to go, you're probably going to be relying on your outside shooting anyway by that point. Just another strange decision by Sam. Well, let's not read too much into how game one turned out. Let's not start jumping ship like I have read a lot of guys here are doing. These series are long. There is more than enough time to get the ship back on course. Here's hoping the Raptors have figured something out before Tuesday rolls around. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:24:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/252016 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/252016 SI top 5 slary efficent teams and bottom 4 5 Most efficient franchises What is the price of winning? Try dividing each team's payroll by the number of wins. Many teams perform this exercise at the end of the regular season to see if they spent their money efficiently. With two weeks left in the season, I have forecast the final win total for each team based on its winning percentage as of Wednesday morning. This isn't a perfect formula -- it doesn't account for luxury-tax payments, for example -- but it gives a sense for the different strategies of each team and how those plans paid off this season. 5. Boston Celtics, $1.15 million per win. The Celtics took on a huge financial risk when they committed to paying Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen a combined $56 million this season. Their $74.5 million payroll hikes them over the luxury-tax threshold of $67.9 million, but the resulting increase in ticket sales and the extra home dates in the playoffs will more than compensate. As you'll see from other teams detailed in this week's Countdown, it's not enough to lay out big piles of cash -- the Celtics have also spent wisely. T-4. Orlando Magic, $1.14 million per win. Their six-year, $112 million gamble on Rashard Lewis (18.4 points, 5.4 rebounds) won't create pressure on their overall payroll until next season, when Dwight Howard's salary more than doubles to $13 million. For this season the Magic ($58.1 million payroll) are cashing in on the surprising improvement of Hedo Turkoglu (a relative bargain at $6.4 million) and the cost-effective play of point guard Jameer Nelson, though the perspective on him will change next year when his salary jumps to $7.6 million from its current $2 million. T-4. Detroit Pistons, $1.14 million per win. The Spurs of the East continue to benefit from financial discipline. The best players make the most money, there isn't a bad contract on the roster, and they remain under the luxury tax at $67.1 million. The Pistons are preparing for the future by developing an inexpensive, young bench led by Rodney Stuckey, Jason Maxiell, Arron Afflalo and Amir Johnson, who are making a total of $7.2 million this season. The next big decision won't come up until 2009, when Rasheed Wallace (currently getting $12.5 million) will be a free agent as a 34-year-old. 2. Utah Jazz, $1.12 million per win. Maybe Andrei Kirilenko is overpaid at $13.7 million, but he's also a full-court game-changer capable of making the big defensive plays in the postseason. Carlos Boozer ($11.6 million) and Mehmet Okur ($9 million) have turned out to be worthy of their salaries, and the Jazz ($60.7 million payroll) get important contributions from Matt Harpring ($6 million) and Kyle Korver ($4.6 million). Issues will arise by 2009 when Utah must contemplate new deals for Deron Williams, Ronnie Brewer and Paul Millsap, who are working on relatively cheap rookie contracts. 1. New Orleans Hornets, $1.11 million per win. Owner George Shinn has made big investments over the last two years and look how they've paid off: David West ($10.7 million) has turned into an All-Star while Peja Stojakovic ($11.7 million) has recovered from back surgery to join Tyson Chandler ($10.3 million) as key contributors to the Western Conference front-runners. The short-term beauty of the payroll is the $3.6 million rookie-contract salary of team leader and MVP candidate Chris Paul. His command of a maximum salary within two years may force the Hornets to unload one of their big contracts. But who knows the future for Paul or the Hornets themselves in New Orleans? Much can change in two years, but for the time being no team is realizing more production from its payroll ($63.1 million) than the Hornets. 4. Minnesota Timberwolves, $3.05 million per win. In their post-KG makeover, the Wolves ($64.1 million payroll) this season are accountable for $24 million in salaries to a half-dozen players who are no longer with the franchise (including Eddie Griffin, who died in August at age 25). Though Minnesota negotiated buyout reductions on some of those contracts, they are examples of a franchise that has wasted a lot of money over the years. They can, however, realize plenty of cap space in 2009 after the commitments to Antoine Walker ($9.1 million next season) and Greg Buckner ($4 million) expire along with the phantom contracts of Juwan Howard and Troy Hudson. One more year of reclamation before the new era can begin. 3. Seattle SuperSonics, $3.18 million per win. Disagree with their methods, but at least the Sonics have a plan. They have dealt away assets and taken on short-term salary while accruing a pair of No. 1 picks in each of the next three NBA drafts. The goal is to build a winning program from the ground up around Kevin Durant. Their $60.4 million payroll drops to $48.4 million next season (not including their upcoming rookie salaries) and in 2009 they could have space to sign a max free agent. At which time we'll learn if a star can be recruited to live and play in Oklahoma City. 2. New York Knicks, $4.33 million per win. The big surprise is that the Knicks are no longer the league's most profligate franchise. Their payroll is $10.1 million less than the league-leading $105.4 million of the Dallas Mavericks, and in 2009-10 the Knicks' commitments drop to a manageable $63 million as Stephon Marbury comes off the books. There is still plenty of waste in the redundant salaries paid to low-post scorers Eddy Curry ($8.9 million this season) and Zach Randolph ($13.3 million), along with Quentin Richardson ($8.1 million), Malik Rose ($7.1 million), Jared Jeffries ($5.6 million) and especially Jerome James ($5.8 million), who is in a useless category of his own. New team president Donnie Walsh doesn't need to get rid of all of them; if he can clear out some of the fat while rebuilding around a rookie like Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley, the Knicks can show quick improvement without having to start over from scratch. 1. Miami Heat, $5.39 million per win. The Heat are paying $75.5 million in payroll for this? Of course, things would look more promising if Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning were healthy in combination with Shawn Marion, who arrived in the midseason trade that dislodged Shaquille O'Neal's contract ($21 million annually through 2009-10). If you view their current disaster as a consequence of their all-out investment to win the 2006 championship, then this season is a small price to pay. The question is whether they can limit the damage to one year. Next season they'll owe more than $40 million alone to Wade, Marion and Mark Blount. They must turn their high draft pick into a star and bring Wade back to good health in order to show big improvement in 2008-09. Depending on how they deal with Marion's expiring $17.8 million salary next season (assuming he doesn't opt out this summer), they could have major cap space in 2009. But it's not like Pat Riley to wait so long. Expect an aggressive strategy ASAP. Check link for full article Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:06:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/229526 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/229526