http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/4762 Recent articles about Rasheed Wallace en-us The NBA playoffs have been as advertised and I'm here to say; it certainly doesn't get much better than this. With the Celtics shaking impending doom and the quietest dynasty still alive (the San Antonio Spurs for you non-round ball fans) the NBA playoffs are about to explode Sat, 17 May 2008 10:48:13 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268068 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268068 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 16:09:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266561 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266561 If this has offended any of the Magic fans that DO have class, I apologize in advance. If you see these guys walking around, tell them they're making all of you look bad. Mon, 12 May 2008 12:32:14 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266072 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266072 This article from hoopsworld.com takes a look at how the NBA has been impacted by UNC. It talks about Jordan, Worthy, Sheed, Jamison, Felton ..... the past, present & future greats out of Carolina. Worth a read, even if you are a Duke fan. Fri, 09 May 2008 13:02:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265237 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265237 Chauncey Billups fell akwardly in the 1st Quarter of game 3 vs. the Magic, as he was driving towards the basket. He laid on the floor for about 10 seconds and limped of the court into the Locker Room. Reports say that he has a strained hamstring. His return is questionable for now, but hopefully he returns. Photo: Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S.Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) Wed, 07 May 2008 19:53:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264532 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264532 The Detroit Pistoons have defeated the Orlando Magic on Monday. Maybe they can make a sweep if they win the next 2 games on the road in Orlando. Tue, 06 May 2008 12:06:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263938 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263938 Ahh, the playoffs are in the air and we already have postseason "controversy" running amok. Tue, 06 May 2008 08:26:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263848 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263848 Celtics, Kobe, Lebron, Jazz, Spurs, CP3, Magic, or the dominat Pistons. Mon, 05 May 2008 22:39:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263782 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263782 With the Atlanta/Boston series finally over, FIO staff writer Jorge Menocal previews the Conference SemiFinals for this season's NBA Playoffs. Find out the keys to success for each team, as well as some predictions about which squads will come out on top. Mon, 05 May 2008 20:35:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263751 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263751 If you managed to find Game 1 of the Pistons-Magic series (and seriously, can anyone explain why the NBA lets Round 2 begin before Round 1 is finished?), you saw all of the things the Piston do that the Raptors don't and why the Magic were exposed in Game 1 for what they really are, pretenders. Now, it is far too easy to talk about the many ways in which the Pistons are better than the Raptors, it's not even fair to have that conversation on the whole. What is fair to look at is the attitude that was brought to Game 1 by the Pistons. To quote Rasheed Wallace (and really, is there a better guy to quote?), "You can't rattle us," Wallace said. "We ain't no punks." Wallace stepped in right off the start and made it clear how this series is going to be played. The Raptors can talk all they want about statement games and making statements, but when it comes right down to it, they don't have anybody who can step up and make a statement like that…well, at least nobody who anybody is going to believe. When Rasheed tells you that they "ain't no punks", you had better believe him. But as we saw many times with the Raptors this season, saying things and then going out and doing them are completely different matters. The Pistons beat down on the Magic and did not let Howard rule the interior like he did against the Raptors. They didn't buy into any of that "Superman" bull, they pushed Howard around, shoved him away from the basket, even had the guy's hand taped up by the end of the game. You could see the demoralized look on Howard's face, realizing that this wasn't going to be like playing the Raptors. To take a quote from the NBA's new darling, "I don't think I even looked up at the scoreboard for a while…[i]t's disappointing." Now does that sound like "Superman?" Does that sound like a guy who thinks that he is going to dominate the paint? No. Howard was not able to deal with the fact that the Pistons have some big boys who like to bang and aren't afraid of a little contact. Wallace, McDyess, Maxiell, Ratliff…those guys all don't mind getting rough if they have to. Now THAT'S the Legion of Doom. As Rip Hamilton said, "You can't rough up the game with us…[t]hey tried. We like it. We enjoy it. That's the way we want to play." If you want to make another comparison between the Raptors and the Pistons, take a look at what happened when Hedo went end to end for an uncontested dunk. How many times did we see that against the Raptors? Hedo looked like Clyde Drexler against the Raptors, taking the ball and gliding down the lane untouched, dropping 2 and then heading back for an easy time on defence. Let me tell you how many times that happened against the Pistons yesterday. Once. You know why? Because after it happened the first time, Flip Saunders called a timeout and read the team the riot act. I mean, the dude was livid. Flip understands that while the Most Improved Player of the Year is a good talent, there is no excuse for him going end to end for an easy dunk against you. That isn't even his game. When this happened against the Raptors, Sam Mitchell sat back and let it continue, allowing his players to try to find their own solution, which was not forthcoming. Let's just continue the comparison. The Magic only shot 18.8% from 3-point range yesterday, as the Pistons were up in their faces all night. There weren't many open looks, with the Pistons daring them to try to take them off the bounce. Just as you would think, the Magic couldn't put the ball on the ground and weren't able to create any offensive output. 73 points in the playoffs isn't going to cut it against anybody. Anyway, just a few thoughts I had when watching parts of this game. There are miles between the Pistons and Raptors, but the Raps would be wise to take a page or two out of their book. Sun, 04 May 2008 11:51:21 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263307 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263307 4- ARBITRATION - Few teams are so favored by the arbitration and while in the same time with both claim to arbitration. It is those things that only the name can do for you. Rasheed Wallace can say good night to the officer and he will be expelled, after all he already has a bad reputation. But Duncan can do his "Nothing Face" and complain for all the fouls marked on him for the whole time and nothing happens. Someone already saw Duncan having a technical foul? When he took and was expelled, it turned Global Issue and the responsible officer was suspended. Ok, ok, I know that the old man who took off Duncan from the game was too old and probably was using drugs, but if he had took off Rasheed in the same circumstances, nobody would have even noticed! They would say "Oh, Rasheed must be done by merit." PS.: I'm not american, so please if this text has some horrible mistakes, please notice me. :D Sat, 03 May 2008 15:13:28 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263135 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263135 I posted earlier that it was do or die for the Sixers tonight, and they got killed. The Pistons won Game Six tonight in dominating fashion, 100-77, and ended the Sixers' season. Detroit wins the series 4-2, and the Sixers now go into the off-season looking for more parts to help them build for a championship down the road. The Pistons commanded the game from the outset, building an 18 point lead after the first quarter and they simply coasted from there. They made nearly everything they shot on the night, finishing with a 67% shooting percentage, and forced the Sixers into taking bad shots themselves. Philly finished the night shooting an abysmal 33% and looked completely lost as to how to do anything against the Pistons offensively or defensively. This was an awful way for an otherwise impressive Sixers season to end. Click the link for much more on the final game of the Sixer season. Thu, 01 May 2008 21:56:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262506 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262506 The Sixers season could come to an end tonight. With the team down 3-2 to the Detroit Pistons and Game 6 coming tonight in Philadelphia, the Sixers will need to play their best game of the season if they want to stave off elimination. They have surprised even the biggest Sixer fan out there with how they have forced the Pistons to play at their highest level to get past them, but if the last two games have been any indication, the Sixers might simply not be able to keep up with the Pistons when they are at their best. Since halftime of Game 5, when the Sixers held a 10 point lead, the Pistons seem to have risen their game to another level that the Sixers have had no answer for. The Pistons have made fewer turnovers which hasn't allowed the Sixers to get out and run. Detroit's defense has also locked things down even when the Sixers got out in transition. They have also exposed the fact that the Sixers are simply one scorer short of being a contending team. Andre Iguodala can't do everything himself, no matter how hard he tries and how many bad shots he forces up. Even if their season ends tonight, the Sixers should still look at this season as a success. They fought hard to get into the playoffs and their young guys have gotten a taste of playoff basketball against an elite opponent. Now it will be up to Ed Stefanski to make the big move he has promised us since he unloaded Kyle Korver. It will be up to him to fill in the missing pieces that will make this a complete team. It will also be up to Stefanski to try to convince Andre Miller to stick around for a while. But, we can look to the offseason later. Let's enjoy tonight's game in Philly because it might be the last time we get to watch this exciting, young Sixers team in a while. Thu, 01 May 2008 13:54:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262314 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262314 When it comes down to the best center in the NBA, there's no question that Dwight Howard is #1, with Yao Ming finishing second. Howard's averaging a 22 PPG and 18.2 RPG and 3.8 BPG in the playoffs, numbers that haven't been seen since Wilt Chamberlain. The other 4 positions will be posted over the week. Player (Current Team/Former Team) PPG, RPG, APG, SPG, BPG * = Best in Category (R) = Rookie Blocks 1.5+ Shown Blocks and Steals Shown if both are 1+ 1. Dwight Howard (ORL) 20.7, 14.2*, 1.3, 2.2 BPG 59.9% FG 2. Yao Ming (HOU) 22*, 10.8, 2.3, 2 BPG 3. Pau Gasol (LAL/MEM) 18.9, 8.4, 3.2, 1, 1.5, 58.9% FG (LAL) 4. Al Jefferson (MIN) 21, 11.1, 1.4, 1.5 BPG 5. Chris Kaman (LAC) 15.7, 12.7, 1.9, 2.8 BPG 6. Marcus Camby (DEN) 9.1, 13.1, 3.3, 1.1 , 3.6* 7. Andrew Bogut (MIL) 14.3, 9.8, 2.6, 1.7 BPG 8. Andrew Bynum 13.1, 10.2, 1.7, 2.1 BPG, 63.6% FG (35 games) 9. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (CLE) 14.1, 9.3, 1.4, 1.6 BPG 10. Tyson Chandler (NOH) 11.8, 11.7, 0.2 11. Samuel Dalembert (PHI) 10.5, 10.4, 0.5, 2.3 BPG 12. Brad Miller (SAC) 13.4, 9.5, 3.7*, 1, 1 13. Shaquille O'Neal (PHX/MIA) 13.6, 9.1, 1.7, 59.3% FG (Season) 14. Andris Biedrins (GSW) 10.5, 9.8, 1 15. (R) Al Horford (ATL) 10.2, 9.6, 1.5 16. Rasheed Wallace (DET) 12.7, 6.6, 1.8, 1.2, 1.7 17. Mehmet Okur (UTA) 14.5, 7.7, 2 18. Brendan Haywood (WAS) 10.6, 7.2, 0.9, 1.7 BPG 19. Troy Murphy (IND) 12.2, 7.2, 2.2 20. Kendrick Perkins (BOS) 7, 6.1, 1.1, 1.5 BPG, 61.6% FG* (Season) 21. Eddy Curry (NYK) 13.7, 4.2, 0.5 22. Josh Boone (NJN) 8.2, 7.3, 0.8 23. Andrea Bargnani (TOR) 10.2, 3.7, 1.1 24. Nazr Mohammed (CHA/DET) 7.6, 6, 0.9, 61.7% FG (CHA) 25. Darko Milicic (MEM) 7.2, 6.1, 0.8, 1.6 BPG 26. Erick Dampier (DAL) 6.1, 7.5, 0.9, 1.5 BPG 27. Joel Przybilla (POR) 4.8, 8.4, 0.4 28. (R) Joakim Noah (CHI) 6.1, 5.6, 1.1 29. Fabricio Oberto (SAS) 4.6, 5.2, 1.2, 60.8% FG 30. Mark Blount (MIA/MIN) 8.4, 3.8, 0.6 31. Johan Petro (SEA) 6, 5.1, 0.4 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:41:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/261765 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/261765 The Sixers may look back to Game Four and ask what could have been. The Sixers held a 10 point halftime lead over the Pistons only to watch Detroit come back and dominate them in the second half to pull out the win. Game Five was more of the same as the Pistons controlled the play, winning 98-81, and showed why they are the championship contender and the Sixers are merely first round fodder. The series returns to Philadelphia on Thursday. The Sixers probably blew their best chance to win this series when they faded at the end of Game Four, but they are by no means done. The Pistons have them up against the ropes, but Detroit is not the kind of team who will go in for the kill. They have a tendency to lose focus and let a team hang around, so the Sixers are not finished yet. The Sixers have to find a way to steal Game Six and force the series back to Detroit for a Game Seven where anything can happen. They just have to hope that Rasheed Wallace and the rest of the group get distracted looking past the Sixers and at their second round opponent, the Orlando Magic, who finished off the Toronto Raptors last night. Click the link for more on the game! Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:15:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/261442 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/261442