Tuesday 26 November 2013

Welp

- D Rose is done for the season.  Again.  This one hurts us all, we are deprived again of chaos of clutch.  Rose wasn't back to full stream after his left knee saga but there was hope he could return to form.  Now the right knee has collapsed.  Have to wonder if he'll ever return to being an elite NBA player.
- The Bulls should tank.  Trade Deng, amnesty or wait out the Boozer deal.  Their roster this year is not what it was last year so any sort of success is not in the tea leaves.  Unfortunately, they will never take this course of action, and pursue an elite draft pick.  The East is weak and Coach Thibs will get everything out of this undermanned team.  Good on them but might as well build for the future now.
- Who recovers NYK or NYN?  I still have no answer and am shocked no shots have been fired as of yet.
- The Eastern Conference now looks very pathetic with the Bulls injury.  Looks like Miami/Indy derby to the end.
- Rudy Gay and the Raps are in first place! Woot! Ugh yeah!  My gawsh the east is nasty.  Come on Masi blow er up.  Me wants Wiggins in TO.
- Golden State will survive without Iggy.  Barnes and Green are valuable pieces.  Remember not many though there was a need for him by the Bay to begin with.
- Gasol being out in Memphis is a huge loss.  A defensive anchor was the big fella.  Hopefully Ed Davis will get some more run and produce.  Like that cat.
- And the Lakers are at 500 with a Kobe comeback looming.  Is an overvalued #4 or #5 seed in their future?
- Like a faucet Wiggins turns it on and off.

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Impressed

- Love what is going on in Portland.  Quality b-ball in the Northwest just feels right.  Lillard is an assassin.  Aldridge continues to be an underrated star.  Batum and Mathews are quality glue guys.  Williams and the absurdly trade riddled Robinson seem to have found roles.  Is Lopez enough?  A play for Asik would really solidify them as a 6 to 8 seed in the West.
- The Wizards looked impressive last night in taking down the T-Wolves.  Beal can stroke.  Will this turn the corner for the Zards?  They seem to be a shooter away.
- Detroit is a team that could have it all.  The Bigs are Big.  Wow! Not sure they will ever figure it out from a basketball IQ standpoint.  Josh Smith seems to jack up jumpers simply because he plays the 3 when the other bigs are on the floor with him.
- The Hawks are a surprise.  Milsap and Korver!  Hopefully they don't blow it up too soon in a misguided attempt to rebuild.  Sure they are a middle of the pack team at best but this team is not your 2010 Hawks with selfish chuckers.
- Cleveland is a mess.  Panic trade for Mr. Gay.
- Will the Nets turn it around?  It is an age laden question my friend.
- The Raptors as per the usual have become infuriating to watch.  Gay(the eye surgery helped, right?) and Demar have become notorious clangers.  As a result the development of Valaciunas and Ross has gone nowhere.  Ugh. Come on new GM do something!!!!  The ball is frozen in time with them offensively. Lowry is not a leader.  They have to package Gay and Lowry for something but  doubt any team is that stupid to take on those two.  I don't mind Demar and wonder if Rudy is rubbing off on him or if having another chucker on the floor with him only highlights his weaknesses.
- Kobe!
- Clips need a big man. Crawford should be the bait.  Jamal is redundant on this roster.  Cant understand why Jason Collins isn't on this roster.  Odom will probably be signed but he won't be enough.
- Asik is being paid millions of dollars to ball and has been a bitch since Howard arrived.  We get it buddy, Ok!  Seems like Mchale was forced to start McWhinerson those first ten games.
-All three NCAAB freshmen  were outstanding last week in Chicago.  Randle comparisons to Z-Bo while charming are not a ringing endorsement are they?  Wiggins, last night, lacks the motor and any defense.  Is the guy just trying to avoid getting hurt this year.  Parker hands down seems to be the star of the bunch.  Dynamic and multi-talented.  Smart at OK St might be the biggest star of all.
- Kansas has the makings of a number one team.  The defense is lacking at this point  but they are very deep. Embid is a rare Hibbertesque talent.

Monday 11 November 2013

Two Weeks In

- Is Lebron fallible? Think he might miss some time in the coming months.  The Heat will underwhelm until the new year and then turn it on.
- The Pacers look great but the title is won in November. Save some energy boys.
- Kryie Irving is overrated.  Watched his hero ball routine last week versus Minnesota, was not impressed.  He is an immense talent.
- Anthony Bennet looks like a bust. Poor Canada.
- Anthony Davis on the other hand has been a beast.
- Phoenix will get surprising production from Bledsoe and the good Morris twin but the record is all smoe and mirrors.
- The Knicks are sinking fast without Chandler.  It will get messy real soon.  Do love the Bargnani love/hate motif so far in NYC.
- D Rose.  We are still waiting.
- Philly is fun.  Surprised that MCW is this good, think we all forgot about the Syracuse factor in his tutelage and his size  Evan Turner is finally playing like a player worthy of lottery world.
- Love Minny. Martin can stroke and Brewer is a leaker to the point he seems like a cherry picker.
- Doc Rivers is in for a frustrating year defensively with the Clips.
- Pleased that the two stars is Houston are being exposed.  Harden for his D and Dwight for his charity stripe mental mishaps.
- Can't wait for the panic coaching moves or trades to start?  Cleveland, Knicks, Nets, Wiz,!
- Boston/Phoenix/Philly have thus far ruined the Riggin for Wiggins theme to the year.  Heady starts so far for this trio.
-Think Randle and Parker will surpass Wiggins.  I know it has only been one game and the athleticism/talent with Wiggins is obvious.  However, I question the motor on this kid.  He had his hands on his back slouching after every play it seemed.  I began to wonder if there was a back issue with him.  After scrutinizing his back for a while I realized it probably had to be a body language or fitness thing.  He seemed to take plays off especially on defense.  Hustle and tenacity might cause him to slide in the draft rankings below his more polished counterparts.
- Stoked for Tues Night: Duke (Parker) v Kansas (Wiggins)  and the annual Triple AAA Kentucky Wildcats and Randle face off versus Michigan State.
- Kyrie V. D Rose Tonight

Overdue Hoop Time: West

Feel a bit like a cheater in doing this, since the season is already two weeks old, but here is my Western Conference preview.  With the exception of the hot start by the Suns the West is falling into line as was expected.

1. OKC: Westbrook shocked the world by coming back early.  The same suspects are back.  Admittedly I am growing tired of this roster.  I love KD and want to see him carry them with some whirl ball on the side from Westbrook.  The rest of the roster is blah.  Steven Adams is an energy piece who should compliment the aging Nick Collison.
2.  San Antonio: Every year we sleep on the bland Spurs.  And they prove us all wrong.  Health will be the issue in the Alamo.  Haven't seen the big leap from Leonard as of yet.
3. Golden State: Curry's ankle really scares me but I give the Warriors a slight edge over the Clips.  The roster is deep.  Iguduoala and Bogut fill defensive rolls which are a big help to this offensively helter sklelter roster.
4. Clippers: The new pieces, Dudley and Reddick, look great on the offensive end as compliments to Paul and the bigs.  However, defense is still an issue with this team.  Jordan cannot be trusted.  Will Griffin take the next step and become a game changer?  This team slides.
5. Memphis:  They will find their way eventually and end the year as an overlooked team.  Starting Prince is a huge problem.
6. Houston:  This "good on paper team" reminds me of last years Lakers. Ha Dwight!  Love the pieces but defense has and probably will be atrocious.  Thinking Dwight never had what it took and certainly won't find it.
7. Wolves: Love and Rubio are back and it is beautiful to watch.  Martin gives them a proven scoring alternative.  Brewer adds some lanky defense to the mix.  Buy low and sell high on this unit, I fear as history has proven, that injuries will play a role in Minny.
8. Portland:  Back in the playoffs led by a forgotten by location star (Aldridge) and a rising star (Lillard).  The complimentary pieces around the stars, Mathews and Batum), are phenomenal.  The bench now has some punch.  Hopefully, Robin Lopez can continue to add some toughness inside.

In the mix:
9. New Orleans: Anthony Davis has been spectacular and is a star.  Still not sure how all the sticky fingers( Evans, Holiday, Gordon) fit.  They will be in the race.
10. Lakers:  Treading water at this point.  Kobe\s return is the ultimate wild card.  If they can play .500 ball until he returns and he comes back ass himself, stranger things have happened.
11. Dallas:  Monta has been behaved with the ball thus far!  What?  This team could go on a Dirk/Monta fueled run and sneak into the playoffs.