Yesterday, Jason Richardson, one of the greatest dunkers I’ve ever seen, missed a wide-open, breakaway dunk with less than a minute to go in a game that the Suns would end up losing to the Spurs. Those two points would have tied the game. (video via Basketbawful)
Also, yesterday, I wrote some stuff about Tyler Hansbrough’s vertigo-like affliction, which has become “officially troubling” in my eyes and will likely shut him down for the rest of his wasted rookie season in the eyes of his coach.
Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm, NBA FanHouse and ProBasketballTalk stops by to talk about his time in Dallas for All-Star Weekend, debate the Jazz as contenders, break down the Mavs trade and answer the dreaded Ten Questions.
We ran long on this one so I didn’t bother with any major intro to explain the long lay-off since Episode 5. Apologies. Tech difficulties and other projects. But we’re back now and you can expect a new episode roughly once a week. Maybe I’ll even bang out a bunch over the next few weeks out of guilt. We’ll see how ambitious I get.
If the NBA wants to keep elevating the level of this contest, they need to bring in better — or at least more willing — talent. It’s not like your average sports fan knows who Shannon Brown or DeMar DeRozan is any more than The Air Up There or some obscure French dude with ridiculous springs. Nor do they care who the person dunking is if it isn’t someone who is already famous. Sure, the NBA wants to promote their young players and the occasional Nate Robinson will emerge to semi-stardom, but it’s not like even great performances from guys like Gerald Green turned them into anything more than footnotes on the All-Star Weekend Wikipedia page.
And one more teaser:
It took a while, but I have learned to accept that Zach Randolph has redeemed his career by becoming a high-caliber veteran who taught his teammates how to win rather than being just a career malcontent who brought sadness and orphan tears wherever he went. It’s weird. But I’m cool with it. What I was still not ready to see, however, was Z-Bo being the guy who would start playing defense in an All-Star Game and spur everyone else to start taking it seriously.
UPDATE: This “virtual high five” from Deron Williams made for a pretty sweet photo and completely makes up for his whole “I’m a PG who didn’t know time/score/situation” thing when he unnecessarily fouled Dwayne Wade, who went to the line for a pair of go-ahead free-throws with like 20 seconds left in what was previously a tie game.
I spent all my NBA writing time of late on two things for Hardwood Paroxysm, so despite my best efforts, there will be nothing new from me here today. But much of that stuff will interest all of yall just as much, so head over to take a gander.
In my opinion, the most interesting nugget was a note about KG’s decision to take back-to-back jumpers late in Boston’s loss to G-State last night, despite having two clear mismatches on the guys guarding him (Monta Ellis and Corey Maggette).
Here’s the full breakdown.
Lemon Face – KG Fading Away
After resting on the bench for quite some time, KG entered the game in the fourth quarter with about 6 minutes to go and his team down by 5. About three possessions later, he found himself with the ball being guarded by Monta Ellis. To be completely fair, he didn’t have a ton of time left on shotclock, but that does not forgive the terrible, awkward, off-balance fadeaway he opted to take over a 6?3? guy who weighs less than the sandwich Big Baby ate during half-time. Then, on the next trip down the floor, Garnett again found himself with the ball in the midrange and, again, had himself a nice mismatch, this time over Corey Maggette. What did KG do? He took and badly missed another off-balance fadeaway. Rajon Rondo was able to score the next 6 points for Boston and keep them within a few missed Ray Allen threes from coming back to steal the win on the road, but it’s inexcusable for the Big Ticket to ruin two key fourth quarter possessions — especially when Paul Pierce isn’t playing, Rondo is reluctantly not completely taking over and Ray Allen is shooting like Marquis Daniels. That’s just not a winning formula for the Celtics. In fact, I actually have the formula that proves it.
And, yes, the main reason I’m posting this is just so I can include the corresponding formula that explains why KG should not be doing this. It was devised by Rakim, who we know drops science like a scientist, so you know it’s good.
After dropping that Luc Longley shrimp-naming story in your laps this morning, I now feel somewhat vindicated … but guilt remains about the lack of activity on BTPH last week. I swear it wasn’t just lethargy though. Been busy other places.
Here’s the proof and, thus, some other stuff you can read.
The Pacers had two of the worst offensive performances that any team will have this season on Friday and Saturday evenings. Recount the horror against the Jazz on Friday and against the Clippers on Saturday.
My thoughts on the Sacramento Kings over at Cowbell Kingdom for Zach Harper and my more specific thoughts on Sacto’s future Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans. I really dig these Kings, mostly because of Tyreke and their other rookie Omri Casspi, who is the first NBA player from Isreal, a guy who I will be writing something more in depth about on here at BTPH rather soon and a guy who I categorized in that CK piece as “a Santa sack full of never-ending awesome.”
I guess that’s it, other than a bunch of other Pacers stuff you can’t possibly be interested in. Might be slow around here for a couple more days, but I will have something more on Casspi eventually and something on Donald Sterling, which is already long overdue.
It’s weird that I like Omri Casspi so much cause, normally, I hate Jews.
The NBA season is once again upon us and it has come to my attention that many of you don’t waste your summers following NBA trades and free agent movement. So after seeing guys like Shaq in Cleveland, Artest in LA, Ariza in Houston and Matrix in Dallas, many of you have emailed me saying “When that happen, bro?” And the Australians among yall are all “WTF, mate?”
Well, mates, a lot of players relocated this summer. There is some very basic science out there supporting that. Trust me, pal. It’s actually a fact — it’s not even science.
We’ll continue to bring you up to speed with the best hard-hitting, postcard analysis you’ve come to expect from BTPH throughout the week, but in the meantime, listen to the most recent episode of The 8th Seed podcast to acclimate yourself with the new NBA landscape.
In other “Shit Yeah, The NBA Has Returned” news, be sure to watch the season premiere of The Basketball Jones, check Zach Harper’s Bustin’ a Recap to learn about all the opening night action you may have missed, and, if you really have way to much time on your hands, read “Too Many Words About the NBA: Preview Edition,” a rambling, oft-humorous, fairly informative chat session between me and the other Hardwood Paroxymers (Matt, Rob, Corn, Zach, Kyle and Trey).
Moore has an Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade line in there that is amazing. First one to find it and then return here with the quote in the comments wins a pony.*
* (There will be no pony.)
The Jones is back. And Skeets is already getting posterized.
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