SB Nation - Tim Thomas

Loss to Spurs Disappointing; Gameday Preview Charlotte Bobcats at Dallas Mavericks

David Arnott — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:54:52 -0000

More photos » by Darren Abate - AP

Disappointing seems like such a... well... disappointing and inadequate word to describe losing to the Spurs last night. On the one hand, this is the Spurs we're talking about, the dominant dynasty of the past decade. But on the other hand, Spurs version 2009 is very different from Spurs version 2005. They're still figuring things out, and this was an opportunity to steal a road win from a team that suddenly looks more vulnerable than they have in years, like last year's Pistons.

Instead, we settle for the pleasure in seeing the Cats make the game competitive with a great third quarter, even though they ultimately lost 104-85. I caution against the notion of microcosm, but if this game wasn't a microcosm (it wasn't), it was a part of the larger developing pattern.

Highlights, lowlights, and a preview of tonight's Dallas Mavericks game after the jump.

(A couple of these were contributed in last night's thread. Username of the contributor is in bold. Thanks, guys!)

BAD

-- Tyson Chandler had 8 turnovers in 21:31. That looks like a typo, and I really hope it is. That's the kind of insanely horrible line that will make a fickle guy like Larry Brown yank him from the starting lineup.

-- What do we have to do to improve the free throw shooting? The Cats only shot 18-29 from the line (62%). I shoot about 70% from the line (granted, not in in-game situations, but whenever I practice shooting free throws, I do it in between running lines). I'll show the team how to shoot Rick Barry style. When I shoot normally, I'm about 30%, but the underhand shot has been a godsend for my free throw performance. My email is in the sidebar, guys. I'm available.

-- Gerald Henderson was again marginalized, again forced to watch Stephen Graham stink for more than 10 minutes while he only got 2 minutes. I'm past the point of being angry with LB about this. Even when he finally does give Henderson real minutes on a consistent basis, I'll probably continue to harbor a grudge for this totally unreasonable and illogical railroading.

GOOD

-- Derrick Brown consistently makes good use of his minutes. In 22 minutes tonight his line was 7 pts on 3-7 shooting, 2 rebounds, 1 steal. What those numbers don’t show is that he was a pivotal player in the 3rd quarter Bobcats run that shaved the once 20+ pt deficit disappear. The numbers also don't tell you about the nasty fast break throw down dunk Brown had during that run. --dudemanhey

(DA: I've shared my soft spot for super-athletic combo forwards before. This is more of the same from Brown, who, thanks to a dearth of power forward options, has shown he's capable of being a rotation player in this league.

-- Gerald Wallace shot 6-9 from the field and 6-10 from the line, for 18 points. That's an uptick from his scoring average, but still very efficient. He only got 6 boards, but that still led the team and was more than 1/5 of the 25 the Cats grabbed.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

-- We’re always quick to revel in the numbers when one of our own contains a supposedly better player. Well, Felton and Wallace got contained tonight and what it meant was that Wallace’s numbers were merely damned good instead of incredible and Felton’s stats were reduced to mediocre instead of the numbers of an emerging star. Considering that it happened on the road against a team many think will be duking it out (or am I supposed to call it Chapel Hilling it out?) with the Lakers for the Western Conference crown, I’m not going to cry over it. --Ourdaywillcome

(DA: As contentious as we can sometimes be about evaluating Raymond Felton and defining his place in the NBA sphere, I think there's one uncontroversial thing we can all agree upon: When Felton shoots less, he tends to do more for this team. It's not a direct relationship, seeing as someone like Luke Walton can do very little negative on either end of the court and still not add much, but I do think it's indicative that he's doing other things to help the team. Combine that with a downturn in turnovers and an undeniable commitment to defense, and suddenly his outlook is rosy. Last night was a mixed bag, but was still an improvement upon his past games that inhabit my nightmares. He took only 7 shots. Four other players took as many or more field goal attempts. That's a good thing for a point guard who's never been a good scorer himself.)

===

Hey! It's a Texas back to back and the Cats will face the Mavericks tonight!

Pump Up Music: Lucky Boy Confusion -- "Hey Driver"

The Big Picture: The Mavs are coming off a win at Miami last night in which Erick Dampier absolutely sonned Joel Anthony to the tune of 20 points and 17 rebounds, and both Jason Kidd and J.J. Barea had 10 assists. I'll go out on a limb and say that probably won't happen tonight.

A developing meme I've noticed this year is the notion that Dirk Nowitzki's millionth straight amazing season is cementing his spot as greatest European player in NBA history. Maybe so. Dude's still in his prime, and that this is under consideration adds another layer to the respect we should have for him. Enjoy watching.

Key to Victory: I really don't think the Cats will have to make many lineup adjustments to match up with the Mavs, even when they go crazy with their lineup permutations. Here's how I'd do it.

When Dallas goes Barea, Kidd, Marion, Dirk, Dampier, I'd put Felton on Barea, Gerald on Kidd, Diaw on Marion, Jackson on Dirk, and Tyson on Dampier. This is specifically because, historically, Dirk has had trouble with smaller, long, defenders. He's at his best when he can put the ball on the floor against slower big men, so I'd take my chances with him posting up Jackson and everyone else is outside, turning Kidd/Marion and others into spot up shooters, which I definitely want to happen. Same thing happens when Terry is on the floor in place of either Kidd or Barea. Put Gerald on him and see what happens. Alternatively, the Cats could follow Mike D'Antoni's lead and imitate what he did when he assigned Jared Jeffries to guard Rajon Rondo: Put Diaw on Kidd, sag off, and dare Kidd to be a jump shooter. That would put Gerald on Marion.

It's still not much of an issue when Dallas goes super small with their three-guard lineup, Barea, Kidd, Terry, Marion, Dirk. Maybe we go slightly smaller with Diaw at center. Or maybe we take special care to save Tyson so we can put him on Dirk in these situations. Basically, it all comes down to a willingness to put Diaw on Marion. Dude hasn't been able to shoot threes in two and a half years. Make him beat you that way.

Detail That Might Interest .08% of You: Recently, Tim Thomas was linked to a 3am fight at a Dallas-area Denny's.

Daily Links 12/10

FLCeltsFan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:09:35 -0000

Herald Rajon Rondo on point for his team
Marquis Daniels’ absence opens door
Allen Iverson’s no Answer for Sixers
Lakers silence all that Jazz to win 10th straight game
Scouting report: Celtics at Wizards
Globe Source: Daniels to miss roughly 8 weeks
Wizards thumbnails
Daniels undergoes surgery on wrist
Ray Allen through the years
Celtics’ Allen on verge of 20,000-point club

CelticsBlog     The Lobster Roll: Issue 3
Rubik's Cube
Remember This Finish Against the Wizards?
Loy's Place    A Few Random Thoughts on a Road Trip Day
Celtics Head Out on the Road Again - First Stop: Wizards
Hoopsworld    Celtics pay a visit to the Wizards
NBA PM: Wallace Cleaning The Glass
Sporting News   Tim Donaghy:
Let LeBron James Dance
Basketball-refs    Tim Donaghy Speaks
Agent Dagger    Teds Take: Wizards vs. the Boston Three Party
Seattle PI    Celtics pay a visit to Wizards
Yahoo    Allen hopes to keep lasting bond with Celtics
Wall's legend grows
Celtics 17   Eastern Conference Player of the Week Kevin Garnett Is Playing His Best Basketball Last Week
Red's Army   Tony Allen wasn't horrible... which is a good start
The Morning Dump... Where Perk likes to get as deep as possible
Fewer 3's mean an improved Sheed
Dwight Howard Spits on Balls
Live Blog Tonight at 8
Green Street   Celtics-Wizards Preview
Celtics Hub   Quote of the Day: Ray on 20,000
The Decline of the Corner Three
Ray Wants to Be a Celtic
NESN    Celtics Travel to Nation's Capital Seeking Ninth Straight Win
Live Blog: Celtics at Wizards
Technically, Rasheed Wallace Has a Lot More Work To Do
Loscy    10 Questions for Jon Duke from Celtics Stuff Live "
North Station Sports    Mark Cuban Is The Most Interesting Owner in Sports. Period.
Today’s Headlines – 12/10/2009
Celtics Town    Boston Celtics discuss Tim Donaghy's allegations
Tim Thomas spews anti-gay slurs, may or may not have hit woman with chair
Doc Rivers: Kendrick Perkins is Celtics' best defender
Throwing some dimes: What to do with 'Quisy's minutes?
The Morning Walkthrough: Ray Allen closing in on exclusive 20,000 point club
Rajon Rondo, mathematical genius?
Hardwood Houdini    Marquis Daniels out 6-8 After Surgery
Give or Take – Marquis Daniels and Glen Davis
Rajon Rondo Continues To Take It To Opponents
4 Sport Boston    4SB Podcast: The Boof is in the Booding
A Quarter Season Non-Crisis for the Boston Celtics
Lex Nihil Novi   Celtics Stumble Past Pacers 83-84
Run-and-Gun Nuggets Will Try to Play Some D 83-84
Volk Set to Replace Auerbach at Season's End 83-84
Celtics (16-6) Pound Nuggets 83-84
CelticsLife    NBA News: Tim Thomas has a T.A. Diner Incident
KG is Officially Back
Boston, We Have a Problem
Today's Video: '08/'09 Celtics Flashback
Gino's Jungle    Rankings and Reflections
Strut and Saunter: How Much Swagger Does Boston Need?
Welcome to the Jungle - Graham Brunell
ESPN   Daniels: I'll be back better than before
A new cast for Baby? Call security
Pierce, Rondo join Awards Watch
Hoop Data What’s Gone Wrong in Washington? Not What You’d Expect
Man in the Middle: A Look at Defending the Basket
D-League Digest    Rants from Grouchy Oscar: tired officiating complaints
Cleveland.com    Ejected and dejected: Cleveland Cavaliers lose their poise, then the game, 95-85, to Houston
South Coast Today    Celtics must make do without Daniels
Milford Daily News    Celtics notebook: C's thriving on the road
Josh Q Public   Rajon Rondo: Exclamation Point Guard
NBC Sports    Winderman: NBA’s season for hold ’em or fold ’em arrives
CT News   Rondo and Celtics: Assisted Living
State Press    Eddie brings the House down
Examiner   NBA receap Week 7: Rondo & Celtics winners of last 8, Bucks, Meeks in a jam
How to Watch Sports    Know Your Role: The NBA's Evolving 6th Man Position
Waiting for Next Year     Bring on Leon
Fan Huddle     Rebounding and bench woes continue to hound Celtics
Bleacher Report   Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic: Being Put to The Ultimate Test
SI.com   Kendrick Perkins is core of Celtics' defense, low-post scoring
SportsNet    Fast break: Dissecting Donaghy
LA Times Blogs   Celtics streaking, but Rondo still can't shoot straight
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Rasheed Wallace says 'the truth is coming out,' Marquis Daniels gone for 8 weeks
RealGM    NBA Power Rankings For Mid-December
Norwich Bulletin   NBA: With Daniels sidelined, the recently returned Allen could step in for Celtics
Washington Examiner   First shot at a Celtics preview
CSNNE    Daniels undergoes successful surgery
'Sheed's shot (finally) starting to fall
HoopsAddict     Catching Up With Dee Brown
YouTube    Maine Red Claws Home Opener 2009
Slam Online    Decade’s Best:General Manager
Green Street    Doc Rivers on D&C
A Stern Warning   NBA Awards, 20 Games In - with Daniel Eade

Fans Deserve To Know How The NBA Conducts Business\"
Let LeBron James Dance
Basketball-refs    Tim Donaghy Speaks
Agent Dagger    Teds Take: Wizards vs. the Boston Three Party
Seattle PI    Celtics pay a visit to Wizards
Yahoo    Allen hopes to keep lasting bond with Celtics
Wall's legend grows
Celtics 17   Eastern Conference Player of the Week Kevin Garnett Is Playing His Best Basketball Last Week
Red's Army   Tony Allen wasn't horrible... which is a good start
The Morning Dump... Where Perk likes to get as deep as possible
Fewer 3's mean an improved Sheed
Dwight Howard Spits on Balls
Live Blog Tonight at 8
Green Street   Celtics-Wizards Preview
Celtics Hub   Quote of the Day: Ray on 20,000
The Decline of the Corner Three
Ray Wants to Be a Celtic
NESN    Celtics Travel to Nation's Capital Seeking Ninth Straight Win
Live Blog: Celtics at Wizards
Technically, Rasheed Wallace Has a Lot More Work To Do
Loscy    10 Questions for Jon Duke from Celtics Stuff Live "
North Station Sports    Mark Cuban Is The Most Interesting Owner in Sports. Period.
Today’s Headlines – 12/10/2009
Celtics Town    Boston Celtics discuss Tim Donaghy's allegations
Tim Thomas spews anti-gay slurs, may or may not have hit woman with chair
Doc Rivers: Kendrick Perkins is Celtics' best defender
Throwing some dimes: What to do with 'Quisy's minutes?
The Morning Walkthrough: Ray Allen closing in on exclusive 20,000 point club
Rajon Rondo, mathematical genius?
Hardwood Houdini    Marquis Daniels out 6-8 After Surgery
Give or Take – Marquis Daniels and Glen Davis
Rajon Rondo Continues To Take It To Opponents
4 Sport Boston    4SB Podcast: The Boof is in the Booding
A Quarter Season Non-Crisis for the Boston Celtics
Lex Nihil Novi   Celtics Stumble Past Pacers 83-84
Run-and-Gun Nuggets Will Try to Play Some D 83-84
Volk Set to Replace Auerbach at Season's End 83-84
Celtics (16-6) Pound Nuggets 83-84
CelticsLife    NBA News: Tim Thomas has a T.A. Diner Incident
KG is Officially Back
Boston, We Have a Problem
Today's Video: '08/'09 Celtics Flashback
Gino's Jungle    Rankings and Reflections
Strut and Saunter: How Much Swagger Does Boston Need?
Welcome to the Jungle - Graham Brunell
ESPN   Daniels: I'll be back better than before
A new cast for Baby? Call security
Pierce, Rondo join Awards Watch
Hoop Data What’s Gone Wrong in Washington? Not What You’d Expect
Man in the Middle: A Look at Defending the Basket
D-League Digest    Rants from Grouchy Oscar: tired officiating complaints
Cleveland.com    Ejected and dejected: Cleveland Cavaliers lose their poise, then the game, 95-85, to Houston
South Coast Today    Celtics must make do without Daniels
Milford Daily News    Celtics notebook: C's thriving on the road
Josh Q Public   Rajon Rondo: Exclamation Point Guard
NBC Sports    Winderman: NBA’s season for hold ’em or fold ’em arrives
CT News   Rondo and Celtics: Assisted Living
State Press    Eddie brings the House down
Examiner   NBA receap Week 7: Rondo & Celtics winners of last 8, Bucks, Meeks in a jam
How to Watch Sports    Know Your Role: The NBA's Evolving 6th Man Position
Waiting for Next Year     Bring on Leon
Fan Huddle     Rebounding and bench woes continue to hound Celtics
Bleacher Report   Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic: Being Put to The Ultimate Test
SI.com   Kendrick Perkins is core of Celtics' defense, low-post scoring
SportsNet    Fast break: Dissecting Donaghy
LA Times Blogs   Celtics streaking, but Rondo still can't shoot straight
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Rasheed Wallace says 'the truth is coming out,' Marquis Daniels gone for 8 weeks
RealGM    NBA Power Rankings For Mid-December
Norwich Bulletin   NBA: With Daniels sidelined, the recently returned Allen could step in for Celtics
Washington Examiner   First shot at a Celtics preview
CSNNE    Daniels undergoes successful surgery
'Sheed's shot (finally) starting to fall
HoopsAddict     Catching Up With Dee Brown
YouTube    Maine Red Claws Home Opener 2009
Slam Online    Decade’s Best:General Manager
Green Street    Doc Rivers on D&C
A Stern Warning   NBA Awards, 20 Games In - with Daniel Eade

WWE RAW invades the AAC...

Brown@TheBigandTheBrown — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:34:11 -0000

More photos » by Garrett Ellwood - NBAE/Getty Images

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...and it was guest hosted by our very own Mark Cuban. Full disclosure, I've been a pro wrestling fan since I was a kid, and unlike most interests I had back then, this one hasn't waned. Needless to say, I was locked in to my television last night.

Cuban got to spend the evening doing what Cuban does best, and that was pander to a crowd and act the fool. He basically spent his evening getting crowd reaction by channeling his inner Chris Arnold. "Are there any Dallas Mavericks fans in the house tonight?"

He also spent his time interacting with wrestlers. Slapping hands, trading barbs and such. Strange...Mark Cuban doesn't seem the type who might interact with the stars of the show...right?

More after the jump...

Cuban made some groan inducing comments when he was going back and forth with another wrestler, Cody Rhodes, and said "we can settle this in June after the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA Finals." But his line of the night might have been when he said "it's no surprise that the WWE refs are just as bad as the NBA refs when it comes to missing things and being in the bag." ZING!

Shawn Marion and Tim Thomas were ringside with Cuban acting as his bodyguards. Seems like that'd be something that Damp could actually do well..

Oh...did I forget to mention that this happened?

Game Preview - Phoenix Suns vs. Dallas Mavericks

Mike Lisboa — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:07:04 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

"Trade me for a Shaqtus, will you?" Former Sun Shawn Marion plots his revenge. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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So, after a creampuff of a schedule so far in terms opposition, the Suns finally get a chance to prove they belong in the discussion of Western Conference powers. Those 2 losses to the Lakers? Totally expected. It's going to be the rare team that gives that Laker squad a run for their money. Anyone who expected the Suns to do more than compete for 2 or 3 quarters in either of those games was probably a little delusional.

But the Mavericks? They're the proverbial "someone our own size." In addition to hoping for similar seeding in the Western Conference play-off picture, the Mavericks have even had some of the same early season challenges/knocks the Suns have:

The Mavericks have played 12 of their first 21 games on the road. The Suns have played 14 of 21 away from Phoenix.
The Mavericks have had an even softer schedule than the Suns. Opponents winning percentage is .457 vs. .487 for Phoenix.
The Mavs have only played 7 times against teams with a record better than .500. The Sun have only played 7 times against teams with a record better than .500.
The Mavericks are 5-2 in those games. The Suns are 3-4 in those games.

And that's where these two teams diverge in terms of early season success. The Mavericks even notched an early win over the Lakers (a 94-80 thumping at Staples Center) who have proved... how shall we say this... challenging to the Suns.

Let's go to the match-ups and see how else these teams stack up.

Guards

At the point, Steve Nash squares off against one-time benchmate Jason Kidd. Both long in the tooth and wizards with the ball in their hands, Nash is a better scorer and Kidd is a better defender. And according to a panel of basketball expert types, Kidd holds a slight edge in "basketball IQ." This is basically a push and should be a fun match-up to watch as the two veterans try to out-wile each other. Off the bench, it's J.J. Barea vs. Goran Dragic. Barea's been logging heavier minutes than Dragic, but serves the same role: holder of serve while the starting maestro catches his breath between virtuoso performances. Hopefully, confident Dragic shows up and can use his size and speed to over-match the smaller Barea. Again, there's no discernable advantage for either team here.

At shooting guard, the Mavs roll out French rookie Rodrigue Beaubois against Jason Richardson. Beaubois is fast as all get out and can leap tall guards in a single bound. Look for the Mavs to get him going early with their now-trademark alley-oop play they run for the little guy. Whatever. The real story at the 2 for the Mavs is Jason Terry, who notoriously lights it up against the Suns. J-Rich will have his hands full preventing Terry from getting his and better remember to pack his offense if he hopes to out-gun Terry. The Suns may miss Leandro Barbosa's scoring punch here.

Forwards

Well, well, well... if it isn't our old friend Shawn Marion. I expect to see a motivated Matrix against Grant Hill tonight. Off the bench, Jared Dudley versus Quinton Ross is fairly even match-up of hustle guys who trade on their defense.

At power forward, we have both teams big guns, men who, when playing at the tops of their games are virtually unguardable. Dirk Nowitzki is a one man wrecking crew from all over the court and while Amare Stoudmire doesn't have Dirk's range or ability to create off the dribble, he's a handful from 20 feet inwards. Slight edge to the Mavericks here. Off the bench, the Mavericks have Kris Humphries and former Sun Tim Thomas. Is tonight the night we finally see Lou Amundson back in the line-up? The Suns could probably use some of his energy on the road after a tough loss to the Lakers.

Center

True story: when Erick Dampier and Steve Nash were free agents a few years back, I wanted the Suns to throw gobs of money at Dampier after his career year at Golden State and nearly tore my hair out when they offered Nash his massive contract. Let's just say that was not my best basketball moment. That said, despite his tendency to mail it in from time to time, Dampier can do his damage down low. If he gets physical, Channing Frye could be in for another long game. While more athletically gifted, Robin Lopez needs to stay in control of himself and not pick up cheap fouls against Dampier or veteran back-up Drew Gooden. This is an opportunity for him to show his stuff against some veteran competition and a very manageable match-up if he can keep his wits about him.

Predictions

On paper, this is a good quality match-up for both teams and an opportunity to shed early season "soft" labels. As usual, the teams square up well against one another on a position by position basis. For the Mavs defensively, I expect we'll see a lot of Dampier and Gooden staying home down low with Amare while Dirk floats to the perimeter against Channing Frye.

Also, I expect the Mavs will continue the trend of switching longer defenders out on to Nash to disrupt his passing game. Nash will have to figure out how to shake his former partner-in-oop Shawn Marion to keep the Suns offense from stagnating.

It's at this time where I have to point out the one big discrepancy between the two teams. While the Suns hold the offensive edge, scoring 112.1 points per 100 possessions (1st in the NBA) versus 106.2 for the Mavericks (12th), Dallas is a much, much better defensive team, allowing only 99.9 points per 100 (5th) versus a whopping 107.6 (24th) for the Suns.

While the Suns can win this game if they can return to the terrifyingly efficient offensive game that tormented opposing teams earlier in the year, I see them struggling against the Mavs relatively strong defense and slow pace. The Suns haven't been able to push the tempo against quality opposition (Celtics game notwithstanding) and Steve Nash has yet to adjust his game to overcome bigger opposing defenders. Until the Suns improve their sieve-like porous matador thus far weak defense, they are reliant on an increasingly tenuous jump-shooting offense to pull them through.

It pains me to do it, but while the Suns should be much more competitive in this game than previous ones against quality teams, I see the Mavs pulling away on the strength of big games by Nowitzki and Terry and their superior defense. 107-96, Mavericks.

That said, it should be a fun game, and after a couple days of rest the Suns will be looking to prove me all kinds of wrong, so getcha popcorn ready! Head over to Mavs Moneyball to check out the view from the other side of the bleachers.

Game Day Links

Suns vs Mavericks coverage
Mavs Moneyball
HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Jorge Sierra » Most Valuable Tweeters
the former Bobcat is the clear Twitter MVP. His trade to a relevant team like Phoenix and his impressive activity with the social media website have made him a recognizable face for NBA fans – which wasn’t the case one year ago while still in Charlotte. Dudley reports news (calls himself JMZ), gives away tickets and interacts with fans, journalists, owners and fellow NBA players.
azcentral.com - members
They still might get there. But with the Lakers taking root in Los Angeles so far this season, the Suns playing a league-high 14 road games and "Phoenix at L.A. Lakers" coming up twice a night after a home game that was just a check-in from an East Trip, it's hard to make take any lasting impressions away other than that the Lakers are better.
Lakers rout Suns in LA again
"They bottle up everything you try to do," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "They switch, and they knock off. We could never really get anything going. We're not so much a fast-break team but a rhythm team and they just take you out of your rhythm."
Lakers 108, Phoenix 88: Second verse, same as the first | Lakers Blog | Los Angeles Times
I think we can all agree that if asked to create NBA kryptonite for this year's Suns squad, it would look a lot like the Lakers. Length, mobility, dominating post play, and so on. Generally speaking I like to avoid grand proclamations so early in the season, but I'm comfortable declaring that there is absolutely no earthly way Phoenix would beat a healthy Lakers team in a playoff series. None. Something under zero, really. But the Suns are 15-4 vs. the rest of the league. That's worth something, and Sunday night the Lakers beat them by 20. That's worth something, too.

This one is a must read. A true basketball poet lays the Suns bare

Hardwood Paroxysm » Blog Archive » What a Feeling, To Be Mortal
Maybe the hustle and the bustle of the Suns doesn’t quite fit your living style, but who could possibly claim that the exaggerated in-game highs and lows of the Suns — the 20-point lead built and swallowed by a 5-25 run, the 3-point barrages followed by defensive letdowns — aren’t basketball’s most fitting equivalent of life on the outside? It’s not about the 9-5 grind, and it’s not necessarily about winning all the time; the Suns’ existence is predicated on winning more than you lose, embracing who you are, playing by your own rules, learning to live through the ups and downs, and remembering that the line between work and play doesn’t have to be crystal clear. They work hard, they score points, and they play basketball like it’s a game worth playing. They may not have the talent of the Lakers or the convention of the Spurs, but this is a team of hard workers and ball players with a plan.
Suns hope to warm up in Dallas
Suns fans must yearn for those 14-3 NBA darlings they had a week ago - probably as much as the Suns now yearn to rediscover their offense. That Suns team had three four-game winning streaks, an unflappable road mentality and shot 50.7 percent from the field.
azcentral.com blogs - Coro's Suns dish - PaulCoro - A fair fight for the Suns
The Suns get some help with that tonight with Louis Amundson returning from his flu bout. His stomach still hurts but he going to play tonight and probably get to guard Nowitzki. Welcome back. His key is energy so we will see how much of it he has after a couple days in bed.

The Malcontent All-Stars: A modest proposal

Xiane — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:23:00 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

I'm Allen Iverson, and I approved this message.

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The 2009-2010 NBA season has featured a number of unhappy players demanding to be relieved of their current predicament, feigning retirement and so forth. This is unfortunate, but there is a solution: The Malcontent All-Stars (MAS). This would be a "barnstorming" team comprised of players like Alan Iverson, Stephen Jackson, Zach Randolph, Tim Thomas, Shaq, etc.

The team would have no coach. In the spirit of entertainment, the playing time, plays, and other coaching duties of the Malcontents would be decided entirely internally, amongst the players. They would nominate a captain to arbitrate all disputes.

Every 3 years an NBA team could move a player off its roster and on to the Malcontents, with 1/3 of the league able to do this on a rotating basis. The team would be responsible for 1/2 the player's salary, and would get cap relief for the other 1/2, plus an open roster spot. Any team can sign a Malcontent during 4 signing periods distributed annually, but they must replace the player with someone from their roster, and pay the full salary and contract of the player they claim. Claims would be from worst record to best. The Malcontents may cut non-guaranteed players and sign D-league players, upon a team vote.

The remainder of the Malcontent's pay would come from revenues generated by the team itself. The players would receive a share of the gate for all their barnstorming games, plus some revenue from the NBA TV contract. Revenues claimed by players cannot exceed 2x a player's contracted salary for salaries under $4 million, or an extra 50% for salaries over $4 million. Any remainder would go to fund a halfway house and charity for any NBA player, current or former, whose gambling losses, gentleman's club expenses, and recreational chemical purchases exceed $2 million dollars, lifetime.

The Malcontents would play a full NBA slate, with no home games, or home city. Some games would be in places like London or Shanghai, others at the Corn Palace in South Dakota. Teams with a winning percentage under .300 could request that the Malcontents play up to 4 games of their schedule at their home arena, with the result counting towards their record. Obviously any game between the Malcontents and that team would have to be played. The team being replaced would play the Malcontent's schedule during that time.

If the Malcontent's make the playoffs, they may nominate a home city, either in a venue of a team that did not make the playoffs, or a barnstorming site of their choice (decided by team vote), or play at multiple sites in North America. If the Malcontents should win an NBA title, they would be eligible to claim the home city of a non-playoff team for the following season, and send that team on the road to play their schedule. The Malcontents would be able to accept any inducement offered to pick, or not pick, a particular city to displace.

All Malcontents' games would be available on all Fox Sports affiliates, or NBA TV. The team logo shall be a version of the Jolly Roger, with the letter "M" on the skull.

Poll

Would you like to see the Malcontent All-Stars become a reality?

Yes, absolutely.

164 votes

No. It's too silly.

52 votes

Where can I get an Iverson Pirate jersey?

50 votes

266 votes | Poll has closed

Thursday Roundup

Wes Cox — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:06:15 -0000

More photos » by Glenn James - NBAE/Getty Images

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Behind the Box Score | Ball Don't Lie - Kelly Dwyer
41 points on 29 shots for Dirk in the win, with 12 rebounds. He didn't turn the ball over once, in 45 minutes. Not once. That is so, so impressive. This isn't Ray Allen(notes), peeling off a screen to touch the rock for scant seconds before firing. Dirk's dribbling into traffic, through help, turning blindly over his other shoulder. He had the ball in his hands, constantly, and didn't turn it over. Once. Dirk is a marvel, and I'm glad he's still with us, at this level of potency, in November of 2009.

This is Dirk's team, pure and simple | DMN - Eddie Sefko
But while the Mavericks go along through this early season, the only real constant has been Dirk. No matter who's hurt or who's playing poorly, he's been an anchor. And while Drew Gooden, J.J. Barea, Roddy Beaubois and Jason Kidd all have given the Mavericks quality efforts, this remains Dirk's team. The more defenders hang all over him, the more Dirk just seems to figure out a way to thrive. And score.

The Mavs Get An 'Ugly Makeover' | DB.com
So how did the Mavs manage to win? As a result of the turnover differential and offensive rebounds, the Mavs had way more possessions and got off 22 more shots than SA. Wow! That is a monumental disparity, representing about the number of possessions/shots a team is likely to get in an entire quarter.

Mavs Donuts: All-Access To Dallas Win Over Spurs | DB.com
"We were playing in Minnesota thinking about that game. We were playing in Detroit thinking about that game. We played against Milwaukee and were still thinking about that game, so we're just glad we came in and protected our home court and redeemed ourselves from that loss in San Antonio," Drew Gooden said. Really? The Mavs were in Minny, Detroit and Milwaukee winning three games in a week's span while still being bothered by the one they didn't win? Nice. That's one reason it's a rivalry.

Overtime overdrive: Dallas Mavericks race by Spurs, 99-94 | DMN
"We tried to switch it up all night, and that's what you have to do against a great player is mix it up," Nowitzki said. "I had him at the end and we were actually lucky on the one put-back. The other jump hooks he missed, those were big defensive possessions for us." Afterward, Jason Kidd was teasing Nowitzki about getting first-team votes on the NBA's all-defensive team.

Where It's At: Good vibes | ESPNDallas - Jeff Wade
Not that we expect Gooden to consistently put up numbers like the absurd stretch of these last three starts of almost 17 points and 11 boards. But if he brings the type of intensity and effort we've seen here lately to the party every night -- then Damp and Drew is a center rotation worth getting excited about.

Savvy Thomas not quite ready to sky | ESPNDallas - Tim MacMahon
He learned that the hard way after making a sweet spin move and going up for a highlight-reel tomahawk slam … and getting rejected by the back of the rim. "I tried to make a move that I hadn’t made in a long time," Thomas said with a laugh. "The knee told me that you’re better, but you’re not all the way there yet."

Wednesday Morning Roundup

Wes Cox — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:54:31 -0000

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Lob from Kidd to Beaubois not just passing fancy for Dallas Mavericks | DMN
"We call it after a timeout or at the start of a quarter," Beaubois said. "We don't have to say anything." .... it's hard to stop because of Dirk Nowitzki. He's the pick-setter at the top of the key after Beaubois gives the ball to Kidd and starts his circuitous route to the far side of the basket, where he takes off after Kidd has released the lob pass. "All you have to do is have somebody who can throw a decent pass," Kidd says Defenses do not leave Nowitzki when he sets a pick. That frees Beaubois for a clear run at the weak side of the basket. "All you have to do is have somebody who can throw a decent pass," Kidd says.

DB.com - Mavs Donuts: Kidd Tells DB.com, 'We Took A Character Test -- And We Passed It!'
"That's not always how it works in this league. It's human nature. You've won a couple of games, you're on the road, suddenly the other team comes back -- and Milwaukee is legitimately a pretty good team -- you can tend to fold it up there. We didn't fold. We didn't give in. "That road trip was a gut check," Kidd added. "It was a character test, those last three games. And we passed the test."

Marion (ankle) likely game-time call vs. Spurs - ESPN Dallas
The Dallas Mavericks are listing Shawn Marion as day-to-day after the ankle injury he suffered Monday night in Milwaukee, likely making his status for Wednesday's home rematch with San Antonio a game-time decision. But I'm also hearing that Tim Thomas is getting close to making his Mavericks debut

After defending Durant, Spurs' Hill wants Nowitzki | San Antonio Express News
“If the opportunity is there to guard Dirk, I'm going to welcome it with open arms,” Hill said. “I like the challenge. I like to defend.” Hill's dream matchup is probably not going to happen. Though the 6-foot-2 Hill has demonstrated considerable ability to defend players taller than he is, the 7-foot Nowitzki is probably a little out of his range.

Mavericks Vs T-Wolves: Game 9 Preview

Phillip Baggett — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:52:07 -0000

The Match-ups:

Point Guard

Jason Kidd: Jason like the rest of the Mavs Wednesday night had a subpar shooting night (not that any of us expect him to score a ton of points, but still), he did however have a solid night on the defensive end. It will be up to Jason to get this offense started. The Maverick offense has been very lethargic and downright maddening at times. Mr. Kidd is at his best when those around him are cutting to the basket, and the T-Wolves defense is awful. Look for Kidd and his mates to run and run often.

vs.

Jonny Flynn: Flynn the T-Wolves first round draft choice this year from Syracuse is a nice player, and he has gotten his NBA career off to a good start. Flynn comes into tonight's game averaging 15 pts., 3 assists, and 3 reb. Per contest. Jonny is a shoot first point guard who can create his own shot (this is a requirement to play in Minnesota). He has been a little careless with the ball however. On the flip side his defensive skills are pretty good as he creates almost as many turnovers on defense as he does when he has the ball.

Edge: Mavericks

Shooting Guard

~~Josh Howard~~, Rodrigue Beaubois: Josh continues to struggle with the health of his surgically repaired ankle. I would not be surprised if he does not sit out tonight's game. If Josh plays, look for the Mavs to use him sparingly and in short bursts. While the Mavs could really use his aggressive style and rebounding, the risk versus reward ratio is way off balance. If Howard cannot go look for Roddy B to get his second start (if Carlisle starts Barea instead I am gonna scream!)

vs.

Cory Brewer: Brewer has not been just exactly what the Wolves had hoped for when they selected him in the first round in 2007. While his point totals have risen this year (career 6.4, this year 11.8), it's mainly due to him simply being on the court longer. Brewers minutes have risen from 22minutes per, to 33 minutes per. As his field goal percentage is still hideous (38% career, 36% this year) the worst part about all this is he is worse on the defensive end. Brewer's opponents (based on 48 minutes) average 29.6 points per, against him.

Edge: Mavericks

Forward

Shawn Marion: 8 games 13 free throws, WTF?????????

vs.

Ryan Gomes: The T-Wolves version of Erick Dampier. Never know which Ryan will show up. Some nights Ryan goes for 12 and 12 and then he will go for 2 and 4, it is a crap shoot with him.

Edge: Mavericks

Power Forward

Dirk Nowitzki: Can you please find your jump shot? And can you please tell your teammates to stop standing around watching you work?

vs.

~~Al Jefferson~~, Ryan Hollins: Umm... yeah no chance

Edge: Mavericks

Center

Erick Dampier: One would have to assume that Dampier got an earful from his head coach after his poor performance against the Spurs. I would also assume that Dampier will draw the defensive assignment of Nathan Jawai, so look for a big night from Dampier unless Minnesota goes small.

vs.

Nathan Jawai: Let's just put it this way the Mavericks traded Jawai for "a conditional 2^nd round pick in 2012", now while I like his physical attributes he is still very raw, make no mistake he is not Al Jefferson.

Edge:

Injuries/Suspensions

Minnesota T-Wolves

OUT - Kevin Love (broken hand)

OUT - Al Jefferson (family illness)

Dallas Mavericks

OUT - Tim Thomas (recovering from knee surgery)

OUT - Josh Howard (his ankle of course)

Prediction: This game should be a blowout and the blowout should start at the time of tip off, but something tells me this T-Wolves team will hang around for a bit before they bow out.

Mavericks- 113

Timberwolves - 90

Mavericks vs Timberwolves preview

Mavericks vs Timberwolves coverage

Mavericks Vs Spurs:Game 8 Preview

Phillip Baggett — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:39 -0000

The Match-ups:

Point Guard

Jason Kidd: Everyone continues to make claims that Kidd simply cannot stand up against the young, quick point guards in the league, yet he continues to prove the naysayers wrong. Last night against the Rockets was no different. The Rockets Aaron Brooks was on fire in the first quarter, making acrobatic shot after acrobatic shot, but Kidd stayed steady and in the end it was the leadership and experience of Kidd that won out in the end.

vs.

~~Tony Parker~~ George Hill: The Spurs 2008 first round draft choice should get his second consecutive start due to the ankle injury suffered by Tony Parker. Hill is a good shooting point guard, as he is shooting 46% from the field and 57% from beyond the arc. Make no mistake though he is not Tony Parker.

Edge:Mavericks

Shooting Guard

Josh Howard: Josh in his second game back had another solid scoring night, dropping in 14 points. Josh's ankle is still very tender and bothersome at times, this was very visible last night in the third quarter. Josh had to move very gingerly on it, and it is the ankle that is causing him difficulty getting the proper lift that he needs on his jump shot. Josh is going to be fine, the more he plays the better that tender ankle will get, and so will his jump shot.

vs.

Michael Finley: The first look at "Sir Bricks-A-Lot" of the year for the Mavs. Fin is going to make a few dazzling shots, but you can also count on several hideously ugly shots as well, and at least once he will dribble the ball off his feet. Finley's job these days is to simply stand behind the arc and then not to screw up when he gets the ball.

Edge: Mavericks. This match up is not even close, even with Howards bum ankle.

Forward

Shawn Marion: While Shawn did not have an extremely significant impact on the offensive end last night against the Rockets (10 points) it was his defense on Trevor Ariza that allowed the Mavericks to pull away from the Rockets. Once again though, his lack of trips to the free throw line is a major area of concern.

vs.

Richard Jefferson: Scoring wise Jefferson is off to his worst start since his sophomore season in the league. With the Spurs missing Duncan and Parker the bulk of the Spurs scoring will be left upon the shoulders of Jefferson and Ginobili tonight. Look for the Spurs to try to get Jefferson involved early and often.

Edge: Even. As good as Jefferson can be offensively the defensive prowess of Marion is that good as well.

Power Forward

Dirk Nowitzki: Dirk continues to struggle from the field, but he well makes up for it by getting to the line, and it is his energy that is keeping him and the team in games. Dirk has been somewhat quiet since his 29 point 4^th quarter explosion, tonight could be the night that he flips the switch again.

vs.

~~Tim Duncan~~ Antonio McDyess: While I have McDyess listed as the starter replacing Duncan do not be surprised if the rookie DeJuan Blair gets the nod. It is all going to depend on how Pop decides he wants to attack the Mavs. If he decides (and I think he will) to slow the pace down and turn the game into a half court beat and bang affair, the rookie will see a lot of action.

Edge: Mavericks. There are not many times the edge will not go to the Mavs as long as Dirk is here.

Center

Erick Dampier: It is amazing what a contract year will do for a player's ability. Suddenly Dampier is playing like he did in his final year in Golden State.

vs.

Matt Bonner: This guy is just not good, never has been and never will be. How is it possible for a center in the NBA over a six year career to average only 3 rebounds a game?

Edge: Mavericks. Not even close (did I just say, that the Mavs had the edge at center and it is not even close? I got to stop drinking so much)

Injuries/Suspensions

San Antonio Spurs

OUT - Tony Parker- Sprained ankle Tim Duncan- Sprained ankle

Dallas Mavericks

OUT - Tim Thomas- Recovering from knee surgery

Prediction: No Tim Duncan + No Tony Parker = No chance for the Spurs

Mavericks- 104

Spurs- 89

Mavericks vs Spurs coverage

Mavericks Vs Rockets: Game 7 Preview

Phillip Baggett — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:05:39 -0000

For tonight's game preview, I decided to change things up a little bit. So yesterday I got with Lee Grammier and the guys over at The Dream Shake to exchange thoughts on tonight's match ups.

We decided to do a joint game preview, I hope you enjoy what we got put together for you, and make sure you head over to their site and leave them a comment. Keep it clean though, and by all means let them know why the Rockets will lose tonight.

The Match-ups:

Point Guard

Brooks -

The Dream Shake - Brooks will destroy Kidd. It's the worst possible matchup for the aged former superstar. His speed will kill, quite possibly finally blowing up Kidd's knees.

Mavs Moneyball - With Yao and Tracy gone Brooks role as an offensive weapon has increased, and he is making the best of his opportunity. Brooks is averaging 18 points and 8 assists per contest, but it is his speed and quickness that is his deadliest weapon. Look for Brooks to try and penetrate the lane at every opportunity, and then get the ball out to a shooter.

vs.

Jason Kidd -

Mavs Moneyball - Hopefully Jason drinks a few energy drinks before tonight's game because he will need all the energy he can muster. Jason needs to be very physical with Brooks tonight. Look for the Mavs to get Kidd involved early by posting up the much smaller Brooks. Kidd must try to negate the speed of Brooks and force the Rockets to double.

The Dream Shake - Kidd turned it around again last season, but has dropped off his scoring yet again. He's doing what the Mavs need of him, so no real knock there. Unless, of course, you remember what they are paying him.

Edge:

Mavs Moneyball - Even: This should be a very good match up, complete opposite skill sets, size, and speed. Brooks the young, quick, and speedy youngster versus Kidd the bigger, stronger, and experienced veteran.

The Dream Shake - Rockets: Brooks is just better at this point in Kidd's career at every phase of the game

Shooting Guard

Battier -

The Dream Shake - Sometimes when a player flies under the radar for too long, a lot of ambassadors of good will for them will pile up and then that underrated player will become overrated. No such thing will ever happen to Battier, he's finally getting his due, and he's earned every bit of it. (Though Phillip is right, Duke does suck)

Mavs Moneyball - Duke Sucks!!

vs.

Josh Howard -

Mavs Moneyball - Glad to see Josh back, not glad to see Josh's jump shot has not gotten any better. As long as Josh keeps going strong to the basket however the jump shot is not a concern.

The Dream Shake - I used to be a huge fan of this once up and coming sure thing. Then an odd thing happened. Howard stopped improving, and his shot seemed to get worse. Then, he opened his mouth and repeatedly put his foot in it. He's still a better than average player with insane athletic skills. Something tells me that in 3-4 years, after he has a contract issue with how much he's getting paid, it will all click for him. For now, he's good, but Shane has tricked him into shooting too much on many occasions.

Edge:

Mavs Moneyball - Mavs: Once again Duke Sucks!

The Dream Shake - Even: Sorry Mavs fans, you have to do more than score.

Forward

Ariza -

The Dream Shake - Ariza got his shooting back on track against OKC, and I have to say, he's been better than I even hoped, which is even more than I thought was possible. He can't "create his own shot" in a traditional way, but he doesn't need to do that. In fact, that's why he's such a great fit in the traditional Adelman system. He is incredible on moving without the ball, thus creating the shot with a pass from Brooks.

Mavs Moneyball - The Rockets have been leaning heavily on Ariza to be a scorer, and so far he has done a pretty good job at it. He comes in averaging 20, 4, and 4. Ariza known for his defensive prowess has now seemed to have added a solid offensive game to go along.

vs.

Shawn Marion:

Mavs Moneyball - I really like the hustle and defensive skills that Marion brings to the Mavs. There is a trend that has been going with Shawn though that is disturbing, and that is his lack of trips to the line. In 6 games he has managed a mere 11 FTA, this must change.

The Dream Shake - Really the perfect pick up for the Mavericks. He fits needs all over the place for them. I've long been a fan; Anyone that can shoot a shot that ugly and have it go in as consistently as Marion does is great in my book.

Edge:

Mavs Moneyball - Mavs: The Mavs have the edge in this match up but by the smallest of margins.

The Dream Shake - Mavs: Ariza could shut Marion down this game, but shear one player vs. the other, Marion is better.

Power Forward

Scola -

The Dream Shake - Scola is slowly ticking his numbers back up. I know that every preview I say he's finding his way in the new offense, but that's exactly what's happening. By the end of November I fully expect him to be averaging 17 and 10. And it's absolutely possible for him to get to 20 and 10.

Mavs Moneyball - What the hell were the Spurs thinking?

vs.

Dirk Nowitzki -

Mavs Moneyball - While Scola is a very nice player, he is NOT Dirk, and tonight he gets to prove that point once again.

The Dream Shake - Mavs Moneyball is correct, he's not Dirk. And while Rockets fans don't like Dirk (though he seems like a good guy and the only reason for it is that he plays for Dallas) I do like him. He's even averaging a career high in points, while not far off from his career high in rebounds. He's good, really, really good.

Edge:

Mavs Moneyball - Mavs: Do I really need to tell you why?

The Dream Shake - Mavs: No, you don't need to tell why

Center

Hayes -

The Dream Shake - I'll answer the question below: He does it with his low center of gravity, terrific strength and intense study and practice sessions. Chuck Hayes has always played this well defensively. The difference for him is offensively. And all it took was time for Chuck to focus on moves he was never asked to focus on. He's being put in the right situation by Rockets passers and he's capitalizing.

Mavs Moneyball - Who? How does a midget play center in the NBA as well as Hayes has so far this season? He cannot play this well forever, right?

vs.

Erick Dampier:

Mavs Moneyball - Yes that's right the self proclaimed "Best Center in the West" has now played well in every game so far this season. I am still waiting however for the night he decides to not show up.

The Dream Shake - He sucked last year, the year before that, the year before that, the year before that, etc. What's different now?

Edge:

Mavs Moneyball - Even: Hayes is a midget and Dampier is bound to not show up one night

The Dream Shake - Rockets: Dampier just isn't any good.

Injuries/Suspensions

Houston Rockets

OUT - Tracy McGrady

Dallas Mavericks

OUT - Tim Thomas

Prediction:

Mavs Moneyball - Should be another classic Dallas vs Houston game, I suspect the Rockets will hang in there most of the game, only to have their hearts ripped from their chest by Jason Terry. The Jet owns the Rockets and that does not change tonight.

Mavericks: 98

Rockets: 92

The Dream Shake - I agree on the Jason Terry part, he's always good for 50ish against the Rockets. I hope that the Rockets have finally remembered that he exists. Aside from that, the Rockets have to find a way to contain Dirk. He's been on a tear so far this year, and I think this is the first season he really believes in the Mavs since they went to Finals. That goes a long way to what the Mavs can do. That said, it's early in the season, first place in the division is on the line and the Rockets play the game the right way. Rockets by 1

Rockets vs Mavericks coverage