SB Nation - Bruce Bowen

The Lobster Roll: Issue 2

indeedproceed — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:33:19 -0000

Well the first week of D-League play is over, and the Red Claws made it out a solid .500, going 1 and 1. They're still obviously ironing out the kinks within the rotation, and trying to work Bill Walker into a starting spot of the rotation. Their roster seems to be coming along though, and DraftExpress has them ranked 8 out of 16 in their inaugeral D-League Power Rankings. For a full recap of the Red Claws' week, check out this fanpost by Celticsblog user JFoss.

Now that they've got some games under their belt, it's time we took a real deep look at what the Red Claws are working with. Prepare to embark on the promised FULL ON ROSTER PREVIEW EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

The Red Claws' roster, like most basketball teams, should be separated into tiers to be evaluated honestly. There is the 'Top Tier', usually consisting of two or three players. These would be the 'stars', and the guys who play the majority of the minutes and do most of the heavy lifting. Then, there are the remainder of the starters and the first guys off the bench. Finally there is the bottom layer, the guys who get sporadic playing time and are usually called on for specific roles (3pt shooting situations for instance).

A D-league team is like that, except with one very important difference. D-League teams need to play the guys who are assigned by their pro affiliates, regardless of chemistry or even sometimes how it affects wins. Usually the pro players do pretty well, but it is assumed that even if they do no, they will still receive playing time.

Note: This is not like the NBA where players have contracts with specific teams. In the D-League your contract is with the league. There are five ways a guy can get on the Red Claws.

One, he can be allocated by the league to a team that plays in an area where he has a vested interest, like Will Blalock, a Boston native.

Two, he could tryout like Mike Williams from Bryant College.

Three, he could've been drafted by the Red Claws in the yearly D-League draft, like Syracuse Junior Paul Harris was in this years' draft first round.

Four, he could be drafted in this past years' Expansion Draft only for new expansion teams like the Red Claws, like Billy Thomas was.

Finally, but most importantly, a player can be assigned to the D-League by the teams' affiliate team, as was Boston's Bill Walker. The Red Claws' other affiliate is the Charlotte Bobcats.

With that in mind, your Maine Red Claws!

Tier 1: The Big Dogs: Billy Thomas, Will Blalock, Darnell Lazare, Paul Harris

Tier 2: Heavy Rotation: Noel Felix, Tony Bobbitt, Anthony Terrell, Stanley Thomas, Abdulai Jalloh

Tier 3: The Rest of the Roster: Gary Ervin, Mike Williams

Tier ?: The Assigned Players, Future and Present: Bill Walker, Lester Hudson and JR Giddens

Tier 1: The Top Dogs

Billy Thomas

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
33	6'5	220	SG	EXPANSION SELECTION**	16.1*	3.4*	3.7*

* D-League Stats

50-Word-Bio

Attended Kansas and played under Roy Williams. Set school record for made 3’s. Went undrafted in 1998. Has played for fourteen teams in ten different league on four different continents. Has played sporadically in NBA. Couldn't play overseas in 2009 because of dispute with FIBA, alleges Serbian team stopped paying him.

Anticipated Role:

Thomas has a rep for having a very well rounded game, being a great locker room guy and being a professional. He's not a sharp shooter but he's got range. He's not a top tier play maker but he makes smart passes. He's not a defensive ace but he plays solid mostly mistake free defense. He's an all around good player in any league, and in the D-League he's an All-Star. The downside is he's 33 (soon to be 34 by the end of December), and he takes a lot of pride in being a professional. Think 'Crash' Davis in Bull Durham. He ought to be the leader from day one.

Will Blalock

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
26	205	6'1	PG	ALLOCATION	12.5*	2.8*	5.3

*stats are from 2007/2008 in NBA D-League, Blalock played 08/09 for Hapoel Jerusalem, but managed only 10 games.

50-Word-Bio:

Boston, MA native, played for Iowa. Drafted second round by Detroit Pistons and managed 14 games in 2006/2007 before being waived for lack of roster spot. Considered to have potential to be NBA player, but not the current skill. Regularly invited to summer teams and NBA camps, but can't seem to stick.

Anticipated Role:

He'll get the majority of the point guard minutes unless Lester Hudson or another NBA player gets assigned to the team, as his only competition is Abdulai Jalloh, a D-League rookie. Blalock still has enough people excited about him to keep getting invites to camps, but as far as prototypical point guards go, he's lacking a lot of the skillset. Defensively he's got the body to contribute in the NBA but his passing and long range shot have both been knocks on him since his days at Iowa, and he's done little in the last two years to rectify that. (Austin) Ainge has said however that this team will play defense first, so while Blalock probably won't dominate the boxscore very much, he will probably see a lot of time. One of the knocks on Blalock during his last stint in the D-League were that he needed to be a better on the court leader and be more assertive. If he can mange to improve there he should look to join Billy Thomas as a veteran presence in the locker room.

Darnell Lazare

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITIONS	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
24	6'8	240	PF/SF	Rd 2 Pk 9	13.9*	5.8*	1.2*

*stats from Ukrainian Super League

50-Word-Bio:

Played on the LSU team BBD and Tyrus Thomas took to the final four in 2006. Played all four years of college career, graduating in 2007. Undrafted in NBA, spent 07/08 with Gothia Basketball, Sweden, then 08/09 with Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk, Ukrainian Superleague, playing a significant role on both teams.

Anticipated Role:

Unknown. This is a player that Austin Ainge or Jon Jennings must have really liked, and it was not because of his college career. Whatever secrets they know, he played well in the preseason game scoring 19 points and grabbing 8 boards in about 35 minutes in a starting effort from power forward. The rest of his season won't be so cozy however, because with Billy Walker needing minutes, and 1st round (in the D-League Draft) pick Paul Harris soon coming back from injury, it will probably be Lazare who misses out, as neither Walker or Harris will likely steal minutes from Blaylock or Thomas, so Walker will probably be bumped down to the power forward position. Regardless though Lazare has proven he's a valuable scorer and active overall player.

Paul Harris

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITIONS	D-League Draft	PPG	RPG	APG
23	6'5	225	SG,SF,PF	Rd 1 Pk 9	12.0*	8.1*	2.2*

*College stats

50-Word-Bio:

Buffalo native, played until Junior season for SU. Surprisingly went undrafted this spring despite what was by many accounts a very strong series of workouts, an exceptional Junior season, and an NBA ready body. Possesses a 6'10 wingspan. Played Summer League for T-Wolves and invited to camp with Utah Jazz.

Anticipated Role:

Hard to gauge. He's still recovering from a knee injury right now, but when healthy he should see significant playing time off the bat. Because of his tweener size, he's the type of guy that is kind of built for the D-League, but will have to prove he has a bigger skillset to get a more permanent invite to the NBA. He's listed at 6'6 but that's wishful thinking. He's 6'5, or more likely 6'4. The knock on Harris since his freshmen year is that he can't shoot, and when he gets to dribbling he tries to do too much with the basketball. This isn't a professional diagnoses, but you might call it "Ron Artest Syndrome". From the beginning though he has all the tools right now to be a heck of a stopper and a finisher. He may suffer from turnover-itis at first, but he should be a stat filler right away, posting high marks in rebounding, steals, blocks, and with his literally freak athleticism he should be able to grab 12-15 ppg.

The problem of course for Mr. Harris is the unstoppable Mr. Walker. Bill Walker is 6'6, Paul Harris is 6'5 (ish). They would both be amazing 6'9 power forwards. They're both skill deficient small forwards, and Paul Harris is in an especially tight spot, because in socks he looks like a great point guard with big arms. He'll be competing directly with Bill Walker for minutes for as long as Bill Walker or JR Giddens for that matter are on the Red Claws. That's a losing battle for the hungry Harris.

Tier 2: Heavy Rotation

Noel Felix

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
28	6'9	245	PF/C	EXPANSION	13.2*	6.6*	1.2*

*D-League

25-Word-Bio:

Fresno State alum. Undrafted. Been to the big leagues, but has also played in Europe. Usually gets invited to a camp, but usually doesn't stay.

Anticipated Role:

Felix's strengths on this team are his size (there is 1 other guy taller than 6'8 on the team, and he got 11 mins in the 1st preseason game), and his athleticism. The problem is that he only has those things working for him as a player. He's shown littler improvement over the last few years and the biggest thing pro scouts are looking for from him is the ability to hang in the post. In the D-League a guy of his size and raw athletic talent should be getting more than 6 rebounds per game. Felix was a DNP the first game and I don't anticipate him starting, but this team is thin on height and thin on actual NBA experience so he'll find a significant role.

Tony Bobbitt

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITIONS	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
30	6'4	205	SG	Rd 7 Pk 8	13.1*	2.3*	2.4*

*Career NBDL stats

25-Word-Bio:

Graduated Cincinnati University after playing 2 years for Southern Idaho. Played brief stint with the Lakers, then with the Lakers minor league team. Played overseas.

Anticipated Role:

He's principally a scorer off the bench, and Billy Thomas's main sub. He's also probably going to play the main role of sniper for the squad, and just as an example out of 11 total 3pt shot attempts for the Red Claws in their preseason game, Bobbitt took 6. Expect that kind of aggressive attitude whenever his hands touch the ball.

Anthony Terrell

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
28	6'6	230	PF	Rd 6 Pk 9	.6.0*	3.9*	.6*

*06/07 stats

25-Word-Bio:

Went to school at UNC Wilmington. 80 games w/60+ starts. Never averaged above 9ppg after high school. Played in USBL, ABA, NBDL. No NBA experience.

Anticipated Role:

A bruiser down low. Obviously not going to log much time at any position outside of 4/5. Should have significant role however, because there aren't many physical guys on the roster. Height would be a problem in the NBA but as long as he's working hard, shouldn't be a problem here. Not going to wow much with stats but he'll throw his body around.

Stanley Thomas

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
29	6'5	205	SF,PF	TRYOUTS	20.6*	5.8*	1.8*

*ABA stats

25-Word-Bio:

2 years at Texas Tech, then 2 years at Robert Morris. Former ABA team, "Chicago Throwbacks," played in Attack Athletics building, same building managed by MRC's AC Mike Procopio.

Anticipated Role:

Will see nights where he gets 9 mins per game and nights where he gets 25 mins per game. If Bill Walker sticks around the D-League, won't see a huge uptick in mins, but if Walker is called up and JR Giddens does not get demoted to take his place, Thomas could even be a starter at the SF. Natural scorer, but with bulk should be taking it to the hoop more than he does. Won't be asked to take many 3's but has the range. Played for the Chicago Throwbacks last season the in ABA, where he had to do everything for the team. This season will be asked to do more but if he wants to see his minutes increase needs to really up his consistency.

Abdulai Jalloh

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG*	RPG*	APG*
23	6'2	190	PG/SG	TRYOUT	15.5	5.5	2.9

*Junior season at James Madison University

25-Word-Bio:

Made the team on a tryout basis despite missing almost all of senior season at JMU with torn rotator cuff. Spent first 2 yrs of college at St. Joe's

Anticipated Role:

Both Billy Thomas and Tony Bobbitt CAN play the point, but that does not mean either SHOULD. Abdulai Jalloh looks to be the guy to fill the void at the backup point, but he's not exactly traditional either. In college he was one of those "SG's in a PG's body". He's a scorer, a defender, and a rebounder, but I don't think he's that much of a distributor. For now he's got the support of the coaching staff, logging 23 minutes per game over the first 2 regular season games, and unless Lester Hudson gets reassigned (which he has said he is not ready to do), Jalloh should keep logging those high rotation minutes.

The Rest of the Roster:

Gary Ervin

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG*	RPG*	APG*
26	5'10	183	PG	Rd 4 Pk 9	8.2	2.3	2.7

*D-League last season

10-Word-Bio:

Graduated from Arkansas 2008. Previoulsy played at Miss State University.

Anticipated Role:

Looks like he's the low man on the totem poll for the backup point minutes, and another case of buyer's remorse for the Maine Red Claws. Of the 8 players selected in the D-League Draft, the Red Claws have kept only 5, cutting their 3rd, 5th, and 8th round picks. Ervin was selected in the 4th round, but appears already behind Abdulai Jalloh on the depth chart, and he was only a tryout. He's not a great passer, and he's undersized as a defender. He can score proficiently and he can probably manage the ball in the D-League without too many turnover, but he's far from a traditional point. His minutes should probably hover around 5-10 per game, no matter who is brought on. He's not a realistic NBA player at this point, and with his size (listed optimistically at 5'10) he'll need to really revolutionize his game to get a look at for a call up.

Mike Williams

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG*	RPG*	APG*
27	6'11	245	C	TRYOUT	5.2	9.1	UK

*ABA Stats

10-Word-Bio:

Bryant College, played overseas and in ABA. Holds record for blocks at Bryant.

Anticipated Role:

He's the tallest guy on the team at 6'11, but if the early season has been any indication, that will only get you so far with Austin Ainge. Ainge cut Tyrell Blair, a 6'11 center the team also had, and this is a team that is severely short on height. Williams should get around 10 mins per game if only by sheer lack of competition on the depth chart, but he'll offer a solid weakside shotblocker in the paint and he also should be getting his share of boards while on the floor.

Tier "?": The Assigned Players, Future and Present

Ah, the ringers. The pros. The guys who are actually getting paid. As I've said before, the D-League is a different game. It's not always so much about team, as it is about developing yourself as a player. In that vein, the guys the Celtics and Bobcats choose to assign down to the D-League are always going to play ahead of the actual D-Leaguers, regardless of who is the better actual player.

There are 7 players between the Celtics and the Bobcats that could theoretically be assigned to the D-League. Those players are Bill Walker (already there), JR Giddens, Lester Hudson, for the Celtics, and Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown, DJ Augustine, and Alexis Ajinca for the Bobcats.

Of those 7 guys, Gerald Henderson and DJ Augustine are probably scratches on D-League time, as they both have established roles with significant playing time on the Bobcats.

The Red Claws are currently carrying 11 contracted players, plus Bill Walker. The team saves 2 roster spots per pro team affiliate, so the Celtics can assign one more player and the Bobcats can assign 2.

If you've made it this far, you've read about 2000 words about guys you don't know, so I won't waste your time telling you about the guys you do. Click for breakdowns of the games of Bill Walker (ESPN), JR Giddens (ESPN), Lester Hudson (Draft Express), Alexis Ajinca (ESPN), and Derrick Brown (Draft Express)

The remaining players most likely to be assigned (in your humble bloggers opinion) are JR Giddens for the Celtics and Ajinca and Brown for the Bobcats. Once a player is assigned, they are thrown right into the fire. Bill Walker was assigned on a Sunday and was starting on a Monday, and has started every game since. He's currently averaging 22 points and almost 10 rebounds per game.

Giddens has already proved himself a D-League All-Star, starting 23 games last season for the Utah Flash, and just absolutely filling the stat sheet. If Walker is still on the team when he is assigned, he'll take minutes from Billy Thomas and Tony Bobbitt.

Ajinca, who is by most accounts can be considered a real NBA player in much the same way that Kool-Aid can be considered a 'juice drink', has also shown some promise in the D-League, getting about 12 pts, 7 boards, and 2 blocks per game in 11 games played last season. He'll take all of Mike Williams's minutes and eat into Anthony Terrell's time as well.

If Derrick Brown is assigned to the Red Claws, he'll send Darnell Lazare to the bench. He actually duplicates a lot of Lazare's skill, and he's one guy I could see really flourishing in the D-League.

So when I watch, what do I watch for?

Well, as Celtics fans, first and foremost watch Bill Walker. He's quickly becoming one of the more polarizing Celtics players, but you'll see why he has such a devoted amount of groupies (yours included) on the site very quickly. Beyond that though, there are still plently of things about the D-League that should endear it to the common but discerning basketball fan.

D-League games are messy, and it's not just because of the quality of play. Also, the players (not assigned by a NBA team) in the D-League are signed to yearly contracts, so each season they log they're only getting paid between $15,000 and $25,000 (2007 numbers, probably slightly higher now). They're not playing for the big bucks, they're playing because they want if not a call up from a NBA team, at least a camp invite next summer. Becaue of that when a guy is on the floor, he's trying to make stuff happen. You can't be satisfied being Bruce Bowen or James Posey in the D-League. You have to prove you have a skill a better (and better paying) team will value.

So watch to see what guys like Darnell Lazare and Will Blalock are doing with the time they spend on the floor. They're younger guys who still have to improve their games to get on with a pro club. Watch other guys like Stanley Thomas or Anthony Terrell, who are trying to prove maybe not to NBA teams but to overseas teams that they are worth a lucarative contract. Watch seasoned vets like Tony Bobbitt and Billy Thomas. They're not trying to prove they have the skills, they're trying to prove they STILL have the skills, and that at a moment's notice they're ready for a 10 day contract to be the 9th or 10th guy in a rotation, with no rust. There is drama to be had, you just have to know what you're looking at.

References:

Stats provided from NBA.com, and CREZ Basketball

Images obtained from Maine Red Claws team page

The Road to the Promised Land is Fraught With Difficulty

C.A. Clark — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:12:58 -0000

We here at Silver Screen and Roll have done just about everything we can to prepare you for the upcoming season. We’ve looked at everybody on the team, all 5 positions, and even the coaches. We’ve identified the important and telling statistical features to pay attention to in the upcoming season. We’ve even taken you on a bit of a history lesson, looking at how things played out every other time the Lakers have attempted to defend a championship. The only thing left to do is spend some time talking about the teams that are the most likely to keep L.A. from reaching the intended destination: Repeat champions.

In former seasons, a Contenders preview might have been a short piece. Earlier this decade, for example, one would really only have to mention the Kings and the Spurs, and perhaps pay lip service to whichever Eastern Conference teams were likely to be served up as sacrificial lambs to the almighty Western Conference. In the 80’s, the entire piece would probably be about Boston (until Detroit got involved later in the decade). Philadelphia was good in the early part of the decade, and Milwaukee was always pretty strong, but in the end, it was likely going to be Boston and L.A. This year is different. This year, there are four main contenders the Lakers will have to deal with, and each one of them has a legitimate chance to win the title, at least on paper. And paper is all that we can deal with at this point.

What does the paper tell us? It tells us this season is going to be something special. Historically special, if you ask me. So many circumstances have come together to create a perfect storm of ridiculously talented teams.

The Summer of 2010 has created a very unique free agency situation, where the only teams interested in adding players are those who think they can win a title. All other teams are content to sit this season out so that they have the necessary cap space to go after the big name free agents next season. That’s why you’ve seen deals like Artest and Sheed for the Mid Level Exception, Brandon Bass for less than the MLE. Hell, even Odom’s 8 mil per year probably wouldn’t happen in a normal year, somebody would have out bid us for Odom’s services, but nobody wants to commit long term money this year, unless they are going for broke.
Adding to this "Contenders will spend, everyone else will not" mode is that the economy sucks (both in general, and specifically related to the NBA). There are lots of small market teams who are losing a lot of money, and they don’t want to shell out for anything. In fact, they are pretty much willing to give you anybody on their team for a contract that won’t last as long, or isn’t fully guaranteed.
There are three teams who are legitimately in "This is our last chance, we have to give it everything we have" mode. Boston and San Antonio have aging core players who will only get worse as seasons pass. And Cleveland has to win this year so that they can convince The King not to jump ship in the offseason. That, combined with factor #1 and #2, has led to deals like Richard Jefferson and Shaq being traded for expiring contracts. And Boston and Cleveland signed an entire roster’s worth of decent players to come off the bench.
Further adding to the economic uncertainty of the entire league, the current Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire in 2011, and there is a very decent chance that a work stoppage will occur at that time, because the owners have made it clear that many things will have to change, or the smaller market teams may go out of business. The main point here is: If you aren’t building a team that can win in the next two seasons, you might as well not even bother.

The result of all of these collective circumstances coming together is not one, but 5 incredibly good teams. If you don’t believe me, consider this statement. Every team that has participated in the NBA Finals in the last three seasons is entering this season with a team which is better than the one that won a championship, or came close. There are 5 teams this year which might all be better than the champions of the past three seasons. I can’t verify it with research, but I’d be willing to bet a small fortune that this has never happened before. In fact, taking it one step further, if you assume that San Antonio is a better version of their own previous championship-winning teams this year, you could make a legitimate case that any one of the 5 best teams from this year might be better than ALL of the past champions dating back to the beginning of the post Lakers dynasty. There is simply no precedent for this level of improvement in so many championship quality teams.

I think this will go down as the most top heavy season in NBA history. All four of these teams (plus the Lakers of course) could win 60 games. If (and this is of course the big if) all 5 teams stay relatively healthy, I think all 5 will do it, because these teams are all that good, and they all know that there are 4 other teams which are just as good as they are. Everyone will be looking for every advantage they can get, and home court advantage is the biggest prize that can be had. They say that the regular season is a marathon, not a sprint. This year, such an attitude will see you get left in the dust. All these teams know it, and all of them (except maybe San Antonio) will come out of the gate hard and never turn back. As I’ve written before, I think that it is possible a team could win 70 games this season, and NOT win the NBA championship. There are simply no impossible scenarios this year.

Sorry for the extremely long intro. In truth, it could and should be treated as its own piece regarding the nature of the NBA this season. Now, without further ado, here’s a breakdown of the four main contenders to the Lakers throne (in alphabetical order, so as to not stir up additional argument).

Boston Celtics

On paper, this may be the most formidable team of the bunch. Their starting 5 contains 3 Hall of Famers, a point guard who nearly averaged a triple double in a playoff series last year and is generally considered an All-Star in the making, and a brick wall for a center who’s only job is to rebound and block shots. In case you are wondering, he’s pretty good at his job. Their bench has turned from a weakness into a strength with the signings of Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels to a unit already boasting a very good shooter in Eddie House, and a decent backup power forward in Big Baby Davis.

The Celtics’ defense is what makes this team so potentially special. Two years ago, they were one of the better defenses of all time (statistically proven). They still have the same core of guys, although the loss of James Posey definitely hurts them on that side of the ball. With the addition of Rasheed Wallace (in his prime, a very good defender), the potential exists for this team to be even better on defense than they were two years ago, which is a scary thought.

Unfortunately for the C’s, the regular season and the playoffs aren’t played out on paper. While the Celtics have the best potential for greatness of the four teams previewed here, they also have the biggest question marks. I’m sorry, I meant question mark. Because any analysis of the Celtics’ potential boils down to one question, what are they getting from KG? If KG is at his best, returning to the form he had two years ago, captaining the Celtics’ defense and instilling them with the intensity and mentality for which he is known, the Celtics become an extremely difficult team to beat. If he remains limited, because his knee injury isn’t an injury at all, instead just wear and tear at the end of a very long career, then the Celtics become very beatable. Not as vulnerable as last year, because picking up Sheed should help them if Garnett turns out to be limited again, but not a favorite, especially in this stacked field. The Celtics’ entire season hinges almost entirely on the health of Kevin Garnett. There are other questions (will Pierce and Allen decline at all? Was Sheed’s failure last season due to lack of motivation, or deterioration of skill and athleticism), but in the end, KG decides almost everything for them.

A Lakers-Celtics matchup in this year’s Finals would be almost as if envisioned by God himself. Sure, there’s the rivalry itself, the major media markets involved, but the main factor is the style of play these two teams possess. They are the NBA’s Yin and Yang. Kelly Dwyer described these two teams so perfectly at the beginning of last season (before KG went down) that I simply have to use that description.

The Lakers are a devastating offensive team who play defense so well you can’t possibly hope to outscore them. The Celtics are a devastating defensive team who play offense so well you can’t possibly hope to keep them from outscoring you.

That’s why, in terms of being able to observe a legendary matchup, Lakers-Celtics should be what you root for. In terms of who the matchups favor, that’s a tough, tough question. If KG is what he should be, Pau will have to prove once and for all that he can handle KG’s physicality, and Bynum will have to have success against a very good post defender in Perkins. Also, the Lakers ability to handle the pick and roll will be vital to success against Boston, because the PG position is the only place where the Celtics have a clear cut advantage on the floor.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The truth is, no one really knows what to make of this Cavaliers team, because their regular season and the end of their playoff run were so incongruous. Is the real Cavaliers team the one that won 66 games, good for home court advantage throughout the playoffs? Or is it the team that crashed out to the Orlando Magic, lucky to extend that series even 6 games, even though the Magic were without their All-Star point guard and the Cavs had no serious injuries?

The answer to that question? None of the above, because this year’s team bears little resemblance to last year’s squad. Gone are Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, entering are Shaq, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, and Leon Powe (once he recovers from injury). This is a completely different team, which is why the Cavs have the greatest potential of any of the 5 to fail. The addition of Shaq cost them basically nothing, in terms of player personnel. But Shaq changes the way a team plays offense, and it will be interesting to see how well he is incorporated to the offense, while maintaining the same model which enjoyed success last season. Also, the addition of Shaq does little to address the matchup problems which Orlando created for Cleveland last season. They still appear to be a team that can be pick and rolled to death, as neither Shaq nor Big Z have the quickness to be able to do much with a quick guard coming off the screen. But the biggest question, the biggest problem, facing this Cavaliers team doesn’t have to do with players at all. The Cavs might struggle more this season because they lost Jon Kuester, who was the offensive mastermind that turned the Cavs offense from a slightly upgraded version of the Los Angeles Kobes (circa 2005) into a very decent offensive team last year. Kuester is now the head coach for the Pistons, and his offensive mind has not been replaced. That, combined with head coach Mike Brown’s lack of offensive acumen, and the addition of an offense changing force like Shaq, could be the biggest issue with the Cavs recapturing even last season’s success.

Still, this is a team that won 66 games last season, and they have improved their depth over last season’s squad. And they have LeBron James. Regardless of where you fall on the James scale, there is simply no denying that he is a dynamic force that is capable of carrying a team. If the Cavs overachieved last season, he’s the reason why. No team with LeBron is going to be a bad one, and he has more talent around him than he’s ever had before.

A Lakers-Cavs matchup would have a ton of storylines attached to it. Kobe vs. LeBron. Shaq vs. the Lakers (and Shaq vs. Kobe specifically). Nike (and something like 10 other sponsors) would have an absolute field day. That said, for me the Lakers cause far more matchup problems with the Cavs than the Cavs do with the Lakers. They played twice last season and the Lakers won relatively comfortably both times. Despite all their success, one never got the impression that the Cavs were better than the Lakers in a head to head matchup last season, and I see too many questions this season to believe that has changed.

Orlando Magic

More than any other team on this list, the Orlando Magic are in a similar situation to the Los Angeles Lakers. They will be good next year, there is no doubt. But they will also be good the year after that, and the year after that, and so on. Unlike Boston and San Antonio, Orlando’s core are young players. Vince Carter is no spring chicken, but Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson are both still in the ascension phase of their careers, and Rashard Lewis isn’t on the way down. Unlike Cleveland, there’s no doubt regarding their young star’s presence on this team for years to come. Like LA (with Bynum, Farmar, Brown etc.), Orlando has the greatest possibility of improvement simply because their players are still improving. Howard should continue to develop an offensive game, and Nelson was having a truly breakout year before he got seriously injured.

However, unlike LA, Orlando was very busy in the offseason. They allowed Hedo Turkoglu to sign with another team, but they traded for Vince Carter, who is theoretically an upgrade over what Hedo provided. They also signed Brandon Bass, and pimp slapped the Dallas Mavericks by matching Dallas’ offer for Marcin Gortat, after Dallas did not match Orlando’s offer for Bass. It remains to be seen, but they appear to have significantly improved upon a very good team, especially considering they made the Finals with Jameer Nelson playing the role of "The Shell of Jameer Nelson". A healthy Nelson alone would be reason for this team to be optimistic about their chances. However, they were taken to 7 games by a depleted Celtics roster, and Boston does have the personnel to deal with Orlando’s matchup nightmare, Rashard Lewis. So it’s easy to see why the Magic felt the need to make so many plays to try and keep ahead of the curve in the Eastern Conference.

Similar to the Lakers situation, the Magic’s season will be defined by how well they incorporate their new star player into a very successful, and somewhat unorthodox, offensive system. If the ball gets sticky in Vince Carter’s hands, and he isn’t as successful a playmaker as Turkoglu was, Orlando might not be as successful. Then again, Vince Carter’s best is far beyond Hedo’s best, so it seems likely that everything gets worked out. VC isn’t the best defender in the world, and Orlando was a very good defensive team last season, but Howard is the best backstop in the league, so VC’s defensive weaknesses will be somewhat masked. Besides, when was Hedo ever known as a defensive juggernaut.

A matchup between Orlando and LA doesn’t seem particularly interesting to me, if only because we have seen it so recently. Yes, a few of the faces have changed, but the core matchup problems still exist, and those matchups seem to be heavily in favor of L.A. Although Bass should help them in the rebounding category, he is still very undersized, and the Lakers should be able to take advantage of their very good length, regardless of whether Bass or Lewis is playing PF. The only area that the Magic truly have the advantage against LA is at the PG position, and Jameer Nelson was definitely the main reason why Orlando swept LA during the regular season, but Orlando has gotten worse, not better, at defending on the perimeter, so if the two do end up re-matching last year’s Finals, look for Kobe to have even more success than he had the year previous.

San Antonio Spurs

Always included in a list of contenders, the Spurs are the only team on this list that weren’t particularly good last year. They limped into the playoffs (literally and figuratively) before exiting in Round One to a Dallas Mavericks team that seems to consistently have their number. So, if they are to truly be included in this list, they clearly have the furthest to travel from last season’s mediocrity. And yet, here they are, undisputedly included amongst the league’s best. I guess a core that has won 3 championships, and is led by one of, if not the, greatest power forwards of all time, gives you a little bit of street cred.

And yet San Antonio would probably not be on this list if they didn’t make what has to be the most one sided trade since Pau to the Lakers. The terms of that trade with the Milwaukee Bucks? Richard Jefferson, a former All-Star, for Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, and Kurt Thomas. Of the three, only Thomas is still on the Bucks roster. And that’s not all San Antonio did. They signed Antonio McDyess to be their big man off the bench. They drafted Dejuan Blair, despite the fact that he apparently has no knees, and are making every team who let him slide through the first round look foolish as Blair looks like an absolute beast. The kid may not last 5 years in the league, but the Spurs are going to get a huge Return on Investment while he’s here. It’s quite possible the Spurs have had the most successful summer of all, but they needed to do so in order to even be included on this list.

Like Boston, San Antonio’s entire season is defined by how healthy their stars are. I guess all teams can be defined this way, but San Antonio’s case is special, because they have the most injury prone star of any of these teams, Manu Ginobli. A healthy Ginobli is a game changing force, fearlessly driving the lane, getting layups at ridiculous angles, hitting 3’s and making plays for his entire team. A Ginobli hampered by injury is depressing, trying to do all the things he knows he can do, and having no success. San Antonio hasn’t seen healthy Ginobli in the playoffs since their last championship, three years ago. That’s why the Lakers beat San Antonio with little trouble in 2008, and why the Spurs were dispatched in the first round in 2009. If anything, trading for Jefferson has better prepared the Spurs to deal with an injury to Ginobli, but if he isn’t 100% come playoff time, it’s hard to imagine the Spurs making it through the Gauntlet to give TD a 5^th ring. But Ginobli isn’t even the Spurs most important health concern, just the most troubling. The most important is, of course, Tim Duncan. Duncan is getting up in years, and in games played, and he definitely took a step back in 2009, the type of step back that won’t be reversed by another step forward. If Duncan continues on the slow, steady decline rate, and Ginobli is healthy, the Spurs are a force to be reckoned with, backed by more Championship experience than any other team in the mix. But if Duncan drops off considerably, or even worse, his body starts giving up on him, the Spurs simply can’t be successful without their anchor in the middle.

A Spurs-Lakers matchup is extremely likely, as they do seem to be the cream of the crop in the Western Conference. It’s a matchup that always excites, but the new faces this time around make it a bit tough to analyze properly. Tony Parker will always kill LA, and his speed is absolute death to Derek Fisher. However, the Spurs no longer have a Bruce Bowen type to even slow down Kobe Bryant. Ginobli will need to be at his absolute peak to even have a chance at matching up with Kobe, and if he isn’t, Bryant will be able to dominate enough to counter-balance the Spurs advantage at the point. Artest should be able to do alright with Jefferson, and you have to like the Lakers front court depth over the Spurs’, even if Duncan is close to as good as he is capable of at this point.

Some quick snippets on the sleepers

Portland has the greatest potential of any team to crash this Big 5. They have a ton of young talent, and they made a huge jump from two years ago to last year. Another huge jump is quite possible. But, in the end, they need too many people to improve, and have to change their entire team mentality regarding defense, so it seems unlikely. Besides, even if they do join the ranks of the elite, it will be their first time on the dance floor when they come up against the championship experience of the Lakers or the Spurs, and it’s a pretty safe bet they won’t be able to handle the pressure, even if everything else is equal. They are still 1-2 years away.
Dallas has made improvements, but they have serious holes on the defensive side of things. Besides, I’m not sold at all on Shawn Marion’s ability to change the dynamic of a team that, even at its best, was a step behind a few other teams in the West
Denver seems likely to fall back down to earth this season. I don’t see any particular reason to expect dramatic improvement over last year’s squad, and last year’s squad had a great deal of things go right for them. I expect them to take a step back.
Washington is an interesting team in the East. They’ve added a bunch of pieces, and getting a player like Arenas back is nothing to sneeze at. They have to prove to be worth their salt on defense before anybody will consider them a threat to the 3 powers already residing in the East.

Sorry for the tome, but this subject just keeps on going and going. Did anybody even make it to the end? Who do you think poses the biggest threat to the Lakers’ repeat aspirations?

Poll

Who poses the greatest threat to the Lakers in 2009-2010?

Boston Celtics

459 votes

Cleveland Cavaliers

122 votes

Orlando Magic

165 votes

San Antonio Spurs

275 votes

Somebody else

125 votes

1146 votes | Poll has closed

San Antonio Spurs Season Preview

Wayne Vore (ATS) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:08:26 -0000

I know what you are thinking. Why today, ATS? Why today for a team preview when the preseason has just started? Well, today is my day. As part of blogger preview organized by Jeff at CelticsBlog, I've got the Spurs on Saturday, October 10th. So let's get down to it.

With the Spurs offseason acquisitions putting them well into luxury tax land for the first time, there is only one sufficient outcome to this season. Winning it all. Will they do it? Let's take a look.

Front court

The front court is where the Spurs have the most significant changes. I'm considering small forwards to be part of the back court. This may sound strange to non-Spurs people, but the Spurs use their 2's and 3's interchangeably. Roger Mason, Manu Ginobili, and Michael Finley are just as likely to be on the court as a shooting guard as they are as a small forward.

The Spurs have seven players on the roster for the two front court positions. Of those seven players, two played in a game for the Spurs last season: Tim Duncan and Matt Bonner. The Spurs added Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff, and Marcus Haislip in free agency. They picked up DeJuan Blair in the draft. Ian Mahinmi missed the season with an injury and has played about 23 total minutes in his NBA career. Those five guys will be replacing the contributions of Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto. With so many people around, minutes are going to be hard to come by. I expect Tim's minutes to be down, but not by much. Expect stiff competition for playing time in the Spurs front court this year. AND, a really big and, that stiff competition presupposes that Popovich doesn't play small ball with either Finley or Jefferson at the 4.

Backcourt

Richard Jefferson is the big new name. Bruce Bowen is now in retirement. Ime Udoka and Jacque Vaughn were not resigned. The Spurs just recently signed Keith Bogans. With the holdovers from last year and the signing of Malik Hairston this summer, the Spurs back court now consists of: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson George Hill, Roger Mason, Michael Finley, Keith Bogans, Marcus Williams, and Malik Hairston. Yes, that is 16 players on the roster. Williams and Hairston are both on unguaranteed contracts and one of them won't be on the team. Still, that's a lot of depth. How deep?

Well, George Hill IS the backup point guard. He and Tony will get all the point guard minutes this year. Manu and Jefferson will get the bulk of the minutes (I'm calling over half "the bulk") at the 2 and the 3. That leaves about 40 minutes per game for Finley, Bogans, and Mason with the winner of the Williams/Hairston battle getting nothing.

Offense

The end of the Bruce Bowen era and the addition of Richard Jefferson gives the Spurs a completely different look on offense. We no longer have a player the opposition can ignore on defense. That's not quite true. Teams couldn't ignore Bruce because he could bury that corner three. However, they could hide their worst defensive player very easily. You just had to be warm to be able to guard Bruce. Gone are the days where Steve Nash would spend his game covering Bruce. Now, he gets Richard Jefferson? I don't think so. The offensive balance and ability to attack mismatches will be something new for Spurs fans. We might see some different looks this year and a reduced role for Tim.

In his media day interview, Manu flat-out said Tony Parker is the offensive leader of the team. I don't think this year's Spurs will be running nearly as much offense through Tim in the low blocks. We had been moving away from Tim in the last few years, but I expect him to be much less of a focus this year. I think Tim will be getting the ball a lot more on the move and in the high post than as a set play down in the blocks.

The last couple years the Spurs have lived and died by their 3-point shooting. When they were on, they were hard to beat. When they were off, they couldn't win. Michael Finley, Roger Mason, Bruce Bowen, and Matt Bonner are all spot shooters. We routinely had at least two of them on the court at one time. Add in a Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto, who doesn't really shoot at all, and the Spurs played large chunks of games with three guys on the court who specialized in standing still and shooting.

This year, I think the Spurs will be able to be more consistent scoring the ball and less reliant on 3-point shooting. I'd like to think the additions of Jefferson and McDyess as guys who can put the ball in the hole will keep teams from forcing the ball out of the hands of our stars and putting it in the hands of one dimensional shooters.

Oh, and having Manu back healthy will be a huge lift on the offensive end. His ability to drive and create for his teammates IS what he brings to the team. This team will be good offensively. In fact, I think they will be one of the most efficient offensive teams in the league.

Defense

Defensively is where I have the biggest question mark for the team. Last year was a huge step back in team defense for the Spurs. Perenially one of the best defensive teams in the league, the Spurs in '09 were nothing but ordinary. Will the addition of Jefferson and a longer, stronger, defensive focused front court players turn that around? I'm not sure. I hope so, but this is the one thing the team will have to prove on the floor this year.

The additions of McDyess and Ratliff give the Spurs some extra rebounding and shot blocking ability. Shot blocking, or even shot challenging, was something we didn't get last year out of Thomas, Oberto, and Bonner. The addition of Jefferson adds some size and athleticism on the wing.

Last year, the Spurs didn't make teams uncomfortable. They played smart, position defense. If a team could hit the jumper, we were content to let them take it. Hopefully, this year, we can start making teams uncomfortable again.

Athleticism, Length, and Energy

Where I hope we see the biggest improvement in the team is in the intangibles. The new roster changes infuse the team with desperately needed athleticism, length, and energy. The additions of Jefferson, Ratliff, McDyess, and Blair; and the emergence of George Hill, should help the Spurs with all the smaller things we didn't do well last year. A team that scraps for offensive rebounds. A team that tips rebounds. A team that challenges shots in the paint. A team that collects loose balls. A team that creates turnovers. A team that gets some easy baskets. A team that can win a game against a good team without playing a perfect game.

The Spurs will be good this year. They will be very good this year. But, they will need to be great. Will we see greatness? That is the question to be answered and I really like our chances.

Division Matchup Preseason Preview: The Spurs

Phillip Baggett — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:55:46 -0000

While we still have some time before the season starts I thought now would be as good a time as any to find out how our Mavericks will match up against their Southwest Division foes.

As the season ended last year the Mavericks found themselves in third place behind the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets and slightly ahead of the New Orleans Hornets, with the Memphis Grizzlies bringing up the rear.

The competition in this division is fierce and with all the upgrades that almost every team in the division have made, this year should be no different. Last year the Mavericks were in spurts as good a team as both the Spurs and Rockets, but could never maintain that level, leading to a lot of turnover in the organization this year.

Do you feel that the Mavericks have done enough to keep up with the rest of the division?

Are the Mavericks still fighting for second behind the Spurs?

Well follow me after the jump and let's see exactly what the Mavericks are up against.

The San Antonio Spurs once again start a new season with another division title hanging from the rafters, and with the moves that they made over the Summer they are primed for yet another run.

The Spurs bring back their big three in Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan. While Tim Duncan has left the best years of his career behind him, he is still one of the leagues best. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili can by themselves give the Mavericks nightmares!

In the draft the Spurs landed a big bruising forward in DeJuan Blair he will help take alot of the pressure off of Duncan, and between those two they can make life real difficult, not only on the Mavs, but on anyone attempting to get to the basket.

The biggest move of the year for the spurs was the acquisition of high flying wing man Richard Jef ferson. Jefferson adds a piece to the Spurs puzzle that they have been missing, explosiveness! No longer can you try to just slow down Manu and Tony and force Duncan to beat you.

This team on paper is deadly, but we all know the game is not played on paper.

If the season started tomorrow this is probably what the lineups would look like...

There are two key match ups that the Mavs must take control of against these Spurs.

First Jason Kidd must force Parker into becoming a passer more than a scorer. This is not going to be easy for Kidd, in fact it may be impossible! If Kidd cannot at least slow down Parker's ability to get to the basket the Mavericks will be forced to try and win a shootout, and at this point I do not feel confident enough in their rotation defense to say they can win that type of game with these Spurs.

Secondly, can Drew Gooden be active enough in the paint to slow down the Spurs bigs from just setting up shop, and working the two man game? Dirk will be very limited in what he can do to help Gooden down here, he is just not quick enough in the paint to disrupt the inside out game that the Spurs will run.

The Spurs now have a wealth of perimeter shooters that will make things very difficult on the Mavericks. The Mavericks in the past have tried to bring the late double team on the Spurs bigs and if they try this again they best be able to get back to their man quickly. If not the likes of Jefferson, Parker, Ginobili, and Finley will make them pay. In years past the Spurs had Brent Barry, or Bruce Bowen standing in one corner waiting for an open shot. Let's face it neither of those guys has anywhere near the athletic ability to create a shot like Richard Jefferson.

On the flip side of things however the Spurs did have a high price to pay for their offensive upgrades. In order to upgrade it cost them their best (dirtiest) defender, Bruce Bowen. Now while I think the guy is dirty, he was a freaking beast on the defensive end. Not just by his physical play, but by the Jedi mind tricks that he worked to perfection. Most notably on Dirk Nowitzki! There is no doubt the Spurs will miss him! but I can promise you the Mavericks will not miss him.

Can the Mavericks compete with the new look Spurs? Absolutely! The margin for error though has shrunk consider

Poll

Who will win the Southwest Division this year?

Houston Rockets

15 votes

San Antonio Spurs

550 votes

Dallas Mavericks

333 votes

Memphis Grizzlies

10 votes

New Orleans Hornets

2 votes

910 votes | Poll has closed

Daily Links 9/27

FLCeltsFan — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:46:39 -0000

Herald    Michael Beasley apologizes
Fever top Shock, reach first WNBA finals
Cavaliers have two kings on the court
Globe    Rebirth in Twin Cities?
Pierce espouses healthy outlook
Enterprise    Ten questions to ponder as Celtics get ready for training camp
MetroWest Daily   Courtside View: Pierce wants title back home

CelticsBlog   Antonio Daniels, Raja Bell Available
Camp Questions: How Will Sheed Fit In?
LOY's Place    Player Profiles: Glen "Big Baby" Davis #11
Red's Army   Another has-been deciding between Boston & Phoenix
The Week in Review
Back to Work
Celtics Circuit    Training Camp Tips Off Tomorrow
NESN    Paul Pierce Aching to Bring Change -- On and Off the Court
North Station Sports    1988 NBA All-Star Sunday: A Game for the Ages
Lex Nihil Novi    Celtics Drop Exhibition Opener (83-84)
Buying or Selling: KG Plays More than 8 Minutes in Game 1 of NBAx?
Watching KG 3 Weeks before His Knee went Kerfluee
Bleacher Report    Bruce Bowen's Exit Leaves the NBA a Cleaner Place
Delonte's Problems Could Become Cleveland's.
ESPN    Los Angeles Sparks' Lisa Leslie retiring at the right time
SacBee   Redemption song extra: May talks weight, new team, new season
Dimemag    NBA training camps get started; all eyes on Bosh and Luol Deng
Slam Online    Jackson asked Vujacic to cut his hair
Washington Post     Former NBA Player Kenny Anderson Is Working Hard to Be a Good Husband and Father
Celtics Life    Reggie Miller or Mitch Richmond?
Last Year's Camp vs. This Year's Camp
Sports of Boston    Dickau Chooses Suns Camp, News Bodes Well for Hudson
WEEI    I don’t want to miss a thing
Chicago Tribune     Chicago Bulls, coach expect to grow together
Ohio.com    Tandem superstars: Can LeBron and Shaq coexist?
AJC    Five burning questions facing Hawks
Cleveland.com    Will Shaq's starpower brighten Cleveland Cavaliers' title plans? Or overload the system?
FanHouse    George Karl's Son, Coby, to Attend Cleveland's Training Camp
Gino's Jungle - Gino's Jungle Preseason Power Rankings

Around the Association: 2009-2010 San Antonio Spurs: An Apple A Day...

Fantasy Junkie — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:00:17 -0000

After a disappointing postseason which ended with a first round exit at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, the Spurs knew they needed to reload. The Spurs did just that by bringing in Richard Jefferson and are ready to take aim at the mighty Lakers. In the Western Conference, only two teams are considered title contenders, the heavily-favored Lakers and the Spurs. Nobody else is seriously in that conversation. But the Spurs title hopes are a precarious one and require things to go just right. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Offseason Additions
VIA FREE AGENCY
Keith Bogans (from Milwaukee)
Theo Ratliff (from Philadelphia)
Marcus Haislip (from Spain)
Malik Hairston (from NBDL)
Antonio McDyess (from Detroit)

VIA DRAFT
DeJuan Blair (No. 37)
Jack McClinton (No. 51)
Nando De Colo (No. 53)

VIA TRADE
Richard Jefferson (from Milwaukee)

Offseason Subtractions
VIA TRADE
Bruce Bowen (to Milwaukee, then retired)
Kurt Thomas (to Milwaukee)
Fabricio Oberto (to Detroit)

Why the Spurs traded for RJ

There's no doubt in my mind that the Spurs upgraded their roster.

They traded some spare parts (Kurt Thomas, Fabricio Oberto, and Bruce Bowen) for a bona-fide scorer, Richard Jefferson. That single move launches the Spurs from pretender to contender. He'll take a lot of the load off of Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili to score and he'll also make it easier for them to score with his ability to draw defenders away from any double teams on those guys.

And those spare parts they traded, the Spurs replaced them with shinier and better functioning spare parts.
They signed Antonio McDyess to be their starting power forward. Doesn't it seem like McDyess has been around for 20 years? The guy keeps finding a home and "brings his lunch pail to work everyday".

They also signed Theo Ratliff to help out down low. I'd say he gets under 10 minutes per game, but every minute that Duncan doesn't have to play in the regular season allows his body to be that much more rested for the postseason.

They drafted DeJuan Blair who should be able to step in right away and give Tim Duncan a quick breather every now and then. He's got the girth to take up space in the lane, grab boards, and maybe get some easy, garbage buckets.

All in all, these moves reshaped the supporting big man cast around Duncan. He's got some better players down low to help him out and give him a breather. It's all about keeping those minutes down for Timmy.

But all those moves still may not be enough to take down the Lakers.

Which brings me to the big concern I have about the Spurs. They're one injury away from not being a title contender. We saw that with the Manu injury last year. He played just 44 games, missed the postseason, and they got bounced in the first round in just 5 games. The trade for RJ will help if any injuries happen, but that just puts them on par with where they were at last year. The problem with that is the top Western teams have all got better than they were last year, so staying on par is not going to help their title chances.

If the Spurs can stay healthy and Tim Duncan's production doesn't slip (too much), then they'll be in the Western Conference finals facing the Lakers. If things do not go perfectly for this team though, they might find themselves in another early postseason exit.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Keep eating them apples.

For more on the San Antonio Spurs check out Pounding the Rock:

Poll

Will any of the Spurs stars miss the postseason?

Tim Duncan

43 votes

Manu Ginobili

147 votes

Richard Jefferson

18 votes

Tony Parker

14 votes

None

125 votes

347 votes | Poll has closed

Daily Links 9/11

FLCeltsFan — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:03:29 -0000

Herald    Johnny ‘Red’ Kerr gets lifetime achievement award from Hall of Fame
Michael Jordan’s highlight reel
With Michael Jordan event, Springfield to score big bucks
A rare air for Michael Jordan
Globe   Rarefied Air
Agent: Celtics invite Dickau to camp
Yahoo.com   Celtics optimistic about Garnett's recovery

CelticsBlog    Dan Dickau Invited To Camp
Brian Scalabrine Is Whatever You Want Him To Be
KG On Track For Training Camp
LOY's Place In the Books - Second Wind: Memoirs of an Opinionated Man Part 13
Finally Some KG News
Celtics Invite Dan Dickau to Camp
Red's Army   The Return of Dan Dickau?
I Clearly Underestimated KG's Knee Injury
Celtics Life : Was M.L. Carr That Bad?
Celtics Circuit    Bring on the Backup Point Guards
Your Daily Kevin Garnett Update
Celtics Hub     Where Were You When Michael Jordan Became God?
North Station Sports    Michael Jordan: A Sports Persona that Will Never Be Parallelled
Fernsten's Follies    The Silence is Broken
Lex Nihil Novi    Is Brent Barry Really a Point Guard?
Auerbach to Enter Bird Negotiations (1983)
Garnett to be Cleared for Scrimmages?
Eulogy of Failure   Is It Bad To Be Drafted Early By The Boston Celtics Nowadays?
Indy Cornrows    Larry Bird Thinks Pacers Can Be A Pretty Good Little Team
Hoopsworld    Camp Questions: Atlantic Division
Primed to Decline: East
Basketbawful   Larry Bird's Greatest Commercial Hits
Inside Hoops    NBA rumors - daily nba rumors
NESN   Celtics Feeling Good About Kevin Garnett's Recovery
CSNE   D-Wade in Green?
Breakfast with Garnett
Slam Online   Bruce Bowen Denies Playing Dirty
Bleacher Report    King James to NY: Think That's Crazy, Wait 'Til You Hear Knicks' Plan To Get Him
Today's Players Could Never Fill Michael Jordan's Nikes
Green Street   Marbury laughs off retirement talks
My SouthEnd    What to watch for in Celtics camp and beyond
ESPN Insider   NBA offseason rankings
Chad Ford: Looking at the 2009 free-agent class
Ridiculous Upside   From Local Tryouts to the D-League
From Local Tryouts to the D-League Part 2
TSN   Chisholm: Celtics ready for another shot at the title
Dimemag   5 New Players That Will Average 9+ Assists This Season
Taunton Gazette   Music and sporting spirit at Jo Jo's West in Maynard
Bareknucks    The Los Angeles Lakers represent all that is evil in the world
Ball Don't Lie    The 10 best passers of the last decade
NY Times   Bringing the N.B.A. a Little Closer to Africa

This Week In San Antonio Spurs Basketball: The One And Only Edition

LatinD — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:01:32 -0000

Just in case you're curious, we're still sticking to the one TWSS post per week strategy.

This was a pretty active week for us, considering Bowen's retirement and Robinson's Hall of Fame induction. An all-you-can-click link feast, great music, videos, photos, quotes, the meaning of life - all that and more, after the jump.

The Music

The first two choices are jollyorogerwilco's. The third one is rikkido's. The next two are mine. I apologize for my choices.

The Lennings - "You're The One That I Want"
Good version.

Amazing Bass Guitar Player
Jesus? That you?

Invincible
Boris approves.

Radio Friendly Song
Not safe for work. If you're offended by curses and insults, please don't watch this.

Batman the musical
Classic.

Bowen Forever

Thanks to janie for the photo, I hope she doesn't mind that I used it for this.

Spurs.com: Bruce Bowen Announces Retirement From Basketball
Video from his press conference, and the official announcement.

Pounding The Rock: Long Live The Defensive Specialist: Bruce Bowen Retires As The Quintessential Spur
Bruce Bowen is retiring. Let's remember how important he was to the Spurs.

Pounding The Rock: My photos of Bowen - He will be missed!
janieannie shares some of her photos of Bowen. You should take a look.

48 Minutes of Hell: 48MoH’s Greatest Hits: The Bowen Collection
The folks over at 48MoH have written about Bruce quite a bit.

48 Minutes of Hell: A Number Never to be Worn Again
Amen.

48 Minutes of Hell: Bruce Bowen as Role Model
"Great defense is sublimation. According to current measures it’s only vaguely quantifiable, but it elevates the game of basketball. It takes takes basketball to a place of beauty. Bruce Bowen was beautiful to watch."

Project Spurs: Number 12
Jeff García wants the Spurs to retire Bowen's jersey.

Project Spurs: Was Bruce Bowen A Dirty Player?
No...

Spurs Basketball: Bruce Bowen will remain a SPUR... at heart...
"Getting to the NBA is not easy, sticking to an NBA team proved to be even harder. But with hard work, faith, dedication and perseverance you might be able to pull through."

CelticsHub.com: On Bruce Bowen and Retired Numbers
So is it ridiculous for someone with Bowen's stats to have his number retired? Zach Lowe has the answer.

Basketball Prospectus: Bowen Retires
"I would also say Bowen brought a certain level of attention to the unglamorous work of defensive stoppers. Bowen wasn’t the first player to gain accolades for individual perimeter defense, and he won’t be the last." HT: TrueHoop

MySA: Bruce Bowen retires from NBA
He made the formal announcement Thursday afternoon.

MySA: Bowen sells No. 12, and Spurs should buy
Buck Harvey says: "Not everyone calls a press conference to say it’s over. Sean Elliott, for example, didn’t. But not everyone took public relations classes at UTSA during an NBA season."

RetireNumber12.com
Guess what this site is about. Hat tip to Project Spurs.

Valley of the Suns: Suns foes: Bye bye Bowen
"Bruce Bowen has finally retired, but it came about five years too late. Bowen is just one of the many villains Suns fans have encountered over the years."

NBA FanHouse: Few Tears for Bruce Bowen's Retirement
"The Rash is gone." Bite me.

OneManFastBreak: Bruce Bowen: Hard-nosed or dirty?
Hard-nosed. See how simply I answer all of these questions?

Everything Black, Silver And White

48 Minutes of Hell: Sham on the Spurs’ Cap
Sham from Sham Sports guest writes at 48 Minutes of Hell. If you want to learn about the Spurs' cap situation, this is a must-read.

Project Spurs: Parker's Top 5 Games
David Thiessen writes his list.

Project Spurs: Ginobili's Top 5 Games
Now we're talking.

Project Spurs: The Ultimate Spurs Man Cave
Can I have on of those? (And by "one of those" I meant the famous woman in Spurs gear, of course.)

MySA: Brown, Gervin to present 'Admiral' to Hall
"When David Robinson is inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Game next week, he will be accompanied by Larry Brown, his first Spurs coach, and George Gervin, the only other Spurs player in the Hall of Fame."

MySA: Admiral anchored a franchise
Monroe: "It is nearly impossible to overstate the impact David Maurice Robinson had on the sports landscape of South Texas, but it is simple to try. Imagine San Antonio without the Spurs."

MySA: Robinson's bad luck led to Spurs' success
"Six years after retiring from the NBA, David Robinson is riding high again, headed for induction on Sept. 11 into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame."

Spurs.com: Robinson: Press Conference at Carver Academy (Pt. 1)
The Admiral, always a class act. Here's part 2.

NBA.com: Robinson has reshaped the world, on and off the court
"Folded into a chair not made for an adult, much less one standing 7-foot-1, David Robinson is completely at ease. Perhaps more so than at any time during an astonishing NBA career that redefined the center position and the position athletes have within their communities."

Dime: Who’s Better: Chris Paul or Tony Parker?
Whatever.

This Week In Pounding the Rock

Pounding The Rock: Brazil vs. Uruguay - FIBA Americas 2009 Game Thread
Brazil won, and you commented it here first. Or not.

Pounding The Rock: Silver Stars Vs Lynx Game Thread
The Stars need to win now if they want to make the playoffs.

Pounding The Rock: Silver Stars Vs Sparks Game Thread
4 games left in the regular season, and the Stars need every single one of them.

Pounding The Rock: Back to Backs Analysis: Should Spurs Fans Worry?
Fred Silva exorcises some demons regarding the dreaded back-to-backs.

Pounding The Rock: Get To Know Your New Spurs #5: Marcus Haislip
Yet another installment in silverandblack_davis' ongoing series in which he presents the new additions to our rosters. Don't miss his tat-o-scope!

Pounding The Rock: Hack Recaps: Silver Stars Are Clutch
Two wins for the Silver Stars, and suddenly the playoffs are within reach.

Around SB Nation

The Dream Shake: Barry on the move?
Brent Barry might get traded.

The Dream Shake: It's Official: Pops is a Rocket
So long, Pops, and thanks for all the dreams.

The Dream Shake: What to make of Yao Ming's encouraging results
Good luck, big fella.

Motown String Music: The Pistons are, Without a Doubt, a Playoff Team
"Charlie Villaneuva says there is no doubt that the Pistons are a playoff team." O RLY?

Bright Side Of The Sun: The unofficially official Phoenix Suns comic strip
"Amare Stoudemire aka Sun Tzu has to wear eye protection the rest of his career. Box n' 1 - the unofficially official Phoenix Suns comic strip - has a sneak peak at Amare's newest accessory." I love these.

Bright Side Of The Sun: DeWanna Bonner: Rookie of the Year
"The case for Phoenix Mercury DeWanna Bonner to win Rookie of the Year."

Bright Side Of The Sun: WNBA...to Love or not to Love, that is the question
"I attended the Mercury - Sun game last night in the spirit of giving a league that I've avoided a chance...could the WNBA win this non-fan over?"

Bright Side Of The Sun: DeWanna Bonner: Rookie of the Year
"The case for Phoenix Mercury DeWanna Bonner to win Rookie of the Year."

Blazersedge: Anatomy of Portland Trail Blazers' offense in 2008-2009 season
Wow. Wow. Incredible fanpost. Someone please e-mail this to Pop.

Ridiculous Upside: Ridiculous Transactions: 8/22-8/30
"A look at transactions involving D-League players, players from this year's Summer League, and others from the past week."

Ridiculous Upside: D-Leaguers Participating in the NBA Asia Challenge
"A team made up of former NBA stars and current D-League players is heading to Asia later this week to play against fellow "legends" in South Korea and the Philippines, in what's being called the NBA Asia Challenge."

Ridiculous Upside: NBA/D-League Players fall to Korean All-Stars in First Game
Nice...

Ridiculous Upside: Idaho Stampede Coaching Search Update
"A look at the finalists for the Idaho Stampede's head coaching vacancy."

Memphis Commercial Appeal: Allen Iverson plays waiting game with Grizzlies
"The Grizzlies remained Friday where they have been all summer with regard to Allen Iverson: in a holding pattern."

Third Quarter Collapse: Create A Caption #28: Round 2
"The latest 3QC create-a-caption contest features Tiger Woods introducing himself to NBA referees Mike Callahan, Scott Foster, and Bennett Salvatore."

Blog a Bull: Plays for Vinny to Consider - Part 1 - The High-Post PnR, "45"
We wouldn't use that play.

Peninsula is Mightier: The Heat still has some holes to fill; Allen Iverson, Tinsley still options
AI will plug that.

Denver Stiffs: The week that was (and how it impacts the future)...
"Who knew that a typically uneventful week in late August would produce so much Nuggets news that will test the team's character immediately."

Denver Stiffs: Birdman sports new ink in China
Please go to the comments section and check the Birdman's new beard. Awesome!

Golden State Of Mind: Around the Association: 2009-2010 Dallas Mavericks: The Curse of the Dampier
The folks over at GSoM are analyzing their opponents, one by one. Like BlaseE does, but with a picture of Nowitski breaking a heart. Must read.

Even More Hoops

ESPN: NBA Summer Forecast: Western Conference champs
"Who will be crowned Western Conference champ in 2009-10? Our 53 panelists make their predictions."

ESPN: NBA Summer Forecast: West standings
"How will the 15 teams in the West stack up in 2009-10? Our 53 panelists predict their records."

ESPN: Houston Rockets' Yao Ming 'progressing well' from foot surgery
"Yao Ming's return from foot surgery might come sooner than anyone expected."

Hoopsworld: Top 6 Coaches for 2009-10
Guess who's number 2.

The Baseline: McGrady "Way, Way Ahead of Schedule"
Maybe the Rockets will contend? ...Nah.

NBA FanHouse: Handle With Care: Here's Your 'High-Maintenance' Starting Five
Are you sure you want Captain Jack?

Dime: Blasphemy
Jordan overrated?

Yahoo! Sports: Warriors' Stephen Jackson not likely moving to Mavericks
What's that, Cuban? Too expensive? Really?

Ball Don't Lie: Ron Artest and Auburn Hills beer thrower 'kiss and make up'
Ron Artest is a changed man now. Yeah... I believe that.

Ball Don't Lie: The top 10 NBA uniforms of the last 10 years
Damn good list, and the Spurs are in it, of course.

Free Darko: East of Agitation?
"The WNBA markets itself, and arguably, survives as, a positive, family-friendly experience. There are about a billion things about gender and sexuality and stuff that can be said here, but to cut to the chase, you have to wonder if attitude is somehow at odds with this program."

Slam: The NBA vs. Europe
...vs South America? No?

Slam: Rip City Revival
A nice interview about the quick changes in the Blazers' reality.

The Boston Globe: Sorting fact from friction
"Jerry Krause was among the major factors in the success of the Chicago Bulls, building a team around Michael Jordan that would win six NBA championships. But Krause will not be going to Springfield for Jordan’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction this week, and not because of animosity toward Jordan."

The Wages of Wins Journal: The Squid that Saved Don Nelson
"If the Warriors can repeat their 2008-09 record this next season (and I think they could do much better), Don Nelson will become the career leader in regular season wins for a coach. And if that happens, Nelson will probably be elected to the Hall of Fame. Such an achievement suggests Nelson is an amazing coach. All of this success, though, can be traced back to " The Squid"."

Fanster.com: So you want to work in sports? Visiting the Gorilla Coordinator
Just in case you ever want to become a gorilla coordinator.

PBN: The Top 100
Tony Mejia likes to write lists.

FOX Sports: The best in the NBA -- at everything
The offseason hits Fox Sports. Hard.

Ball Don't Lie: Poorly disguised Nash joins Beijing pick-up game
Funny, but why isn't he playing for his national team? Are South Americans that much more dangerous than Chinese amateurs?

Yahoo! Sports: Rubio to stay in Spain for two more seasons
"Ricky Rubio is headed to Barcelona after the Timberwolves fail to reach buyout deal with his Spanish team."

Basketball Prospectus: No Rubio, No Problem
I'm so tired of reading about this kid.

Completely Off-Topic

AFP: Spoof moon landing story dupes Bangladeshi newspapers
And you thought Argentina was behind the times. (rikkido wrote this... I hate him.)

Girlfriend Doesn't Realize Boyfriend is on Vacation
Dayum.

Multitask game
You're going to hate this game.

Do not eat the purple mushrooms
He knows what he's talking about.

Recital Meltdown
Kids are scary.

Shitmydadsays, the Twitter
We always knew this could happen.

Rob Huebel on Twitter's "Follow Friday"
As someone says, I want to aggressively make friends with this guy.

E-mail newsletter sweepstakes
Check out rule #3.

Mousemate
Barats and Bereta do it again.

Virtual keyboard
And yet I still can't write a melody.

People of WalMart
And here I buy at WalMart.

Pornstar or Potato?
I have a feeling this one will get me banned. It's completely NSFW, but keep playing, because it's worth it. You'll see.

Because Internet is Multimedia

Spurs Top 10 Plays of the 2009 Season
Finally, I'm able to embed them.

Rarely Seen Highlights of David Robinson
These weren't in my post from last week. So, uh, enjoy.

Game Time: San antonio Spurs David Robinson
The TNT crowd waxes poetic about the Admiral.

Michael Jordan: Highlights from Early in his Career
Hey, I'm a fan. Deal with it.

Dude Perfect - Summer Camp Edition
"Dude Perfect"? I feel like punching someone. POW! Right in the kisser.

1968 NCAA Final Ucla Bruins - North Carolina
Am I the only one who loves these old games?

Roger Mason JR - San Antonio Spurs
Check out Roger Mason's first experience in Baltimore at the lovely Edens Lounge.

Pics of the Week

Bowen and Pop
Those wonder years.

Manu and Fab-O
Too cool for words.

Jack Nicholson Enjoying New Center Court Seats
Via the Onion.

Ali G and Deron Williams
Via SLC Dunk.

Awwww
Via Dwight's Twitter and TQC.

Doc River loves his team this year
Thanks, With Leather, thanks.

King James and New York
Thanks go to Tony.psd, from Golden State of Mind.

Quotes of the Week

Roger Mason: "I just finished my morning workout and broke the gym record. I made 51 three pointers in a row..."
Hipuks answers: "They should up the challenge a bit, and put a Mavericks player around somewhere."

Manu Ginobili: "Today, the first dunk in 5 months!! It felt so goooood! Starting to get better. Can't wait."
Yeeeah.

Hokay. That's it for this week, people. If you have any suggestions for us during the week, feel free to add them to the FanShots section, or paste them here.

Daily Links 9/6

FLCeltsFan — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:22:44 -0000

Herald   Daniels Signing Extras
Globe King James makes a stop in London
Sorting fact from friction
LOY's Place   In the Books - Second Wind Memoirs of an Opinionated Man Part 9
Red's Army    Minny hoarding PG's, others fleeing the countr
The Week in Review
Perkisabeast    Welcome to Boston Mr. Daniels

Celtics Circuit    Trying to Determine Kevin Garnett's Status
Celtics Town 'Ubuntu' Mentality Suits Marquis Daniels Just Fine
Lex Nihil Novi   Belkin Withdraws Offer to Buy C's (1983)
72, 78, & 76
McHale Becomes Highest Paid Celtic Ever (1983)
Slam Dunk Central   A Holiday Present For Our Readers: Michael Scores 63 At The Garden!
Indy Cornrows    IC Cold Links: Marquis Daniels Loves The Green, Except When It's Shaped Like Money
CT News    Ainge: ‘3 Starters On Our Bench’
Mod Selling    BouncinAUTO_LINK_TOKEN_15_AUTO_LINK_TOKENrsquo; Around: GrgurichAUTO_LINK_TOKEN_15_AUTO_LINK_TOKENrsquo;s Camp Going on Quietly in Las Vegas
Dimemag    Updates on Iverson & Ray Felton, plus college football Saturday
NBA Obsessed    Lakers in a landslide
NESN    Twitter More Than a Trend in Athletes' Worlds
Cleveland.com   Cleveland Cavaliers evening news roundup: Eastern Conference teams tweak rosters
One Man Fast Break     BRUCE BOWEN: HARD-NOSED OR DIRTY?
Sports of Boston    The Return of Kedrick Brown?
UConn Huskies    Ray Allen's Career
Bleacher Report     Uncontested Shots: Latest on Rubio, LaMarcus Aldridge, & Captain Jack Uncontested Shots: Latest on Rubio, LaMarcus Aldridge, & Captain Jack
Hoopsworld    Free Agency: Who's Left 3.0 Free Agency: Who's Left 3.0

Daily Links 9/4

FLCeltsFan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:08:58 -0000

Herald    Green’s familiar to Ray Allen
Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis adds a trio with aspirations and experience as his assistants
Globe    Red Claws set to name assistants
Atty. says Dirk Nowitzki's ex-fiancee not pregnant
CelticsBlog    Ten minutes is too long!
ESPN Picks East Champs (C's Get 25% of Votes)

LOY's Place    In the Books - Second Wind Memoirs of an Opinionated Man Part 7
NESN    Ron Artest Has No Future as Singer
Red's Army    Mikki never wanted to come to Boston
The NBA could decide to ruin Twitter
CSNE     Covering the Celtics the Yahoo! Way
Celtics Circuit    PBN Ranks the Top Point Guards
Celtics Hub   On Bruce Bowen and Retired Numbers
Celtics Town Brian Scalabrine, Ready For Doc To Call His Name
Fernsten's Follies   Why Didn't Doc use Ray Allen at the Point in the 2008 Playoffs?
Lex Nihil Novi     Ode to Tiny (1983)
Cousy's First Ten Years as a Celtic
Most Enjoying the Offseason (1983)
Vin Baker #2 on the List for Delinquent Taxes
Will We Finally Win in Cleveland?
Bleacher Report   Step Daddies: 10 Players Dare Compared To the Great Shaquille O'Neal
Paul Revered: A Show of My Full Appreciation for Boston's Paul Pierce
Toronto Sports Media   More random thoughts on the Toronto Raptors
Daily Finance    Sports Biz: Will the NBA declare war on Twitter?
Bucks Diary     Best and worst individual Bucks performances this decade
Clipper Blog    Carlos Arroyo to the Clippers?
Commercial Appeal    Iverson decision on Grizzlies offer could arrive Friday
NBA.com    Master of little things, Bowen retires on 'own terms'
Dimemag    Celtics Continue Making Superbig Moves
How Minnesota can forget about Ricky Rubio (for now)
Yahoo   NBA preparing Twitter guidelines
Examiner    Celtics' signing of Daniels brings depth, roster options
Hoopsworld    The Worries for Eastern Contenders
ESPN    Bruce Bowen, three-time champion with San Antonio Spurs, retiring from basketball

SB Nation - Bruce Bowen

The Lobster Roll: Issue 2

Tier 1: The Top Dogs

Billy Thomas

50-Word-Bio

Anticipated Role:

Will Blalock

50-Word-Bio:

Anticipated Role:

Darnell Lazare

50-Word-Bio:

Anticipated Role:

Paul Harris

50-Word-Bio:

Anticipated Role:

Tier 2: Heavy Rotation

Noel Felix

Anticipated Role:

Tony Bobbitt

Abdulai Jalloh

The Rest of the Roster:

Gary Ervin

Mike Williams

Tier "?": The Assigned Players, Future and Present

So when I watch, what do I watch for?

The Road to the Promised Land is Fraught With Difficulty

Cleveland Cavaliers

Orlando Magic

San Antonio Spurs

Who poses the greatest threat to the Lakers in 2009-2010?

Boston Celtics

Cleveland Cavaliers

Orlando Magic

San Antonio Spurs

Somebody else

San Antonio Spurs Season Preview

Front court

Backcourt

Offense

Defense

Athleticism, Length, and Energy

Division Matchup Preseason Preview: The Spurs

Who will win the Southwest Division this year?

Houston Rockets

San Antonio Spurs

Dallas Mavericks

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Hornets

Daily Links 9/27

Around the Association: 2009-2010 San Antonio Spurs: An Apple A Day...

2009-2010 Around the Association

Will any of the Spurs stars miss the postseason?

Tim Duncan

Manu Ginobili

Richard Jefferson

Tony Parker

None

Daily Links 9/11

This Week In San Antonio Spurs Basketball: The One And Only Edition

The Music

Bowen Forever

Everything Black, Silver And White

This Week In Pounding the Rock

Around SB Nation

Even More Hoops

Completely Off-Topic

Because Internet is Multimedia

Pics of the Week

Quotes of the Week

Daily Links 9/6

Daily Links 9/4