HOOPLOG: Alonzo Mourning

Mourning Out, Wade Returns for Heat

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 18:37:27 -0800

According to THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, as reported on ESPN.COM: "Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning was sidelined for Wednesday night's game against the Washington Wizards because of a sprained left foot. Miami's Dwyane Wade, who missed the previous two games with a sprained right wrist, dressed for the game and was expected to start."

He's Baq.

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 08:28:29 -0800

And when I say "he," apparently I should be saying "they." Because, shock of the year, the day after Shaquille O'Neal returns from injury, Pat Riley returns from the tailor, and both are ready to make someserious impact on your fantasy team. With all the goings on in Miami, let's take a look at who stands to gain and who stands to lose.

Welcome Back, Big Guy!

Dwyane Wade
Nobody is going to be smiling more seeing Shaq back on the floor thanWade, who is now the official #1 guy in South Beach. Wade has been absolutely brilliant in Shaq's absence, putting up 27.3/6.8/6.7 with2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks. He's been looking more like LeBron thanLeBron has (minus the threes), and his value is sky high. And while Shaq's return might hurt his overall numbers, in the long run this is great news for Wade. In taking over the team, he's been attacking the basket like no player this side of Gilbert Arenas, taking the hits and hitting the deck to the tune of 11 FTA per game, second highest in the league behind Allen Iverson. And as much as his ad wants you to believe that every time he falls down, he gets back up, that's just not the case. Remember, it was just 2 years ago that he missed 16 games over the course of the season due to various injuries. Taking some of the scoring onus off of Wade means that he'll be more likelyto stay healthy throughout the year.

Jason Williams
One guy who's really been quiet this year has been Williams, who despite setting a career high in points has seen his assists drop to the lowest point in his career, a paltry 4.7. However, his three point shooting has risen to a new level in terms of percentage, and that's only going to go up with Shaq roaming the paint. His 2.4 3's per game are a career high right now, but that number could get higher.

That's Great, I Guess …

Udonis Haslem
This is a bittersweet adjustment for Haslem. On the one hand, he's clearly been suffering without the Diesel, have trouble finding his shot, getting blocks, and grabbing rebounds, so he should be more effective when he's on the floor. On the other hand, there's the distinct possibility that Shaq might see time on the floor alongside Alonzo Mourning (more on that later), meaning Udonis will spend more time on the bench and less time on the court. Those two things working against each other means Haslem should be just as valuable now as he has been thus far.

Antoine Walker
This is another plus/minus situation. On the plus, the return of Riley means that Walker will get every chance to show his stuff, as Riley will want to prove that he didn't waste millions of dollars on his in the free agent market. On the minus, just like Haslem, Walker might have some trouble getting the 30 mpg he's enjoyed so far. Also, as much as Riley the GM will want Walker on the floor, Riley the coach might get real tired of Walker's playing style. This might be a slight downgrade in the end, but for now, there's not much of an effect.

There's Not Enough Room on This Team for the Two of Us.

Alonzo Mourning
Zo has enjoyed a career resurrection this year, at least on the defensive side, where he's amassed 3.7 bpg in just 28.5 minutes. However, his points (10.7) and boards (7.9) are pretty lame, especially next to his killer 51% FT%. He is, however, one of Riley's favorite players, so he should find his way on to the court for a good 20 mpg, with some of that time being spent alongside Shaq. Still, 20mpg should knock him out of any potential fantasy value for your squad. Hey, he had a good run, but all good things come to an end.

Shaquille O'Neal
Oh yeah – that guy. The time is now – and I mean right now – to sell high on Shaq. Let me explain: The one reason that Pat Riley came back to coach the Heat is so that he can win an NBA title. And the biggest component (both literally and figuratively) to reaching that goal is a healthy O'Neal in the playoffs. Playing in the East, he'snot going to have to win 60 games to have a decent seed in the playoffs, and what that means is he's gonna take it easy on the Diesel. Shaq's 34 mpg last year were a career low, and this year, I'd be surprised to see Shaq top 32 or even 30 mpg. This is a great "sell fake low" candidate, as his perceived value is probably higher than his true value right now.

Standings Management: How Much is Enough?

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 09:22:14 -0800

With most teams having played somewhere between 12 and 14 games so far, we’re still only about 15-18% of the way through the season. What that means for your fantasy team is that it’s still early. Really early. Early enough that with all the trades (both in real life and in your fantasy league), injuries, PT battles, and other factors still to come, it’s not yet time to really take a look at your standings to find statistical categories that you think you can make a run in. Remember, your goal is to be in first place at the end of the year, not the middle. And no, I’m not just saying that just because I’m not in first place right now in my league.

Anyhow, the biggest part of fantasy basketball, obviously, is getting the best players on your team, keeping up on who’s worth picking up, and all the other things that we talk about here at FBB on an almost-daily basis. But another important part is managing the standings with an eye on the end of the year. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today, and we’ll revisit the subject every couple of weeks as the season progresses.. And despite it being really early in the year, some teams might be in position to take advantage of some things going on in the standings.

Some teams are right now dealing with some extremes. Some might be woefully far behind and thinking about punting a category (which is a whole different article). Others, though might be way far ahead in a category. How do you play this situation? For example, if you’re dominating the field in blocks, is it worth having Alonzo Mourning on your team? After all, if you’re really that far ahead in blocks, his value is really being wasted on your squad.

But, how much is enough? How far ahead do you have to be in a certain category before you can start trading for other concerns? Well, it’s different in every situation and I’m sure there’s some crazy algorithm to figure out an exact number, but instead, let’s look at some things to keep in mind:

Look at averages, not totals.
Sure, your standings are generally in rotisserie-style totals, but it’s just a quick cut-and-paste into a spreadsheet and you can turn your total numbers into averages. This will give you a much better idea of just how much leverage you have. For example, if your team as a whole is averaging 10 blocks per “night” (with a “night” being defined as all of your starters playing one game), and the guy behind you is averaging 8 blocks per game, you can trade away 2 blocks and still maintain your lead.

Where’s the “bunch”?
In a lot of statistical categories, you’ll notice bunches of guys in the same area. Now, as I said in the beginning, these bunches will shift as the season progresses, but nonetheless you have to be worried if the category you’re dominating has a bunch at the next tier, for a couple of reasons. One, the more teams there are somewhat near you, the more teams there are with a chance to make a move and pass you. Two, if you suffer an injury to a contributor in that category, you’re now at risk of moving really far down the standings there. If the bunch is further down in the standings, you’re at far less risk if you do decide to trade a contributor.

Who’s ready to make a move?
Remember, this early in the season, some teams’ current output is not necessarily representative of what they will do over the course of the year. Just like an injury can bring your team down, a player returning from injury can boost another team’s numbers. A great example is the return of Samuel Dalembert. If you’ve got what seems like a great lead in blocks, but the guy behind you has Dalembert, your lead really isn’t as good as it seems, because Dalembert will help the other team catch up to – and quick.

Now, if you take a look at all of these things and still decide that you can give up some of your advantage in that category, don’t just look to trade one-category guys. For example, if you’re dominating boards, don’t just try to trade players like Zach Randolph or Ben Wallace. Trading strong-rebounding PG’s like Jason Kidd or Andre Miller is just as helpful for your team if you can get quality guys who don’t rebound like Chauncey Billups or Steve Nash in return.

Remember, this early in the year, it’s dangerous to make moves like this, but making the right call could have huge benefits for your fantasy squad down the line.

Zo's nine blocks

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 23:27:59 -0800

Alonzo Mourning was a blocking machine in Miami's win over New York.

Garnett to Pacers for O'Neal?

Tue, 22 Nov 2005 09:58:21 -0800

The belief around the NBA is Kevin Garnett doesn't want to provoke one of those Shaquille O'Neal/Alonzo Mourning/Charles Barkley-type embarrassing public episodes, so he won't demand a trade. But he's hoping the Timberwolves will come to him and say they're...

Raptors Find Their Claws

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 14:45:34 -0800

Link: ESPN.com - Heat at Raptors

Well, there we have it, the long wait for the first victory came to an end this afternoon. I didn't see this one coming one bit. I know my basketball and the only reason i can think off for Miami's performance is that they were looking past the Raptors and were already on a plane to Portland before the 3rd quarter.

I have to say i was going through an emotional roller-coaster here. I, of course wanted to see the Raptors win a game, but i was also just sorta, kinda, hoping the Raps would take the losing streak close to the record 17 losses. Aw... Heck, you don't want the rookies thinking losing is the norm over here, but it's not like the team is going to the playoffs this season, why not make it the season that would go down in the record books in infamy, that would be cool, in a weird self defecating sort of way.

For once, Raptors fans booing a player didn't actually blow up on the home team. Alonzo Mourning is simply one of the most selfish players in the league. The way he's orchestrated his way out of New Jersey, never showing up in Toronto when he was traded last season and then miraculously being able to play ball again for the Miami Heat, didn't endear Mourning to any fans other than Heat fans.

Somehow the Raptors were able to hold off the Dwayne Wade train and hold everything together through the 4th quarter. All i can do is appreciate the Raptors' effort this afternoon and hope that it results in more competitive basketball in the future.

Confidence is key.

Williams leads Heat past Bobcats (AP)

Sat, 12 Nov 2005 21:20:44 -0800

Even without Shaquille O'Neal, the Miami Heat played like the team many people expected to see this season. Jason Williams scored 22 points, Dwyane Wade added 19 and Alonzo Mourning 16 in the Heat's 108-99 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night. "It was by far our best game of the year," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said.

Clippers/Hawks

Thu, 10 Nov 2005 18:19:00 -0800

Joining the action with 1:34 left in the first and the score tied at 23. Somehow, this is the only NBA game on tonight. Which is, of course, the only reason I'm watching it. Heck, it was either this or the end of "Superman II." And I know what happens in that.

It's just too bad that Shaun Livingtson is out (again), because he is really fun to watch—and he was looking even better this summer. But still, can't complain too much. Instead we've got Sam Cassell, Elton "Perennial All-Star Except He's A Clipper" Brand, Corey Maggette Cat Mobley and Chris Wilcox. Then, on the other side, Marvin Williams, Al Harrington, Josh Smith and Joe Johnson, who should have found a way to wear No. 70,000,000 this year.

Steve Smith is announcing, which is rad. Always liked Smitty, he was gracious to a fault as a player and was always a class act. Still is.

Zeljko Rebraca? Daniel Ewing? Quinton Ross? These are your Los Angeles Clippers. Bummer that Daniel Ewing isn't wearing No. 33. Or Ewings, for that matter. Hell, if he came out in Ewings, he'd be my favorite player in the L, Blue Devil or not.

Is Tyronn Lue on the Hawks because of his championship experience?

The Hawks animated/live action promo spot is good, I guess, but "Rise Up"? What other choice do they have?

There's someone named "Edwards" playing center for the Hawks—No. 54—and I have absolutely no idea who he is. None. He's replaced by Zaza Pachulia, who really should have signed with a playoff team. Or at least an NBA one.

If I played in the NBA, I'd rock everything. Headband, tall socks, wristbands, fingerwraps, calf sleeve, elbow sleeve, ankle braces, compression shorts, knee straps. Everything.

The Hawks announcer who's not Steve Smith goes on an extended riff about Corey Maggette's body, and I don't blame him. He ever goes to Greece, the damn statues are gonna start working out. It's ridiculous. He dives to save a ball, the seats'll move out of the way.

The Clippers are up 10, and I'm not sure how. The stands are half-empty, but that's no mystery.

It's good to see that Josh Childress is letting his afro come back. Wouldn't be right without it.

I know he's been gone for a while now, but it's a shame that Jeff McInnis isn't a Clipper anymore. I don't mean it in a bad way, but he just seemed like a Clipper. Ditto for Q and D Miles.

Four-point game.

Cassell and Cat is a pretty decent backcourt, actually. Sam I Am needs to rehab his rep, Cat needs to show he can thrive without his partner in, uh, crime, Franchise. And with Wilcox, Brand and Maggette, there are plenty of assists to be had. Can't see the Clips cracking the playoffs, but they're gonna ruin a lot of people's nights. The Hawks, of course, are quite capable of ruining their own nights, thank you.

Can't remember whether the Stoudamire on the Hawks is Damon or Salim. I could look it up, but why? I assume he'll score at some point.

Chris Kaman's hair is impressively awful. (And it's Salim—just got a good look at him. I guess I'll have to look up where Damon is.) Al Harrington tries to draw a charge on Maggette, which is basically like trying to draw a charge on an 18-wheeler. Adding insult to injury, he gets whistled for the block.

The Hawks guys seem surprised that Maggette has started quickly after missing a month, but then again they didn't see him balling this summer. I did, and I can safely say he would have been ready had the season started in July. He doesn't take time off.

Someone on the Hawks has some ILL adidas. The team might be bad, but they've got a great arena and good colors. So there's that.

You can't help but admire Mike Dunleavy's commitment to the Rileyesque slicked-back do despite his obvious deficiencies.

Halftime. 50-47, Clips. And ha ha, I totally forgot that there was a doubleheader on TNT. Right now it's Heat/Rockets without Shaq or T-Mac, which honestly may be less compelling than the Hawks/Clips. OK, so maybe not, but I'm committed to this game. I think. Then again, it IS halftime. Guess I could change over for a while.

OK, this is bad. I haven't watched the new-look Heat yet, and the first possession I see has Antoine Walker and Jason Williams dribbling out the shot clock, with J Will losing it on a travel. Dwyane Wade, off in the corner, doesn't touch the ball. This is not good.

Yao Ming gets swatted by Zo, which is just plain embarassing. Not sure what he has to do, but Yao has to get MEAN. He hits layups on the next two possessions, but he needs to be dunking on people.

Can't say I ever thought Jeff Van Gundy would be coaching Rafer Alston. Is there a weirder coach/player combination in the League? Well, except Larry Brown and all of the Knicks, of course.

Antoine Walker, 3; Antoine Walker, airball 3. That's my Toine.

Yao's neck beard is quite disturbing. Two fouls in four minutes though, and who wants to sex Mutombo?

Pretty cool that Juwan Howard and Alonzo Mourning are on the court at the same time—two of the first $100 million men. It's hard to believe that anyone ever thought Juwan Howard was worth $100 million, but hey, these things happen.

Jeez, with those two, Deke and now Gary Payton on the court at the same time—what years is this?

The chances of my watching any of the rest of the Hawks/Clips game are somewhere between slim and none.

You know what would be shocking, Craig Sager? Come out one night in a grey pinstriped suit and a solid tie. Plain white shirt. Wingtips.

Marv Albert, Steve Kerr and Reggie Miller in the booth. Either team would probably take Reggie right now. Actually, there's no probably about it.

Derek Anderson's cornrows look familiar—did AI have that pattern once? Someone did. Guess you can't patent hair designs. Although Anthony Mason should have.

What the hell? The Heineken sports update looks like it's coming FROM hell. What's with the red mist?

Whoops, lost some time there. It doesn't really look like that Zo's lost much. I still think he's a loser for bailing out on New Jersey, but he's definitely still got some game. Going after shots like it was 1993, snuffing Stromile Swift like he was some high school kid.

Yao's hair is...commie. Or something. Also, he's really, really, really tall.

It's still amazingly hard to believe that Jeff and Stan Van Gundy share the same parents.

I'm going to post this at halftime so if Safari crashes I won't have a nervous breakdown. Not that anyone will really care (or notice) one way or the other.

Soooo many new guys on both of these teams, it's actually confusing. Also, David Wesley looks like Marco Pantani.

Mourning goes after EVERY SHOT inside. It would be funny if he wasn't catching a bunch of them. Actually, he's only got three blocks, but it seems like more.

Reggie Miller just murked a Run-DMC lyric. It's "kill my dog, I'ma SLAY your cat." I think.

Yao misses a dunk, which is just plain absurd.

48-44 Miami at the half.

Eastern Conference Preview - Atlantic Division

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 10:22:48 -0800

Boston Celtics

What can i say about the Celts? I'm confused by this team year after year. It's nice to see them do well, but sometimes i have to wonder how they do it? Paul Pierce of course is the only consistent scorer Celtics fans have known for years.

This off season they lost Antoine Walker. You know, when Walker came back to the Celtics last season and played next to Pierce again, it was like the good ol' days, before Walker got it through his thick skull that he had a better chance of winning a championship with the Dallas Mavericks and eventually found himself in the worse position of playing for the bottom feeding Atlanta Hawks before he was traded at the deadline back to the Celtics. Once again Walker has taken off for greener pastures and is banking on Shaquille O'Neal's ability to win games and increase his championship aspirations. Walker has even stated he wouldn't mind coming off the bench in Miami. What? Antoine, say it ain't so... Aww.

Mark Blount disappointed last season after signing a big contract. Why does that happen anyway? The player isn't as hungry anymore? Now he's got enough money to buy all the "big man" dinners he can eat.

Ricky Davis was a legitimate sixth man award candidate last season and he brought his game to a new level, toning down on the head games he usually plays and concentrating on coach Doc Rivers' plan of action.

What i wonder now is who will play point guard for the Celtics? Gary Payton has decided to go off and hang from Shaq's nuts for another year in hopes of winning his much desired championship, and for that reason alone i am putting the official HEX on that Miami Heat. The only way they should win the championship is if they trade Payton to the Hornets before the playoffs. That's right, let "the glove" deal with that bit or reality.

The Celtics are deep at point guard still, very deep, but the skill level is questionable. They have young guards capable of shinning at different points, so it will be the coach's job to figure out who will bring the most to the table. Marcus Banks, Delonte West, Orien Greene and Will Bynum will all be competing for minutes at the point.

Another big question mark? Gerald Green. What will the rookie bring to the floor with him? Before the draft he was touted as the next Tracy McGrady, but he sunk from the projected top 6 pick down to where the Celtics picked him at number 18. The look on his face when he was passed by pick after pick was priceless.

Look for Al Jefferson to step up this year and be the starting power forward. Jefferson was the steal of the draft last season and showed a lot of toughness and his skills should be greatly improved after one season in the league.

My Picks:

Best Player: Paul Pierce
Best Rookie: Gerald Green
Prediction: 2nd (Atlantic), 8th (East)

Philadelphia 76'ers

The Sixers made an impressive push for first place in the Atlantic last season. After starting the year badly, Allen Iverson did his usual and saved the team from mediocrity until his teammates and some trades came to relieve some pressure.

The biggest move last season was the acquisition of Chris Webber, or shadow thereof. The power forward was one of the more dominant players years ago. Although he's shown he can still score points and bring down a bunch of rebounds, his paycheck still reflects the performance of years past and his contract along with Iverson's will eventually choke the 76'ers, so they have to win now! There is no time to waste.

The Sixers were able to re-sign most of the free agents they stood to lose and hopefully will benefit from the resigning of Kyle Korver, the sharpshooter and Samuel Dalembert, who seemed destined to make major money, even though he's just shown spurts of what people assume will be a great defensive game and decent offensive abilities.

I was reading another preview article this morning and the name Jamal Mashburn came up. I had to double check the date of the article. Mashburn has been gone from the league so long, he should have joined the cast of "Lost". It seems there is a possibility of Mashburn actually getting some playing time this season. I don't know, i don't buy it. Until i actually see Mash playing some pre-season games, or just plain suiting up for a shoot around, I'm not going to anticipate anything. However, if the Sixers were to get even 40 games out of a player with that kind of skill, it couldn't hurt, could it?

The guy that excites me the most is another solid pick from last years draft, Andre Iguodala. He doesn't seem to show at the top of the scoring sheet, but that kind of honor is obviously bestowed on Iverson and Webber at this point, but Iguodala does everything right. He's a decent defender, and exciting slasher to the basket and DAMN, he's got some hops, that's for sure. I look forward to the "other" AI getting more involved in the team's offensive schemes and I'm sure he won't disappoint.

My Picks:

Best Player: Allen Iverson
Best Rookie: *
Prediction: 3rd (Atlantic), 9th (East)

New Jersey Nets

Ok, first off, living in Toronto tends to skew your view of the Nets. No doubt the Nets were able to pick Rob Babcock's pocket in picking up Vince Carter. The picks Toronto acquired may or may not pan out and that answer is years in the future.

Jason Kidd is the heart and soul of this team and both Richard Jefferson and Carter will take the lead from Kidd. This is a powerful three headed monster we're looking at. If Kidd can remain injury free this season, there is no doubt the Nets will be contending for the top position in the Atlantic.

Carter and Jefferson have to be regarded as the top offensive duo on the Atlantic and the team isn't too shabby on the defensive end either.

Nenad Krstic became one of my favorite players to watch last season. After trading Aaron Williams to Toronto in the afore mentioned Carter trade, not only did Krstic find more minutes to showcase his skills, but he played well enough to earn more minutes than Jason Collins, who's been starting in New Jersey for years.

The off season has been a weird one for the Nets. The Nets' team doctors have uncovered a heart aliment in Robert Traylor and found what may turn into bad knee tendinitis in Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Not signing Traylor was that painful for the Nets, but I'm sure they will be feeling the loss of a player like Abdur-Rahim, who would have made the starting lineup completely well rounded and potent, might leave some fans in New Jersey wondering what could have been.

The Nets did solidify their point guard position with the signing of Jeff McInnis. McInnis is a decent point guard and may see some time as the shooting guard. The signing will also insure the team won't be left high and dry of something were to happen to Kidd this season.

The Nets' first round pick this year, Antoine Wright, by all accounts should be a solid contributor off the bench, a capable scorer and good shooter.

It's doubtful the teams impending move to Brooklyn will weigh on the players minds, but you can't completely discount something like that.

My Picks:

Best Player: Richard Refferson
Best Rookie: Antoine Wright
Prediction: 1st (Atlantic), 5th (East)

Toronto Raptors

Woah Nelly! Another year in Toronto, another set of Desperate Housewives set of dramatic events. The season hasn't yet begun and the media had a field day with GM Rob Babcock. ESPN simply murdered Babcock's pick of Charlie Villanueva on draft night. I must admit, i was sitting at home ready to bury my logitech mouse through my 21" monitor.

Babcock appeared to have been taken advantage of in the trade of Vince Carter last season, getting 3 players and 2 draft picks. None of the 3 players acquired proved to be starters on the Raptors, in fact, the Raptors had to deal with Eric Williams requesting a trade out of Toronto (which he's recently rescinded) and in a move that angered a lot of fans, the Raptors paid Alonzo Mourning $10 million dollars to simply not show up in Toronto, freeing him up to sign with Miami and back up Shaq.

Babcock was also quoted in the media recently as stating that this year's team WILL NOT win more games than last years team. It's true that the team lost Donyell Marshall, who was a good scorer and solid contributor to the team, but once again, the fans went crazy with "Fire Babcock" chants. It may be the truth, but damn, the truth hurts and it shows Babcock's unprofessionalism.

On the court though, things may not be that bad. Chris Bosh has emerged as a powerful weapon the team should move to make the number one option on offense. Jalen Rose is still a good scorer on any team, and when his head is into it, he can play good defense and change the scope of a game with his post skills. Let's hope he can admit the need of the young players getting some much needed minutes if this team is to move forward anytime soon. Rose has been rumored in trade talk with the LA Lakers, and Rob Babcock has stated there is a 50/50 chance of a trade before the beginning of the season and speculation has it, Rose's contract would be a nice one to get rid of.

Villanueva will be a question mark until the team figures out where he's going to fit on the court with Bosh. What ESPN had right in their diatribe, is that the Raptors drafted a player that plays the same position as Bosh, forcing one of the two players to play out of position. Although Bosh had some success playing center, his game is more tuned to the power forward position. Villanueva has been rumored to play the center position, which is possible, but he's also been rumored to play the small forward position, which would be interesting with his size, but most think his lack of foot speed will get him eaten up in the NBA game speed.

Joey Graham is a physical specimen as many are fond of saying. He's got a great NBA body, good work ethic and appears to be able to do everything needed on the court. I see some of Andre Iguodala's game in Graham and if that's the case, it's not a bad thing at all.

What can i say about the point guard? Rafer Alston was actually one of the best point guards in the East last season, no doubt about it. He could have had his assist numbers rival the best dimers in the league, but he did fall in love with his shot towards the All-Star break and the relationship with coach Sam Mitchell was strained towards the end of the season. If Alston understands the game plan this season and begins picking his spots more carefully, his play can open up the offense and give the young players some room to maneuver. Just gotta keep those emotions in check Rafer!

Oh, one more thing. Rafael Araujo has actually regressed if you believe his performance with the Brazilian national team this summer. The backup center on the team seemed to school him at most practices and his opponents on the court were able to get the best of him for the most part. It's true that "big men" take longer to develop, but this is going to be one of those players we will label as an undeniable bust if he doesn't log significant minutes with the Raptors this season. Not just because he was picked at number 8 in last season's draft, but because he's now 25 years old, which was supposed to be a selling point, "he's already a man and understands his responsibility", but was there a player in the league that looked more lost at times on the court? I watch a lot of basketball and i don't remember one.

My Picks:

Best Player: Chris Bosh
Best Rookie: Joey Graham
Prediction: 5th (Atlantic), 14th (East)

New York Knicks

Oh Boy! Hmmm... The Knicks is the team where talent goes to die, or so it seems. The team consists of high paid under achievers with attitudes to boot.

The best move the Knicks made this off season? No, it wasn't trading for Quentin Richardson, it wasn't signing an immobile center in Jerome James, it wasn't deciding to keep Allan Houston and pay him him incredible salary. Their best move was to sign a coach in Larry Brown that seems to make talent gel, regardless of the talent gathered, and damn, they can use some of that magic.

I will keep my Isaiah Thomas rant short, but damn, this guy knows how to spend money, doesn't he? Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson, Stephon Marbury, all players i believe are overpaid and are in New York because Thomas wanted them, he can only use the previous GM as an excuse for so long.

With the bad, comes the good. The Knicks were able to acquire Nate Robinson with the Phoenix suns 21st pick in this years draft and if the pre-season is any indication, Robinson is a steal. There is a video being circulated on the Internet of Robinson one-hoop catching an offensive rebound mid-air and dunking it back over 3 Minnesota Timberwolves summer league participants. Incredible, but how much playing time will Robinson get being a rookie and backing up Marbury?

I'm not comfortable predicting anything with the Knicks. I don't like the way the team is managed but i respect their coach's coaching ability.

The team might be a good position to get younger at the end of this season. Will someone trade some youth for Anfernee Hardaway or Tim Thomas? What do these players have to offer that any contender would want?

My Picks:

Best Player: Stephon Marbury
Best Rookie: Nate Robinson
Prediction: 4th (Atlantic), 12th (East)

Zo the last Heat player standing

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 09:32:08 -0800

Alonzo Mourning is the lone remaining Heat player who has played regular-season games for both Pat Riley and Stan Van Gundy. And despite the offseason controversy over the possibility of Riley replacing Van Gundy, Mourning said it shouldn't be a...

Eastern Conference Preview - South East Division

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 17:00:33 -0800

Miami Heat

What can anyone say about a team with Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade? Of course the Heat will be the favorites to go to the NBA finals.

As great as the Heat were last season, look at what they have done in the off season. They acquired Jason Williams and James Posey from the Grizzlies, signed free agent Antoine Walker and now solidified their bench with the *gulp* veteran Gary Payton. That's right, if you read the Atlantic division preview, the HEX is still on. Actually the HEX is on for two reasons, the "glove" just adds to the old HEX i put on Alonzo Mourning for being sick, too sick to play in Toronto, but not sick enough to hang from Shaq's nuts like Payton is. Good thing Shaq's got two, right?

Is there another guard capable of taking the spotlight off of Lebron James? Dwayne Wade may be the only one right now, in the way that he cuts to the basket and plays defense with no fear and no regard for his own body.

Shaquille O'Neal must look at this year as the year to take it all again. O'Neal is definitely on his way down, his skills are going to erode rather quickly as they usually do with big men. Too many years of pounding on those knees and ankles and too much abuse from the double and triple teams and hack-a-shack's. How many more Shaq "quality" years are left?

This is another lineup that looks as deep as can be. Williams starting at the point backed up by a future Hall of Famer in Gary Payton, Walker starting at power forward backed up by Udonis Haslem, who had a break out year last year (we'll just pretend it had nothing to do with playing next to Shaq), and of course, Shaq backed up by, *uh-hem*, Alonzo Mourning.

I will understand if they Heat win a championship. Wade deserves that kind of success, i just don't like those "cleaner fish" who travel from team to team, only looking for a way to win a championship. Learn from Reggie Miller people...

My Picks:

Best Player: Shaquille O'Neal
Best Rookie: Wayne Simien
Prediction: 1st (Central), 1st (East)

Washington Wizards

I'm the wiz. I'm the wiz. The Wizards laid down the law last season. It was impressive to see a team heading into the playoffs not taking any crap from a player. In 2001, Kwame Brown was the first high school player ever taken with the first pick of the draft. Attitude and injuries always seemed in the forefront with Brown and only one of those can be tolerated, not both.

Brown was traded to the LA Lakers in return for Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins. A good move in my opinion, trading a guy that no longer fits into the work ethic of the team for two talented far from superstar players.

The big loss for Washington was having Larry Hughes leave for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It will be difficult to replace that kind of scoring and defensive presence. The Wizards were able to land Antonio Daniels as a free agent, but that's far from replacing anything Hughes gave the team.

The team's strength this year will come from point guard Gilbert Arenas who can score from anywhere and has ice in his veins and the collection of talented big men, led by Antawn Jamison who found new life after coming to Washington from Dallas last season. Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas are two nasty post players to be pitted against, those guys fight for every point and fight hard.

If the Wiz can get over the loss of Hughes and plug the hole with a combination of Daniels and Butler, there is no reason they can't compete in the SouthEast, although taking on the Miami Heat will be tough.

My Picks:

Best Player: Gilbert Arenas
Best Rookie: *
Prediction: 2nd (Central), 4th (East)

Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic are a little bit of an enigma to me. With last season's personnel shuffle following the Tracy McGrady trade, sometimes it looked like the players weren't all on the same page. Doesn't a team led at the point by Steve Francis always seem that way? I thought the same of the Houston Rockets when he was there.

What a great sight to see last year, Grant Hill returning to the court and playing effectively was definitely a sweet story and although his season was cut short towards the end, there is hope that he is fully recovered from his series of ankle surgeries and will return to the court again this season, hopefully more confident and more like his old self than last year.

Dwight Howard, "man child" proved that he can play in this league and will someday be a dominant post player, after all, he was just drafted out of high school and he still averaged a double-double through his rookie season. When is the last time that feat was accomplished? I don't hear enough hype about that. Emeka Okafor averaged a double-double as well, but he was drafted out of the college ranks.

I have to say, it would be nice to see Jameer Nelson get some more starters minutes. It seemed the Magic played a more fluid game when Nelson started at the point and Francis was shifted to shooting guard.

It will be interesting to see if Kelvin Cato and Tony Battie can stay healthy this year. I remember thinking before last season that Tony Battie was a big gamble for the Magic, considering his bad knee history while with the Celtics and Cavaliers, but it didn't play as big a factor in Orlando as i thought. That's not to say the injury is completely over with, but if Battie and Cato can spell each others minutes, I'd be ready to let Howard have a bigger role in the post.

What the heck happened with the Fran Vasquez pick? Vasquez was rated one of the top big men available in this years draft and was taken with Orlando's first pick, 11th overall. Shortly after the draft, we started hearing about Vasquez not going to come to the Magic, rather he would stay in Spain and play for Real Madrid. This is a long standing issue with the NBA draft. Players can enter themselves for eligibility, but it doesn't mean that they actually have to commit to the NBA team that picks them. This was an 11th pick though, if an NBA team knows the player has no intention of coming to the league, then they could use that pick on someone that has shown that interest. Come to think of it, i guess the blame could be laid on the Magic organization as well for not doing their homework properly. They just went into the draft thinking, once picked, they could convince Vasquez to come to Orlando.

"I've said, 'No,' because I was afraid to adapt to the American way of life, and of not giving the level they have asked. I'm not a coward, but I prefer to stay in Spain, progress, and who knows? Maybe jump to the NBA in a few years."

Does that sound like a man ready to commit to the NBA? Could they not have known that before the draft? The lure of the NBA life isn't what we think it is, i guess.

My Picks:

Best Player: Steve Francis
Best Rookie: *
Prediction: 3rd (Central), 10th (East)

Charlotte Bobcats

Expansion what? I remember when the expansion Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies came into the league. The two teams didn't look like they had a hope in hell of improving in their first few seasons. It's a different story for the Bobcats through, you can look at that roster and the way Bernie Bickerstaff has drafted and signed talent and see the improvement coming rather quickly.

I had some questions about the drafting of Emeka Okafor. I had heard the stories of his back problems and how it would hinder his play in the extended NBA schedule. Well, i was wrong to doubt the pick, wasn't i? Okafor played above and beyond expectations and from all accounts is learning and developing this off season in hopes of being a bigger part of the team's offense.

There were too big surprises for me when watching the Bobcats last season. Primoz Brezec, who couldn't bribe his way unto the court in Indiana was picked by Charlotte in the expansion draft and proved to be a steal. The guy can play, he can score and rebound with the best of them, and he's young. Now, who the heck would have thought that Brevin Knight would have been among the league leaders in assist, almost averaging a double-double for the season with points and assists.

This season should be interesting for the Bobcats again and there's no reason to believe they won't improve. The Bobcats drafted a great college point guard in Raymond Felton and they are surely hoping the lack of size Sean May has won't be as big a hindrance as people think.

I just don't think the improvement will be significant enough to get them into the playoffs, but it will bring some more excitement to Charlotte.

My Picks:

Best Player: Emeka Okafor
Best Rookie: Raymond Felton
Prediction: 4th (Central), 11th (East)

Atlanta Hawks

Oh woe, the Hawks ended up having another disappointing season. I've been silently pulling for the Hawks for years. The lovable losers of my life.

Just look at their lineup this season and you can see the potential is incredible, but there is much seasoning to be done. Even the addition of Joe Johnson this off season won't bring the Hawks into the playoffs, the supporting staff in Atlanta is not what it needs to be this season, not that it won't be in the future, it's just not there right now.

Much like the Toronto Raptors, you have to question the choice of selecting a player that occupies the same position as your draft pick of the year prior. Marvin Williams is a great talent, but Josh Childress will have something to say about Williams' playing time.

The Hawks would have taken a huge step into respectability if they had signed Eddy Curry to an offer sheet this off season, but the issue of Curry's irregular heart beat and his unwillingness to be tested by Hawks' doctors just soured that deal to such an extent, there was no getting by it.

Because this team is still so young, there is no way to properly judge the future, other than to say it's going to be good, but whether or not the Hawks can hold on to their young guys beyond their rookie contracts is going to be the question.

My Picks:

Best Player: Joe Johnson
Best Rookie: Marvin Williams
Prediction: 5th (Central), 15th (East)

Alonzo Mourning: I'll be Back

Thu, 18 Aug 2005 09:40:00 -0800

The backup center with the backup kidney will be back up on the biggest stage of basketball. In a written statement released by the team, it seems they may have used the backup PR writer: "I remain," the statement says,...

Mourning Raptors Amnesty Choice

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 14:06:33 -0800

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they have designated centre Alonzo Mourning for the amnesty provision under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement.

Orlando wants Howard at center?

Sun, 17 Jul 2005 22:34:53 -0800

Shareef Abdur-Rahim can play only power forward -- Dwight Howard's spot. The Magic would love to see the 6-foot-11, 260-pound Howard become a star center. The Magic perhaps see a younger version of Alonzo Mourning, especially defensively. Howard sees himself...

Blount Target

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 12:36:42 -0800

This is old news, but I couldn't resist the urge to post this picture created by YakYakYak:

Internet chat room dartboard Mark Blount was in town eight days ago for a cameo at the National Kidney Foundation Walk at Franklin Park. The transformation this past season from a friendly, outgoing Blount to a surly, incommunicative Blount caught those of us who cover the team by surprise. He simply ceased being a civil human being. Apparently the Celtics' fin de saison and Danny Ainge's comments about improved behavior didn't register with Blount when the Globe's Shira Springer approached him at the walk for some comments on the affairs of the day. When asked about the Celtics, Blount professed not to understand why anyone would want to discuss basketball just weeks after the season ended with a Game 7 blowout loss to the Pacers in the first round. Blount plans to go through his usual summer workout regimen, which includes pickup games in Miami, with Alonzo Mourning a frequent opponent. ''I'm just going to do the same old stuff, just basketball, training, working with my coaches and that's it," Blount said. The subject of a code of conduct did not bring any more insight from Blount. ''I don't know nothing," he said. ''I'm going back home. That's it."