HOOPLOG: Mike Dunleavy

Let trading season begin

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 09:34:44 -0800

The Seattle Supersonics made news last night by trading Vladimir Radmanovic to the Los Angeles Clippers for PF Chris Wilcox in a move that didn’t stay in the headlines long. First the move was overshadowed by a piss-poor effort against the Milwaukee Bucks. Secondly that trade became secondary news to rumors that the Orlando Magic were on the verge of acquiring former number two overall pick Darko Milicic and possibly trading away guard Steve Francis.

With all these rumors running rampant and the trade deadline just over a week away it is clear that trade season is fully upon us.

With yesterday’s move the Sonics front office proved many people wrong.

First there is the concept that this front office doesn’t make trades. Over the last several years the team has turned over virtually their entire roster. Only SF Rashard Lewis remains from the team Rick Sund inherited. Each season fans have called for a trade of Radmanovic only to hear that the front office was asking for too much in return. What they were asking for, reportedly was Wilcox.

This team is not afraid to pull the trigger, they are however exceedingly deliberate in their dealings both contract wise and in terms of trades. Sund frequently outlines how the seeds of a trade are often planted a year, or years in advance through dialogue with opposing General Managers. This is likely one of those scenarios as the Sonics were rumored to have had interest in Wilcox nearly since the day of his draft.

The second point proven today is probably more important to the team. By trading Radmanovic the team took a step to dispel the notion that players on one year qualifying deals have no value. Radmanovic, along with teammates Reggie Evans, and Flip Murray all accepted one year qualifying offers to make themselves unrestricted free agents at the end of this season. According to the league’s collective bargaining agreement all three can be traded, but only with their permission, and by granting permission the players will waive “Bird Rights” for the team that acquires them. These particular trade restrictions are new to the CBA this year and there some serious doubts whether any team would trade an asset of substance for a player under those circumstances. By getting any value at all for Radmanovic the team surprised me, and likely many other teams in the league. The hope is that this will set a precedent for Evans and Murray to be moved when GM’s assemble at next weeks all-star gathering.

So what exactly does this move mean for the team? Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy pretty much summed up why this deal made sense for both teams in this morning’s LA Times.

“It’s an opportunity to add a player to our system who brings a totally different dimension,” Dunleavy said when describing Radmanovic. “We have a bunch of guys who are pretty good low-post players, but we were looking for a guy who could do it more from distance.”

Take that comment, turn it around to say “”We have a bunch of guys who could do it from a distance, but we were looking for a guy who is good in the low post.” And you have your answer as to why this is a good deal for both teams.

Wilcox plays above the rim and excels at running the floor. He is not the greatest team defender but does protect the basket with athleticism and shot blocking ability that have been lacking from this team at the power forward spot. For the last several years the team has focused on savy players such as Nick Collison who focus on team ball. The hope is that a blend of the two types of players will produce a product which is better than the pieces combined.

Somewhere between Keon Clark and Jermaine O’Neil the acquisition of Wilcox, if it pans out, changes the fundamental nature of this team by providing balance to a roster that has for several years been unbalanced. No longer will the team have to rely on a gimmicky philosophy of “spreading the floor with their big men”. Between Wilcox, Swift, Petro, and Collison they can at least make a basic attempt to play a more traditional game. No longer will they attempt to coach around their physical limitations in the frontcourt. They have enough physical ability to go around.

This is a great first move but the guard rotation remains critically undermanned as Flip Murray continues his Radmanovic-esque slide to complete uselessness. By moving Radmanovic the team cleared the path for Damien Wilkens to see additional minutes at the backup SF position. He should now play exclusively at the SG and and SF position. This leaves the team with a crippling shortage of ballhandlers and the need to make one more move for a backup PG. Marko Jaric of the Timberwolves and Earl Watson of the Nuggets are guards most closely linked to the Sonics in the rumor mill, but fans should keep in mind that this notoriously tight lipped front office likes to swing deals out of the blue. The Radmanovic for Wilcox trade had not appeared in a publication for nearly a year before it happened. I would expect the Sonics to grab a guard nobody is expecting without a peep being leaked to the press.

Recap: Warriors 105, Lakers 106

Sat, 28 Jan 2006 13:39:06 -0800

Sure the Warriors lost, but this isn't a loss I mind. A one point overtime loss on the road without JRich is nothing to be ashamed about. For the most part they played tough. Are they headed to the playoffs? Well that's another story.

Boxscore

"What I have to pass the ball?"

Most of hoops nation had their eyes on their game to see how many points Kobe would drop. Pietrus played some pretty solid defense on Kobe on the first half (5 points) and then Monty used Derek Fisher to guard him for most of the second half (25 points). Yeah don't ask. I'm over simplifying it, but basically Monty doesn't have a clue about shutting down the other team's best offensive threat. Kobe didn't really seem to be trying in this game till the 4th quarter. Maybe the unfair criticism about his 81 point game got to him.

Air France took off!

Mikael Pietrus started in place of the injured JRich and showed some flashes of why many teams in the league are interested in him. Finally getting some minutes (39), MP2 dropped a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The points are nice, especially the 2 dunks, but what I like most about Pietrus' night was his rebounding. He's a big, athletic wingman. MP2 should be rebounding like this more often. Mikael can do wonders for his offensive game if he wasn't so in love with the three pointer, developed a midrange game, took it to the hole more, and focused on rebounding.

His 1 steal and 1 block hint at the defense he's capable of. With Monty foolishly going with Fisher on Kobe in the second half, Pietrus pretty much shut down Lamar Odom. Odom was going at Dunleavy before he was knocked out of the game with a rolled ankle (keep reading), but looked like a scrub against Pietrus.

Monty- START PIETRUS INSTEAD OF DUNLEAVY. Dunleavy has had every chance in the world and still hasn't shown he deserves to be starting. Pietrus gives the Warriors defense and aggressiveness- something they need to avoid being down by so many points early in games.

T-Double had 15 points and collected 14 boards. His defense has really picked up the past few games. Aside from one perfectly timed block on Odom late in the game, Foyle had a pretty bad night. 4 rebounds in 27 minutes from your starting center is unnaceptable.

Derek Fisher really likes to shoot. No, I mean he really likes to shoot. He took 15 shots, but at least he went to the line 10 times. Have you noticed that every time he plays the Lakers he tries to be like Kobe (more so than usual)? My theory is that Fish wants to play for Phil and the Lakers real bad and he's trying to put on a show for them.

Before he rolled his ankle, Dunleavy looked like he was headed to another bad game. He's usually a pretty solid free throw shooter, but he missed both of his attempts last night. But for the first time, I think I saw why maybe some clueless Warriors fans think he's so smart. I always thought people believed this because a) his dad is a coach (which is dumb since intelligence is not genetic) and b) he's white (which is dumb because race has nothing to do with intelligence). It's because he has a big head.

His head is 3x the size of Smush's!

Dunleavy rolled his ankle in the first half after landing wrong when trying to collect a rebound. If you've ever played hoops, rolling your ankle is pretty painful. It's usually not a serious injury, but one that lingers and isn't fun. On a side note- is Mike Dunleavy Jim Barnett's love child? After Dunleavy landed wrong, he blamed Mike's ankle roll on Andris Biedrins (aka the Human Foul Film) for being out of position. Huh? Look Andris might be pretty uncoordinated (his free throw stroke makes Ben Wallace's look like Ray Allen's), but how is he responsible for Dunleavy's rolled ankle? Just insane.

Baron: "Get this scrub out of here!"

Hate to say this, but the Warriors are a better team without Dunleavy getting 30+ minutes a night. Even Jessica Alba who sat courtside seemed happy to waive Dunleavy goodbye.

Jessica: "Seeya Mike! My post up moves are more fantastic than yours!"

Tough loss, but good effort. Playoffs? PLAYOFFS?! Let's not get into that.

Warrior Wonder
Aside from jacking up an impossible shot at the end of the 4th when he was triple teamed, Boom Dizzle played like a superstar last night. 29 points, 10 dimes, and 3 steals without JRich is incredible. Baron took it to the hole, set up his teammates, and played pretty good defense. Great game.

Boom Deazy even had time to tickle Devean George behind his knee as he drove past him!

Golden State Crushes Cavaliers 99-79

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 10:01:33 -0800

Jason Richardson scored 22 points and Mike Dunleavy played some excellent defense as the Golden State Warriors beat a lifeless Cleveland Cavalier team 99-79. Lebron James had a horrific shooting night going just 5-22 in route to 14 points. James did hurt his knee when he collided with a Warrior in the first half [...]

Waxing Masonic

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 09:09:03 -0800

Author's Note: I love meeting new people, regardless of whether more often than not I come away dissapointed. Friends say I have impossibly high expectations... I contend that I rather mind myself with quality and not quantity. I'm lazy, get bored easily and find it far sweeter to meet someone who challenges the limits of personal osmosis. The subject of this article is just that. Someone who may make me mildly obsessed for a decade. Still, it's worth noting that women are on a completely different scale - interactions based solely on aesthetics.

I am pleased to introduce you to Anthony Mason, Jr. Sir Anthony, Young Mase, whatever you may want to call him - the quick and dirty is that he's a Freshman at St. John's, playing in the Big East under Norm Roberts. He played high school ball in Memphis and was relatively well recruited, considered a top 25 small forward in last year's class. Peep his St. john's bio page and an article about him from the Red Storm student paper. Here he is in the skin:

If you've never read FreeDarko before and get dizzy easily I suggest you go read those links and skip ahead a few paragraphs. I'll even buffer the splendor by images that make no sense. For the gutless - if you see the man below in cartoon form, you've arrived at your destination.

The long of it is more disturbing, because extended details on Simba (as I call him) are scarce. It leaves much to the imagination, and around here those are fruitful parcels.

Honestly, I assume we can all agree that we expect little from the offspring of NBA stars gone by. The Abdul-Jabbars and Jeffrey Jordans of the world dissapointed us one time too many. No need to put hope there with so much else in the I Love This Game to care about.

Those that have followed in the footsteps well enough to make it to the league barely made an echo. Mike Dunleavy Sr. is too old and bald for us to remember him, too impotent to make Junior worth anything more than being a Dukie who I resent because he's always been coached by a pro. I'd like to think that in 2023, Thanksgiving Day at the Dunleavy House will still feature bickering about potential never met, a promise long past wasted.... if those blue bloods get together at all.

But I have no such bile and vile to spit on the Mason family, no such dark wishes to tempt my amusement. I wish both Senior and Junior only the best.

I am of the belief that both Anthony Masons will keep on mattering. A beautiful equilibrium will exist. The first because he was such a destructive presence, long established for our memories. And his offspring is a joyful tease - offering clues about the poison of his family line, indications of both the talent and trauma of being named Anthony Mason. But first a few notes on Senior.

Lately, the new class of FreeDarko has touched upon their boyhood crushes. Those players that meant so much to them, reflecting their turn from young watchers of the Association to grizzled commentators on the fringe of the Life. Similarly, Anthony Mason, Sr. occupies a special place in my heart - representing that year when I stopped being a fanboy simpleton occupied with only the success of my home team and its roster of scraps. The moment when I began to dive full force into the mana of the NBA.

At the risk of sounding tawdry I'll try to be brief. I initially loathed the man. He represented the undying passion of the Knicks in its most raw form. I didn't respect his talent, nor that of John Starks. I was hell bent on pedigree - Khalid Reeves, Billy Owens and other demagogues - not ready to embrace this bruising journeyman who appeared as a barbaric slap to the face of Jordan's league.

During the late 90s, I was able to watch from afar. Mason, Sr. was relegated to Charlotte and more important things were afoot at home. Riley had made his way down to Miami and I now began to appreciate his skill in finding jewels amongst coal. While during his Heat tenure he hasn't found another Starks or a Mason - the Ike Austins, Bruce Bowens and Vo Lenards of the world have been briefly sweet. Alas, today's Heat roster - saturated with talent - leaves no room for these dark horses to tread.

It was in the same days of the trade that brought King Anthony to Miami that I was lacing up my own hightops for the Masters of the Klondike Intramural Basketball Team in suburban Philadelphia. Bethlehem Shoals, Shoefly, Silverbird (er Shadowfax) and I had managed to seduce some ringers to play for our team.

As we advanced through the season and into the playoffs, we became enamored with our collection of talent. The team, aptly named The Masters of Style, began to dole out monikers for everyone on our roster. We pooled real life players from the early millenia Dallas Mavericks - it made sense since our point had Nash like hair and our four/five was tall and white enough to be Nowitzki-like... and so on...

But as those conversations got to yours truly, Shoefly was at a loss for Maverick comparison. My game was bruising, devoid of any real skill. Between my still-broad shoulders and my then-added college beer weight (now gone, I assure), I was a moving brick wall that lacked sense, compassion or feeling. Often, my court defness was complimented by pre-game shots of Patron or a low level narcotic. I was a tidy package of rage and pain.

Thus, it came of no surprise that the other Masters dubbed me Anthony Mason. I saw myself in him - teased that his actual skill was that which I could tap into with new, expensive sneakers and more exercise!

Now, let's rejoin those readers that couldn't stomach the excess...

Welcome back. I hope you enjoyed reading about the Red Storm. The rest of us have gotten a little personal.

Indeed, the facts on Anthony Mason, Jr. are scarce. We know little of him or his promise. But we do know much about his kin. I challenge you all to remember his father as best you can. Keep his spirit alive, because his was the rare soul that could incite the Yale Herald, that bastion of fair and balanced journalism, in April of 2002 to speak of him so ill... saying:

In 2002, Mason has changed very little, but he has successfully transformed the Bucks from a title-contending team to a group of dispassionate and disgruntled parts. Mason demands a touch on every possession, and his lack of speed prevents the team from using its run-and-gun offensive attack. The Bucks' offense, which last year relied on quick ball movement and unselfish perimeter play, now goes through Mason, and the team's average production has fallen from 101 to 97 points per game. Further, the surly power forward has created locker room dissension to the point that Bucks players have lost all confidence in one another. Mason achieved the unimaginable, tearing the heart from a team that thrived almost entirely on passion in its run to the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals.

Mase, Sr. certainly always had that ability to get under someone's skin as he did to Herald writer Kenneth Hammond (assuredly a silly Bucks fan to blame their failures wholly on him). Yet, that quote's purpose here is to illustrate how Hammond's description of Mason is formed with such hate... this man had the uncanny ability to draw attention and scorn that seems almost a futuristic omen to today's era of FreeDarko. Mase had a power to spark. I doubt he drew the passion out of the Bucks (oxymoron), he probably just tipped the balance over a bit too much...

My new hope is that his son will bring the same flavor. Many of you must be asking yourselves, how can Anthony Mason, Jr. possibly measure up to the dark circles under his father's eyes? How could we not expect that the semen of a godly man with Samson like strength not be watered down if intermingled with that of a simply maiden? His was the loins that should have penetrated one of the Williams Sisters, even Sheryl Swoopes if she swung that way...

Granted I know nothing of Senior's bedfellow or Junior's teat feeder to judge her - but I had hoped that it be written in Scriptures that Anthony Mason, Sr. should have proliferated a new breed of muscle bound but fleet footed 3s with a comparably raw and talented athlete.

But it seems, that the lady was a more than suitable match. Because given what we know about his father and with the small bits that we have about Mase, Jr..... we find a delicious paradox of anger inherited and intelligence granted. Sugar AND spice.

Yes, first glance is that he's a Mama's boy. Junior is a self-proclaimed lover of Shakespeare's Macbeth and member of the National Honor Society, while his father was famously charged with third-degree rape of two teenage girls in 1998 and must be relatively illiterate.

But, this is no boy done too good. Delving further, his literary tastes and personal motto show a teenager with some contempt for the legacy given to him, refusing not to stake his own claim. But also a boy who grew up in awe of his father - imitating him on the court and in his personal hygiene patterns.

For where his father would carve messages into his scalp, his son went far further and has become a new trail blazer for what can be accomplished with a razor and cream.

He has already one-upped the other sons and daughters simply by the "M" gloriously carved into his right eyebrow. This is enough for me to call this kid NeXt. Of course, around these parts we have a lurid infatuation with the promise of the future. Granted, too, we don't know much about Simba's game - seeming right now a bit thin for his size and a bit to doting to predict a daily Mason-Family-psycho-session.

But if you believe that the little things are indicators of future greatness, then he has them in droves. This Young Prince has already been characterized as "long" and "lanky" - bringing "length", "athletic ability" and "perimeter shooting" to the Red Storm according to his Coach. We know that length is the en vogue characteristic of a great player - at least until we start to measure forward lean. Nevermind that M carved into his eyebrow.

Physique wise he must fill out to fulfill the greatness I see for him. Around 200 pounds now, I need him to be at least 275 to tear the backboards down and be all the monster his father was and more. We know the pedigree is there. The word BULK is written accross every A T C G building block in his strings of DNA.

How about game? Again, there are limits to what we know - but I will watch closely as this college season unfolds. Luckily, if mental acumen/fortitude is still seen as the great separator between superstar and journeyman in the NBA - Young Mase should be ripe for consistent praise and psycho analysis. Apart from the Oedipus Complex that must both torture and fuel this young man, a great comfort is his choosing to don the same college uni as Ron Artest.

Think 'Melo without the 'Melo - a lanky three who should bulk up and has the anger patterns to tear shit up. I hope he makes Papa proud. I'll be watching.

3 to Success

Sun, 04 Dec 2005 14:33:42 -0800

Warriors' successcomes in 3s this year

The summation of the Warriors' philosophy in the Baron Davis era has been easy to define: 'Live by the three, die by the three.'
Perhaps it's time to amend that credo to read thusly: 'Live by the three, kill by the three.'
Golden State's reliance, offensively speaking, on the 3-point shot since Davis' arrival has been well-chronicled. The team is on pace to hoist a staggering 2,082 3-pointers this season, which would rank second in NBA history, behind only the 2,155 attempts by the Boston Celtics of 2002-03.
Yet the little-noticed flip side of that coin %u2014 the Warriors' ability to stop the output of opponents' 3-point shooters %u2014 has been equally critical to the team's rise to the top of the Pacific Division.
'It's a statistic that I don't think most people look at, but I guess it's a good thing,' Mike Dunleavy said. 'Three-pointers are what they are: three points.'

Wow! Thanks for the insight Mike.

Dunleavy Not Surprised, or Satisfied With Start

Tue, 22 Nov 2005 17:49:12 -0800

Jason Reid of THE LOS ANGELES TIMES writes, "A franchise-best 8-2 start is gratifying but not necessarily satisfying to Coach Mike Dunleavy, who says he expected this, and more, of the Clippers."

Preview: Warriors @ Blazers

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 17:38:09 -0800

The Golden State Warriors take on the 3-3 Portland Trailblazers tonight at 10:00 EST. The Warriors are trying to rebound from their 90-87 loss to the Bucks on Wednesday night. Poor shooting and rebounding were the main reasons for the Warriors loss, let's hope they can turn that around tonight against the Blazers.

vs

ESPN Preview | Yahoo Preview

The Blazers have been hot of late. After starting 0-2, they have won 3 out of 4 at home led by Darius Miles and Zach Randolph, both averaging over 20 ppg. Even though the wins were against Atlanta, New York, and Chicago, the team is still playing well as evidenced by their 3 point loss to the undefeated Pistons.

The Warriors defense has been keeping them in games. The offense was supposed to carry this team but it has been the defense that has stepped it up. Once the offense starts clicking like it was at the end of last year, look out. The Warriors will need to shoot better than the 36% they shot last game to post a win tonight. This should be a close game. Look for Pietrus to get some more minutes as the struggles of Mike Dunleavy continue. Also, Pietrus will provide better defense on the improved play of Darius Miles. Additionally, they'll have to rotate in Taft and Biedrins more often to help play defense on Zach Randolph because Murphy won't be able to contain him. Perhaps they can switch Adonal onto Randolph and have Murphy guard Przybilla since Przybilla is not much of an offensive force. If they can limit the damage done by Randolph and Miles and make the rest of the team beat them, the Warriors will have a great shot at winning.

Go Warriors!

Warriors Web Wrap 11/13/05

Sun, 13 Nov 2005 11:51:59 -0800

Montgomery hopes offense wakes up from SFGate.com

The Warriors are convinced they can stay in games with their defense. Getting their offense clicking is another matter.

Coach Mike Montgomery said his team needs to be assured of its shooting ability and specifically named Mike Dunleavy and Zarko Cabarkapa as "two guys that are just struggling with their confidence right now."

How to lose 40+ games in a season by Dave from MVN- The City

Meanwhile, maybe a shakeup is needed. The Warriors’ starting five combined to shoot 16/55, or 29.1% on Saturday night. Chalk it up to a back-to-back after the Knicks game last night, but this is a recurring trend. Mike Dunleavy’s field goal percentage is at 24.6% this season, quite a bit less than 44% — his career average prior to this year. Baron Davis’ is 35.5%, down from 41% before he entered this year’s campaign. Jason Richardson is at 41.4% this year, one or two points below his career average, but it isn’t deviating too far in order to cause any concern. For now, at least. Troy Murphy is shooting three points above his career average, which excuses him from the scorn I’ve handed out in the past. Adonal Foyle throws up a couple shots a night, and has managed to put 50% of them in the basket. With 18 shots in 7 games, it doesn’t count for much.

Warriors can't keep pace with the Suns from Mercury News

Once upon a time, the Warriors were a juggernaut.

Led by point guard Baron Davis, they had one of the most potent offenses in the NBA, closing the 2004-05 season with at least 100 points in their final 18 games.

But this year's offense is a shadow of what it was. Despite holding Phoenix nine points below its average and winning the rebounding battle, the Warriors didn't have the firepower to keep up with the Suns, falling 101-86 at America West Arena on Saturday.

Too much Suns for Warriors from SFGate.com

Hold those comparisons to the Phoenix Suns. Before the Warriors can challenge the Suns in athleticism or excitement, they first have to match their fast-breaking, rim-rattling, high-scoring offense.

And so far, these two teams are looking nothing alike.

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.

Keeping Dunleavy a done deal

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:43:16 -0800

Throughout this summer and into the fall, as his contract negotiations dragged on, Mike Dunleavy emanated an aura of calm that would have made even the Dalai Lama envious.

The Truth Is Out, Part 2

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:39:57 -0800

So BV did his draft recap and now it’s my turn. Like he said, we start 10 players (PG, SG, G, SF, PF, F, C, C, UT, UT), with three bench spots, 12 teams. So it’s a pretty deep league, and it’s very competitive. Hard to slip sleepers past these guys. Guys like Zaza Pachulia, Marquis Daniels, Eddie Griffin, Mike James, etc. were all gone by the 9th round, for example. My strategy going in was to heed my rankings, take the best player available with most picks, not get too hung up on positions, and not to ignore percentages, which always seem to give me problems. Let’s see how I did.

1st Round (4th overall): Dirk Nowitzki, PF
I was hoping that Marion would fall to me, but he went #3. It’s hard to complain about Dirk, and if continues to trade in a few 3s for a few more blocks, I’ll take it. He’s 27, clearly in his prime, clearly the top option on a perennially high scoring team, and he set career highs in blocks, assists and points last year. I’m banking on a repeat. I was tempted to take Kobe, and even a little tempted to shock the world and take Kirilenko, but in the end Dirk was the obvious choice.

2nd Round (21st overall): Yao Ming, C
I told my dad the day before that draft that if Yao was there for me at 21 I would take him, and I stuck to my word. Even in his “disappointing” season last year he finished 17th on the player rater, and he seems bound to take a leap forward this year, if he can continue to improve his game and his minutes per game by 3 or 4, which is a distinct possibility. I certainly liked him more than Jermaine O’Neal, and I was thought about Vinsanity and Mike Bibby, but a dominant center in the second round without reaching was too good to pass up.

3rd Round (28th overall): Pau Gasol, PF
I deliberated a whole lot here. Gasol was the highest person left on my board, but I’ve drafted him the past two years and have been burned before, by a frustrating rotation and injuries. And did I really want to go with three big men with my first three picks, after I preach about PGs so much? In the end I decided to trust myself and go with Gasol. All three players so far are big men with very solid percentages and Gasol, like Ming, seems likely to increase his effectiveness and playing time as he enters his prime and will be the featured player on a thinned-out Memphis squad. His foot problems are a concern, but I went with him over Bosh, Joe Johnson and Rashard Lewis.

4th Round (45th overall): Kirk Hinrich, G
I was absolutely thrilled to get Captain Kirk near the end of the fourth round. He was my highest ranked player left and I desperately needed a top flight PG. The next four picks – Boozer, Camby, Redd, Parker – show what a drop-off there was. Kirk’s FG% is rather brutal, but I’m hoping those first three guys could help offset it.

5th Round (52nd overall): Cuttino Mobley, SG
The middle rounds are always the toughest, and my strategy was to not give in to hype and to instead draft players who I felt would be sure-thing, solid contributors all season. Mobley may have been a bit of a reach, but he has a history of playing 40 mpg and he could very well see that on a thin Clippers team. And you know he’ll be launching his share of 3s, as well. I was strongly considering Lamar Odom, but figured I had plenty of boards and could use a gunner.

6th Round (69th overall): Rasheed Wallace, FC
Another steady, unspectacular pick. Rasheed has a solid all-around game and the fact that he qualifies at center means that I don’t have to worry about depending on one of those “who the hell knows?” guys that ended up going in the next few rounds. His percentages are rather weak, and he might have some clashes with Flip Saunders, but his track record shows steady production and good health. I might very well regret not going with Rafer Alston or Donyell Marhsall at this spot.

7th Round (76th overall): Richard Hamilton, SG
The ultimate safe pick. I’m not a huge fan of Rip’s fantasy game, but in the 7th round it’s hard to argue. I often overlook points, and Rip is always a nice source. He’s another great free throw shooter, and even if he doesn’t match his 5 apg of last year, he should be a solid contributor (see a theme developing?) there. He’s another person who you can leave in the lineup and not worry about, and I think my first seven picks, while lacking in flashiness are extremely solid.

8th Round (93rd overall): Mark Jaric, G
Here’s where you can start going for riskier picks. Or, at least that’s what I’m saying in retrospect. I don’t love this pick, at all. I’m a huge fan of Jaric’s potential, but he’s always hurt and depending on him as my #2 PG has disaster written all over it. If he stays healthy, I’m rather confident this pick will be a steal, but that’s very iffy. His high assist rate might also drop since Minnesota runs its offense through KG.

9th Round (100th overall): Josh Childress, GF
On the other hand, I was thrilled to land Childress in the 9th round. He was actually the only player that I’ve hyped up this season that ended up on my team. He was almost a top 50 player in the second half of last season, and can help in just about every category. Tayshaun Prince went three rounds earlier and I think Childress will end up with the better numbers at the end of the year.

10th Round (117th overall): Eddie Jones, GF
BV hates this pick, but I stand by it. If he was able to finish 52nd on the rater last season when he averaged nearly five points less than he had the past few seasons, he looks to have a slight resurgence in Memphis where he will be looked to as one of the main options behind Gasol. He had a horrid preseason, but this is one of those cases where I’ll take the 10 years of stats over the few preseason games. If he turns out to be a total bust, it’s only a 10th rounder.

11th Round (124th overall): Brendan Haywood, C
OK, this was a pure homer pick, I admit. Brendan is my girlfriend’s favorite player and I figured by having him on my team, I just bought myself a good 40-50 extra hours of basketball watching this season, at least. And for a third center, he’s not so bad, and it’s always nice to have a player on your favorite team to root for. It was the 11th round – Juan Dixon, Lorenzen Wright and Charlie Villanueva were the next three picks – I feel fine about this. That said, it came down to him and Mike Dunleavy and if I wasn’t a Maryland grad who was a Wizards fan, we know who I would have picked. I hope this one doesn’t haunt me.

12th Round (141st overall): T.J. Ford, PG
This one really upset BV, who cried shenanigans since I have not spoken well of Ford at all here on FBB. But hey, player value is all relative – in the 12th round, with Hinrich and Jaric as my only two PGs, I feel this is a strong pick. I still think Mo Williams is just as good of a player, at least this season, and Ford is a major injury risk, but I needed the depth.

13th Round (148th overall): Mike Sweetney, PF
With my last pick I decided to go with someone with some decent upside but also someone I wouldn’t mind jettisoning early on. Each year the waiver wire offers a few players who emerge in the first few weeks of the season that turn out to be quite valuable and you have to be ready to pounce on them. With news that Sweetney will be coming off the bench initially, and knowing that Scott Skiles can be downright Sloan/Hubie Brown-ish when it comes to rotations, Sweetney might be packing his bags soon.

So there’s my team. I think that it’s pretty (here comes that word) solid top to bottom. My top four picks are all young and in their primes, and the rest of my squad is a good mix of established vets and young, but not necessarily green, players. I don’t have any one-category studs and instead am relying on a group effort to put me at the top of most categories. I’m admittedly thin at point guard, but you know that I’m always ready to rotate through the flavor of the week at that position.

Thoughts on who has the better squad, myself of BV???

Enjoy the first games of the season tonight. Go Dirk!

Overall Rankings: 61-90

Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:33:25 -0800

1 to 30
31 to 60

This is where things start to get tricky. In the first four or five rounds, you have to take the best player available. There is a limited number of true impact players, and the more you can get your hands on, the better. By the time you get the middle rounds, you need to start addressing team needs. Most of these players have specific strengths and weaknesses and are pretty interchangeable, really.

61. Shareef Abdur-Rahim – Career averages: 20 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.8 bpg, 47% and 82%. Was always healthy before last year, could be bargain this low.
62. Kyle Korver – Will lead the league in 3s – probably by a lot. Philly isn’t very deep (especially after C-Webb goes down), so PT shouldn’t be an issue, plus he grabs his share of steals.
63. Kurt Thomas – Not a whole ton of upside, but he’s missed just five games in four seasons and will be a key part of one of the league’s top offenses.
64. Chris Paul – A bit of wishful thinking perhaps, but he should have every opportunity to run with the starting job and backup Claxton has a knack for getting injured.
65. Damon Stoudamire – Should fend off B-Jax and be a solid #2 PG; you know he’s not shy about launching 3s.
66. Stromile Swift – At the very least, should average around 2 bpg, and that C-eligibility is pretty sweet, to boot.
67. Jalen Rose – Not the most exciting pick, but he should be on the court enough to rack up some pretty nice numbers.
68. Tony Parker – Remember, he’s just 23 and has gotten better each year; fixing his FT% and continued improvement will make him as solid as the rest of the PG in this batch.
69. Grant Hill – Can’t see production or health getting better this year, only worse.
70. Samuel Dalembert – Another one of those failed sleepers picks that can provide nice value the following year; could be the next in the Camby/Chandler mold.
71. Kenyon Martin – Always overrated; usually fights injury issues and just doesn’t fill up the box score all that much.
72. Jamaal Magloire – We think you’ll probably be able to slip him by later than this; don’t forget he was 14/10 with 1.2 blocks and 47% and 75% before injury-marred 04-05.
73. Stephen Jackson – Depth and sanity issues, but he’s a 3-point gunner who gets decent steals.
74. Antawn Jamison – He might get more trigger happy from long range, which would help boost his overvalued stock.
75. Marko Jaric – He’s been an FBB favorite and an FBB most hated; brings a nice combo of 3s, assists and steals, but health has always been a major, major issue.
76. Tayshaun Prince – If you’ve made some risky picks, he’s a guy you can plug in for the entire season and leave alone.
77. Carmelo Anthony – Probably the single most overrated player in fantasy, but young enough to improve.
78. Jason Williams – Just sense trouble in Miami; also, has missed at least 10 games in three of last four seasons.
79. Josh Childress – This kid could blow up, and you’ll want to get in on the ground floor; I see Tayshaun Prince, others see Shawn Marion – could realistically land halfway between the two.
80. Drew Gooden – Hard to ignore last year’s 28th place finish on the player rater, but he always seems to rub folks the wrong way and this is a deep squad.
81. Caron Butler – Don’t at all expect more of April’s numbers, just hope he can regain his rookie steals magic.
82. Luke Ridnour – He’s almost a solid #2 PG, and if he can get up to 37 mpg, he surely will be.
83. Quentin Richardson – Actually averaged 2.5 ppg less last year than with the Clippers; great rebounder for a guard.
84. Jamal Crawford – Expect lots of people to be scared to draft Knicks; there’s a certain risk involved, but this late you can afford to take a chance.
85. Deron Williams – Just remember that Jerry Sloan can be an extremely frustrating coach, and he is a rookie point guard.
86. Mike Dunleavy – Hey, it’s a contract year and the Warriors could put up 120 regularly.
87. Antoine Walker – Fewer minutes may make percentages more bearable, but will have negative impact overall.
88. Andrew Bogut – We tend to tread very carefully with rookies on FBB; it’s all about how many steals and blocks he can give you.
89. Raef Lafrentz – If he can repeat last year’s unspectacular but healthy season, he’ll be a bargain this low.
90. Shane Battier – With Memphis’s thinned-out roster, more PT will be available for the stat stuffer – especially when the inevitable injury hits.

5 Reasons to UP Dunleavy for the Max

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 09:29:55 -0800

One of the most pressing issues for the Warriors is whether to give Mike Dunleavy a contract extension (see Dunleavy plays it cool and The Dunleavy Dilemma). Should the Warriors bust open the wallet Fisher/Foyle-style for this former #3 overall pick (see Worst #3)? Should the Warriors let the man walk or see what they can get for him on the trading block before the February deadline? One thing's for sure- there is no clear cut answer on what the Warriors should do with Dunleavy. There does not seem to be a general consensus about Dunleavy's value among fans either (see Don't Believe the Hype... cuz I did).

But don't worry. This is what we're here for at the Golden Warriors BLOG. We give you the information that you and the Warriors (see Thanks Chris!) need to make wise decisions. Today we'll drop 5 Reasons to resign Dunleavy to a long-term, lucrative contract with another 5 Reasons to send the man packing (see What Can Brown Do for the Warriors?) to follow in the next few days. Without further ado...

5 Reasons to UP Dunleavy for the Max

1. His court vision is impeccable.

2. He just looks so smart out there on the court.

3. Good things happen when he's on the bench

4. He's got crazy range on his jumper.

5. No question- Mike Dunleavy is the BEST defensive player in the league.

After those 5 extremely convincing reasons to resign Dunleavy, I'm sure it will be next to impossible for anyone to come up with any reasons not to extend him. But don't worry- we're up for it! 5 Reaons to send Dunleavy packing coming soon.

Make sure to drop any other reasons you think the Warriors should resign Dunleavy in the comments section. I think we've exhausted the entire list of reasons to resign him, but we could have missed something. Although, I seriously doubt it.

2005 Fantasy Basketball Busts

Wed, 12 Oct 2005 14:58:04 -0800

Knowing who to draft, obviously, is important. Equally important is to know who (whom?) NOT to draft. The guys listed below are guys that we feel might be over-valued, which isn’t to say that they shouldn’t be drafted, but you should let them slide past their “projected” spots for a few rounds. Most of these guys are long-time veterans who are losing these luster – others are overhyped young’uns. Each are dangerous.

PG: Sam Cassell, LAC – Cassell was no doubt a disappointment last year both for fantasy owners and his real-life owners. Now that he’s been shipped to the Clippers and handed the starting job over Shaun Livingston, some might expect a rejuvenated Cassell. Don’t be fooled – he’s simply holding the spot for Livingston, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the youngster starting by Thanksgiving. Other potential busts: Jamaal Tinsley, Mike James.

SG: Eddie Jones, Mem – This is it for Eddie Jones as far as fantasy value goes. In an ideal situation last year, getting 35 mpg as a third/fourth option with plenty of outside looks, only his three-pointers really kept him off the waiver wire. This year, expect no more than 25-27 mpg, and a spot on your bench until he proves himself worthy. Other potential busts: Michael Finley, Ben Gordon.

SF: Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Sac – Back in his heyday, Abdur-Rahim was probably overrated as a fantasy player, putting up some of the emptiest 20 and 10 seasons this side of Zack Randolph. Now that he’s getting older, on a team where he’s no better than the fourth option, and competing for playing time with Kenny Thomas and Corliss Williamson, we’re very happy to wait until the 6th or 7th round before considering him. Other potential busts: Mike Dunleavy, Darius Miles.

PF: Juwan Howard, Hou – I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know with Howard. His value is borderline at absolute best. He might go in the last couple of rounds but I wouldn’t even spend a pick on him there. His health and playing time are both in doubt, and there are much better risks to take late. Other potential busts: PJ Brown, Keith Van Horn.

C: Michael Olowokandi, C – We’ve got a saying here in Washington: Fool me once, shame – shame on you. Fool me twice … uh … I won’t get fooled again! Olowokandi has been fooling fantasy players just about every year, and now, with a rotation at center and a coach he’s off on the wrong foot with, Kandi man has finally given us a reason not to draft him this year. Thanks, Mike! Other potential busts: Eddy Curry, Joel Przybilla.

Anyone else out there that some of you guys think are overvalued?

For Relaxing Times, It's Dunleavy Time

Wed, 05 Oct 2005 09:43:20 -0800

Via Pardon The Eruption and Yay!Sports comes this pretty classic photo of Warriors guard Mike Dunleavy Jr. It was taken on Golden State's media day, apparently some part of a "promotion," though the only thing we can imagine this is "promoting" is a reason for Oakland-area women to stay single.

Right after this photo was taken, a Warriors sports information director admitted that Dunleavy had been "punk'd," that in fact they were just trying to see how he'd react when they asked him to "give us the 'I'm driving the lane on Shaq' face." This led Dunleavy to pour the spit bowl over his head in front of a stunned press corps and screaming, "This tastes like the back of a fucking L.A. school bus!"

Defending Against MP [Pardon The Eruption] (via Yay!Sports)