- 09:38 AM
- 11/05/24
| Location: | SE Michigan |
|---|---|
| Member since: | April 14, 2004 |
| Last visit: | August 02, 2006 |
BobbyC has posted 1 link and 28 comments to SportsFilter and 0 links and 3 comments to the Locker Room.
But...: what about character? Suns make a big play for Kobe Bryant after cleaning house of all the problem players over the last few years... After trading so many talented, troubled players, and getting little in return, why go after a talented and very troublesome player now? What's the deal with the NBA? (You can go to Jeff Benedict's segment on June 28th and listen to a tape of the show over RealPlayer)
posted by BobbyC to basketball at 12:06 PM on July 01, 2004 - 1 comment
Uhmmm.... I'm just sayin' but I think the Lakers - Spurs series only went 6 games. Meanwhile, the Pistons beat the Nets in 7, with a triple-overtime game thrown in, and then beat the Pacers in 6. Both of those series were likely more physical than anything that happened in the West.
posted by BobbyC at 06:31 PM on June 19, 2005
Granted I'm a Pistons fan, but I actually thought it was the Spurs - Suns series that was boring. As someone who has played basketball for fifteen years, with a few years of organized ball, I find it boring (and reminiscent of bad playground ball) to see a shot go up in the first five seconds ON EVERY POSSESSION, which is what the Suns do as a strategy. Alot of the Suns plays were either a wing or Stoudamire slashing to the basket for a weird shot or Nash slashing to the basket to jump up and pass. And when defense is being played by the Wallaces and Tayshaun it's very exciting.
posted by BobbyC at 09:36 AM on June 18, 2005
Hmmm... I was disappointed by the Eastern Conference Finals a bit, but I also think it would have been easy for the Pistons to let the Shaq mystique and the next Jordaning of Wade overwhelm the them. I think the Pistons have three advantages and the Spurs have three advantages. Pistons 1 better defense (the ability to play all-time defense) 2 five different players capable of going for thirty (Billups, Hamilton, Prince, RWallace, McDyess) 3 they haven't blinked twice now against Shaq (and Duncan and the Spurs have) Spurs 1 quick, slashing guards (I've been watching the Pistons all year here in Detroit and this seems to be a weakness) 2 Tim Duncan 3 easier path to the Finals
posted by BobbyC at 04:41 PM on June 07, 2005
Okay, Darko is the worst because of who Detroit could have drafted instead... hmmm... I'm no Yahoo! sports writer, but immediately I seemed to recall a certain Sam Bowie, who was terrible throughout his whole career, also drafted number 2, right ahead of a certain Michael Jordan, as well as Charles Barkley and John Stockton. But sure! Darko's the worst! Darko does dog it when he gets in some times, but he's playing behind a rather talented frontcourt in Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess. Heck McDyess the former All-Star doesn't always seem to be trusted by Larry Brown. I don't think we can say how good Darko is until Detroit gets a new coach or he goes to another team.
posted by BobbyC at 02:01 PM on May 26, 2005
The article mentioned that Chapman was often described as the greatest high school basketball player Kentucky had produced (I believe Tim Couch was described the same way in football, although Shaun Alexander looks to be having a bit better NFL career). Chapman was good, but I'd say he wasn't better than Wes Unseld or Darrell Griffith who have high school, college and NBA titles between them. But their problem was that they were from Louisville, and what's worse, the West End. Even when he was at Kentucky, my mother didn't like him, because she knew Kentucky fans loved that he was white. Being a fan of Louisville, the arch-rival and largely black university, got me called n----- lover quite a bit at school. Perhaps the funniest thing is that winning changes a lot. Now that Pitino is at UL, and they made the Final Four, I have seen quite a few rural white people sporting UL gear. (I'm a white guy who grew up in the Louisville area and now lives in Detroit)
posted by BobbyC at 01:45 PM on May 18, 2005
You have to count on a good team falling apart, too. Like this year's TWolves who were picked by some to win the NBA title this year. I think the Celtics are actually kinda like the Knicks in that they have lots of people who are hard to trade - who will want Payton, Walker or Davis? They basically have Paul Pierce and some very young wing players. I think Pierce is really problematic. When he's on, he's one of those demoralizing players who can just hit anything he throws up. But ultimately that kind of player is disruptive to any team's offense if they are the first option. Pierce definitely needs to figure out how to get other people involved, because junk players confuse their teammates and make them stand around. I'm curious to see how long the Pistons can last... They won early last year, not having done the traditional 'lose in the Finals the first try and win it soon thereafter.' They basically came out of nowhere, having done well for two years and then reaching a title. It seems like Shaq should only have two or three years left and I think his dominant days are over as more and more seven footers come in the league. I think the teams that are liable to explode next year would be your Houstons or Clevelands. I think Indiana and Dallas might fall apart next year. Indiana has too many head cases...
posted by BobbyC at 11:29 AM on May 10, 2005
In my opinion the author was correct that Kareem's sky hook was the hardest shot to defend (even harder than the dunk). I think you have to assume in a discussion of 'hardest to defend' shots that all shots could be made, within reason. Obviously it's easy to defend a dunk by me because I can't dunk. Just step out of the way and I won't make the shot. Shot properly, the hook shot leaves the hand (and travels upward) with your body perpendicular to your defender. The entire width of your body separates the defender from the ball and thus they have to be considerably taller than you to block it (more than likely they would foul you trying to block you). If I could dunk, and you and I were the same height, you could get between me and the basket (again assuming both of us could jump that high). If I could shoot the hook (and we were the same height) you would be less able to get between me and the basket. Caveat - I'm 29, so don't call me an oldey. I also play Rip Hamilton style (shooting off picks and motion).
posted by BobbyC at 05:46 PM on February 15, 2005
Having flown to Beijing this Summer, I hope in twenty years the trip is easier... One of the major impediments to a global NBA is getting the players to travel. Or, at least, having a travel system that wouldn't be brutal.
posted by BobbyC at 08:48 PM on August 22, 2004
It wouldn't totally surprise me if DC broke out of last year's funk and turned in a very good year. Locally, Williamson was thought to be in Brown's doghouse for his defensive play (well, lack of). Corliss played well in the Finals but you could see his defensive unawareness exposed quite a bit at times. Rasheed and DC is a little scary, but they could turn into being very scary on the court, too.
posted by BobbyC at 04:24 PM on August 05, 2004
Well, I've argued this before on this very forum, but I think basketball deserves some consideration because it requires two things that SOME of the other sports require at least LESS of - One is cross-training. In basketball, to play well, you need to be able to jump, run, and move side-to-side quickly, not to mention use a fair amount of upper-body strength. In hockey you don't have the same impact on the legs, although there is perhaps more upper-body impact. Soccer takes a touch less jumping, although there is more running, certainly. There are a considerable number of muscles and systems involved in playing basketball. Two is that when you are in the game at all, you are being active (NBA isolation plays, notwithstanding). I think this is an important point. In hockey or soccer you work one half of the playing area. In basketball, you need to be able to score and defend both and should always be active (again, the NBA notwithstanding). I'm not saying basketball should be number one, but it seems very far down on this list. I would say someone like Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice or Lance Armstrong is at a level where differences are not as perceptible. Oliver Miller, on the other hand, never caught on in the NBA because of his lack of conditioning. A better example would be Charles Barkley or Warren Sapp who have both succeeded despite seemingly flabby physiques (although Chuck was better early in his career).
posted by BobbyC at 02:15 PM on July 27, 2004
I think Wade will work well with Shaq. I say that more from seeing Wade in Conference USA - I think he can do the spot-up shooting. I believe Wade has a rather high FG% particularly for a rookie (I checked, it's .455% highest on the TEAM in the playoffs, .465% in the regular season). You don't get that from driving to the basket, commentators aside, that comes from a good midrange game. So Wade may be even better with Shaq, although that's without a sophomore jinx. I think Eddie Jones will be good with Wade and Shaq. Jones can slash, Wade can distribute and shoot. Maybe Haslem, Allen and Butler can platoon at the forward spots. I think Miami will have to pick up some free agents, maybe some diamond-in-the-rough rookies to make this work. I don't see this making Miami a Finals contender without another good player or two. This Miami lineup is not better than the Lakers were, imo. If Shaq goes on the revenge tear suggested by Bill Simmons and returns to a good playing weight, maybe that can help them challenge for the East's top spot. Maybe he just needs some controlled carbs.
posted by BobbyC at 09:08 PM on July 12, 2004
What MAY work is that Boozer is the anti-Okur. Boozer will do the hard, dirty rebounding, putback play, while Okur can shoot the three and occasionally slash inside. Okur is big and played well against Shaq in spots, but generally suffers the Euro problem - not big on fighting under the basket. And hey, I think Harpring will be challenging for a spot, too. When he went down he was the team's leading scorer. Granted Kirilenko cannot be put on the bench... But maybe Utah can be the Western Detroit.
posted by BobbyC at 08:14 PM on July 08, 2004
Somehow I didn't see lilnemo's post (maybe the browser cache?), so sorry for the duplication... I think I have a bit of a different angle, but I could have put it in his post.
posted by BobbyC at 12:08 PM on July 01, 2004
Notre Dame #10 in AP poll!
*cough*Cuchulainn*cough* bless his warped heart.