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Saturday, May 9, 2009
No suspensions for Celtics
Shocker - NBA decides not to suspend the Celtics' Kendrick Perkins for elbowing Pietrus in the throat Friday night. However Orlando's Alston was suspended for that game for slapping House in the head. The explanation in these playoffs has been that any blow above the shoulders results in a one game suspension. Apparently that doesn't apply if you're a Boston Celtic. See my last post.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Question - Why does Kenyon Martin get fined $25K for a hard foul and Dwight Howard gets suspended for a game for an elbow...yet Rondo threw Brad Miller down by the face and Heinrich into the scorers table and hasn't had any consequences? Gotta love the double standard NBA.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Orlando Magic relying too much on Turkoglu
As an Orlando Magic fan, I have to say I'm really getting tired of Hedo Turkoglu. His stupid turnovers often lead to easy baskets for the other team, and he takes bad shots in clutch situations. For instance, with about a minute to go last night, 13 seconds still on the shot clock, and the Magic needing to run out the clock he launched a contested 3 pointer. He also constantly is missing the open man, especially on pick and rolls with Dwight. Kenny Smith on TNT ran video of the first half and how many times he missed a wide open Dwight Howard under the basket after a pick and roll. And don't forget about all the layups he fails to convert after getting to the basket. Oh, and his horrible one on one defense.
The thing that really bugs me is that the Sun Sports announcers and even Stan Van Gundy still think he is this great playmaker for the team, but I'm starting to think the negatives outweigh his occasional 4th quarter heroics. Now last year was a different story. He played much more under control. But I haven't seen it this season, and I think Pietrus should be taking more and more of his minutes. Every possession is much more important in the playoffs, and his careless attitude can affect others on the team. They are still going to beat the 76ers, just because they're a better team, but once they face some better competition, these types of plays are going to be the difference that sends them home early.
Another note, I thought Reddick gave them some nice minutes last night, playing some tough defense, even though he couldn't get his offense going. He's the type of shooter that even when he's not scoring, his man won't leave him to double Dwight, so that's always a positive.
The thing that really bugs me is that the Sun Sports announcers and even Stan Van Gundy still think he is this great playmaker for the team, but I'm starting to think the negatives outweigh his occasional 4th quarter heroics. Now last year was a different story. He played much more under control. But I haven't seen it this season, and I think Pietrus should be taking more and more of his minutes. Every possession is much more important in the playoffs, and his careless attitude can affect others on the team. They are still going to beat the 76ers, just because they're a better team, but once they face some better competition, these types of plays are going to be the difference that sends them home early.
Another note, I thought Reddick gave them some nice minutes last night, playing some tough defense, even though he couldn't get his offense going. He's the type of shooter that even when he's not scoring, his man won't leave him to double Dwight, so that's always a positive.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Shaq sounding like bitter old man
"I got four (titles) and your man (Howard) got none."
"I was the type of player that they had to have secret meetings and change the rules and do all that. Probably never be another me. He's a good player, but everything he's done, I've invented. So I'm not impressed."
Shaq also told Sports Illustrated about Howard channeling Superman saying, "Doesn't bother me. I can't be impressed by something I invented in '92. I mean, you look at what he is doing, I've been there and done that. Every street he is driving down in Orlando, I have been on that street. Every nightclub, every restaurant. ... I have been there and done that. Until he wins three, four championships, then we can talk about him. But right now, he is just like every other big guy: 'You can run and jump, but you haven't won yet."
"When it's all said and done, I'll have four or five titles. It doesn't matter to me who tries to take my (Superman nickname). We all know who the real (Superman) is."
Such are the words of wisdom from an NBA elderstatesman, one hoping to have a lasting legacy in the league, but instead looking like a jealous, bitter, petty man wishing everyone was still talking about his feats on the court instead of debating whether he's too old to be effective anymore. The target he's chosen this day? Dwight Howard, Orlando's classy big man who is quickly rising as one of the NBA's brightest young stars. Nothing like attacking a young kid who stays out of trouble, isn't covered with tatoo's, and who works hard for his team every night.
"I can’t stop Shaq from saying anything. I just wouldn’t expect that coming from him," Howard said before Tuesday's matchup.
The preceeding comments came before the game. After the Suns lost to the Magic, Shaq decided to change the subject..."I'm too old to be trying to outscore an 18-year-old," he said. "I'm so far ahead of everybody in statistics, I don't even try for them anymore."
Then the once dominant center who despised teams resorting to flopping against him was called out for an obvious flop in Tuesday night's game by Magic coach (and former coach of Shaq in Miami) Stan Van Gundy.
O'Neal was guarding Howard with about 4 minutes left in the third quarter Tuesday night. Howard made a spin move, O'Neal fell to the court in an effort to get an offensive foul called, and the Magic center easily dunked with two hands.
"Note this," Van Gundy said. "It's not often that I will needle Shaq, because he's a big guy and he played for me and helped me win a lot of games. But he always talks about people flopping. Only one big guy tried to flop tonight. He tried to flop. So ask him about that. I told him something on the sideline. I said, 'C'mon now, all the griping you do about flopping and you're trying to take a flop."'
Shaq once again chose the high road...oh, wait, this is Shaq we're talking about.
"One thing I really despise is a frontrunner," O'Neal said when asked about Van Gundy. "I know for a fact he's a master of panic and when it gets time for his team to go into the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic. I've been there before. I've played for him."
"Flopping is playing like that your whole career," O'Neal said. "I was trying to take a charge, trying to get a call. Yeah, it probably was a flop, but flopping is wrong. Flopping would describe his coaching."
He played for Van Gundy in Miami for parts of two seasons and openly complained about coaching decisions in the 2005 Eastern Conference finals, when the Heat lost Game 7 at home to the Detroit Pistons.
O'Neal said he admitted to Van Gundy in that conversation that it was a flop.
But it was the postgame comments that truly seemed to raise Shaq's ire.
"I'm not going to sit around and let nobodies take shots at me," O'Neal said. "He is a nobody to me. If he thinks he can get a little press conference and take shots at me like I'm not take one back, he has another thing coming. ... I tried to take a charge. The rules say when a guy comes into your chest and you fall, it's an offensive foul. That's all I tried to do. I fell. I didn't complain."
Shaq, Shaq, is there anyone you've played with in the past that you haven't taken a shot at? We know you'll make a joke of it later on and everyone will love you again, but this behavior is so self destructive. Show some class and you will be regarded as a real NBA legend. You wouldn't see Bill Russell acting this way.
The Flop
"I was the type of player that they had to have secret meetings and change the rules and do all that. Probably never be another me. He's a good player, but everything he's done, I've invented. So I'm not impressed."
Shaq also told Sports Illustrated about Howard channeling Superman saying, "Doesn't bother me. I can't be impressed by something I invented in '92. I mean, you look at what he is doing, I've been there and done that. Every street he is driving down in Orlando, I have been on that street. Every nightclub, every restaurant. ... I have been there and done that. Until he wins three, four championships, then we can talk about him. But right now, he is just like every other big guy: 'You can run and jump, but you haven't won yet."
"When it's all said and done, I'll have four or five titles. It doesn't matter to me who tries to take my (Superman nickname). We all know who the real (Superman) is."
Such are the words of wisdom from an NBA elderstatesman, one hoping to have a lasting legacy in the league, but instead looking like a jealous, bitter, petty man wishing everyone was still talking about his feats on the court instead of debating whether he's too old to be effective anymore. The target he's chosen this day? Dwight Howard, Orlando's classy big man who is quickly rising as one of the NBA's brightest young stars. Nothing like attacking a young kid who stays out of trouble, isn't covered with tatoo's, and who works hard for his team every night.
"I can’t stop Shaq from saying anything. I just wouldn’t expect that coming from him," Howard said before Tuesday's matchup.
The preceeding comments came before the game. After the Suns lost to the Magic, Shaq decided to change the subject..."I'm too old to be trying to outscore an 18-year-old," he said. "I'm so far ahead of everybody in statistics, I don't even try for them anymore."
Then the once dominant center who despised teams resorting to flopping against him was called out for an obvious flop in Tuesday night's game by Magic coach (and former coach of Shaq in Miami) Stan Van Gundy.
O'Neal was guarding Howard with about 4 minutes left in the third quarter Tuesday night. Howard made a spin move, O'Neal fell to the court in an effort to get an offensive foul called, and the Magic center easily dunked with two hands.
"Note this," Van Gundy said. "It's not often that I will needle Shaq, because he's a big guy and he played for me and helped me win a lot of games. But he always talks about people flopping. Only one big guy tried to flop tonight. He tried to flop. So ask him about that. I told him something on the sideline. I said, 'C'mon now, all the griping you do about flopping and you're trying to take a flop."'
Shaq once again chose the high road...oh, wait, this is Shaq we're talking about.
"One thing I really despise is a frontrunner," O'Neal said when asked about Van Gundy. "I know for a fact he's a master of panic and when it gets time for his team to go into the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic. I've been there before. I've played for him."
"Flopping is playing like that your whole career," O'Neal said. "I was trying to take a charge, trying to get a call. Yeah, it probably was a flop, but flopping is wrong. Flopping would describe his coaching."
He played for Van Gundy in Miami for parts of two seasons and openly complained about coaching decisions in the 2005 Eastern Conference finals, when the Heat lost Game 7 at home to the Detroit Pistons.
O'Neal said he admitted to Van Gundy in that conversation that it was a flop.
But it was the postgame comments that truly seemed to raise Shaq's ire.
"I'm not going to sit around and let nobodies take shots at me," O'Neal said. "He is a nobody to me. If he thinks he can get a little press conference and take shots at me like I'm not take one back, he has another thing coming. ... I tried to take a charge. The rules say when a guy comes into your chest and you fall, it's an offensive foul. That's all I tried to do. I fell. I didn't complain."
Shaq, Shaq, is there anyone you've played with in the past that you haven't taken a shot at? We know you'll make a joke of it later on and everyone will love you again, but this behavior is so self destructive. Show some class and you will be regarded as a real NBA legend. You wouldn't see Bill Russell acting this way.
The Flop
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Rafer Alston big difference maker for the Magic
Otis Smith has done a wonderful job of putting together the current Orlando Magic team, and last Thursday they got an amazing break when they pulled off a trade for Rafer Alston. They did so without even giving up "one of their top ten guys" as Stan Van Gundy said.
The two games since, against Charlotte and Miami (which I realize aren't powerhouses in the NBA), Orlando blew out both teams. More importantly, Alston is pushing the ball, getting it to the three point shooters in rhythm, and catching Dwight in the paint where he doesn't have to work too hard to score. It's a perfect fit for their system, and I believe if everyone stays healthy, this current team can go deep in the playoffs. It comes just at the right time, since Nelson got hurt they were playing awful basketball. Hedo was taking care of much of the ball handling responsibilities, and although he's a good player, I often question his decision making. Now he doesn't have to worry about that role, and can play off the ball which he does best.
Tonight's matchup against the Bulls should be fun, although I'm looking forward to seeing how they play against one of the top teams later on. Hopefully they can continue to mature as a team and develop that killer instinct that is so important in sports, not letting teams back into games. This team is constantly improving, and doing so the right way which doesn't often happen in professional sports. It's great to see, and I look forward to many more exciting Orlando Magic games this season.
The two games since, against Charlotte and Miami (which I realize aren't powerhouses in the NBA), Orlando blew out both teams. More importantly, Alston is pushing the ball, getting it to the three point shooters in rhythm, and catching Dwight in the paint where he doesn't have to work too hard to score. It's a perfect fit for their system, and I believe if everyone stays healthy, this current team can go deep in the playoffs. It comes just at the right time, since Nelson got hurt they were playing awful basketball. Hedo was taking care of much of the ball handling responsibilities, and although he's a good player, I often question his decision making. Now he doesn't have to worry about that role, and can play off the ball which he does best.
Tonight's matchup against the Bulls should be fun, although I'm looking forward to seeing how they play against one of the top teams later on. Hopefully they can continue to mature as a team and develop that killer instinct that is so important in sports, not letting teams back into games. This team is constantly improving, and doing so the right way which doesn't often happen in professional sports. It's great to see, and I look forward to many more exciting Orlando Magic games this season.
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