National Champs send four in NBA Draft posted by Christopher Arroyo

The people who saw the 2009 NBA Draft on Thursday were in for a special treat when they saw Blake Griffin go No. 1.

 

Very predictable however.

 

Then, Hasheem Thabeet went No. 2, which was also predictable. Then things got a bit interesting.

 

The early shocker was Stephen Curry going number seven to the Golden State Warriors. But what was really neat was that all of the North Carolina players that declared were drafted.

 

The first Tar Heel chosen was Tyler Hansbrough, who went at number 13 to the Indiana Pacers. This was a good pick, for the Pacers and here is why. Indiana is not known to carry much toughness, especially in the frontcourt.

 

If you had the treat to see this guy in college then you would know that he’s the real deal for toughness. I think he will start the season on the bench, but he will emerge into that starting position around December.

 

The second Tar Heel chosen was Ty Lawson, who was picked by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now I know many of you were wondering why Minnesota picked four guards in the first round, which three were point guards. But, rest assured, they ended up trading Lawson to the Denver Nuggets for a future first round pick.

 

This is the BEST team for Lawson. You’re putting one of the top, and under-appreciated, point guards in the draft on a team that is surrounded with rising talent. He is also going to appreciate being an apprentice to Denver’s Chauncey Billups.

 

Probably the most respected guard in the league and known for his patience and leadership on and off the court. Sadly, he will be a bench player for a few years but, learning under Billups will definitely make him one of the top point guards in the league. This was really the best move of the draft Denver should be strong under the point guard position for at least the next 10 years if all goes well.

Continue reading "National Champs send four in NBA Draft"

OH-HUM THE 2009 NBA DRAFT posted by Andy Natalie

1 Clippers                      Blake Griffin PF
2. Grizzlies Hasheem Thabeet C
3. Thunder James Harden SG
4. Kings Tyreke Evans SG
5. Timberwolves Ricky Rubio PG
6. Timberwolves Jonny Flynn PG
7. Warriors Stephen Curry PG
8. Knicks Jordan Hill PF
9. Raptors DeMar DeRozan SG
10. Bucks Brandon Jennings PG
11. Nets Terrence Williams SG
12. Bobcats Gerald Henderson SG
13. Pacers Tyler Hansbrough PF
14. Suns Earl Clark SF
15. Pistons Austin Daye SF
16. Bulls James Johnson PF
17. 76ers Jrue Holiday PG
18. Timberwolves Ty Lawson PG
19. Hawks Jeff Teague PG
20. Jazz Eric Maynor PG
21. Hornets Darren Collison PG
22. Trail Blazers Victor Claver SF
23. Kings Omri Casspi SF
24. Mavericks B.J. Mullens C
25. Thunder Rodrigue Beaubois PG
26. Bulls Taj Gibson PF
27. Grizzlies DeMarre Carroll PF
28. Timberwolves Wayne Ellington SG
29. Lakers Toney Douglas SG
30. Cavaliers Christian Eyenga

SF

     The Clippers picked their "10,000th" lottery pick in NBA Draft history. And it is yet another shame that a guy like Blake Griffin will waste his talent for a few floundering years for the most disorganized sports franchise on Earth. The Clippers are a joke. And I was a huge fan of Elgin Baylor but his time in Clipper-dom has been the usual failure of a franchise to be even relevent. Other than the teams history dating to a time in Buffalo, the Larry Brown years of 1992 and 1993 are the only Clippers teams that did anything. Actually they had a winning season in 2005 and 2006 at 47 - 35. Anyhow the list of good players that have been selected there and then left are mounting. So I expect Griffin to display his talents and then be courted by a team that knows what it is doing. Other than that the 2009 Draft was a bit of a sham. How is that? Well what does it say that the LA Lakers ook some cash for their 1st round pick?  The Orlando Magic decided to deal for aging Vince Carter instead of taking a player from this litter. The Cavaliers felt the acquisition of Shaq held more value than any of these players. Even the Golden State Warriors traded their new pick Stephen Curry to Phoenix for Amare Stoudamire. Honestly the level of USA basketball talent has diminished. Many argue that NBA players are better than ever. I believe those people depend on earning money from the NBA so therefore they continue to lie about the quality. Hey I am guilty of still loving the NBA but the new generation of players are not that fundamentally sound. Oh, they are 10 times the athletes of Magic Johnson or Larry Bird, Julius Erving or Jerry West but they can't pass, dribble, or shoot like those NBA players did and like NBA players should. I think this is borne out by the decline of the USA's ability to dominate a World that has gotten better. (And yes there are Continue reading "OH-HUM THE 2009 NBA DRAFT"

posted by Chase Hughes

Thursday, June the 25th has officially passed as the Washington Wizards remain in a state that few could have foreseen a week ago. After months of speculation and a calamitous draft lottery, Wizards fans can relax and look at back at what has happened. No Blake Griffin, no Ricky Rubio, no 5th overall pick, no 2nd round pick. It was fun but you kind of wish Ernie Grunfeld could have let us know that all of our mock drafts and trade scenarios would be obsolete. What’s left of the Wizards roster seems to be an incomplete project… still.
You have to think that the Wizards’ brass has something else up their sleeve, another maneuver that will balance the Wizards and give its fans the expectations of a great season. I still think that the team is improved but there seem to still linger significant holes. One large void to fill down low still remains and it is perplexing why the Wizards didn’t plug it with the “largest” plug in the draft. I am talking of course about Dejaun Blair. My friend and I were contemplating the possibility of the big man from Pitt slipping to the second round. It seemed impossible and then it happened. He was sitting there, all 270 pounds of him, just waiting for the Wizards to pick him and enable him to thrive in a reserved role on a playoff team. Apparently, we weren’t the only ones. The Washington Post covered the draft later in the night, with Michael Lee acknowledging the experts were in on it to:



“When Pitt forward DeJuan Blair was still on the board after the first round, some of us reporters were fascinated by the possibility of the Wizards adding a rugged but undersized offensive rebounding machine. I still cannot believe that dude slipped all the way to San Antonio at No. 37 after he manhandled Thabeet in Big East play.”


Continue reading ""

Jamal Crawford to Hawks posted by john howard

The Hawks appear to be sending both backup point guards to Golden State for Jamal Crawford.  This brings makes signing Mike Bibby more imperative.  To do so, they may not match offers that Marvin Williams receives.  Acie Law and Speedy Claxton both are being shipped.  Neither really played much last year.  Joe Johnson lead the team in assist even though he isn't a point guard.  I doubt they will use him as one.  Andre Miller and Jason Kidd are both available on the market.  My bet is on Bibby returning. Crawford could play the point, but he would be better off as the 2 guard.  He did average 4.4 assist along wth 19.7 points.  

For Golden State, this move is to cut salary.  They aren't getting anything in return.  Maybe a potential back up in Law but, not likely. Monte Eillis can play the point with CJ Watson backing him up.  Crawford played 55 games last year, so they are use to playing without him.  They free up cap room is all they did.

 Atlanta just got better.

Continue reading "Jamal Crawford to Hawks"

Fourth Quarter continued posted by J Russell Mikkelsen

Fourth Quarter continued.

6:20 Commit to the rebound! COMMIT!!! Crawford and Turiaf both could have taken an offensive rebound. Both got out of the way of the other. Hornets grabbed it. Pathetic.

6:08 Hornets take advantage. They're now down one.

5:12 Morrow has missed 4 three's in a row. He hasn't scored this quarter. But that's okay. CJ Watson has hit 2 of 3 this quarter. Warriors up three.

4:19 Morrow just broke both of Chris Paul's ankles. CP picked up his fifth trying to make up for it.

3:50 Ronny with a strong defensive rebound, which leads to Morrow's first made bucket this half. It was a three. Warriors up 7.

3:20 Crawford crossed over his defender, drove, and laid it in off the glass with his back to the basket. Amazing.

2:45 CP is playing to win it. Cut the lead down to 4 with a steal break away.

2:35 Morrow is too. Three from the corner. Swish.

2:20 Chris Paul will not give up. Another great play. Another 2 points.

1:56 Ronny slams it home. What endurance on this big man. You can barely see any fatigue but he's played about 40 minutes already.

0:51 Randolph can put the nail in the coffin right here. Crawford threw it all the way down the court for a cherry-picking Randolph. He bricked that dunk hard. Rebound landed in the third row somewhere. Warriors would've been up 9.

0:42 Peja missed a three. Randolph grabbed the rebound in front of two Hornets big men. He makes up for every bone headed play. Two Randolph free throws later and the Warriors are up 9. I am ready Warriors. My spoon is in hand!

Continue reading "Fourth Quarter continued"

Fourth Quarter begins posted by J Russell Mikkelsen

Fourth Quarter begins.

11:43 Crawford has been driving tonight. Crawford has done well done. 26 after that three-point play.

10:45 Warriors are playing excellent defense this quarter but it's not enough. The lead is down to two.

10:20 Randolph is back in. I like this.

9:55 Only Crawford is making things happening offensively so far. Drew another foul there. They put it on the floor though. I don't agree.

9:28 Not a lot of fouls the first three quarters. A lot of fouls (against the Warriors) so far this quarter. Guess the refs didn't mean to keep it so close.

9:15 We're up one, just missed another bad shot. Here come the Hornets... foul on CP. There goes the lead.

9:00 "First Hornets lead since 4-3" just ran across the screen.

7:45 Randolph and Crawford have taken the lead back! Randolph played STRONG inside on three back-to-back-to-back plays on both sides of the court. Very impressive. Love it.

7:35 84-80, us.

Continue reading "Fourth Quarter begins"

Third Quarter continued posted by J Russell Mikkelsen

Third Quarter continued.

4:35 Crawford just walked in for a lay-up on a half-court set. I'll take it.

3:50 David West goes to the spot he likes to shoot from. Stands there and wait. Chris Paul drives, draws the defense, dishes on a string. 2 easy points for the Hornets. That's talent.

0:58 Ronny returns. He's been out since about 5:00. Warriors lead is down to 5 from 10 during that time. Ronny matters.

0:00 Hornets finish up with a 9-2 run. Typical Warriors. Please let me eat my words.

WARRIORS 74 HORNETS 71

Continue reading "Third Quarter continued"

Hornets at Warriors, Third Quarter posted by J Russell Mikkelsen

Third Quarter begins.

10:14 Ronny Turiaf was slow getting up the court. He caught the ball then passed it from just a yard beyond the mid-court line, then made his way back towards our basket. I was trying to figure out what was wrong with him when I realized that his pass went to an open Anthony Morrow. I like Ronny Turiaf.

9:00 The TV announcers just informed me that all 3 Hornets dunk misses last half were by Julian Wright. That made me smile.

8:25 Warriors and Hornets are both missing a lot of shots to open the half. The difference is that the Hornets are getting just as many offensive rebounds. The lead is diminishing.

6:43 Again. Randolph. Every play. He hasn't grown physically, but he's grown so much mentally. And that makes it seem like he grew physically too.

6:33 I missed who but a Hornet just air balled a free throw. This is a seriously odd basketball game.

Continue reading "Hornets at Warriors, Third Quarter"

Hornets at Warriors, Second Quarter continued. posted by J Russell Mikkelsen

Second Quarter continued.

5:04 Ronny Turiaf just blocked a HUUUUGE dunk attempt. He came from under the rim. It was a reverse block. Incredible.

4:34 I dislike it any time opponents are allowed to score on their second put back of the same shot. That's just poor boxing out. Under any circumstance.

4:04 Anthony Randolph is looking better every game at this point in his career.

2:33 Chris Paul is sickeningly good. He just dribbled end-to-end, went straight to the basket, brought 3 defenders to him, and on his way down from his jump, centimeters from landing, threw the ball on a string to the corner for an easy 3.

2:23 Azubuike just got called for a travel while standing completely still. He didn't complain a bit. I think the picture on my TV  is worse than I thought.

2:15 I just witnessed my second moving screen call ever.

1:23 The Hornets just missed two more wide open dunks on two possessions. The first one hit the bottom of the front of the rim. Today is a weird day for basketball.

0:04 Scratch that. Anthony Randolph is looking better every PLAY.

0:00 Warriors are up 9 at halftime. Nine. Please make me eat my words.

WARRIORS 55 HORNETS 46

Continue reading "Hornets at Warriors, Second Quarter continued."

Hornets at Warriors, Second Quarter posted by J Russell Mikkelsen

Second Quarter begins.

9:50 Jamal Crawford drained his third three already. This is both good and bad. Good because draining threes is good. Bad because it means Jamal has reason to believe he shoot should a lot of threes, which we don't need. Jamal Crawford is not a great 3-point shooter.

8:55 I just saw Peja Stojacovic drive and finish for the first time in my life. I don't think I've ever seen him drive before, period. Well, there's a first time for everything. It just so happens that 43% of every NBA player's first anything is against the Warriors.

7:00 Anthony Morrow is on fire. Or should I say, Anthony Morrow is have a typical shooting night.

5:16 Warriors are up 47-34. Nothing makes sense to me anymore.

Continue reading "Hornets at Warriors, Second Quarter"

Nelson: Curry staying with Warriors (AP)

[read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Hawks acquire Crawford for Law, Claxton (AP)

[read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports