Well, on Tuesday I pulled a March Madness and watched college basketball all day. It's too early to judge who's going to be good, but I did learn a few things. Memphis is going to be fine without John Calipari. Xavier Henry and John Wall are one and done guys. Cole Aldrich of Kansas is overrated and a marginally good NBA big. Georgetown will struggle to score. Mid-majors are fun to watch. West Coast basketball and the SEC might struggle this year.
I also just want to say I was fine with 4th and 2. Charlie Weis even thanked Belicheck because he created such controversy. People forget, the play was completed and the down was picked up. They just didn't get forward progress even though the bobble wasn't that big. And if Brian Westbrook plays at any point this year, the NFL needs to be investigated.
The day after I picked LA Clippers over Oklahoma City to make the playoffs, Blake Griffin goes down with an injury. I wanted that back immediately. You can't predict injuries, but in Clippers case, I should have listened to history. I still like the Nets.
The Stephen Jackson trade was well-deserved.
Fact: It's very funny to me that Stephen Jackson was traded from one bad Western term to one very bad Eastern team. Acie Law ie Mr. throw-in extraordinaire (this is the second time this year). Vladimir Radmanovic has the worst luck. He gets traded for Shannon Brown and Adam Morrison and L.A. wins the title. Now he goes into basketball exile. Raja Bell's days are numbered. So for Golden State, this is a salary dump, plain and simple. For Charlotte...hell...I have no clue what they expect. Jack wanted NYC or Texas or Cleveland and got North Carolina.
Houston will make the playoffs.
Fact-ish: So right now I have Lakers, Trailblazers, Spurs, Mavericks, Suns, and Nuggets as locks for the playoffs. So really I have four teams going for two spots. I have Rockets, Thunder, Jazz, and Hornets. The truth is the Hornets, barring a miracle, is out. I never liked UTAH to make the playoffs. So I am giving the chance to Houston. They play hard, have a really good offensive coach, and players who are more talented than folks realize. Now, if the Clippers, Jazz, or Hornets pulls their stuff together, then Houston will have a hard time.
Atlanta is the 4th best team in the East.
Fact: They may be better than Cleveland or Boston (who they beat in Boston last Friday). The "contenders" all have flaws and Atlanta's top eight guys can compete with anyone. I was never a Jamal Crawford guy, but he's giving them a good punch off the pine. Marvin Williams has realized his destiny as a solid role guy on a good team. The biggest thing that has allowed them to be this good is Joe Johnson (who the Knicks SHOULD be going after). He is playing like a bonafide superstar and Al Horford is FINALLY making me look good! Let's see what this team looks like after the All-Star break, but they look really good right now.
The top 5 teams will not be able to shake the injury bug.
Fact: I think this is more of an issue than folks realize. The Lakers have a gimpy Kobe Bryant and no Pau Gasol, The Spurs have a hurt Tony Parker (ankle injuries are bad on slashers...ask Derrick Rose and Chris Paul), tweaked Manu Ginobili, and a slow Tim Duncan. Cleveland is starting to see Shaquille O'Neal take his annual early-year injury break, Kevin Garnett still doesn't look right and Paul Pierce is gimpy, and Jameer Nelson is getting scoped for a meniscus tear. Even Dallas can't capitalize on it because of Josh Howard and Shawn Marion. I think that's also affecting the starts of the season everywhere. Unfortunately, I don't see it getting better, and this LONG season isn't helping either (Nov 1 to Apr 1 and 70 games...).
Knicks fans should just keep hoping.
Fiction: I've been pretty vocal about disagreeing with their strategy. If you want to clear salary, that's fine. What's up with the draft picks???? I don't know about Danilo Gallinari yet since this is his rookie season, and Jordan Hill over Brandon Jennings? Oops. Even if you tank payroll, you still have to draft well and get free agents. Who is on this team that anyone wants to play with? Imagine if they had taken Eric Gordon or Jerryd Bayless or Brook Lopez in 2008, DeMar DeRozan or Brandon Jennings in 2009. Now you actually have 2 pieces on a good team. Signing free agents isn't the only way to build a team and I don't think Donnie Walsh gets buried like he should for his draft picks (and they have no 2010 1st).
Peter Aldridge posted on 11/19/2009 6:23:43 AM PASPN.net member class: Hall of Famer - Isiah Thomas
Chances of Iverson joining Knicks is 50-50; Heat also interested (Yahoo! Sports) Allen Iverson becomes a free agent this evening and after New York Knicks president told reporters the other day...
NBA DRAFT LOTTERY SIM
MADNESS!
