Loading ...Posted by HoopsAvenue on November 28, 2010 under General NBA | 
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Posted by HoopsAvenue on March 10, 2010 under General NBA | Be the First to Comment
With Lebron’s free agency less than four months away, everyone’s wondering what The King is going to do. He’s not going to tell us, of course, as that would ruin the suspense, but, like any attention-loving superstar, he’s enjoying the media’s endless coverage and speculation. Conventional wisdom has him either staying in Cleveland or heading to the Big Apple so where will he end up? Is there any way to know? We can analyze how much he says he loves New York and the Yankees versus how loyal he is to Cleveland, but that doesn’t really tell us much and, besides, he’s just intentionally adding drama to the story like any good suspense novelist would do.
So, it doesn’t matter that much what Lebron says, but what about things he actually does? The other week, Lebron filed paperwork to change his number to 6, his Olympic number. As others have suggested, it probably has less to do with paying homage to Jordan than it does with paying his bills (ok, more than just bills) via jersey sales. But, why bother changing your number to boost jersey sales if you’re going to be wearing new colors next year anyways? Hmm…could Lebron be telling us he might not be wearing new colors next year?
It’s hard to argue with the idea that Lebron is changing his number to boost jersey sales. Kobe did it and shot to number one on the jersey sales list and Lebron is surrounded by savvy business advisors who tell him to maximize his earning potential every day. It’s possible Lebron decided that with the Cavs being one of the dominant forces in the East and him feeling comfortable there, he doesn’t want to start over and, thus, he’s stuck with a Cavs jersey…so he’d better run and change his number if he wants to ever catch Kobe (in jersey sales or anything else).
Of course, we also have to keep in mind that Lebron has been dropping hints about this jersey change for a while (over a year, perhaps?) and this could mean nothing. He’s mentioned numerous times before that he doesn’t think anybody should wear #23. Then, some suggested he take the lead and stop wearing it (playing right into his hand) so he did. This has played out over some time so maybe he knew he was going to wear #6 regardless if it was Cleveland or New York. So, a jersey change doesn’t tell us everything, but, like everything else, you can read into it what you want. The timing sure is interesting.
Or, maybe you believe Lebron’s being completely candid about honoring MJ.
Posted by HoopsAvenue on February 23, 2010 under General NBA | Be the First to Comment
When I heard Zydrunas Ilgauskas was most likely heading back to the Cavs after he just got traded to the Wiz like 2 seconds ago, it just didn’t sound right. I mean, the NBA doesn’t allow this sort of frisbee maneuver, does it? Well, actually it does unless you are stupid enough (see: Stackhouse, Jerry) to tell the media all about the secret plot. Two years ago, Stackhouse was set to be traded to the Nets before he bragged that he’d just go back to Dallas shortly after the trade. Stack’s only mistake was telling the media about it because plenty of other guys have returned to their original team via buyout shortly after being traded. Does the NBA turns a blind eye or do they ask Joey Crawford to turn both blind eyes? Either way, collusion is a-okay in the NBA.
The question is why does the NBA allow this? Clearly, it’s collusion, but the NBA only seems to care if you go so far as to blatantly talk about it. Even admitting it after the fact doesn’t seem to bother the league as Doc Rivers gave this tongue-in-cheek remark about the Z deal: “I have a problem with that. I loved it three years ago when we did it with Gary Payton if you remember, but now I think it sucks. I think it’s a terrible deal.” Terrible for Boston maybe, but great for the ratings when the Cavs see the Lakers in the Finals. But, that would have nothing to do with why you allow this, right Mr. Stern?
For a league that has seemingly constant credibility problems with the refereeing, it might not be a bad idea to actually come up with a clear rule on these situations (you know, so we don’t get the wrong idea that you’d prefer stacking the good teams while the bad teams free up cap space). Here’s a suggestion: once you get traded, you don’t get to go back to the team you were traded from that season!
But, alas, this is the NBA, so with a wink and a nod, look for Big Z to head back to Cleveland next month.
Posted by HoopsAvenue on February 14, 2010 under General NBA | Be the First to Comment
Like most NBA fans, I’m always looking forward to the Slam Dunk Contest. There’s always that possibility that we might see something truly original, something we have never seen before, something that gets us out of our seats. The NBA smartly plays on our anticipation by leaving the contest to the end of the night, giving us time to imagine what we might see. Of course, when you build to a crescendo and that crescendo falls flat like it did last night, there is a price to pay.
First off, you can’t blame the NBA for what happened last night. They picked the short showman (Nate Robinson), Laker leaper (Shannon Brown), and Gerald Wallace, and Demar DeRozan won the inaugural dunk-in to gain his admittance. The dunk-in was a nice touch…giving 2 relative unknowns a shot at the big stage. All four of those guys are extremely capable leapers and could have shown us something extraordinary last night. It’s not the NBA’s fault…they picked solid guys. The athleticism was not missing, but what was missing was a little creativity.
Here are a few ideas for the NBA to consider:
Conclusion: worst. dunk. contest. ever.
Oh, and, hey Lebron, bawk bawk bawk bawk!
Posted by HoopsAvenue on January 6, 2009 under Cleveland Cavaliers, General NBA | Be the First to Comment
Dear Lebron,
We were hoping you would just let it go, but two days after being called for traveling on your “Crab Dribble,” you’re still trying to convince us it was a legal move. We’re sure you’ve seen the video of you taking THREE steps by now, but if you haven’t, here it is again:
One, Two, Three…and Jalen Rose goes on to inform you that you’re even confused what a crab dribble is.
Since we are here to help you live up to your billing of The Chosen One, we wanted to inform you of 3 other moves that are illegal before you try them in a game. Please let us know if you find these helpful as we might let Donovan McNabb know about some NFL rules once he’s finished with the playoffs.
We would have listed “The Charge,” but it seems you are allowed to get away with this one. Good luck!
Your Fans,
HoopsAvenue
Posted by HoopsAvenue on November 26, 2008 under General NBA | Be the First to Comment
It’s been a good year for some and a bad year for others, but every team, no matter how bad has something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving (yes, including the Thunder). So this Thanksgiving…instead of sulking over that trade you wish your team had made, look at the bright side! Here’s some things you can be thankful for no matter which team you support.
Atlanta Hawks – Be thankful for a return to respectability, it’s been a while.
Boston Celtics – Um, 17 NBA Championships good enough for ya?
Charlotte Bobcats – You’ve got a young and exciting core. The future is full of possibilities.
Chicago Bulls – Derrick Rose. Enough said.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Be thankful for contract law which will keep Lebron around until at least 2010.
Dallas Mavericks – At least it’s the owner facing insider trading charges and not you!
Denver Nuggets – Having a real point guard.
Detroit Pistons – Having a surreal two guard.
Golden State Warriors – Be thankful for having an exciting, high-scoring offense. You’re halfway there.
Houston Rockets – Neither Yao nor T-Mac is out for the year yet.
Indiana Pacers – Danny Granger is turning into a gem.
Los Angeles Clippers – Be thankful your team is underachieving and could get better rather than just being really bad.
Los Angeles Lakers – Kobe.
Memphis Grizzlies – O.J. Mayo is the real deal.
Miami Heat – D-Wade is healthy and playing great! What more could you ask for.
Minnesota Timberwolves – Um….maybe the Golden Rule applies and the Celtics will return you the favor of a franchise player in the future.
New Jersey Nets – You might move to Brooklyn and get Lebron.
New Orleans Hornets – Chris freakin’ Paul
New York Knicks – D’Antoni, Lebron maybe? Things are looking up.
Oklahoma City Thunder – At least the drama is over with and you have a city to play in, right?
Orlando Magic – Dwight Howard is only 22!
Philadelphia 76ers -You aren’t off to a sputtering start like last season and have a good shot at the playoffs.
Phoenix Suns – You get to host the All-Star game, plus your team ain’t too shabby.
Portland Trailblazers – Greg Oden, Brandon Roy – oh, yes, the investments look like they might pay off.
Sacramento Kings – As a fan, your number (#6) is retired!
San Antonio Spurs – You could start with being thankful for the last decade and once you’re healthy, this year should be pretty good too.
Toronto Raptors – See “Cleveland Cavaliers” and replace Lebron with Bosh.
Utah Jazz – Be thankful the Western Conference Finals are a real possibility.
Washington Wizards – At least injuries tend to heal, your 2nd half could be great.
Posted by HoopsAvenue on November 9, 2008 under Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, General NBA, San Antonio Spurs | Be the First to Comment
We haven’t even gotten through the first two weeks yet and some things have happened that have taken even the most attentive NBA fans by surprise. Of course not everything has been a surprise. The Celtics and Lakers are in first place as expected, Dwight Howard and Lebron James continue to dominate, and Inside the NBA is as entertaining as ever, but this list takes a look at 5 things we didn’t see coming.
4. The Spurs are 1-4.
The Spurs are known for their slow starts, but this is ridiculous. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are both putting up good numbers, but the Spurs can’t seem to guard anybody. They’ve only held 2 of their opponents under 100, at 98 and 99 points. That’s not the defense this team is known for. Now with Parker joining Ginobili on the injured list, things are not looking good in the city of the Alamo.
3. Tony Parker dropped 55 on the Timberwolves.
The T-Wolves aren’t exactly the best competition in the world, but since when did Tony Parker become MJ dropping the double nickel? For the last 3 years this guy has averaged just under 19 points per game, like clockwork. 18.9, 18.6, 18.8. He even opened the season with 32 and his season low was 22 in his first four games. Unfortunately, Parker is out the next 4 weeks with an ankle sprain. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of pace he can keep up when he returns.
2. The Atlanta Hawks are undefeated.
Don’t look now, but the Hawks are undefeated at 5-0. It was only last year this team finally moved past joke status to become and up-and-coming team, and now they are tops in the East?!? Ok, so it is only 5 games and they aren’t going to be the #1 seed in all likelihood, but they are among select company with the Lakers being the only other undefeated team (as of tipoff Sunday night). The Hawks have won at New Orleans and Orlando, too, so it’s not like they are beating up on chumps. Don’t be surprised if this team is hosting an opening round playoff series.
1. Allen Iverson traded to Detroit for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheick Samb.
Ok, if you predicted this, you must be Nostradamus because there’s no way I could imagine Chauncey Billups not wearing a Pistons jersey in early November. Iverson being traded? Eh, stranger things have happened, but if you told me he was traded I would assume he had a hissy fit first and refused to play. That was not the case. This was simply a straight-up blockbuster trade the Pistons and Nuggets both felt would improve their team in one way or another, on the court and/or in the balance sheet. It doesn’t surprise me the Pistons made a move as they needed to do try something new if they want to dethrone the Celts, but trading Billups was shocking. He’s a clutch performer and has even earned the nickname “Big Shot”. You usually don’t want to give up your team leader and go-to guy, but sometimes you have to to get a guy like Iverson. Kudos to the Pistons and Nuggets for shocking us with a big deal that makes sense on both sides early in the season rather than making us wait until the trade deadline like most teams do.
Posted by HoopsAvenue on October 12, 2008 under General NBA | Read the First Comment
Last week, we gave you team previews for the Atlantic Division. This week, we have the Southwest Division team previews. The Southwest Division is clearly the best division in basketball this season so it should be really interesting to see what is in these previews. The previews are written by a bunch of great NBA bloggers from around the web most of who are local to the team they cover so you can get a lot of insights from them! HoopsAvenue will be chiming in later this month with a Washington Wizards preview so stay tuned.
Dallas Mavericks
Jake Kerr: Mavs Moneyball
Houston Rockets
grungedave and UofTOrange: The Dream Shake
Memphis Grizzlies
Joshua Coleman: 3 Shades of Blue
New Orleans Hornets
Rohan: At the Hive
ticktock6 & mW: Hornets Hype
Ryan Schwan & Ron Hitley: Hornets247.com
San Antonio Spurs
Graydon Gordian: 48 Minutes of Hell
Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com
Posted by HoopsAvenue on October 8, 2008 under Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, General NBA, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards | Be the First to Comment
Twelve days ago we took a look at some of the best teams in the West and the Lakers emerged as HoopsAvenue’s favorite as well as the fans’ favorite according to our poll. This week we’ll take a look at the Beasts of the East.
The poll results for Eastern Conference champion closed out like this: Other 48%, Celtics 25%, Cavs 15%, Magic 8%, and Pistons 5%. Hmm, looks like we’ve got either a bunch of pranksters or homers in this one as its hard to believe almost 50% of the fans would pick a team other than the Celts, Cavs, Magic, or Pistons next season! Maybe we’re just underestimating the Knicks, though, who knows?
Anyways, what about the supposed top 4 teams. Well, here’s how I’d seed them:
It would certainly be a surprise to see another team win the East, but there are some longshots. The 76ers, after acquiring Elton Brand, are on the radar, but you still don’t get the feeling they are Finals ready. Then, you’ve also got the Wizards who have one of the best Big 3s in the league, but once again injuries are threatening their chances. Even Toronto with a frontline of Chris Bosh and hopefully (for them) a healthy Jermaine O’Neal could be a contender.
Who do you think will win the East?
Posted by HoopsAvenue on September 25, 2008 under General NBA, Houston Rockets, LA Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, San Antonio Spurs | Read the First Comment
You may have seen the poll that we’ve been running lately asking who will win the Western Conference. Well, the results are in and they are a bit surprising. The Lakers managed to take home 44% of the vote, followed by the Rockets at 18%, Other at 15%, the Hornets and Spurs at 11%. I presume Other refers to teams like the Jazz, Mavs, Suns, and, of course, homers. Now, it’s not surprising that the Lakers win this poll given they are the defending Western Conference champions, but it is surprising by how much they won. They got more than twice as many votes as the 2nd-place Rockets. So, are they that good with Bynum or are the fans just a bit overly optimistic? Here’s how I rank the top four teams in the West:
1. Lakers – I do give the nod to L.A., but just barely. With a healthy Bynum and the duo of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, there’s no reason for the Lakers to not be competing for the trophy again this season. It won’t be so easy, though, because even though the Lakers should be better, their competition will also be better, and that brings us to #2.
2. Hornets – The Hornets got better this summer by bringing in James Posey from the world champion Celtics. Posey gives New Orleans that defensive stopper they’ll need to get far in the post-season. Chris Paul is still going to give other teams fits and now that the Hornets have some playoff experience, they’ve got a good shot to survive the West.
3. Rockets – The Rockets enter the season with a great upside, but also a great downside after their acquisition of Ron Artest. Artest, a gritty defender and third scorer, looks to be exactly what Houston needs, but he could bring chemistry problems as well. Not to mention, T-Mac and Yao will need to be healthy come playoff time.
4. Spurs – The Spurs are aging and, like the Rockets, they have some questions of their own. They’ll need Manu Ginobili to recover from his ankle injury and come back at full strength. The regular season is not San Antonio’s forte, but they do know how to win in May and June so don’t count them out.
Who do you think will win the West?
Also, check out the new poll which asks who will win the East!
