NBA 2008-2009

[walto]

Marvin "The Human Eraser" Webster RIP

Wow. I hadn't heard that. One image that has stuck with me for many years is Webster, in, I think his last year, falling down on a play and, though unhurt, was unable to get to his feet. It reminded me so much of a picture that had been on the front page of the Globe around the same time of a giraffe that had gotten its legs splayed and all the kings men (and a helicopter) never got it off the ground. It died, just sitting there with it's legs straight out, having stopped even trying to get to its feet after about 12 hours.

Webster was a great shot blocker because he was a bit of a freak.

[Captain Hate]

Jason Whitlock, sitting in for Jim Rome today, is absolutely destroying AI and all his shillboys for the complete separation between image and reality throughout his career. Going to Detroit and quitting on everybody: AI's career in a nutshell. Idiots are still saying "He gives it up every night"; what a load of shit. How many times has he made his teammates better: ZERO!!!

[Noj]

Iverson did take his team to the Finals one year, so he was able to make teammates better for at least one season.

Andrew Bynum is a "maybe" for tonight's game.

[jon abbey]

Iverson did take his team to the Finals one year, so he was able to make teammates better for at least one season.

I thought about that, but I don't think it's really true. the rest of the team played great D (Mutumbo) and Iverson basically shot the ball as much as possible, a one man offense. he helped the team win that year, but I don't think he made his teammates especially better.

Andrew Bynum is a "maybe" for tonight's game.

I heard he's been dominant in practice and was starting.

[Captain Hate]

Iverson did take his team to the Finals one year, so he was able to make teammates better for at least one season.

Whitlock addressed this and said that it was only through Larry Brown continually banging on him that he temporarily worked within a team structure but he still didn't make anybody better. He contrasted this to his performance in Denver where there was no synergy between him and Carmello which changed for the better with the move to get Billups.

[Noj]

True. When Iverson was at his best, it was impossible to not be in awe of his ball handling and shooting ability--but the knock on his game that he shoots too much and does not facilitate has always been spot on. No argument from me. I'd still be stinging from giving up Billups for AI if I were a Pistons fan. The McNuggets can clinch their division tonight.

You're right, Jon. This morning's LA Times had Bynum as a maybe, and now I see on Sportscenter that he's for sure going to play. The Lakers have played tough without him, but with Bynum they looked virtually unstoppable. I'm excited.

[Borat Pri Hagafen]

Angel McCoughtry over Renee Montgomery? What is Marynell Meadors thinking? She's nuts if she thinks the Dream don't need a point guard. Outrageous.

[jon abbey]

Wade has 50 points right now against NY, the third quarter isn't over yet.

[jon abbey]

it's amazing how the two conferences break down as far as best to worst records in the league.

top 4 teams: 3 from the East, 1 from the West
next 9 teams: 1 from the East, 8 from the West
next 10 teams: 10 from the East, 0 from the West
last 7 teams: 1 from the East, 6 from the West

that's really odd. overall, I have the East at 9 games over .500 going into the last few days of the regular season.

[Harold Baines]

Bulls-Pistons is huge tonight. Bullies could possibly slip past Philly into 6th, or they could be 8th.

[Enforcer]

I'd still be stinging from giving up Billups for AI if I were a Pistons fan. The McNuggets can clinch their division tonight.

Really? Not me at all. Billups and the Pistons proved they couldn't get over the hurdle and nothing would have changed this year. The team was declining already. The AI move at least offers the promise of something great in the next year or so via freed up cap space.

I do wish Billups the best in Denver. Would love to see them make a run at a title there.

[Harold Baines]

Bulls will finish at least .500, a miracle from where they were at the trade deadline. The Sixers have Boston and Cleveland to end it, while the Bulls get Toronto. True, there will be resting, I would bet, on the part of the top two teams in the East, but it's feasible the Bulls could steal that sixth spot.

Paxson deserves some credit. Adding Salmons and Jon's buddy Miller gave them some guts and flexibility, and getting Hughes out of town was the best thing they could have done for the young guys.

[Captain Hate]

I'd still be stinging from giving up Billups for AI if I were a Pistons fan. The McNuggets can clinch their division tonight.

Really? Not me at all. Billups and the Pistons proved they couldn't get over the hurdle and nothing would have changed this year. The team was declining already. The AI move at least offers the promise of something great in the next year or so via freed up cap space.

I do wish Billups the best in Denver. Would love to see them make a run at a title there.

I figured Nags could say this more insightfully than moi.

Speaking of blasts from the Piston's past; I've heard rumors that Les Boullets have been talking to Flip. I'm glad the Cavs are doing nothing that could stimulate me to return to my roots in a fit of irrational pique.

[Enforcer]

Well, Cap, my boys have a date with destiny. That destiny being a thorough evisceration at the hands of your Cavs. I just hope it's fairly quick and painless.

[Noj]

More on our boy Iverson...

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/43020567.html

[Captain Hate]

Wow, the elevator is rapidly going down for AI. That's ok; being kicked out of the casinos will give him more time to be with his family that a couple of his excuse makers were very sympathetic about when he missed practice on Thanksgiving.

[Enforcer]

Noj beat me to it. This story has gotten a lot of play on the local sports radio. You know it's bad when a millionaire gets kicked out of a casino. A fucking CASINO. Wow. What a dumbfuck.

[jon abbey]

BREAKING SPORTS NEWS 9:25 AM
Garnett may miss playoffs
In a radio interview this morning, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said it was likely that Kevin Garnett would not be ready to play at all in the playoffs. "After today there's no way he can play," said Rivers, who left open the possibility his star could return but was not optimistic.

from boston.com

[walto]

I have to admit, this was yet another case of me being totally wrong. I didn't even think there was anything wrong with him anymore--that they were just resting him for the playoffs and didn't want to admit that publicly. But the word around here all day is that he's out for the season.

I'm glad Philly won last night so that we'll get the Bulls instead of the 6ers in the first round. The Boston-Philly game the day beforewas so incredibly awful (except for Pierce) that I actually turned it off with 20 seconds to go and only a point or two difference in the scores. Philly's half-court offense is gruesome and Iguadala, who usually gets the ball in important situations is a Hyde-Jeckyll-Hyde type. House (who's been congratulating himself on breaking the Boston 3-pt pct record) made one of the more embarrassing plays I've seen recently. He had a one-on-none break-away opportunity after a steal, saw somebody coming a few steps behind him, and--in spite of an open lane to the hoop, chickened and took a 10-ft jumper instead, which he missed. He's gotta beone of the worst finishers in the league. Down there with him, of course, is new Celtic Mikey Moore who, since he can't shoot like House is basically just a really shitty player with no obvious skill except height.

That whole game was hard to watch. Philly is not a playoff level team, and the Boston bench is kind of lame after Powe, Big Baby, and Tony Allen.

W

[jon abbey]

Danny Ainge with a mild heart attack, quite the day for Celtics fans.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/sports/ ... etail.html