tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25738108548524447292024-02-19T17:09:17.679-08:00The Diss.Angsty NBA Analysis. Est. 2011.The Diss.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13257147531246635800noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-46451590018593144702012-10-15T00:01:00.000-07:002012-10-15T00:02:34.992-07:00Goodnight, Sweet Prince.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Diss can now be found <a href="http://thedissnba.com/">here.</a> Please update your bookmarks and RSS feeds.<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-68478379089401326732012-10-14T10:54:00.004-07:002012-10-14T12:18:08.642-07:00Your Annotated Smartphone Bathroom Reader for Sunday, October 14, 2012.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/chris_ballard/10/10/andris.biedrins/index.html">Warriors' Biedrins fights to get confidence, mental toughness back<br />
</a>Chris Ballard<br />
Sports Illustrated<br />
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Three years ago Andris Biedrins was on the verge of becoming a top-5 center, and then something happened. What happened? Nobody has any damn clue. Many <a href="http://thedissnba.blogspot.com/2012/09/andris-biedrins-long-july_7.html">well-respected publications</a> have explored the topic, but one voice has been noticeably silent: Andris Biedrins'. Chris Ballard talks to Biedrins at length about his problems, showing Biedrins to be a calm, quiet and gentle man that belies his 7'0" frame. Like the rest of us, Biedrins doesn't know what happened, but he does reveal that he is getting support from the unlikeliest of life coaches: Al Jefferson.<br />
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<a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/50261/coming-out-in-the-nba">Coming out in the NBA</a><br />
Kevin Arnovitz<br />
TrueHoop<br />
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When it comes to well-known gay NBA personalities, the list stops at three: Golden State Warriors President Rick Welts, former player John Amaeichi and journalist Kevin Arnovitz. On National Coming Out Day Arnovitz explores why no active NBA player has ever come out as gay, and reveals that the answer isn't so simple as "it will make other guys in the locker room feel uncomfortable". Arnovitz does a wonderful job of speaking from a place of experience without asserting that his homosexuality makes him an expert on the issue.<br />
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<a href="http://gothicginobili.com/?p=4569">Player Capsule (Plus): Bloomsday with Derrick Rose</a><br />
Aaron McGuire<br />
Gothic Ginobli<br />
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For his summer project (that will continue through December), Aaron McGuire is writing a short capsule of every single NBA player. Every once in awhile he writes an extended Capsule, like he has done here for Derrick Rose. In a drawn out, but somehow perfectly apt analogy, McGuire examines Rose and James Joyce (yes, that James Joyce) and how they are both defined by, and in turn define, the cities of their respective berths. The capsule plus serves to humanize Rose and wish to see him dominate on the court once again.<br />
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-FM</div>
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<a href="http://www.rufusonfire.com/2012/10/13/3496156/how-far-should-the-bobcats-take-small-ball-lineups">How far should the Bobcats take small ball lineups?</a><br />
Ben Swanson<br />
Rufus on Fire<br />
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To be honest, I haven't really paid attention to the Bobcats in about two years, and certainly not this preseason. They did suck, they do suck, and they're going to continue to suck. But at least they have Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Ben Swanson brings up something I hadn't really thought of (because I don't really think about the Bobcats): why not attempt to run a small-ball offense? They're not going to succeed by being conventional, so why not try something different by running Kidd-Gilchrist at the four, Biyombo at the five and a combination of guards at the one through three? I doubt it'll work, because the Bobcats still have below average players, but it'll certainly be interesting.<br />
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-FM</div>
Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-47113462910711022362012-10-13T10:33:00.000-07:002012-10-13T13:50:45.588-07:00Diss Guys Miss Guys, Volume 14<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Diss Guy: Brandon Roy</b></div>
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His story is well known at this point: the former franchise player for the Portland Trailblazers, who has dealt with debilitating knee issues for the better part of three seasons, has returned to the court for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Man, is it good to see him back out there. All things considered, he looks like B-Roy; his handle is tight, his legs are moving, he's finding teammates and hitting shots from deep. What's more: his preseason numbers are nice. <a href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?categoryId=2459789&id=8489379">He had 13 and 4 in his preseason debut</a> on Wednesday, and went 2 for 3 from the field in eight limited minutes on Friday. I predict a healthy season for B-Roy, and perhaps a sneaky "Most Improved" award. Watch out for the Wolves, friends. <br />
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<b>Miss Guy: Howard Lincoln</b></div>
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Let it be known: The Diss wants the Kings to stay in Sacramento. We do. Many of us here are Northern California natives, and we would be very disappointed to see one of our own hit the road. That said: should the Kings move, we hope they go to Seattle, where hedge fund manager Chris Hansen has just about put the finishing touches on his masterful(ly expensive) arena plan which will lure the NBA back to the Pacific Northwest. But Howard Lincoln, CEO of the Seattle Mariners, wants no part of this basketball revival -- at least not near Safeco Field, where his moribund team plays. Lincoln and the Mariners have been outspoken critics of the arena proposal since the very start, and have incurred some negative PR as a result. <a href="http://crosscut.com/2012/10/12/sports/110948/mariners-execs-give-their-side-arena/?page=single">Art Thiel of Crosscut sat down with Lincoln, who used the interview as an opportunity to clarify his criticisms about the potential return of the Sonics.</a> Lincoln is simply worried about getting fans to Mariners games, and the congestion that a new arena would assumedly bring. Given how crappy attendance was at Mariners games this year, I'd say that Lincoln should worry more about improving the in-house baseball product, and worry less about the basketball team that has yet to arrive.<br />
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But keep the Kings in Sacto. First and foremost.</div>
Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-15919445083100415422012-10-12T13:00:00.000-07:002012-10-12T15:01:17.046-07:00Really, How Good is Russell Westbrook?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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At the <a href="http://blogswithballs.com/">Blogs With Balls</a> conference that I attended last weekend, advanced analytics frequently came up, and was the topic of an entire panel. As a proponent for and user of “beyond the boxscore” metrics to evaluate basketball players, I needed no convincing, but a panelist on a hockey panel brought up something I thought was very interesting. He asserted that, while there were certainly sportswriters with their hands over their eyes refusing to understand new ways of assessing players, advanced statistics proponents were equally guilty of arrogantly writing as if they knew everything and everybody else was stupid.<br />
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Yesterday on <a href="http://hoopspeak.com/tag/hoopspeak-live/">HoopSpeak Live</a>, in relation to a conversation about what the Thunder should do with James Harden, a debate broke out regarding Russell Westbrook’s true value. I won’t get into the full back-and-forth, but suffice to say that opinions on Russell’s ability ranged from “top 7” to “average”. I found myself guilty of what the hockey panelist had asserted, as I jumped into the debate armed only with a couple numbers and the assurance that I was right.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/JADubin5">Jared Dubin</a>, of <a href="http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/">Hardwood Paroxysm</a>, objected to the structure of the debate, asking why we boil players abilities down to a single, all-encompassing number, instead of looking at those in context alongside other important metrics like Points per Possession, plus/minus, per-36 minute averages and so on. In an ideal world, we would have a model that perfectly encapsulates a players exact value, but absent that, Dubin has an important point. No one number should be taken as gospel.<br />
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There has been a lot of ink spilt arguing which all-encompassing metric is best. I’m not going to wade too deeply into that, especially because I will soon find myself drowning in the deep end of something I don’t understand, except to say that I am not an uninterested party. The three most widely used all-encompassing metrics, to my knowledge, are Wins Produced (Wages of Wins), Win Shares (Basketball Reference) and PER (John Hollinger, ESPN). Everything I have read leads me to believe that PER is a relatively worthless measure of a players’ ability, and Wins Produced is the best measure (that we currently have). I’ve also had a few posts up on the Wages of Wins blog. I’m not in any way a Wages of Wins acolyte, but I do believe they are doing good statistical work.<br />
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With that out of the way, let’s look at Russell Westbrook. I will do my best to evaluate his 2011-12 season holistically and attempt to determine where, right now, he ranks compared to other NBA players.<br />
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<b>Sniff Test</b></div>
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There is no doubt that Westbrook is a very talented player. As a point guard he led the league’s second most efficient offense, showcasing his ability to attack the basket, shoot, pass and rebound at elite levels. On defense, he has the quickness to stay with the smaller point guards and the strength to stand up to bigger ones. He’s strong enough that he doesn’t suffer too much if he is switched onto a shooting guard. <br />
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During the course of the offseason, ESPN ran its (second) annual NBA Rank project, gathering over 100 analysts to rank every single player in the NBA. These analysts ranked Westbrook the ninth best player in the league, which I think conforms pretty well with the popular perception of him. To the vast majority of NBA fans, there is no doubt that Westbrook is an elite player.<br />
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<b>All-Encompassing Metrics</b></div>
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<pre><b>Wins Produced</b>: 77
<b>Wins Produced/48</b>: 186
<b>Win Shares</b>: 13
<b>Win Shares/48</b>: 50
<b>Plus/Minus</b>: 96
<b>PER</b>: 12</pre>
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In aggregate, the all-encompassing metrics aren’t as rosy on Westbrook’s ability than the sniff test would lead us to believe. One clear take away is that some of Westbrook’s high raw stats are due to minutes played: last season he played the seventh most minutes in the league. Both Wins Produced and Win Shares, which differ vastly on his ability, agree that he is worse on a per minute basis. Now, there is something to be said for Westbrook’s durability and high-level of play despite shouldering a heavy minute load, but it shouldn’t blind us to the fact that he may be obtaining some of his high raw numbers inefficiently. <br />
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If we take the most optimistic view of Westbrook, he’s right on that top ten bubble, but if we take the most pessimistic view, he’s pretty much a league average player. This nicely dovetails with the opinions from the original debate (and perhaps show which all-encompassing statistics the debaters found most credible).<br />
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<b>Offense</b></div>
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Among traditional offensive metrics, Westbrook is at or near the top. Last year he scored 23.6 points per game, fifth in the league. He didn’t obtain those points very efficiently, however, with his true shooting % placing him 150th in the league, which even takes into account the fact that Westbrook gets to the line at the seventh best rate in the league and shoots free throws well.<br />
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Westbrook’s inefficiency is an especially large problem because he is teammates with Kevin Durant and James Harden. Last year Durant was the top scorer in the league, and Harden the 27th (in many fewer minutes than Durant and Westbrook). Durant’s true shooting % was 19th in the league, and Harden’s 6th, yet Westbrook only took 30 less shots than Durant and 637 (637!) more shots than James Harden. Fittingly, Westbrook’s offensive-rating (points scored per 100 possessions) was 131st best in the league, while Durant’s was 48th and Harden’s 10th. <br />
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I can’t overstate how important those efficiency differentials are. In any given game of basketball, there is a relatively finite supply of shots. Offenses spend the entire shot clock looking for the most efficient shot given the situation. Since practically every minute Westbrook is on the court either Durant or Harden is as well, he (and the rest of the offense) should be looking to get them the ball in good situations. Instead, Westbrook shot ten more times per game than Harden!<br />
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As far as his position as a point guard and distributor, Westbrook fares no better. He was tied for 14th in assists among point guards, but was 5th in turnovers. His Assist to Turnover ratio was 64th best among all of ESPN.com’s 73 qualifying players. I’m not a huge fan of such a strict definition of position (quick, what position does LeBron James play?), and thus give Westbrook somewhat of a break here.<br />
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Westbrook reminds me a lot of Allen Iverson, a player who got great numbers based on a high volume of minutes and shots, but wasn’t that efficient of a player. This is where advanced statistics are incredibly useful, letting us delve beyond box score numbers, where Westbrook looks great, to try an understand his true value. All the more damning is the fact that Westbrook is teammates with two of THE most efficient scorers in the game.<br />
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<b>Defense</b></div>
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It is much more difficult to assess Westbrook as a defender because, in general, our understanding of how to measure defensive impact is light years behind offense. Here we generally have to rely on the smell test and box score numbers more than we do in evaluating offense.<br />
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The raw box score statistics favor Westbrook. Last year he was 6th in blocks among point guards and 5th in steals. He also fouled at a low rate, rarely giving opponents free throws. He is highly touted as being a good rebounder for a point guard and this grades out, as he grabbed the most rebounds per game among all point guards. He’s also second in rebounds per 48 minutes, so it’s not just a function of minutes played.<br />
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The advanced statistics don’t paint such a beautiful picture. Westbrook got the 50th most defensive win shares in the league last year, but much of this was a function of his high minutes, as his defensive rating was just 215th in the league. That defensive rating was 105, while Oklahoma City’s defensive rating was 103.2, discrediting the notion that Westbrook suffers because he was on a poor defensive team. Oklahoma City was the 10th best defensive team in the league, and on that team Westbrook’s defense was below average.<br />
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<b>Conclusion</b></div>
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It is pretty clear that saying Russell Westbrook is the 9th best player in the league is quite an overreach; 30th seems to fit better, and I could be convinced that 50th is right. Westbrook clearly has the physical attributes to excel at all facets of the game like few other players, but basketball is a 5-on-5 game, not 1-on-1. The fact of the matter is that Westbrook is not elite at scoring, yet chooses to continue to shoot as if he is. If it were instead James Harden who shot ten more times a game than Westbrook, Oklahoma City would score 1.7 more points per game! Now, whether or not Harden would keep up the same efficiency is an open question, but it is certainly one worth trying to answer right?<br />
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As many of these statistical arguments go, a lot of the difference in perceptions can be traced back to the <a href="http://wagesofwins.com/wiki/key-concepts/the-yay-points-thesis/">Yay! Points!</a> Thesis. Scoring is how you win basketball games, and Westbrook scores a lot of points so he must be good right? Absent the context of team, efficiency, and defense sure, but if you’re going to throw that all out what’s the point? </div>
Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-22240697227688250312012-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:002012-10-12T11:03:51.761-07:00Mario Chalmers, it's Time to Get Started.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mario Chalmers, it's time to say "no" to superstar abuse.<br />
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We've had enough. We're not taking it anymore, and he shouldn't either. We're sick of it; the all-too-common sight of a superstar yelling at Mario, undressing him with their words, breaking him down with their glares. It's not fair. It's not right. It's time for it to stop.<br />
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So hear this LeBron, take heed D-Wade, and shut your trap CB. You guys leave Mario Chalmers alone. He's an outspoken winner. And whether you like it or not, he probably taught you guys a thing or two about being champions.<br />
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*****</div>
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Unlike other guys that are Diss players, Mario Chalmers is not a loser. He never has been. He's won in nearly every spot he's been in, from high school to the pros. He won two Alaska state championships in 2002 and 2003. He won the NCAA championship in 2008, and of course, an NBA title in 2012. Reportedly, he's one of seven players in history who have won championships at every level (except the Olympics and FIBA tournaments). Mario knows winning. Knows it well.<br />
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And at this point, we know Mario well. We've seen a lot of him since 2005. Almario Venard "Mario" Chalmers was fairly well known to the average television-watching basketball fan when he came out of the NBA draft in the 2008. He had been the most recognizable face of Bill Self's University of Kansas team, which never missed the NCAA tournament in the three years he played. He had the most memorable play of the 2008 championship game, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E84y-SrwUtA&feature=related">a contested three over the outstretched hands of University of Memphis point guard Derrick Rose </a>(perhaps you've heard of him) that sent the game to overtime. Kansas, of course, would win the game, and Mario, unsurprisingly, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. <br />
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That stuff didn't trickle down to me (I was on an airplane during that title game in 2008, flying back from a grad school visit in Seattle). My lack of love for the college game is well-chronicled, and needless to say, I was not breathlessly waiting to hear how Sasha Kaun was faring against Joey Dorsey. I started to get into Mario (or as Jason called him once, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeNL7VICv3I">Super Nintendo Chalmers</a>; a nickname that easily stuck) when he was a rookie. He had just been drafted in the second round, 34th overall; a surprising drop for a guy considered by most pundits to be the second best point guard prospect behind Rose (D.J. Augustin and Jerryd Bayless, current backups, were both drafted ahead of him in the first round). He (alongside another decorated Diss player, Michael Beasley) caught my eye when they were busted for smoking weed during their rookie symposium in August. I was impressed that these three guys would violate a bevy of rules during the orientation to their careers just to get a little high (how much can you bring on an airplane?) in-between sessions, especially with so much at stake. Was it foolish? Yes. Was it brave? Absolutely. Mario piqued my attention at that moment, and hasn't lost it since.<br />
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His rookie team -- the 2008-2009 Miami Heat -- was one of my favorite teams from that year. Little was expected of them. Their superstar was coming back from career-threatening shoulder surgery, they had a little-known rookie head coach named Erik Spoelstra, and were taking the court with a hodge-podge roster filled with unproven rookies and uncelebrated vets with expiring and/or short-term contracts as they geared up for the 2010 offseason of LeBron. Moreover, the Heat had gone 15-67 the season before, and had flirted with being the worst NBA team <i>ever. </i> This was a team that wasn't expected to win 30 games.</div>
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Instead, as they overachieved, and became a scrappy playoff team. The team won 43 games under Spoelstra and a D-Wade who came back far healthier and dominant than anyone expected (he averaged over 30 a game, and had one of the most stellar statistical seasons of all time). During the regular season, the Heat weren't barnburners, but they did many things very well. They allowed only 98 points per game, good for 12th in the league. Their offense wasn't spectacular -- they scored 98.3 points per game, mostly on the superhuman efforts of D-Wade, who was first overall in usage rate, second in wins produced, and third overall in player efficiency rating -- but enough to win the games they were supposed to, and steal a few that they weren't. All of this lead to a fifth seed in the playoffs, where they lost in a forgettable seven game series to the Atlanta Hawks.</div>
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In the middle of all of this unexpected success, surprisingly, was Mario Chalmers, the team's outspoken winner. Mario played and started every single game; something his hyped rookie-mate Michael Beasley did not do. His per game averages were solid for a starting point guard, but excellent for a rookie. 10 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds a game, to go along with 40% shooting on field goals, and 37% from deep. His 160 total steals were good for third in the league. His 107 defensive rating (which has improved each season he's been in the league) certainly wouldn't qualify him for the all-defensive team, showed that he could play competent team defense on a team that relied on creating turnovers to succeed. By any metric, Mario had a fantastic rookie season for a playoff team.<br />
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The next year, the team won 47 games, but the Heat, much like the Knicks and the Nets, had the look of a team treading water before LeBron, Bosh, D-Wade, Joe Johnson, Amar'e, and the rest of the lot hit the market. I lost track of the team during this surprisingly successful punt of a season, but sort of kept my eye on Super Nintendo Chalmers. Things were not nearly as rosy for him. He dealt with knee issues and lost his starting job to both Rafer Alson and Carlos Arroyo. His numbers went down, as did his playing time. And the naysayers, who had been waiting for their moment to pounce on Mario, lined up behind the ramparts, guns raised, looking for a clear shot. Though the team was more successful (or was the East just weaker? KG missed the second half of the season and the playoffs with a knee injury) Mario was not a part of that movement. His role, certainly, had been diminished, and with his contract expiring, his future on the team was uncertain.</div>
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When LeBron and Bosh made their decisions to join the Heat, the team underwent a massive transformation. The team had been a walking expiring contract, with team options that had been declined to create space for three near-max level contracts. Only two players from the previous team were retained under contract: Joel Anthony, the defensive pivot, and Mario Chalmers, the oft-maligned point guard.</div>
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In the next two seasons, the team would go to the finals twice, and win once. Mario Chalmers started four games in 2011, and in all six in 2012. And though the Heat have been nothing but successful since coming together in 2011, Mario Chalmers is not always considered to be a reason for that success. <a href="http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/heatzone/2012/10/02/lebron-to-chalmers-show-me-youve-grown-up/">And already, some of his teammates are questioning his readiness to change for this season.</a></div>
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Maybe they're the ones that need to change. Not him.<br />
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*****</div>
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Now hear this, my friends: a team doesn't need a top shelf point guard to win a championship. This has been the case for quite some time now.<br />
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In the grand scheme of things, this shift away from the All Star-caliber point guard is a rather recent development, given Magic, Isiah and DJ's importance throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. But the importance the point guard diminished over the course of the 1990s with the success of Phil Jackson's triangle from 1991-1993 and 1996-1998, and Rudy T's system, which organized talented shooters around Dream, and won championships in 1994 and 1995. <br />
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Take a look at the starting point guards for title winners since Jordan retired in 1998, as well as their overall rankings in win shares and wins produced.<br />
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In this analysis (and thanks Franklin for putting the chart together), I'm using win share and wins produced rankings as a way to determine who constitutes an elite player in the NBA. Of this list, only one point guard could be considered "elite" for their position during both the regular season: Chauncey Billuips and Jason Kidd. Billups was 8th overall in the league in win shares in 2004, and Jason Kidd was 12th overall in wins produced in 2011 (which surprised me). But other than that, the list is filled with solid, but hardly spectacular point guards, most of whom were in the top-100 in the league in both WS% and WP/48 (except Derek Fisher in 2001, whose surprisingly bad numbers can be attributed to split time with Ron Harper). Super Nintendo Chalmers looks very much the part of this vaunted club. His WS% ranking of 78 puts him at right around the average for a championship point guard, and his 95 ranking in WP/48, though a bit low, is still respectable -- only 10 off the average ranking. <br />
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However, look at Rajon Rondo in 2008. Now, we are all familiar with the 2012 version of Rajon Rondo (simply known as "Rondo", not unlike an international soccer star like Messi or Ronaldo), who is considered, at worst, to be a top four NBA point guard alongside Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook. 2008 Rajon Rondo is more similar to 2012 Mario Chalmers than he is to 2012 Rajon Rondo, an all star and MVP candidate.<br />
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Similar to Mario in 2010, Rondo, a mid first survived a great culling in 2007, carried forth by Danny Ainge to make room for two new superstars: Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. When those guys arrived, critics openly wondered whether there'd be enough ball for all of the superstars sharing the court, and whether Rondo, a talented second year player who had played well enough on a 17 win team the previous season, would be able to perform well enough to be a starting point guard on a sudden championship contender.<br />
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Rondo silenced his critics almost immediately. He wasn't spectacular (though we saw brief glimpses of what was to come), but he didn't have to be; he had Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to do most of the offensive heavy lifting. Instead, he honed the skills that later set him apart from his peers: his passing and his defense. He lead his team in assists and steals, and ranked in the top ten in the league for steals, top thirty for assists. This was more than enough with the Big Three around.<br />
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When they beat the Lakers in the Finals, Rondo wasn't the most celebrated member of the team. But he had helped them win, and that's all that mattered. Without his defense and his passing, three future hall of famers would never have won rings. Without his six steals in the deciding game 6, there wouldn't have been a parade in Boston. Without Rondo, their legacies would've been incomplete.<br />
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*****</div>
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In many ways, Super Nintendo Chalmers has a far easier task surviving longterm in Miami than Rondo did in Boston. And unlike many other Diss players, he doesn't have to do much to change his fortune.<br />
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Rondo had to become a star, and he had to do it quickly. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were acquired in their early thirties to join Paul Pierce, another superstar in his thirties. None of those guys were young, and Rondo was going to have to fill some big shoes before too long. Whether Danny Ainge knew Rondo was going to become a transcendent superstar himself doesn't really matter; he didn't have a choice. If he was going to remain in Boston for the longterm, he had to be great. Otherwise, he was going to be flipped for other young players in order to carry the Big Three to a title. There was no other possibility for his development in Boston. If he wasn't going to be a star in Boston, he wasn't going to be in Boston. <br />
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Simply put: Mario Chalmers is not expected to develop into Rajon Rondo. Whether he has the skills, ability and motivation to do so is another matter. But he is not being charged with the task of becoming a transcendent player that the Heat have to build around. LeBron and Bosh are in their primes, and even the biggest skeptic would allow D-Wade, at a minimum, two more seasons of playing at a world-class level. Instead, he's tasked with remaining what he already is: a point guard who knows how to stay on the court for a championship winning team. Indeed, Chalmers has a few clear strengths. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5FFMQZ8sho"> He is a good shooter. </a> He is a valuable perimeter defender. And he is an outspoken winner.</div>
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With LeBron on your team, ball movement is simple, and one doesn't have to concentrate on running the offense as much. With D-Wade around, penetration isn't an issue, as D-Wade makes a living scoring and distributing around the hoop. Bosh is an easy and steady post presence to feed the ball, and he, as a skilled post passer, can do wonders keeping the ball moving. These are bona fide superstars; guys do the heavy lifting, and who have been domesticated (and paid) to shoulder such burdens.</div>
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Instead, Chalmers can rely on his other clear strengths: shooting, defense and ball movement, and solidify his place in the lineup. And that's what he does. He is another foot soldier in Miami's vaunted positional revolution, which plays LeBron at the four, and surrounds him with shooters (including Chris Bosh) who can provide space and allow him to create. Chalmers now stands alongside Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Shane Battier and Mike Miller, who all can all roam around the floor, hit shots, and make a nice defensive play. And he's already shown he can do the little things that end up being big deals, like guard Russell Westbrook on the perimeter, and work with D-Wade in Miami's effective zone defense. He fits well on this team. He has for nearly five seasons now.<br />
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So when LeBron shouts at him, or accuses him of not being mature enough, he can just look at him, in a way that screams "outspoken winner" and tell the MVP to deal. That's right, LeBron: deal. Because you know what? There's a good chance you wouldn't have won that ring without Mario.</div>
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*****</div>
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<div>
The defending champions didn't have to keep Mario Chalmers as their starting point guard. Believe you me, they had options. Steve Nash could've been had. Ramon Sessions was available. Jason Kidd would have fit in. Even guys like Ray Felton or Kirk Hinrich would've gotten the job done. But they stuck with Chalmers, their Super Bowl winning quarterback. Mostly because he's under contract. But also, perhaps, because they truly believe in him.</div>
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For the first time in awhile, Super Nintendo Chalmers has a quarterback controversy on his hands. Second year guard Norris Cole is coming on like a boss, and could provide a more traditional point guard look for a slightly older, wildly unconventional unit like the Heat. He also is younger and more athletic; a superficially more intriguing prospect than the still-young Super Nintendo.<br />
<br />
But if Mario Chalmers keeps doing what he's doing -- let the superstars do most of the hard work, keep them relatively happy, and do work, everyday -- it will be hard to go anywhere else but Mario. An elite point guard isn't necessary to win a championship, you just need one who can provide winning plays when they matter. And the Heat already have that in Super Nintendo Chalmers.<br />
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So say no to superstar abuse, Mario. It's time to get started.<br />
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Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-12804346551668113772012-10-11T12:15:00.003-07:002012-10-13T00:48:54.167-07:00We Are One With the Esteemed Nerds.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
I am happy to announce that Kevin "Franklin" Draper's work <a href="http://wagesofwins.com/2012/10/11/can-old-team-win-titles-why-theres-hope-for-the-knicks-after-all/">has been featured as a main post on the respected Wages of Wins Journal</a>, which we greatly admire here at The Diss. In the post, Kevin discusses why age indeed matters when it comes to winning championships in the NBA. <br />
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We are very proud of Frank, and very thankful to <a href="https://twitter.com/NerdNumbers">Dre</a> and the rest of the gang at The Wages of Wins Journal for linking to the blog. </div>
Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-19225332795165496962012-10-10T07:34:00.001-07:002012-10-10T08:29:05.722-07:00Wild Speculation and Outlandish Guesses: Purchase or Pass...On Legislation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The biggest news of the last week was the NBA coming out with fines for flopping, as well as a hilarious video demonstrating what is and is not a flop. This isn't the first time that the NBA has waded into legislating gray areas of basketball: witness the imposition of a dress code a few years back. So, in another addition of everybody's favorite game, Purchase or Pass...On, we talk about rules!<br />
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<b>Purchase or Pass...On the NBA fining players for whining and complaining about calls.</b><br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: Purchase. I don't mind arguing a call, but the excessive body language, with hands thrown in the air, and feet stamping on the ground, gets really tiresome. Losing some bank after you demonstratively whine all night might change some obnoxious behaviors. Looking at you, Blake.<br />
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<b>Joe Bernardo</b>: Purchase. As much as I love the antics of Vlade Divac for comedic purposes, enforcing flopping will get certain players to finally play some hard-nosed D.<br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Purchase a very specific definition of whining and complaining. I don't mind the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZbeTZjPgzdAD2t4Ph4-SZMG7VokDeNhCnYgnsPzL8QG74ff4AdPEUkPLx_ydIISsJ2WC4jnMyS8bXT8SIF7toYa2gdtubVFgqJzu7Th_EVR2r7eu9ln5h8IAsCSzwY8ROwymXgwSdPk/s1600/Tim+Duncan.jpg">Tim Duncan stare</a>, but I do mind when a player gets up in a referee's face and basically physically intimidates him into changing his call or, more likely, influencing future calls. <br />
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<b>Purchase or Pass...On the NBA fining players for Having too much fun (a la NFL excessive celebration penalties)</b><br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: In general, pass...on. I'm generally for happiness. Though the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTRQaggClMs">2009-2010 Cavs were pretty obnoxious, and could've been told to settle down a bit.</a><br />
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<b>Joe Bernardo</b>: Pass on. Please no NFL anti-celebration legislation in the NBA. I love the dancing, the yelling, and the poses. Can you imagine the NBA without the NY Knick chest bump, the Reggie Miller Michael Jackson impersonation, or the Antoine Walker shimmy? Let the players have fun.<br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Pass on. I want more excessive celebration! I wanna see dudes chest bumping after hitting free throws, throwing their jersey over their head and doing cartwheels after they hit a three. More, more more. <br />
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<b>Purchase or Pass...On the NBA fining players for Showboating (bouncing the ball off other players, hanging on the rim etc.)</b><br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: Pass on...with reservations! This is already adequately legislated, but not uniformly officiated, however. In my opinion, is where "star treatment" is most noticeable. D-Wade hangs on the rim all the time, and sees no techs or violations for it. If the league offered warnings or small fines, it might encourage better behavior.<br />
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<b>Joe Bernardo</b>: Purchase, but only if it involves penalizing for some sort of taunting. Showboating is one thing, but taunting can lead to unnecessary brawling.<br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Pass on. Just like excessive celebration, I want more showboating. Some of my favorite players are the ones that showboat. I especially love the bench warmer that starts doing it as they get onto the court. That's what makes the NBA fun: that we sit so close to the players, they don't have a helmet on, and we can see their personality. <br />
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<b>Purchase or Pass...On the NBA fining players for using obscene language towards each other and referees during the game</b><br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: Pass on any further regulation. This is already legislated by the league. Players and coaches get fined for postgame tirades, and/or not leaving the court in a timely manner. <br />
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<b>Joe Bernardo</b>: Pass on. The game is full of emotions and there are always time when players need to say Fuck, Ass, Bitch, Balls, Jiminy Cricket, etc. As Jacob already mentioned, the league already enforces it. No need for further legislation.<br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Pass on I guess. Not having risen above 3rd grade YMCA league (unless pickup at the community center is higher than that), I just don't have enough experience to know whether it is detrimental to the game at all. </div>
Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-19306490742991883082012-10-09T07:55:00.002-07:002012-10-09T07:55:34.410-07:00Basketball? Basketball. BASKETBALL!!!!<br />
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Jesus that
was a long offseason. I can’t tell you how happy I was to see people
live-Tweeting the Celtics playing a goddamn game in Turkey. Sure, it’s a
goddamn game in Turkey, but at least it is basketball!</div>
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Slowly
though, as preseason games have continued, that exuberance has been tempered as
I remember that it is the preseason. When the Warriors took on the Lakers the
other night, they faced the fearsome starting five of Nash, Bryant, Peace,
Gasol…and Sacre? According to Wikipedia, Robert Sacre is a “Canadian
professional basketball player” and is a member of the Canadian national
basketball team”. I wonder if Sacre and Nash giggle on road trips while eating
Poutine and listening to Drake.</div>
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The
preseason can give you a funny, inflated view of what is yet to come. The
Warriors are 2-0, having beat the Lakers and Jazz, and our rookies look good! But
really, the most important number is 12: the number of minutes Stephen Curry on
his surgically-repaired ankle before pulling himself out of the game. 6-1
turnover ratio!! Is he actually injured? Was it just a precautionary measure?
Will he be able to play through that pain and soreness in three weeks? Who
knows, it’s the damn preseason.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>The
preseason is also the home to my favorite sports cliché, the “he’s in the best
shape of his life” sound bite. Enes Kanter weighs 8 lbs. less than last season
and looks stronger? If only that included added coordination and he might be
able to pull off the worm! Stephen Curry looks like he went to a gun show and
traded in his pistols for some gats. He’ll be unstoppable going to the hole
now, unless, you know, HIS ANKLE DOESN’T DISINTEGRATE WITH LATERAL MOVEMENT!</div>
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We’re also starting to hear some funny things
from the beat reporters, as it’s not just players’ hoop game that isn’t in
regular season form, but their media game. We start off with the relatively
tame: Deron Williams signed with the Nets over the Mavericks because Mark Cuban
didn’t show up to a meeting <a href="http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/id/8479445/brooklyn-nets-deron-williams-dallas-mavericks-free-agency-pitch-damaged-mark-cuban-absence">to
swaddle Williams</a>. On the one hand, Williams is patently absurd. He is a
grown man that is signing a maximum contract, why would feeling “wanted” trump
things like pay, ability to win, training staff etc. On the other hand, as
Larry Coon’s <a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8477951/nba-league-most-overpaid-underpaid-players-according-nbarank">recent
column</a> (ESPN Insider) demonstrates, because of the salary cap many NBA
players are paid less than their full market value. Within that context, it
appears that intangible benefits like “feeling loved” really matter.</div>
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On the more
meaningful end of things, Rudy Gay <a href="http://www.straightouttavancouver.com/2012/10/8/3475704/rudy-gay-says-he-doesnt-like-chris-paul-clippers">calls
out</a> Chris Paul and the rest of the Clippers! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq_nj5K43qM">Flop city bitch</a>, flop
flop city! Of course, Gay’s quote about Paul is pretty ambiguous: “I mean I love
him but I don’t like him anymore.” What the hell does that mean? Was Gay confused
as to the topic of the interview and thought it was “lame lines you tell a girl
when you don’t want to date her anymore but you don’t have the balls to truly
break up with her”? Thankfully, Memphis’ first game of the season is against
the Clippers, where we will see hate (or mild dislike, or something) and David
Stern’s new anti-flopping rule collide! Must see TV I think.</div>
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If all that didn’t seem coherent, duh, you’re
right. There is just so much high-quality preseason news coming out and, like
those players, I’m still in preseason form. Frankly, the fact that there are no
typos in this piece (for the love of God let there be no typos) means that I
am, in injury-talk parlance, a few weeks ahead of schedule.</div>
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If you’re
wondering if this all means something, the answer is, maybe, but <a href="http://www.82games.com/preseason.htm">probably not</a>. Sure, the
preseason is somewhat predictive of regular season to come, but there is a
myriad of more predictive factors, notably last season’s results. We can’t go
so far as to say it doesn’t mean anything, so you should care a little bit
about your team not picking up that preseason donut, but I wouldn’t schvitz too
much. Just enjoy the fact that BASKETBALL IS BACK!</div>
Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-33972300016608578672012-10-08T08:58:00.000-07:002012-10-08T09:04:16.739-07:00Monday Media: The Vince Carter Body Slam, or How Jalen Rose Got HIs Groove Back.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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At some point in the last two seasons, Jalen Rose became what Diss-cussant Kurt Scott called a "certifiable boss". And he's definitely right. In a line-up that features fairly bland personalities, and cookie-cutter analysis, Rose has risen to the top of the ESPN food pyramid (mmmm, fats and oils. Eat sparingly). He's ESPN's most animated, opinionated and eloquent basketball analyst; one who is rarely afraid to share his mind. Be it about <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/03/espns-jalen-rose-wants-to-end-war-of-words-between-him-dukes-grant-hill/1">race and the game in the Detroit metro area</a>, to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/jalen-rose-skip-bayless-basketball-lie_n_1415422.html">embellishments of ESPN's less lovable talking heads on </a><i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/jalen-rose-skip-bayless-basketball-lie_n_1415422.html">First Take</a>, </i>Rose keeps it real. It's refreshing to see.
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<br />
In his latest overshare, Rose details a short "day in the life" from the 2005 NBA season, when he and Vince Carter were teammates on the Toronto Raptors, and a playful conflict between Vinsanity and former Raps coach Sam Mitchell got out of hand. Rose offers honest assessments of Vince, Mitchell, the Raptors organization, and the hidden stuff that happens in NBA locker rooms. And it's all animated.
You've got two and a half minutes to spare. Don't you? Take a minute and listen to Jalen Rose spin some yarn.
</div>
Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-34546048328620764822012-10-06T17:35:00.000-07:002012-10-07T12:57:08.060-07:00Your Annotated Smartphone Bathroom Reader for Saturday, October 6, 2012.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm writing this on an airplane. In the $10 choice between in-flight blogging and in-flight drinking, I may not have chosen wisely.<br />
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<a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/50157/get-on-the-bus-with-royce-white">Get On The Bus With Royce White</a><br />
Henry Abbott<br />
TrueHoop<br />
<br />
In a fairly quiet first week of training camps, the biggest news came out of Houston, where it was reported that Royce White, one of the Rockets' draft picks, was holding out from camp until he and the Rockets could come to an agreement on a plan that would address White's well-publicized diagnoses of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders as he begins his NBA career. The plan would include a number of coping-mechanisms, including bus rides to close by games, diet changes, and regularly scheduled visits with team doctors and counselors. While most of the blogosphere and commenting public was in favor of White's decision, there were a few insensitive tweets send White's way. Henry Abbott, who has long championed recognizing the beauty of human imperfection in highly sculpted NBA athletes, writes a wonderful piece that contextualizes White's diagnoses in light of other injuries. Abbott reminds us that most athletes, when injured, have a plan for continued participation that take into account rest and recovery. Abbott asks a great question: why are White's mental health issues any different? This is a smart, sympathetic piece. The blogosphere is lucky to have Abbott around.<br />
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- JG</div>
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<a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/20442675/the-engine-running-in-neutral-on-royce-white-and-anxiety">The Engine Running in Neutral: On Royce White and Anxiety</a></div>
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Matt Moore</div>
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CBSSports.com</div>
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Royce White's holdout from training camp prompted a variety of responses, perhaps none more powerful than this short piece written by Matt Moore. Moore discloses that he, himself, suffers from anxiety disorder, and struggled to manage panic attacks throughout most of his younger years. Moore's experience with panic attacks can be summarized simply: "Panic attacks are like snowflakes that suck. They're all different." Moore's point is simple: everyone is different. Hence, it is not our job to offer assessments of whether White is "sick", "demanding" or "crazy". It's a good reminder from someone who, unfortunately, has first hand experience managing (and living successfully and functionally) with the disease.</div>
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- JG</div>
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<a href="http://www.cowbellkingdom.com/2012/10/06/sacramento-kings-colorado-springs-nba-training-camp/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ckingdom+%28Cowbell+Kingdom%29&utm_content=ESPN"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cowbellkingdom.com/2012/10/06/sacramento-kings-colorado-springs-nba-training-camp/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ckingdom+%28Cowbell+Kingdom%29&utm_content=ESPN">Pictures: Sacramento Kings' Team Building Excursion in Colorado Springs</a></div>
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Jonathan Santiago</div>
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Cowbell Kingdom</div>
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Team USA's heavy use of Instagram and Twitter proved that NBA players, despite their fame and finances, really enjoy trips. They do. Perhaps it reminds them of times when basketball was just a game, and excursions related to said game was mostly focused on development and having fun. But it was clear that Team USA loved their traveling, spending time together, and chronicling it on various social networks. It is with that realization in mind that we observe recent pictures taken by the Sacramento Kings, who recently completed a team building weekend at a ropes course in Colorado Springs last week. There's nothing out of the ordinary here, except 6'8'', 250-something pound men, strapped up to harnesses and flying around trees like some sort of multi-millionaire church youth group. And the smiles on their faces seem genuine. Awwwww, our widdle Jimmer's making new fwiends.</div>
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- JG</div>
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<a href="http://theclassical.org/articles/the-pittsburgh-pirates-and-hope-after-hope">The Pittsburgh Pirates, and Hope after Hope.</a></div>
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Diana Moskovitz</div>
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The Classical</div>
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The reason this piece is included in the reader is because of its theme: being a fan of a bad team. Moskovitz, a lifelong fan of the Pirates, issues this lament at the end of the Pirates' 20th losing season; one that saw them finish 79-83, and fall from first to fourth in the NL Central in epic fashion. Reading Moskovitz's smart analysis on why people root for bad teams, and the coping mechanisms they use to get by, reads almost like a instruction manual on "How To Cope With Your Always Terrible Team." Her most interesting assertion is that people are fans of bad teams to feel better about themselves; that seeing ineptitude, and supporting it through thick and thin, makes us feel better about our ability to persevere through tough times. Perhaps. Pirates and Warriors fans need to get together and start a support group.</div>
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- JG</div>
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<a href="http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2012-articles/october/media-wars-michael-wilbon-vs-dan-steinberg.html">Capital Combat: Michael Wilbon vs Dan Steinberg</a></div>
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Matt Yoder</div>
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Awful Announcing</div>
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It's a DC sportswriters internet brawl, and Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing (which is quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs) has all the dirty deets! In one corner: Michael Wilbon, former <i>Washington Post </i>columnist-turned-ESPN personality. In the other corner: Dan Steinberg, current <i>Post </i>columnist and lead blogger on the DC Sports blog. Their subject: Washington, D.C., and whether the city is one of America's "best sports town". Yoder's perspective: who cares? The answer: these guys. A lot. Tune in for the internet fisticuffs, and watch Wilbon totally lose his marbles on the Facebooks. Moral: I'm really happy I just do this blogging stuff for kicks.</div>
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- JG</div>
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Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-38462520755227224602012-10-06T09:04:00.000-07:002012-10-06T09:58:34.095-07:00Terrence Williams, It's Time to Get Started.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
Forgive me, dearest basketball media consumer, while I reference the pseudo-sport of ultimate frisbee.<br />
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I played intercollegiate ultimate frisbee (yes, such a thing exists) at a school that had multiple intercollegiate ultimate frisbee teams (yes, such schools exist). <a href="http://orgs.carleton.edu/cut/">One team </a>was laden with athletic stalwarts and high profile frisbee recruits (yes, such recruits exist). I did not play for that team. Instead, I chose <a href="http://apps.carleton.edu/student/orgs/gop/">the counter-cultural ultimate frisbee option</a> (yes, such options exist), where we donned hawaiian shirts, drank concoctions that skillfully mixed "girly" drinks with the dregs of a plastic handle of vodka, and came up with irreverent cheers that make me cringe when repeated out loud today. <br />
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But lest you think we were a bunch of fatties who couldn't run for seconds at the Old Country Buffet, let alone run around in the fastest growing once-beach-barbecue-activity-now-second-tier-sport this side of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubb">Kubb</a>, I will have you know that we were, on the whole, a fit group of motherfuckers. Those who were not fit at the beginning of the year certainly were by the end; a mixture of track, weight, and pylometric workouts. And those were not naturally gifted athletes (watch me take a bow) had to work doubly hard to keep up with the stallions who made that shit look simple. <br />
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A veteran player told me at some point during my sophomore year that, "it's way easier to teach a tall, fast person how to throw the disc than it is to teach a short, fat thrower how to be tall and fast." These were true words; the best players were physically gifted, and athletically inclined in such a way where throwing a 175 gram piece of plastic became a wholly surmountable feat. As such, most of my frisbee preparation focused on me becoming taller and faster; two things that I, a stout black Jew with a distinctive pigeon-toed waddle, struggled mightily to achieve. I envied their bodies; chisled machines that could accomplish whatever, whenever and however in a variety of ways. If only I --<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1c6b2mKw1K103Ip0EyRC2-dDELDAqM1DZyjiMU56WpIAGBOGl6RcvtRyE5EXqkLQiHnVeLK6vS6GntaL7u-qAGvDpnkznUH2WRxzA2FlEhNOsbT1HkdxHOIeg90yDj4ODuk_DojXT3g/s400/photo+(11).JPG"> the byproduct of round Eastern European Jewish immigrants and round African-Americans</a> -- were so lucky. <br />
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But then players like Terrence Williams -- T-Will for short -- made me feel like I was being too hard on the thoroughbreds. In the imperfect picture that is T-Will, we are confronted with the outspoken athlete; a compelling, yet frustrating player.<br />
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*****</div>
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It is possible that "athleticism", and all the terms that come with it -- "unbelievable upside", "freakish hops", "vertical off the charts", and all the likes -- subconsciously portray a typecasted player.</div>
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Athleticism isn't always used in a positive fashion. Often times, players who are portrayed as "athletic" are implied to be missing something else, like "basketball I.Q.", "maturity" or "refinement". More often than not, we end up shaking our heads and lamenting the misfortune of an athlete who couldn't get it all together. Someone like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_LqN_QwdaI">Stromile Swift</a>, or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUWf7UIS-xs">Darius Miles</a>, or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqY4PvoJKP0">Amir Johnson</a>, or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JWUBZgszNg">Tyrus Thomas</a>; a guy who routinely appears in highlights, but never seems to harness that ability for a greater good. Their talents unrealized, and their development unachieved, they fade into lesser leagues, or become bar trivia answers. Pour one out for the athlete, and all the sorrow they sow.</div>
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Yet, T-Will's athleticism looks different than Stro's or JR's, or even LeBron (the guy who he feels he plays the most like). T-Will's athleticism is sleepy sharp; a quiet fury that surprises and soothes. T-Will can do a bit of everything. He's quick, can jump, and can guard both guard and forward positions. He plays a bit like Chris Paul trapped in Evan Turner's body, bringing the ball up court, directing the offense, and taking the shot when he either deems things broken or not worth managing anymore. </div>
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I first heard about T-Will from an unlikely individual: <a href="http://mcscandalous.com/">Katie McCandless</a>, my former resident assistant from college. Katie had arrived in Northfield, Minnesota by way of Louisville, Kentucky. Like every Louisvillian I've had the pleasure of knowing, she knew her college ball. Like, <i>really </i>knew her college ball, and in that Louisville way: innocent, childlike, yet informed in a way that was sort of intimidating. Made sense; the entire state of Kentucky is a college basketball hotspot. There are two great colleges in the state, the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, that consistently produce professionals worthy of our attention and praise.</div>
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She advised me to check out T-Will. And I really liked what I saw. And I still do.</div>
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I don't watch a ton of college ball. I didn't know this type of player existed in the college game; a triple-double threat each night with freakish hops and deep range. Moreover, I didn't know this type of player stayed for four years in college. T-Will looked to be one of those guys that made David Stern's age requirement rule look cruel and unforgiving for those of us who lusted after able young bodies, and their tantalizing abilities. T-Will looked ready to ball. I was excited about him -- hell, I was excited about everyone in that 2009 draft. He presented a grabbag skillset; someone who seemingly was good at just about everything, and had the college resume and stage presence (he had played in a national championship game), and intangibles that were off the charts. His draft position fluctuated, but he was never projected to fall below 11 or 12 in the first round. True to form, he ended up going 11th to the New Jersey Nets. Folks were excited, offering suggestions that<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/terrence-williams-507/"> lowballed him as a poor-man's Andre Iguodala, and highballed him at a poor-man's Scottie Pippen. </a><br />
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But even Scottie Pippen couldn't have done anything with the 2009-2010 New Jersey Nets. What an unmitigated disaster. That team started off<a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/12606930/nets-018-start-accompanied-by-18-ugly-moments-in-team-history"> 0-18 </a>(the worst start by an NBA team ever), and finished 12-70. The team was in the middle of being sold, the GM-turned-coach all but had a firing clock chained to his neck, and the losses were lopsided and demoralizing. And in the middle of it was T-Will, lost in a locker room that featured a "who's who" dossier of B-list NBA retreads. Trenton Hassell as "Veteran Presence". Bobby Simmons as "Highest Paid Flop". Devin Harris as "Good Player Who Hates His Team". Kiki Vandeweghe as "Terrible GM-Demoted-to-Coach-pre-Firing". </div>
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These teams are sad. They are not places to thrive. They are not places to learn.</div>
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By and large, T-Will did not thrive. And T-Will certainly did not learn. Coach Kiki Vandeweghe made T-Will the team's sixth man, and T-Will <a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willite01/gamelog/2010/">struggled.</a> Yes, the athleticism was still there, but nothing was coming together. On the worst team in the league -- nay, one of the worst teams in NBA history -- T-Will was statistically one of the team's wost players. He averaged 8 points, 4 boards and 3 assists off the bench, on only 40% shooting (30% from deep). His efficiency numbers were inexcusable, even for a rookie. He did not shoot the ball well, nor did he shoot it smartly (though to be fair, no one on his team really did, save Brook Lopez . His 11.4 PER coupled with a negative win share of -0.03 tell a tale that's more sad than satisfying. </div>
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The writing was on the wall for T-Will: talented but a knucklehead. Pre-bust status.</div>
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Seasons two and three weren't great. In 2010-2011, Avery Johnson brought T-Will's brand new doghouse with him, pre-built and ready for use. <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/11/24/nets-williams-misses-game-for-breaking-team-rules/"> T-Will had a hard time making meetings and practices </a>on time, and the Li'l General didn't take kindly. He sent him to the bench, then to the D-League, and finally to the Rockets in a trade to get a first-round draft pick. Though there was initial excitement about his arrival in Houston, that quickly faded when he failed to crack then-coach Rick Adelman's rotation. He remained a Rocket throughout the long locked-out offseason of 2011, but barely saw the court in 2012. He also showed some of the same problems he had had in New Jersey: <a href="http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2012/03/from-practicing-really-well-to-not-at-all-terrence-williams-could-be-back-out-of-rotation-too/">missed practices and team meetings, and an uneasy relationship with his coach. </a> The Rockets released him at the trade deadline to make room for newly-acquired Marcus Camby, but also "for [him] to get court time in a contract year." Before long, he was signed by the Sacramento Kings; a veritable halfway house for NBA never-launched's to have one last chance at financial salvation.</div>
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T-Will played in 18 games in Sacto. He got time during every game; no less than ten minutes in any given contest. He was able to showcase his talents in Keith Smart's wide open offense, where the emphasis was on ball movement and making the extra pass. T-Will put up solid numbers off the bench -- 8 points, 4 boards and 3 assists per game, at a slightly more respectable 43% shooting clip. He had only one monster game (a 21 point effort against the Rockets, his old team), but delivered nine double-digit efforts, and a 16.5 per (above the league average). He nearly averaged a steal, so one could argue there was defensive improvement. Nevertheless, the numbers were strong for what Keith Smart used him as: a backup small forward.<br />
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But what we <i>saw</i> out of T-Will in Sacto, his performances on the stage, were the most compelling aspect about him. With a slightly more talented cast (and perhaps the strange motivation that comes in a contract year), T-Will showed how valuable a positional revolutionary could be, and that wild athleticism can take many different forms.<br />
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There were two versions of T-Will in Sacto: the quality contributor and the pseudo-star. More often than not, we saw the quality contributor. The first version can be seen in the above video, which chronicles T-Will's efforts in a March 30th 104-103 victory for the Kings over the Jazz. This version of T-Will did a little bit of everything: get rebounds, run the offense, find the open man, and hit a few shots. This is the T-Will we see in the per-game stats, one that uses his court time to its fullest extent, and helps the team in nearly every way imaginable. He looks far more the point guard than Jimmer Freddette (decidedly <i>not </i>a Diss player), and does an excellent job finding open shooters time and time again (though said shooters rarely hit the shot). However, his 3-7 night from the field (including 0-1 from deep) highlights his weaknesses. One doesn't like the contested runners he hoisted up more often than not, and wishes he picked his spots a bit better. But the numbers are good, and the win is achieved. When you score 8 points, grab 6 boards, get 4 assists, in all of 22 minutes, that's a great investment.<br />
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It's the slightly better version of T-Will -- the one depicted in the above video -- that really makes our lips moisten, and palms to sweat. In this video, which depicts a 109-100 loss for the Kings against the Suns, we see "quality contributor" T-Will post power-up mushroom consumption. His penetration is more deliberate, his passes more forceful. He drives to the rim with not-quite-reckless abandon; surveying the floor for viable offensive options, and relying on his shot only if it makes absolute sense. That, there, becomes the difference -- T-Will looks for the open 18 foot jumper, and does a good job hitting it. That floater is still there, but it's falling in this case, and looks like a viable weapon against smaller ones and twos who invariably match up against T-Will. And we even see a bit of defense in the form of a block against Suns' center Marcin Gortat. <br />
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In these videos, T-Will looks like he's a good fit. He doesn't look like a fish out of water, a boy playing a man's game, or any other silly sports euphemism. No, he looks like a valuable cog in a machine; an offensive grab bag that coaches happily take trinkets from, employing their uses in a myriad of scenarios. T-Will looks like a dynamic game changer, someone who can just as easily be brought off the bench as a backup point guard as he could as a starting two or three. And people look like they like playing with him. Coaches seem unafraid to play him. It's almost as if he's a professional. It's almost as if he's home.<br />
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Which is too bad, because home is fleeting. The Kings, with committed money to Francisco Garcia and John Salmons, and having drafted Thomas Robinson, had no need for T-Will. <br />
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Once again, T-Will was looking for a place to fit in.<br />
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Fitting in is important. Especially for the outspoken athlete.<br />
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One could point to Gerald Green -- a bonafide Diss player since 2011 -- as a modern prototype for how important fitting in is. Green, originally the Celtics' 18th overall pick in 2005, is (pardon the phrase) a freakish athlete who has won multiple dunk contests, and has perhaps <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOzo4pHTZ-M">one of the greatest in-game dunks of all time</a>. He just recently signed a one-year deal with the Indiana Pacers. His most notable accolades are based upon his athletic gifts of hops and creativity around the rim. This is how he has become something close to a household name.<br />
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But Green has had to shed many skins to get to this point in his career. Like T-Will, he, too, has lived and died by his athleticism and potential. <a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7828599/the-improbable-return-nba-new-jersey-nets-gerald-green">Jonathan Abrams of Grantland detailed Green's own professional game of chutes and ladders</a>, which has casted him alternatively as a young, potential franchise cornerstone to a waiver-wire player in the Euroleague, and required him to actually learn from mistakes, and take stock in unlikely life experiences. His first two seasons on the Celtics were promising enough to convince Kevin McHale to take him in the KG trade. But things didn't go well with Randy Wittman, and soon, much like T-Will, Green was looking for work while trying to shed both "locker room cancer" and "athlete" labels. Much like T-Will, Green got short term NBA jobs, but never stuck around. It took two seasons in Russia, a short-stint in China, success in the D-League, two-ten day contracts, and one unbelievable dunk to make sure Green stuck around.<br />
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And stick around he did. And stick around he will. While playing a ten-day with the Nets, a terrible team long out of playoff contention, Green did everything he was supposed to do with his athleticism, averaging 13 points and 3.5 boards. He still flew high, swatting shots and dunking dunks, but he played within himself, and used D-Will to maximize his talents. <br />
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Shedding the "athlete" label didn't mean becoming unathletic. Far from it. Instead, Green found ways to contribute, having picked up some tricks in a multitude of stops, and having found perspective from life events that showed him how good NBA life could be. It took age, experience, and some unexpected turns to bring Green to where he is today. And he's in a good spot -- his contract with the Pacers is good for three years, and he has a chance to be a big contributor on a playoff team. But it wasn't perfect from the start. It doesn't always have to be for things to work out in the end.<br />
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Luckily for him, and for us, T-Will was given another chance to reinvent himsef, and harness his outspoken athleticism.<br />
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<a href="http://tracking.si.com/2012/09/20/terrence-williams-contract-pistons/">On September 20th, T-Will signed a minimum, non-guaranteed contract with the Detroit Pistons. </a> T-Will (alongside Jonny Flynn, another pariah from the 2009 draft) are the 16th and 17th players on a 15 man roster -- in other words, if the season started today, both of those guys would be looking for new jobs elsewhere.<br />
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But there are some positive signs. T-Will is back with Lawrence Frank, the coach whom he spent sixteen awful games with, but also ran his first ever NBA training camp. Frank has ideas to reinvent T-Will. <a href="http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/2012/09/poll_will_jonny_flynn_or_terre.html">According to the Pistons' coach</a>, T-Will has been "miscast" as a small forward, and he sees him as essentially a point guard. And based on what we saw with the Kings (especially playing alongside that tree stump Jimmer Fredette), Frank may very well be right.<br />
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At the beginning of this longwinded missive, I argued that, in ultimate frisbee, it's far easier to teach athletes how to be smart and skilled than it is to teach smart people how to be athletic. As a short fattie who could throw and see the field, I was always going to be at a disadvantage to the varsity athlete who couldn't throw, didn't know how to play, but had all the time in the world. Their shortcomings were going to be rectified through practice and experience, and on the whole, easier to resolve. Mine were only going to be addressed through exercise and conditioning, and even then, my genetic makeup would only allow for so much improvement. This made things easier, on the whole, for the athletes. <br />
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The same thing exists in professional basketball, to an extent. It is far easier to tell an athletic knucklehead to grow up, make better decisions on the court, and acquire skills that will help their team win games than it is to tell a less-talented, more mature, more skilled player to become more athletic. Jared Dudley, for all his civic strengths, and improvements on the court, will not become an All-Star. He won't. It's a cruel world where 6'7'' and a 30 inch vertical just isn't enough, but this is the world that he lives in. Jared Dudley has reached his apex.<br />
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T-Will has not. T-Will needs to grow up, make better decisions on the court, and acquire skills that will help his team win games. If it happens with the Pistons as a point guard, wonderful. If it happens in Europe or Asia -- like it did for Green -- that's good too. But as we saw briefly in Sacramento, T-Will has all the tools to be a dynamic, game changing player. He can make it happen. He should make it happen.<br />
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Simply put: it's time to get started.<br />
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Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-61117402581941230872012-10-05T14:13:00.002-07:002012-10-05T14:15:04.758-07:00Diss Guy Miss Guy, Media Day Edition<br />
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<b>Diss Guy: Iman Shumpert</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I don't know whether I'm more excited about the fact that Iman Shumpert's rocking a classic 'Will Smith Fresh Prince' high top fade, or that he just went Office Space on the iPhone 5. On top of that oldish news, Shump also got into the rap game last year while recovering from his torn ACL, and <a href="http://blogs.thescore.com/tbj/2012/10/03/video-iman-shumpert-puts-on-a-media-day-performance/" target="_blank">delivered a solid "Clique" flip for the cameras</a> during Media Day in between razzing Steve Novak and swagging out with the Knicks self proclaimed 'Bench Mobb'. Shumpert clearly had as much fun as possible (without coming across as a goofy child -- see Beasley, Michael) during the de riguer of what's turned into NBA "media week," and for that, he's our Diss Guy. </span></div>
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<b>Miss Guy: Darko Milicic</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Darko Milicic is now on my favorite NBA team. That's enough to make him the Miss Guy of the week by any stretch of the imagination, but Darko's already off to an ignominious start after Media Day, telling the Boston press: "So now, if I have to go kill someone on the court, I'll kill someone on the court." </span></span></div>
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This coming from a guy who's worn out his welcome on several teams for his lazy, intemperate approach (at best) on the NBA court during his seven year career. This coming from a guy who's most recent hometown paper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, said in a postpartum <a href="http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/172371541.html?refer=y" target="_blank">report</a>:</div>
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"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Milicic frustrated coaches with his work habits and turned off teammates with his sour demeanor and many were relieved when owner Glen Taylor signed off on using the amnesty provision on his contract to get rid of him."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Good luck with Darko, KG... If you made <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GXgFC8q32Q" target="_blank">Glen Davis cry</a>, I can't wait to see what happens at the end of the bench this season... and Darko, I'll believe you're going to hustle when I see it, and for that, you're the Miss Guy of the week.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14217150764920367433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-51683265111478439802012-10-03T07:56:00.002-07:002012-10-03T07:56:52.971-07:00Wild Speculation and Outlandish Guesses: Media Day Roundup Edition.Over the past few days, notably last Friday and Monday, all NBA teams held their media days. Normally these are pretty boring affairs, a chance to see the new players in uniform, write the same story about how player x is in the best shape of their life, and go home. But a few interesting things always come out... <br />
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<b>The Timberwolves signed previously-retired Brandon Roy to a two-year, $10 million contract over the summer, and owner Glen Taylor doesn't even know if he will be able to play. Acceptable risk?</b><br />
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<b>Jordan Durlester</b>: Absolutely an acceptable risk to take. We already know the T-wolves have put together an athletically gifted core of young talent. While having Roy be a contributor on the floor would be ideal, even if he is unable to physically play, his presence will be felt in the locker room. Roy is a mature and proven leader who can aide this team in more ways than points and assists. <br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: Yeah. Two years, $10 million won't break the bank. Question is: if he's great, and the Wolves want to lock him down, how much do you pay him? And for how long?<br />
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<b>Alex Maki</b>: Yes, I think spending $5 million a year, two years, for a guy that could fix a huge hole in your team if he just plays decent for his skill level is a sound move. What I am less enthused about is the fact that the Wolves do not have a real proven shooting guard in case Roy either can't make things work or if he can only play in very limited minutes. I am very excited about Shved, and word in training camp today was that he was one smooth operator, but the Wolves need a bit more depth to make this gamble a safe one.<br />
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<b>Kenji Spielman</b>: This is only an acceptable risk as long as B. Roy knows he is no longer THE MAN. Toward the end of his time with the Blazers (Blazers fan speaking here) he was no longer as good as he thought he was. This was, clearly, a problem. In the 2010 playoffs against the Suns he came back early from knee surgery, was an excellent decoy for a game, then was worthless for a game or two. He pronounced himself a starter for the next game to the media when any objective observer could see he was ready be shut down. What can a coach do in a situation like that? Severely damage the long term relationship with a transcendent talent like Roy, or try to win the series? And yet... there is the Mavericks series from the next year, just so, you know, he could remind us all what we were missing. If Roy learns to pick his spots coming off the bench he has the ability to completely re-write the template for 6th man.<br />
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<b>Hans Peterson</b>: Absolutely. And this is coming from someone who, frankly, expects the second half of that contract to go up in the dust of Roy's grinding knees. If you want to legitimately contend in the NBA, you have to have game changers. You can win the NFL or MLB with a solid team full of above average players that click at the right time. To win in the NBA (ALMOST without exception), you need multiple top 20 players. The Wolves have one. Barring miraculous and sudden growth by Rubio or Williams, they aren't getting another without tanking for a year and finding the next Lebron/Howard/Duncan in the lottery. So regardless of outcome, I support dropping 10 million on Roy for the top 20 upside even if it means he breaks down and you sacrificed money that could have signed the equivalent of Mbah Mah Boute. That's doing nothing but getting you 2-3 extra wins a year and costing you one-two places in the lottery.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Kobe said that the Lakers are still "his team". Are they?</b><br />
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<b>Jordan Durlester</b>: As long as Kobe is on the roster, the Lakers are his team. It's a direct result of his competitive nature and decorated history with the organization. Say what you will about his off the court behaiavor and on the court complaining, the dude is an incredibly strong-willed and vocal leader. <br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: Yeah, for better or worse. Though if he <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/18/2855819/dwyane-wades-biggest-assist-is.html">takes a page from D-Wade's book</a>, his career will last longer, and the Lake Show will have a better chance willing the whole 'Ship in Year One.<br />
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<b>Alex Maki</b>: It shouldn't be. The Lakers have a whole starting lineup of players with high basketball IQs. Kobe doesn't need to carry the team in any aspect these days, and that includes leadership. As Kobe gets older he needs to play within himself. Though I am sure he will see the error of his ways, right now it sounds like he still wants to cling to a bit of good ole' Kobe-ball.<br />
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<b>Kenji Spielman</b>: Yes. Not that they should be, Pau has been a better player for a while now, but they are, to the team's detriment, still "his team". He will continue to take terrible shots against triple teams at the end of the game, he will continue to throw teammates under the bus, he will continue ro clash with his coach. And with his "supporting cast" he may appear to the stats free eye as an MVP again.<br />
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<b>Hans Peterson</b>: Yes, but they shouldn't be. If Kobe wants to make the Lakers invincible, he should reinvent himself as the most star-powered upgraded level 70 version of Bruce Bowen imaginable - draw an opponents' top defender, but focus his energy on being a shut-down defender on the opponents' best guard and knocking down spot-up jumpers every time they start getting complacent. Let Nash run the offense through alternate Howard/Gasol pick and rolls. They would absolutely 100% win the title and it would be the best thing Kobe could do for his legacy. I'm excited to watch the Lakers this year because I sincerely doubt that happens. I think it is a bunch of dramatic mayhem for the first two months because a guy who named himself the Black Mamba is not going to be a good judge of how to best cement his legacy.<br />
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<b>Lamar Odom wants to apologize to Mark Cuban for his poor play last year. Does he have anything to apologize for?</b><br />
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<b>Jordan Durlester</b>: I don't think he <i>owes</i> Mark Cuban and the Mavs an apology, per se, but I respect him for acknowledging that he didn't give them all that he could have. The entire situation was a disaster to begin with, and LO clearly had/has some health issues he needs to address before he's ever ready to commit the time and energy needed to play in the NBA.<br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: No, Lamar Odom doesn't owe anyone anything. He was brutally forthright about his mental health issues last season, and was faced with an employer that, at best, seemed to be tolerant to his problems, but not forgiving. Mark Cuban has had very few truly hard days in his life. <br />
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<b>Alex Maki</b>: I am not sure he needs to apologize. I think it is a respectful thing to do, more to the fans than anything, but not necessary and probably won't make much of a difference to the assholes out there anyway.<br />
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<b>Kenji Spielman</b>: No. Odom was the classic "fluke rule" player when he was amazing for the Lakers. The problem was we all knew he had that level of talent, he just never utilized it. Then he managed to pull something akin to a "double fluke rule" where we knew he wasn't going to maintain that level of play that he tantalized with for the Lakers (brilliantly done to get rid of him while his value was high), but I really doubt he is as bad as he looked for the Mavs. Should he apologize for being a total enigma of a person and addicted to skittles? Uh...<br />
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<b>Hans Peterson</b>: Only he can know. Sometimes athletes fall off a performance cliff. Sometimes they have mental issues that shake their confidence and performance. Sometimes players find themselves in a system where they cannot be effective. Sometimes, presumably, players get distracted and whiny and take millions of dollars in exchange for weak effort. Only Odom really knows which was the case for him. <br />
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<b>Dwayne Wade has left Jordan and signed a new shoe contract with Chinese brand Li-Ning. Thoughts?</b><br />
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<b>Jordan Durlester</b>: After quickly glancing at Li-Ning's basketball apparel and shoe selection, I'd say they made a very necessary hire. I'm always pro any sort of move that brings the NBA brand to new heights in other global markets.<br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: That China is a very fertile market for entrepreneurial capitalists?<br />
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<b>Alex Maki</b>: You are supposed to think that Dwayne Wade is still a dick, unless he toured those Li-Ning factories to make sure the working conditions are decent.<br />
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<b>Kenji Spielman</b>: There are a large number of people in China, many of whom like to buy things. If you expect this to go off without a hitch I have a bridge to sell you. I would be shocked if this doesn't break down in some sort of amazingly odd way when it turns out there was a wacky rider that Wade has to appear at some charity game in the middle of Tiananmen Square and lead a team of politicos against the visiting Mongolian National team during the regular NBA season.<br />
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<b>Hans Peterson</b>: A couple things: that basketball is well on its way to becoming the second most global game behind soccer. That Dwayne Wade is desperate for attention after yielding his Batman cape to Lebron and putting on his Robin tights. That shoe "technology" doesn't actually impact athletic performance to any meaningful degree.Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-88207492115221362802012-10-01T16:20:00.002-07:002012-10-02T08:07:27.576-07:00The Italian Job: The Diss Interviews Dane DiLiegro<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Diss is happy to present our first interview with an Italian Professional -- Dane DiLiegro plays for <a href="http://www.dinamobasket.com/" target="_blank">Dinamo Basket Sassari</a> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">in Italy's Lega Basket Serie A</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the highest level of pro basketball in Italy. Dane is 6'9", <a href="http://twitter.com/DDNumeroUno" target="_blank">tweets</a>, and in his spare time he makes and eats large snacks and has a <a href="http://midnightsnackbeast.com/" target="_blank">website</a> about it.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">I grew up in historic Lexington, Massachusetts - </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">the "Birthplace of America"-</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with Dane DiLiegro. Smack dab in the middle of town were the Center Courts, where I spent time as a youth practicing and perfecting old man post moves to compensate for my lack of fine motor skills, eventually gaining "the courts" nickname of "Big Bird," for reasons yet to be determined. When Middle School rolled around, Dane and I were placed on the same B-squad travel basketball team for both 6th and 7th grade, which was coached by his Dad. We were both tall for our age at the time, and thus presumably could be molded into future Rick Smits and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_DeClercq">Andrew Declercq's</a>. Why weren't either of us on the A-Squad, you may wonder, what with my <i>intagibles</i> and Dane's future pro career? Like the Tim Tebow's of Lexington Youth Basketball, we were biding our time behind <strike>Mark Sanchez</strike> <a href="http://www.bates.edu/m-basketball/sports_roster/jimmy-okeefe-3/">Jimmy O'Keefe</a>, the future 2006 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year. But back to the interview setup...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our paths have certainly diverged since the B-squad, and while my basketball pursuits stayed more Big Bird than Larry Bird, Dane <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens_basketball/articles/2010/11/21/dane_diliegro_of_lexington_develops_into_leading_rebounder_at_university_of_new_hampshire/">continued to develop as a player</a>, starred for four years at the University of New Hampshire, got on SportsCenter's Top 10, and is now starting his second year playing professionally in Italy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Andrew Snyder: </b>Hi Dane. As the only professional basketball player who I've barely kept in touch with to make it out of the Lexington High School Class of 2006, thanks for agreeing to do this interview!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">First question -- What led you to play basketball professionally in Italy? Your Italian heritage and/or last name?</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Did you consider any other options in the professional basketball world before deciding on Italy?</span></span></div>
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Dane DiLiegro: </span></span></b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mostly because I wanted to keep playing really -- I never really dreamed of becoming a pro basketball player, but the opportunity presented itself and I took it. I'll keep playing until I have no more opportunities to play.</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> My last name is indeed Italian, and I do have an Italian passport! Israel was also an option for me, but the Italian league was a higher level league in the European rankings, there's a lot of big time players out here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>AS: </b>Assess the validity of this statement: <i>playing professional basketball in Italy is the equivalent of the best study abroad trip ever.</i> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">DD: </span></span></b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">No. I wish it was. A lot of people think this is some type of vacation, but it's still work. I don't get a lot of time off, maybe 1 day a week, and when I do, I usually stay home and rest and recover. I don't really get to travel for recreation</span> <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">because of my busy schedule, and I feel like when people study abroad, they just take some BS classes and then go out and rage (<i>ed note: like Rob Gronkowski?</i>) all the time - with some traveling thrown in. There isn't really much of that here, though it is a way cool job - and I am also told it beats a desk job. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>AS: </b>You've moved up from the second<b> </b>Italian division to a new team in Serie A this season, correct? Are you excited to play against a higher level of competition? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>DD: </b>Yeah. I'm pretty excited. So far the level of play is the highest I've been a part of, the basketball here is just so much faster, and everyone is really good and knows their angles, and is really quick.. not to mentionthe front courts of some teams are 7 feet plus. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS</b><b style="font-weight: normal;">: Your
new team this year, Dinamo Basket Sassari, is located on the island of
Sardinia - do you get the impression so far that it's a coveted Serie A
away game destination (a la Miami, LA, or NYC in the NBA), or does
nobody appreciate having to fly to an island to play away games? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>DD: </b>Well
its definitely much easier to drive back on a bus one hour to your city
than fly for every game, but coming to Sardinia is a great experience
and time slows down a bit. The people here live to 100 years old
easy, and it's great seeing palm trees all the time and the beach, but
traveling on your day off sucks, and well be doing that every time we go
on the road. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>AS: </b>Any obscure former NBA or NCAA stars now playing in Serie A you're dying to posterize and/or swat this upcoming season? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dee_Brown_%28basketball,_born_1984%29">Dee Brown</a>? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Hasbrouck">Kenny Hasbrouck</a>? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Shakur">Mustafa Shakur</a>? Timberwolves Summer League contributor but more famous for being George's son <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coby_Karl">Coby Karl</a>?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>DD: </b>I'd like to dunk on anyone really. A few weeks ago we played a game against
Greek international powerhouse and reigning Euroleague champ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympiacos_B.C.">Olympiacos</a>. (Former Toronto Raptor) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Dorsey">Joey Dorsey</a> shattered the backboard with 2 minutes left in the game. We went home early.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS</b>: Objectively,
is that a better highlight than your SportsCenter Top 10
appearance? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>DD: </b>I would have to go with a yes on that one... I'd love to shatter a backboard.<span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS</b>:
What
level of play in American basketball would you compare your experience
last year in the LegaDue [the second Italian division] to, and what do
you expect Serie A to compare to? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>DD: </b>Well,
the level of play in Legadue last year was better than NCAA D1 basketball on some
levels, but A1 now is a complete different animal. I definitely have my
hands full this year. Although I know I wont be getting nearly as much
playing time or as many stats as last year, I'm still excited to gain some
valuable experience, and I'm glad I started out at the lower level.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS</b><b style="font-weight: normal;">: Soccer is far and away the #1 sport in Italy, but where does basketball fit into the average Italian's sports fan </b>consciousness<b style="font-weight: normal;">? Do you get the picture that basketball's popularity is growing in Italy? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>DD: </b>Basketball
has a pretty solid following here, but obviously nothing else compares to
soccer, not even close. People do sometimes recognize who we are. I just wish more people in Europe
would look up to hoops the way they do soccer, but that's never going to
happen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS: </b><b style="font-weight: normal;">After
one full season of play in Italy, do you feel that different nations
have distinctive basketball styles. Are there variations of an "American
style" of play, or are there aspects that are, say, particularly
Italian? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"> </b><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>DD: </b>Absolutely. The basketball that the Italians play is kind of like soccer players at
times. I'll be honest, there's certain guys you can't even get close to or
else they'll cry bloody murder and roll around on the ground clutching
the back of their neck. American basketball is much more physical, where
as European basketball requires a lot of finesse, and a distinct skill
for flopping... or at least selling a flop. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><img alt="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1159411/flops_medium.gif" height="236" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1159411/flops_medium.gif" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS: </b>So... any double flops? <b style="font-weight: normal;">How hard was it adjusting to FIBA rules out of the NCAA? </b><b style="font-weight: normal;">Any specific FIBA rules you've had to adapt to that you hate (or love)?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>DD: </b>It's
not too bad really, the only difference is that you can't call a time
out when the ball is in play, and you can take the ball off the rim
[when rebounding],
other than that it's practically the same thing. I just hate a lot of
the touch fouls they call here - again American basketball compared to
Italian. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS: </b><b style="font-weight: normal;">Do you and other American pro players in Europe take a serious look at opportunities in the NBA D-League? Why or why not? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>DD:</b><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
don't personally, I think the D-League is only ideal for guys who are
basically
already on an NBA team and get sent down, but are making NBA money.
Getting drafted and joining the D-League does not interest me at all --
the max salary in that league isn't very flattering, and it's basically a
bunch of athletes whose main focus is not on the defensive end -- not my
cup of tea really.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS: </b><b style="font-weight: normal;">Have
you experienced any strange cultural experiences on or off the court in Italy
that you never would have expected before playing abroad? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"> </b><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>DD: </b>They
eat horse and donkey here... it tastes pretty good. If no one told you
what it was, you'd never know. Also the food portions are way too small. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>AS: </b>On that note, we'll have to point you to Dane's personal endeavor <a href="http://midnightsnackbeast.com/">MidnightSnackBeast.com</a>. Thanks again for the interview Dane, and good luck with the upcoming Serie A season.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14217150764920367433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-3598442016148754092012-10-01T07:32:00.001-07:002012-10-01T07:32:31.041-07:00Monday Media: Welcome to Neo New YorkI'll just put it all out there: I have nothing to say about today's Monday Media that it doesn't already say for itself. The designers of what you are about to play are far and away more creative, funny and intelligent than I am, so I'll let them speak for themselves:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
The Great B-Ball Purge of 2041, a day so painful to some that it is referred to only as the "B-Ballnacht". Thousands upon thousands of the world's greatest ballers were massacred in a swath of violence and sports bigotry as the game was outlawed worldwide. The reason: the Chaos Dunk, a jam so powerful its mere existence threatens the balance of chaos and order. Among the few ballers and fans that survived the basketball genocide was Charles Barkley, the man capable of performing the "Verboten Jam"...<br />
<br />
Flash forward 12 years to the post-cyberpocalyptic ruins of Neo New York, 2053. A Chaos Dunk rocks the island of Manhattan, killing 15 million. When the finger is put on the aging Charles Barkley, he must evade the capture of the B-Ball Removal Department, led by former friend and baller Michael Jordan, and disappear into the dangerous underground of the post-cyberpocalypse to clear his name and find out the mysterious truth behind the Chaos Dunk. Joined by allies along the way, including his son Hoopz, Barkley must face the dangers of a life he thought he gave up a long time ago and discover the secrets behind the terrorist organization B.L.O.O.D.M.O.S.E.S.<br />
<br />
A tale of zaubers, b-balls, and atonement; brave dangers unheard of, face spectacular challenges that even the greatest ballers could not overcome, and maybe... just maybe... redeem basketball once and for all in:<br />
<br />
Tales of Game's Studios Presents Chef Boyardee's Barkley, Shut Up & Jam: Gaiden, Chapter 1 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa</blockquote>
<br />
If that isn't enticing enough for you, and if it isn't I don't want to be friends with you, check out the promo video.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8F1cOvZ3nS8" width="420"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />
Most of the time blogging is about explaining, debating, understanding and learning, but sometimes we have to use our "power" to make sure that as many people as possible have an amazing experience. In that vein, please just go and play <a href="http://www.talesofgames.com/barkley/">Chef Boyardee's Barkley, Shut Up & Jam: Gaiden, Chapter 1 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa</a>.Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-84412586922278166412012-09-30T09:51:00.002-07:002012-09-30T09:51:48.547-07:00Your Annotated Smartphone Bathroom Reader for Sunday, September 30, 2012.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.geekalerts.com/u/Slam-Dunk-Toilet-Basketball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://www.geekalerts.com/u/Slam-Dunk-Toilet-Basketball.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Unfortunately, despite exhaustive searching on Google Images, I was not able to find a picture of Daryl Morey pooping.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sactownroyalty.com/30q/2012/9/25/3404550/30q-when-do-we-stop-caring">When Do We Stop Caring?</a><br />
rbiegler<br />
Sactown Royalty<br />
<br />
Those who survived the Sonics' last season in Seattle detail a sorry scene: where fans, for the first time, felt uncomfortable cheering for something that seemed destined to leave, and before long, stopped attending games and protesting a potential relocation as a means both to cope with the inevitable and also too not give too much financial support for an ownership group that seemed hellbent on screwing them over. Sadly, if this well written piece from Sactown Royalty is any indication, it seems that that moment has arrived for fans of the Sacramento Kings. The author of this piece, "rbiegler", seems openly anxious for the start of this Kings season, when support for keeping the Kings in town, and essentially rewarding the Brothers Maloof and their bad behavior, seems destined to come to an ugly end. Rbiegler does a good job listing off all the things that come with a professional sports team -- radio shows, bars, local commercials, and a different way to structure your year -- and how the Kings' presumed departure will take this away from them forever. It's a heartbreaking piece.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
-JG</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.sactownroyalty.com/30q/2012/9/27/3409958/30q-how-does-a-kings-fan-root-for-this-team">How Does a King's Fan Root For This Team?</a><br />
section214<br />
Sactown Royalty<br />
<br />
In the above cited piece, also from Sactown Royalty, the author looks at the ramifications of whether the Kings leave or stay. This piece takes a closer look at a small piece of that pie: how do King's fans continue to root for their team? Author "section214" ultimately takes a pluralistic approach, arguing that there is no "right" or "wrong" way for fans to act in this unfortunate season. The piece ends with two lines that I thought were striking:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
Go Kings.<br />
<br />
Go Kings Fans.</blockquote>
<br />
Teams and there fans are often spoken of as if they are one entity. After all, what is a sports team without its fans? Thanks to the Maloof Brothers, we might just find out.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
-FM</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/20390125/leagues-answer-to-floppers-might-run-foul-upon-further-review">League's Answer to Floppers Might Run Afoul Upon Further Review</a><br />
Ken Berger<br />
CBS Sports<br />
<br />
Ken Berger reports from the league's annual NBA referee camp, where the refs are apparently in a great mood, given the NFL's recent presentation of how truly difficult it is to properly officiate a professional sports game. Berger notes that one issue not discussed was flopping, which has officially fallen under the league office. Berger explains the trickiness of officiating the game from NBA headquarters in New York, where fines will send messages about the legitimacy of wins, and thus the product on the court (as well as the referees who oversee the product). Berger's comparison of the referees and league office to local police and the FBI, and flopping as a federal offense, is very interesting.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
-JG</div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/29/nyregion/barclays-centers-opening-is-met-with-protests.html?_r=0">For Brooklyn's New Arena, Day 1 Brings Hip-Hop Fans and Protests</a><br />
N.R. Kleinfield<br />
New York Times<br />
<br />
The <strike>New Jersey</strike> Brooklyn Nets media team has done a fantastic job dominating the offseason. It seems like every other day I am reading a story about how the new Barlclays center will make it <a href="http://www.screenmediadaily.com/news-cisco-barclays-center-arena-brooklyn-new-york-nets-stadiumvision-digital-signage-wifi-menuboards-point-of-purchase-0014001968.shtml">easier to use public transportation</a>, or about how it is eschewing Aramark and other large concessions companies and <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2012/09/28/food-options-galore-at-barclays-center/1600771/">inviting local business</a> to provide concessions. But, as any frequent reader of this blog knows, stadium construction is rarely sunshine and roses. In the Barclays Center case, in exchange for taxpayers heavily subsidizing the project, developer Bruce Ratner has promised to build gobs of housing. While the Barclays Center has opened with a Jay-Z concert, groundbreaking on the housing has yet to begin. Kleinfield spends a day outside of the Barclays Center, interacting with protesters, developers, concertgoers, residents and local businesses. In the end, Kleinfield is unable to answer the underlying question: is the Barclays Center good for Brooklyn? Only time will tell.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
-FM</div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/10mrkx/iam_the_houston_rockets_gm_ama/">IAm the Houston Rockets GM, AMA<br />
</a>Daryl Morey<br />
Reddit<br />
<br />
Not an article per se, but you can read it on your smartphone in the bathroom right? Daryl Morey, the Houston Rockets GM, went on Reddit recently and answered a ton of questions (including one of mine!) So many people do AMAs on Reddit now that it is essentially another stop on the publicity tour. While I'm sure that factor didn't hurt, Morey seems to have just wanted to answer a bunch of questions, and that's what he did. He gets a lot of credit for answering all top-ranked questions, including one about why he donated money to Mitt Romney, and when he couldn't answer a question he gave legitimate reasons why not (I am prohibited by the NBA from talking about that, I can't answer that because of competitive reasons). This will only further Morey's reputation as the Bill Simmons-proclaimed Dork Elvis.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
-FM</div>
Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-49656002155565793042012-09-28T07:59:00.002-07:002012-09-28T08:04:26.083-07:00Diss Guy Miss Guy, Volume 12<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Diss Guy: Kenyon Dooling</b></div>
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<br />
Because what they do is glamorized by society (including this lovely publication), it's sometimes hard to remember that NBA players are just regular dudes that happen to be really good at throwing a spherical object into a cylindrical object. Not coincidentally, my favorite stories are often those that remind us that NBA stardom, let alone NBA off-the-benchdom, is no ticket to a worry-free life.<br />
<br />
Enter Kenyon Dooling who, to be honest, hasn't flashed across my consciousness very often. I have vague memories of him being apart of those exciting early 2000's Clippers teams with Lamar Odom, Elton Brand and Quentin Richardson, and know him as one of Dwight Howard's sidekicks in Orlando, but when he announced his retirement a week ago I barely blinked. I didn't stop and ask why a guy who signed a free agent contract a few months before was retiring, or why a guy who was 31 and still in demand was retiring. I just let it pass me by.<br />
<br />
So why did Dooling retire? Plain and simple, he <a href="http://www.csnne.com/basketball-boston-celtics/celtics-talk/Long-ago-abuse-and-years-of-repressing-t?blockID=780055">didn't want to ball anymore</a>. He's done. His body hurts, he hasn't spent enough time with his family, and he is dealing with some heavy emotional issues leftover from a childhood filled with abuse. He has earned close to $30 million in his career, and he was ready to walk away. As he says, “The average career is 4 1/2 years and I tripled that, almost." Yes you did Kenyon, yes you did.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Miss Guys: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen</b></div>
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<br />
On the heels of Kenyon Dooling's emotional retirement comes the ridiculous story that Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/scottie_surprise_3R7pxgbXNU2PWW3slaZviO?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=PageSix">had a dance-off</a> to Trey Songz and Fabulous' "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z__FHAG1Jk8">Say Ahh</a>" at Pippen's 47th birthday party. What?<br />
<br />
There are so many ridiculous parts of this story. First, the guest list included Jordan, Bulls President Michael Reinsdorf and his wife, Amad Rashad, Nazr Mohammed, ANTOINE WALKER and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wesley">Worldwide Wes</a>. That's about as bizarre of a collection of people loosely affiliated with the NBA as I can imagine.<br />
<br />
Second, what are a bunch of people in their late 40's doing at a club? Admittedly, I have zero percent expertise on the Chicago club scene, but wouldn't they prefer sitting around a living room drinking wine, or perhaps a group trip to Hawaii or something?<br />
<br />
Finally, what the fuck are Jordan and Pippen doing have a dance contest? What were the rules of this contest? Was it friendly (yeah right, Michael Jordan was involved) or competitive? Was Jordan wearing his usual pair of hilariously large and distressed in all the right places jeans? Why did they choose to dance to "Say Ahh"? Did Jordan hog the dance floor? Does ANYBODY, for the love of god, have video of this?Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-82355943499949777852012-09-27T10:30:00.002-07:002012-09-27T10:30:47.513-07:00Michael Beasley, it's Time to Get Started.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
Michael Beasley became a Diss player three years before the Diss was even born, and about five months before he played a game in the league.<br />
<br />
It was July 2008. He had just been drafted second overall by the Miami Heat, who were ready to take whomever was the "loser" in the "who should Chicago draft, Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose?" question that bogged down the airwaves and blogrolls in the late spring and early summer of 2008. Now he was poised to team up with Dwayne Wade and lead the Heat back to the playoffs, and eventually, an NBA title.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yZEdjaqO2iE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
But first he had to get through his pre-rookie year summer, and that turned out to be tougher than we thought. Of course, he got <a href="http://www.faniq.com/blog/Michael-Beasley-Was-In-The-Room-With-Darrell-Arthur-And-Mario-Chalmers-When-They-Were-Busted-For-Marijuana-Blog-11621">busted for smoking weed </a> (alongside Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur) and bringing girls up to his hotel room at the Rookie symposium, but the first "red flag" that was raised above B-Easy's head happened during his summer league debut. Despite the fact that Beasley scored 23 points in 28 minutes (while nursing a cracked sternum), and according to John Denton, looked like the much better draft pick compared to a "jittery and shockingly unsure" Derrick Rose, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=080707orlsummerleaguemiachi">most observers were shocked and concerned that Beasley scored all of his points while singing aloud.</a> This seemed to confirm certain misgivings that some teams and journalists had about B-Easy's work ethic and mindset. At the time, Beasley disagreed. "It's just basketball, man. Played it in college, high school and middle school. The same game, same concepts, the same rules. I was just out there having fun." <br />
<br />
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<br />
As we enter Beasley's fifth season in the league, it's striking how much has changed, yet how much has remained the same. Derrick Rose is no longer described as "shockingly unsure", and there are few doubts that the Bulls chose wisely in the Rose-Beasley debate. Beasley is no longer a member of the Heat, and is now on his way to his third team. His game, overall, has changed as well; he no longer "drives to the rim with reckless abandon", settling instead for long range jumpers. But many things have remained frustratingly stagnant. While B-Easy is still "just out there having fun" and continues to just "go and play", that has not translated to wins, or really even individual success. And he's continued to deal with injuries. Lots of them, in fact; he missed 8 games in 2011, and 19 games in 2012. All of this has produced the player we get today: a player with career averages 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, but who has quickly become disposable due to his inefficiencies, unreached potential, and frustratingly inaccessible talents.<br />
<br />
His last season in Minnesota highlighted the problems with B-Easy's current evolution into whatever he's turning into -- something less than a full-fledged bust, but certainly a career that looks strikingly different than the multiple All Star appearances that we all imagined for him. Most of his numbers were career lows due to three reasons: injury, imbalance and instability. His scoring fell to 11.5 per game as he settled on contested jump shots (from just inside the three point line; low-percentage attempts that yielded less payoff in the end). His distance from the hoop didn't allow him to crash the boards with the gusto he had in his first two seasons (and his 5.7 average as a full-time starter put him in the lower half of the league compared to his fellow starting small forwards). Much of this had to do with the fact that he never established a role with either of the coaching staffs he worked with in Minnesota. He started as a full-time small forward with former coach Kurt Rambis, but mostly came off the bench as a three-four for standing coach Rick Adelman. His efficiency indicies were troubling, as his PER (13.0), Win Share (0.5) and Offensive Rating (95) all fell from slightly above league average to below league average. It was a nadir in a career that overall is trending downwards.<br />
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<br />
Yet, for all of his struggles, B-Easy did not lose friends. Why would he? By all accounts, B-Easy showed up for work on time, stayed out of trouble, and was a positive, outgoing presence in the locker room. His famously bizarre personality may have rubbed some the wrong way while the ship sank in the second part of the season, but as he might say: "I felt like me." His coping mechanism seemed to be the fact that litte has changed since his first summer league game against Derrick Rose way back in 2008. For him now, just like then, "it's just basketball, man." This isn't to say he doesn't care. Far from it. But it's just basketball, man. Why get too worked up? It's just basketball, man.<br />
<br />
And he's right. It is just basketball. Which is good that he's on his way to Phoenix, where the desert winds seem to cry: "it's just basketball, man". <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*****</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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In July, Michael Beasley sold his Minnetonka home (<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/michael-beasley-holds-anonymous-estate-sale-dump-very-150627479--nba.html">as well as his book of Ingmar Bergman screenplays</a>) and moved to a new city: Phoenix, Arizona, where he had <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8131044/sources-michael-beasley-verbally-commits-three-year-18-million-deal-phoenix-suns">just signed a three year, $18 million dollar contract to play for Alvin Gentry's Phoenix Suns.</a><br />
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The Suns exist as something as a NBA Mayo Clinic for troubled souls. The Suns high octane offense, lauded training staff, and ability to consistently compete (and occasionally contend) have established themselves as a generally positive landing spot. Many players have rejuvenated their bodies, minds, and careers while playing for the Suns. Folks know the big names like Steve Nash, Grant Hill, Shaquille O'Neal. Some might even know the lesser figures like Jared Dudley, Jason Richardson and Marcin Gortat.<br />
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But many might not remember Tim Thomas at this point . Thomas, of course, was the famously talented forward who, according to most pundits, did not "get it" in his ten season career. Many teams (either teams, though he was traded nine times) signed him, intrigued by the unique skill set he presented. As a 6'10' swingman who could reasonably defend all three forward positions, and whose long arms, ability to bang down low, employ a bit of finesse, rebound, and most usefully stretch the floor and hit deep threes, he was in many ways America's answer to the Euro-forward who was in vogue at the time. But, as always, a questionable work ethic, poor conditioning and the always damning "locker room cancer" label followed him everywhere he went. Tim Thomas was never going to "get it".<br />
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But in one spot -- Phoenix, in 2006 -- Tim Thomas got it. <br />
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The thing was, in Phoenix, Tim Thomas was good essentially because he could be himself. In all of his stops prior to Phoenix, Thomas was tasked with becoming whatever the narrative stated he needed to be to be valued in the public's eye. In Philly, it was to be Allen Iverson's running mate, and a presence in the paint. Fat chance. In Milwaukee, it was to be the fourth member of the Big Three of Cassell, Big Dog and Ray Ray, and again, mostly muscle down low (all three of those guys were jump shooters). Okay, maybe for awhile, but not with George Karl, and not in Milwaukee. After that, in New York and Chicago, it was to stay out of trouble while playing for mercurial hard asses like Larry Brown and Scott Skiles, while playing inconsistently. Nope, not a chance. Thomas seemed unmotivated to become what others wanted him to be, especially when he never had a choice in the matter. <br />
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What we see is when Thomas got a choice, he made the most of it, and succeeded at being himself -- at least his basketball playing self. When he arrived in Phoenix in early March, claimed off the waiver wires after almost four months on the shelf, he became a part-time starter, and full time shooter. Phoenix used him, and implored him to do what he did best: score. Mike D'Antoni's famous "Seven Seconds or Less" offense, a high-tempo, shot-happy system that relied upon jump shooters who weren't afraid to let it fly, was perfect for Tim Thomas. He played the four and the five (Amar'e Stoudemire was out for that season recovering from microfracture surgery), and was taked with creating space and shooting when he was open. He spent the regular season getting back into shape, and by the playoffs he was ready.<br />
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Though he didn't get a lot of time late in the regular season, he stepped up in the playoffs. Big. The offensive numbers tell a brilliant story: 20 games, zero starts, but averages of 15 points and 6 rebounds on 50% shooting. His threes are amazing across the board: <i>48 </i>threes on 108 attempts, good for 44%. His advanced stats are wonderful as well: a player efficiency rating of 16.4, a stupendous offensive rating of 119, and a career high win share of 1.9. It was a banner year for Tim Thomas. By every metric, he was a highly efficient offensive player, and a contributing member on a team that went deep into the playoffs.<br />
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But they only tell part of the story. Throughout that 2006 playoff run, Tim Thomas was a big game player; the Suns' version of Robert Horry. When the Suns trailed 3-2 in their first round series against the Lakers, and facing elimination, it was Tim Thomas who hit the big three as time expired to force overtime, and hit another big three in the extra period to beat the Lakers. The Suns would win Game 7 by 31 points, and overcome a 3-1 deficit. In the next series against the Clippers, he would move to a starters role, and continue to pour in the points. He hit big shots against the Clippers, and played a key role in the Game 7 thriller which sunk the other team from LA, doing what he did best: hitting shots. Though the Suns would flame out against the Mavs in a six game Western Conference Finals, Tim Thomas stayed hot, averaging 20 points in the series, and putting up big shots until the very end. For once, he got it.<br />
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And, unsurprisingly, as a free agent that summer, he got his: a <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=2507662">4 year, $24 million deal with the Clips.</a><br />
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I think you know where I'm going with this by now. I think Michael Beasley could learn much from Tim Thomas' success as a Sun.<br />
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The first is that Phoenix is the place for multi-talented offensive forwards to roam. Tim Thomas was one of several offensively gifted forwards who have found salvation in the SSOL offense, a variant of which coach Alvin Gentry still utilizes. As the team's presumptive starting small forward (though positionality still remains a suggestion, and not an all out requirement), Beasley will be asked to do many of the same things Tim Thomas was tasked with doing in 2006. Already a gifted scorer from the wings, Beasley will have ample opportunities to launch jumpers from either of the corners, or drive to the hoop and attempt to get points at the charity stripe. Defense -- never a priority for B-Easy -- will be put on the backburner while the Suns attempt to run every team out of the gym. If he can stay healthy, and continue to hoist shots with the abandon that he's showed in his first four years, we may see a different, more valuable side of B-Easy.<br />
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The second is that Phoenix is the place for pro ballers who would sum up their job performances with an unapologetic "it's just basketball, man" -- that is, that there's far more to life than 48 minutes of pick and rolls -- to call home. The Phoenix program was never just about basketball. Rather, there was something subtly holistic about the Suns franchise; not only would playing there revitalize your stats, but it would also revitalize your body, mind and soul. The Suns training staff doesn't just tape ankles and prepare ice baths. It also changes body shapes through diet changes, increases muscle and memory through yoga and meditation, and provides players with a front office that clearly works in their best interests. Players who spend time in Phoenix all gush about the camraderie of the team, and the time everyone spends together. For a highly social guy like B-Easy, who seems to play basketball for social reasons as much as financial ones, this will be a welcoming environment.<br />
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The third thing that Tim Thomas could teach B-Easy -- and this may be the most important in both the short and long term -- is that when nothing is expected of you, the best thing to be is yourself, and let the pieces fall into whatever places they're intended to rest. Thomas arrived in Phoenix as a castaway; a guy who lasted three regular season games before getting waived by the Bulls, and who had to sit on his butt for four months before someone gave him a chance. He responded by turning his strengths into valuable, tangible assets; skills that could win games in the present, and determine a payday in the future. And he succeeded. The Suns went deep into the playoffs because he did what he knew he could do best: score, stretch the floor, start the break, and provide a fourth or fifth trailer option when a fast break fell apart. And his efforts paid off. True, he did not remain with the Suns, but he maximized his earnings, given the relatively hopeless state his career was in when he arrived in Phoenix. He did everything he was supposed to do, and it paid off.<br />
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Beasley is not in as desperate of a situation. He's young -- only 24 years old -- and he just got paid. But little is expected of this Phoenix team, which is just starting its journey out of the Nash era into some sort of strange beyond. This is a period of talent evaluation, where assets are judged, and either added permanently to the program, or sent elsewhere.<br />
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If SSOL remains the mantra by which the Suns live or die (and it shows no sign of being abandoned soon), Beasley stands a chance to be one of its newest success stories. He will be the most talented, multi-faceted scorer on the team, flanked by equally dynamic offensive forces in Marcin Gortat, Luis Scola and Goran Dragic. He will not have to come off the bench, and instead will be told to do one thing: shoot, early and often. And get back on D.<br />
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Before he left Minnesota for Phoenix, Michael Beasley said that his offseason workout routine would be grueling. "Shoot a zillion jump shots a day. Dribble a million minutes a day. Just work on being an all-around player, from rebounding to defending to blocking shots to stealing basketballs to scoring to playmaking. Just being an all-around great player."<br />
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This is a good goal. And this is exactly the player -- a multi-faceted offensive force that can dribble, shoot, pass, and get offensive boards -- that will help the Suns stay afloat this season.<br />
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And frankly, he should be working on this anyways. It's time to get started.<br />
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Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-31762288065927943522012-09-26T07:23:00.003-07:002012-09-26T07:23:33.969-07:00Wild Speculation and Outlandish Guesses: Time to Get Started Edition.In light of debuting Time to Get Started, today we're talking expectations.<br />
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<b>Who is your favorite "failed to live up to expectations" player?</b><br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Ike Diogu. In small sample sizes this guy was great, snagging offensive rebounds and playing a decidedly effective under the basket offensive game. He was only the number 9 pick out of Arizona State, not a traditional basketball powerhouse, so it's not like he was expected to set the world on fire, but his inability to figure out how to defender quicker, taller 4's killed him. <br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: Larry Hughes. The Warriors traded for him in 2000, and for awhile, he was marketed as the future face of the franchise. And for good reason, too; he was a high draft pick who was thought of as AI's potential running mate in Philly, but like most potential running mates for AI, didn't work out. The Warriors seemed like a perfect place to blossom. But developing young players in Golden State is like planting flowers in concrete. Sure, Hughes put up solid numbers, had an All-Star year in Washington, and set himself apart as an elite defender for a couple of years. He was even thought of as a major free agent coup when he left the Wizards for the Cavs. But injuries, questionable attitude, and really, just a bevy of swingmen who could do what he did, better, and less injured, hastened his departure from the league.<br />
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<b>Kenji Spielman</b>: The Stache, Adam Morrison. (Favorite to enjoy that they are somewhat in the league, not that they were really any good at basketball and the entirety of their expectations seem to have been based upon their whiteness)<br />
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<b>Andrew Snyder</b>: Well after the Celtics signed Darko maybe I should change my mind, but for now I'm going to have to go with Wes Johnson. I have never seen a top 5 pick with less confidence in himself, and while I hope a change of scenery does him well... KKKAAAAHHHNNNNN!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Which player that has failed to live up to expectations do you think will make a breakthrough this year? </b><br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Evan Turner. He should good plenty of run at either shooting guard (Jason Richardson) or small forward (Thaddeus Young) with Andre Igoudala gone, and he has a legitimate center to protect from any defensive lapses. He may not live up to his number 2 pick draft status, but I think he'll have a good year.<br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: I'm feeling good about Tyreke Evans, even if he's not with the Kings. When he won Rookie of the Year in 2010, he did so by portraying himself as a mini-LeBron, and became the first rookie since LeBron to average 20, 5 and 5. His next two seasons saw his numbers decline as he spent time at three different positions (and with two completely different coaching staffs) to the point where we're wondering if he's something of a bust. News flash: anyone who's averaging 17, 5 and 4 in a "bad year" is not a bust. This season, he's got a clearly defined role as the Kings starting small forward, and will be asked to do what he does best: score from the perimeter and get to the line. The Kings may not be great this year, but they will be improved, and Reke could be a major reason why. If they blow it up (and considering the shoestring budget Geoff Petrie's on, this is not terribly likely), Reke will find a home elsewhere.<br />
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<b>Kenji Spielman</b>: Push. Have to do a little more research to find someone who fulfills criteria from the last question. OK. How about O.J. Mayo? Actually decent, probably going to put up good numbers with Dallas. The "breakthrough" will be that he gets more press attention and plays with good players around him.<br />
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<b>Andrew Snyder</b>: Michael Beasley + SSOL = guaranteed success. <br />
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<b>Which player that has failed to live up to expectations have you given up on ever succeeding?</b><br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Andrea Bargnani. How does a dude that stands 7 feet tall snag less than 6 rebounds a game and only half a block a game? Sure he takes a bunch of threes, but last year it was only 3.7 a game out of 15.6 shots. Compare that with, say, Ryan Anderson, who shot 12.4 times a game, 6.9 of them being threes, yet still managed to snag 7.7 rebounds a game playing most of the season next to the Rebound Machine that is Dwight Howard. Oh yeah, and Bargnani is terrible on defense. <br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: I don't have to care about Brandan Wright anymore, and I don't. He can be amazing in limited minutes, but his body seems to fall apart if he's tasked with playing over 20 minutes per game. There's no reason the starting center spot in Dallas shouldn't be his, considering his competition is older, slower and less athletic than him. But I've largely given up on B-Wright showing me why he was worth trading the closest thing the Warriors had to a franchise player way back on Draft Day in 2007.<br />
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<b>Kenji Spielman</b>: Marvin Williams. Hmm. This may be too late. OK. Jimmer. Yeah. Jimmer.<br />
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<b>Andrew Snyder</b>: Just kidding about Beasley. I don't think he's ever going to "figure it out," simply because he's already too good, but apparently lacking the drive to get to an entirely subjective "next level." When Kevin Garnett retires, he should really start a summer camp for guys like Beas, Andray Blatche, Brandan Wright etc and break them down, build them up, and turn it into the Hard Knocks of the NBA offseason. A man can dream, right?<br />
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<b>When a player finally "gets it", what happens?</b><br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: No clue. If we knew the answer to this question, we would probably know why they don't get it, and be able to correct the problem. <br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: I really think it's based on professional fit. Many of us can remember getting our first "grown up job" and having many behaviors that most thought to be "immature" fade into the background as we tried to convince our employers and colleagues that we were a worthy investment. I think a player "gets it" when they feel supported in their jobs, and can rely on their career to not only provide money, but also a safe space to get away from personal issues that can be distracting. <br />
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<b>Kenji Spielman</b>: Nine times out of ten a player "gets it" by having better teammates and more touches. Case in point: LaMarcus Aldridge. His per minute/per possession stats haven't changed that much from his early years, but now he is considered amazing. Don't get me wrong, his game is great to watch, but how much of that was related to getting easy lobs from Andre Miller and lots more touches because Roy was out? <br />
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<b>Andrew Snyder</b>: Confidence. Swag. Getting buckets. For me, I watched Avery Bradley "get it" for the Celtics and figure out exactly the role he needed to fill on the team, and proceed to execute it perfectly until shoulder injuries knocked him out just in time to not shut down Dwyane Wade in the ECF. I'd define getting it that way - figuring out how to consistently fill a role and excel in it.Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-71807547411663161472012-09-25T08:41:00.001-07:002012-09-25T09:30:14.396-07:00Time to Get Started: An Introduction.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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While doing some blog brainstorming the other day, Franklin (who, mercifully, will be losing his penname sometime in the very near future) and I realized that we never came up with a concrete definition of what constitutes a "Diss player". <br />
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You see, there is a certain pressure to carve an analytical niche for yourself if you are attempting to write about basketball on the internet. There are many armchair basketball "experts" out there, and if you want to be included in their ranks, you need to find a way to talk about the game and produce analyses that will eventually set you apart from the rest of the herd. The best blogs have done so by either using two separate but equally important (and intrinsically intertwined) methodologies: statistical analysis or discourse analysis. Some great blogs do both, but by and large, the blogs (and bloggers) who have set themselves above the rest have used some sort of analytical talent to generate excellent content and provide different ways of looking at the game, and the players who play the game.<br />
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For example, a brilliant blog that has used statistical analysis to separate itself from others is the <a href="http://wagesofwins.com/">Wages of Wins Journal.</a> The Journal, founded and edited by economist/author Dave Berri and former Mavs' stats analyst Wayne Winston, has put invaluable work into assessing which statistics are most important when it comes to winning basketball games, and which players are the best at providing those valuable assets for winning ball clubs. Statistics such as <a href="http://wagesofwins.com/wins-produced/how-to-calculate-wins-produced/">wins produced, win share, and adjusted plus/minus</a> have illuminated the usefulness of a number of different skill-sets, and have glorified the efforts of players who heretofore were seen as little else members of a supporting cast. Shane Battier's rise to prominence, at least in the world of analysis,<a href="http://wagesofwins.com/2009/02/18/back-to-battier/"> is largely due to Dave Berri and The Wages of Wins.</a> And while they've doled out respect to the standard cast of All-Stars, they've also shown us why <a href="http://wagesofwins.com/2012/07/04/hey-new-york-knicks-just-give-landry-fields-the-money-already/">Landry Fields</a>, <a href="http://wagesofwins.com/2010/02/21/ronnie-brewer-learns-to-stop-listening-to-his-coach/">Ronnie Brewer</a> and <a href="http://wagesofwins.com/tag/chuck-hayes/">Chuck Hayes</a> deserve our praise as well. I would argue that a Wages of Wins Player is a player who produces things that help teams win games (and more often than not, those things tend to be rebounds).<br />
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An equally brilliant blog -- and one that has gotten love from us before -- is the now-defunct <a href="http://freedarko.blogspot.com/">FreeDarko.</a> As Franklin asserted in his<a href="http://thedissnba.blogspot.com/2012/04/freedarko-week-schedule-of-events.html"> review </a>of <i>The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History</i>, FreeDarko focused on players whose careers told a good story, and who, through their play on the court, and their actions off the court, crafted a particular relationship between themselves and their fans. Crafting an "emotional connection" with the game was of the utmost importance, and it seemed to help if the player's stylistic skillset made them valuable warriors in the positional revolution,<a href="http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/sweet-fields-of-unfastened-terrain"> a term coined by Bethlehem Shoals</a> which referred to players who eschewed the traditional boundaries of positionality and did things on the court that made them unique, awe-inspiring, and above all, entertaining. So while FreeDarko (who did their old fans a solid and released <a href="http://theclassical.org/theclog/freedarko-player-rankings-2011-12">FreeDarko Player Rankings</a> on Shoals' latest project, The Classical) loves stars like Rajon Rondo, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, they also lust over guys like Ty Lawson, JaVale McGee and Paul George. FreeDarko found brilliance in <a href="http://freedarko.blogspot.com/2008/02/margins-with-view.html">Gerald Green</a>, <a href="http://freedarko.blogspot.com/2010/01/theres-dark-hand-over-my-heart.html">Gilbert Arenas</a> and <a href="http://freedarko.blogspot.com/2010/08/free-rashad.html">Rashad McCants</a> -- players whose skills disturbed traditionalists but delighted fans across the board.<br />
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With these towering monoliths of homegrown basketball analysis in mind, it seemed incumbent upon us, as small fish in a very big pond, to attempt to create an archetype that would define what a "Diss player" is. Moreover, it seemed necessary that such a creation represent an "original" contribution to the larger field of basketball analysis, and would differ from the players preferred by other blogs. Now, Voltaire was correct when he said that, <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/voltaire121880.html">"originality is but judicious imitation, and that "the most original writers borrowed one from another."</a> As such, it was inevitable that many of the criteria that defined favorite players of the blogs we admire will naturally be ours as well. Our task, then, was to attempt to explain what exactly we liked about the players we liked, why we seemed to like it. Additionally, it seemed important to tie statistical analysis into such a definition, in an attempt to provide a fuller picture into what makes a Diss player a Diss player in the first place.<br />
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A "Diss player", of course, is different from a <a href="http://thedissnba.blogspot.com/search?q=diss+guy">"Diss guy"</a>. Diss guys don't have to be current players, and if they are, it is not mandatory that we enjoy their style of play. In fact, Diss guys, by and large, have been defined by what they do off the court, rather than what they produce on the stat sheet, or on television. Diss guys are simply meant to be celebrated for the things they do as basketball players and human-beings. There is a certain glory in being a Diss guy, but it isn't permanent, and certainly not a defining trait.<br />
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Instead, a "Diss player", in its ideal form, refers to someone or something that apparently is a bit more complicated than a Diss guy (hence our inability to define it). A Diss player can be analyzed broadly, but in fact, is beloved (and investigated) because he represents more esoteric, specific parts of the game that don't always appear on the stat sheet, or in articles describing what the player brings do his team or the league. Diss players do not necessarily have to be "good" -- that is, they do not have to necessarily affect the game in a positive way, or really have a skill-set that dazzles the fans, or makes them feel emotional about anything in particular. Their contributions don't have to come on the court, and they don't have to be lauded for efficiency, professionalism, candor, or any of the things that normal talking heads judge quality pros judge their players by. None of these things are held in especially high regard.<br />
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Instead, I would argue that most important trait of a Diss player is that they are outspoken in some aspect of their professional or personal life. This does not necessarily have to be on the court, nor does it have to be to the media. Instead, this "outspoken" quality must present itself in some way that distinguishes himself from the rest of his peers. The Diss has organically developed a distrust towards <a href="http://thedissnba.blogspot.com/2012/02/fortunate-moments-for-unfortunate.html">"quiet consistency"</a> -- that is, players and organizations that do things <i>too </i>professionally, and simply become the sum of their stats. We appreciate unapologetic performances of individuality; nay, we demand it from the players who we enjoy watching. So in that vein, it seems necessary that a Diss player portrays himself -- both to his teammates, his fans, and the larger viewing audience who may or may not give a shit -- as a living, breathing human being. They are in many ways the anti-FreeDarko player, who are often compared to Greek gods or inanimate objects in their analysis. Instead, a Diss player oftentimes seems <i>too </i>human: their shortcomings and failings as professionals, as well as their mistakes and quirks as a human, make them more relatable, and in many cases, more beloved. And in the end, this, really, is how we like them best. <br />
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So for example, LeBron James, for all his faults, <a href="http://thedissnba.blogspot.com/2012/03/latinos-buy-sneakers-too.html">is clearly a Diss player.</a> His outspoken-ness takes many forms, most of it positive. He is outspoken in his brilliance as one of the best players in the game, and is unafraid to use the full bevy of his talents to enable his team to win. He has remained confident about his decision to leave his home state and the team that drafted him to join his friends and pursue excellence in Miami, and has altered his personality to become a better teammate, and in turn, a winner. We saw his game mature as well -- gone were the lower percentage jump shots, replaced instead by trips to the post (according to Synergy sports, 120 times over), and free throw attempts. And for the first time in recent memory, we saw LeBron publicly concerned about issues beyond his brand, such as the murder of Trayvon Martin. This unapologetic performance clearly cemented LeBron as a Diss player.<br />
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But then again, Andris Biedrins, who is LeBron James' opposite in nearly every single way, i<a href="http://thedissnba.blogspot.com/2012/09/andris-biedrins-long-july_7.html">s a Diss player as well.</a> If you go by Wins Produced, LeBron James is the most valuable player in league. Andris Biedrins is among the league's worst. No one's PER has taken as big of a drop as Andris Biedrins over the last three seasons, and he's increasingly found his name besmirched due to sexual and financial transgressions. Yet, it is his failure to launch that makes him so beloved, in a strange, esoteric way. One can't help but pity someone who can't seem to catch a break, or who has clearly been affected by some sort of mental trauma that affects their professional life. Biedrins clearly isn't lazy (though given his proclivity towards missing games, one wonders about his conditioning), but something has happened that changed him, as a professional basketball player, forever. It is that precipitous fall, and the unknown of what's to come, that makes him a Diss player, and one we are happy to give our attention and generate analysis.<br />
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Perhaps the best way to point out who are Diss players is to focus on players who have the skillset that we, as Diss-cussants, look for, but for whatever reason, have not found the professional or personal inspiration to put them all together. This doesn't necessarily mean the player is a bust -- far from it -- but it does mean that the player could become more Diss-friendly, and enter the pantheon of Diss players (as it is an honor bestowed to so very few), if they became outspoken in some aspect of their game, or life. If that's<a href="http://f3v3r.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/940-beasley-6col.jpg"> unapologetic scoring,</a> great. If that's <a href="http://www.bloguin.com/crossoverchronicles/images/javale-mcgee-1.jpg">untapped potential</a>, fine. If it's <a href="http://www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Atlanta+Hawks+v+Miami+Heat+1mxXt4HZRS-l.jpg">steady contributions, and a staunch, outspoken unwillingness to be anything but themselves,</a> right on. But now is the time to show us.<br />
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We implore these players to get started for two reasons. The first is that, simply put, it's time to get started. <a href="http://www.ramfg.com/RAM-Financial-Group-Solutions-Professional-Athletes-Athletes-Services">According to statistics from the RAM financial group,</a> the average NBA career lasts about five seasons. The NBA is a highly competitive field, and it takes a lot of hard work and luck to distinguish yourself above others. It's important to not waste too many years figuring it out. Secondly, by finally becoming what we want them, as fans, to be, we can get a better understanding about what statistically and intrinsically constitutes a Diss player, and do a better job cataloging their existences here on the blog.<br />
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Selfish? Perhaps. But only by understanding them can we better understand ourselves. And there's no shame in being a Diss player.<br />
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Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-31712661869939285562012-09-24T07:43:00.001-07:002012-09-24T09:45:22.937-07:00Monday Media: A Journey Through My Shameful PastFor the most part, I've always been pretty secure. I know who I am, for the most part I like who I am, and I don't worry too much about what others think of me. I've been like this for as long as I can remember, even during awkward adolescence (read: middle school). I only have a couple of memories about not being "cool" enough.<br />
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The most distinct of these is centered upon basketball shoes. In 6th grade, anybody that was cool had either a pair of <a href="https://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=775&q=reebok+answer+iv&oq=reebok+answer+iv&gs_l=img.3..0l4j0i24l6.608.3774.0.3909.20.13.2.5.6.0.74.353.13.13.0...0.0...1ac.1.v653wOYoQs8">Reebok Answers</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=775&q=iverson+shoes&oq=iverson+shoes&gs_l=img.4..0l4j0i5l6.862.2576.0.2695.13.11.0.1.1.0.83.492.11.11.0...0.0...1ac.1.qeImDTHjv-k#hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=payton+shoe&oq=payton+shoe&gs_l=img.3...261719.262598.2.262750.11.6.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0...0.0...1c.1.ge-05vC0-Pc&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=5215a3e677a9cafc&biw=1440&bih=775">Paytons</a>. Outside of Air Jordans (are they even called that? are they just Jordans?) and Starburys, those are still the only two basketball shoes I can recognize on sight, and man did I want them. Nevermind that my basketball playing career started and ended in a YMCA gym a few years before, or the ridiculous way in which kids would take rolled up pairs of socks and stuff them inbetewen the foot and the tongue of the shoe. I hadn't ever felt, and haven't since, such feelings of inadequacy from not owning a product. I remember the jealously I felt when I saw <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=kobern002jef">Jeff Kobernus</a> chasing <a href="http://castrovalley.patch.com/articles/castro-valley-robbery-suspect-and-accomplice-arrested-after-i-580-pursuit">Brad Amaral</a> (I think the divergence in their respective lives is interesting) around after-school one day in his brand new Paytons. Jeff yelled out for Brad to stop, sat down, took an old pair of Paytons out of his backpack and put them on, and resumed chasing Brad. My mom wouldn't spend more than about $50 on a pair of shoes for me, let alone two pairs.<br />
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All of this to say that I know sneaker culture exists and at one point I would've given my left arm for a pair of shoes, but I am certainly not a part of this culture. Like any niche activity (and collecting shoes isn't very niche), there is a part of the internet dedicated to it, in this case Kix And The City, an "online magazine dedicated to sneaker culture". Because, you see, Sneakerheads are just like the rest of us, using the internet to get obscene details about a product before searching for that shady-looking website where you can get it for $4 less than Amazon. Hell, I'm surprised <a href="http://wine.woot.com/">sneakers.woot.com</a> doesn't exist yet.<br />
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Not being apart of sneaker culture, or even fully understand it, I'm going to do what humans have been doing for centuries: make fun of something I don't really understand! The video below is hilarious. Never have I felt like my vocabulary was so inadequate as listening to this dude describe a shoe. Why is there an eleven minute shoe review video where we don't even see the shoes for 4 minutes? What the fuck is flywire, and why does this dude known exactly when Nike introduced it? if the "full-length zoom air visible air unit" is a first, what was the inferior technology we had previously? a partial-length zoom air visible air unit? How does Nike+ track my fuel, and what is my fuel?<br />
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I just can't get enough of this video. I'm also continually impressed by Nike's marketing, and how they basically have an entire culture based around coveting their products. Well done Nike marketing. <br />
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Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-3999257219974080982012-09-23T15:14:00.001-07:002012-09-23T15:14:53.498-07:00Your Annotated Smartphone Bathroom Reader for Sunday, September 23, 2012.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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No one at <i>The Diss </i>is really in love with J.R. Smith (yet), but this edition of the Reader belongs to him. <br />
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<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/j-r-smith-thinks-bargain-kind-might-not-210700478--nba.html">J.R. Smith Thinks He's a Bargain, is Kind of Right, but Also Might Not Know What a Bargain Is</a></div>
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Dan Devine</div>
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Ball Don't Lie</div>
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It's a really long title, so it must be a Ball Don't Lie post. In this piece, Dan Devine looks into a recent quote from Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith where he claims the Knicks are getting a bargain because he works hard, whether he's playing for "one dollar" or "$20 million dollars". Devine skillfully agrees and disagrees, and uses some nifty advanced stats to prove his argument. While Smith is a bargain if you believe in Win Shares, a stat that assess a player's individual contribution to a winning effort, and divides total paid salary by the number of available wins in a given season, he is not a bargain if you go by his defnition of a bargain, which doesn't account for salary. Indeed, it makes a difference whether a player is being paid a dollar or twenty million of them. A bit nitpicky, but good weaving of advanced stats and writing by Mr. Devine.<br />
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<a href="http://www.awolfamongwolves.com/2012/09/fear-of-a-white-planet-or-the-whiteness-of-the-wolves/">Fear of a White Planet, or The Whiteness of the Wolves</a></div>
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Benjamin Polk</div>
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A Wolf Among Wolves</div>
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Author Benjamin Polk says it best: "almost nobody has failed to notice and remark upon the Wolves unconventional racial make-up" this coming season. He's right; it's somewhat unique that of the twelve players slated to get meaningful time on the 2012-2013 Timberwolves, nine of them are white. He's also correct that this, for some reason, is a big deal, but we're not really sure why. Polk asserts that the reasons people (meaning: Wolves fans, which I would consider myself to be a liberated member) are self-conscious about the whitewashed Wolves are two-fold. Firstly, we, as purveyors of the sport, have not come up with a unified definition of what a "White" player actually is in the modern NBA. Secondly, because NBA teams have become a "locus of black expression", it is discomforting that this NBA team, at least for this year, will not be one. As such, there are persisting feelings of anxiety and angst regarding a team that fails to fit neatly into what we conceive as "white" -- indeed, there are elite white scorers (Love) defenders (Kirilenko) and dunkers (Budinger) on the team -- as well as what "not black" in today's NBA. Polk does a good job looking back into American history, and identifying groups that were not always considered to be white (Slavs, Jews, etc), to show how this confounds us, and our stereotypes, today. This is one of the smartest articles written this year, and a must-read for those who are interested in the way race and our "cultural imaginations" work to categorize players and styles in the modern NBA.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/9/20/3362286/david-stern-commissioners-roger-goodell-gary-bettman-hook">Maybe David Stern Isn't That Bad After All</a></div>
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Tom Ziller</div>
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SBNation</div>
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A year ago, Tom Ziller (like just<a href="http://thedissnba.blogspot.com/2011/10/illegitimate-outrage-in-these-truly.html"> everyone else</a>) was spewing vitriol at David Stern, who at the time, was doing the owners' bidding and locking out players (and team and arena employees) until a new collective bargaining agreement was reached between the league and the player's union. But in September 2012, with the NFL referee lockout showing no sign of resolution, and the NHL staring down another lost season, Ziller is beginning to wonder if The Commish is so bad after all. Ziller asserts that the chief difference between Stern and Roger Goodell and Gary Bettman (his counterparts in the NFL and the NHL, respectively) is that while Stern <i>acts </i>like he doesn't care about the players and fans, but actually does, Bettman and Goodell actually don't care at all. He may have a point, considering the Bettman seems ready to lose another full season in order to bust the NHLPA, and Goodell is perfectly willing to use replacement refs for the long haul in order to save some money. Ziller is correct: for all of his shortcomings, Stern has done his best to do damage control in the face of labor stoppages, and get everyone back to work as soon as possible. We'll see if this general feeling of goodwill persists into next season.<br />
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- JG</div>
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<a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8396297/page/2/is-new-york-knicks-shooting-guard-jr-smith-misguided-just-misunderstood">The Miseducation of J.R. Smith</a></div>
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Jonathan Abrams</div>
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Grantland</div>
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A few years ago, while sitting in an auto body shop waiting for my car to get repaired, I read in a <i>Sports Illustrated </i>article that the player other NBA players would pay to see play was J.R. Smith, who at the time, was coming off the bench for the Denver Nuggets. That struck me, since, at the time, I hadn't really heard of J.R. Smith. Since then, he's become a <i>cause celebre </i>for journalists and bloggers to rally behind when crafting retrospectives about the "Prep to Pro" era that produced more Robert Swifts and Qyntel Woods than it did Kobe Bryants and Kevin Garnetts. The general consensus is that J.R. Smith has all the potential to be an All Star-type player, but has not reached this said potential. The question is: why? Jonathan Abrams investigates this question, and attacks the enigma that is Earl "J.R." Smith III from multiple angles. Using perspectives from a number of people who have worked directly with Smith, including his father, a number of his high school and professional coaches, and J.R. himself, we are given a narrative of Smith that explores his carefree, frustrating personality traits, while at the same time, assesses how his gifts have been used, and how effective they have been over his career. This is an excellent biopic into one of the league's most compelling players.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/business/lockouts-once-rare-put-workers-on-the-defensive.html?pagewanted=1&ref=business&src=me">More Lockouts as Companies Battle Unions</a></div>
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Steven Greenhouse</div>
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<i>The New York Times</i><br />
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Is it possible that smaller businesses and corporations are learning new union-busting tricks from professional sports leagues? Steven Greenhouse argues that they are, and reports extensively about a management practice that, once unheard of, has now become a popular tool to gain an advantage at the bargaining table, and marginalize the power of worker's unions. According to Bloomberg BNA, lockouts have provided a record number of labor stoppages, with 17 employers (and perhaps more) who locked out their regular employees and told them not show up at work until they agreed to concessions at the bargaining table. Strikes, meanwhile, are falling out of practice as a labor practice, due to declining memberships in unions, and fear of lost positions and wages to replacement workers if regular workers walk out on their jobs. With unions facing serious challenges to their organizing and bargaining power, it will be interest to see if lockouts become a widespread union-busting technique from employers who want to wrest more bargaining power from workers.<br />
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- JG</div>
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Jacob Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15572708978569132806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-48130146741653273692012-09-21T06:59:00.000-07:002012-09-21T06:59:34.334-07:00Diss Guy Miss Guy, Volume 11<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Diss Guy: Derrick Rose</b></div>
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We're awash in a new era of basketball where all of the players have known eachother since they were 14, force trades to particular teams to play with their friends, and dance around together. But not Derrick Rose. Like another member of the 2008 draft class, Russell Westbrook, Rose seems to be cut from a different cloth. Whether he is <a href="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m016i3BhJI1qcmnsoo1_400.gif">icily standing</a> while everybody around him is dancing, or looking supremely uncomfortable throughout the listing of his accomplishments at a marketing event, Derrick Rose has always been different.<br />
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Derrick Rose has always been this way. In high school he chose his jersey number to honor a former player at his high school murdered by a gang in 1988, four years before Rose was even born. And so when Rose is at home in Chicago during the offseason, and sees his city <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/21/chicago-homicide-record-n_n_1817687.html">falling apart around him</a>, like his <a href="http://www.mtv.com/videos/news/819012/lupe-fiasco-breaks-down-over-the-ghosts-from-his-block.jhtml">fellow Chicagoan Lupe Fiasco</a>, it affects him deeply.<br />
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For a hot second I thought of designating Rose the Miss Guy because, c'mon, he cried at a marketing event. And if this were LeBron James, or Kevin Durant, or practically any other player, I probably would've. But not Derrick Rose.<br />
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<b>Miss Guy: Channing Frye</b></div>
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This is a little different than our usual Miss Guy of the week. Frye hasn't done anything hilarious, stupid, or even hilariously stupid: dude has an <a href="http://www.nba.com/suns/channing-frye-out-indefinitely">enlarged heart</a>. Like Jeff Green last year (though he had an aortic aneurysm, a different condition) we aren't likely to see Frye in uniform this year. <br />
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I've liked Frye since his University of Arizona days, when he was on a series of entertaining teams that seemed like the perfect blend of Larry Brown "play the right way" and early 1990's UNLV Runnin' Rebels. It has been fun to watch him embrace the fact that he is a 6'11" dude that is most comfortable sitting in the corner hoisting up threes—I really wish we could've seen him on one of the good versions of the SSOL Suns.<br />
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So Channing Frye, you are this week's Miss Guy of the week because I'm going to miss you this season. Get well soon. Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-9879110435753943522012-09-20T05:00:00.000-07:002012-09-20T05:00:03.145-07:00Minimalism: Not Just a Word Your Art History Friends Use<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyIyrj8WBsFP8N3QwVt4-sfqq_1B5M80lhWnobQCSE8fCfn0N4oL-HY48VBkHGUVzvbRJ7HZ5fhi18IQSh5BCUWwAeo-U96E99XJEKAulx4FOCK9vsvTPcP50IW89zq5fT3mMZsnbevU/s1600/char+bobcats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyIyrj8WBsFP8N3QwVt4-sfqq_1B5M80lhWnobQCSE8fCfn0N4oL-HY48VBkHGUVzvbRJ7HZ5fhi18IQSh5BCUWwAeo-U96E99XJEKAulx4FOCK9vsvTPcP50IW89zq5fT3mMZsnbevU/s1600/char+bobcats.jpg" width="215" /></a><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1097974/120620_jersey_09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1097974/120620_jersey_09.jpg" width="215" /></a><br />
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Apple generates hype like no other company. There are many websites that pay salaries to writers solely to track down rumors about Apple’s upcoming products. There is a market for rumors a day before the damn product will be announced! I bring this up because it seems that NBA marketing teams are taking cues from Apple. The biggest fervor surrounds the uniforms of the newly minted Brooklyn Nets. We have supposed <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-uniforms-for-new-york-knicks-and-brooklyn-nets-look-like-2012-8">leaks from video games</a>, <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/19983513/first-look-at-the-brooklyn-nets-uniforms">leaks from figurines</a>, and <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1339965-breaking-down-new-brooklyn-nets-uniforms">leaks from “insider” Twitter accounts</a>.<br />
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Now, there isn’t nearly the demand for uniform news for there to exist independent outlets covering it (<a href="http://search.espn.go.com/paul-lukas/">Paul Lukas</a> be damned), so instead NBA marketing teams are creating it as best they can. The Phoenix Suns have been slowly leaking <a href="http://www.beyondthebuzzer.com/2012/09/19/photos-phoenix-suns-to-unveil-new-court-for-2012-2013-season/">images of their new court</a> on Twitter (maybe I’m just naive, but who cares what the court looks like?) and the Knicks sent <a href="http://www.hoopsworld.com/amare-stoudemire-unveils-knicks-uniform/">Amar’e Stoudemire to a talk show</a> to unveil their new duds. Perhaps this uniform thing is turning into a big business.</div>
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Apple’s embargo and media strategy isn’t the only trend that NBA teams are following. All of Apple’s products are exquisitely designed, without a superfluous part. While design is not as applicable to jerseys, which serve a singular purpose, NBA teams have been following Apple's lead in designing minimalist products. Paul Lukas <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/11734/san-antonio-spurs-embrace-minimalism">touched upon minimalism</a> in the designs of the new Spurs and Nets jerseys, but the trend runs much deeper than that. One only needs to look at the jerseys of the <a href="http://www.slamonline.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/bobcats-uniforms.jpg">Bobcats</a>, <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/09/07/sports/basketball/07knixpic/07knixpic-blog480.jpg">Knicks</a>, and <a href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1075468/P34_PHX_Home.jpg">Suns</a>, and I bet as more jerseys are leaked we will see other teams embracing it.</div>
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The reaction to these jerseys hasn’t been <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012/9/19/3359042/new-spurs-uniforms-photo">uniformly positive</a>, but everybody seems to be glad that teams are moving further and further away from some of the <a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/695/684/12_grizz_title_display_image.jpg?1308583609">monstrosities</a> of the late 1990s/early 2000s. Before fans breathe a sigh of relief, I would take a moment to check out the history of the evolution of uniforms, because this isn’t the first time minimalism has been in vogue; many of this year’s uniforms seem like they are paying homage to the mid-1980s/early-1990s jerseys. </div>
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The sequences of images above show why I would hesitate to say that uniform designers have embraced minimalism because of its own merits, and instead argue that it is simply a reaction to the uniforms that came before. I mean, while I think we would all acknowledge that the <a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/164/093/1380404_crop_650x440.jpg?1301158307">Nuggets uniforms in the 1980s</a> were downright amazing, it is no surprise that the <a href="http://www.nba.com/media/history/den_uni_07.jpg">uniform that followed</a> was pretty boring.<br />
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For insight into the future, go look at college uniforms, where Oregon has <a href="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/001/873/086/hi-res-6543124_crop_exact.jpg?w=650&h=440&q=75">long embraced the wacky</a>. Lest you think this is only a football thing, the Cincinnati Bearcats <a href="http://solecollector.com/media/u/images/adidas-adizero-basketball-uniform-march-madness-2012-cincinnati-bearcats-away.jpg">vehemently disagree</a>. Given the history of uniforms, I would think that in about five years Nike, Reebook, Adidas, or whoever is supplying NBA uniforms in 2017 will hire a new designer who throws around words like "bold" and "cutting edge". This designer will decide that two-tone jerseys with a city name are boring, and what the NBA needs is just a little bit of color. Maybe he grew up in <a href="http://thesmugger.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/1995-Toronto-Raptors-1-252x300.jpg">Toronto in the mid-1990s</a> and has a fetish for cartoons mixed with purple, pinstripes and godawful font. Either way, whether you think uniform minimalism is boring or the high-water mark of design, don't expect it to stick around.</div>
Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573810854852444729.post-19513034209738224772012-09-19T08:43:00.000-07:002012-09-19T12:31:04.981-07:00Wild Speculation and Outlandish Guesses: Let's Play Some Damn Basketball Edition.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Jeremy Lin reentered the news this week when he asked to sleep on new teammate <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/jeremy-lin-still-trying-sleep-teammates-couches-191832953--nba.html">Chandler Parson's couch</a>. That's the only excuse we need to talk about him! How will he fare in Houston?</b><br />
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<b>John Reyes Nguyen</b>: Jeremy Lin is better off in Houston than in New York. As a Knick, the fans will want Linsanity all the time and that's just not going to happen. He's a good point guard but he's not a player who can turn around a franchise, which is what the Knicks need. I think he will be fine in Houston, probably averaging 13pts, 8ast, 3turnovers per game. Unfortunately, Houston's gonna be really terrible for a while so that will hurt his stock too. <br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: I think he'll put up nice numbers (around 20 and 8?), but Houston will be nowhere near the playoffs. He also stands a decent shot of getting voted into the All-Star Game as a starter by the fans. <br />
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<b>Andrew Snyder</b>: Hopefully, Lin will average 20-7-12, carry the Rockets to the #1 record in the Western conference, and proceeds to break internet basketball culture as we know it.<br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Depending upon how you feel about Kevin Martin and Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin might just be the Rockets best player. His usage rate will be very high, meaning he will get a bunch of assists, but also a bunch of turnovers. He rose to prominence while Melo was out and his usage rate was off the charts. Therefore, I think that while Lin's advanced stats will show him to be having a decent year, he's going to average something like 20 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 turnovers a game. <br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>After not receiving any contract offers, Brian Scalabrine turned down an offer to coach the Bulls in order to do media work with the Celtics. What are your thoughts on the end of White Mamba's playing career?</b><br />
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<b>John Reyes Nguyen</b>: It's about time. Too many guys making a living in the NBA by being a "Locker Room Guy" and the first person off the bench to high five the players. <br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: When you earn over $20 million over your career, you must be doing <i>something</i> right. I like him as a broadcaster and think he'll probably get picked up by one of the national affiliates in the near future. We haven't seen the last of White Mamba.<br />
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<b>Andrew Snyder</b>: This roundtable is right in my wheelhouse! Scal was a Celtics legend, and having heard him as a guest commentator before, I'm pretty sure he's going to be great in his new role -- who knows, he could slowly morph into the next Tommy Heinsohn! Maybe they'll settle down together, film a reality show, and then Tommy can finally have another "<a href="http://blogs.southcoasttoday.com/celtics/2008/11/25/the-redhead-from-needham-has-passed-away/">redhead in Needham</a>." <br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: I just don't get it. I don't get the internet's fawning love of Scalabrine. I mean, did he really ride middling basketball skill and red hair that far? I don't find him that interesting, and I just don't really care.<br />
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<b>The New York Knicks offered their D-League head coaching job up to Patrick Ewing, which <a href="http://tracking.si.com/2012/09/11/patrick-ewing-coach-insulted-knicks/?sct=obnetwork">insulted the big man</a>. Does he have cause to be upset? </b><br />
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<b>John Reyes Nguyen</b>: Do the Knicks really owe him anything? It's not like their head coaching position is available, at least not right now. And the head coach determines who's on his staff. Seems like they tried to bring him back to the organization the only way they can by offering him the D-League position. He's not done paying his dues. <br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: I mean, he has been an assistant coach for several years now. But plenty of assistant coaches never get head coaching jobs, or have to wait a long, long time before they get a crack at it. Tom Thibodeau was an assistant for 23 years before he got a head coaching gig. I think Patrick feels like he's entitled a job because he's an all-time great player, and did good work with Yao Ming and Dwight Howard. If he really cares, he'll keep working, and something will come up.<br />
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<b>Andrew Snyder</b>: I think Ewing definitely has the right to be upset, although without any insider knowledge, I really can't speculate how deserving he is of NBA head coaching jobs and interviews. Maybe this just shows how big of a joke the D-League really is...<br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: No. His one possible claim to fame is coaching Dwight Howard to stardom, and even that is dubious as Howard's talent was evident (and blossoming) before Ewing came along, and because somehow after 5 years of coaching by Ewing, Howard still doesn't have that good of a post game. Ewing needs to shut up and take this opportunity.<br />
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<b>Rumor has it Bill Simmons and Stan Van Gundy will be <a href="http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/11/report-espns-simmons-stan-van-gundy-may-host-espn-studio-show/">joining ESPN's studio show</a> this year. Thoughts</b>? <br />
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<b>John Reyes Nguyen</b>: If Bills Simmons talks as much as he writes, it'll be a disaster. Sounds interesting, but Jeff Van Gundy is better.<br />
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<b>Jacob Greenberg</b>: I'd prefer if they called games, but sounds good to me.<br />
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<b>Andrew Snyder</b>: Oh baby. As a Simmons reader since before you were (Child of Boston... what's up Page2!?), at least <b>I</b> think I've got all the credibility you could ever need to answer this question. I've slowly listened to Simmons transform from a B.S. Report train wreck into a solid pod-host. Is that a word? However, he's has been wildly inconsistent on TV, killing it on occasion as a PTI fill in, but also sounding awkward in the NBA booth doing something he has no business doing - color commentary. Ultimately, the role of a studio host is somewhere in between those two, and I'm interested to see where this goes. Simmons could be great, or he could be a trainwreck who can't stop talking about the Celtics, or bringing up self serving concepts only he cares about (the pyramid?) from page 273 of The Book of Basketball. On the other hand, Stan Van Gundy has been there done this - he'll kill it. <br />
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<b>Franklin Mieuli</b>: Very excited to watch Stan Van Gundy to commentate, as that guy has no problem saying what he thinks. As far as Simmons, I've been underwhelmed by his podcasts and TV appearances, so I'm not expecting much. </div>
Franklin Mieulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02717006031556669100noreply@blogger.com0