No Country For Defense?

Yesterday, some of the NBA’s best players put on a exhibition game in Baltimore. ESPN lays out the details here. The final score of the game wound up being 149-141. When I see a score like that, the only thing I wonder is…where was the defense? The ESPN article had this quick line:

“The game was every bit like an NBA All-Star Game in that it featured big-name players wearing generic uniforms and showing very little effort on the defensive end.”

Comparing The Different Eras Of NBA Basketball

Been a while since I’ve blogged anything. Wasnt sure I would again but got the urge again because of something lingering in my mind.

Stumbled across the 1972 NBA All Star Game tonight while bored & flipping through channels. VERY interesting game…for several reasons. The initial reason I’d decided to watch is that I’ve never really seen Jerry West play…beyond some kind of 5 second clip anyway. That fact is crazy to me given that the guy is the inspiration for the NBA logo. I honestly dont think the NBA puts forth enough of an effort on showing people the games of generations past. Wonder why that is.

Lebron: The New Kanye

On September 13, 2009, during the MTV VMAs, Kanye West jumped on stage, interrupting Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech. He proceeded to tell the crowd, and essentially the world, that Beyonce should have won. He ended this drunken ramble (brown liquor STAYS causing bad decisions) with the now famous Kanye Shrug, grabbed his lady, and drunkenly left the event. This comedy of errors, while hilarious, brought Kanye a tsunami of negative media attention…dwarfing that of entertainers that were being accused of actual crimes or other more harmful acts. I mean…you woulda thought the guy was OJ Simpson.

Quotables — Whitlock on race

An EXCELLENT and entirely TOO real quote on how we discuss race, from Whitlock’s article on Jesse Jackson’s comments re: Gilbert/Lebron
————————
“Jackson and other African-Americans need to follow LeBron’s lead. We look foolish. We look hypocritical. We come across like people who have little genuine interest in seeing racial prejudice disappear and more like people who just want it to swing in our favor.” — Jason Whitlock

C’mon Lakers!!!

LETS GO LAKERS!!!!

#getthisjewelry

Derek Fisher

Should the Lakers go on to win this series, assuming he doesnt do anything MORE damaging to the Celtics in any other games (which is NOT a good assumption, btw), game 3 of these 2010 NBA Finals should be designated as “The Derek Fisher Game.”

Phil’s Legacy

Coach Phil Jackson sportin the X hat

I regularly get into beefs with Laker fans when I tell them that I dont consider Phil Jackson to be a great coach.  Never mind, that I ALWAYS follow that statement up with that I do believe he IS a GOOD coach.  If you dont consider him great, people REALLY get miffed.  Let’s examine.

God & Basketball

After FINALLY defeating the Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Dwight Howard said he thanked God for helping them win this game.  This is pretty much standard operating procedure for most religious players, and probably non-religious ones as well.

But what struck me as odd was the reaction on twitter to his thanking of God. People were put off by the fact that he thanked God for that specific game, or SOMETHING to that effect. What? Are there really specific instances where you’re NOT allowed to thank God? For real? Who died and made you….oh.

People thank God for the most mundane things, and often ask his aid for selfish reasons. If you’re ok with people thanking, asking, or celebrating God for ANYTHING…you’re ok with them doing it for basketball. Period. Stop adding stupid qualifiers to stuff.  I mean…can He live?

Hell, I just thank God the Magic finally SHOWED UP for a game.  The prevailing consensus was that they were gonna lay down again.  That’s the impression I got at the end of game 3 but I’m glad to have been wrong.  They came out swinging and fought for the entire game and good for them for doing so.  I honestly think they CAN beat Boston 4 times in a row but they’re going to need to fight like they’ve never fought before. They’re gonna need some luck also…or maybe…an act of God.

People Who Need To Be Punched In The Face: David Stern & NBA Refs

David Stern

Time to re-institute the “People Who Need To Be Punched In The Face series.  Beginning with David Stern, NBA commissioner.

First, let me give Stern his due.  He’s done an impressive job expanding the league into different markets, especially overseas markets.  The league, for the most part, puts a quality product on the floor for public consumption and I honestly think the rule forcing players to ATTEMPT to look professional was very well-intentioned.  However, his missteps have, at times, been so egregious that it boggles the mind. And they all have been almost COMPLETELY under his control or, at the least, are influenced by his actions and inactions.

The latest of which is the fining of Mark Cuban & Steve Kerr for mentioning anything involving the Lebron-A-Thon.  This is absurd because Stern ALSO mentioned something involving Lebron and as far as I can tell, he did not fine himself for doing so.  So…do as I say, not as I do?  Lame.  And acting like he doesnt encourage teams going crazy about trying to add LBJ as a player?  Please.

Lebron – Knicks Jersey?

Lebron to the Knicks?

This is such a good photoshopped pic that I HAVE to put it up.

Plus, it tweaks fans a little bit and who doesnt love that?