June 26, 2011

Mini Draft Article: The Houston Rockets’ 2001 Draft Woes

The Houston Rockets’ 2001 Draft has proved to be one of the worst ever. The Rockets had 3 first round draft picks that year and botched all of them. With the 13th pick the team took Richard Jefferson, who actually turned out to be a solid role player and scorer, but the team combined him, the 18th pick (Jason Collins), and the 23rd pick (Brandon Armstrong) in a deal for PF Eddie Griffin.

June 24, 2011

Draft Day Special: 5 Dynasties that Never Were



Prerequisites:
  • Player had to be selected sometime between the 1985 and 2010 drafts.
  • Player has NOT won/did NOT win an NBA championship
  • All-Star/All-NBA caliber player
In order to talk about or analyze a situation that “could’ve been, but never was,” you must utilize speculative and assumptive techniques (AKA educated guesses) based on statistics to arrive at a hypothetical conclusion that is as accurate and well-founded as possible.



June 22, 2011

Father’s Day Special: Top 7 Father/Son Combos in NBA History

7) George and Coby Karl: Okay, this one is a stretch, but hear me out. This is the only combo where I will be looking past the stats and on court accolades, but will instead be examining the will and strength of both of these individuals. Not only did both George and Coby play in the league (yes, I realize that they both experienced short and somewhat unremarkable careers), but they both have survived cancer. Their resolve and determination is inspiring, as both battled cancer during the midst of their careers. George has had prostate and throat cancer, but, through treatment and with a drive to survive, he has kept himself from succumbing to the disease. George said that “cancer is a vicious opponent. Even the ones that are treatable, you never get a 100-percent guaranteed contract.” Coby had thyroid cancer while playing for Boise St. He was a redshirt junior at the time and had to undergo an extensive and invasive 7-hour surgery to remove the growth. Despite his battle with cancer during his collegiate career, he still managed to play for several NBA teams. He hasn’t had much success on the NBA level, but did manage to average 18.6pts, 5.3rebs, 4.9assts in 65 D-League Games. He currently plays overseas in Spain for CB Granada.

The fight and will within these two individuals earns them the 7 Spot.

June 15, 2011

“11 Thoughts, Reflections, and Questions: 2011 Finals Edition”

1) When considering that NBA teams (especially those in big markets) are attempting to follow the “Big 3” format, which both the Celtics and Heat attempted and succeeded (to different degrees) with…Does the Mavs’ success revitalize other teams’ hopes in a traditional one-two star/role players combination? 

2) Over the past 2 decades, and arguably further into history, I can only think of three teams which have obtained a championship with fewer than 2 “Stars”…The 93-95 Rockets w/ Olajuwon, 03-04 Pistons w/ Billups (although I would argue he wasn’t even a “star” per say), and the 10-11 Mavericks w/ Nowitzki. 

3) Where does Dirk Nowitzki now rank among NBA all-time great power forwards like Tim Duncan, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Bob Pettit, Elvin Hayes, Kevin Garnett and the like? How far do his new pieces of hardware move him up on that list (if at all)?

June 12, 2011

A Veteran’s Emergence: Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki has amassed an array of accomplishments throughout his 12 year career, but not until recently has he been given the recognition and praise which he’s deserved. Yes, he has received multiple All-Star and All-NBA selections, and even an MVP award, but because of his team’s repeated early exits from the post season he has not been able to obtain the most coveted and praise-worthy award of all: The O’Brien Trophy. This high honor (along with a Finals MVP award) will distinguish him from those who were not able to reach the Mecca of the basketball world. It will also boost his name into conversations with all time greats, as if that hasn’t already happened. Dirk’s recent exploits have brought about comparisons to Larry Bird, and although the assessment is far-fetched, he has definitely made a case for his enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

June 9, 2011

Batman & Robin: The D-Wade v. LBJ Argument

Lebron’s “The Decision” brought an unprecedented amount of media attention to the Miami Heat organization. Every move by The Big 3 was scrutinized and examined with no regard or sympathy for the franchise. One of the major issues that was under the magnifying glass throughout the course of the regular season was the Batman & Robin argument. The media and fans were trying to figure out who would establish their position as the team leader and who would be satisfied with winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor AKA the Scottie Pippen award. The argument raged out of control throughout the regular season, and just when you thought you had it all figured out it seemed that the individual being deemed “Robin” at that point in time managed to post a performance to keep his case alive. The regular season though, is only a conduit by which a team hopes to reach the Promise Land: The NBA Finals. Here is where the real dissecting begins. Those who perform on this stage are glorified and those who don’t answer the call are exiled. Because of Dwyane Wade’s performance, leadership, and experience on this main stage, I’m here to say that the Batman & Robin argument is now dead and buried. A true member of royalty has established his thrown—and it’s not the King who everyone has become so accustomed to. LeBron, please exit stage left. Dwyane Wade is the Miami Heat’s floor general, most experienced player, and leader.

June 5, 2011

Shaq’s Case for being the Greatest Center of All-Time

Shaq’s on court dominance unarguably places him on the top five all-time centers list, accompanied by the likes of Russell, Chamberlain, Kareem, and Olajuwon (Moses Malone, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, George Mikan and Artis Gilmore are a few that deserve consideration.) I would place Shaq 4th on this list behind Russell, Chamberlain, and Kareem with Olajuwon and Malone close behind. Shaq’s ranks:

Can You Dig It? : A Look at His Shaqness’ Colossal Footprint on the Game


Whether it was his charisma on air, his feats on the court, or his endless array of nicknames and quotes on record, The Big Fella had a resounding impact on the game of basketball. He managed to single-handedly change the game through the use of his enormous frame and personality.

Shaquille O’Neal was a consummate professional; his impact was visible on and off the court as evidenced by his four O’Brien trophies, three finals MVP awards, and MBA from the University of Phoenix. A few of his astounding and seemingly endless accomplishments and accolades are as follows:

June 4, 2011

The Prospective Future of Ricky Rubio and the Timberwolves


Following Minnesota Timberwolves’ General Manager David Khan’s selection of three point guards in the 2009 NBA draft, experts and fans alike expressed sentiments of bewilderment and outrage. These sentiments were undoubtedly warranted after the fall through of the Timberwolves’ selections throughout the course of the next two seasons due to the trading of Ty Lawson, the inability of Jonny Flynn to meet towering expectations complicated by a hip injury, and the decision of Ricky Rubio to remain a member of his club FC Barcelona. Three picks which could’ve seemingly suspended the franchise above the depths of despair, instead sent them spiraling rapidly downward. 
But it seems that the Timberwolves, who haven’t seen a playoff berth since the Kevin Garnett era, can see the light at the end of the tunnel, or at least the stairway to that tunnel.