I guess I'm going to take this opportunity to expound upon a thought I had involving last year's MVP voting. I'm watching the mighty Dallas Mavericks, in their last throes, so to speak, about to be defeated by the eighth seeded Golden State Warriors. My problem with the MVP voting last year was that it was pretty clear to me that no player was more valuable to his team in than Lebron James was. But for as long as I can remember, the NBA MVP has really been given to the best player on a superlative team. Go ahead and look. It's not just that MVP voters want the winner to come from a winning team, or a playoff team, or even a fifty win team. Almost without exception, the MVP has gone to a player on a team with one of the two or three best records in the league. Now that we have so many more wonderful statistics to evaluate how valuable a player really is, this seems even more ridiculous. Even so, I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong with the voting until I watched the likely MVP and his team go down in flames tonight.
By overrating a team's performance in voting for the MVP, we are making an assumption about the teams with the best records that might not really hold true -- namely that they are indeed the best teams, the elite ones. Now this might hold true in baseball, where after 162 games it's pretty clear who the best teams are. But in the NBA, the playoffs truly are the "second season." Even a casual observer of the NBA can see that the playoffs are a completely different animal than the regular season. The teams have more time to rest and gameplan, and the intensity and physicality of the games is off the charts. Most good teams are actually built for the playoffs, often losing a few games during the season for the "greater good."
Why should we give a player on an excellent team the MVP, if a player on another lesser contender had a better season, a greater impact on his team's success, and perhaps eventually leads a deeper run into the playoffs? Sure, the success of the team during the season may have been slighty better, but only in the playoffs will a team's true worth be determined anyway, so why overvalue the winning percentage? So, as long as the team has a winning record and makes the playoffs, the team's winning percentage should play little or no part in the MVP voting. Comments?
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Cavaliers playoff scenarios: Lebron not in control
Interesting playoff scenarios tonight. Here's what's on the line:
Possible playoff matchups:
Chicago: Miami, Orlando, Washington, New Jersey
Cleveland: Miami, Orlando, Washington
New Jersey: Toronto, Chicago
Washington: Toronto, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit
Orlando: Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit
Only Chicago and New Jersey control their own destiny. And they play each other. Actually, only New Jersey is in complete control of their own destiny, in that they can win and assure playing Toronto. So, it's almost like a playoff game in that they can eliminate Chicago (at least as their first round opponent) by beating them tonight. This is good for the Cavaliers, sort of.
A Chicago win will assure the Bulls the second seed, but could leave them playing Washington, Orlando or New Jersey. New Jersey, likewise, cannot assume that the teams below them will lose, since both Washington and Orlando could move up in the seeding with a victory, and thereby avoid playing Detroit.
New Jersey owns tiebreakers versus both teams below them. They swept the season series from Washington and went 2-2 versus Orlando. They also have a better conference record than Orlando.But Orlando holds the tiebreaker over Washington by virtue of a superior record versus playoff teams within the conference.
Washington, though injured, is facing a very unmotivated Indiana team. Washington can avoid playing Detroit in the first round with a victory, ensuring them either the sixth or seventh seed. If they lose, Orlando can pass them for the honor of playing Cleveland or Chicago. The Magic, with something to play for, host Miami, a team trying to get healthy for the playoffs with absolutely nothing on the line.
The Cavs are obviously not in control of their own destiny. They need a Chicago loss/New Jersey win (and a victory over the Bucks) to avoid Miami and secure the No. 2 seed. So the real question is who would New Jersey rather play, Toronto or Chicago? And if New Jersey were to lose, who would Washington rather play?
A win tonight will give N.J. splits (2-2) versus both Chicago and Toronto, but Chicago just took them apart a few weeks ago, so you have to assume they'll be happy to avoid them in the first round. But this is not quite as meaningful of a game for New Jersey as we would like it to be. Here's what the experts say:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070417
Washington has been spanked by Chicago recently as well, so I think it's safe to say they would prefer to play Toronto or Cleveland. As previously stated, a victory for Washington keeps them out of Detroit, but it also significantly decreases their chance of playing Chicago, while increasing their chances of playing Toronto. By my calculations, their chances of playing Cleveland are about the same whether they win or lose (1 in 4 compared to 1 in 5).
The best scenario for Cleveland is obviously for both New Jersey and Washington to win, as the depleted Wizards are probably the weakest team right now.
Possible playoff matchups:
Chicago: Miami, Orlando, Washington, New Jersey
Cleveland: Miami, Orlando, Washington
New Jersey: Toronto, Chicago
Washington: Toronto, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit
Orlando: Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit
Only Chicago and New Jersey control their own destiny. And they play each other. Actually, only New Jersey is in complete control of their own destiny, in that they can win and assure playing Toronto. So, it's almost like a playoff game in that they can eliminate Chicago (at least as their first round opponent) by beating them tonight. This is good for the Cavaliers, sort of.
A Chicago win will assure the Bulls the second seed, but could leave them playing Washington, Orlando or New Jersey. New Jersey, likewise, cannot assume that the teams below them will lose, since both Washington and Orlando could move up in the seeding with a victory, and thereby avoid playing Detroit.
New Jersey owns tiebreakers versus both teams below them. They swept the season series from Washington and went 2-2 versus Orlando. They also have a better conference record than Orlando.But Orlando holds the tiebreaker over Washington by virtue of a superior record versus playoff teams within the conference.
Washington, though injured, is facing a very unmotivated Indiana team. Washington can avoid playing Detroit in the first round with a victory, ensuring them either the sixth or seventh seed. If they lose, Orlando can pass them for the honor of playing Cleveland or Chicago. The Magic, with something to play for, host Miami, a team trying to get healthy for the playoffs with absolutely nothing on the line.
The Cavs are obviously not in control of their own destiny. They need a Chicago loss/New Jersey win (and a victory over the Bucks) to avoid Miami and secure the No. 2 seed. So the real question is who would New Jersey rather play, Toronto or Chicago? And if New Jersey were to lose, who would Washington rather play?
A win tonight will give N.J. splits (2-2) versus both Chicago and Toronto, but Chicago just took them apart a few weeks ago, so you have to assume they'll be happy to avoid them in the first round. But this is not quite as meaningful of a game for New Jersey as we would like it to be. Here's what the experts say:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070417
Washington has been spanked by Chicago recently as well, so I think it's safe to say they would prefer to play Toronto or Cleveland. As previously stated, a victory for Washington keeps them out of Detroit, but it also significantly decreases their chance of playing Chicago, while increasing their chances of playing Toronto. By my calculations, their chances of playing Cleveland are about the same whether they win or lose (1 in 4 compared to 1 in 5).
The best scenario for Cleveland is obviously for both New Jersey and Washington to win, as the depleted Wizards are probably the weakest team right now.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
That's, like, your opinion man
A friend sent me this message the other day:
As I noted earlier Bill Simmons of ESPN.com is big on bashing LeBron...here's his latest:
[Thumb's Down] To LeBron James, who coasted through the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday and played the All-Star Game with the uplifting,charismatic intensity of a female porn star trying to break one of those"most male partners in one afternoon" records. Could we end up putting him in the "Too Much, Too Soon" Pantheon some day? Will he become the basketball version of Eddie Murphy, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson and every otherceleb who became famous too quickly and eventually burned out?
Here's what I know. I had four conversations with connected NBA people over the weekend that centered around the same themes: LeBron isn't playing nearly as hard as he did last season; it looks like his only goal right now is to get his coach fired; he's regressing as a basketball player (especially his passing skills and his shot selection); he made a huge mistake firing his agent and turning his career over to his buddies back home (all of whom are in over their heads); he was a much bigger problem during the Olympics than anyone realized; he doesn't seem to be enjoying himself anymore; he has an overrated sense of his own worth and his ownimpact in the sports world (as witnessed by the ESPN interview last week when he answered the "What are your goals?" question with two words: "Global icon"); he's been protected by magazine fluff pieces and buddy-buddy TV interviews for far too long; he doesn't have the same relentless drive to keep dominating everyone like Wade and Kobe have; and basically, we're much closer to LeBron re-enacting the career arc of Martina Hingis, Eric Lindros
and Junior Griffey than anyone realizes. This will evolve into THE dominant NBA story of the next two months. You watch.
To this I responded:
I have no doubt that there are many Lebron-haters out there, ESPECIALLY amongst NBA "insiders." I suspect its actually trendy in NBA circles to trash "King" James. Well, I think it's mostly, but not entirely, bullshit, but for what it's worth I'll address each point:
1) First, I've always loved Bill Simmons, but his bit is actually starting to get old. His social commentary is funny, but I would hardly call him an expert -- hence the Page 2 billing. Secondly, it's the f***ing All Star game, in Vegas, and everyone but Dwight Howard was clearly hung-over. Even so, Lebron's stat line led the Eastern Conference. So I don't begrudge any lack of enthusiasm (he tried that alley-oop to himself, didn't he?). Back to our pornstar analogy: I don't think it matters if the chick coasts on a few studs, so long as she has a nice body and attempts a few nice moves in the process. It's the All Star Game. Records Room. B-1.
2) I agree Lebron is not playing as hard as he did last season. I think he looks tired. I also think that the Cavs brass and Lebron learned last year that the regular season is a marathon, not a race. Remember that it was Detroit that was far and away the best team in the league last year during the regular season. Miami proved that the important thing is to peak at the
right time and have all your players healthy for the stretch run into the playoffs. Lebron looked exhausted by the end of the Washington series, and was pretty much out of gas versus Detroit. One of the few things Mike Brown has done well this year is utilize the bench and rest his starters. Lebron's minutes are down to just over 40 per game -- still one of the highest in the league, by the way. Let's also not forget, that unlike nearly every other premier player in the league, Lebron has not been injured in his first 3+ years, so he didn't benefit from that extra down time. Nor has he been benched as the result of nagging injuries.
3) I think that there was considerable dissention within the ranks toward Mike Brown, and rightly so. Brown was too obsessed with defense, and he failed to consider that the Cavs were underachieving so much on offense that playing good defense was often futile and even self-defeating. Thankfully, Brown seems to have gotten the message, and the Cavs have made some rotation changes and are trying to push the tempo more. In Brown's defense, though, this is the first year installing the new offensive system, while the defense is on year two. This is reflected in the team's statistics. Also, pretty much all the teams with the best defense are near the top of the standings, while the best offensive teams have widely disparate records.
4) I hate to say it, but, at least in the short term, I agree that at times it looks like Lebron has regressed just a bit this year. Again, though, I blame this mostly on fatigue and frustration with the offense and surrounding cast. I think he and Coach Brown have finally come to an understanding. My biggest fear is that they will try to force feed Ilgauskas like they did last year. That really is what brought the offense to a grinding halt.
5) James fired his agent, Aaron Goodwin, almost two years ago, man. Since then things have continued to go quite swimmingly for Lebron. He has continued to grow his endorsement portfolio with only top brands and he successfully negotiated a contract extension with the Cavaliers that set the standard for several of his NBA peers (I thought that was a pretty shrewd move). I am sure that NBA "insiders" would like to think that only the good ol' boy network can get things done though. Also, he didn't "turn his career over to his buddies" -- from everything I've read, there is no mistaking who the CEO of that company is. Perhaps peple have been reading articles like this:
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/02-07/02-11-07/20sports.htm
Seems almost identicle to the list you gave. The author fails to note that a) Lebron already has the best deals out there (Nike, Coke), b) the big fish only take the best endorsements (let scuba man down there hump T-mobile), and must be wary of saturation.
http://benjamincox.blogspot.com/2007/01/its-too-bad-lebron-signed-that-contract.html
6) I don't know about the "problem during the Olympics." Can you elaborate?
7) He seems like he's still having fun, but he's not 19 anymore. Maybe he's just growing up? Didn't you change a bit from 19-22? Overall though, he seems like basically the same guy to me, except he expects a few more foul calls. Again, normal for a four year veteran of his stature.
8) Lebron has said from almost day one that he wants to transcend the sport/be an icon. This is a) not news and b) something originally perceived in a positive way.
9) "He's been protected by magazine fluff pieces and buddy-buddy TV interviews for far too long." Pure Lebron hate speech. Yes, like Michael Jordan before him, Lebron and his handlers have been very careful about how they've portrayed him, keeping him as bland as possible for Wal-Mart America. I wouldn't say he's been "protected" by fluff pieces, though. I'm
calling bullshit here for sure. He's protecting his "brand" by not making political statements and the like. So what? He has his whole life after making his millions to make statements. He still gives a tremendous amount to charity and has been amazingly giving in his home town of Akron. Plenty of guys would have big-timed the hometown by now. Do you even know where Dwayne Wade is from?
10) First off, I don't put Wade in the same category as Kobe when it coms to "relentless drive." Wade has yet to prove that to me. Also, Wade has missed a bunch of games with injuries and generally had a lot more time to rest and recover than Lebron.
11) "basically, we're much closer to LeBron re-enacting the career arc of Martina Hingis, Eric Lindros and Junior Griffey." Well, again this just shows the credibility of your sources. I'd take Griffey's career any day.
12) "This will evolve into THE dominant NBA story of the next two months. You watch."
Are these your words, or your "insider"s words? Either way, I highly doubt it will be more than a footnote. Lebron is still in the top 7 or 8 in efficiency rating, and there's not that much season left. I expect the Cavs to continue to improve and finish strong. I also expect that Lebron's FG% and assist rate will improve between now and the end of the season. Want to wager?
As I noted earlier Bill Simmons of ESPN.com is big on bashing LeBron...here's his latest:
[Thumb's Down] To LeBron James, who coasted through the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday and played the All-Star Game with the uplifting,charismatic intensity of a female porn star trying to break one of those"most male partners in one afternoon" records. Could we end up putting him in the "Too Much, Too Soon" Pantheon some day? Will he become the basketball version of Eddie Murphy, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson and every otherceleb who became famous too quickly and eventually burned out?
Here's what I know. I had four conversations with connected NBA people over the weekend that centered around the same themes: LeBron isn't playing nearly as hard as he did last season; it looks like his only goal right now is to get his coach fired; he's regressing as a basketball player (especially his passing skills and his shot selection); he made a huge mistake firing his agent and turning his career over to his buddies back home (all of whom are in over their heads); he was a much bigger problem during the Olympics than anyone realized; he doesn't seem to be enjoying himself anymore; he has an overrated sense of his own worth and his ownimpact in the sports world (as witnessed by the ESPN interview last week when he answered the "What are your goals?" question with two words: "Global icon"); he's been protected by magazine fluff pieces and buddy-buddy TV interviews for far too long; he doesn't have the same relentless drive to keep dominating everyone like Wade and Kobe have; and basically, we're much closer to LeBron re-enacting the career arc of Martina Hingis, Eric Lindros
and Junior Griffey than anyone realizes. This will evolve into THE dominant NBA story of the next two months. You watch.
To this I responded:
I have no doubt that there are many Lebron-haters out there, ESPECIALLY amongst NBA "insiders." I suspect its actually trendy in NBA circles to trash "King" James. Well, I think it's mostly, but not entirely, bullshit, but for what it's worth I'll address each point:
1) First, I've always loved Bill Simmons, but his bit is actually starting to get old. His social commentary is funny, but I would hardly call him an expert -- hence the Page 2 billing. Secondly, it's the f***ing All Star game, in Vegas, and everyone but Dwight Howard was clearly hung-over. Even so, Lebron's stat line led the Eastern Conference. So I don't begrudge any lack of enthusiasm (he tried that alley-oop to himself, didn't he?). Back to our pornstar analogy: I don't think it matters if the chick coasts on a few studs, so long as she has a nice body and attempts a few nice moves in the process. It's the All Star Game. Records Room. B-1.
2) I agree Lebron is not playing as hard as he did last season. I think he looks tired. I also think that the Cavs brass and Lebron learned last year that the regular season is a marathon, not a race. Remember that it was Detroit that was far and away the best team in the league last year during the regular season. Miami proved that the important thing is to peak at the
right time and have all your players healthy for the stretch run into the playoffs. Lebron looked exhausted by the end of the Washington series, and was pretty much out of gas versus Detroit. One of the few things Mike Brown has done well this year is utilize the bench and rest his starters. Lebron's minutes are down to just over 40 per game -- still one of the highest in the league, by the way. Let's also not forget, that unlike nearly every other premier player in the league, Lebron has not been injured in his first 3+ years, so he didn't benefit from that extra down time. Nor has he been benched as the result of nagging injuries.
3) I think that there was considerable dissention within the ranks toward Mike Brown, and rightly so. Brown was too obsessed with defense, and he failed to consider that the Cavs were underachieving so much on offense that playing good defense was often futile and even self-defeating. Thankfully, Brown seems to have gotten the message, and the Cavs have made some rotation changes and are trying to push the tempo more. In Brown's defense, though, this is the first year installing the new offensive system, while the defense is on year two. This is reflected in the team's statistics. Also, pretty much all the teams with the best defense are near the top of the standings, while the best offensive teams have widely disparate records.
4) I hate to say it, but, at least in the short term, I agree that at times it looks like Lebron has regressed just a bit this year. Again, though, I blame this mostly on fatigue and frustration with the offense and surrounding cast. I think he and Coach Brown have finally come to an understanding. My biggest fear is that they will try to force feed Ilgauskas like they did last year. That really is what brought the offense to a grinding halt.
5) James fired his agent, Aaron Goodwin, almost two years ago, man. Since then things have continued to go quite swimmingly for Lebron. He has continued to grow his endorsement portfolio with only top brands and he successfully negotiated a contract extension with the Cavaliers that set the standard for several of his NBA peers (I thought that was a pretty shrewd move). I am sure that NBA "insiders" would like to think that only the good ol' boy network can get things done though. Also, he didn't "turn his career over to his buddies" -- from everything I've read, there is no mistaking who the CEO of that company is. Perhaps peple have been reading articles like this:
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/02-07/02-11-07/20sports.htm
Seems almost identicle to the list you gave. The author fails to note that a) Lebron already has the best deals out there (Nike, Coke), b) the big fish only take the best endorsements (let scuba man down there hump T-mobile), and must be wary of saturation.
http://benjamincox.blogspot.com/2007/01/its-too-bad-lebron-signed-that-contract.html
6) I don't know about the "problem during the Olympics." Can you elaborate?
7) He seems like he's still having fun, but he's not 19 anymore. Maybe he's just growing up? Didn't you change a bit from 19-22? Overall though, he seems like basically the same guy to me, except he expects a few more foul calls. Again, normal for a four year veteran of his stature.
8) Lebron has said from almost day one that he wants to transcend the sport/be an icon. This is a) not news and b) something originally perceived in a positive way.
9) "He's been protected by magazine fluff pieces and buddy-buddy TV interviews for far too long." Pure Lebron hate speech. Yes, like Michael Jordan before him, Lebron and his handlers have been very careful about how they've portrayed him, keeping him as bland as possible for Wal-Mart America. I wouldn't say he's been "protected" by fluff pieces, though. I'm
calling bullshit here for sure. He's protecting his "brand" by not making political statements and the like. So what? He has his whole life after making his millions to make statements. He still gives a tremendous amount to charity and has been amazingly giving in his home town of Akron. Plenty of guys would have big-timed the hometown by now. Do you even know where Dwayne Wade is from?
10) First off, I don't put Wade in the same category as Kobe when it coms to "relentless drive." Wade has yet to prove that to me. Also, Wade has missed a bunch of games with injuries and generally had a lot more time to rest and recover than Lebron.
11) "basically, we're much closer to LeBron re-enacting the career arc of Martina Hingis, Eric Lindros and Junior Griffey." Well, again this just shows the credibility of your sources. I'd take Griffey's career any day.
12) "This will evolve into THE dominant NBA story of the next two months. You watch."
Are these your words, or your "insider"s words? Either way, I highly doubt it will be more than a footnote. Lebron is still in the top 7 or 8 in efficiency rating, and there's not that much season left. I expect the Cavs to continue to improve and finish strong. I also expect that Lebron's FG% and assist rate will improve between now and the end of the season. Want to wager?
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Roster issues
According to Hollinger's rating system, updated daily, Gooden ranks #63. I think Z ranks fairly high there as well. Hughes is obviously a huge disappointment. He is our highest paid player, was supposed to be our #2 guy, but he is #4 at best. I don't think that Hughes has ever had a sustained stretch where he has been healthy, but given the money and production you can't deny he's been a big bust so far.
But what upsets me most is the Cavs apparent unwillingness to trade Anderson Varejao. His value will never be higher than it is now. He has no offensive game outside of 4 feet, and while I admire his defense and hustle, the reality is that he is not much more than a poor man's Tony Battie. Teams want him. If we can get some serious help in the backcourt, we should trade him now.
Regarding the Gooden, the traditional media continues to repeat the Cavs mantra that Gooden is "inconsistent" yet they refuse to give him consistent minutes. By that, I don't just mean his overall minutes per game, but sustained stretches on th court. Every time Gooden starts to warm up, Brown takes him out. I will asume that there are occassional defensive lapses, but Brown needs to look at the big picture in terms of developing chemistry and continuity that the Cavs talked about so much in the preseason. Apparently that doesn't apply to Gooden.
Z has made his own bed, to a point. His shots develop so slowly that its too easy for other teams to defend, and it forces the offense to remain in spread position for too long without anyone moving through the lane. He also doesn't pass well out of the double team, which is in fact one of the main definitions of a center. He is slow rolling off the pick and roll, and then doesn't make the interior pass when the weakside help gets there before he does. This is a deadly combination. He also compensates for his lack of speed by coming out of the pick early before forcing the defense to commit. I don't deny Z's skills, but I agree more and more with Charlie Rosen's assesment that he is a bad match for this team, and would actually be much more valuable as a bench player.
Have we ever seen the "big" athletic lineup with Lebron, Hughes, Gooden, Marshall and Varejao? That lineup would dominate on the boards without sacrificing too much on defense. That lineup could run, the middle would be much more open for slashers Lebron and Hughes to get to the rack, and yet we would still have Marshall camping out for three's. So, Lebron or Hughes would handle the rock, while Varejao would set the high screens. Gooden would essentially be the center on offense, with Varejao at the 4, Marshall at the three (your classic baseline shooting small forward). On defense, though, Varejao would be the center, with Gooden guarding the other team's 3. We could also run this offense with Gibson instead of Hughes. Tonight, we might see this with Gibson, Hughes, Gooden, Marshall and Varejao. I just think the Cavs talked so much about wanting interchangeable, athletic players to implement their defensive strategy, yet they never seem to play
those guys at the same time, even when it might help their offense as well.
But what upsets me most is the Cavs apparent unwillingness to trade Anderson Varejao. His value will never be higher than it is now. He has no offensive game outside of 4 feet, and while I admire his defense and hustle, the reality is that he is not much more than a poor man's Tony Battie. Teams want him. If we can get some serious help in the backcourt, we should trade him now.
Regarding the Gooden, the traditional media continues to repeat the Cavs mantra that Gooden is "inconsistent" yet they refuse to give him consistent minutes. By that, I don't just mean his overall minutes per game, but sustained stretches on th court. Every time Gooden starts to warm up, Brown takes him out. I will asume that there are occassional defensive lapses, but Brown needs to look at the big picture in terms of developing chemistry and continuity that the Cavs talked about so much in the preseason. Apparently that doesn't apply to Gooden.
Z has made his own bed, to a point. His shots develop so slowly that its too easy for other teams to defend, and it forces the offense to remain in spread position for too long without anyone moving through the lane. He also doesn't pass well out of the double team, which is in fact one of the main definitions of a center. He is slow rolling off the pick and roll, and then doesn't make the interior pass when the weakside help gets there before he does. This is a deadly combination. He also compensates for his lack of speed by coming out of the pick early before forcing the defense to commit. I don't deny Z's skills, but I agree more and more with Charlie Rosen's assesment that he is a bad match for this team, and would actually be much more valuable as a bench player.
Have we ever seen the "big" athletic lineup with Lebron, Hughes, Gooden, Marshall and Varejao? That lineup would dominate on the boards without sacrificing too much on defense. That lineup could run, the middle would be much more open for slashers Lebron and Hughes to get to the rack, and yet we would still have Marshall camping out for three's. So, Lebron or Hughes would handle the rock, while Varejao would set the high screens. Gooden would essentially be the center on offense, with Varejao at the 4, Marshall at the three (your classic baseline shooting small forward). On defense, though, Varejao would be the center, with Gooden guarding the other team's 3. We could also run this offense with Gibson instead of Hughes. Tonight, we might see this with Gibson, Hughes, Gooden, Marshall and Varejao. I just think the Cavs talked so much about wanting interchangeable, athletic players to implement their defensive strategy, yet they never seem to play
those guys at the same time, even when it might help their offense as well.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Cavs beat Spurs again!
Bennie and I sat in the second row. The view of Eva Longoria was fantastic. I wonder if she knew we were sitting in her seats! I think the dude sitting next to us was a scout.
I got curious and looked at their roster, pegging Beno Udrich as a guy we might be wiling to take a flyer on at point guard. What would it cost us? Well, I thought to get a guy like Andre Miller we would for sure have to give up Varejoa. But Beno? I would hope we could get him for Sasha and Snow. It would probably be a package deal. I think they might have interest in Sasha because the Spurs really need some youth and athleticism on the wing. All this was just in my mind, of course, until I came across this little tidbit in the San Antonio Express:
"Do the Spurs look to make any type of trade before the deadline and who might they look to deal?
–Joseph Rodriguez, San Antonio
The Spurs are always looking at possible deals before the trade deadline. Finding one that works, however, is the hard part.
In the past three seasons, the Spurs have made one Deadline Day trade (Malik Rose for Nazr Mohammed) and had two others all but done before they collapsed (Rose for Kurt Thomas; Brent Barry for J.R. Smith). You can probably expect to hear three names come up in conversations this season: Eric Williams (he has an expiring contract); Jackie Butler (he’s young and not playing); and Beno Udrih (he has a cheap contract, he’s young, he’s skilled and he seems to have signed a three-year lease in Pop’s doghouse).
Barry surfaced in last week’s talks regarding Los Angeles Clippers’ swingman Corey Maggette, but the Spurs have been reluctant to move him – at least in that deal – because he’s finally playing like they hoped he would when they
signed him."
According to Bennie we were sitting next to this fellow:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_Demps
I got curious and looked at their roster, pegging Beno Udrich as a guy we might be wiling to take a flyer on at point guard. What would it cost us? Well, I thought to get a guy like Andre Miller we would for sure have to give up Varejoa. But Beno? I would hope we could get him for Sasha and Snow. It would probably be a package deal. I think they might have interest in Sasha because the Spurs really need some youth and athleticism on the wing. All this was just in my mind, of course, until I came across this little tidbit in the San Antonio Express:
"Do the Spurs look to make any type of trade before the deadline and who might they look to deal?
–Joseph Rodriguez, San Antonio
The Spurs are always looking at possible deals before the trade deadline. Finding one that works, however, is the hard part.
In the past three seasons, the Spurs have made one Deadline Day trade (Malik Rose for Nazr Mohammed) and had two others all but done before they collapsed (Rose for Kurt Thomas; Brent Barry for J.R. Smith). You can probably expect to hear three names come up in conversations this season: Eric Williams (he has an expiring contract); Jackie Butler (he’s young and not playing); and Beno Udrih (he has a cheap contract, he’s young, he’s skilled and he seems to have signed a three-year lease in Pop’s doghouse).
Barry surfaced in last week’s talks regarding Los Angeles Clippers’ swingman Corey Maggette, but the Spurs have been reluctant to move him – at least in that deal – because he’s finally playing like they hoped he would when they
signed him."
According to Bennie we were sitting next to this fellow:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_Demps
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