NBA: Memo to LA Lakers: Start Playing Like Champions

By Taylor Shain, WSOE Sports

The Lakers must have been wearing costumes for Halloween, because they certainly did not look like defending champions Friday night at home against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks smashed the Lakers, 94-80 in a game where the Lakers may have spent more time complaining to the refs than actually playing basketball.

When the Mavericks began to pull away in the third quarter, the Lakers did not show composure, or execute smoothly.  Instead they were whining to the referees on almost every play, committing silly fouls and often standing around idly on offense. To put it simply, the Lakers panicked.

They let JJ Barea score an uncontested lay-up. Sasha Vujacic might have played the worst game of his career, with 4 cheap fouls and no points.  Kobe Bryant was just 6 of 19 from the field, and he didn’t take over when his team needed him to.

But Ron Artest might have been the biggest culprit of all.  He was supposed to be savoir to push the Lakers over the top.  But, is Ron Artest actually better than Trevor Ariza? On more than one occasion Friday night, instead of deferring to Kobe Bryant, Artest took the game into his own hands…And proceeded to finish with just 3 points, 5 fouls and four turnovers.  The Lakers would not have come close to winning the title last season without Trevor Ariza’s countless defensive plays, and huge shots that he made.  I don’t think Artest will make the same contributions.

Granted, if Pau Gasol wasn’t out with a hamstring injury, he probably would have feasted on the Maverick’s frontline like a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

It was only the second game of the season, but for a team that won the title last year, I expected much more from them.  The Lakers entered the season as heavy title favorites.  Some people even thought they would win 70 games and cruise their way to a title.  Those predictions are probably wrong.

With or without Gasol, the Lakers have many problems.  Just like last year, their bench help may be limited to only Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown. Derek Fisher might be the only reliable three-point shooter.  After two trips to the NBA finals and the Olympics, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol have a lot of mileage on their legs.  The other title contenders around the league got a lot better.  But the Lakers may have taken a huge step backward.

If Los Angeles wants an example, just look at the other side of the court.  When the Lakers started to make a surge at the beginning of the fourth quarter and cut down the huge lead, did the Mavericks panic? Nope. They stayed calm, and continued to execute seamlessly. And, I don’t think the Mavericks were morose about missing one of their key players, Josh Howard.

Contact Information:
Taylor Shain
WSOE Sports
tshain@elon.edu

NBA: 2009 NBA Draft Recap at Madison Square Garden: The Top 10 Picks (Part 2)

By Angus Dunk, WSOE Sports

6.) Gerald Henderson, Guard, (Drafted 12^th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats) – If there is anything that Henderson will bring to the Bobcats then its improvement. The Caldwell, New Jersey native started his freshman year at Duke with only 6.8 ppg and 219 points scored by the end of the season. Since that point, Henderson has improved his game both offensively and defensively. This past season Henderson registered 16.5 ppg, 610 points, 91 assists, 183 rebounds, 46 steals, and 28 blocks. Henderson’s 16.5 ppg. led all Duke basketball players in scoring. Henderson’s father, Gerald Sr., spent 13 seasons in the NBA compiling 3 championship rings with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. The two words that describe Henderson best are “stealth” and “speed.” On offense, he drives deep into the paint (often unnoticed) and receives a pass either for the lay-up or alley oop. He also shows good consistency with his turn-around j-shots. On defense, Henderson is a big force on his side of the court dishing out block after block. Overall, this is a good investment for the Bobcats who could really benefit from a two-way player.

7.) Tyler Hansbrough, Power Forward, (Drafted 13^th overall by the Indiana Pacers) – He nearly had a 4 year career total of 2,900 points (2,872 was his final total) and gets drafted 13^th? He also finishes as the ACC scoring leader and gets drafted after Henderson? Everyone has their reasons, but my guess is a lot of teams were speculating that he may be another J.J. Reddick (a stand college star in ACC competition, but has struggled in the NBA). Hansbrough’s 2,872 points career points ranks 12^th all-time amongst NCAA Division I players. His junior year (2007-2008) at the University of North Carolina was his best when he tallied 882 points, 22.6 ppg., a .540 field goal pct., 399 rebounds (UNC’s all-time career leader with 1,219), and 59 steals. This year, Hansbrough established a career high in free throw pct. (.841) in addition to putting up a notable 704 points, 20.7 ppg, and 276 rebounds. Hansbrough’s ability to score in heavy traffic is his biggest attribute. He manages to control the ball well and finish his shots cleanly a lot of the time against pressure from 2 or 3 players. Overall, he should be a nice addition to the Pacers and complement current players T.J. Ford and Danny Granger.

8.) Earl Clark, Small Forward, (Drafted 14^th overall by the Phoenix Suns) – Clark fits the definition of a small forward in that he dabbles in a little bit of everything. The NBA scouting staff describes him as a “long and athletic forward with a good overall skill set.” Clark has consistently improved his game in each of the three seasons that he has played for the Louisville Cardinals. This season Clark recorded 525 points, 14.2 ppg, 322 rebounds, a .326 three-pointer pct., and 119 assists. On offense, Clark is aggressive and will battle through traffic to help his team get the extra two points. On defense, Clark possesses tenacity and is good at stealing the ball and blocking shots; this past season he averaged 1 steal per game and 1.4 blocks per game. Clark’s weakness is probably his do-it-alone attitude. His 6’8, 220 pound frame gives him a lot of leeway to take the ball deep into the paint, but if you match a center such as Hasheem Thabeet (7’3, 263 pounds) or B.J. Mullens (7’0, 275 pounds) on him, then problems could arise. However, he emerged as more of a team player this year with his 3.2 assists per game. His game may take a little time to develop before he can make the active roster for the Suns, but he should prove to be a standout star. Dave-De Thomas of “yahoo! sports” compares Clark to Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers.

9.) Jermaine Taylor, Shooting Guard, (Drafted 32 overall by the Washington Wizards) – Judging by his interviews he’s one of the more mentally sound players in the draft. He’s upbeat, determined, optimistic, and confident in his abilities. Jermaine Taylor this past season finished a successful 4-year tenure at the University of Central Florida and ranked 3^rd in the nation in points per game (26.2). Taylor finished with career highs this year in almost every category including points scored (812), field goal pct. (.480), free throw pct (.812), rebounds (161), assists per game (1.9), and blocks per game (.8). Taylor’s total of 1,979 career points ranked third all-time at UCF and his 251 three pointers established a new school record. Taylor fits the typical role of a traditional shooting guard in his innate ability to score, but differs from some for his aggressive attack of the basket and love for dunking the ball. At 6’4, 205 pounds, the Tavares, Florida native shows tremendous athleticism, an attribute he believes to be the reason why many scouts compare him to Miami shooting guard, Dwayne Wade. Other sources, such as yahoo.com, have also compared him to Rodney Stuckey of the Detroit Pistons. Taylor is a good player, but still has some work to do. By dunking the ball as much as he does it seems he might be making one too many moves to score; this could become a problem because in the NBA defending players in the paint possess superior size and height making it easy to block the lane for a shot. He may have some work to do on his jump shot, but based on his field goal pct. and 3-pointer pct. from the past season this shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Taylor has also been compared to Rodney Stuckey of the Detroit Pistons by Yahoo! sports. Overall, he was definitely one of the better steals of the 2^nd round.

10.) Sam Young, Small Forward, (picked 36^th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies) – ESPN analysts dubbed him one of the more “active sleeper picks.” Underdog, maybe. Sleeper, no. Young was the eldest of five children born to Marquet Craig, who was a single 14-year old mother at the time of Sam’s birth. Young grew up in Clinton, Maryland on the outskirts of Washington D.C. Young attended Friendly High School and helped lead his team to back to back state championships in 2003 and 2004 (2A in 2003 and 3A in 2004). As a senior, he showed tremendous potential on both offense and defense to take his game to the next level recording game averages of 24.6 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks. However, he went fairly unnoticed amongst college recruits; an event which prompted him to pursue a post-graduate program at Hargrave Military Academy (prep school) in Chatham, VA in order to improve upon his high school grades and to further develop his basketball game. He was a noticeable standout during the single year (2004-2005) he spent at Hargrave averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds for his almost undefeated team (28-1). After accepting an offer to play for the University of Pittsburgh, Young struggled during his first two seasons with the Panthers starting very few games and recording modest, but not exceptional statistics. That would all change his junior year (2007-2008) when he recorded career highs in almost all categories including rebounds per game (rpg) (6.3), assists per game (apg) (1.2), steals per game (spg) (1.1), blocks per game (bpg) (1.1), and 3-pointer pct. (.383). He repeated his stellar performance his senior year at Pittsburgh and recorded 19.2 ppg, 690 points, a .740 free throw pct., 6.3 apg. and 1.0 spg. Overall, Young is a quick two way forward who likes to score either on the dunk with panache or from outside the 3-point arc. At 6’6, 215 pounds he shows tremendous presence which gives him a distinct advantage in blocking shots and stealing the ball on defense, but at the same on offense allowing him to bury quick shots. In an interview, Young did not compare his style of play to anyone in the NBA. Young is known for having a specialty pump-fake which he learned as a child during street basketball and reintroduced the move once he entered college.  Solid second round choice by the Grizzlies. I admire their pursuit of defensive and two way players in the draft.

Breakdown of the Top 10 Picks

Team Previous Club Position

DKV Joventut (Spain ACB) – 1  Power Forward- 2

Memphis Grizzlies- 2                    University of Oklahoma- 1          Small Forward- 2

L.A. Clippers- 1                             University of Connecticut- 1        Center- 1

Sacramento Kings- 1                     University of Memphis- 1             Guard- 3

Minnesota Timberwolves- 1          Davidson College- 1                      Point Guard- 1

Golden State Warriors- 1              Duke University- 1                      Shooting Guard- 1

Charlotte Bobcats- 1      University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill- 1

Indiana Pacers- 1                            University of Louisville- 1

Phoenix Suns- 1                               University of Central Florida- 1

Washington Wizards- 1                  University of Pittsburgh- 1

Contact Information:
Angus Dunk
WSOE Sports
adunk@bu.edu

NBA: 2009 NBA Draft Recap at Madison Square Garden: The Top 10 Picks (Part 1)

By Angus Dunk, WSOE Sports

The L.A. Clippers made a solid choice with forward Blake Griffin who was probably the most consistent player in the draft, even if he was not the top scorer. I was a little disappointed that Hansbrough (one of the most offensive minded players in the draft) was drafted as late as he was, but Indiana did the right thing by finally staking a claim to him. He will make a good addition to point guard, Danny Granger (2009 Most Improved Player in the NBA). Center Hasheem Thabeet was another smart selection; the Grizzlies went with the top defensive player and will see that improve their finish in the final standings next year.

Round 1

1.) Blake Griffin, Power Forward, (drafted 1^st overall by the Los Angeles Clippers) - “Consistency” is the label for Blake Griffin. Just as easily as hockey comes to John Tavares (top pick at this year’s NHL draft), basketball seems to do the same for Griffin. In the NBA’s scouting report, Griffin is described as the “prototypical power forward.” This couldn’t be truer. With his 6’ 10,” 250 pound frame, he drives to the hoop with a strong presence and repetition that is hard to beat.  Griffin is not only hard to defend because of his physical presence and size, but because of his accuracy from every position and angle on the court including from the three point line and when he takes fade away shots. The Clippers got to see their boy in action this July in their first NBA Summer League game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. No one on either side could match Griffin as he recorded a double-double and totaled 27 pts, 12 rebounds, and 1 assist. This past season at the University of Oklahoma, Griffin improved nearly all his career high college statistics by playing in 35 games in which he recorded 794 points, a .694 field goal pct (field goal percentage), and 22.7 points per game (ppg.). Griffin’s sophomore year (2008-2009) also saw him sharpen the defensive aspects of his game as he recorded 504 rebounds and 41 blocks. Prior to college, Griffin played basketball in high school as a stand-out at Okalahoma Christian School. He has drawn comparisons to former NBA player, Karl Malone. Overall, Griffin’s determined work ethic and flexible personality will help phase the Clippers out of their recent slump.

2.) Hasheem Thabeet, Center, (drafted 2^nd overall by the Memphis Grizzlies) – If anything else, Tennessee’s NBA franchise keeps getting more and more interesting. While struggling on the court, off-court the scouting staff is slowly making Memphis more and more diverse. Thabeet is the first Tanzanian born basketball player to be drafted and slotted to play in the NBA. He becomes the 4^th international player to enter the team’s current roster in addition to Marc Gasol (Spain), Hamed Haddadi (Iran), and Marko Jaric (Yugoslavia). Thabeet has clearly persevered as the #2 selection in this year’s draft. Coming from a broken home across on the other side of the Atlantic, Thabeet managed to turn into a stand-out defensive prospect after only beginning to play basketball at the age of 15. His size (7’3,” 263 pounds) definitely gives him an advantage at his position, but his college statistics are clear indications of his dedication to the game of basketball. In his junior year at the University of Connecticut this past season, Thabeet established career highs in many categories including games played (36), blocks (152), rebounds (388), and steals (22). Thabeet also established a healthy respect amongst competitors on offense with 489 points, a 640 field goal pct., and a 13.6 ppg average. Thabeet’s honors include being named the “NABC Defensive Player of the Year” for two consecutive years (2008 and 2009). Defensively, Thabeet’s height will give him an advantage over other players especially when it comes to blocking shots; in turn I would like to see how Lebron James approaches a center such as him. Offensively, Thabeet’s height will be a major factor again on rebounds and second chance points. “Yahoo! Sports” compares him to DeSagana Diop (Charlotte), but I’m tending to lean toward the consensus opinion that he compares with Emeka Okafor (New Orleans).

3.) Tyreke Evans, Guard, (Drafted 4^th overall by the Sacramento Kings) – Evans was a player who went from having a rough start last year to a team leader. However, after he found his game about halfway through the season at the University of Memphis, he took off. Evans played point guard with the Tigers in his freshman year, but can play shooting guard as well. He likes to drive the ball often straight to the hoop for the lay-up and put in a quick basket. Evidence to the point that he is a shooting guard as well, Evans is also capable of making numerous fade-aways from behind the 3-point arc. This season he recorded 632 points, 17.1 ppg, and a .455 field goal pct. on 505 attempts. Evans was also sound defensively notching 177 steals (2.1 steals per game), 29 blocks (0.8 per game), and 198 rebounds (5.4 per game). In high school, he was an All-American at American Christian Academy in Aston, Pennsylvania. During his senior year he averaged 32.1 points per game and was named MVP at the McDonald’s All American game. Evans has continued to develop this game after being drafted by Sacramento by playing on the Kings’ summer league team. In his 2^nd game in the summer league, he recorded a double-double with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Overall, Evans shows a lot of promise for the Kings who would strongly benefit from some up-tempo offense. However, in my opinion, to work out any remaining kinks he may have in his game he should play in the NBA-D League (NBA Developmental League). He still is very young and could benefit from a farm-system team (The Reno Bighorns) to improve his defensive game if he continues to play point guard. At 6’6,” 220 pounds, Evans will definitely be a force within the paint.

4.) Ricky Rubio, Point Guard, (Drafted 5^th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves) – Rubio will definitely bring a sense of freshness with his fast, up-tempo European style of play.  Rubio is definitely the complete package of a point guard. He shoots, scores, passes, and plays aggressive defense. At 6’4,” 180 pounds Rubio can hold his ground amongst players on the court, but what’s more impressive is his ability to do so against larger and taller opponents. On offense, he particularly loves to drive into the lane for the lay-up regardless of whose on defense and 80% of the time seems to make the shot. However, he also fulfills the generic point guard description as well with his excellent ball-handling and passing. Rubio seems to find his teammates from any point on the court and make whatever pass is necessary including numerous behind-the-back bounce passes and toss-up’s for alley oop’s. Look out for him to become the league leader in assists one day. On Defense, Rubio’s most vital asset is his ability to simultaneously pressure other point guards and hold his ground and yield no space at all to his opponents. His size and speed make him effective at stealing the ball. Rubio has played the past four seasons with DKV Jovenut Jugadors of Liga ACB (the Spanish ACB League) and has led the squad to three Catalan Championships (2006, 2008, and 2009). Rubio has been compared to current NBA Star, Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks). Fun facts: His nicknames include “La Pistola” and “The Rolling Earthquake.”

5.) Stephen Curry, Guard, (picked 7^th overall by the Golden State Warriors)- One would think that leading NCAA Division I basketball in points per game would give a player a higher draft pick, but Curry was plucked when was. This season with the Davidson Wildcats Curry was the leading scorer with 28.6 points per game. He also established career highs in points scored (974), assists (189), and steals (86). In his sophomore year (2007-2008), Curry established a new NCAA single season record after making 162 three-pointers. That same season, Curry established highs in all shooting percentages which included field goals (.483), three-pointers (.439), and free throws (894). Curry comes from a strong basketball oriented family. His father, Dell Curry, spent 16 seasons in the NBA for 5 teams (the bulk for the Charlotte Hornets, 10 seasons) and his brother Seth Curry spent his freshman year at Liberty University, where he led all NCAA Division I freshman in points per game (20.2). Curry is a very offensively focused player, but has also improved on the defensive aspects of his game over the course of his three years at Davidson College. He can score comfortably from almost anywhere on the court, but possesses the unique ability to consistently score from outside the paint whether it be a long shot for 2 points or a 3-pointer. As so many have already said, his shot range is what makes him phenomenal overall. Dave-Te Thomas of “rivals.com” compares Curry to Mike Bibby of the Atlanta Hawks. Curry is originally from Akron, Ohio; where Lebron James is also from (NBA MVP 2009). Despite choosing to not attend Davidson for his senior year, Curry still plans to earn a degree and is in the midst of online summer classes.

Contact Information:
Angus Dunk
WSOE Sports
adunk@bu.edu

NBA: Which team has improved itself the most?

By Tom Waterman, WSOE Sports

In an off-season where multiple big name stars including Shaquille O’Neal, Vince Carter, Ron Artest and Rasheed Wallace have all changed teams and will be suiting up for legitimate championship contenders.  This begs the question which teams have had the best off-season?

Starting off the Eastern Conference with the defending Conference Champs, the Orlando Magic have certainly addressed their biggest need; their need for an explosive wing player who can create his own shot.  Their acquisition of Vince Carter provides them with just that.  Also, by matching the offer sheet for backup center Marcin Gortat along with the additions of forwards Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes provide ample depth and scoring off the bench to survive the rigors of the Eastern Conference and contend with the powerhouses of the Western Conference.

Another Eastern Conference team that has made a few moves this off-season is the Boston Celtics. However, none may be more important then the healthy return of Kevin Garnett, whose injury late in the season decimated the Celtics and their chances for a repeat.  The return of Garnett along with the addition of Rasheed Wallace gives the Celtics plenty of firepower to get back to the finals.

O'Neal, 37, will enter his 19th season with his 5th team, the Cavaliers. Courtesy of: sikids.com

No off-season acquisition was larger, especially in the literal sense, then the Cleveland Cavaliers addition of Shaquille O’Neal to a lineup that desperately needed some help in the paint. While adding Shaq five years ago would have automatically turned your team into the favorite for the title, he is not the player he was five years ago and that is why I still rank the Cavs a step behind both the Magic and the Celtics.

Over in the Western Conference, one team has clearly improved themselves the most and that is the San Antonio Spurs.  The Spurs acquired forward Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess and drafted DeJuan Blair and Jack McClinton, all who will provide even more depth to a team that all ready has Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.

The Spurs aren’t the only team in the Western Conference that has been busy though.  The Dallas Mavericks were able to re-sign point guard Jason Kidd and also acquire forward Shawn Marion in a four-team trade this off-season.  Unfortunately for the Mavericks their search for a starting center was halted when the Magic matched the offer sheet for Gortat, but the Mavs still should not be overlooked.

That brings us to the defending champs who replaced a solid player in Trevor Ariza with arguably the league’s toughest defender in Ron Artest.  Artest will certainly bring a new level of tenacity to a team that already has the lethal inside outside combination of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. 

As tough as it is to pick against the defending champs, I have to say that as of today my very, very early pick for the NBA Finals is the Orlando Magic and the San Antonio Spurs. 

Contact Information:
Tom Waterman
WSOE Sports
swaterman@elon.edu

NBA: Jefferson rejects bride by e-mail

By Craig Filazzola, WSOE Sports Director

Talk about not performing in the clutch.

Courtesy of: media.photobucket.com

Former New Jersey Nets forward Richard Jefferson called off last Saturday’s wedding to former Nets dancer Kesha Ni’Cole Nichols.  The couple was supposed to get married at the Mandarin Oriental Columbus Circle in Manhattan, New York.

Thursday morning on the Dan Patrick Show, Jefferson said that he told Nichols via e-mail last Sunday, he notified his family on Monday and she informed her family on Tuesday.

The New York Post reported that one of his friends said that he was informed two hours prior to the ceremony.  Jefferson responded on the radio show, noting that none of his friends would have spoke with reporters of the newspaper. 

Jefferson, the recently acquired San Antonio Spur, said the reason he wrote Nichols an e-mail was to communicate his thoughts in an organized manner.  They had been constantly arguing, so he decided not to get married.  In return, he gave her a six-figured amount.  He added that he was upset and not happy or relieved about their situation.

Contact Information:
Craig Filazzola
WSOE Sports Director
cfilazzola@elon.edu

NBA: Movers and Shakers

By Christian Binder, WSOE Sports

Only three days ago did I write about the beginning of NBA free agency. I was actually surprised that nothing had happened on July 1st. Usually the first day of free agency in any sport is a big day. Nevertheless, before the week was out, there were some very significant moves.

Ben Gordon shoots over a defender. Courtesy of: chi-ball.com/blog

The Pistons have made the biggest splash so far, signing guard Ben Gordon and forward Charlie Villanueva. Gordon brings a solid 21 PPG with him, while Villanueva adds 16 PPG and nearly 7 RPG. I like this move for the Pistons. They get a younger guy who can run the point, which allows Rick Hamilton to work more efficiently whether it’s off the bench or in the starting lineup. Villanueva is another veteran presence that will help a lot and he can fill a void should Antonio McDyess go elsewhere. If he winds up staying, the Pistons will be in good shape. If he leaves, though, the Pistons will have issues. Rasheed Wallace is being heavily pursued by the Celtics and he’s not somebody who is easily replaced. It’s critical now for the Pistons to resign McDyess.

The other big headline was the free agent “trade” between the Lakers and Rockets. Ron Artest signed a three-year deal with the Lakers and Trevor Ariza signed a multiyear deal with Rockets.

Ron Artest takes a jump shot. Courtesy of: zimbio.com

At first, I considered the Lakers the losers of this deal. With a closer look, though, I found out I was wrong. Ariza was the Lakers’ “x-factor” during their championship run, but Artest puts up better numbers consistently. He is part of a select group of players that includes Michael Jordan to put up 16+ PPG, 5+ RPG, and 2+ SPG over his entire career. Now we all know about Ron Artest’s attitude issues, but he’s really toned down since his Pacer days. Plus, he doesn’t have to be the vocal leader on the team – that’s why Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Derek Fisher are all there. Since there’s not much pressure on him to be that kind of leader, he can simply go out and play basketball and as long as he plays hard (like he usually does), this is a perfect fit. Ariza will fit in nicely with Rockets as well, but I feel like he’ll play a very similar role, namely flip-flopping between starting and coming off the bench.

The Blazers acquired Hedo Turkoglu on July 3. This is a great pickup. We all know the Blazers have talent. Brandon Roy puts up All-Star numbers every year and he’s only 24 years old. Then there’s Rudy Fernandez (also 24), the up-and-coming shooting guard, LaMarcus Aldridge (23), and Greg Oden (21), who has yet to live up to his number-one pick potential. Turkoglu, at 30 years old, provides some much-needed, playoff-tested veteran experience to help guide the team as it goes forward.

Just a few other notes…Jason Kidd has received three-year offers from the Mavericks and the Knicks. Allen Iverson has been in contact with the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies. If the Cleveland Cavaliers are unsuccessful in signing Anderson Varejao, they may step up efforts to sign Antonio McDyess. Speaking of the Cavaliers, they introduced Shaquille O’Neal the other day and he said his motto was simple: “Win a ring for the King.” Well, he did it with Kobe and D-Wade, so don’t be surprised if Shaq can help LeBron garner his first title.

Contact Information:
Christian Binder
WSOE Sports
cbinder@elon.edu

NBA: Free Agency Begins

By Christian Binder, WSOE Sports

Well it’s that time again…free agency. A time when big contracts are dished out and there’s the all-too-familiar “new faces in new places” segment on SportsCenter. Nevertheless, it’s pretty interesting to listen to the rumors and see what plays out and what doesn’t. So here’s some of the things grinding around the rumor mill these days.

Courtesy of: blogs.creativeloafing.com

One of the most coveted targets this year is Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu (pictured right). He’s already said he is not coming back to Orlando, but in today’s economy, it’s not completely out of the question. The two teams that have been linked to Turkoglu are the Trail Blazers and the Raptors. They’re pretty much the only two teams that can give Turkoglu the kind of money he’s looking for (a base $9M salary before incentives) and he fits in pretty well in both situations. Portland is most likely to make a serious offer for him because they have a nucleus of young players that are ready to break out in a big way, so his veteran leadership (aside from his talent) would prove unbelievably useful for the team. Another big name forward, Charlie Villanueva, is looking for a new home. The main suitors for him are the Pistons and Cavaliers. The Cavs make sense because Anderson Varejao has become an unrestricted free agent. Of course, the Cavs would like to have Varejao back, but if he decides he can get a better offer somewhere else, he’ll go. Enter Villanueva.

Courtesy of: i.a.cnn.net

The Pistons covet Turkoglu, but they can’t really afford him thanks to the addition of Allen Iverson over this past year and their need to resign Antonio McDyess and/or Rasheed Wallace (pictured left). Speaking of ‘Sheed, I read on ESPN today that Kevin Garnett has made a pitch to GM Danny Ainge to try to sign him. I’m fairly certain that if the Celtics make an appetizing offer, Wallace will accept it. Can you imagine that lineup? Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Wallace, and Garnett? They’d be like the Yankees of the NBA.

On to guards. Obviously the two biggest names out there are Jason Kidd and Ben Gordon. Gordon has been heavily linked to the Pistons as they are trying to get rid of Iverson. That’s a pretty likely scenario. The Bulls don’t have the money that Gordon is looking for and if the Pistons can manage to dump Iverson’s contract, he fits. Of course, everyone is still trying to figure out why the Pistons traded Chauncey Billups for Iverson in the first place.

Jason Kidd, courtesy of: espn.com

Jason Kidd flew to New York to have a meeting with Knicks president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D’Antoni. At this point, I’m not sure why anyone would want to play for the Knicks, but hey, it’s his prerogative. Kidd is getting up there in age and he really doesn’t want a one-year deal, but that may be the best he can get. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban flew to New York right behind Kidd in an effort to get him to resign, but Kidd will probably want to hear all the offers before making a decision.

So there’s a few big names out there…just wait til next year. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade will both be free agents. That is barring any possibility that they get resigned by their respective teams this offseason or during next season. During this past season, there were rumors flying around that the Knicks were trying to court King James. I can’t and don’t even want to imagine LeBron playing in Madison Square Garden. That’d just be sad. Plus, can anyone even see him in anything not a Cavaliers uniform? Same thing with Wade. He’s just right in a Heat uniform.

Contact Information:
Christian Binder
WSOE Sports
cbinder@elon.edu

NBA: The Draft’s winners, losers and key trades

By Craig Filazzola, WSOE Sports Director

Courtesy of dallasmavericks.com

For the most part, teams made good moves whether it was by trades or draft selections.  There was not too much to overly criticize due to the few questionable acquisitions.

Here are the winners, losers and key trades.

Winners

Denver – Ty Lawson, PG (UNC) from the Minnesota trade
Chauncey Billups will be a great mentor to Lawson.

Golden State – Stephen Curry, G (Davidson)
The Warriors selected arguably the best shooter in the draft.

Indiana – Tyler Hansbrough, PF (UNC) and A.J. Price, G (UConn)
You can say all you want about potential, but Hansbrough had one of the most productive college careers in history.  Price was a great 2^nd round pickup.

Courtesy of: i.cdn.turner.com/si

Los Angeles Clippers – Blake Griffin, PF (Oklahoma)
The best player in the draft (pictured to the right with the white jersey) will try to help the worst franchise in basketball.

Memphis – Hasheem Thabeet, C (UConn), DeMarre Carroll, PF (Missouri), and Sam Young, SF (Pittsburgh)
The collection of these three athletes should benefit the Grizzles.

Minnesota – Ricky Rubio, PG (Spain), Jonny Flynn, PG (Syracuse), Wayne Ellington, G, (UNC), and Denver’s 1^st Round pick next year (Ty Lawson trade)
The combination of Rubio and Flynn has puzzled many analysts, but it makes sense to me.  The T-Wolves can always trade one of them, especially when Rubio isn’t a given to play in the NBA soon. 

San Antonio – Richard Jefferson, SF (Milwaukee trade), DeJuan Blair, PF (Pittsburgh), Jack McClinton, PG, (Miami), and Nando De Colo, SG (France)
Jefferson is a good addition, and Blair is an underrated physical player. 

Losers

Los Angeles Lakers – Cinemelu Elonu, PF (Texas A&M)
They traded the draft rights to Toney Douglass and Patrick Beverly and only received future 2nd Round picks and cash.

Toronto - DeMar DeRozan, SG (USC)
He has potential but not production.  I’d rather have the latter.  He was a gamble when more polished players were still on the board.

Key Trades

New York Knicks get: Darko Milicic
Memphis Grizzles get: Quentin Richardson and cash 

Orlando Magic get: Vince Cater and Ryan Anderson
New Jersey Nets get: Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Tony Battie 

Courtest of: i.tsn.com/i/photos

Cleveland Cavaliers get: Shaquille O’Neal (pictured right)
Phoenix Suns get: Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, 2010 2^nd Round pick, and 500,000 cash 

Atlanta Hawks get: Jamal Crawford
Golden State Warriors get: Acie Law and Speedy Claxton

San Antonio Spurs get: Richard Jefferson
Milwaukee Bucks get: Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto 

Minnesota get: #5 pick in draft (Ricky Rubio), Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, and Oleksiy Pecherov
Washington Wizards get: Mike Miller and Randy Foye

 

Contact Information:
Craig Filazzola
WSOE Sports Director
cfilazzola@elon.edu

NBA: Draft Predictions

By Tom Waterman, WSOE Sports 

With Thursday’s NBA Draft offering the opportunity for many teams to get the elusive superstar player they have been missing. I decided throw my hat in the ring and do my own last minute mock draft. 

1.  Los Angeles Clippers- Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
- Griffin is the consensus number one pick by everyone, and will immediately provide frontcourt stability for the Clippers with his strong rebounding and scoring ability. 

2.  Memphis Grizzlies- Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
- While his offensive game may never reach the level of a former Connecticut great, Emeka Okafor, Thabeet should be a strong defender immediately and should continue to get better offensively.  Bottom line is that he has too much upside and size to pass up. 

3. Oklahoma City Thunder- Ricky Rubio, Spain
-  Many people, including myself are still skeptical of Rubio and what exactly he will project to be in the NBA. Personally, I don’t think he will ever be like Steve Nash, but he will certainly be solid player in the NBA. Unfortunately you don’t draft just solid players number three overall. 

4.  Sacramento Kings- Tyreke Evans, Memphis
-  Evans has a ton of upside as both a scorer and as a primary ball handler. Also, Evans should be able to contribute immediately for a Kings team that desperately needs playmakers.

5.  Minnesota Timberwolves (Acquired from the Wizards) – James Harden, Arizona State
- Harden is a tremendous shooter and would fit perfectly with T-Wolves who would love to spread the floor and allow their two big men Al Jefferson and Kevin Love to operate in the paint. 

6. Minnesota Timberwolves- Brandon Jennings, Playing in Italy
- With Tyreke Evans already off the board, I see this pick coming down to a trio of guards with Johnny Flynn, Stephen Curry and Jennings. The T-Wolves know they are still a few years away and will draft Jennings who could develop into what Stephon Marbury once was for them. 

7.  Golden State Warriors- Jordan Hill, Arizona
-  I really like Hill’s size and his rebounding ability, and he should fit really well with the Warriors and their young nucleus of talent. 

8.  New York Knicks- Demar DeRozan, USC
- Everyone thinks the Knicks are going to take a point guard. They probably will, but they don’t need one…because Chris Duhon averaged 11 points and 7.2 assists per game last year at the point.  DeRozan a very talented wing player would be a much better fit for the Knicks, possibly in a Shawn Marion type role for them. 

9.  Toronto Raptors- Stephen Curry, Davidson
-  I don’t see Stephen Curry being able to handle the point in the NBA, but with that being said I still think he can be an effective two-guard due to his basketball I.Q. and his jump shot.  

10.  Milwaukee Bucks- Johnny Flynn, Syracuse
-   With the Bucks trading Richard Jefferson this week, I know they would have loved to select DeRozan, Johnny Flynn is a good backup choice as he will fill the need of a scoring point guard that has been vacant since Mo Williams left. 

11.  New Jersey Nets- Earl Clark, Louisville
- The Nets are continuing to add talented big men after landing Robin Lopez in last year’s draft. 

12.  Charlotte Bobcats- Gerald Henderson, Duke
- This might be a hard selection for Michael Jordan considering he would have to pick a “dookie”, however Henderson is the right choice for a team I see making the playoffs this year. 

13.  Indiana Pacers- Jrue Holiday, UCLA
- Unlike in previous years where the Pacers have been rather conservative with their draft selections, I see the Pacers picking a player who probably won’t contribute immediately but has a good amount of upside.   

14.  Phoenix Suns- James Johnson, Wake Forest
- Johnson would be a great value pick here for the Suns who are clearly entering a rebuilding stage after losing top notch players such as Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson, and are now discussing trading Shaquille O’Neal.

Those are my lottery predictions for Thursday’s draft, but those are certainly subject to change if a trade were to occur that would cause a domino effect on the draft and thus make my mock draft useless. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Contact Information:
Tom Waterman
WSOE Sports
swaterman@elon.edu

NBA: Lakers win finals in five

By Craig Filazzola

We all knew that the series was over once the Orlando Magic dropped Game 4 Thursday night in their arena.  Should we be surprised that Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers closed the deal so soon in their 99-86 Game 5 victory?  Not at all. 

Bryant averaged 32.4 points, 7.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game in the finals.  He took care of the ball, only committing an average of 3.2 turnovers for each contest.  If you take out Game 3, he shot a remarkable 32-34 at the free throw line, 94 percent.  This guy clearly wanted to win his fourth title and first without Shaq. 

Courtesy of: http://sports.yahoo.com

The biggest lesson of the playoffs was how one player couldn’t win by himself. Just ask LeBron James and Dwayne Wade.  Kobe Bryant (pictured lifting the trophy to the right) needed the help from his supporting cast and got it.  Trevor Ariza was the one to start key runs for the Lakers.  Whether you want to call him “the X-factor” or “the energizer” he certainly made his presence felt for the first time in his career.  Derek Fisher made it look easy with his huge baskets.  Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol weren’t overly impressive but knocked down some shots.  Andrew Bynum was the odd man out, because he underachieved and didn’t contribute. 

What about the losing team?  The Orlando Magic had their chances to win Game 2 and Game 4 and couldn’t finish the job.  They learned the hard way that a team gets so many chances to win games in the finals.  Nobody was able to consistently make big plays.  With Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, there’s no way that should have happened.

Orlando was puzzling from wire to wire this series.  The Magic showed very little effort in Game 1, getting trounced 100-75.  Game 5 was just as much of a disaster.  In an elimination game at home, how could they allow the Lakers to go on a 16-0 run?  Somehow they managed to get destroyed late in the second quarter and trailed 52-40.

Give credit to the Lakers.  They were the most cohesive team this year and deserved to win the championship.  They were the only team to live up to expectations, which we’ve found to be easier said than done.

Most people either wanted the Magic to make it a series, a LeBron-Kobe finals or a rematch of last year’s Celtics-Lakers.  They didn’t get any of that.  Instead we all got a matchup that left us empty.  Hopefully next year’s finals will be more fulfilling. 

 

Contact Information:
Craig Filazzola
WSOE Sports
cfilazzola@elon.edu