What's up? I've been on the road for most of this week and haven't gotten a chance to put anything up here in a while; bad timing I know, this being one of the busiest times of the year in the NBA and whatnot, but I'm putting this up on a buddy's computer in Sackville, New Brunswick; the first time I've had internet since Sunday. So don't say I'm not trying here. With so much going on in the league right now, I figured I'd just post some random thoughts about the All-Star festivities, impeding trade deadline, and whatever else works. Enjoy:
- The All- Star Game was good fun as always; gotta love to see the league force the Kobe/Shaq co-MVP on us. As a die-hard fan I'm tired of these attempts to publicize a "feud" that, if it weren't for the league's publicity machine (and Shaq's subsequent attempts to fuel it), would've died a long time ago. Still, it's good to know these two can still join forces and win basketball games, even if they don't mean anything. Personally, I think Shaq had the MVP locked since his intro with the Jabawockeez (or however the hell they spell it). It was also nice that Mo Williams finally got the injury nod and received some recognition for the huge difference he's made in Cleveland this year; if Orlando got a requisite third All-Star based on their record, didn't it seem odd that the All-Star coach's squad only had one?
- The Dunk Contest kinda disappointed me; I was glad Dwight finally got to dunk on the 12-foot net (am I the only one who thinks he could've gone higher?), and it was cool to see Nate jump over a 7-footer (even if he did vault himself, just getting that high for 5'9" guy is 50-worthy), but fuck...I can't help but feel like the contest has become a gimmick. Dwight's phonebooth intro was hilarious when I first saw it, but in retrospect (especially after seeing Nate don his kryptonite outfit), it's getting a little out of hand. By the time the finals rolled around I felt like I was watching the Super Dave show or something...And the Commish needs to re-tweak the rules...2 minutes to get a dunk down and then 2 more attempts? I thought they learned their lesson a few years ago when the Birdman couldn't take flight. And don't force players to include a second man on their dunks. That's fucking stupid.
- Lebron in the dunk contest next year? Say it ain't so. Let's all pray he doesn't wuss out and other stars follow his lead; this could be the start of something huge.
- Word to Daequan Cook.
- And Kevin Durant....wow. Is anybody still claiming him and Oden have anything within the realm of a rivalry?
- Back in the real World, the Hornets had an awkward situation on their hands when Tyson Chandler, a recent victim of their cap-clearing efforts, failed his physical and was denied entry to Oklahoma City. Tyson now rejoins a team that tried to cut him loose, sending him to the Thunder of all teams, knowing that the top brass doesn't approve of his presence. Thing is though, Chris Paul does, and that's really all New Orleans should care about.
- Meanwhile, the Bulls actually did something kind of smart in the way of personnel moves; trading Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni to the Kings for John Salmons and Brad Miller. I've been a fan of Salmons' game for a while; he's a versatile player who can handle, score and defend; really fill whatever role the Bulls ask of him. His addition also essentially relegates Larry Hughes to the bench, which can never hurt your chances if your team's short-term goals involve avoiding the Lottery. Miller gives them an able body in the post on offense; he may not be the player he was when the Bulls mistakenly got rid of him years ago, but he can still score better than any big man they've had since his departure and remains one of the best passing centers in the league. The Bulls also cleared the glut of power forwards ahead of Tyrus Thomas, who can hopefully become more consistent with some consistent minutes and deliver on those glimpses of brilliance he flashes every now and then. I dunno what to say about Sac-Town here, I have no idea what direction they're even headed in, and I don't really care either. They've officially assumed Indiana's old role as the League's most irrelevant team.
- ...And it appears the obituary I wrote for the Phoenix Suns might've been slightly premature. Instead of dealing Amar'e, they canned Terry Porter (as I'd suggested) and got back to the run game they thrived on. They consequently kicked off the season's second half with back-to-back 140-point blowouts of the Clippers (sure it's the Clippers but Phoenix will take it at this point). Good to have ya back fellas.
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