Banter's 2015 NBA All-Stars

Basketball Banter has returned after a(nother) prolonged absence, to break down the All-Star ballot and figure out who should really be playing under the Garden's bright lights next month.

Normally I'd also be handing out some midseason awards this time of year, but I just finished those up for BallOverAll this weekend as most teams crossed the 40-game threshold. I figured re-typing the whole thing would be a pretty futile exercise, so you can check out the picks here.

Now onto the All-Stars, for whom fan voting officially ended yesterday. While the 'fans' have generally gotten better at actually paying attention to the league and not just voting for the most recognizable names, their collective appraisal of a few players (#Kobe) still leaves a lot to be desired. As such we're likely to see a few deserving players get the dreaded snub, but that's something to bitch about later. For now all that can be done is to hope to coaches get it right when casting their ballots for reserves - a process that is usually a challenge in itself.

My logic in voting is based on a somewhat-abstract weight of individual performance, and team relevance so far this season. Obviously there's a certain floor for teams standards; someone on, oh...I dunno, let's just say...the Knicks, can't even be brought up. But barring a complete Hindenburg of a season by a given player's team, they'll be considered. This is the All-Star Game after all, the best teams will get their due in the Playoffs.

Further, I take into account the player' entire body of work - including the 'popcorn stats' (pts/rebs/asts, etc), efficiency indicators, importance of their contributions to the team's success, and any other intangibles (like Damian Lillard's pathological cold-bloodedness in the waning minutes of close games).

What follows is a breakdown of each conference: The Starters (two guards, three frontcourt), The Bench (two guards, three frontcourt, and two "wild card" players of any position), as well as the "Regards To" (your basic snubs, the guys who I actually considered at some point), and "Milk Carton" (perennial All-Stars who, for a variety of reasons, just weren't in the conversation).

Let's get into it:

EAST ALL-STARS
STARTERS:

Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Lowry easily could've been Toronto's All-Star last year in Demar DeRozan's stead. But this season he's channeled yet another level, becoming an elite point guard in an era where the position's just completely, utterly stacked. He's been the pace-setter for the best NBA team Canada's ever put forth, looking svelte, and playing with a gritty tenacity that belies his new fat contract (among by buddies he's affectionately known as "Pudge Lowry", a nickname we might have to retire). One of the very best guards on both sides of the ball this year, Lowry's not only a no-brainer All-Star, but a fringe MVP candidate.

Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
Somewhere between sorta and completely out of nowhere, Butler evolved into one of the NBA's most effective two-way players. This past summer, he summoned a quasi-deadly off-the-bounce game from scratch, and improved his shaky jumper, becoming a welcome offensive presence for the Bulls. He still plays suffocating defense, only with the added cachet of being the go-to perimeter option that Derrick Rose hasn't consistently provided. Like Lowry, he's been a monster on both sides of the ball, and his inclusion here - despite a strong showing from John Wall - is a must.

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
So let's face facts: The Cavs have been depressingly underwhelming over the first half of this year, and the Default MVP is having a blatantly pedestrian season by his standards. But this is LeBron we're talking about here, the Best In The Game, the guy who was relevant, pompous, good enough to have brought the NBA to a standstill and caused pop-culture cataclysm with his last two free agencies. The only thing keeping him from being a starter in this Eastern Conference is a JR Smith-related suspension.

Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks are absolutely crushing right now - winners of 13 straight, comfortably atop the East, and playing a selfless, balanced game that reflects Mike Budenholzer's 17-year tenure as an assistant on the Spurs bench. They could field (in some people's opinion) as many as four contenders for spots on this team. Despite a recent a surge from Al Horford, Millsap has been their best big man, comfortable shooting form distance or in the post, and leading all PF/Cs in steals. He's also pulling down over a rebound more than Horford each game, and looking like a great alternative to the guy he replaced in ATL.

Pau Gasol, Chicago Bulls
He's still got it. Buried on some gawdawful Lakers teams for a few injury-nagged seasons, the O.G. (Original Gasol) is back, as nasty as he ever was. Pau's giving Chicago 19/game with career-bests in rebounds and blocks, as one of the rare uninjured Bulls this season. His recent 46/18 pulverization of Milwaukee was one of the season's standout performances thus far, and his play is one of the main reasons nobody's counting Chicago out in the East.

BENCH:

Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks
Teague's been monstrous for the Hawks, and is even getting some distant MVP burn. He plays with deadly quickness, but precise control, and is piloting the NBA's hottest team right now.

John Wall, Washington Wizards
Speaking of deadly quickness, Wall's playing extremely well and buoying the East's Dark Horse through early injuries. A near-starter.

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
While the Heat have been pretty suspect this year, Bosh is doing what he can; rediscovering his identity as a go-to option. An easy selection in a weak conference.

Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic
It's hard to penalize Voose for playing on a crappy team, not in the East where most of the teams are pretty crappy, and he's basically doing 20/11 for a squad that's only four games back of 8th in the East, despite being fourteen games under .500.

Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons

Since exorcising Josh Smith from their roster, the Pistons are on a serious Playoff push, and Drummond has gone full Hulk Smash after a very shaky start to this year.

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
I honestly thought Wade was going to start coming apart at the seams this year - so much for that. He's been impressive when suiting up and - despite recent shooting woes - appears to have something left in the tank.

Brandon Knight, Milwaukee Bucks
The last wild-card spot came down to a deathmatch between a bunch of guys who really didn't scream "All Star!". Knight takes the last East jersey with his strong, efficient line for (Hawks aside) the East's surprise team.

Regards to: Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Marcin Gortat, Kyle Korver, Kemba Walker

Milk Carton: Al Jefferson, Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony

...And now to head out West, where we find perhaps the most confusing, abstract clusterfuck of potential title contenders in NBA history. A lot of very talented players make up those teams, and plenty of deserving candidates won't be getting the All-Star spot they'd surely earn in the East. Life's unfair sometimes I guess.

WEST ALL-STARS
STARTERS:

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Let me first start this off by pointing out how ludicrously unfair it is to have to pick two starters from a flock of West guards that's playing in the ether right now. A theoretical MVP Top-10 right now could plausibly be half-filled with players eligible for these spots; cutting so many to the bench seemed insulting.

With that said, Steph Curry might be the MVP at this point. So he's here. Curry's just been nothing short of lethal for the NBA's surprise best team. His gaudy numbers have slid inches with Klay Thompson and Draymond Green becoming more diverse and integral offensive cogs, but the Warriors' dominance this year makes Curry's lines all the more impressive.

James Harden, Houston Rockets
Neck-and-neck with Curry for MVP, and perhaps slightly ahead by most definitions, Harden's been a nuclear force on offense (and noticeably improved defender), carrying the Rockets to one of the West's best records through a slew of first-half injuries.

Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Just when every prototype of a future power forward was supposedly a floor-spacing perimeter gunner, along came the Brow and reminded us that there will always be a place for omni-talented freak athletes with massive wingspans who bounce off the hardcourt like a trampoline. Such has been Davis' year, putting up eye-popping stat lines off of minimal touches (his usage rate is fucking 36th in the NBA. Actually.), producing one of the most all-around efficient seasons in NBA history.

Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
He's been argued as the NBA's best all-around big man for a couple seasons now, but this year Gasol's come out and just ended the debate with a well-rounded romp that's put him in the center (accidental pun) of the MVP discussion. He does everything short of filling the Gatorade coolers for Memphis, who have solidified themselves in the upper tier of West contenders.

DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
The NBA (properly) developed the "Frontcourt" designation for All-Star voting a few seasons back, to recognize the more abstract and perimeter-oriented nature of positions in today's game (and spare us from the token mediocre, clearly-not-an-"All Star" center getting an ascribed nod). Well, with freedom comes excess, and I'm using it to start two centers, along with a guy who could be one in most systems. Screw it - needs to be done.

Boogie's been Godzilla on the block this year, demoralizing teams from the low-post while becoming one of the NBA's best-passing centers, and actually trying on defense. The Kings' performance during his bout with viral meningitis was a night-and-day difference, as this former-headcase of a behemoth is finally "getting it".

BENCH:

Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
The Clips have been inconsistent through stretches this year, but it's hard to blame CP3, who's putting in a monstrous year in terms of point guard efficiency.

Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers
Illard, Killard, Thrillard; whatever you want to call him, he's become the most feared late-game gunner in the NBA (with good reason), and has taken his defense to new heights, propelling the Blazers to a higher level.


Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Griffin's fallen in love with his jumper a bit too much at times, which has seen his shooting dip below 50%. but he's still one of the game's better all-around bigs and can't be excluded from the bench.

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
Father Time once came knocking for Tim Duncan, and got a bank shot nailed from the high post over his outstretched arm. This season's been a vintage Timmy performance, still so smooth after all these years.

LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trailblazers
Lillard's been Portland's most high-profile monster this year, but Aldridge has been no slouch himself, defying the stigma of the mid-range jumper as the NBA's best PF with two eyebrows.

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
He may have been injured for the season's first month, but Westbrook has just been devastating since returning, putting up MVP numbers and loudly demanding a spot, regardless of time missed.

Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
The other Splash Brother's broken through to bonafide All-Star status, with his more diverse offensive arsenal playing a key role in the Warriors' dominance this year.

Regards to: (clears throat) Mike Conley, Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Howard, Serge Ibaka, DeAndre Jordan, Tyson Chandler, Zach Randolph, Eric Bledsoe, Rudy Gay, Ty Lawson, Jrue Holiday & Draymond Green

Milk Carton: Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Tony Parker, Rajon Rondo, Goran Dragic, David Lee

And that's the truth. Let's hope the real rosters look something like this next month in the Big Apple.

The NBA's Best White Centers

A few weeks back, I had the rare honor of paying tribute to professional basketball's most often-humbled genus - the White Center - with a "Best Of" list for BallOverAll.com.

Unfortunately, the site underwent a management shift as the piece sat on the publishing desk, and it was lost in the shuffle and knocked to the floor like Shawn Bradley beneath a two-handed tomahawk.

So instead of letting this list grow moss, I'm tossing it up here as some Bonus Banter. Enjoy:

The NBA’s first true superstar was a dominant white center, but in the fifty-plus years since George Mikan crushed the Association’s opening era, the game has changed dramatically. It has not been kind to the pale-toned big man.

Nowadays stereotyped as plodding, clumsy poster shots waiting to happen, the white center’s reputation has fallen considerably. Speed, strength and skill have caught up to height, altering the game and reducing the edge of the (typically) least-athletic players on the floor.

So while the Jeff Witheys of the World become famous for being viciously dunked on (and then having Shaq accidentally call him “Jeff WHITEY!” several times on TV), here’s a nod to the guys holding down the pivot below the rim: the NBA’s Best White Centers

(Apologies to: Enes Kanter, Robin Lopez, Jason Smith, and Omer Asik, at least until he escapes Dwight Howard Island via trade)

8. Tiago Splitter
Like so many Spurs before him, Splitter came to the NBA a seasoned veteran of international play, and it took him little time to become a valuable cog in San Antonio’s rotation.

Splitter’s game is a versatile mix of slightly-above mediocrity. He’s a jack of all trades, who isn’t looked to regularly for big contributions by Gregg Popovich, but combines deft movement for his size with solid passing, finishing, and interior defense to complement Tim Duncan nicely.

Any player who’s been a part of the Spurs’ System for this long knows about giving what the team needs, and Splitter has rarely failed to deliver over several seasons of deep Playoff success.

7. Spencer Hawes
Hawes spent several seasons trying to find his footing for the up-and-coming Sixers; too inconsistent from outside and too soft in the paint, he was a man without a home on a team without much of an identity.

This season, the Sixers had a very clear identity: tanking in the most glorious way possible. As such, Hawes has seen the roster around him erode, expectations shrink, and Philly’s pace of play skyrocket.

Within the loose confines of this free-wheeling flow, he’s played himself onto this list, putting up career-average-crippling numbers of 17/10/3 with 1.5 blocks and a Top-30 PER of 20.87 (*has since fallen to 15/9 and 18.22). Only time will tell if Hawes can keep this up, but his play is more confident than ever, and it’s a big reason why the Sixers haven’t been nearly as bad as predicted.

6. Nikola Pekovic
Coming out of nowhere (well, Montenegro, but in NBA terms, nowhere) for the T-Wolves two years ago, Pekovic carried the intimidating look of a GTA henchman, and developed a reputation for his bruising, physical presence.

Carrying more mass than any current player, Pekovic isn’t a lumbering Oliver Miller-type obstruction. While he’s quite vertically challenged and offers little in the way of rim protection, Pek is a devastating finisher close to the hoop, who is skilled on the boards and makes up for his lack of athleticism by sheer size and smart positioning.

His stats are downsloping now that the best power forward in the NBA is back sharing his frontcourt, but Pekovic remains a vital part of the Wolves’ lineup. He’s one of a dying breed of physical NBA enforcers, but brings enough skill to make that role secondary.

5. Marcin Gortat
The Polish Hammer has been one of the NBA’s most consistently-underrated players, first buried beneath Dwight Howard’s minutes and drama in Orlando, and then relegated to the sudden abyss of the Phoenix Suns.

Claimed from the Suns’ liquidation sale by an ostensible “team on the rise”, Gortat helps form a dangerous-when-healthy starting core in Washington. With a nice scoring touch inside ten feet, and providing a strong backbone to a lineup short on good defenders with above-average shot disruption. He plays within himself and does it very well, bringing plenty to the court and taking little away.

Flirting with a double-double average, Gortat’s proving himself as more than a “good stats/awful team” guy, with one of the more likely squads to get it together in the laughably sad Eastern Conference.

4. Nikola Vucevic
At the time it seemed dubious: Orlando was giving up Dwight Howard – the undisputed best center in the NBA back then – and getting no All-Stars back. Well, 18 months later, “Things Done Changed”.

In a somewhat-unlikely turn, the Magic became the obvious winners of the trade after the Lakers and Sixers had total Hindenburg seasons and Vucevic – who flashed solid skills as a rookie – hit the Sophomore Speedway and instantly became a versatile scorer and one of the NBA’s best rebounders. Not to mention he’s the only center acquired in that deal who’s still with the team.

With upside to spare, the other Nik from Montenegro gave Orlando what Dwight couldn’t decide if he wanted to be: a center they could build a winning franchise around.

3. Pau Gasol
Long the NBA and Global standard for fair-skinned big men, Gasol the Elder is an all-around beast who’s adjusted to playing largely out-of-position for a Lakers team he vaulted to two rings with his arrival.

While his body’s begun to slow down after twelve years with the Grizzlies and Lakers – not to mention a Yao Ming-like level of international play – Pau remains a multi-faceted force who brings the skill and high intelligence that will continue to make him effective as he grows older.

With the Lakers going nowhere fast this season, and Gasol’s contract on its last legs, there’s no telling what the future holds for him. But count on him to age gracefully, hopefully chasing a few more rings to cement his Hall of Fame legacy.

2. Brook Lopez
When the Nets drafted Brook Lopez 10^th overall in 2008, few were thinking “this guy might be the NBA’s best low post scorer someday”. Sure enough, here we are five years later, and Lopez is – unless you count this guy,which some might see as unfair – one of the NBA’s best two or three best low post scorers.

His rebounding woes are well chronicled and confounding; Lopez is a reasonably athletic legit seven-footer, who for whatever reason doesn’t possess the same board-hungry gene as his own twin brother. Despite this, he can still disrupt shots near the rim (career 1.8 blocks) and moves better than most seven footers across and up the floor.

His IQ on offense belies his rebounding awareness; Lopez plays with purpose and scores at a high clip in an array of ways. He screens well, can pass out of double teams, and even grabs an impressive rate of his paltry board totals on his own team’s misses. This Cuban-Caucasian Sensation has been one of the many standouts of a sneaky-good ’08 Draft Class.

1. Marc Gasol

The Memphis Grizzlies’ salary-dump of Pau Gasol to the Lakers in 2008 was widely-bashed as one of the worst ever; L.A. gave up what seemed like painfully little to acquire an All-Star, and the final piece to the Title puzzle.

In one of sports’ ultimate ironies, Gasol’s own “little” brother would eventually turn those notions on their heads, evolving from unknown prospect into not only the best white center in the NBA, but in the eyes of many, the League’s best center, period.

Marcy Marc does it all for the Grizz; he scores pretty much at will from anywhere inside 18 feet with a crafty mix of face up/back down moves, is the best playmaking big man right now by a wide margin, and also happens to be the reigning DPOY as the backbone of Memphis’ suffocating #GNG defense.

George Mikan would be proud. 

USA vs. Spain: Live from Barcelona!

Let's get right into it: here's Part 2 of Banter correspondent Alex Livingston's live reports from the Team USA Olympic tune-ups in Barcelona...


As amped as I was about seeing USA take on a feisty Argentinian squad, I was even more excited to see them take on a more polished and talented Spanish team, featuring the Gasol brothers, Jose Calderon, and Serge Ibaka. I had a better seat, and was anticipating a raucous crowd on hand to support the home team. I was not disappointed. 


Now with full knowledge of the no-beer rule (which the poor 45 year old Floridians behind me in line at the concession stand for 15 minutes at halftime were not aware of), I prepared in advance with a few cold ones during my early evening session of texas hold'em. Eventually clubs started to look like spades, straights like full houses, and I decided it was time to head to the venue of Palau St Jordi.


I arrived at the game 30 minutes prior to tip-off, and there was already tremendous energy rippling through the crowd. Various pro-Spain chants and songs were breaking out from all angles. I was seated next to an extremely friendly couple from Madrid, who had made the 3 hour journey to see the game. I got into a friendly but spirited argument with the husband, Aflredo, about who the best player in the league is. He claimed it was Durant (who he, like all Spaniards, pronounced "Doooorahnn. "Bryant was pronounced "Brian", and my favourite, Melo was pronounced "Antoni"). I was of course defending my position of Bismack Biyombo being #1 in the league. Eventually, after polling nearby audience members and reaching a split decision, we agreed to disagree, and it was time for the player introductions.


I was interested to see if the Spaniards, who had cheered for every member of both the USA and Argentina two nights prior, would cheer or boo the American players. While there was a scattering of boos from the most diehard patriots, the American players were mostly received well. The Spanish players were of course given a raucous applause, with Pau receiving the biggest of them all. (Side note: one thing I'd noticed during the warmup was that Pau's jersey said "GASOL" on the back, while Marc's said "MARC." I wonder if this is an older brother status thing, or if Marc had had the more illustrious career thus far, he'd get the honour of wearing his team's last name).


After the intros, the crowd collectively survived a pathetic rendition of the national anthems and it was time for tip-off. Pau won the tip but the Spaniards missed a shot and Chris Paul ended up draining a pure 3 on the ensuing possession for the first points of the game. The Spaniards then went on a 10-0 run, spurred largely by the impressive mid-range jump shooting of Serge Ibaka. They were also assisted by several dubious travel calls against team USA in the early minutes. One thing I noticed in both games is that refs are much more liberal with calling travels; it's possible that they are doing it correctly here and we are just so used to the NBA letting things slide. In any event, Lebron was not happy.


At this point, Coach Krzyzewski (how on earth this name is pronounced "Sha-shef-ski is beyond me) called a timeout, in an effort to regroup his troops. I was going to write a paragraph in the Argentina game about how I felt Carmelo Anthony didn't belong on team USA. My thinking was that on a team so stacked with individual superstars, someone with Melo's selfishness and shoot-first mentality could be better replaced by a role player who played good defense and didn't demand the ball. Boy am I glad that I didn't publish that worthless drivel.


Melo went on an absolute tear after the timeout, starting with draining a tough contested 3, stealing the ball on the defensive end, and draining a wide open 3. He went on to finish with a sensational 23 points in the first half, despite coming off the bench in a game with 10 minute quarters. Still, the Spaniards maintained a lead thanks to a nice 1-2 frontcourt punch of Pau and Ibaka. The two subbed for each other fairly regularly, but also shared some minutes.


Kevin Love was inserted in the game late in the first quarter, which was a nice adjustment by Coach K to counter the size of the Spaniards. The first quarter ended with Melo and Ibaka trading baskets, with Ibaka looking like a 2004 KG, blocking shots, getting rebounds, and displaying a very nice mid-range jumper. By the end of the 1st quarter, the US had cut nicely into the Spanish lead, and were down 23-21.


Early in the 2nd quarter, Lebron nailed a dagger 3 pointer to give the US their first lead since it was 3-0. James Harden was inserted into the lineup midway through the 2nd, putting all four Thunder players on the court at once. As with the previous game, one of the most impressive things about Lebron was his passing and court vision, and he went cross court to a hot Carmelo Anthony for 3 to put the US up 8 with 3 minutes to play in the half. 


Melo continued to show, as he had in the first game, that there wasn't a shot he didn't like. Luckily, this game he was nailing everything, and the Americans lead was growing. With two minutes to go in the game, Kobe had the play of the game so far with an explosive dunk over a Spanish player, bringing the crowd to their feet. Once again, and especially for Kobe, the crowd was willing to cheer for the great Team USA plays, even if they were decisively pro-Spain. With the quarter winding down, Ibaka got called with a questionable goaltend, which was booed heavily by the crowd. Thanks to Melo's 3 and a very solid all-around half by Lebron, the US was up by 13 at the intermission.


Marc Gasol hadn't played any minutes by halftime and (spoiler alert) he didn't play any minutes all game. This was definitely a disappointment because he's probably my favourite member of Team Spain, and definitely my favourite Gasol. However he's recovering from some injuries, and the team is understandably trying to make sure he's healthy for the Olympics.


At halftime, fans were treated to an array of impressive trampoline dunks by a team of kids who looked no older than 16. Leaping 13-15 feet in the air off the trampolines, doing double flips, jumping over 3 people standing on top of each other, these kids were bringing out every trick in the books, and it was quite entertaining. By contrast, most of the other entertainment during intermissions and timeouts was very poor compared to NBA standards. A particularly cringeworthy segment featured the DriveCam, sponsored by some small European car company. If you see yourself on the big screen, you're supposed to imitate yourself driving a car. For some reason, the Spanish fans seemed to soak in this segment. Must be a cultural thing.


Eventually the buzzer sounded and it was time to resume the game. The 2nd half started with the US extending their lead thanks to two huge dunks from Lebron on consecutive offensive possessions. One thing I should've mentioned in the last write-up was the energetic play of Russell Westbrook. Probably the quickest player on the floor, he also played both games with the enthusiasm and intensity level you'd expect in an NBA playoff game. Midway through the 3rd, Westbrook put on a basketball skills clinic, starting by crossing over Calderon, deking around the rest of Team Spain, and putting in a reverse lay-up AND ONE. He followed that up by successfully gambling on a steal early in Spain's next possession, and running down the floor for a thunderous dunk.


At this point, the US was up 19, and Spain called a time-out. Here I began to reflect a bit on the difference between the two games. One thing that came to mind is that Spain lacked a clear leader. Neither Ibaka nor Pau, though both terrific players, possess particularly strong leadership qualities. Two nights prior, the Argentinians had kept the game close thanks to the leadership of Ginobli and Scola, both on the court, and in the huddles. Of the three teams I saw, I'd say Argentina had by far the most team chemistry. 


The main reason this game was turning into a blowout, though, was that the US was playing fantastic team basketball. There were moments in the first game where Lebron, Kobe, and several others, appeared too casual. There was none of that in this game. The stakes were higher, and it showed, as everyone on Team USA was playing with great energy, and the team's sensational offensive talents were coexisting harmoniously.


With 3 minutes left in the third quarter and his team up 20, Westbrook scrambled for a loose ball that eventually got away from him. Even with the outcome of the game barely in question, and having put forth a valiant effort to grab the ball, he was visibly upset with himself for not completing the play. You have to admire what a warrior this guy is. With the quarter winding down, Victor Claver, who was solid all game for the Spaniards, scored a couple quick 3s to keep the Spaniards in it. They finished the quarter down 14.


Just as Melo had dominated the first half, Lebron dominated the final quarter of the game. At one point he jumped what looked like 4 or 5 feet in the air to grab a loose ball over Pau and Ibaka. It's pretty cool that Lebron's strength, leaping ability, and athleticism makes him appear just as tall as Pau on the court. 


Halfway through the fourth quarter, Kevin Love had an impressive possession where, despite being well defended, he grabbed his own offensive rebound 3 times in the same play, before ultimately getting the fingerroll to go. This was followed by two quick 3s from Lebron, and with 4 minutes to go and the US up 23, the game was over.


At this point, much to the delight of the fans, Anthony Davis got his first minutes as a member of Team USA. He didn't score, but he did have a sensational block that was easily a top-5 play of the game. It's easy to see that this guy can be a superstar in the league if he bulks up. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, I was somewhat disappointed that the game was a blowout, but also happy to have seen another display of phenomenal basketball talent. 


The last thing I was wondering was who would win Player of the Game. In my mind, the two candidates were Lebron, who had a great all around game, led the team in assists, and scored 25 points, or Melo, who was almost single-handedly responsible for giving his team a sizeable halftime advantage. In the end, the two ended up earning co-MVP honours. 


I thought that was a classy move by whoever was responsible, and it (coupled with the cheering for plays by both teams) also somewhat illustrates the difference between the two countries. While the US is obsessed with individual success and the American dream (see: F. Scott Fitzgerald), Spain, like much of Europe, is more focused on the overall success and happiness of their society. Certainly a simplification, and perhaps a stretch of an analogy, but it was the first thing that came to mind.


Maybe the biggest thing I took away from those two games: Lebron James is a freak of nature. Seeing him live, you really appreciate all the little things he does in a game, and realize what an incredibly versatile player he is. Seeing those two games was an incredible experience, and an extremely rare one. The only other time to see so much talent on the court at once is during the all-star game, which is a largely fan driven, offensive minded affair. These games were hard fought, competitive basketball games, with players competing not only for themselves and their team, but for their country. 


Hopefully Alfredo isn't too bitter about his country's loss to email me those photos he took, and I'll be able to remember the games for years to come.


Awesome stuff Alex. Stay tuned to Banter next week for a breakdown of this year's ridiculous offseason shenanigans. 

Lakers at Celtics: Live on Basketball Banter

A little while back, the Celtics and Lakers squared off in a much-anticipated rematch of last year's NBA Finals. The Lakers (for the most part) didn't show up, making for an anti-climactic fourth quarter collapse, and a fortunate twist that I got sick and didn't waste two hours doing live game notes. Well, with a re-match less than two weeks later, and LA looking for redemption, it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up. They're going through the starters right now, so let's get involved:

- With two treys tonight, Ray Allen will pass Reggie Miller as the NBA's all-time leader.... Who's on the mic for TNT tonight? Yup. This is gonna be fun.

- Kobe comes out looking to get Gasol the ball in the paint on two straight possessions; maybe he learned a lesson last time out.

- Meanwhile, Allen's been spending a conspicuous amount of time inside the arc, where here's 2/3 early

- Ray's first three.....rims out. The crowd sighs, Reggie can breathe again.

- Bynum tips the ball to himself off a jump ball...no whistle. Good to see the refs bringing their A game to a high-profile national TV game.

- Craig Sager sighting; navy suede with a matching tie over a striped shirt. It's only about a 2 on the Craig Sager Ugly Suit scale, he's been stepping his game up a bit lately.

- LA's working the ball into Bynum regularly and he looks a lot more comfortable then last game, even against Boston's feared front line.

- My buddy Kevin does some quick math and drops the slightly appalling tidbit that the Celtics' rotation have missed 151 games this year, and still have the best record in the East. Wow.

- Allen for 3...aaaaand boom goes the dynamite! The crowd goes nuts, and Ray goes for the record ten seconds later on a broken play and bricks. 15 years in, he's shooting a career high from 3, and is showing little sign of slowing down physically. When you consider that Jason Kidd is currently third in 3's made (seriously) this one might be out of reach for a while.

- Kendrick Perkins thinks he's comfortable off a good feed from Allen and gets humbled by Bynum, winning the inside battle so far.

- Ray gets the feed on a fast break, nobody within 10 feet, lets loose, everyone in the World knows history's about to happen....Iciest record ever. Reggie calls him over on the next dead ball and salutes him, saying it couldn't have happened to a better guy; more than a touch of class, which is fitting towards a guy who might be the classiest NBA player out there. Congrats, Ray.

- Boston's rode Ray's hot hand to a 27-20 lead after the first, and Allen gets his PA moment, complete with a Standing O and (of course) TV time for Ray Allen's Mom.

- The audio's getting cut for a while for my roommates' drinking tunes. We'll be without Reggie's sultry tones for the next hour or so.

- LA's inside assault continues, with Ron Artest (!) muscling his way inside for an and-one.

- Glen Davis counters with his own and-one, and touchdown celebration, though no one was injured by his saliva.

- The Lakers are still only shooting inside the key with Bryant on the bench, although making nothing and trailing by 13 with 10 left in he second....So on the ensuing play, a penetrate-and-kick leads to a Shannon Brown trey.

- Brown gets a little trigger happy and fires a bad three, but gets bailed out by an errant Nate Robinson foul; the kind of play he figured to make more since coming to Boston. The camera pans over to Doc just in time for his head to hit his lap.

- If you thought you'd never see Von Wafer absolutely own Ron Artest defensively on the low block, consider yourself mistaken.

- LA's working the ball inside-out and outside-in, but can't (as Chick Hearn would say) throw a grape in the ocean. Bynum and Gasol are the only ones doing anything offensively.

- Ray Allen's killing it; throwing down a one-hander off a trailing feed from Rondo on a fast break off LA's 54th turnover.

- Kobe's still in Playmaker Mode, slicing through 3 defenders and feeding Gasol, who gets mugged on a dunk. LA's reluctance to back down against Boston's grimey post D is impressive.

- Boston finally coughs the ball up and gives Shannon Brown a chance to make his case for Dunk Contest inclusion.

- Rondo finds himself wide open 2 feet behind the foul line, and second-guesses before throwing up a brick over a crashing Derek Fisher. He who hesitates... (or he who has a suspect jumper..)

- Fisher then weaves into the key for a short floater, doing his best Rondo impersonation to pull LA within 5.

- Pierce beasts a layup inside off a nice Rondo feed to close the half, sending Boston into the break up 53-45. Ray's appropriately leading all scorers with 14. Kobe has....3, while Bynum and Gasol have 24 on 9 of 15.

- Moment of Silence for Jerry Sloan; his resignation has to be the most unforseen and unfortunate development in a season that's been full of them. Sloan going out mid-season like this is like Luke Ridnour winning the Dunk Contest or Greg Oden going a full 82. With the Jazz unraveling and Deron Williams pissed, things weren't working, but it seemed like it;d take far worse to shatter the longest coaching tenure in pro sports, outlasting 154 NBA coaches.

- Right now, I'm listening to crappy indie rock instead of whatever Charles has to say about Ray Allen's historic night and the "photos" of him with Lindsay Lohan being flashed on screen. The boys can't go to the bar soon enough.

- Kobe's in attack mode, slicing into the lane for two easy buckets and feeding Gasol for an open jumper: tie game early in the third.

- Kobe picks up a double-T (travel, technical), but stays in attack mode, sending Ray to the bench with his fourth foul, then leaving Wafer on a nasty turnaround to bring LA within one.

- Bynum Smash! The kid keeps making his presence felt inside, LA has their first lead since the game's first minute, 63-60.

- Paul Pierce gets left open from 18, while boys are trying to find footage of him tossing a Crip sign at Al Horford on YouTube, which he apparently got fined 25 Gs for.

- Speaking of gangs, Pierce is unloading on the Lakers right now, burying another three to put Boston back ahead by one.

- Lamar Odom tips in a Pau miss, then turns around and runs right into him. They butt heads, sending both players stumbling to the bench, Lamar for some cut work. Maybe that'll knock enough sense into him to not do anymore perfume commercials.....TNT then flashes back to the havoc Gasol unleashed on KG's head last weekend, Lamar still got off easy.

- I don't care how lame Just Go With It looks, I really hope it's a hit. As long as crappy romantic comedies are being made, Brooklyn Decker should be in more of them.

- The fourth starts with Lamar banging a trey to put LA up seven, fresh off his stitches and rocking an even more awkward bandage than KG after his Gasol encounter.

- Kobe's on the bench and LA's rolling, up 7 with 10 to play.

- Bynum (predictably) falls asleep on D and lets Perkins roam in for a thunderous dunk to stop the bleeding.

- Ray's peeling more 3's now, but (the feared crunch-time tag team of) Steve Blake and Shannon Brown hook up on a nice backdoor play to keep distance. With the bench mob still riding into the 6th minute, LA's doing everything they didn't do in the Fourth last time around: moving on offense, boxing out, putting the ball in the basket. Boston's reeling and Kobe and Pau are about to come back fresh....

- Odom strips Garnett off an inbound and Bryant comes out in Mamba mode, icing Allen with the same turnaround fadeaway he grilled Wafer with. Clearly feeling the rest he just got, Bryant buries another jumper, strips Pierce, then blows by Allen for a tough layup over Big Baby. For a guy whose knee is "almost bone-on-bone" (just the thought of that makes me cringe) he's doing alright.

- LA's holding court on D, forcing some tough attempts from the best-shooting team in the NBA. They aren't getting the looks they want, as evidenced by a Rondo 18-footer being their first field goal in a couple minutes.

- After a failed Boston fast break, Kobe vacuums Boston's front line under the hoop and serves Gasol the easiest hoop of his career.

- Boston trails by seven with a buck-thirty left...Rajon Rondo at the line. Celtics fans, this isn't looking good.

- Odom with the grand hustle, chases down an offensive board he had no business getting, leading to a Bryant iso, where he abuses Allen again and ices what looks like the dagger - LA up 8 with :48 to go.

- Book it: 92-86 Lakers. So in their last meeting, LA fell apart in the fourth when the supporting cast shat the bed and Kobe tried to take over, forcing a bunch of terrible shots and taking his entire team out of the game. Tonight played out slightly differently to say the least. It was a big game: the culmination of Ray Allen's endless three-point blitzkriegs, and perhaps the turning point of LA's season: they went on the road and beat a team that recently broke them down, toughing out an impressive win against their biggest rival after a string of questionable performances.

"The Secret" Nobody Told LA

Yesterday marked two important milestones in the NBA season; the return of marquee Sunday afternoon matchups, and the first rematch of last June's Finals between the league's most storied franchises. To celebrate the occasion, I'd planned on tossing up some Game Notes: a roundtable of various observations (related to both basketball, and other stuff, like Brooklyn Decker) throughout the game from myself and the other hoops heads that frequent my living room; a fresh take on one of the regular season's most important games.

Instead, thanks to dubious decision to abuse my body for a good time's sake at the onset of a nasty flu-like illness, I spent the entire weekend buried in a cocoon of blankets, writhing in a cold sweat and sounding like a living, (hardly) breathing Mucinex ad. It was tough enough to keep my eyes open and enjoy the game; so I can only imagine how unbelievably shitty the Notes would've been.

The silver lining to my misery is that it's saved you from reading a column that would inevitably lead to the same conclusions that have been flooding the internet since the the buzzer sounded. LA's fourth-quarter meltdown can be blamed on (among many other things: a) the lack of fortitude from the Lakers' supporting cast and b) Kobe Bryant's consequent decision to force every shot down the stretch, regardless of how many defenders swarmed him, or teammates stood open in awe of his horrible shot selection. But rather than point out the obvious, I'm going to draw on a little help from Bill Simmons and Isiah Thomas to illustrate a deeper point (the parts in italics that follow are from Simmons' The Book of Basketball, which should be mandatory reading for any NBA fan. In fact, if you don't already own it, stop reading this right now and go buy it, you won't regret the time or $40 invested)

As the story goes, Simmons was down in Vegas; a carefully choreographed "business trip" that (somehow) found him several drinks deep at the Wynn's aquatic blackjack tables. A chance encounter with Knicks announcer Gus Johnson led to an invitation to join his table - along with Thomas. This was slightly problematic for Simmons, who had recently been far from tactful in a series of columns that openly bashed Thomas' job performance, culminating in an fictional piece entitled "The Atrocious GM Summit", at which Isiah was the headline speaker. This had unnerved the Knicks' embattled front office leader to the point of publicly threatening physical violence against Simmons, so he politely shunned the invitation in an attempt to avoid the Itchy and Scratchy-esque visions in his head.

Johnson insisted on trying to smooth the situation over, and to make a long story short (and for the sake of not ruining all the hilarious details for when you all inevitably read the book) Simmons wound up being invited over and settling his differences with Zeke; Thomas appreciated his apology, respected his candor and knowledge, and soon, bitter enemies were becoming best buds, soaking in the aura of expensive booze and one of Vegas' most scenic topless pools (ah, the wonders a little social lubrication can do).

As the conversation gradually shifted from Isiah trying to rationalize how he was running the Knicks into the ground, Simmons built up the courage to ask about "The Secret", something Isiah had hinted at way back in '89 when he was on the cusp of his first title:

"It's not about physical skills. Goes far beyond that...the only way our team would rise to the top would be by mental skills, not size or talent...by watching the Celtics and Lakers, because those were the teams winning year in and year out. I also looked at Seattle, who won one year, and Houston, who got to the Finals one year. They both self-destructed the next year. Some how come? I read Pat Riley's book Show Time and he talks about "the disease of more". A team wins it one year and the next year every player wants more minutes, more money, more shots. And it kills them...but it's hard not to be selfish. The art of winning is complicated by statistics, which for us becomes money."

"Look at our team statistically. We're one of the worst teams in the league...But I kept looking at the won-loss record and how we kept improving and I kept saying to myself, Isiah, you're doing the right thing, so be stubborn and one day people will find a different way to judge a player. They won't just pick up the newspaper and say, oh, this guy was 9 for 12 with 8 rebounds so he was the best player in the game. Lots of times, on our team, you can't tell who the best player in the game was. 'Cause everybody did something good. That's what makes us so good. The other team has to worry about stopping eight or nine people instead of two or three. It's the ony way to win."

Although Isiah alluded to it, he never outright told anyone what the secret was (at least not publicly) until Simmons put him on the spot and found out the truth: "It's not about basketball". What the fuck?

Thomas went on to tell Simmons about the truth behind the '89 trade that shipped former All-Star Adrian Dantley for Mark Agguire; who meshed better with his teammates and allowed for defensive demon Dennis Rodman to see more unprotested court time, which added to Detroit's versatility. Dantley's presence was detracting from the team when he'd complain about Rodman eating his minutes and carry a shady disposition that ruined morale. The Pistons got rid of him (almost) entirely to preserve their chemistry, and they won the first of back-to-back titles four months later.

They key point was that Detroit was not only a deep, versatile roster that beat on opponents with tough defense and relentless synergy, but that what really made those Pistons teams special was their focused and cohesive mentality; as Simmons puts it: (the championship team) prevailed because it got along and everyone committed themselves to their roles. That's what Detroit needed to do, and that's why Dantley had to go".

Fast-forward a couple decades, and we're left with yesterday's losers; the Champs who appear to be on the verge of that self-destruction Thomas spotted in Seattle and Houston. Their issues have been many; present all year, yet this is a team who's been to the Finals three straight years; these aren't necessarily basketball issues. But then, remember, it's not about basketball.

It's about Pau's incessant bitching. It's about Ron Artest having the most ineffective season of his career, confounding his teammates. It's about Kobe's completely unmatched work ethic and respect for the game; the exalted attributes that cause him to look down on his inferior surroundings and try to take over, which with rare exception, makes them a worse team. It's about Andrew Bynum being so perpetually injured that he can't be counted on consistently, while other bodies log extra mileage in his absence. It's these things and more that clearly indicate nobody's filled the Lakers in on "The Secret".

Meanwhile, it's obvious that several years ago, KG broke into Isiah's place, tied him up, and beat The Secret out of him with a lead pipe. Boston's (relatively) healthy and firing on all cylinders, playing the kind of focused, team-attack basketball that wins titles. And they're doing it on a team with tons of star power, with virtually everybody playing an undersized role, and still nobody complains; everybody shows up. Hell, they made a solid bench contributor out of Nate Robinson. They're sacrificing for the sake of the team; something LA was miles away from yesterday, befelled by poor basketball that was deeply rooted - not in a lack of ability - but in their flawed concepts of championship mentality.

As talented as they are, and as brilliant a coach as Phil Jackson is, yesterday (hell, for most of the season) the Lakers were been playing far below their ability as a basketball team. Hopefully they can clue in that's not really about basketball after all.