Photo. Monte IsomPlayers never want to admit it, but the Mavericks’ 20-piecing of the Warriors last night meant something to Dallas. Now they’re 2-0 against the team that took their Jell-O pudding cup at lunchtime last spring, and the Mavs reminded everyone that they’re gonna be around when the games start to really matter … Dallas was pretty much in control the entire time; Golden State would make a run here and a run there, and at one point got it to within three points in the second half before Jason Terry drained tough back-to-back baseline jumpers … Al Harrington was on fire in the first half, dropping 20 points on multiple wide open threes. He wasn’t even being guarded. In the second half, though, Al’s only point (a free throw) didn’t come until midway through the fourth when the game was already out of reach … Naturally, the Warriors got killed on the glass and in the paint. Which makes sense when they’re running sets where the closest guy to the basket is Matt Barnes, their biggest guy on the court (Harrington) is 23 feet away from the rim, and everyone else is standing around the three-point line. Meanwhile, Dallas swallowed every available rebound and Erick Dampier (13 pts) was impersonating an unstoppable force on offense .. On one play Stephen Jackson tried to drive past Josh Howard as Cold-Vicious Monta Ellis made a great baseline cut to the hoop. Only S-Jack didn’t see Monta because his head was down, and he threw up a shot that almost got stuck between the backboard and the rim … After Brandon Bass registered a DNP-CD in the Mavs’ last game (Avery implied he wasn’t being physical enough), Bass had a double-double yesterday with 12 points and 11 boards and a couple times tried to dunk on the entire Bay Area … Star watch: Dirk Nowitzki put up 29 points, 8 boards, 6 dimes and 3 blocks, while Baron Davis had 10 points (2-for-14 FGs) and 6 assists … Funny moment when the Mavs’ announcers were talking about DJ Mbenga and trying to find a gentle way to say he’s trash. The play-by-play guy said, “You’re not gonna meet a nicer guy,” to which the color commentator said, “Nice kid, quiet guy, but, uh — he’s, uh, still learning how to play the game.” The pause after that first “uh” lasted a good 7 seconds … We don’t wanna say the Dallas announcers are homers, but in the first quarter one of them said “It’s a good thing” Baron had gotten off to a slow start … So the Celtics waited until after their big road trip to get tested by a Western Conference squad for the second time this year. Back in Beantown last night, the C’s were leading the Rockets by 20 before Houston battled back to tie it up. With all of Boston’s other bigs having fouled out, Kevin Garnett (26 pts, 9 rebs, 3 blks) was matched up on Yao (19 pts, 13 rebs). KG was out-hearting Yao time and time again in the clutch, getting to every rebound and loose ball, giving Yao buckets on one end while not letting him touch the ball on the other. With 22 seconds left, KG stuck a jumper to put the Celtics up by five. Houston took a timeout right after, and on the way to the bench, Paul Pierce jumped on KG’s back (that’s dangerous). Once Pierce hopped off, Garnett looked into the crowd and motioned for them to get on his back, as they were all going crazy. He’s hard not to love … Everyone’s been singing about Chris Paul so much over the last few weeks that Deron Williams had to have heard it, and you know any extra heaping of love for his rival motivates Deron to step his game up. So D-Will went out and dropped 20 assists against the Sixers yesterday, diming Carlos Boozer (22 pts) on consecutive high pick-and-pops in the final minute and a half to put it away for the Jazz … Kyle Kover scored 14 against his old team, while Gordan Giricek had 4 points. And the first-round pick involved in the deal was somewhere watching Aeon Flux on Showtime in his dorm room … One time Memo Okur got a feed on the break from Deron and went up for a dunk. Skinny, 6-foot-1 Louis Williams swatted him, raced down to the other end and caught a sick alley oop from Andre Miller. Memo, meanwhile, hadn’t even made it 1/4 of the way down the court by the time Lou had dunked it … The Pistons let Caron and Jamison get their buckets, focused on putting every other Wizard in the clink, and won their 10th straight easily. Rip Hamilton smoked his former team for 20 points, 9 dimes and 7 boards, and on the play where he got Nick Young in the air for a crazy off-balance and-one, welcomed another kid to the League. Nick looked crushed after that shot went down … Orlando was up big for a lot of the first half against the Nets, but you could see the cracks forming. Dwight Howard was struggling — he missed a dunk, picked up a delay of game, had trouble getting past Josh Boone in the post, and got whistled for a tech. Nonetheless, New Jersey’s front line is so bad that after Dwight sat down, Adonal Foyle was still getting buckets. Howard ended up with 13 points and 13 boards, and the Magic lost the game on a huge defensive play by J-Kidd and some huge offensive plays by Darrell Armstrong. Yes, Darrell Armstrong … Vince Carter put a spin move on Rashard Lewis and threw up one of his patented funky lefty shots, which Dwight deposited into Brian Cook’s lap over on the Orlando bench. Lined up next to each other during free throws a few plays later, Vince was saying something to Dwight that had Dwight cracking up; we’re assuming it was along the lines of “Why you gotta punch my shot in front of my hometown people?” … Things you don’t want to hear during the broadcast if you’re an Orlando fan: “Kidd in a footrace with James Augustine.” … Carlos Arroyo appeared to be wearing black tights on the court, but it turns out they were just really high socks. So what’s the rule? You can’t wear tights, but you can wear socks that go up to your thighs? What’s the difference from a viewing standpoint? Wardrobe aside, Arroyo (16 pts, 7 asts, 0 turnovers) continues to outplay Jameer Nelson and has earned that starting spot. When he’s playing freely and not looking over his shoulder every time he makes a mistake, Arroyo can be good. Yesterday he was picking people’s pockets, making no-look passes and running the offense effectively … Nets color guy Mark Jackson on Orlando’s two point guards: “As Jay-Z might say, Stan Van Gundy has the Best of Both Worlds.” OK, we know Hova is a part-owner, but come on. There are about 4 billion people who said that phrase long before Jay and Mr. Trapped in the Closet made that album … Joakim Noah gave Emeka Okafor the gas-face on that dunk last night. And did you have to shove ‘Mek out of the way when you were done? That’s just rude … Here’s how important Jamaal Tinsley is to the Pacers: Last night the Grizzlies’ bench scored FIVE points (all of them by Stro Show), started a still-green rookie at the point (Mike Conley), and the Pacers still lost to them by 18 without Tinsley in the lineup … At halftime of Knicks/Kings, four of New York’s five starters hadn’t made a shot. What’s that we hear? Wire Isiah? Choir Isiah? Ohhh, that’s it: they’re saying FIRE Isiah … We’re out like wearing tights …
January 3rd, 2008 at 5:46 am
Str8baller says:
first mo fo’s
beat that. goin back to bed. let the hate begin
January 3rd, 2008 at 5:53 am
Mark says:
How to save the poor Knicks…
1. Fire Isiah
2. Fire Dohlan
3. Trade everything
Oh wait I have another Idea. Lets make the Knicks an NBDL Team.
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:03 am
Willis says:
they still wouldn’t win any games. In the 4th quarter it was like the Kings were trying not to score as like an experiment. Seriously they went like 6 minutes without a bucket just to see if the Knicks could get any closer. They did because Renaldo Balkman actually showed up to play in mop up time.
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:10 am
Ak47 says:
Str8baller, all of us who live in Europe or in the east could write “first” every single morning…we’re just not doing that! Save yourself some sleep and get a life.
The Pistons are on a roll, they’re only a few wins away from Boston. Who would have guessed that the top 2 teams (in % of wins) would be in the East?
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:26 am
Str8baller says:
AK47
you’re assuming I live in the US. get your facts str8 holmes. don’t talk about what you don’t know man. FYI I do have a life.
I write first cause I feel like it. It’s not my job to write first.
Got a question.. what’s the deal with everybody wearing those shooting sleeves on their NON-SHOOTING arms? are they the new headbands? Iverson came up with them back in da day and now even Freakin Primoz Brezec is rocking one.
Soon, people that can’t even shoot will rock it too like Shaq and Ben Wallace.
Remember when Larry Hughes rocked 2 of them for a game a couple of years ago?
Shit was weird
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:32 am
Gareth says:
KG dropped it in Yao’s eye… but how about Rondo with the fake behind the back!
January 3rd, 2008 at 7:58 am
Tbeezy says:
The top two teams with the highest win % play in the East because they play a majority of the Eastern Conference teams. When a conference is so bad the actual good teams will shine.
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:11 am
kowtz says:
AI needed to wear them because of the elbow injury…
I think the cyclist first used them…
Not sure about the others though…
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:37 am
Coldchain says:
Yeah, and Cliff Robinson wore headbands because he had a headache.
A.I. and everyone else wears the arm sleeves cause they like how they look. I’m even seeing regular clowns at the gym wearing them for no reason.
Same for Kobe and LeBron wearing tights a couple years ago. It’s just fashion.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:05 am
Str8baller says:
Uncle Cliffy probably wore them cause of sweat. as far as Iverson I read somewhere that he had an elbow condition that required that shooter sleeve. but the stuff I’ve been seeing now is crazy. Kobe wears it from the elbow down.
Soon these dudes gonna start playin in surf suits or better yet, them ice skating persuit outfits that even cover your head with the uniforms on top of that. Except for Mikki Moors’s ugly ass. He looks like the predator with those locks. he should wear a damn mask.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:15 am
Kobeef says:
18 more losses and the heat have a losing record.
To be honest I thought they would pull it together in the new year and go on a tear. Looks very unlikely.
Sixers had a solid game in the loss at Utah - Dalembeast was stong againt booze putting up 20-10 and 3 blocks. With the right moves (another big forward…M. Beasley maube??) the sixers could turn it around quickly.
Thought the Hawks were going to pull out the win but Lebron carried the Lebron-ettes again. I can’t wait until the Hawks sign Agent-0 this summer. Then let’s see who’s the boss in the east LBJ23.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:38 am
QQ says:
Warriors got smacked right in the face because of their unnecessary fouling. As the bay area color guy said
“Pietrus just fouled Terry near the HALF COURT LOGO” Terry has hops but it’s not like he will dunk on you from midcourt for you to keep fouling him!
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:29 am
Bobby stew says:
I don’t trust anyone without a contract who wears the sleeve at the gym. That’s a little creepy to me, and I love A.I.
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:29 am
isotope says:
Ah! Funny how no one mentions the fact that Houston played without TMac and still had a chance to win it. And that Yao was dominating until the officials took him out of the game. What about the dunk in KG’s face? Yao gets no credit for that.
And Yao couldnt get position on KG because the officials already called two stupid offensive fouls because the celts were flopping. They forced him to play soft. And KG had been guarding Chuck Hayes (yes, that Chuck Hayes) all game before guarding Yao at the end of the game. While Yao had been been wrestling with Perkins(6 fouls), Powe, and Pollard (6 fouls) all game.
Aint goin lie though, KG did his thing. He pretty much single handedly brought the Celts through at the end.
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am
isotope says:
And Gareth, Rafer and Aaron Books were giving Rondo buckets all game.
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:34 am
Amar says:
good smack today, smackgods.
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:58 am
Myrie says:
I caught 3 games last night. Jersey/Orlando, Dallas/GState and Sacto/NY.
Sacto/NY was Rated R again on my Knicks.
But the Jersey/Orlando game got me thinking. Hmmm. Do you think the East coaches will vote either Richard Jefferson or Hedo Turkaglo into the allstar game this year?
You can probably fir 3 guards and 3 forwards on reserve (1 center is a requirement). Can either make it as a reserve forward or guard? Should either make it?
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:09 am
girlybballluver says:
The Warriors had a chance to win that game, but they completely collasped in the fourth quarter. They turned the ball over, and couldn’t buy a bucket. The Mavs lead went from 4 to 20 very quickly and easily.
BTW…the more I see of Josh Howard and Monta Ellis, the more I love them both.
I am still in shock that my Heat are the worst team in the East. Oh how quickly they fell from grace —>wiping tears. They can’t seem to beat anyone this season…Geez!!
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
i Fux aka Etheraldinho aka Farouq Obama aka the Immaculate Ejaculate aka Slick Dick Johnson says:
Remember when Jason Kidd missed a Knicks-Nets game on Dec. 5? And remember how the “official” word was that J-Kidd had a migraine? And who could forget the widespread rumors that Kidd was trying to force the Nets to re-do his contract?
Well, here’s the definitive word from an unimpeachable source as to what really went down. Kidd showed up at Rod Thorn’s office that same morning and he did indeed demand that his contract be renegotiated and expanded. When Thorn categorically refused, this was Kidd’s response:
“(Bleep) you! I’m not playing tonight!”
The biggest mystery, however, is why the media has always given Kidd a free pass — even after he proved to be totally uncoachable in Dallas, only slightly less so in Phoenix, and after he succeeded in Bogarting the Nets into canning Byron Scott and signing Alonzo Mourning.
Kidd’s bossy attitude goes back to the fact that he was such an overwhelming talent in high school (St. Joseph of Notre Dame in Alameda, Calif.) and in college (California) that his respective coaches let him did as he pleased. Naturally, Kidd figured that his NBA coaches should also defer to him.
For sure, J-Kidd is one of the all-time great point guards. But isn’t it interesting that such a super-duper star has been traded twice (and seems to be on the verge of being traded again)? And that three coaches have been fired on his watch?
Even if we forget about Kidd’s public marital battles, it’s clear that once the final buzzer sounds, this seven-time All-Star is a no-star individual.
^Damn ether across the triple double
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:27 pm
dagwaller says:
Ouch
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
jz_smoove says:
Funny how $100M guy Rashard Lewis is not even the last shot option for the Magic. Nor D-Ho. Plays are ran for Turkoglu at game’s end. Not bad for a guy who was 7th or 8th guy on the bench from the former mighty SacTown Kings only a few years ago. Confidence works wonders and having grown another 3-4 inches helps too. Things that he could do when he was 6-6, he can do better now except taller.
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
bron42 aka Global-4A-Reason says:
funny how once again yao loses a head to head matchup, his team loses once again without tmac, and your still finding reasons he deserves more credit. I do like his dunk though. Its what I’ve been saying all along, your 7 fucking 5. get close to the basket and just dunk it, stop settling for 15 footers. Thats all he has to do is show some balls. But like i said, it doesnt matter cuz the team is no threat wat so ever without tmac at least 80% healthy.
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
QQ says:
The media is confusing as hell. They trash Yao for settling for jumpers, and not dunking enough, then whine about Dwight Howard not having a go to post move, and dunking TOO MUCH. Let them play their OWN game!
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
isotope says:
Yeah. Yao is shedding his “soft” rep slowly. After the dunk, Garnett grinned.
I’m not sure how you say he lost a head to head matchup? For 90% of the game, Yao was going against Perkins and Pollard. I think he wins that matchup. If you’re referring to Garnett, KG only guarded him the last couple minutes of the game. Before that, KG was the assigned “double-teamer” cuz his man (Chuck Hayes) can’t do much outside the paint. I wouldnt call that a head-to-head matchup.
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
control says:
Anyone notice the returns on AllStar voting?
SHAINE BATTIER has more votes than Josh Howard and Shawn Marion…gotta love asians voting for anyone on Houston just because it’s the only team they know.
I love the Knicks, seeing them be slowly and surely destroyed by their front office for some reason gives me so much pleasure, stupid ignorant New Yorkers.
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
bron42 aka Global-4A-Reason says:
the point is, when the game was on the line, yao was on KG and KG sealed the game. And hes not shedding the soft label. one dunk in the whole game lol. and its not like he backed down KG, he caught the bal 3 feet from the hoop off a curl. That aside, thats what yao needs to do more of, put your big 8 foot ass in the paint and just bully people. no fuckin fadeaways. Hakeem had every post move in the book but he would still destroy you in the paint if he had to, thats what yao needs.
QQ: dunks are alot more high % than jumpers. and when your 7′5 never should a jumper be your best weapon. Plus dwight actually has post moves now. Not to mention, he does what he has to for his team to win. Lst i checked, 90% of the games tmac sat out, the rockets lose, even with yao and his beautiful jumper.
January 3rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
isotope says:
You got it QQ.
Bron, i’m not sure if you watched the whole game but if you did you remember the ridiculous off. fouls called on Yao. Even KG flopped on him. How in the world is he supposed to get good positon when the refs are blowing the whistle all the time. The dude is too valuable to be fouling out so he has to play the way the refs let him play.
Even though I think Hakeem is the best player that ever lived (can u tell i’m in Houston. lol) its actually different when you’re 7′6″. His midsection is a lot higher and anybody playing post knows lower center of gravity gives you stronger positioning. Except of course you’re allowed to shove people out of the way. Plus Hakeem was just rougher and tougher before he became gentile in the championship years. Not making excuses for Yao but I just feel for him. The refs took him out of the game last night. Now I understand what Van Gundy was saying when he got fined 100K.
lol @ Dwight’s post moves.
January 3rd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
isotope says:
plus he had like 3 dunks… not one. I know I know you were just kidding.
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Myrie says:
JZ_Smoove–(#21)
Rashard Lewis…….is the new $118 million dollar decoy. Didn’t the Magic learn anything after their $93million investment into Grant Hill?
Dwight Howard also has the advantage over his defender, but he doesn’t have any “go-to” low post moves down the stretch of games that the Magic can rely on. And his is still turnover prone. But he’ll get better and develop.
Lewis is the new comer, so the new coach just has more trust in the player whose been there already and has hit a couple clutch buckets already.
So, right now, StanVan doesn’t have many reliable options for a bucket with the game on the line. You know its going to be Hedo on a jumper.
…shakes head…..$100 million dollar decoy….
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
djKianoosh says:
If you read the last issue of Dime you’d know the only player the Shaq couldn’t ever dominate was Hakeem. I remember seeing that, and it still amazes me. Have you ever seen Shaq in person, or just on court level? He’s so huge! for him to say he couldn’t shake Hakeem is amazing to me. So I think I’ll just say I will never put Yao in the same category as Olajuwon, ever.
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Myrie says:
djkianoosh–
I’ve met shake (by accident)…errr….I’ve seen him in person and dude was like the jolly green giant. the biggest human i’ve ever seen with my eyes!!
he had to duck his head all over the place. his suit jacket arm sleeve was longer than most other peoples body!! its unreal when you see this guy in person. and that was like 5/6 yrs ago….
January 3rd, 2008 at 4:12 pm
bron42 aka Global-4A-Reason says:
Iso: i meant 1 dunk that meant anything, not 1 dunk the whole game.and besides, 3 dunks from your 7′5-7′6 center lol.Thats two more than nate robinson. And dwight can make shots with either hand now and has a few spin moves to work with. Hes not patrick ewing but hes made progress. and please, you come up with every excuse in the book why yao isn’t a dominant force. Hes 2-3 inches taller than hakeem and about 120 pounds heavier, its not hard to back someone down. Its not like yao is some shawn bradly twig. Hes wide and needs to learn how to use his body and size instead of dirking it from 15 feet. and when the game was in the line, fouls or not, he wasnt gettin rebounds and was a good 8 feet away from KG on every one of his foul line jumpshots. And yao flopped against duncan this year twice in one game and none of you were complaining about that, but now someone finally flops on him and its “omg, those evil refs took him out the game” lol
Myrie: Actually, rashard has already done alot more than hill ever did in orlando. the magics only issue is they have no defensive player other than dwight and their pgs suck. lewis, hedo and dwight have done ALL the work
January 3rd, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Myrie says:
bron–
Grant Hill never did shit in Orlando; but all Rashard Lewis has done is cash a bigger check. But to his defense, he’s only 30/35 games into his Magic career.
And Yao is not 2/3 inches taller than Hakeem. Olajuwon was listed at 7′0 (just like ‘Zo originally), but we all know damn well he was 6′10. Yao is 7′5.
January 3rd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Ian says:
isotope
maybe if tmac played the rockets lose by 30
bron sorry but houston is no threat even with tmac 100 percent
stop hatin on yao when tmac is the same thing nice stats no wins
(not a yao fan btw just see them being the same thing)
bron comon howard post moves????? the dunk and what else???
isotope i hated hakeem (think hes great but hated him) my fav player ever is the admiral freakin 95 series we needed a SG badly.
dj shaq couldnt dominate robinson in from 92-97 neither and patrick did ok against shaq too.
January 3rd, 2008 at 5:17 pm
isotope says:
Can’t help it. I’ve lived in Houston for almost 15 years. Gotta love Hakeem. Gotta love Yao. Gotta love Tmac (well maybe love is too strong a word for him. lol)
Bron I’m convinced you didnt watch the game. Yao wasnt shooting foul line shots with KG on him. Rather KG was shooting 17 footers(and making them) with Yao guarding him in the last minutes of the game. I know you’re trying to make a point but lets stick to facts. Yao got called for 3 offensive fouls while backing down and trying to get position. He’s not going to risk getting fouled out cuz his team needed him on the court. True he needs to figure out quick how he’s going to make it work.
Hakeem had much MUCH better footwork. So we can’t compare. Remember dude grew up playing soccer. I dont think Yao will ever be comparable to Hakeem so I wouldnt dare say that.
And Yao hardly guards Duncan when the rockets and spurs play each other.
Ian I know you really hated that game in the playoffs when Robinson got his MVP trophy at halftime but got owned by Hakeem during the game. lol.
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Ian says:
hehehe iso yeah it sucked
but since u r a rockets fan u know that we were out coached and out played in the guards positions (sg)
but people who only read shit online want to talk about how they saw hakeem destroy robinson because of the one play they show on tv. but u know hakeem wasnt guarding david alone he was being triple teammed the whole series because houston could afford to do that the spurs had to play hakeem one on one because of all the great shooters u had. didnt seam fair.
before that shit hakeem and david usually played even but comon my man got the mvp and won all the awards in the nba and left the game being good unlike your boy (who also won everything except a socring title i think). and we got lucky on the tim duncan thing so i really cant complain.
u being a houston fan do u really think tmac is that big a deal? i think hes overrated
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:40 pm
DOC says:
bron is a hater. KG will kill anybody but Timmy down there. He hates on certain dudes Yao Dirk Nash and Bron because he has his name and he thought he was the top bron .But you are a good arguing motherfucker so you come with some fly fake ass answer but you and the real ball lovers on here know these dudes are some of the nicest at their spots in the league.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Ian says:
doc
nash u r right on them being one of the best
nash top 3 pg
dirk and bron top 5 fowards
and yao is a top 3 center
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
dagwaller says:
Ha
January 4th, 2008 at 3:28 am
K-Dizzle says:
Damn! Good reads today.
Dime, you need to verify or deny that Kidd story..just sayin