* Rasheed Wallace is one of the most versatile players in the League - the only problem is getting him to move from the three-point line down to the block. “Well, we’ll see if he can get his (butt) in there,” Flip Saunders said. “That’s our game plan every time; it’s just a matter of getting a cattle prod to keep him away from that three-point line. It’s like he thinks there’s one of those dog fences out there, and he can’t get inside that thing.”
* When he made it to the post, Wallace was having a field day on Dirk. After dropping a 12-footer over Nowitzki’s head with about a minute left in the third, ‘Sheed turned to the Mavs’ bench and yelled, “He can’t guard me.”
* Jamal Crawford said that he would like a change of venue, according to Seattle Times blogger Percy Allen. “Crawford is ready for a new change of venue,” writes Allen. “He told me he’s making the best of a tough situation, but wouldn’t mind being traded.” However, Crawford denied that charge yesterday, “That’s not true. I didn’t say it. I don’t think that.”
* Why did the Grizzlies want to acquire Javaris Crittenton when they already have Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry? “It’ll be like locking the three of them in a room. We’ll see which two come out, and we’ll move the other guy,” said Memphis GM Chris Wallace.
* Here’s a fresh dose of honesty from Kobe Bryant in reference to the Pau Gasol acquisition: “I let Mitch [Kupchak] handle that stuff,” he said. “I stopped playing GM over the summer.”
* As the Mavericks mustered only 67 points in their loss to Detroit, Dirk knew where to point the finger. “We miss Devin [Harris],” Nowitzki said. “He’s really improved over the last couple years. We need his defense, his scrappiness and definitely his ability to get to the rim. We missed that today.” Dirk finished with 15 points, snapping his consecutive 20-point game streak at 15.
* Not only did Kupchak make an incredible deal for the Lakers, but he did so after trade talks were nearly dead. “It’s hard trying to make a deal,” Kupchak said. “It’s like moving a glacier. As late as [Thursday] afternoon, it was dead, and then it came around quickly that night and we were able to finish the deal Friday morning.”
* DeShawn Stevenson was hit with three first quarter fouls trying to guard Kobe. Caron Butler wasn’t much more successful. “Today, with Kobe coming out like a scoring machine, we didn’t respond the way we did in the Boston wins, the Dallas wins and other wins we’ve had,” said Stevenson. “We can’t be waiting for those punches to come against a caliber of team like that.”
* Phil Jackson was having fun with a Spanish reporter who asked him about Gasol’s immediate impact - but he might not be too far off with the way that the Lakers played at Toronto and again in the nation’s capital. “We expect Pau to lead us to a championship immediately,” Jackson said, straight-faced. “We’re going to win 25 in a row.”
* The Pistons were robbed. No, not on a bad call - they were actually robbed of $70,000 in fireworks.
* A federal court is allowing the Nets to proceed in constructing their new home in Brooklyn, N.Y. The court is rejecting a suit from private owners, in favor of the stadium and thousands of apartments which will be constructed in what is currently a Brooklyn rail yard. Mayor Bloomberg called this “the most exciting private development Brooklyn has ever seen.”
February 4th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Jei says:
Based on the recent comments of Kobe and Zen, I dont think they’re THAT excited with Pau’s acquisition. They sound like they received a very bad xmas present.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:51 am
T.M.P.B.W.O.T.P. says:
They probably don’t wanna get too ahead of themselves and act like Gasol = instant championship.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:26 am
alex says:
So where again are those people who said it was absurd that Sheed was better than Dirk? Sheed is better than Dirk (if only he had his head straight all the time)! its not even close.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Myrie says:
Memphis GM Chris Wallace does not need his job. This guy got rid of Damon Stoudamire (buyout), Stromile Swift(trade) and Pau Gasol(trade) in a matter of 1 week and all he has to show for it is Kwame Brown, Jason Collins and Javaris Crittenton.
And he gave Darko a big contract ($7 mil per year right?) in the offseason. And signed a no-name coach. Where is Jerry West when you need him?…
February 4th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Big Aaron says:
“They probably don’t wanna get too ahead of themselves and act like Gasol = instant championship.”
Save that for just about every other Laker fan on the face of the Earth.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Kobeef says:
I think the moves the Grizz made were actually pretty good. They wanted to free cap space and/or get young talent and with the Pau trade they did both.
They can now build a team around Rudy and Mike Conley with lots of draft picks and lots of cap space - which is about the best situation a young team can be in.
Now - they need to make smart decisions going forward (no more bad contracts) but are in a good position now.
If everything works out for the Grizz (a big if) it is very possible that they could start next season with this lineup:
PG = Conley
SG = Rudy
PF = Beasley
SF = Deng
C = Darko/Collins
That is a pretty solid young core - and could actually happen with the way the Griz are set up.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
The Great Yinka says:
The problem is if they don’t get Beasley. If they don’t have a young talent fill that fourth slot, they will have the worst frontline around.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
ash says:
career numbers for dirk and sheed.
Reg Season
sheed - 15ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.9 apg
dirk - 22.3ppg, 8.7rpg, 2.7apg
Playoffs
sheed - 15ppg, 7rpg, 2apg
dirk - 25.2ppg, 11.1rpg, 2.4apg
you tell me which player you would take
February 5th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Sheedknows says:
lol @ sheed lettin the mavs know how he feels about dirk’s d
number ain’t nuthin, ash
the point is sheed steps up, dirk dissapears