Nowhere to go (Photo. Monte Isom)Who had the better defense on Sunday: Giants or Patriots? Neither. We’re going with the Pistons. In one of only two NBA games on the Super Bowl Sunday slate, Detroit put Dirk and the Mavs on lock-down, holding them to a season-low 67 points and Dirk to a pathetic 3-for-18 shooting from the field. The majority of Dirk’s 15 points came at the free throw line (9-for-9 FTs), and he only scored two points in the second half. The Mavs as a team were held scoreless for the last five minutes of the third quarter, when the Pistons turned it into a rout … Rasheed Wallace was killing Dallas all over the floor, putting up 21 points, 9 boards and 4 blocks … So what is the point of having NBA coaches miked for sound when, (1) They don’t want to give away strategy, and (2) the only network-TV-friendly things they yell on the sidelines will be stuff like, “Good shot Jarvis!” and “Box out, Damp!” … Same thing with those post-quarter sideline interviews; everyone knows the coach isn’t gonna say anything substantial, and they always look more annoyed than anything else … Pau Gasol was in the building and warmed up with the Lakers, but didn’t play against the Wizards. Kobe didn’t need him, though. Mamba torched everyone from Antawn Jamison to Caron Butler to DeShawn Stevenson, pouring in 30 points - 19 of them in the first quarter … Following the Gasol trade, the Dime office is split on whether L.A. should now look into using Lamar Odom as bait to get Jason Kidd. One side says that with Odom on board you’ve got a killer (and giant) front line when you put him at small forward with Gasol at the four and Andrew Bynum at the five. Running the triangle - which doesn’t require the point guard to be a driver-distributor anyway - you’re fine with those three, Kobe and Derek Fisher/Jordan Farmar. The other side says Odom is expendable since you can use Trevor Ariza/Luke Walton at the three, and if you can get Jason Kidd, well, it’s Jason Freakin’ Kidd … Not the best stat line for Coby Karl: 41 seconds of tick, 2 fouls, 1 turnover … There were a few college games on the schedule. Eric Gordon dumped 29 points and six triples on Northwestern, while D.J. White had 23 points and 13 boards in an Indiana win; Tyler Hansbrough put up 22 points and 21 boards in a North Carolina’s win over Florida State … Shaq’s Vitamin Water commercial was funny as hell, but the our favorite was the Doritos ad where the huge “mouse” busted through the wall and beat the breaks off the guy with the chips … Well, maybe the Victoria’s Secret ad with Adriana Lima was better … We’re out like Patriots Perfection …
February 4th, 2008 at 6:01 am
Alex "Robocop" Murphy says:
Go G-MEN!
February 4th, 2008 at 6:13 am
jz_smoove says:
kobe shoots 10/ 15 FGs. does this mean he has trust on the people around him now? Dirk and Co. came out flat against D-troit. the Mavs jus dont have it in them i think. another playoff loss coming your way, theres jus no ooomph.
oh yeah the superbowl game was awesome. good game overall. and nice finish!
February 4th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Shock-a-Tiki says:
Giants are a TEAM for the ages.
Best SuperBowl I’ve seen in a while.
Celtics take note !!!
February 4th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Data says:
Does anything in the League or basketbbal at all matter until Duke North Craolina is over? The anticipation is killing me.
February 4th, 2008 at 8:26 am
NB says:
The Mavs looked pitiful yesterday. Dirk had a bad game, but what happened to the rest of the team? Tayshaun Prince ate J-Ho’s lunch. Dampier looked like he didn’t even want to be there. And Jason Terry is officially no longer the Jet. And what happened to their supposedly deep bench? Now hopefully people will see how important Devin Harris is to the team. If the Mavs don’t make it, I hope people look at the whole team and not just Dirk. Oh, and why wasn’t Sheed talking smack when they got spanked in Dallas?
February 4th, 2008 at 8:31 am
KBY says:
Keep Odom and stay away from a huge contract for a guy with creaky knees and not a perfect fit in the triangle
February 4th, 2008 at 8:56 am
T.M.P.B.W.O.T.P. says:
Yeah, it’s not like having arguably the best PG in the game would help your chances at winning the title. Seriously, what has Lamar Odom done for L.A. that makes him worth hanging onto when you could get J-Kidd?
February 4th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Smitty313 says:
Keep Odom. The Lakers should dominate the paint with Odom, Bynum, and Gasol. Thats what the Lakers have been missing in the Playoffs the last few years. Kobe will dominate even more now because you have to pay attention to Gasol and Bynum, more than Kwame and Odom.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Bron42 says:
Everyones just worried about kidds age BUT on the lakers he wouldnt really be asked to do that much and derek fisher would be a change of pace guard. And since its KIDD he still gets more boards and overall stats that 6′10 odom lol (minus 3’s of course)
P.S:Cheaters never win so F the patriots
February 4th, 2008 at 9:18 am
T.M.P.B.W.O.T.P. says:
“Kobe will dominate even more now because you have to pay attention to Gasol and Bynum, more than Kwame and Odom.”
That’s exactly why Odom is expendable now. I fail to see where the Lakers have a better chance of winning the title with Odom instead of Kidd. Besides, what happens when Odom’s gets his inevitable injury?
February 4th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Smitty313 says:
Odom would be better because he would be asked to do less. He could just be himself instead of the scorer people think he should be.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:40 am
T.M.P.B.W.O.T.P. says:
That’s fine, but it’s still Lamar Odom vs. Jason Kidd.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Celts Fan says:
FUCK THE GIANTS
February 4th, 2008 at 10:05 am
T.M.P.B.W.O.T.P. says:
Get ready for lots of Mercury Morris on your TV. Can’t wait…
February 4th, 2008 at 10:13 am
dagwaller says:
It’s not really just a straight up Odom for Kidd deal - they’d have to deal some more pieces. I don’t think that they should do it, just because I don’t think that Kidd’s needed in the triangle. If they could use Odom to get some other good-to-very-good player, or even just a couple good players, that’d be better than getting an elite player that doesn’t fit too well in their system.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:25 am
T.M.P.B.W.O.T.P. says:
It’d probably be something like Odom, Radmanovic and Farmar for Kidd. So what? Do it. There’s a reason every big-time scorer (Kobe, LeBron, etc.) wants to play with Kidd.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Caliphilosopher says:
Jason Kidd can’t shoot, and just like the triangle when it was run in Chicago, you don’t need a “true” point guard (see Ron Harper). There’s absolutely NO way, as a Laker fan, I would want to have J-Kidd on the team. Not that he’s a terrible player, but his skill set doesn’t mesh well with the triangle.
It’s much better having Odom, because everyone on the lake show (once Bynum returns) will get single coverage (instead of any doubles). Odom’s too big and too strong for most small forwards in the league. Ariza and Luke don’t get to the hole like Lamar, and neither is as good of a ball handler like Lamar (see Lamar’s days as a point forward as a clipper and at Rhode Island).
J-Kidd is fantastic, but it’s just that we don’t need him. Most importantly, we need to get healthy and gel as a unit. I’m personally hoping that we just get out of the first round this year; championship the next.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Caliphilosopher says:
And arguably the best point guard in the league right now plays in the western conference.
Why is Lamar so Valuable? Remember Kobe’s injury a few years ago (when they still had Caron Butler, and he was averaging 20+ a game for 22 games, or something like that)? Lamar was also integral in keeping the lake show competitive. And he was killing in his last year in Miami (with D-Wade, nonetheless), especially in the playoffs. No reason to get rid of talent like that when you’re getting shorter. I just don’t see the need to trade away height when the point guard combo that we have is working so well right now.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Myrie says:
All hail the NY Football Giants!! G-Men baby….as if there was ever really any doubt here in NY…(I was close; I had the final score as 19-16 Giants. Could have netted my $15Gs….) bah well….You all can see me tomorrow at the Parade. I will be wearing a DIME t-shirt….
As for the Bball action…
Not much of it yesterday, nor all weekend in fact.
As for the Odom/Kidd trade talk….I dunno. I’ll find out more when I go to the Lakers/Nets game tomorrow in Jerz.
Nets need frontcourt help. And having Stromile Swift and Lamar Odom is a BIG upgrade. Odom (at the PF) with Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson in the starting lineup looks awkward already. And there is no real reliable PG after Kidd (Marcus Williams ain’t that ready and Darrell Armstrong can only play with high energy in spurts). Welcome back the point forward for Lamar.
Kidd in LA would be ideal for the Lakers. It’ll help them. Kidd can help their role players get easy points/baskets; but Kidd is not fit to run the triangle.
I’m not sure if this (rumored) trade would reall help either team in the long run….
February 4th, 2008 at 11:19 am
ldawg23 says:
The Cavs should go after Mike miller…Since they are selling everything out in Grizzland…Miller and Jarvis, for Marshall and Jones…Niether of those two really hit shots anymore. Miller CAN stretch the D, and isnt afraid to take big shots. Jarvis is a PG/SG that cann help bring the ball up, and prolly shoot better than Hughes. Plus he’s young…The salaries match up, THIS could work. The Grizz get two contracts that expire in 2 years, and give up a 3 year deal.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:38 am
heavy d says:
Mercury might get a day or two of I told you so, then it’s back to relative obscurity until we’re down to 1 undefeated team next season. Just the nature of the beast.
I’m preparing for ESPN to interview Bobby Knight and Scott May about Memphis’s chances to finish undefeated. Although UTEP almost rendered that moot.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Mike C says:
Everyone thinks that J-Kidd is somebody that can only succeed in a run-and-gun type of offense and that’s just wrong.
Just because he can’t shoot from the outside doesn’t mean he’ll excel in the triangle as well.
He’s a great passer in a pick-and-rolls, cuts, and he’s the best lob passer in the game, which will undeniably be beneficial to Bynum.
With Gasol and Bynum taking up space in the low block, Odom will undoubtedly be relegated to shooting perimeter jumpers and making entry passes.
Which, in turn, will decrease his rebounds and overall impact on the offense.
What I’m trying to say is, if the Lakers want to be truly special, they need to trade Odom for Kidd.
Now Fisher is a solid point guard and is a very good 3-point shooter this year, but he has one of the worst handles and passing ability among starting point guards in the league.
The Lakers won’t even miss Odom’s rebounding that much because Kidd is a great rebounder for a guard.
He’ll even improve the Lakers’ running game, which they can rely on, when teams put on zones to disrupt the triangle.
The Lakers will become a HISTORIC level team, if they now add Kidd!!! They have to do this!!!
February 4th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
laballer says:
as a life long laker fan..and a huge fan of kidd’s play..i still think we dont need that contract..when kobe resigns..which he will..itll be a big contract..bynum’s contract is gonna be large as well with the way he’s playing and the lack of quality centers in the league..why is kidd leaving NJ? he wants a big contract as well and a long one..job security…it wont work now that we have gasol’s contract as well…HOWEVER..say we had smush still and our pg position was a huge gaping hole..or say kidd fit into the triangle..then it may make a little more sense..
the thing with odom that i do like is we wont have to pay him kidd’s money..he can be a playmaker..the scoring load is no longer on him..he can kill other small forwards with this size..and he is a gifted rebounder..now how the hell will the opposition be able to get rebounds when you have those three playing the front and kobe’s an underrated rebounder himself..i say we hang on to odom and see how this works..if it doesnt we can always trade him for another player who will fit with whatever it is we’ll need and we wont have to pay him kidd’s salary..which will give us flexibility to get a stronger bench..
the only thing i dont like is that kidd’s going to a contender..if not us then by the looks of it..the mavs..which if you saw yesterday’s game..they needed a playmaker BADLY..that’ll make them a tougher team to deal with..
whatever it is though..i see good things for the lakers..real good..
February 4th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
ian says:
bron
about the movie thing yesterday
not all the movies are bad
mk the first one was nice
the resident evil trilogy is nice
and hitman was real good
February 4th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
ian says:
i think the lakers dont need kidd
besides the fact that he cant shoot like everone has said he is not getting odoms rebounds because la big men dont suck like the nets one
with that trade i see the lakers getting worse
dont get me wrong i dont want kidd near my team but hes better than odom
i just wouldnt give up odom farmar ariza for a star they dont need
February 4th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Bossalini says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2pMyMz8Q3g
sick
February 5th, 2008 at 1:59 am
poop says:
trading for kidd is retarded. its like miami trading for shaq. 1 and done. they’ll be stuck with an old dude, with a fat contract, rocking street clothes on the dl for years. plus its not just odom for kidd. its like 3 pieces for kidd. the triangle hasnt really depended on pg’s anyway. its more of a bunch of smart and versatile basketball players.