Chris Paul (photo. Mannion)For 47 minutes of Hornets/Magic, Peja Stojakovic was having such an off night that the Orlando announcers were questioning Byron Scott for even having him on the court in crunch time. But that didn’t stop Peja from stepping up with about a minute to go and hitting the go-ahead three-pointer on a shot that can only be described as ballsy — considering the time, situation, the fact that he had a defender draped all over him and the fact that he’d hit only one field goal up until then. A couple possessions later Peja (10 pts, 2-for-11 FG’s) hit some free throws to put the Hornets up by three with 10 seconds left, and after Hedo Turkoglu (26 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts) drove in for an uncontested dunk, Chris Paul missed two free throws and gave Orlando the ball back with a chance to win. Stan Van Gundy’s strategy was to find whoever Stojakovic was guarding and attack, which led to Keyon Dooling bricking a step-back jumper … Before that final sequence, it seemed every play the Hornets ran in the fourth quarter was a pick-and-roll, and if CP (19 pts, 12 asts) wasn’t scoring on floaters and layups in the lane, he was lobbing to Tyson Chandler. They ran the same play over and over again and Orlando never quite figured out how to stop it … We don’t mean to sound extra-hokey, but Chris Paul really is a super-nice guy. Immediately after the game he was being interviewed by Orlando’s sideline reporter, and although CP was clearly pissed about missing those free throws, he still said, “Thank you, I appreciate it,” afterwards … You know how in baseball, some subpar hitters just own certain pitchers? Whenever Marcus Camby has gone up against Shaq lately, his jumper becomes money. Camby knocked down a few top-of-the-key J’s in Denver’s loss to Phoenix on Monday, and yesterday — in the second game of a home-and-home — stuck a couple big-time J’s down the stretch, including one which turned out to be the game-winner with about 40 seconds left. Like Peja, Camby (6 pts, 11 rebs) hadn’t really done anything offensively up until then. After he tossed in his funky-looking shot from about 18 feet out, though, one of the Nuggets announcers screamed, “MC drops the Hammer!” … On one of the Suns’ last-gasp chances, Kenyon Martin made the smartest play of the game by fouling Shaq as soon as he grabbed an offensive rebound, sending Diesel to the line instead of allowing one of the Suns’ shooters to take a three. Shaq bricked two from the stripe and that was pretty much the ballgame … The other day we looked at where Tony Parker ranks among the League’s top point guards, seeing as a lot of Spurs-haters can’t give him proper respect. Last night TP definitely outplayed one guy who’s usually ranked ahead of him, Baron Davis, putting up 26 points and 7 dimes in a Spurs win, beating Baron (19 pts, 2 asts) at his own high-octane game. Even when the Spurs got roped into playing Golden State’s style they did it better than the Warriors and held them under 100 points for the first time since January 9. That’s THIRTY-SEVEN straight games where GS had cracked triple digits. Defense wins championships, kids … Monta Ellis (14 pts, 5-for-16 FG’s) didn’t have his best night, but Sean Elliott was trippin’ when he called Monta a gunner. This came during the same half where the Spurs broadcast showed a graphic displaying Monta’s 53-percent shooting from the field. Does Elliott even watch the Warriors play? Anyone who does knows that Ellis is super-efficient and probably the least gunner-ish of any explosive scoring two-guard in the League … An e-mail from Cass during the Spurs game titled “Duncan vs. Austin Croshere” read like this: “Advantage: Relentless Cyborg Hall of Fame Power Forward with 700 Post Moves.” Duncan finished with 17 points, 13 boards and 3 blocks. Croshere played 15 confusing minutes … The Rockets continue to struggle since having the 22-game win streak snapped, dropping a game in Sacramento last night. Kevin Martin (27 pts) hit two free throws with about 50 seconds left to give Sacto the lead, and no one else scored before T-Mac (32 pts) missed a jumper at the buzzer that could have won it … Dikembe Mutombo blocked a shot and started giving the finger wave to the Kings bench. He got a technical. Deke usually seems to get away with that, even though guys who dunk on Dikembe and wave the finger often get T’d up. Funny how the Kings announcers were actually defending Mutombo in the whole thing, too … Rick Adelman started the game out having Dikembe guard Mikki Moore, Louis Scola guard Ron Artest (30 pts), and T-Mac guard Brad Miller. We guess he was thinking Mac would conserve more energy against the more stationary Miller than with Artest, but do you really want your injury-prone superstar (who’s already playing hurt) dealing with a guy who’s been beasting cats in the post lately? … During Celtics/Bulls (the C’s won), the Chicago announcers (including Stacey King) got into a heated argument over who has the better bench, Boston or Detroit. One of them said that KG and ‘Sheed cancel each other out, and Pierce and Prince cancel each other out. Um, what? … And while this was going on, the Pistons’ “bench” did the heavy lifting in beating the Wolves. The reason for the quotation marks is because since ‘Sheed, Chauncey and Rip were given the night off, Rodney Stucky (27 pts), Theo Ratliff and Jarvis Hayes were in the first five. Not like the Pistons care, but you know some fantasy owners out there are kind of freaking out since there was really no warning that Flip Saunders would be sitting those guys … Andre Iguodala is playing out of his mind right now. His 17-point, 10-dime stat line against Jersey wasn’t the greatest, but he’s got an intensity and bounce in his step that seems like that of a guy poised to carry his team to a postseason shocker … You’ve seen the cover of Dime #40 featuring Michael Beasley, and might have already grabbed it off newsstands. Come back to DimeMag.com later this morning, when we’ll have the behind-the-scenes video of Mike’s cover shoot that we did when he and K-State came to NYC earlier this season … In other college hoops news, the NIT championship game is set after UMass and Ohio State won in the semis at Madison Square Garden last night. UMass point guard and former Dime “What’s My Name?” subject Chris Lowe (16 pts, 5 asts) helped ruin what would have been a weird Florida/Ohio State final that would have been a “How the Mighty Have Fallen” rematch of last year’s Big Dance ‘chip … We’re out like Detroit’s starters …
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:08 am
bill says:
yay for me
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:31 am
Flying-Dutchman says:
“An e-mail from Cass during the Spurs game titled “Duncan vs. Austin Croshere” read like this: “Advantage: Relentless Cyborg Hall of Fame Power Forward with 700 Post Moves.” Duncan finished with 17 points, 13 boards and 3 blocks. Croshere played 15 confusing minutes”
.. LOL
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:09 am
Mike says:
Now how bout Vince Carter’s dunk over Dalembeast last night?
Is it the sixth now?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=em0ivZo0ccE
http://ezinearticles.com/?Vince-Carter-Dunk-or-How-to-Dunk-Like-Air-Canada&id=581663
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:15 am
YOUNGFED says:
Damn if Stucky started he’d be ROY.
“Guess who’s back, back is the incredible”- Chuck D.
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:59 am
YOUNGFED says:
5 Best Teams in the league hands down:
1.) Detroit
2.) Lakers
3.) Celtics
4.) Suns
5.) Utah/NO (undecided here)
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
djKianoosh says:
youngfed, keep sleeping on NO, Utah and uhm, hello, the defending champs. the western conference goes through the Spurs for the title. simple as that.
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:27 am
YOUNGFED says:
DJ
first the Spurs are not playing that great this year and are really starting look old. Also how am I sleeping on NO and Utah when they’re on my top five list?
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:29 am
Celts Fan says:
I think Detroit’s got a better bench than Boston. We have some really nice pieces and I like ours a lot, but Detroit has more versatility, youth, and scoring off the bench (though no Youngfed, if Stuckey started every game, he wouldn’t be ROY, he’d be 3rd behind Durant and Horford.)
and it’s tough to call Detroit the best team in the league when they’re not the best in their own conference (head to head and overall records back this up)
the real top 5.
1. Boston
2. SA (someone’s got to beat them before we can just dismiss them, though I do think the window’s starting to close without many people realizing it yet)
3. Detroit
4. Utah
5. LA
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:31 am
Celts Fan says:
*the ONLY reason NO isn’t on my list is that besides Bonzi and Pargo, their bench is pretty thin.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:25 am
YOUNGFED says:
Celts No NO. SMH. The Pistons are the best handsdown, no other team in the league can win games with just their 2nd unit. PHENOMINAL!!!
Stucky is gonna be a beast next year.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:26 am
YOUNGFED says:
Also Dime your site has really been acting up lately. Get it right dudes.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:34 am
Yooooo says:
Apparently you guys have forgetten that the LAKERS have the best bench in the league. As far point production, there isn’t a team in the league who gets more from there bench. Chris Mihm, Turiaf, Radmonovich, Walton, Farmar, Ariza, Vujajic. And not that they count for much but Newble & DJ Mbenga.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:47 am
celticsdada says:
ayyo YoungFed , get it right son your team played against the motherf-ing mini wolves!!!!!!!!!!!
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:56 am
dave says:
the same timberwolves that beat the jazz? the wolves may not be that good, but winning in minnesota without your 3 best players… that’s impressive
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:56 am
dave says:
the same timberwolves that beat the jazz a few days earlier? the wolves may not be that good, but winning in minnesota without your 3 best players… that’s impressive
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:02 am
YOUNGFED says:
@Yoooooo
GTFOH x2
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 am
SPURS B. ROLLIN' says:
YA’LL MUST’VE FORGOT !!!!!!!
time 2 repeat
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:20 am
rangerjohn says:
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:27 am
YOUNGFED says:
DJ
first the Spurs are not playing that great this year and are really starting look old. Also how am I sleeping on NO and Utah when they’re on my top five list?
yet another guy who doesnt pay any attention to the entire league. the spurs have not been playing well and are looking old? did you see them 20 piece the rockets on sunday, playing a rockets game of defense? ok how about the warriors game last night, spurs where up by THIRTY (30) WITH 1 MINUTE LEFT IN THE GAME! and they OUT RAN THE WARRIORS, the warriors, you know the highest scoring team in the league? 8 game streak, playing both great offense and stellar D. they looked old and slow around december and january when they played with duncan out, (you know the cyborg hall of famer with 700 post moves lmao) without manu (6th man of the year who can play with ANYONE in the league), and then parker went out for what 9 games?
spurs make top 5 until someone takes them down and the way they are playing right now noone is taking htem down.
and now detroit, come one man they played backup players against THE TIMBERWOLVES! you know the t-wolves the team with 19 wins, the 3rd worst team in the league, the team that would have got rolled out of the elite 8 if they played college teams, the team whose second best player is RYAN GOMES!
lets be realistic here.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:22 am
SPURS B. ROLLIN' says:
…and Croshere should win the “Rogaine Most Improved Head of Hair” award for this season.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:35 am
Celts Fan says:
I know we like to clown here, but NO TEAM in the NBA would lose to a college team. You guys bust on Ryan Gomes, but dude ran ish in the Big East (and will be a solid player in the NBA when he gets a role on a good team instead of being asked to carry too much of a load on a bad one. He should be a first guy off the bench type.) Even the bums were really good in college (remember Scal at USC?)
also, the pistons beat the TWolves. Congratulations. The Celtics have beaten plenty of teams without KG and/or Ray Allen (including ending Houston’s streak w/out Ray) but that doesn’t mean crap. Any team that’s good enough to challenge for a chip shouldn’t automatically lose just because you lose a player or two. The Pistons have to beat us or have a better record before you can say they’re even the best team in the East.
you are right though, Stuckey’s been really good. Let’s call him S-Hova.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:58 am
doc says:
Iggy is stepping his heart and character up this year.Me and my peoples always used to say scream after a dunk or ice grill somebody.He used to look like all he did all day was play Xbox or something. I used to think he was a gipper but hes proving me wrong and Im glad because we showing our ass for the last couple of months.20-7.
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
nick says:
utah can’t be top 5 right now. NO takes there spot since utah is a horrible road team, two losses to the twolves on the road don’t cut it. yes it’s only two games but in comparison to the other top teams their road record is awful.
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:45 pm
GEE...Can someone get T-Mac a body cast says:
Can they at least get 50 and then enough to make the playoffs.
Houston Up!
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
GEE...Can someone get T-Mac a body cast says:
By the way the real top 5!
I don’t even like this team but you always have to go through the champs. Fed and Celts you know that. Stop doing that homer thing and putting your squads up at 1. You know defending champs got it till one of your squads can take it away. Now if the champs get knocked out early in the playoffs feel free to get that 1 spot. Till then.
1. Spurs - Til another team can show a 06-07 trophy hush
2. Detroit - Older and been there before
2. Boston - Their hunger and youth equal Detroit out
3. L.A. - We all have seen the machine when at all health
4. Suns - It will be hard to beat them in 7 for real.
5. N.O. - Young and tenacious but still unproven
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
K Dizzle says:
I like Gee’s list better.
Detroit better hope that Rip’s hip gets right cuz he’s been missin games and then tries to come back, only to go back out with soreness. I actually agree with Youngfed about the spurs. During their 8 game win streak, they beat Chi, Sac, Dal, Orl, Clips, Min, Hou, GS but no team I’d call a real contender. Still, we all know it’ll crank up by May.
Anyone else catch the sick oop to Shaq last night? He looked like he was back in ‘99
A couple months ago, we were discussin whether Dre Iguodala made the right choice to reject the Sixers 5yr/57M offer cuz he wanted 5yr/60M. A difference of 660,000 a season. Sixers shoulda given it to him cuz over the past 3 months, his price is climbin. He’ll get over 60M now
Nash is now averagin 26.5ppg and 13apg since he got popped in the mouth. Don’t sleep
Has Dallas beat a team over .500 since Kidd got there yet?
Won’t happen tonight cuz GS sees the light at the end and gonna need to leapfrog the Mavs and toss em out of the playoffs
Lakers just signed Newble, Pau’s comin back, hopefully Ariza gets back soon so we get ready to do that damage.
UCLA - 2008 Bball Champs
KB24 - still the MVP, but CP3 makin me nervous…
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Ian says:
younfed
detroit lol
best in the league
u know what is surprising the spurs look slow the spurs look old but guess what check their standing in the WEST not your leastern conference.
and i love how everyone loves all that bullshit about detroit turning it on when it counts that they have been here before people it was ONE ring let it go detoit is just a real good team that plays in the east in the west they would be a middle of the pack avg team. detroit lost to a one man team the same team that got destroyed by the spurs.
boston is better than detroit
and like 4 teams in the west are better
heres the top 5
spurs
lakers
boston
hornets
suns
all better than the pistons and they all have a true superstar which detroit doesnt have (well maybe boston doesnt either but have three players that are as good or even better than detroits best)
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
rangerjohn says:
lmao at all the spurs hate.
the spurs haters dont even bother to see how the spurs are playing on any given night, (or season for that mater) they read one story about “the spurs are the oldest team in the league” and they see a losing streak (if 4 games qualifies) and they assume they spurs are done. remember the spurs are 18-6 since the break and 3 of those games where with no parker. no spur even averages 35 minutes. duncan is putting up 20 and 11 in 34 minutes. only 1 player averages more points and rebounds, (d howard) but he does it in 38 minutes.
manu is averaging 31 minuts and kills off the bench, parker averages 33.5 minutes and is just getting all the way back from his injury.
the average age of the spurs is high but that is due to a couple people, horry (done time to retire) finley, still lighting it up, bowen, still guarding anyone and everyone on the wing, barry, injured but still lights it up, thomas, well rounded but slow.
spurs can play with anyone and better then them all on any given night. the test is putting 4 out of 7 and they are not going out without a fight IF they go out at all!
keep hating and the spurs keep rolling
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:44 pm
AB_40 says:
Detroit is in hornets spot. Didn’t you see what happens when you deny paul the ball after he made his first pass in the offence you win by 20. Ok maybe 10 but detroit busted they but dayum… are the mavs finally gonna win on a team over .500 or are the smoothly roling out of the playoffs?
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:02 pm
tealish says:
Lol Dime, you guys are ridiculous with your Sean Elliot hate. Calling Monta Ellis a gunner is by no means a stretch. Being highly efficient doesn’t take away the fact that you are a gunner. A gunner is just someone who doesn’t mind shooting and shooting for stretches in the game.
It’s not a bad thing. You can be efficient at “gunning it”. Maybe you guys are the ones who are trippin’. I know there are certain media guys that can really irk you, but take it easy now.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:24 pm
IGP says:
the Heat would lose to any team in the final 4 right meow
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Tim says:
to whoever said lakers bench is better….last time i checked Pistons had best bench scoring…coudl be wrong though, that was a while ago lol
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:57 am
YOUNGFED says:
lol @ Celts post #20
April 4th, 2008 at 9:02 am
rangerjohn says:
“April 2nd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Tim says:
to whoever said lakers bench is better….last time i checked Pistons had best bench scoring…coudl be wrong though, that was a while ago lol ”
man pistons bench is 20 in the league in scoring, seatle of all teams is #1 with spurs #2
http://82games.com/benchstats.htm