Smack / Sep 8, 2008 / 2:08 am

LeBron worries Cleveland fans, Allan Houston’s comeback, and who is the NBA’s Tom Brady?

Tim DuncanTim Duncan (photo. adidas)

To be honest, there wasn’t much at all going on basketball-wise on Sunday; everything was all about football, and a lot of it was about Tom Brady wrecking his knee and ruining the Patriots’ season. One NFL Network reporter, every time he talked about the injury, kept hammering home how this is bad for the Pats, bad for the NFL, and bad for anyone who follows the League. Would you go that far? If someone like Kobe or LeBron went down on Opening Night and was done for the year, obviously it’s bad for their respective teams and the NBA loses money, but including everyone who follows basketball seems a little steep. Yeah, you want to see the best of the best out there, but the League will survive — it’s not like Michael Jordan retiring all over again … But that said, who is the NBA’s equivalent to Brady? Kobe doesn’t exactly have the spot-free public record; LeBron doesn’t have the rings; The Golden Child just started becoming a regular on national TV; D-Wade hasn’t been an automatic winner (read: last season). Is it Tim Duncan? He’s got the championships, the intentionally bland/robotic outward persona, plus Duncan and Brady even kind of sound the same when they talk … LeBron was in Cleveland for the Browns/Cowboys game, but of course had on that Yankees fitted that gives Cleveland fans the shakes. Kellen Winslow Jr. threw up the Roc symbol after scoring a TD, presumably in LeBron’s direction … Meanwhile, the NBA’s version of Morten Andersen, Allan Houston, is still talking comeback, and the 37-year-old may be getting a training camp invite from the Knicks. Last time around H20 made it to camp, but his “decision” to re-retire smelled suspiciously like the Knicks not wanting to have to publicly cut him and giving him the “quit or be fired” option out of respect. If Houston can play, what role does he fill with New York? Is he the top two-guard off the bench after Jamal Crawford? Do you occasionally sacrifice someone like Danilo Gallinari’s PT just to keep Houston happy? Could he give the Knicks more than Grant Hill gave the Suns under Mike D’Antoni? … Also from Knicks camp, we’re hearing that if the heavily-rumored Zach Randolph trade goes through, D’Antoni plans to bring Darko off the bench behind starters Eddy Curry and David Lee. All of the die-hard Lee fans (some people around here seriously think he’s the best player on the Knicks) will be happy to find out he could be starting, but eventually it’ll come to light that he has no offensive game to speak of … While we still don’t know exactly what Monta Ellis was doing when he sprained his ankle (if you missed it over the weekend, Monta admitted he lied about how he got hurt), we did find out a little more about the nature of the injury. The Contra Costa Times interviewed a podiatrist who said Monta suffered the most severe type of ankle sprain, since his foot rolled the opposite way of what you’re used to seeing. “It’s awful,” said Dr. Robert Verrette. “I wouldn’t wish that injury on my worst enemy.” … A good way to sum up last night’s MTV Video Music Awards came via an e-mail from Austin: “I turned to MTV, and for two straight minutes I’m just like, ‘Who the f*** is Russell Brand?’ He said some stuff that wasn’t funny, then they cut to an interview with Heidi and Spencer from ‘The Hills.’ After listening to those dopes talk for 30 seconds, I had to turn the channel and never turned back.” … We’re out like Brady …

77 Responses to “LeBron worries Cleveland fans, Allan Houston’s comeback, and who is the NBA’s Tom Brady?”

  1. Bauc says:

    first!

  2. bill says:

    who the fuck is russel brand

  3. sans says:

    Duncan has to be the Brady of the NBA. The Spurs are nothing without him. Austin, shut up about Manu, TP, and Bowen stepping up in his absence in the past, they’ll never hold up a whole season without Big Fundy.

  4. sans says:

    Also, Timmy is the only player in NBA bland enough to have boxed tapes of old Brady Bunch episodes in his locker, for inspiration. Him and Shane Battier.

  5. Austin Burton says:

    The Spurs won’t get anywhere near a title without Duncan, but they’d still make the playoffs as a lower seed at least. They still have one of the three best backcourts in the League, some lock-down defenders, maybe the best coach in the League, and they’re experienced.

  6. solomon says:

    NENE is the NBA’s tom brady…

    yeah, tearing up an ACL on the 1st game of the season (‘06-’07, if i remember it right)…

    seriously, it has to be LBJ… look at all the clowns around him… cavs would be luck to go 10-72 w/o him…

    we’re out like new england’s superbowl encore…

  7. YOUNG FED says:

    chad johonson= ron artest

    peyton maning= k.g…. finally won a chip after putting great number while not winning anything relevant

    brady=tim duncan

    adrian peterson= cp-3…. the way they use momentum as their weapom

    favre=shaq…. both washed up and keep playin till their wheels fall off… plus they just traded

    t.o.= agent zero…. both have adhd, if u now wat i min, always doing crazy shit to get their shine on

  8. yo says:

    i’m also gonna go with tim duncan as the nba’s tom brady. he’s the franchise guy on the most dominant team in the league the past decade (4 nba championships). and with the west being what it is, if t.d. went down with a season ending injury, I doubt the spurs would get into the playoffs. and even if they did get in, they would probably get eaten up by whomever they faced: lakers, new orleans, houston, portland, phoenix, utah, dallas … they be outta there like the new york knicks defense under d’antoni

  9. M says:

    Tim Duncan could be part of the brady bunch too. Next to being a cornerstone for the spurs all these years.

  10. Nikod says:

    A whole lot of people seem to assume that the Pats are out of the playoffs without Brady. How could you assume that, I don’t really know. They haven’t played without him in nearly a decade and they won last night when they did. The NFL isn’t a one man show, they could still easily make the playoffs.

    Which is what the Spurs would probably do without TD.

  11. Coop says:

    haha Russell Brand can actually be very funny but he’s very English so it was bound to go down badly over your way.

  12. alf (from melmak) says:

    i just want to start some sort of poll today.

    who is the most possible mid level to star status player likely to be traded before the regular season opens?
    a. ak47 (there must be an eastern team willing to absorb his fat contract),
    b. iverson (last year of his contract, i think),
    c. sheed and prince (dumars promised an overhaul),
    d. diaw and barbosa (unfit to new sun’s system),
    e. whoever else is in your mind.

  13. sans says:

    I didn’t know you were English, Coop.

  14. sans says:

    I always though, Canadian for some reason.

  15. sans says:

    *thought*

  16. sans says:

    AI will walk to the Cavs after whoever trades him.

    Austin, despite the greatness of Pop, no way the Spurs make the playoffs without Timmy. No way. They wouldn’t be able to win in Texas at all and they play a lot of games there. You’re delusional. Right about how good the Spurs are, but delusional in your fanhood.

  17. sans says:

    *trade*s for him. Drunk.

  18. AB40 says:

    It’s gotta be TD but the spurs arn’t loved by the media like the pats. LeBron is a close seccond. If he’s injured the entire year the cavs won’t even sniff the playoffs win the lottery get blake griffin in the 09 draft and bea the blazers in ‘10 for the nba championship… HHHHHEEEEEELLLLL NNNNNOOOOO

  19. Coop says:

    I am indeed an Englishman.

    I dont think Detroit will trade anyone until near the deadline, when contenders want a bit extra to put them over the top.

    Ben Gordon is on my list, as are Captain Jack, T-Mac and Boozer.

  20. S-SiN says:

    NBA’s Brady? why would you wanna have one if there’s no such thing? a late round draft pick picking apart the whole league (last year)? duncan? nah man c’mon..
    AND it;s good to know i’m not the only one who’s been drinkin on sunday and then some..
    you know how you go thru the day after all-night-all-out..

  21. S-SiN says:

    btw
    this FIRST shit’s gotta go. seriously

  22. Dagomar says:

    I would laugh if Darko came off the bench for Curry and Lee. Who would have predicted that, 4 or 5 years ago?

    As for Brady, he’s Lebron, Kobe and Duncan rolled into one. This IS a blow for the NFL, but everything depends on him healing his knees for the next season.

  23. Three Stacks says:

    I would say the NBA doesn’t have an equivalent to Tom Brady. If I had to pick, it’d probably be Kobe more so than Duncan. Both have the numbers and rings, both play in big markets, and Kobe being out would impact the NBA as a whole a lot more than Duncan being out would.

    But the biggest difference is that the media doesn’t fawn over Duncan like they do w/ Kobe and Brady. Brady gives some of the most over-the-top press conferences you’ll ever see, and even with (dropped) rape charges on his resume, the media can’t get enough of Kobe.

  24. Three Stacks says:

    Even if Brady has a torn ACL, the Pats probably make the playoffs. Even though they had a 16-0 record last year, they somehow drew the easiest schedule in the league.

    I say Brady should play though, even with an injury. I mean, Shawne Merriman has the same injury (worse maybe) and is playing through it. And linebacker is a lot harder on your body than QB.

    Don’t be a pussy, Brady.

  25. josh tha roc says:

    AB pop was coach in 96′…they had a legit SG SF combo in elliot and Nique’ and chip’ experience in mad max, and the general…..not to forget the talent of Jamie Fieck… The Admiral went down and they sucked, and thats what would happen if TD went down.

  26. solomon says:

    i dunno… they’ve got a legit guard combo in manu and tony, solid defender in bowen, decent post game with oberto…

    man, ur right… still, im going with LBJ… at least tim’s got 2 all-stars (manu, parker) to run along with…

  27. josh tha roc says:

    decent post game….your kiddin right.

  28. Coop says:

    To be fair Josh, the Spurs tanked that season. And they didn’t have 2 legit all-stars still healthy (as the spurs do now (well okay manu is injured now lol but you get my point))

    I think they’d have a shot at making it but they would be on the outside looking in.

  29. Kevin says:

    That much on Allan Houston?!?! Who the F cares?!

  30. dcom says:

    But seriously…who the fuck is Russel Brand???

  31. khameleon outta DC says:

    that wasn’t a ROC symbol…that was the U for the University of Miami

  32. solomon says:

    ok, i might have exagerrated a bit… decent post defense, good enough?

    and yeah, who the fuck is russel brand? surely not elton’s bro, right?

  33. Kobeef says:

    What’s going on with the Marko-Darko-Bo Trade? The Knicks coach and GM have both made public statements confirming the discussions…the calm before the trade?

    Hey Dime…using your “I’m not a betting man, but if I was” what are the vegas-odds on Monta’s injury being caused by one of the following? I’m suggesting:

    2:1 – Motorcycle crash: he fell sideways trying to keep the bike upright and that is why his ankle bent outwards.

    4:1 – Pick-up Basketbal: came down awkwardly after a shot.

    5:1 – car accident

  34. shake&bake says:

    I feel bad for Monta (except for the fact that he was probably doing something stupid since he lied about it), I turned my ankle the opposite way like he did while I was playing football and broke both of the bones in my lower leg (not ankle). Not fun. I hope he heals well cause I like his game and he’s starting to come into his own. I want to see what he can do with out Baron.

  35. yoda says:

    don’t know whos is that brady, i don’t follow nfl, ut who comes to my mind (of past 15-20 years that i follow nba) is david robinson. after he got hurt, spurs went from top tier team to crap team that won like 5 games. and if i recall correctly, he was only one missing from previous year. you can’t compare teams like bulls, who went to crap hole after mj’s second retirement, because they changed whole team and best player was 6th player from year before (kukoc).
    as for this year, guess lebron fits that brady profile. cavs would be nowhere to be seen and with all those ass kissing from nba&journalists, if lebron miss 3 months, it would be end of the world for some magazines and david stern.
    as for MTV Video Music Awards.. whats MTV? :) that channel is crap in past decade, even more.

  36. schoops says:

    Russell Brand is… that annoying dude who was never funny in the MTV commercials. That is it.

    Allan Houston will not be able to give anything close to what Grant Hill did down in phoenix. When he was in his prime h20 was a one dimensial (scorer) player who did have one of the sweetest strokes in the league.

    As for Lee, talent wise he may not be the best NYK, but as a fan he’s the one guy you root for each night. He’s playing witha bunch of malcontent, fat, and ssometimes crazy losers yet he busts his ass and is a rebounding force. PLus his tip in with time expiring two years back was just epic. Crawford and Marbury (when sane) easily have more talent, but I’d wat Lee on my taem over any other Knick. He’s an actual winner, something Randolph, Crawford, Marbury, and others are not.

  37. Ross says:

    Duncan is definitely Brady, since everyone compares the Spurs to the Patriots.

  38. chrisGO says:

    rewind to 3-4 years ago, i’d answer Steve Nash as the Tom Brady of the NBA.

    i know Nash doesn’t have near the accolades that Brady does, but in regards to looking forward to watch in any given game I think Nash fits the bill.

    the Suns would fall apart without him, he makes everyone around him better, and that offense can draw in the most inept basketball fan for 48 minutes.

    im sure someone is going to bring their hate to my choice of the NBA’s Brady- pointing out his lack of defensive presence (or skills for that matter), but the parallels couldn’t be closer.

    …its a shame that Phoenix Suns basketball that was fun to watch is dead.

  39. Kobeef says:

    @Schoops

    Crawford?

    I thought he was one of the good guys on that team?

    Crawford works hard, stays in shape and while he sometimes hogs the ball has a complete game. While he isn’t a star, Crawford is one of the better SG’s in the east and the type of player most teams would love to have….amd I missing something?

  40. Celts Fan says:

    so basketball starts in 2 months right? and the baseball playoffs start in a month? and I need to wait 5 days to legally purchase the gun that I’ll engrave #12 into and use to take my own life? ugh.

    karma’s a b***h

  41. Spliff 2 My Lou says:

    As far as personal life is concerned, Marko Jaric is Tom Brady. Somehow they both bagged Victoria Secret dime pieces.

  42. Spliff 2 My Lou says:

    How the hell does Curry fit into D’Antoni’s system? Z-Bo contributes more than Curry yet they want to get rid of Zach and start Curry. That makes no sense to me. Am I missing something here?

  43. Mike says:

    “LeBron was in Cleveland for the Browns/Cowboys game, but of course had on that Yankees fitted that gives Cleveland fans the shakes.”

    Am I the only one that finds it interesting that a huge basketball star wears a baseball cap to a football game?

  44. Spliff 2 My Lou says:

    Lebron was cheering for the Cowboys too.

  45. Mike says:

    “Who the f*** is Russell Brand?”

    Russell Brand was in the best comedy of the year (so far), Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

    MTV has lost any relevancy as a TV station. There’s no music and nothing cutting edge. Just a bunch of spoiled kids parading around (Hills, Sweet Sixteen, etc.). I’d say they should go back to playing music videos, but they would just play whatever music the rich white girls liked that week.

  46. Coop says:

    Not sure the Crawford has a complete game or mind; he can’t defend, he’s not a great slasher and he doesnt have great court vision.

  47. MSkittle says:

    I know Andy Roddick is the Tom Brady of tennis. Dating models is key haha

  48. dapro says:

    The NBA has no Tom Brady because the league doesn’t use the same type of promotion as the NFL

    The closet would be Kobe off the court

    Duncan on the court (rings, mvps,etc)

  49. schoops says:

    @Kobeef… crawford jacks more shots than anyone. He constantly wasted 10-15 seconds a possession trying to take someone one on one, and then settles for a crossover-to-crappy jumper. He can’t guard his shadow either. Plus he’s never been on a winning team, ever. You are right though, lately he seems to play with more passion, so the jury is still out on him (unlike marbury and randolph who are wastes of space).

    @spliff to my lou… no one will ever want Curry. Randolph at least puts up offensive numbers and rebounds. I think I grabbed more rebounds for the knicks last season than Curry. Randolph has some value, Curry has none.

  50. Tom S. says:

    The Daily Smack, or maybe it should be called “The Daily LeBron Has to Leave Cleveland Post.” The season needs to start soon cause you guys need something new to write about. They didn’t sign Lorenzen Wright to be their #2 guy or even a rotation player. He’s their #5 big man who will probably only play if someone is hurt. Considering that their #5 big was Dwayne Jones last year, it’s probably an upgrade.

  51. Ian says:

    ab40
    the pats loved???? what?

    youngfed
    pleaseee dont compare shaq a lazy fat bitch to my fav football player ever
    shaq sucks now and favre had one of his better seasons at age 50 last year so its not a good comparison

    austin
    i think the spurs make the playoffs like u said but barely without timmy but u know they are getting destroyed in the first round (manus health doesnt really help).

    people comon russell brand is aldous snow hes fucking awesome

    josh tha roc
    u gotta be kidding about the elliot and nique combo
    and yeah oberto is decent u need a player like that on championship teams.

    yoda
    u r so fukin right about david robinson
    that the point i use when sayin why hes one of the greatest ever
    no player carried more of a load than david in his prime
    the spurs won 20 games before he came in the league from day one he made the spurs elite in 96 he goes down and its 20 wins again
    like u said not even the bulls losing their best player dropped like that they still made it to game 7 of the second round
    orlando didnt drop like that when shaq left
    the knicks made the finals when pat went down (the team actually got better lol)

    now on the brady thing is has to be a player from the best team of the past 8-10 years that has won multiple rings so that only leaves kobe and duncan
    and since duncan has won more and more recently and has the personality it has to be him. but then again if it has to be someone drafted late like brady how about manu? but im still picking duncan

  52. schoops says:

    @dapro… I hope brady isn’t like Kobe off the court. Otherwise there’s a huge lawsuit from a 19 year old coming along soon. Plus he’d have to get married first before getting with her.

  53. Ian says:

    curry is a joke
    hes fucking allergic to rebounding

  54. P_Dizzle says:

    Wow! So I imdb’d this Russell Brand guy. Still have no clue who the hell he is. Looks like John Amechi’s long lost lover.

    And what the hell is this “The Hills” show I hear about? Sounds like a bunch of spoiled little shits driving their dad’s BMW’s all day. Am I missing something here?

    TD has to be the equivalent of Tom Brady. ‘Cept is TD dating a Gisele? I’ve never seen his(TD’s) girlfriend / wife. If she is hot then he’s the NBA version of Tom Brady.

    LMAO at post #53.

  55. Jim says:

    This is Russell Brand’s second go around with MTV. The first time his job ended on Sept 12, 2001 when he came to work drunk and dressed as Osama bin Laden. TRUE.

  56. schoops says:

    Ian… when Ewing went down in 99 he was at the tail end of his career. Not exactly the same. and Ewing in his prime had john starks (my favorite player ever) as his #2…. I love starks, but um, he was in the CBA a few seasons before. Ewing had it hard too.

  57. BxBaller says:

    Schoops, really? Have you watched Crawford in the last 2 seasons.

    Anyways, this Z-Bo for Darko/Marko trade is making me sick. Really, are my Knicks that desperate to trade a near 20 & 10 guy for a bust and Adriana Lima’s boyfriend. Plus from what I’m hearing, they would still have to pay some of Z-Bo’s contract.

    Btw, did anybody catch Kobe at the VMA’s? I caught like 2 minutes of it when Lil’ Wayne & T-Pain were performing and the camera caught a shot of Kobe & his wife in the crowd.

  58. Top_Gun says:

    Brady can’t be compared to Duncan just cause they both have rings. Brady is a QB and therefore should be compared to a PG. At the same time, he’s also still young, and Duncan’s best years are behind him. Taking all this into account

    Tom Brady = Gilbert Arenas (even though he has no championships)

  59. that's whats up says:

    MTV lost me about 15 years ago. Nothing but stupid crap.

    without Duncan, the Spurs could nab a 7-8 seed and then probably bow out. But, Top_Gun, Duncan’s is not slipping at all – he is legit and holding up well. So, see you in the conference finals – again.

    The Tom Brady equivalent for the NBA would be if Jay-Z went into a coma for the whole season

  60. that's whats up says:

    Jay-Z going down would affect EVERYBODY

  61. Ross says:

    This is Russell Brand:
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080908/ap_en_ot/mtv_awards_russell_brand_1

  62. Jim says:

    Top_Gun, I think Brady is one year younger than Duncan. QBs and big men have pretty similar career declines most of the time.

  63. aj says:

    Dime

    The problem with the poll is it needs to specify whether the most irreplaceable player to win a chip or become the Miami Heat of 2007-08.

    Duncan and Kobe’s team would still be a 6-9 seed in the West w/out them but have no shot at winning a chip.

    The rest of those guys would have teams that wouldn’t win 20 or 25 games w/out them but they still don’t have the best shot at winning a championship with them.

    To me the most irreplaceable players are the ones that cost me a chance to win it all, it don’t matter if I’d make the playoffs without them.

  64. schoops says:

    BxBaller.. so then what do you think fo crawford? that’s not exactly clear.

  65. pze says:

    people hate the spurs who cares if tim duncan got hurt and their team sucked. i think people would be happy to not have to watch their borring and cheating asses in the playoffs

  66. Brown says:

    Tom Brady scores the baddest white chicks on the planet. Tim Duncan, not so much.

  67. Coldchain says:

    Duncan’s wife:

    http://www.hoopsvibe.com/IMG/jpg/4/Tim_and_Amy_Duncan.jpg

  68. Ian says:

    schoops
    if by ewing had it hard u mean he had jordan and miller in his conference well ok but he had a WAY better team around him that the admiral did i know u arent comparing the teams but comon man u had an elite pg a good sg and a very strong pg not to mention riles as coach
    now david had elliot and thats it del negro his 2 guard what????

    aj
    u r right about the irreplaceable players

  69. schoops says:

    Ewing’s supporting cast was a bunch of badass mother fuc*ers, but they were solid, not amazing. Oakley was an enforcer, as was Mason, and Starks was about one of the only people to D up Jordan hard… but that’s not exactly an amazing cast. But yes, having Riley brought out the best (and meanest) in each player on that team. In ‘99 he had much better players (camby, spree, houston, LJ) but he was past his prime.

  70. Coop says:

    Brand is actually good but our humour differs from yours so it was a mistake on the organisers’ part.

  71. GEE... runnin a train! says:

    With all due respect to football. I still love Basketball season more! I say make the season 135 games a year.

    Anyway. Have to double on that Duncan’s wife not so much deal lol. Still Duncan is Brady. Hope he don’t get hurt like him.

    Brady is the man and all, but still I like the way P. Manning runs his squad more. His lil brotha ain’t half bad either (did his thing in the Super Bowl). I love the commercial with them and the Williams Sisters.

    What is the most pointless sport in the world? Imma have to say Nascar. Seriously anybody into it please help me out. What is the fun in watchin cars go in circles? I hear people like the crashin and all but still the rest is just going in circles. Ain’t that like watchin a dog chase his tail?

    Young Fed I like that list and have to agree with all you had on it.

  72. sans says:

    Gee, NASCAR proves you can do anything for four hours if involves hanging with your boys and drinking. I don’t get Nascar either, but car wrecks are fun to watch.

  73. Ian says:

    gee
    noooooo shaq is not favre comon man

  74. the rocket cat says:

    Brady is over-rated. Who’s the best QB in the NFL? Whoever has Randy Moss on his team.

    In a few months, everyone’s going to be talking about what a lucky surprise Matt Cassel is.

  75. Mark says:

    I might think this would fuel attendance, as some people will watch the Pats fall just for the sake of it. Over in these parts, there aren’t any Pat fans (but plenty of hate), so it may not be the worst thing for the rest of the league.

    I won’t call anyone out about the Tom Brady of the NBA, but I really hope Greg Oden doesn’t fall out again. Not a Trailblazers fan at all, but I’m interested in his development.

  76. Ian says:

    the rocket cat
    how many superbowls brady has without moss??? u must be kidding about being overrated

  77. hadoken says:

    tim duncan’s wife looks as boring as his game…

    kII didn’t throw up the roc on sunday, he was throwing up the U

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