Selective Momentum
Chris Paul (photo. Zach Wolfe)Whether you believe a team’s preseason record means anything probably depends on how your team finishes the preseason. If you’re a Hornets fan, for example, the exhibition schedule is all the more reason to be pumped about your team, seeing as they finished 7-0 following last night’s rout over Miami. David West put up 22 points and eight boards against the Heat, while Chris Paul handed out 13 assists to go with six points. But if you’re, say, a Miami fan, you’re looking at your team’s 1-5 preseason record and steady convincing yourself there’s nothing to worry about … Milwaukee Bucks fans (all 307 of them) can’t even pretend, though. Last night’s loss to the Wolves makes them 1-6 in the preseason: in four of those losses they’ve failed to hit 80 points, and in five of the losses they’ve been beaten by double digits. Of all the NBA’s new acquisitions, we’ve got Richard Jefferson in the pool for who will start to look absolutely miserable first. Jefferson isn’t just going from a decent team right beside a major city to a sorry team in a smaller town; he’s also in an unfamiliar situation in that when the Bucks start to stink, everyone will be looking at RJ for answers. He’ll learn there’s a big difference between being the #3 guy and being the #2 guy … So Kobe didn’t play on Thursday after all, taking the night off against the Bobcats to rest his hyperextended knee. Rocking a kind of young man’s Bill Cosby sweater — we’ll call it the Theo Huxtable look — Kobe watched L.A. get the win anyway behind Pau Gasol’s 13 points and Andrew Bynum’s 10 boards and three blocks … Adam Morrison (13 pts) was the Bobcats leading scorer. Remember that, because it may very well be the last time it happens … Amare Stoudemire suffered a dislocated pinkie finger during Suns/Thunder and didn’t return. No word on the severity of the injury. Amare scored a team-high 17 points before getting hurt, and Russell Westbrook led OKC in the loss with 22 points, but also turned the ball over eight times … Let’s assume the Rockets can get past the playoffs first round now that they’ve picked up Ron Artest. But how far can they go after that? We previewed the ‘08-09 Rockets yesterday … Poor Cheikh Samb. The kid came into the NBA as a punchline, because before anyone had even seen him play, all we knew was that he weighed about as much as a firm pillow. Then he makes it to the big leagues and never plays; anyone who watched Detroit regularly the last couple of years might have seen Cheikh sitting/sleeping behind the bench every night in a suit and thought he was one of Rip Hamilton’s bodyguards instead of a player. Then last night, when it’s time to shine in the games that don’t count, Cheikh makes it onto the wrong end of the highlight reel. During Pistons/Hawks, Samb lazily inbounded the ball in Rodney Stuckey’s direction, but then Mo Evans jumped the pass, and in one motion, went up and did a two-hand backwards dunk in Samb’s face. The Hawks bench came unglued. Marvin Williams had a towel pressed to his head like he’d just been TKO’d, and Al Horford was jumping up and down like a little kid, pointing and laughing at Cheikh like he was telling Red in Friday he’d got knocked the f*** out … Yesterday we got on a conference call with some of TNT’s on-air talent, and from it gleaned an Eastern Conference preview from Reggie Miller (he likes Orlando, doesn’t so much like Miami), and we got Doug Collins to break down the West (thinks the Lakers are pretty much flawless, and the Nuggets could run out of gas from the top down) … The Jazz didn’t have Deron Williams (ankle), but since Portland didn’t have Greg Oden or LaMarcus Aldridge in the lineup, the Blazers’ backup big men — Channing Frye, Shavlik Randolph and Ike Diogu — got worked over by Carlos Boozer, who pulled down 15 boards to go with 16 points in Utah’s win … Rudy Fernandez is becoming awfully adept at catching alley-oops and turning them into layups. He also seems to get wide open on the baseline at least once per game to catch a lob. Against the Jazz he got a nice feed from Sergio Rodriguez on a baseline oop and dropped in a finger roll … Andrea Bargnani, Ramon Sessions, Mickael Pietrus, and the infamous Stephon Marbury/Darko tandem. Those are just a few of the Fantasy Doctor’s sleeper picks for the ‘08-09 campaign. Check out the rest HERE … If you want a DVD copy of Gunning’ For That #1 Spot (and a limited edition BAPE t-shirt), we’re giving them away HERE … We’re out like RJ’s spirit …
October 24th, 2008 at 4:20 am
QQ says:
Why does Al Horford point and scream at everybody? Uno…
October 24th, 2008 at 4:27 am
Yuji says:
We’re out like.. what?
October 24th, 2008 at 4:49 am
snoop_robb says:
Rockets Champs in 2009 baby!!
October 24th, 2008 at 4:58 am
Bo says:
Evans’ dunk was sick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqIYt9lVxsw
October 24th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Fox says:
Out like RJ’s (Richard Jefferson’s) Spirit!! The man plays for the Bucks now it won’t be long before his spirit is gone like Rip Hamilton’s hair from yesterday.
I’m from Chicago and Derrick Rose is cool tho I would’ve preferred the Beast, but more than any team, I’m excited to see what the Blazers do this year. For some reason I’m not convinced that CP3 and his boys can get over that hump this year or next year, or……………well………..really never.
October 24th, 2008 at 5:44 am
solomon says:
lol @ post#1
milwaukee is probably in that rare “the team looks worse than expected” mode… RJ will definetely need to man(?) up… at least it aint NYC media he’s gonna be seein’ day-in, day-out…
we’re out like a cheik samb poster
October 24th, 2008 at 5:56 am
craig says:
“you got knocked the fuck out!!!”
Damn classic. Gotta break out the friday DVDs.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:20 am
rodnets says:
Luc Mbah a Moute is than a cool name or what?
Michael Curry polishes his head? Its too shinny to be real.
He should give more playing time to Walter “He-Man” Herrmann. And Walter should attack the rim more. He can be a threat if he decides not to be that scared.
Mike Fratello (color comentator in the NBA TV preview) looked like Hannibal Lecter in disguise with that funny wig.
Jason Maxiell is a BEAST. Ive never seen such a dominant rebounder, since the days of the Worm. And he also dunks with power, he reminds me a poor mans charles barkley (without the shooting)
October 24th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Amar says:
nice, let’s keep talking about rudy getting oops and forget that ronnie brewer is straight up averaging 3-5 throwdowns a game. none of these european player dunks either . . . strong with two hands.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:47 am
schoops says:
Milwaukee should be decent this year, at least on paper. If you moved that team as-is to say sacramento or some other half way decent city I’d say their win total goes up 10 games.
And the Knicks didn’t sign David Lee to an extension. They’re going to instead let him play a year as a start for D’antoni where his numbers are sure to go up, this his demand will increase. Another smart move from the MSG front office.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:22 am
patrick says:
the preseason means nothing. the talent for everyone is close enough that if a couple guys on the team don’t care then you lose. And I think everyone knows that nba guys don’t go hard all the time.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:02 am
josh tha roc says:
don’t you mean Deeb?
October 24th, 2008 at 8:03 am
josh tha roc says:
don’t you mean Deebo?
October 24th, 2008 at 8:26 am
jimmhumm says:
People are very psoitive on Miami even though they are getting schooled. Everyone likes D-wade but the team needs a true PG. In all honesty I think they should trade blount for Marbury. Chalmers isn’t getting it, banks never had it, and livingston has robotic knees!
October 24th, 2008 at 8:32 am
goonther says:
Nah red was the first guy Deebo knocked out and stole his bike
October 24th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Hi, Jurg from Denmark says:
Hi, Jurg from Denmark here. I love Mr Ronn Artest. He is cult hero in our basketball community here in Denmark. So committed to all he can do. In Denmark fighting is celebrated like our viking ancestors. So we like Ron Aretest and Steven Jackson who fought so valiantly like warriors of the ocean in 2004. Not Jumaine O’neal who was a coward and hit guy who didn’t see him.
Lots of love to the gangs of New York and from Brooklin.
This is Jurg from Denmark, hi.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:53 am
YOUNGFED says:
Al Horton is a Biatch. Dude acts like he ain’t never seen a dunk everytime one happens. Chiek Samb is alright. But yall need to watch out for Walter Sharpe superstar in the making.
DETROIT STAND UP!!!!!
October 24th, 2008 at 8:54 am
fallinup says:
Hi Jurg.
(fallinup kicks Jurg in the nuts)
Glad to have ya here!
October 24th, 2008 at 8:57 am
fallinup says:
haha…..Al Horton.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:05 am
GEE...I got a bounty on George Karl. says:
Houston Up!
More Bounties please! In the NBA and football. Hines Ward is a Georgia boy and I got love for how he plays, so as long as no one gets hurt in a bounty it’s all good.
Yea have to agree that most def R.J. is in for a rude awakening this year.
Favorite Friday line “Smokey?!? Smokey?! You been eating corn?!”
Hilarious
50 wins is the number right. Crazy. Just to think you probably got to get 50 wins in either conference to at least have playoff hopes and expectations. Yo team pretty much got to bring it every night.
Can we get a bounty for a pure dunk on Shaq before he leaves the L?
One on Mark Cuban as well, he is annoying as f%$#!
I am soooooooo ready for the season.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Ansonious says:
the huxtable combuxtable is back I could not stop laughing watching that game last night everytime they turned the camera on Kobe unleashing the yes I’m the father figure of this team. I wonder if his teammates confess their sins to him as well? I’m out like making sense peace!
October 24th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Ashlov says:
You guys need to get yourselves one of these:
http://www.zazzle.com/i_got_mind_control_over_dibo_shirt-235424515761364280
And Dime Gods, seriously now. The preseason doesn’t exactly gauge what your regular season will be like. I’ve seen teams have great records in the preseason, and suck during the regular seasons. And vice versa.
I’m not saying Miami is going to kill everyone, because they still have their issues, but I’m not worried. The Heat should still make the playoffs, and will make plenty of noise.
Also, you didn’t say a word about Shaun Livingston playing his first game since going down. Mind you, it was garbage time, but Coach Spo said he was making some great passes. By the end of the season, Chalmers and Livingston will be fighting over who starts. Buh-bye, Quinny.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:09 am
QQ says:
Who the fuck is Al Horton?
October 24th, 2008 at 9:12 am
fallinup says:
It could have been worse for Kobe. He could have sported his limited edition Gorden Gartrell.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:36 am
John says:
The Hornets are the Jazz of the 90´s without Karl Malone ,,, they are not going to win a title ,,,,
October 24th, 2008 at 10:19 am
rodnets says:
Horton, there is a movie about an elephant I think…
http://www.hortonmovie.com/splash.html
October 24th, 2008 at 10:36 am
jl90 says:
Fun Facts from the Lakers/Bobcats game:
- According to Kevin Harlan, Dj Mbenga is a blackbelt martial artist. and still gets dunked on regularly and does nothing about it.
- Also, according to Harlan, Mbenga is from somewhere called the “Dominican Republic of the Congo”
- Coby Karl can actually dunk. Like two handed throwdown.
- Adam Morrison is winning so far in “The Looking Least like a NBA player” contest over Brian Scalabrine and Jeff Foster
also, I was watching the game with a couple of my boys and none of us had any idea who Sun Yue was….
October 24th, 2008 at 10:49 am
that's whats up says:
I still got nice dreams about Clair Huxtable
October 24th, 2008 at 10:55 am
RealWorld says:
@ post 8
Did you really throw out Michael Curry, Luc Mbah a Moute, Walter Hermann, and Mike Fratello in one post? Followed by callin Maxiell the most dominant rebounder since Rodman?
Not even gonna touch it….
October 24th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Bruce says:
Just one more week to go………….08-09 season.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
D.H. says:
Is the 2006 draft the weakest ever?