Smack / Nov 5, 2008 / 1:08 am

And the winner is…

Ray AllenRay Allen, Dime #11

Forgive us if the Dime crew’s focus wasn’t entirely on basketball last night, and you can guess why. But before we get into that, there were a few games on the NBA schedule to take care of. Rockets/Celtics had an undeniable playoff atmosphere, even if you were just flipping back and forth between it and the election coverage. Houston briefly held the lead midway through the fourth quarter before Ray Allen (29 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts) went on a tear, connecting on threes, and-ones and free throws to spark an 8-0 Boston run, which the Rockets aided by missing plenty of make-able shots and by Rafer Alston picking up a tech at the worst possible time. T-Mac finally hit a baseline floater (plus one) to give the Rockets life, and Luis Scola made a couple shots to keep it close, but every time the C’s were challenged, Ray would stick a mid-range J or a three — good job by Rick Adelman waiting about five minutes too long to stick Ron Artest on Ray — before Yao gave KG about 15 feet of open space to stick what would be the dagger with under a minute left … Despite the loss, Rockets fans should like a lot of what they saw from their team. Considering that Artest had a horrible shooting night (3-for-16 FG’s, 3-for-10 from deep) and Yao only scored eight points — which won’t happen consistently over a seven-game series — the Rockets look like they can take just about anyone in the postseason … Did Tony Allen catch a Chauncey Billups flashback? With about 10 seconds to go and Houston barely breathing, Tony got duped into fouling T-Mac (26 pts, 6 asts, 3 stls) on a three-point attempt after a series of fakes. Lucky for him, McGrady missed one of the three at the line and Eddie House hit his FT’s on the other end … Has Shane Battier worn that red jacket on the bench every game this year? Doesn’t he own more than one suit? The parking valet look still isn’t doing it … Last night we saw the Crunch Time Killer Dirk Nowitzki that we all know is inside of him but doesn’t come out nearly enough. After the Spurs had battled back to cut a big Dallas lead to seven in the fourth quarter, and the Mavs seemed ready to fold, Dirk (30 pts) unleashed some dagger-ish buckets to put them back up double-digits, then knocked down a three with four minutes left that sucked all the air out of the AT&T Center. After a Spurs miss on the other end, Jason Terry (29 pts, 6 asts) hit a jumper that forced Gregg Popovich to take a timeout so he could put a verbal dunce cap on Tony Parker’s head … (Speaking of Pop, this is hilarious) … Again the Spurs were left with Parker (22 pts) and Tim Duncan (19 pts, 15 rebs) trying to do it all themselves. About the only other bright spot was rookie George Hill, who scored 11 points. We still might not recognize Hill if he walked into the Dime office and started eating the Fantasy Doctor’s daily fruit-cup-off-the-street, but he was killing Jason Kidd for a minute there in the fourth quarter. During one stretch Hill skated past Kidd for a floater to beat the shot clock, stuck a mid-range J on him, then blew past Kidd easily to draw a foul and get to the line. He’s not the next Parker or anything, but the kid could absolutely be better for San Antonio than Jacque Vaughn or Damon Stoudamire as a backup PG … Going into Suns/Nets, we figured Shaq and Amare would be leaving the arena with chunks of guys like Josh Boone and Ryan Anderson in their stool. Not so much, but the Suns won big anyway. Shaq scored a better-than-average 18 points, and Amare added a modest 14 — including what one of the Dime crew called “the worst sequence of his career” when he tried to power through Brook Lopez and got completely stuffed, then sprinted down the court to have Anderson pull down an offensive board over him and lay it in on his head … The star was Raja Bell of all people, who knocked down 6-for-6 beyond the arc and finished with 22 points … During that game, the Jersey crowd was very pro-Barack Obama. During timeouts the scoreboard would post election updates, and every time John McCain won a state, the arena was filled with boos. Each time Obama won a state, it was mostly cheers … So yeah, about the election. As you saw from the TV coverage (especially in Chicago), we haven’t seen that kind of nationwide outpouring of positive emotion in we don’t even know how long. Here in NY it was wild. Impromptu block parties were going on all over the city, from Harlem to Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan. One of our guys was at the nightclub Providence and sent this e-mail: “The place is going crazy! Alexis Ajinca is in here. The whole place has erupted!” Not sure if he meant the club erupted for Ajinca or Obama, but it was that kind of night … We’re out like GW …

73 Responses to “And the winner is…”

  1. sam says:

    asdf

  2. the antoine says:

    annnyythiinnggg is posssiiibullll!!!

  3. solomon says:

    YES WE CAN!!!

    we’re out like mccain…

  4. jackass says:

    them rockets are legit!!!!

  5. Holladay says:

    My President Is Black!

    Props to Obama!

  6. David Brandon says:

    KJ is also the new mayor of sac!! hoopers are in office now baby! lol

  7. Ian says:

    ill say it again to all the manu haters that say the spurs will be alright and that manu is just a role player

    FUCK YOU

    0-3 first time ever
    even fucking gary payton said the spurs need manu NOW
    this shit isnt a blessing sayin manu will be rested for the playoffs. WHAT FUCKING PLAYOFFS? last season playoffs proved it and so far the 3 games the spurs have lost confirm it no manu no rings.
    if the fucking spurs are outta the playoff picture by jan i rather they sit manu the whole season and get a damn lottery pick maybe we get lucky 87 and 97 all over again.

    que maldita mierdaaaaaaaaaaaa

    shit

  8. Austin Burton says:

    @Ian — How does Parker, Manu, Bowen/Udoka, Duncan and BJ Mullens sound in 2010?

  9. Austin Burton says:

    Seriously though, I don’t see San Antone missing the playoffs. Consider that they’ve played three playoff-caliber teams and the first two losses were very close. They’ll be fine. Maybe they’ll have a lower seed going into the playoffs and have to play without homecourt advantage, but they’ll be in the mix come April.

  10. sans says:

    Man, I’m glad you caught the Battier Valet Service jacket that Shane was rocking last night. That shit was terrible. If Battier had any friends, I’d swear that shit was the allocation of a lost bet.

  11. sans says:

    Ranger John–considering your two losses, I’ll be highly impressed if you show up today. First time I ever got to vote for a winning President!

  12. solomon says:

    i can’t believe some seriously think the spurs will gun for tim duncan 2.0? like tanking it and winning the lottery? then duncan becomes admiral 2.0? too un-popovich like…

    ballers all over, up and down the society… we’re out like W in the oval office

  13. Ian says:

    austin

    parker
    manu
    udoka
    duncan
    bj

    bench
    ian
    bowen
    mason

    sounds beautiful
    but what are the odds of mullens happening.
    we already wasted all the luck in landing duncan and dave three times that shit aint happening

    i know the spurs will prob get a low seed
    but again that proves how valuable manu is
    from one game behind the lakers to being 6-8 seed.

    but really if manu cant come back 110% i rather be in the lottery next season than lose in the first roung

  14. Ian says:

    solomon
    im not sayin they were going to tank but i personally rather have the spurs miss the playoffs than doing shit in them. how things are goind they wont have to tank

  15. solomon says:

    all cool… but seriously, they’re too good an organization to be this bad all season long…

  16. Reno says:

    Props to Obama! Now go and fix the damn economy!

  17. rangerjohn says:

    well i have been out for a while finishing (or working on finishing) a hurricane ike damaged house but im here, i am man enough to come take my lumps. send them on. IMO it is a dark day in the history of the usa (no pun intended) but i guess we will all see. congrats to those who stuck with obama. obama needs to watch his back with those clintons behind him, hillary wants to be president so bad she might be there with a knife you never know.

    as for the spurs, think about this, everyone wrote off the mavs a couple yrs ago because they lost the first 4 games of the season, they proceded to rack up a 67 win season emediately after that. granted they where soft and lost to shaq and wade in the finals, but the spurs dont have captian soft (dirk).

  18. alf (from melmak) says:

    Yes we can! Man the positive vibe obama created was so intense. i can feel it coming out of the television screen. good things are coming. the man made people feel good about themselves again.

    speaking of bars, a quick question to everyone: if you were in a bar fight, who is the one nba player you would want covering your back? my allowance goes to stephen jackson.

  19. knoc says:

    in a bar fight. id let dwight or caron loose on em

  20. rodnets says:

    @alf #18

    I go with Ron Ron, he is crazy enough to fight a dozen.

    Props to Obama!!!. The world is expecting that change, hope it is possible and the “war on terror” ends as soon as possible. However the economical powers behind are too strong, and anything wrong is possibul. We shall pray.

    Las night I watched my first Spurs match and it looked like it was Tony, Tim and a bunch of D-Leagers. Pop blank stare (with the captain ahab beard) to one of those guys was hilarious

    Walter Herrmann is for real

    Peace

  21. Nora says:

    I really hope your kidding about the Rockets taking anyone on in the playoffs afer 4 games. KG and Paul Pierce did not have good games and still won on the road. Let’s hold out on how good anyone is or how far they might make it in a 7 game series when most of the stars on the team have yet to get past round 1 this early. Lets see how long Artest can behave and be a good teammate as well.

  22. YOUNGFED says:

    Wow is all I can say today. The streets were crazy last nite in my city it was a beautiful thing to see. Black, white, brown, asian all together and no violence. Change has come already. Beauty at it’s finest.

    @Post#5
    Come on bruh it ain’t even about all that. But it is “the most beatiful’est thing in the world.”

    On to basketball Celtics are not gonna do nothing this year but they played alright last nite. Today AI is gonna murder everything moving. AI for President 2012. Kobe K-Hova 2016 (lol).

    @RangerJ
    HaHa and yes I’m saying that like the bully from the Simpsons.

    FEDRODOMOUS PREDICTS: AI will get fiddy tonite.

    YOUNGFED’S BANGER OF THE DAY: Nas
    http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=22019

  23. Hi, Jurg from Denmark says:

    Hiya. Yay to America. Select the good one for the top job. I wish you some good luck for the future.

    This is from Jurg, Hi.

    Postscript. I still not hear from our Mr fantasy doctor who made me say bye bye to Ramon Sessions then he blowy fuck up but no longer on my fantasy nba team. Jurgy is still unhappy. This from Jurg too, hi.

  24. jl90 says:

    hey no ones mentioned KJ! mayor of sacramento!

  25. alf (from melmak) says:

    @knoc

    you have to be kidding with dwight. he seems like your friendly neighbor who would not even hurt a fly. he probably is in the same block with korver.

    @rodnets

    ron-ron is the popular choice i guess.

  26. ab_40 says:

    I know yao is already starting in the AS game but is shaq an all star this season? If he keeps this up? I know bynum, oden and chandler are gonna be good but he’s got a bigger impact on the suns then the other guys on their respective teams… for me the shaq ‘09 all star sweepstakes start right here:D

  27. YOUNGFED says:

    TOP 5 JUMP SHOOTERS:
    1.) Granger
    2.) Dirk
    3.) Allen
    4.) Rip
    5.) Peja

    What yall think

  28. Austin Burton says:

    @ab_40 — I can see Al Jefferson getting the coaches’ vote, if he’s listed as a center for All-Star purposes. Chandler will have a good chance because of his rebounding numbers and with CP making him look good offensively, and Okur will be in the mix. But Shaq has just as good a chance as any of those guys if he’s putting up 15 points and 8-9 boards.

  29. QuEsT??? says:

    @ austin urright. shaq is still super popular and if he keeps playing like this no doubt hell be voted in the allstar game by the coaches. hey who won the m and n jacket contest, or or u guys still deciding?

  30. rangerjohn says:

    oh come on youngfed, you can do better then that!

    i could see shaq being close in the fan voting (yao will not be dethroned) but there is no way he gets voted in by the coaches, i mean that is like obama actually winning the election or something, crazzzzyyyy. OH WAIT! scratch that.

    there are to many center/pf’s that will be more deserving, chandler, jefferson, gasol, bynam, amare. shaqs only chance to make the allstar team, the popular vote from the fans! hell greg oden hasnt even played 1 full game in his career and i bet he gets in before shaq.

  31. the_don_mega says:

    YES WE CAN…

  32. that's whats up says:

    damn IAN…
    You KNOW the Spurs were just worried about the election…
    Now that Obama is in they will focus on the season and there is NO WAY IN HELL they miss the playoffs.

    0-3 is only a problem in the NFL. there are 79 games left bruh

  33. fallinup says:

    rangerjohn, coming from a state that during a recent poll, 23% still believes that our new president is a muslim.

    I would expect nothing less from you.

    4 more years! 4 more years!

  34. GEE...Oooh I can't believe it! says:

    Obama Up today!

    Yea Houston lost, but that is so small on the grand scale today. Still I like what I saw and feel good about them later on. I think a loss this early is good for them. Dallas really might have something with Jet at the 2. They reallly might have something.

    Spurs what’s going on? Manu really that big of a difference?

    To all McCain fans it’s still all good and no love loss. To be on the losing side of things for so long and to finally have a victory, I hope McCain fans understand the joy even if you don’t agree with reasons for the joy.

    To all Obama cats, lets try to be graceful in winning. Cats like Ranger and whoever else supported McCain, lets try not to go to hard in on them.

    I am elated today and it feels really good to live in the US today more than ever for me.

    GOD bless!

  35. QQ says:

    The Spurs are 0-3, so what? Is it the fucking end of March now that people are saying their out of the playoffs? If the Mavs, who never won a championship, were able to win 67 games when they started 0-4 (remember, fools? 2006) isn’t it stupid to think that an organization that won 3 titles in 7 years will not be able to come back and play how they used to?

  36. Ian says:

    thats whats up
    sorry man im more calm now but im not used to this 0-3 stuff and the west is tougher than ever thats why im worried.

  37. justice says:

    The phucking rockets look scary man! that team is really good, will they be able to beat L.A who knows but one thing im certain of they are tough as nails well except yao and t-mac but everyone else on that team is fisty as shytt

  38. that's whats up says:

    Ian, I’m worried because the spurs look like junk.
    But Pop knows what he’s doing. I hope.
    losses to Phoenix, Portland and Dallas – not exactly chump-azz teams either.
    It’s early and there’s new blood on the team. It will be S.A.’s toughest season in a long time.

    …and the Rockets look like a team for once

  39. YOUNGFED says:

    @Ian
    The West ain’t tough yall got like 3 maybe 4 good teams
    1.) Lakers
    2.) Houston
    3.) Suns
    4.) ?

    The East
    1.)Pistons
    2.)Boston
    3.)Philly
    4.)Hawks
    5.)Cavz
    6.)Bulls
    7.)Wizards
    8.)Miami

    So tell me again how is the West is supposedly tough (LOL). Yall done fell off pimpin. It’s over son.

  40. E$ says:

    I had to DvR this one, no way I miss “My brother from another Mother” win the election!

  41. Ian says:

    young u kidding right????

    other than boston and MAYBE your pistons

    spurs lakers jazz hornets rockets mavs suns are ten times better than any team from the east

    u need 50 wins to get in the playoffs in the west
    last year portland won 48 and didnt make it with 48 in the east u get home court.

    i know u a pistons fan but u talking out your ass on that one. btw no way the pistons make 6 straight conference finals in the east. LOL only three good teams
    when u get teams like orlando and shit like that in the second round u KNOW u in a weak ass conference.

  42. Eduardo says:

    I’ve been thinking on that old post,about our favorite music to hype us before a game…
    After my brain(chaotic)storm I have to say…Battle-Gangstarr

  43. Ian says:

    hahahahahha bulls wizards hawks gtfoh
    u can beat your car that if the playoffs were 16 best overall records u get 13 teams from the west and 3 from the east

  44. Ian says:

    no wait young im sorry i get it know since everyone but boston sucks in the east thats why there is more competition thats what u meant right?
    u know all those crappy teams fighting to get to 35 wins and the 8th seed. lol

  45. Ben says:

    Vince never stops to amaze me…he’s coming with different moves every week…

    http://www.squidoo.com/jumplikevince

  46. rodnets says:

    Legit contenders so far:

    Lakers, Celtics, Pistons, Suns, Rockets and thats it.

  47. Ian says:

    rodnets yeah sure the rockets how about getting out of the first round first but hey its your team

    legit contenders
    everyone healthy of course

    lakers
    celts
    spurs
    new orleans

    done

    of all predictions ive read about those 4 teams get 95% of the votes

  48. that's whats up says:

    how can anyone be a legit contender after three games???

    Ya’ll just so hard-up after the off-season that you jumpin’ on errebody’s tip – lmao

  49. McLovin says:

    @ rodnets : New Orleans?

  50. Ian says:

    thats whats up
    actually dont u have teams that have a shot at winning it all before the seasons starts. those are my predictions before the season started not after three games.

  51. sans says:

    Man, a lot of people are disrespecting Nawlins–not listing em even.

    FED: Are you serious that the Hawks are Legit Title Contenders? The Hawks? Seriously? I can see my Cavs getting into the mix, maybe the 6ers if Iggy ever gets going (he might go Antoine Walker lazy-ass with all that fresh minted cash), but, faux real, Hornets, Lakers, Utah, all 3 in TexAss, and then the bullion Suns, any of those teams could get hot and get intot he Finals, easy. The East is a 3 team League. And how the fuck do you put the Bulls and Heat into that conversation without slapping the shit out of yourself repeatedly first? I’m out like the Knicks being on your next list…

  52. YOUNGFED says:

    Ian your Spurs Season is done without Manu. As Usher would say “Gotta Let It Buuuuurrrnnn.” lmao

    All that mess you talkin’ is from last year and this year the east done upgraded. So to quote Boyz-2-Men; “It’s so hard to say goodbye to yes-ter-daaaayyyy.”

    Oh and this would be our 7th straight finals trip.

  53. YOUNGFED says:

    @Sans
    Your living in the past bruh the Knicks might very well make the playoffs the way Zach and Lee been ballin, hell yall need to watch for Toronto too now that they got J.O. Felon and the way Jose ballin. Just watch 2nites Pistons game you’ll fear the FRO once again. I promise.

  54. Vincent Vega says:

    CONFERENCE Finals FED, if they get there.

    Nobody knows shit right now, except, well nobody – The League is WIDE OPEN

  55. Kudabeen says:

    Granger really FED?

    Ray Allen
    Kapono
    Dirk
    Korver
    Peja
    Kobe
    Rip

    These are all game action shooters. There are guys I think can shoot, but they haven’t done it consistently in game actions (redick, Novak, Demetris Nichols, etc)

  56. Kudabeen says:

    Damn no love for the Hornets as contenders in the West for Rodnets and FED??

    Suns won’t beat the Hornets in a series. I can’t see that.

  57. Kudabeen says:

    FED:

    Crazy, but I didn’t even think of Arenas for that list of best shooters…

  58. tobacher says:

    his nowitzness, finally duly recognized by dime…
    a day to celebrate! (oh and some new president elect)

  59. YOUNGFED says:

    Kudabeen
    Naw Arenas wouldn’t make it. The Hornets gotta do it for more than one year to get respect. And YES Granger is legit shooter. He consistantly sets shit on fire. Krover and Kapono need do be deleted.

  60. Austin Burton says:

    @YOUNGFED — That was a quick turnaround from you on Granger. I wouldn’t even say he’s the best jump shooter in the game. As far as small forwards who aren’t three-point specialists, he’s up there, but not the best.

  61. YOUNGFED says:

    @Austin
    I got him on my team on 2k9 (lol). He can shoot the three with the best of’em. who would you say is better and just pullin and gunnin’ and don’t say peja.

  62. YOUNGFED says:

    BTW I always liked Granger he just didn’t deserve all that press. PS. When yall gone interview Lil Romeo it’d be nice to here what he’s got to say. Plus I wanna know if he starting and where. Just a thought.

  63. rell says:

    I read that the Celtics will try to go hard after McDyees once Denver buy him out. I hope he come to Boston because we need him. I’m tired of being out-rebounded once Garnett or Perk go to the bench. Also he will give us a reliable scorer once we go to the bench. If we have to depend on T.Allen, Big Baby, and Eddie House everynight, we might as well forget trying to repeat.

  64. Celts Fan says:

    anyone else catch Yao getting rejected by the rim last night? HILARIOUS

  65. Austin Burton says:

    @YOUNGFED — Immediately off the top of my head, I’d take Ray Allen over Granger as a shooter. Steve Nash, Ben Gordon, Daniel Gibson, Mo Williams, Dirk, Kobe, Mike Redd … but you’re right, Granger is nasty on NBA 2K9. I gave LeBron 44 with Granger the other day.

  66. YOUNGFED says:

    Wassup wit the Lil Romeo idea you ain’t feelin’ that. And Daniel Gibson, Mo Williams Come on Puh-lease. I’ll give you Mike Red and Ray Ray

  67. parinaz suns says:

    i wast at the jersey/phx games and watching the lopez twins was like watching 7 feet of garbage. i dont get why hill was in for so much garbage time stupid porter. not like watching a game back in phx bc nets fans suck but good game bc phx pounded them

  68. Austin Burton says:

    We could get Lil Romeo (unless Tim Floyd has one of those “Freshmen can’t talk to the media” rules, which I doubt considering he didn’t gag Mayo). What would you wanna know from him?

    Daniel Gibson’s J is water. And Mo is better than you think. I saw some stat somewhere that he hit almost 60 percent of his two-point jumpers last year.

  69. YOUNGFED says:

    @Austin
    Will he start, what position, how is the campus reaction o him, how many minutes, does he think he’ll make the nba, how much he plans on averaging, etc. I’ll let yall do the rest come up with the rest. I just thought he’d make a good story.

  70. baron von faulk says:

    God the Spurs are sucking so badly right now, Suns fans must be feeling higher than a hog in shit. Matt Bonner should not be starting, ever, for any reason. Finley still looks like a dinosaur out there even after Grgurich’s camp. Jacque Vaughn still has zero offense. Only bright spots so far are Roger Mason and George Hill looking pretty good.

    . . . . . . . .

    Now seriously for all you politickin’ cats, let this be heard and no bullshit here…

    The prophecy of the Antichrist returning is that he will rise to power through the political arena. He will promise to unite us and make offerings of peace via a ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT. He will request us to take a mark either in our right hands or foreheads (think microchip implants); this is the mark of the beast and will condemn your soul, do not accept it. The precursor to this may be a National ID card. He may try to get us to use a unified global currency (also possibly by using microchip technology). The part I still don’t understand is that he will be “a man from the sea”. Maybe that means aliens will emerge from the ocean in their USO’s and bodysnatch the president, who knows?

    So before you patriotic mofos get all outta control WORSHIPPING someone like Obama (or any other politician for that matter), think about Revelations and these warnings.

    “Poli-tics” = many bloodsuckers

  71. baron von faulk says:

    oh yeah,

    “I still not hear from our Mr fantasy doctor who made me say bye bye to Ramon Sessions then he blowy fuck up but no longer on my fantasy nba team. Jurgy is still unhappy. This from Jurg too, hi.”

    that shit is hilarious

  72. Ian says:

    youngfed
    u say the hornets need to do it more than one season to get your respect
    well that the same reason the pistons dont have mine
    all those trips to the ecf for nothing BIG DEAL.

    and of course the spurs are done without manu that why i listed all my teams as healthy to be contenders

  73. mavsgirl75 says:

    Shut the hell up, Rangerjohn! GO DIRK AND GO MAVS

Leave a Reply

THE DIME HOOP HOOK-UP

Get breaking news and local hoop events emailed to you!

This list has a privacy policy.

Blog directory

COMPLEXMediaNetwork 12ozProphet | BounceMag | Complex | ComplexVideo | DailyDrop | DasGamer | | DimeMag | DimeTV | FreshnessMag | HighSnobiety | illRoots | JapaneseSportCars | Juxtapoz | Karmaloop | KarmaloopTV | KicksFinder | KicksOnFire | Loud | MissInfo | MoeJackson | NahRight | NiceKicks | OliviaMunn | OnSMASH | Pastapadre | PlanetXbox360 | Sarcasticgamer | SlamxHype | SneakerNews | SneakerFreaker | Streetball | Vdream | VladTV