Smash and Dash
Deron WilliamsBy his standards, Deron Williams hasn’t really had a “good game” yet this season. There was that 10-point, 13-assist night in a loss to New Jersey, but Williams committed 5 TO’s. There was a 15-point, 15-dime effort in an L to Phoenix, but he went 1-7 from beyond the arc in that one. And last night’s 14-point, 11-assist, 5-rebound performance probably doesn’t qualify either for D-Will. But it was awfully close. Though he’s still second-guessing his jumper (5-16 FG), Deron had that shake in his game that makes defenders panic when trying to check him. Nic Batum got lost in the twilight zone on one of Deron’s hard dribbles past Steve Blake, chomping the bait to create a wide open passing lane for a C.J. Miles dunk. And when D-Will didn’t thread passes through Portland’s D, he was giving the rock to Mehmet Okur (27 and 10) and letting him do the rest. It was vintage Memo. You know what that looks like: it’s basically like watching Jamal Crawford if he were 7-0, white, and Turkish… Doug Collins sounded like he was getting worn out watching the amount of screens that Jerry Sloan has his soldiers execute in a given play. E-mail from Andrew… “Collins was breaking down X’s and O’s, and pointing out exactly how John Stockton used to run this play. Aside from the basic motion offense, is there another play that one team has been running for close to 20 years? Shouldn’t the rest of the League know how to stop it by now?”… At their absolute lowest point, the Blazers are like a bad Eddie Murphy movie: It’s all Brandon Roy. Even if you love all of the six different looks he’s giving you, that still ain’t enough. B-Roy’s 33 and 8 kept the ship from sinking, but he wasn’t able to put Utah’s lead in any real danger on his own…If you got home from work late on the East Coast, chances are you missed the moments in which Wizards/Celtics was a close game. Ray Allen (22 points) continued lighting it up from the field, whapping three three’s (one four-point play) to score 10 of Boston’s first 15 points… By halftime it was 63-39 – maybe Charles Barkley was right that the Wiz had ZERO chance of winning that game. You know things are bad when your own arena starts to make fun of you in front of your own fans. The Wizards’ video operator posted the following poll question: “Who do you think is weakest in the weight room?” The options were Andray Blatche, Nick Young and Juan Dixon. Ouch.
Why do you always make that face?In the only other NBA game of the night, the Bobcats actually looked better than the Mavs did in Dallas for 45 minutes. That is, until they choked the game away in the final three. Before crunch time though, Emeka Okafor (27 points, 17 rebounds) was destroying Dallas’ front line. It got so bad that Rick Carlisle piped up from the bench and switched his squad into a 2-3 zone to help out down low. On that exact play, the Bobcats swung the rock around the horn, and then to Emeka sitting in the paint. He elevated like Stro Swift for a two-handed banger that touched the back of his neck before flushing it through… But once the clock ticked under three minutes, Dirk made the single most athletic play of his career, saving a ball headed out of bounds by slapping it back in play. Down on the ‘Cats next possession after the save, Jason Kidd gets a hand on a pass and it CLEARLY hits the baseline, but the refs let him save it. On the replay, when it became indisputably clear that the ball hit the line, the Mavs’ announcers went silent. It was great to see the replay in X-Mo, as that gave another look at Matt Carroll twisting his face like Ron Burgundy after somebody insulted his hair, and screaming “WHAT?!” at the ref after Kidd zoomed away with the ball…Of course all of these fortuitous bounces were bound to kill Charlotte at some point. Leading 90-89, Dirk buried a clean look from three to basically seal things. And of course, he gave the celebratory waddle down the court, sticking his tongue out to the side. That has got to be one of the worst game-winning routines in professional sports, next in line behind Roger Federer’s “collapse” when he wins tennis championships… Some big-name recruits were in action around the world as well last night. 6-5 Lincoln HS (Brooklyn, N.Y.) standout Lance Stephenson was on ESPN, looking like a grown-ass man as he brought Lincoln back from an early 20-4 deficit with 32 points. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough as the Railsplitters dropped to No. 10 Duncanville… There’s a chance that over at ESPN “NEXT” some people’s heads exploded because Ricky Rubio and Brandon Jennings were on the court at the same time in a Euroleague game. Without his maniacal coach keeping him on the bench, Jennings (12 points, 2 assists) looked great in 23 minutes of action. Rubio only saw eight minutes, but that was still enough for some scouts to drool over. According to Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony, Rubio told Jennings that he’s probably going to wait for the 2010 NBA Draft to come over…We’re out like Rubio…
December 12th, 2008 at 3:59 am
BRUCE says:
Brandon Jennings vs D-Will, CP3, and Rose……..Head to head……….Who will take it?
December 12th, 2008 at 4:17 am
smity far away says:
white, and Turkish? for real? how about just Turkish.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:59 am
Big Sia says:
dirk may be athletic
but he’s still white
not Larry Bird, Chris Mullin white
But Scott Padgett white
December 12th, 2008 at 5:01 am
Big Sia says:
And CP3 > D Rose > Jennings > D Will
Potential Wise
December 12th, 2008 at 5:13 am
Thantos1521 says:
You guys are…what the f*** Potential, potential, potential…Cp3 is the best now, D will is second Rose 3rd and jennings…maybe Jennings can’t fulfill his potential, maybe he injures himself, maybe …maybe…It is about what he can do now not about what he might do in another 3 years. Remember Stro Swift had all the potential in the world and look where he is now! Start living now not in the future. You live today, tomorrow is a gift;)
December 12th, 2008 at 5:51 am
sans says:
I feel u Thantos…now is all that exists. Tomorrow is a memory you may never have.
December 12th, 2008 at 6:10 am
Sweet English says:
Yeah thantos The entire NBA draft system has nothing to do with future potential. You’re right…..
December 12th, 2008 at 6:13 am
doc says:
Jennings gonna be nice.Some dudes u just know.What Rubio waiting for?Bring ya ass to the NBA and stop bullshitting.
December 12th, 2008 at 6:50 am
YOUNGFED..."I don't make it rain I make it hurricane" says:
Damn D-Will down fell off like crack cocain.
Also Dime thanks for putting out smack so early but I counted like 3 typo’s in this article. Somebody had a lil too much Egg Nog at the christmas party.
@#5
D-Will 2nd best, naw bro Billups is
YOUNGFED’S BANGER OF THE DAY: Sledgehammer
http://www.soulbounce.com/soul/2008/10/bounceworthy_invincible.php
December 12th, 2008 at 7:06 am
baron von faulk says:
That play where Jason Kidd “stole” the ball OOB on the baseline was atrocious, but not as bad as Dirk’s celebration! So easy a caveman can do it…
YF – Parker ahead of Billups imo. We can both be homers.
oh and Yao says EAT THE HEAD!
December 12th, 2008 at 7:14 am
josh tha roc says:
Question: Is someone soft/lack heart if they get injured a lot? I mean i look at J.O’neal when healthy he’s a beast but all the injuries have people saying he’s has no heart but i mean i don’t think he wants to get injured. Its not his fault he gets injured. Looking back at his Pacers days all the injuries he sustained were fairly serious, and he always came back (often still injured). T Mac riddled with knee and shoulder injuries. Does that make him soft? I’m sure he prefer to be healthy…but has people calling himout all the time. Sure its frustrating to see your stars going down with injuries all the time, but these guys are competitors….its not like their Ike Austin puuting the que back in the rack after signing a big contract.
December 12th, 2008 at 7:19 am
baron von faulk says:
^ Now that came out of nowhere.
December 12th, 2008 at 7:26 am
josh tha roc says:
Oh and D.Rose is the 2nd best pg ^ happy now?
December 12th, 2008 at 7:29 am
YOUNGFED..."There goes the neighborhood like Fred Sanford next to Ned Flanders" says:
Thats debatable Josh but might be true, one things for sure it ain’t D-Will. He’s putting up back-up pg’s #’s this year.
December 12th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Quedas says:
@ #14
Well, YOUNGFED… that was just a dumb comment, and you don’t usually make them.
Let’s skip the whole ‘best PG’ debate…
How is 12 points and 10 assists on average BACKUP numbers? Are you crazy?! Show me any other backup in the history of the game who posts these kind of numbers… (and don’t give me Ginobili-types – he’s the starter, just comes off the bench)
And also, how can you bypass the fact that he is still recovering from an injury? Of course he’s gonna come back to those 20 points 10 assists games we all love. But he’s rusty right now, how can you not take that into account?
December 12th, 2008 at 8:20 am
CJ says:
great post dime.. celtics game was ridiculous.. but kg is getting on my fuckin nerves.. on a serious note . what about cat mobley retiring.. think that needs to be address seeing as it is a serious health issue. didnt know two pervious ballers died from what he had.
December 12th, 2008 at 8:42 am
MSkittle says:
All tennis players do that collapse
December 12th, 2008 at 8:48 am
junior says:
“And of course, he gave the celebratory waddle down the court, sticking his tongue out to the side”
classic, you killed it dime
December 12th, 2008 at 8:51 am
YOUNGFED..."I'm at the call of duty but my metal gears solid" says:
@Quedas
Ok, I exaggerated a bit but dudes fallen over like a cripple with no cruthes. He went from 2nd best to just better than Old Man J-Kidd in 1 season. He need to put down the plates and pick up them weights. Also I’m not the only one on here bashing D-Will. Also as for back up point Gaurds putting up better #’s than D-will see Chris Duhon. lol
December 12th, 2008 at 9:07 am
YOUNGFED..."I'm at the call of duty but my metal gears solid" says:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: For all the AI trade haters.
“Will it happen at all? I don’t know. But imagine, for a moment, that Denver offered Iverson for Billups, and word got out, and Dumars said, “No, we’re not going to make that trade, we’re keeping Chauncey.” What would have happened?
Maybe the Pistons would have won the title. More likely, they would have lost to Boston or Cleveland in the playoffs, and most fans would scream that OF COURSE this team wasn’t good enough, we’d seen that for three straight years — Joe should have given that Iverson thing a shot!
Well, he gave it a shot. And now the Pistons are trying to integrate Iverson into their team on the fly — while playing their reserves more because everybody said they had to develop their bench, and they are determined to do it. They can’t do that and win 59 games again. That just isn’t realistic.” -Detroit Freepress
Couldn’t have said it better.
December 12th, 2008 at 9:18 am
jayslay says:
young
remeber he has no boozer to take pressure off of him that hurts his stats as well…..
as far as rubio goes he should stay over….he couldnt evnstart over jose caldaron in the olympics,i really didnt see nuthin special….and he got ate up against cp3 and d-will imo
best piont in the game is
cp3
chauncey (has turned denver into a contender real talk)
rose (keeping the bulls in playoff race)
harris
d-will
mo williams (he has helped turn bron into a better player…which if u ask me thats the making of a good point)
December 12th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Dagomar says:
I love how you guys STILL find a way to insult Dirk, even when he makes the clutch three. Nice.
YOUNGFED: sounds like what everyone was saying about the J-Kidd and Shaq trades. Gonna be a lonnnnnnng season in Detroit.
December 12th, 2008 at 9:36 am
vinny says:
@cj- your pretty young huh? Hank Gathers-collapased at the foul line in a game and died-it was horrible to watch- Loyola Marymount-I forget the year. He could play to-6-8 from philly.
December 12th, 2008 at 9:46 am
rangerjohn says:
lmao you guys are NUTS bbbbbbillups is not better then parker, rose is not better then parker, d-will is not better then parker. cp3 is better then parker, but not by much on any given night. remember that finals mvp? remember teh rings? remember the top 3 points in the paint, remember the 55-10.
and austin, this still does not clutch make dirk! LMAO!!!!!
December 12th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Lauri says:
Guys DEVIN HARRIS is second best PG now
December 12th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Buffalo Brave says:
LOL @ Ike Austin!!!!!
NICE!!!!!
December 12th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Brown says:
Youngfed, I counted three typos in your first post. You shouldn’t be criticizing Dime for that shit.
D-Will still looks rusty to me. Look how D-Wade played last year when he came back from injury. For some guys, it just takes time to get their games back on track. Deron will be alright.
December 12th, 2008 at 10:52 am
JCARR says:
Ricky Rubio…. 2010? WHY?
LOL at comment about Matt Carrol… looking like Ron Burgundy during that play! haha
Jerry Sloan will still be the coach of the Jazz even when he is on life support. He’s been there too long! He’s a great coach and doesnt receive the respect a coach of his caliber deserves. No Coach of the Year Award… Why? No champioships… clearly deserves one.
December 12th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Taj says:
At #2…
I thought the same thing…
December 12th, 2008 at 11:10 am
GayforRudy says:
Dime,
So Lendale White’s nickname for himself and Chris Johnson is the story title and there is no mention of him? Strange.
December 12th, 2008 at 11:45 am
that's whats up says:
RIP
At the age of 28, Chris “Flash” Richardson has passed away. He was a member of the famous comedic exhibition basketball team the “Harlem Globetrotters.” While on tour with the rest of the Harlem Globetrotters, Chris “Flash” Richardson passed away in his sleep. The Globetrotters were putting on a show for United States military servicemen in Sasebo, Japan.
sad – prayers to his family
December 12th, 2008 at 11:52 am
naive says:
IDIOT @5 Thanthos . TODAY is a gift. thats why its called the present. get it right if you’re gonna use quotes. go to school.
December 12th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
srb says:
Deron has had a few 15-assist games this season guys..
I thought it was hilarious when I missed most of the first half of the Celtics and it was 8-8 halfway through the first quarter. Next time I checked it was 42-23 in the second quarter.
December 12th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Saints says:
all you guys are stupid as hell. how can you say williams is not the best or second best pg in the league. Just because harris scores alot of pts during a few games he is better then williams?? cause derrick rose is flashery then williams that means he is better. that is stupid shit. Williams kills it he is second in assist and would be first if he had the ball in his hand more. id you watch chris paul play and you see how many times he has the ball in his hand and then you look at williams. and if you compare its not even close. paul alsways is dribbling around and always has it in his hand. willaims runs the offense then he gets his. if you put paul in the utah system he wouldnt be doing as well has he is now. but you put williams in the hornets system he would still do work and could get better numbers then paul does. You guys judge a pg by how he runs the offense and controls the game not how many points he scores. you will hardly see a utah game get wild when williams is in. how many times a game do you see harris and rose. loose control of the game and get wild? maybe 4 or five. excalty williams=paul
December 12th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Saints says:
all you guys are stupid as hell. how can you say williams is not the best or second best pg in the league. Just because harris scores alot of pts during a few games he is better then williams?? cause derrick rose is flashery then williams that means he is better. that is stupid shit. Williams kills it he is second in assist and would be first if he had the ball in his hand more. id you watch chris paul play and you see how many times he has the ball in his hand and then you look at williams. and if you compare its not even close. paul alsways is dribbling around and always has it in his hand. willaims runs the offense then he gets his. if you put paul in the utah system he wouldnt be doing as well has he is now. but you put williams in the hornets system he would still do work and could get better numbers then paul does. You guys judge a pg by how he runs the offense and controls the game not how many points he scores. you will hardly see a utah game get wild when williams is in. how many times a game do you see harris and rose. loose control of the game and get wild? maybe 4 or five. excalty williams=paul
December 12th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
mavsgirl75 says:
Leave Dirk alone, he can do whatever the hell he wants!!
December 12th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
baron von faulk says:
Guys may be stupid but at least they don’t post twice dude, hehe.
Tony Parker is a glaring omission from the PG debate, in my stellar opinion.
And this debate is tired anyway, it’s all a matter of perspective. Anyone of these guys can give it to the other on any given day. Everybody is gonna vote for their own guy. I like Parker, b/c I like the Spurs.
However, YF it is kinda ign’ant tho that you are not taking into account D-Will is back from serious injury, c’mon you’re better than that (or not).
December 12th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Amar says:
lol @ all turkish people are white. shows how much you guys know about the differences between ethnicity and nationality . . . if things were that simple then all americans (white, black, latino, asian, etc) would get along 24/7 because they are all the same country.
anyway, no mention of all the jazz guys who dunked on oden last night? I lost count, but it was brewer, okur, millsap for sure. Sure, ‘dunking on oden’ is no longer what it used to be back in november, but this is the first time he’s played against utah.
that post up baseline spin move and two hand cram on oden by okur was just ridiculous. isn’t memo supposed to suck and just be a one trick pony on offense?
b-roy was just killing it, in the 3rd, but perhaps he should have tried that earlier on in the game before his team was down 15? lamarcus would be a good inside player if he ever went inside. he has that jump hook all day, why does he shoot so many fade aways?
December 12th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Amar says:
2010 nba draft is fine with me for rubio, because the jazz own the unconditional 1st rd pick of the knicks (hopefully knicks get a good lotto spot) . . . having the pistol pete look alike on the jazz (the home of pistol pete, why did the charlotte hornets franchise retire his number? that’s weak, he didn’t even play for that shitty franchise) would be fine. a good back-up to d-will for sure.
December 12th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Austin Burton says:
I don’t wanna say that Oden won’t be great down the line, but I don’t remember Shaq, Robinson, Ewing, Hakeem, etc., getting the “Well, just have him focus on defense and rebounding and not getting in foul trouble for now and he’ll come around” treatment. In fact, I remember that being how Darko and Kwame were treated.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Amar says:
former coach tom nissalke (who does radio for the jazz now, and was moses malone’s first professional coach when moses was 18-19) feels similarly to you Austin:
http://www.thefansports.com/blog/1/custom/1211recap.mp3
December 12th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Dean says:
ROGER FEDERER CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS, HE’S A STUD!
December 15th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Jen Fisher says:
Talk about this one whose got serious game<a href=”http://clicks.totemcash.com/?s=39898&p=21&pp=4&g=85<Game on here
December 15th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Jen Fisher says:
Talk about this one whose got serious gameGame on here