O.J. Da Juiceman
O.J. Mayo (photo. John Sturdy)
Maybe it’s just us, but it seems O.J. Mayo has been playing noticeably better ever since the whole USC thing finally came to a conclusion. Since the turn of the new year, around the same time the ‘SC sanctions were handed down, O.J. has been averaging 20-plus points per game and seems like he’s literally had a weight lifted off his shoulders — getting up for more dunks than usual and showing more hang time and creativity in the air … Mayo scored 19 last night in an upset win over San Antonio. The Grizzlies were in control most of the second half, but the Spurs chipped away and cut the lead to one on Roger Mason‘s jumper with 41 ticks left. Tim Duncan (23 pts, 5 blks) rebounded a Zach Randolph miss on the next possession, but before S.A. could set up a go-ahead play, Z-Bo snuck behind TD and poked the ball out for a steal. (Quickness and defense from Z-Bo? Believe it.) The Spurs never scored after that as Zach and O.J. iced it at the line … The last time the Cavs visited the Clippers, L.A. blew a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter to cap what was probably their rock-bottom moment of last season. This time around, the Clips started blowing their double-digit lead late in the third quarter, and actually hung onto it until Delonte West‘s tip-in with under three minutes to go … It was still a one-point Cavs’ lead in the final minute when Baron Davis decided to take over; the only problem being Boom Dizzle was having an off night (9 pts, 3-10 FG) and he ignored the hot hand. First Baron dribbled around forever before putting Rasual Butler (33 pts) in a position to create his own shot — which isn’t really his thing — instead of getting him on a spot-up. Then on L.A.’s last chance, Baron took it himself and bricked a three when Butler and Eric Gordon (28 pts) were open … Right after the buzzer, Cleveland’s play-by-play guy said, “The only thing missing tonight are those cute little purple foam fingers!” Clowning the Lakers’ fans who threw stuff onto the Staples Center court during the Christmas Day game … Anyone else catch a little tension between LeBron (32 pts) and Clips’ assistant John Lucas? They shook hands and chatted briefly after the game, but LBJ seemed kind of annoyed, like when you get stuck talking to one of your crazy relatives and just want to get out of there ASAP. It was actually a reunion of sorts from when the Cavs were a disaster, as Rickey Buckets was also in the building … The Suns should know by now that the Bobcats are no longer a team you can afford to overlook. If Phoenix was still reeling from its last-second loss in Atlanta, the ‘Cats showed no mercy and ran ‘em by almost 30. Gerald Wallace (29 pts, 13 rebs) and crew had already slapped up 100 points with four minutes left in the third quarter … Other stat lines from Saturday: Kevin Durant put up 36 points (14-18 FG) and 10 boards to beat Miami; Deron Williams‘ 18 points and six dimes bested Brandon Jennings‘ five points and 11 assists in a Utah win; Kevin Martin scored 23 in a loss to Washington; Chris Paul posted 22 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists to beat the Pacers; and for the second night in a row David Lee barely missed a triple-double (26 pts, 17 rebs, 9 asts), but for the second night in a row it was in a loss, as NY fell to Detroit … During that Hornets/Pacers game, the Indiana broadcast ran a viewer poll asking, “Who is the best point guard in the NBA?” The three answer options were CP, Steve Nash and Jason Kidd. Is that really the top three? Where do you think Chauncey, Deron, Tony Parker, Rondo and D-Rose fit in? … We’re out like Stevie Franchise …
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January 17th, 2010 at 4:41 am
Quincy says:
Can I say FIRST? I hope so… happy Sunday people
January 17th, 2010 at 4:52 am
BRUCE says:
Come On Chargers, Come On Cowboys!
Knock Minny #4 into Retirement, I can’t stand that muther-Fooker!
Just like Mr. Brenda Warner and Ed Reed, bye-bye!
January 17th, 2010 at 5:09 am
Arno says:
At the moment, Tony Parker is a long way from his former self, and from the best PG all the same. CP3 is very good, but it’s difficult to judge someone playing in a one man team. And the one I always want on my team is Chauncey.
On the other side of the ocean, Rubio is improving everyday. In the best European team so far, he’s impressively manning the point, torching opposing PG and shooting the 3. He only lacks a mid-range J.
January 17th, 2010 at 5:19 am
Bill says:
Kevin Durant is straight killing it in month of January.
Despite is 4.9 turnovers, his 54% shooting from the field and 56% from three averaging 32 plus 8 boards a game is straight crazy.
January 17th, 2010 at 5:29 am
timmy d says:
Z-Bo should be an all-star this year but wont b/c the whole ASG is a joke. And AI is so stupid he probably wont bow out b/c he thinks he still is an all-star
January 17th, 2010 at 5:45 am
ballin says:
you forgot to mention Roy Hibbert’s good performance.
27 pts on 12 of 19 shooting 10 reb and 3blks
January 17th, 2010 at 7:18 am
DVS says:
u’re right timmy d. x2
January 17th, 2010 at 7:20 am
Jordi says:
1. Deron Williams
2. Rajon Rondo
3. Chris Paul
I think that’s more accurate…
January 17th, 2010 at 8:23 am
That's What's Up says:
Spurs lost to the Bobcraps and the Shizzlies in back to back nights
just plain pathetic
January 17th, 2010 at 8:33 am
That's What's Up says:
Best Point Guards are Nash and Kidd.
Now the best guards who happen to run the point, well that list is long…
January 17th, 2010 at 8:35 am
dagwaller says:
@ Dime – yea, that’s the top 3. CP3, Nash, and Kidd, til someone takes the title. Deron Williams has been very good this year, even great, but not elite level. Rondo and Billups are up there, but you can hardly say that they make their teams go when they have so much talent around them. TP and Rose are a ways off for this season.
January 17th, 2010 at 9:33 am
QQ says:
1.Nash
2.Rajon Rondo
3.CP3
And yeah, Durant. Nobody told me yall be BEASTIN the opposition like that. DAAAMN. Come on yall, welcome your newest superstar, Kevin Durant.
January 17th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Randomized says:
Rondo ahead of Nash or CP3?
You guys do some HARDCORE drugs during the weekend.
January 17th, 2010 at 9:51 am
K Dizzle says:
No Rondo for me. You ain’t runnin my squad without a dependable jumpshot and 3 hall of famers drawin all the attention.
CP3, Nash, DWill…in any order you catch it.
I want dudes that can take over when they got nobody to lean on. I seen Nash win a mvp with no Amare. I seen Deron roll with no Boozer and I seen CP3 take over with no damn team lol Even TP puts up numbers and gets wins(when healthy) when Tim out. Rondo’s good, real active, fast, whatever you want, but ain’t no denyin he got it easier than the rest.
I got to say this, I love Baron Davis. Like heads been sayin, When Baron’s on his game and he bringin it, he’s easily one of the best points in the world…That bein said, you gotta know when to gave up the ball, brah. Clips had the Cavs. Sual and EG were on fire and Baron just gave that game away…Damn near depressin.
One more thing: Gerald wallace needs to make the all-star squad…NEEDS TO. And if S-Jack didn’t have that rep, he would be on that squad too. Cats are startin to bubble. San An and Phoenix back to back. That’s real.
I’m out
January 17th, 2010 at 9:58 am
kudos says:
noone needs to talk about Ricky Rubio is he’s averaging less than last year at aroun 6 1/2 pts, 7pts and a couple steals. Not to mention his athletic ability is about that of a regular white boy that’s pretty damn tall. won’t make it in tha league.
January 17th, 2010 at 10:10 am
sh!tfaced says:
If Mo “I’m useless when my shot isn’t going in” Williams, Jameer “I’m useless when my shot isn’t going in” Nelson and old man Shaq “I’m useless, period” O’Neal can make the All Star squad, guys like Gerald Wallace, D-Rose, Z-Bo and even Rondo, etc deserve a shot at the ASG.
January 17th, 2010 at 10:21 am
Brown says:
Can we just all assume the Suns aren’t for real and are going to get destroyed come playoff time?
January 17th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Guitar Hero says:
1.Nash
2.CP3
3.D Will
January 17th, 2010 at 10:45 am
dagwaller says:
Brown – who’s going to destroy the Suns in a series? After the Lakers, the 2-8 spots in the West are separated by 4.5 games. I hate to say it, but the ONLY destroying that anyone’s going to do is the Lakers vs their first round opponent (OKC, Memphis, Houston, Portland).
In the East, Cleveland, Boston, Atlanta and Orlando are separated by 4 games. Miami is 5.5 games back from that. Definite first round destruction all around.
January 17th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Brown says:
@dagwaller
WTF do regular season standings have to do with how the Suns fare in the playoffs? The point is, the Suns just aren’t built for the playoffs and haven’t been for years.
January 17th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
dagwaller says:
Brown, my point is simply that no one in the West is who they used to be. Each team has their flaws. In years past, you’d look at the Spurs and figure that they’re invincible, whereas this year, to me, they just don’t have the same old magic.
Beyond that, these are the teams at the bottom of the West playoff picture:
New Orleans, Memphis, OKC – all out currently, but I’d say have a shot of getting in when/if Portland drops out. OKC and Memphis don’t have the experience traditionally needed to win a playoff series, and New Orleans just doesn’t have the horses this year.
Houston and Portland are going to hover in the 7 and 8 spots. I tend to think that the Blazers are going to drop out, considering their injuries. Even if they make it, I doubt that a team starting Juwan Howard is going to know what to do with Amar’e Stoudemire. Houston showed last year that their style and “no star” system can put up a great fight against even the toughest teams, but Phoenix has already beaten them twice this year, and frankly, is not a team that I look at and see making a deep run.
The Jazz and San Antonio have both been way inconsistent and have had to deal with injuries to key players or else have to consider their age these days. Sounds like blood in the water to me. If Deron Williams misses any extended period of time, do the Jazz even make the playoffs? And if a team is so dependent on one (injury prone) player, are they really a credible playoff threat? San Antonio will go as far as TD takes them, as always, but they were exposed last year when TD simply couldn’t turn on beast-mode in every game…and sitting the second night of back-to-backs this year is a sign that his days of choosing to go 25-15 with 3 blocks over a series are over.
That leaves Dallas and Denver, both of whom you could say “have never been built for the playoffs”, due to their traditionally offensively based teams. Both are strong clubs this year, both of whom I would take seriously, but I don’t see them “destroying” the Suns, whose core (Nash/Stoudemire) won 5 playoff series over 3 years not too long ago.
Which of course leads to another point, that the Suns HAVE seen postseason success, but since I’ve already written a book I’ll let that slide.
January 17th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Timur says:
Mayo has a 40-inch vertical?
http://ezinearticles.com/?OJ-Mayos-Dunks-and-How-to-Increase-Your-Vertical-Jump&id=2082253
January 17th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
ab_40 says:
ok ok gilbert arenas or jameer nelson… who fits the magic better and why isn’t dwight howard manning up and slapping his own teammates for not giving him the dam/\/ basketball
January 17th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Austin Burton says:
Why does everybody write off Rondo for “playing with 3 Hall of Famers,” when his best work has been done over the last half of last season and the first half of this season — when Garnett has mostly been out injured? If anything, Rondo’s been at his best with two HOF’ers, and those two are declining.
January 17th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
sh!tfaced says:
If anything, especially this season, it’s Rondo who’s been making those HOFers look less vulnerable. They carried Rajon during their championship season and this year he’s been returning the favor. He’s playing a lot of minutes without any real backup at PG.
Rondo (and even Perk) are hustling, diving for the loose ball, rebounding, helping out on defense and covering up shit so the old guys won’t have to do so much so they can save themselves for the latter part of the season. Or so they think…
January 17th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
sh!tfaced says:
Whoa? Bucks just signed Stackhouse to a contract. Guess he’s taking Redd’s spot. From damaged knees to old knees.
January 17th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
K Dizzle says:
@ AB – Go ask Nash, CP and DWill if they would like to play with “declining Hall of Famers” Ray Allen and Paul Pierce and see what they say. Anyone’s who’s ever played ball knows it’s a lot easier to pick your spots when you’re the FOURTH option than when defenses are geared to stop you. Coaches put in gameplans to stop the other three, ain’t no coach worryin about Rondo when they see “declining hall of famers” comin to town. You think Rondo gets that layup to tie the Heat if he’s the man on the team? But that’s what DWill, CP, and Nash deal with daily.Not sayin Rondo’s a scrub, but even Rose and Brooks got bigger loads to carry. And I’m not votin a point guard who can’t shoot or hit free throws above Paul, Nash or DWill. All 3 can shoot, all three run their teams as the bonafide leader in the crunch, all 3 avg 10+ assists per.All 3 make their teammates better. Those “declining hall of famers” make Rondo better. Take any one of them off their squads and you prayin for a Sundiata Gaines triple at crunch time and you’d be damn near lottery bound. Take Rondo off the celts, they’d still be a top 4 team out east. Kid is good, just not as good as my top 3. That is all
January 17th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
jdizzle says:
I know this is late as hell, but Kevin Durant is officially a certified PROBLEM for tha League!!
January 17th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
dagwaller says:
K Diz – wow, great points. Agreed. I’d still take Kidd (3 point shooting, rebounding, playmaking) over D Will (scoring), but very good points overall.
January 18th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Mo says:
@Arno, it’s difficult to judge a man playing on a one man team? I’d have you know if it weren’t for that ‘one man’ the Hornets would be lottery bound each and every season.