As promised here is part two of my conversation with Tas Melas of Basketball Jones. We talk a little Raptors and the future of Chris Bosh is first thing on the table.
Thanks to Tas for taking the time to talk ball with me for the Dino Nation Blog. I hope to have him back in future as I enjoyed doing this interview. You can both Tas and myself live blogging later today. Tas is doing the Rockets and Lakers at 3:30 pm and I have the Magic and Celtics at 8pm. Live Blogs continue on The Score throughout the NBA Playoffs.
5/8/09
Tas Melas Of Basketball Jones Visits(Part 1)
Most who read the Dino Nation Blog know, I liveblog basketball games for The Score as well as write the Dino Nation Blog. One of the people I have got to know based on that is Tas Melas who also live blogs games along with myself. He is part of The Basketball Jones which is something that has become part of my daily routine on a Monday to Friday. If not for working with him I may not have discovered it. They have done well over 400 episodes of the show. It is worth watching everyday if you are a basketball junkie in need of your fix. So being new to it I decided to ask Tas for some background on Basketball Jones and we also talk some NBA Playoffs. We did get into some Raptors as well but it was such a long and hopefully interesting conversation I have made that into a separate parts. I will get that out on the weekend. Let's face it not much is going to change in Raptorland in the next day or two so it all should still be relevant. So for now enjoy Tas and I talking Jones and NBA Playoffs.
It was great having Tas drop by and in Part 2 we talk Raps about CB4 and his future along with Jay Triano and some other things Raptors. You can catch Both Tas and myself live blogging games throughout the playoffs for The Score. I am doing Game 3 of that Rockets and Lakers Series Tas and I talked about. To join in on the fun click on this link at gametime. Follow the Score on Twitter to see what games are being live blogged and when. Dino Nation Blog is also a member of the rapidly growing Twitter Nation where you can follow the Dino Nation Blog. In addition go check out The Basketball Jones and watch it and you will likely like me make it part of your basketball required viewing for the day. The great thing about the Dino Nation Blog has been for me is getting to know so many folks that love talking basketball and are fans of the sport. In Canada we can never find enough people to chat hoops with. That is why I do my best to bring in all the folks that love basketball and have passion for it for you folks. Tas is among those people. So Part 2 is on the Weekend so make sure to check that out.
5/7/09
Raptors Should Fear NHL Deux In Ontario.
Jack Armstrong in talking about the whole Jim Basillie and Gary Bettman feud about Basillie and his desire to bring a second team to Southern Ontario made a good point. Now personally being from Hamilton and the fact Basillie has targeted it as the place this team may end up makes me happy for people of Hamilton. If it were to happen. However the point that I never thought about would be the impact on the Raptors. Everyone talks about the impact a second team would have on Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres. But Jack pointed out and rightfully so, that Raptors would have another big monster to compete against in the market to compete for fans and media coverage. What will that mean for the Raptors? Games on TSN 3...Coming Soon. I mean this season proved how little impact basketball fans have on the broadcasters. We don't count. That is because Hockey rules all and they do little to meet the needs of fans of other sports. Another NHL team will mean that NBA and Raptors Highlights will come later and be shorter. If you think I don't know this you would be wrong. I worked in a newsroom and have seen it happen first hand. It pains me to want Gary Bettman to get his way. I know that I pay little attention to hockey if any. However even I have no love for Mr. Bettman. He did actually come from the NBA a long time ago. We as basketball fans should all be grateful he is gone. God forbid anything would have happened to David Stern and Gary Bettman was running the NBA.
If you truly are a basketball fan first you need to be afraid of this second NHL team if it comes to Southern Ontario. This season with all the Raptor Games shoved to TSN2 and now NBA Playoff Games. It is only going to become worse if you get another NHL team in the market be it in Hamilton or a second team in Toronto. There was a time when I would watch a hockey game. There was a time when I was a true fan of the Buffalo Sabres. However having seen the way Hockey has become this beast in the sports media it has turned me off the game and I am never coming back. I will watch the odd highlight and be force feed hockey info because it is can't be avoided living here. But I am not ever going to change until the media does. However I have seen the weather reports for Hell and it is not expecting to freeze over anytime soon.
I am starting to almost feel like a soccer fan or a UFC fan in the sense that I almost feel that I have to fight to have my sport get it's fair share of coverage. I guess that is why it is good we have so many quality folks covering the game online. The Raptors and the great blogs like Raptor Blog, Raptors Republic, Hoop Head North and many others are all out there for you to enjoy. Dino Nation Blog as well. We may be heading to a world where the internet becomes more important than T.V and Radio. However we are not there yet and it is easy to see that all forms of media are going to use the Internet as a tool to promote those forms of media. That is why you see everyone and their brother cashing in on things like Twitter and Facebook.
It is a changing world and many things will change as we move forward. However what will not change anytime soon is the love of hockey in Canada. Along with that the media trying to cash in on that love through the way they cover sports. I get that fighting Hockey in this country is like going into battle with a fork and looking across at someone with a grenade launcher. However all I have ever wanted or expected is the sport I love getting it's fair share. Along with that not have it disrespected both directly and indirectly. Which happens far to often in this country. Much like hockey does in the United States. In the U.S they are able to find balance to provide a lot of solid coverage of many sports. NBA, NFL and MLB all get there fair share of a sportscast. It will very in different areas but you get a solid look at all 3.
It seems odd that I end up on the wrong side of things and end up supporting MLSE and Gary Bettman. However that is where I may be forced to be. Hamilton could really use an NHL team though. It would do a lot of good for the place I call home. It is what else it would do that concerns me. I love where I live and I enjoy Toronto as well. That is not something you hear a lot of. But I think both places offer different things that are good. But no matter how I feel about all of this I just can not bring myself to say Go Gary Go. He has not exactly been kind or respectful to people in this country in my view. That is a view that most Hockey fans in this country would agree with me on. It is probably the only thing or one of very few. But what it will all mean for the future is any one's guess. The Phoenix Coyotes coming to Canada is not a good thing for basketball fans. Steve Nash gets to come with Coyotes them I am on board.
Sorry for not getting a blog out yesterday. I had a rare morning of sleeping in and never was able to get caught up all day. Sometimes it happens. If you have some thoughts on this or just the coverage of Hockey in comparison to basketball please feel free to drop off a comment. I love hearing from readers and getting your takes on things.
If you truly are a basketball fan first you need to be afraid of this second NHL team if it comes to Southern Ontario. This season with all the Raptor Games shoved to TSN2 and now NBA Playoff Games. It is only going to become worse if you get another NHL team in the market be it in Hamilton or a second team in Toronto. There was a time when I would watch a hockey game. There was a time when I was a true fan of the Buffalo Sabres. However having seen the way Hockey has become this beast in the sports media it has turned me off the game and I am never coming back. I will watch the odd highlight and be force feed hockey info because it is can't be avoided living here. But I am not ever going to change until the media does. However I have seen the weather reports for Hell and it is not expecting to freeze over anytime soon.
I am starting to almost feel like a soccer fan or a UFC fan in the sense that I almost feel that I have to fight to have my sport get it's fair share of coverage. I guess that is why it is good we have so many quality folks covering the game online. The Raptors and the great blogs like Raptor Blog, Raptors Republic, Hoop Head North and many others are all out there for you to enjoy. Dino Nation Blog as well. We may be heading to a world where the internet becomes more important than T.V and Radio. However we are not there yet and it is easy to see that all forms of media are going to use the Internet as a tool to promote those forms of media. That is why you see everyone and their brother cashing in on things like Twitter and Facebook.
It is a changing world and many things will change as we move forward. However what will not change anytime soon is the love of hockey in Canada. Along with that the media trying to cash in on that love through the way they cover sports. I get that fighting Hockey in this country is like going into battle with a fork and looking across at someone with a grenade launcher. However all I have ever wanted or expected is the sport I love getting it's fair share. Along with that not have it disrespected both directly and indirectly. Which happens far to often in this country. Much like hockey does in the United States. In the U.S they are able to find balance to provide a lot of solid coverage of many sports. NBA, NFL and MLB all get there fair share of a sportscast. It will very in different areas but you get a solid look at all 3.
It seems odd that I end up on the wrong side of things and end up supporting MLSE and Gary Bettman. However that is where I may be forced to be. Hamilton could really use an NHL team though. It would do a lot of good for the place I call home. It is what else it would do that concerns me. I love where I live and I enjoy Toronto as well. That is not something you hear a lot of. But I think both places offer different things that are good. But no matter how I feel about all of this I just can not bring myself to say Go Gary Go. He has not exactly been kind or respectful to people in this country in my view. That is a view that most Hockey fans in this country would agree with me on. It is probably the only thing or one of very few. But what it will all mean for the future is any one's guess. The Phoenix Coyotes coming to Canada is not a good thing for basketball fans. Steve Nash gets to come with Coyotes them I am on board.
Sorry for not getting a blog out yesterday. I had a rare morning of sleeping in and never was able to get caught up all day. Sometimes it happens. If you have some thoughts on this or just the coverage of Hockey in comparison to basketball please feel free to drop off a comment. I love hearing from readers and getting your takes on things.
5/5/09
Round Ball Review Is Back On The Air
It has been a long time since we have heard from J.B and Joey G. They have not changed that much. Joey G is still as nutty as ever. In this episode he shows little hope for the Raptors off season. So hope you enjoy this episode of the Round Ball Review:
5/4/09
And There Off In Round 2
So were get started with Round 2. But before we talk basketball a little horse racing. If you didn't know Rashard Lewis was one of the owners of the #9 horse in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. His horse "Join In The Dance" led the race only to get blown away down the stretch. But Lewis and his Magic will hope for a better fate vs the Celtics. Also if you have not seen the outfit Michael Jordan had on at the race it is something to see and not in a good way. That may be on of the ugliest suits I have ever seen. M.J has been a fixture at the race for the last 4 years or so. It is the place to be seen and we all know M.J is a guy that is someone who enjoys a good wager. The NBA will not be making the ad where ex-player gamble happens anytime soon but Barkley and Jordan to of the games greatest players in their era are big time players not just on the court but off it.
So it is a good thing I am not a gambler. My first round picks were not exactly great. The only series I hit the nail on the head was Lakers and Jazz. I was right in saying Lakers in 5. Beyond that all my picks were a mess. I did get Orlando, Boston and Cleveland right. Actually I did call the Cavs sweep as well maybe I am being to hard on myself. However Hornets in 7, Portland in 7, Miami in 6 and Spurs in 5 all were far from right. Some more glaring mistakes than others. The Hornets would top that list with a lose of 50+ points in the playoffs. You thought the Raptors had problems think how they are feeling in New Orleans. Spurs are also a team that may need a major overhaul. Portland and Miami were young teams and they will learn and grow from the experience. 4-4 is not that good but hey it happens. I will try to make up for it going perfect in round 2. So away we go with round 2 picks.
Cavs vs Hawks
Lebron James is going to be named the MVP according to the associated press. He has had a season for the ages. It makes his comments on his 60 minutes interview all the more scary when he says he is at about 85% of his max potential. The rest of the league should be afraid. The Hawks were able to destroy Miami in game 7. It was a shock to me as I almost guaranteed a Miami win in my radio appearance on the weekend in Montreal. I may be the last person on earth that will give the Hawks credit. But even if I am bias against the Hawks. Even if I hope Lebron James does a between the legs dunk in this series. No matter what bias I may have, I am confident that everyone believes the Cavs will take this series in short order. I am saying this one will not last long and it is not hard to see why. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are not even in the same conversation with a Lebron James. Mike Bibby is not playing at the same level Mo Williams has this year although that is a closer debate. Zsa Zsa is not as good as Big Z and we could go on and on. But let's bottom line this baby.
Dino Blogger Says Cavs in 4
Celtics vs Magic
All year long I have stuck behind the Orlando Magic. They never get respect and they never are given a chance in big games by the main stream media. While the Celtics and Bulls were taking part in what some are calling the greatest series ever. The Magic with no Dwight Howard who was suspended and no Courtney Lee who was taken out by Howard, the Magic rolled over Sixers in game 6. Celtics meanwhile have been lead by Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo and had to battle tooth and nail to beat the Bulls. It may not have been the greatest series in history. I mean the fact people are saying that makes me kinda chuckle a bit. Don't get me wrong it was very entertaining but the best ever? That to me is an insult to the history of this game. As for this series it will be interesting. K.G is not expected to play and despite rumours of possible comebacks that is all they are. No Leon Powe as well it is a weak front court, no offence intended to Perkins and Big Baby. However D-12 is a tough cover for a front court at full strength. Magic also have a ton of shooters that can get hot. If the Celtics are going to win they need great performances from Pierce, Rondo and Allen. One thing may be that could be key is that Rafer Alston does not get caught up in a battle with Rajon Rondo. Alston has matured a lot since his days in Toronto. I think he can do it and keep his composure. Rondo will out play him but that is ok. Also Dwight Howard is well rested as the Magic may have taken 6 to beat the Sixers but Superman only played 5. Prior to the season I actually picked the Magic to make it to the finals to play against the Lakers. I Believe in Orlando.
Dino Blogger says Orlando in 6.
Lakers and Rockets
That is from the Basketball Jones and their funny take on Ron Artest and Kobe incident from earlier in the year. Since than you might have heard Ron Artest has said Brandon Roy, Some guy He knows in NYC and a guy he meet at IHop this morning are all better than Kobe Bryant. But what is nice to see is after being total pissed about the Rockets signing Ron Artest in the summer. Yao Ming is now a fan of the insanity that is Ron Ron. When Artest was making jokes about going into the stands saying he had been in the stands before, Yao was laughing harder than I have ever seen him laugh. But seriously has Ron Ron lost his mind finally? Calling out Kobe Bryant? That does not seem like a wise thing to do. However their may be method to the Madness that is Ron Artest. He would like nothing better than to see Kobe forget about his team and turn this into a 1 on 1 battle. However Kobe is smarter than to get drawn into that kind of thing right? There is a bigger goal and more important goal for Kobe. If he can shut up Artest along the way great but it is not about that. Beyond the Kobe and Ron Ron show it will be about stopping Yao and having Andrew Bynum back this year will be helpful in that. Brooks could have a bit of an advantage over Fisher. But the Rockets will need more than that and even if Houston plays a perfect series the still could lose. That is how deep and good the Lakers are.
Dino Blogger says sorry Ron Ron, Lakers in 5.
Denver vs Dallas
This series has already started yesterday with a Denver win. I never believed in Denver or Dallas. Yeah dumb I was. But we all make mistakes and move on. Chris " The Birdman" Anderson has done that. Gerry one of the hosts on the Radio Show "Off The Bench", that I appear on weekly on Saturday mornings, He made a good point comparing the Birdman to Rodzilla. He is very Rodman like. He is a key contributor for the Nuggets. But the guy that makes it all happen is Chancey Biullups. He has taken this team to a whole new level. The Mavericks have Dirk and Jason Kidd along with their own cast around them. But I think Denver is far to deep for the Mavs. Spurs with a health Manu likely get by the Mavs. But I have been wrong about the Mavs before. But this time I am confident they are out matched. Nuggets can really score the basketball and Mavs eventually ran out of steam in game 1 and Denver went to town. I swear it had nothing to do with my pick. Just wanted to have a weekend off so I was not going to rush and get this done on a lazy Sunday.
Dino Blogger Says Denver in 5
So it is a good thing I am not a gambler. My first round picks were not exactly great. The only series I hit the nail on the head was Lakers and Jazz. I was right in saying Lakers in 5. Beyond that all my picks were a mess. I did get Orlando, Boston and Cleveland right. Actually I did call the Cavs sweep as well maybe I am being to hard on myself. However Hornets in 7, Portland in 7, Miami in 6 and Spurs in 5 all were far from right. Some more glaring mistakes than others. The Hornets would top that list with a lose of 50+ points in the playoffs. You thought the Raptors had problems think how they are feeling in New Orleans. Spurs are also a team that may need a major overhaul. Portland and Miami were young teams and they will learn and grow from the experience. 4-4 is not that good but hey it happens. I will try to make up for it going perfect in round 2. So away we go with round 2 picks.
Cavs vs Hawks
Lebron James is going to be named the MVP according to the associated press. He has had a season for the ages. It makes his comments on his 60 minutes interview all the more scary when he says he is at about 85% of his max potential. The rest of the league should be afraid. The Hawks were able to destroy Miami in game 7. It was a shock to me as I almost guaranteed a Miami win in my radio appearance on the weekend in Montreal. I may be the last person on earth that will give the Hawks credit. But even if I am bias against the Hawks. Even if I hope Lebron James does a between the legs dunk in this series. No matter what bias I may have, I am confident that everyone believes the Cavs will take this series in short order. I am saying this one will not last long and it is not hard to see why. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are not even in the same conversation with a Lebron James. Mike Bibby is not playing at the same level Mo Williams has this year although that is a closer debate. Zsa Zsa is not as good as Big Z and we could go on and on. But let's bottom line this baby.
Dino Blogger Says Cavs in 4
Celtics vs Magic
All year long I have stuck behind the Orlando Magic. They never get respect and they never are given a chance in big games by the main stream media. While the Celtics and Bulls were taking part in what some are calling the greatest series ever. The Magic with no Dwight Howard who was suspended and no Courtney Lee who was taken out by Howard, the Magic rolled over Sixers in game 6. Celtics meanwhile have been lead by Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo and had to battle tooth and nail to beat the Bulls. It may not have been the greatest series in history. I mean the fact people are saying that makes me kinda chuckle a bit. Don't get me wrong it was very entertaining but the best ever? That to me is an insult to the history of this game. As for this series it will be interesting. K.G is not expected to play and despite rumours of possible comebacks that is all they are. No Leon Powe as well it is a weak front court, no offence intended to Perkins and Big Baby. However D-12 is a tough cover for a front court at full strength. Magic also have a ton of shooters that can get hot. If the Celtics are going to win they need great performances from Pierce, Rondo and Allen. One thing may be that could be key is that Rafer Alston does not get caught up in a battle with Rajon Rondo. Alston has matured a lot since his days in Toronto. I think he can do it and keep his composure. Rondo will out play him but that is ok. Also Dwight Howard is well rested as the Magic may have taken 6 to beat the Sixers but Superman only played 5. Prior to the season I actually picked the Magic to make it to the finals to play against the Lakers. I Believe in Orlando.
Dino Blogger says Orlando in 6.
Lakers and Rockets
That is from the Basketball Jones and their funny take on Ron Artest and Kobe incident from earlier in the year. Since than you might have heard Ron Artest has said Brandon Roy, Some guy He knows in NYC and a guy he meet at IHop this morning are all better than Kobe Bryant. But what is nice to see is after being total pissed about the Rockets signing Ron Artest in the summer. Yao Ming is now a fan of the insanity that is Ron Ron. When Artest was making jokes about going into the stands saying he had been in the stands before, Yao was laughing harder than I have ever seen him laugh. But seriously has Ron Ron lost his mind finally? Calling out Kobe Bryant? That does not seem like a wise thing to do. However their may be method to the Madness that is Ron Artest. He would like nothing better than to see Kobe forget about his team and turn this into a 1 on 1 battle. However Kobe is smarter than to get drawn into that kind of thing right? There is a bigger goal and more important goal for Kobe. If he can shut up Artest along the way great but it is not about that. Beyond the Kobe and Ron Ron show it will be about stopping Yao and having Andrew Bynum back this year will be helpful in that. Brooks could have a bit of an advantage over Fisher. But the Rockets will need more than that and even if Houston plays a perfect series the still could lose. That is how deep and good the Lakers are.
Dino Blogger says sorry Ron Ron, Lakers in 5.
Denver vs Dallas
This series has already started yesterday with a Denver win. I never believed in Denver or Dallas. Yeah dumb I was. But we all make mistakes and move on. Chris " The Birdman" Anderson has done that. Gerry one of the hosts on the Radio Show "Off The Bench", that I appear on weekly on Saturday mornings, He made a good point comparing the Birdman to Rodzilla. He is very Rodman like. He is a key contributor for the Nuggets. But the guy that makes it all happen is Chancey Biullups. He has taken this team to a whole new level. The Mavericks have Dirk and Jason Kidd along with their own cast around them. But I think Denver is far to deep for the Mavs. Spurs with a health Manu likely get by the Mavs. But I have been wrong about the Mavs before. But this time I am confident they are out matched. Nuggets can really score the basketball and Mavs eventually ran out of steam in game 1 and Denver went to town. I swear it had nothing to do with my pick. Just wanted to have a weekend off so I was not going to rush and get this done on a lazy Sunday.
Dino Blogger Says Denver in 5
Crown For The King In Reality and On The Net
Lebron James it has been leaked the the Associated Press that Lebron James is the M.V.P. It is not often that the main stream media and the Internet and bloggers are on the same page. But everyone agrees that Lebron James is a Super Freak of Nature and was the best player in the sport of basketball on the planet Earth in this least year. I participated in a Blogger M.V.P and R.O.Y poll all year long and here are the final results.
M.V.P Final Voting
R.O.Y Final Voting
So down the stretch they come King James and Kobster are neck and neck they are heading for the line and it is a photo finish. That is where with is heading folks, Lakers and Cavs and Kobe and Lebron. But enjoy the ride to get there it should be fun.
5/1/09
If You Didn't Like Last Night- You Don't Like NBA Basketball
There was an announcer that used the line "If You Didn't Like That You Don't Like NBA Basketball". Well if that line every applied more to anything it is the Bulls vs Celtics series. I admit that I could care less about the Celtics or the Bulls. That being said the games and the battles they are having have been unreal. Another instant classic last night as the two battled in a triple overtime thriller. It was just as exciting as the 6 OT game between Syracuse and UConn and the way it was going it looked like it could go 6 OT's. Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose have been both very special in this series.
If that was not enough for you. The Magic with no Howard who was suspended and Courtney Lee who was injured(By Howard) took on the Sixers and won in a blowout. At this time I would like to say sorry to Marcin Gortat. I joked around yesterday and said that he could not get it done. I doubted the new Polish Power for the Y2K. He had I think was 11 and 10 and that is about half of an average Dwight night in the playoffs. So the Magic move on and will get the team that survives Game 7 between that Bulls and Celtics. The Magic have not performed at a high level in round 1. Could the fact that the Bulls and Celtics are taking everything the other has to offer end up benefiting the Magic? Just a thought.
Ray Allen is getting it done when it matters the most for Celtics and is a big part of why this series has been as much a classic as it is becoming. Also it makes me laugh that there was talk earlier in the year if Vinny Del Negro was going to last as coach of the Bulls. I think win or lose in Game 7 it is safe to say that Vinny will have a job next year. That being said I am stunned the Michael Curry is going to remain as coach of the Pistons who went out in flames to the Cavs that will wait to get the winner of Hawks and Heat series. It is crazy to think that Curry keeps his job after the season the Pistons have had. I am much more willing to give Jay Triano a chance than I would be Michael Curry. It is not that I have been a supporter of the Triano return. I have not been. But Curry clearly was part of the problem in Detroit. However Joe Dumars was the guy that but him in that situation by trading Billups for Iverson. While Billups plays on with the Nuggets as they destroyed the Hornets. Allen Iverson was MIA for the playoffs. That was not Curry that was on Dumars. Still Curry just never looked like he had control or the respect of his team and that seemed clear to me. Triano for what it is worth had the respect of the Raptors and the endorsement of the star play. I think if you took a straw poll in the Pistons Locker Room I am pretty sure Curry is voted off the island so to speak.
Despite all of this excitement that has been going on the end of the story remains the same for me. It seems clear that we are heading towards a Kobe vs Lebron Final. That as far as hype will be an epic battle. That being said the Bulls and Celtics have put on a show that will be hard to top. Can Game 7 be as exciting as the first 6? Last year the Hawks pushed the Celtics to 7. The Game 7 ended up being a real stinker with the dirty birds getting destroyed. I do not think the Bulls will meet that same fate as the Hawks. They may not win but they will show up.
Fans of basketball have been rewarded with a lot of excitement in this year's NBA Playoffs. There has been a really nasty edge to some of it as well. I have liked that. NBA needs to let them play. The talk of guys getting suspended and being not in games like Howard last night and the whole mess with the Suns and Spurs a few years ago in my opinion takes away from things. The NHL finds ways to bend he rules to fit what makes sense. Why not do the same in the NBA. Unless it is something that is truly awful I say let them play. Rajon Rondo does not play in game 7 based on tossing Hinrich into a score table it will be fans that lose. Not just Celtic fans but all fans. Back in the 80's go watch some classic games and you will see lots worse things happen to players and I don't recall anyone being suspended. We become to hyper sensitive in the sports world today. If I sound like Charles Oakley so be it. The stars of basketball in the 80 and 90's must chuckle at what gets considered a big deal now a days. That reminds me Pros vs Joes is starting again soon what NBA oldschoolers will be on the show. Ex-Raptors Kevin Willis and Charles Oakley have been on the show. There are a few other I likely have forgotten. There is no better way to kill an hour than watch an episode of Pros vs Joes.
If that was not enough for you. The Magic with no Howard who was suspended and Courtney Lee who was injured(By Howard) took on the Sixers and won in a blowout. At this time I would like to say sorry to Marcin Gortat. I joked around yesterday and said that he could not get it done. I doubted the new Polish Power for the Y2K. He had I think was 11 and 10 and that is about half of an average Dwight night in the playoffs. So the Magic move on and will get the team that survives Game 7 between that Bulls and Celtics. The Magic have not performed at a high level in round 1. Could the fact that the Bulls and Celtics are taking everything the other has to offer end up benefiting the Magic? Just a thought.
Ray Allen is getting it done when it matters the most for Celtics and is a big part of why this series has been as much a classic as it is becoming. Also it makes me laugh that there was talk earlier in the year if Vinny Del Negro was going to last as coach of the Bulls. I think win or lose in Game 7 it is safe to say that Vinny will have a job next year. That being said I am stunned the Michael Curry is going to remain as coach of the Pistons who went out in flames to the Cavs that will wait to get the winner of Hawks and Heat series. It is crazy to think that Curry keeps his job after the season the Pistons have had. I am much more willing to give Jay Triano a chance than I would be Michael Curry. It is not that I have been a supporter of the Triano return. I have not been. But Curry clearly was part of the problem in Detroit. However Joe Dumars was the guy that but him in that situation by trading Billups for Iverson. While Billups plays on with the Nuggets as they destroyed the Hornets. Allen Iverson was MIA for the playoffs. That was not Curry that was on Dumars. Still Curry just never looked like he had control or the respect of his team and that seemed clear to me. Triano for what it is worth had the respect of the Raptors and the endorsement of the star play. I think if you took a straw poll in the Pistons Locker Room I am pretty sure Curry is voted off the island so to speak.
Despite all of this excitement that has been going on the end of the story remains the same for me. It seems clear that we are heading towards a Kobe vs Lebron Final. That as far as hype will be an epic battle. That being said the Bulls and Celtics have put on a show that will be hard to top. Can Game 7 be as exciting as the first 6? Last year the Hawks pushed the Celtics to 7. The Game 7 ended up being a real stinker with the dirty birds getting destroyed. I do not think the Bulls will meet that same fate as the Hawks. They may not win but they will show up.
Fans of basketball have been rewarded with a lot of excitement in this year's NBA Playoffs. There has been a really nasty edge to some of it as well. I have liked that. NBA needs to let them play. The talk of guys getting suspended and being not in games like Howard last night and the whole mess with the Suns and Spurs a few years ago in my opinion takes away from things. The NHL finds ways to bend he rules to fit what makes sense. Why not do the same in the NBA. Unless it is something that is truly awful I say let them play. Rajon Rondo does not play in game 7 based on tossing Hinrich into a score table it will be fans that lose. Not just Celtic fans but all fans. Back in the 80's go watch some classic games and you will see lots worse things happen to players and I don't recall anyone being suspended. We become to hyper sensitive in the sports world today. If I sound like Charles Oakley so be it. The stars of basketball in the 80 and 90's must chuckle at what gets considered a big deal now a days. That reminds me Pros vs Joes is starting again soon what NBA oldschoolers will be on the show. Ex-Raptors Kevin Willis and Charles Oakley have been on the show. There are a few other I likely have forgotten. There is no better way to kill an hour than watch an episode of Pros vs Joes.
4/30/09
Dirty Birds Still In Flight
If you have read this blog for a longtime you know that the Dino Blogger is not a fan of the Atlanta Hawks. I have referred to they as the dirty birds. Well last night they gave an example of why I do not like this basketball team. Josh Smith in what had been a rough and heated(No Pun Intended) decided to try to practice for the dunk contest in the playoffs. He tried to do the dunk that Vince Carter did putting it through his legs. He missed the dunk and it only will add more fuel to the fire of what is becoming a nasty series. Every time you looked away someone was going down. Al Horford was taken out and you will hear no sympathy from me for him. I think he is reason the Raptors have gone totally off course. He was the guy that sent T.J Ford crashing to the ground and the Raptors have never been the same since. But back to the series, Dwyane Wade took a hard fall and from that point this game changed and the Heat got taken out of their game.
You had Toronto's own Jamal Maglorie trying to be tough guy and causing a lot of pushing and shoving. To be honest for those of you that are hockey fans out there, Heat and Hawks is the series for you. Lots of that non-sense that you see in hockey with push and shoving and general nasty stuff. If the Heat want to win this series they need to focus on playing basketball and forget about the nonsense. The Hawks are a team that lacks discipline and leadership. However if all this nonsense leads to the Hawks winning a series will anyone care how they did it? One last thing on the Hawks. If you have ever watched a regular season game from the ATL you have to be like me and shocked at where all these people came from. They must have had to have someone go through the area to dust off all those seats that are now filled for the playoffs.
Meanwhile the Hornets fell hard again. There have been a lot of bad loses to reflect back on in this Raptors season. One of them was against the Denver Nuggets. It cost Sam Mitchell his job. Did a over 50 point lose in the playoffs do the same for Bryon Scott? I don't think so. But it is clear that the Hornets have some major re-tooling to do. Denver beat them again in what was not as bad a blowout. But after being tied at the half the Nuggets rolled in the second half. Add another player to the list of people not named T-Mac that have advanced to the 2nd round. Carmelo Anthony was 0-5 in round 1. But he now can say he to is one up on T-Mac. That is unless you count the fact the Rockets may advance without T-Mac. But I don't think that counts does it. Besides if the Rockets lose in game 6 in Houston they may not advance anyway. Game 7 at the Rose Garden I am all over the Blazers. That is a big reason why I picked the Blazers in 7. That being said I picked the Hornets in 7 for an upset. Well not so much on that one.
Which D-12 elbow will hurt the Magic more. There was the one that landed on Sam Dalembert that got him suspended for Game 6 in Philly. There was the other one the injured Courtney Lee who was having a good series for the Magic. I think if the Sixers can not win this series they really have no one to blame. The Magic have given them chance after to chance to win this series. The biggest of those is this game 6 to extend the series to 7 games. Gortat as much as he may have a growing fan base. Not since Ivan" Polish Power" Putski was in the WWF has there been a more famous Polish person. Wait a second, there was Pope John Paul II, ok so make that most famous Polish person in sports. But there is no one in Poland and perhaps on the planet earth like Dwight Howard. After all he is Superman. If Stan Van Gundy can some how get the Magic a win we should demand they re-open the coach of the year voting. No Howard and No Lee is odds that seem very long for the Magic indeed. Blue and White Ignite cause Game 7 is coming soon to Orlando.
As far as the Raptors go not much to talk about for now. Bryan Colangelo is over in Europe on a scouting mission. The MLSE Board will met sometime in early May he will likely recommend that Jay Triano is kept on as head coach and they will ponder and agree with Bryan. So you can expect an announcement probably prior to the NBA Lottery happens. Colangelo has a lot of work to do this off-season. You talk to the casual fan and they have concluded that the Raptors Suck. It is hard to give people a logical explanation to say that they do not. Bosh or no Bosh and all the rest of it. Perhaps the most interesting thing will be the draft as Colangelo has made it known that he will be shopping for another pick in round one. Raptors also may be bringing in an old draft pick next year in Giorgos Printezis. He was traded for by Colangelo in the second round a couple years ago. It was a trade with the Spurs as I recall. He was on the Greek Roster for last season in the Olympic Qualifier and the Olympics. He did not see much time and is still just 23 years old. So he is not going to fix the Raptors. However he could be a small part in adding to the toughness that Bryan Colangelo made clear needs to be added.
You had Toronto's own Jamal Maglorie trying to be tough guy and causing a lot of pushing and shoving. To be honest for those of you that are hockey fans out there, Heat and Hawks is the series for you. Lots of that non-sense that you see in hockey with push and shoving and general nasty stuff. If the Heat want to win this series they need to focus on playing basketball and forget about the nonsense. The Hawks are a team that lacks discipline and leadership. However if all this nonsense leads to the Hawks winning a series will anyone care how they did it? One last thing on the Hawks. If you have ever watched a regular season game from the ATL you have to be like me and shocked at where all these people came from. They must have had to have someone go through the area to dust off all those seats that are now filled for the playoffs.
Meanwhile the Hornets fell hard again. There have been a lot of bad loses to reflect back on in this Raptors season. One of them was against the Denver Nuggets. It cost Sam Mitchell his job. Did a over 50 point lose in the playoffs do the same for Bryon Scott? I don't think so. But it is clear that the Hornets have some major re-tooling to do. Denver beat them again in what was not as bad a blowout. But after being tied at the half the Nuggets rolled in the second half. Add another player to the list of people not named T-Mac that have advanced to the 2nd round. Carmelo Anthony was 0-5 in round 1. But he now can say he to is one up on T-Mac. That is unless you count the fact the Rockets may advance without T-Mac. But I don't think that counts does it. Besides if the Rockets lose in game 6 in Houston they may not advance anyway. Game 7 at the Rose Garden I am all over the Blazers. That is a big reason why I picked the Blazers in 7. That being said I picked the Hornets in 7 for an upset. Well not so much on that one.
Which D-12 elbow will hurt the Magic more. There was the one that landed on Sam Dalembert that got him suspended for Game 6 in Philly. There was the other one the injured Courtney Lee who was having a good series for the Magic. I think if the Sixers can not win this series they really have no one to blame. The Magic have given them chance after to chance to win this series. The biggest of those is this game 6 to extend the series to 7 games. Gortat as much as he may have a growing fan base. Not since Ivan" Polish Power" Putski was in the WWF has there been a more famous Polish person. Wait a second, there was Pope John Paul II, ok so make that most famous Polish person in sports. But there is no one in Poland and perhaps on the planet earth like Dwight Howard. After all he is Superman. If Stan Van Gundy can some how get the Magic a win we should demand they re-open the coach of the year voting. No Howard and No Lee is odds that seem very long for the Magic indeed. Blue and White Ignite cause Game 7 is coming soon to Orlando.
As far as the Raptors go not much to talk about for now. Bryan Colangelo is over in Europe on a scouting mission. The MLSE Board will met sometime in early May he will likely recommend that Jay Triano is kept on as head coach and they will ponder and agree with Bryan. So you can expect an announcement probably prior to the NBA Lottery happens. Colangelo has a lot of work to do this off-season. You talk to the casual fan and they have concluded that the Raptors Suck. It is hard to give people a logical explanation to say that they do not. Bosh or no Bosh and all the rest of it. Perhaps the most interesting thing will be the draft as Colangelo has made it known that he will be shopping for another pick in round one. Raptors also may be bringing in an old draft pick next year in Giorgos Printezis. He was traded for by Colangelo in the second round a couple years ago. It was a trade with the Spurs as I recall. He was on the Greek Roster for last season in the Olympic Qualifier and the Olympics. He did not see much time and is still just 23 years old. So he is not going to fix the Raptors. However he could be a small part in adding to the toughness that Bryan Colangelo made clear needs to be added.
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