Ball or Nuthin' » All-Star Game

Did Blake Live Up to the Hype?

T Lamont — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:35:40 +0000

On All-Star Saturday, perhaps the most hyped event was the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.

And it wasn’t so much because of the event itself, but instead due to the inclusion of the most exciting dunker to come into the NBA in years – Blake Griffin. Griffin’s repertoire of in-game dunks have been nothing short of amazing, and naturally there was a great amount of enthusiasm from fans regarding his participation in the competition.

So, now that all is said and done, did Griffin live up to the expectations?

Admittedly, I was one of the many who entered the night anxious to see what type of show Griffin would give us. But I came away with the following thoughts at the end of the night:

Serge Ibaka pulled off the only legit dunk from the free throw line in the history of the contest. The seven footer did something that Michael Jordan and Julius Erving weren’t able to do. And he didn’t even get a 50 from the judges. That was mind boggling to say the least.

JaVale McGee’s dunk attempts were creatively weird. Sure, he did some unconventional dunks including the two rim dunk and the three basketball dunk, but they really lacked thunder. And if we’re talking about a seven footer in the dunk contest, you cannot lack thunder.

Was there a little score tampering amongst the esteemed panel of judges? It amazed me how Blake Griffin’s not-so-awe-inspiring second dunk (in the opening round) received just the amount of points that he needed to eclipse DeMar DeRozan and make it into the finals.

And finally, there was the ”car dunk.” Now, in no way am I suggesting that leaping over any part of a car to dunk is child’s play. While this may be something new to the NBA stage, any casual AND1 fan has seen this done before. And to put the emphasis on the player’s vertical elevation, the player would jump over the body of the car…not the hood. That being said, that dunk will be an All-Star Saturday signature moment for years to come.

And then there was the build-up for the dunk. Bringing in a choir? Apparently that was Baron Davis’ idea, and it was certainly over the top.

All in all, Griffin achieved what we all expected and claimed the title in his first NBA dunk competition. But he did not do something that we haven’t seen yet. From his elbow in the rim off the lob (a la Vince Carter), to his toss off the side of the backboard and subsequent dunk (Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala), Griffin was good…but not great or innovative.

T Lamont’s 2010-11 NBA Eastern All-Stars

T Lamont — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:50:10 +0000

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Ball or Nuthin’ has already announced its Western Conference favorites for the NBA All-Star showcase.

The West is certainly not void of talent, but now that we’ve witnessed the demise of the Western Conference bigs (Duncan is aging, Garnett and Shaq are again – and in the East, Stoudemire is in the East), Mr. Bryant playing in his 15th season, and that LeBron James guy is residing to the right of the Mississippi – could this mark the beginning of some Eastern All-Star dominance?

That remains to be seen, but the Eastern Conference should be ringing in a couple of players who aren’t accustomed to starting in the midseason classic while donning the blue uniforms.

So, now it’s time to go to the East, my brother…to the East…

And as we go, I’ll attempt to keep my X-Clan references to a minimum…

Starting Five (not reflective of current voting, strictly based on merit…and my interpretation)

Point Guard: Derrick Rose- D-Rose has been a true leader for the Bulls, one of a few teams that had big hopes of landing ‘you know who’ this summer. Not only did they fail to land ‘you know who’, but Carols Boozer and Joakim Noah have each missed significant time in the first half of the season. Who’s been keeping them in the hunt for hosting an opening round playoff-series? The premier point guard in the Eastern Conference who’s averaging 24.7 points and 8.0 assists, that’s who.

Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade – He’s 5th in the league in scoring, right behind…

Small Forward: LeBron James – On pace to average 25-7-7 for the 5th time in his 8-year career…this time with Wade and Bosh on his team. Simply amazing.

Derrick Rose has been a one-man wrecking crew for the injury-riddled Chicago Bulls.

Power Forward: Amar’e Stoudemire- A lot of people thought Stoudemire’s career wasn’t going to be the same after those potentially dangerous knee surgeries during the 2005-06 season. Those people were right – - he’s much better. He has become a more efficient shooter (over 53% in each of the first four full seasons following his surgery) and has more spring in his step than I can remember.

Center: Dwight Howard- Howard’s scoring is up just a tad so far this season, but that’s mostly because he’s getting more field goal attempts. The work that Howard has put in regarding his post moves is evident; now he’ll have to put in the same work if he wants to be regarded as more than a modern-day Shaquille O’Neal. True supermen make their free throws.

The scary thing about the starting five above is that – barring any trades or free agent movement – is could remain exactly the same for the next three to five years. Howard, James and Rose could conceivably hold their spots for close to a decade.

Unlike their counterparts in the West, where there seem to be deserving players at every turn, there are far fewer All-Star caliber performers from the East. Here are the ones that I believe should make the cut this year:

Paul Pierce- What’s an East All-Star team without Pierce? He’s only missed the team in one of the last nine seasons. He’s easily one of the NBA’s most consistent performers since the new millennium.

Kevin Garnett- Unbelievably, Pierce’s success has been trumped by his teammate, Garnett. KG has participated in each and every All-Star Game since the turn of the century, and even played in a couple in the 90′s.

Al Horford- Horford has been effective night in and night out, checking in slightly below a double-double average with 16.2 points and 9.7 boards a game. Big Al has increased his scoring each year since he’s entered the NBA, and has turned himself into a reliable 80% shooter from the charity stripe (he’s shooting 82.1% at the moment).

Rajon Rondo – The Kentucky alum is a rare breed of player. Rondo dominates games in ways that his stats cannot properly express. He has used his unconventional playing style to effectively penetrate defenses, and serves as Boston’s key offensive facilitator. If Rondo’s assists per game (13.2) mark holds steady, it would be the highest since the 1991-92 season (John Stockton, 13.7)

Joe Johnson- JJ is stinking it up this year. His 43% field goal percentage and his 29% 3-point field goal percentage were only worse in his rookie season. Johnson’s scoring has dipped below 20 ppgfor the first time in six years. But without a plethora of multi-faceted players to chose from, Johnson sneaks in to make his fifth consecutive All-Star appearance.

Josh Smith- We suspected that it might be difficult for Josh Smith to match the brilliant campaign that he had last year…but he’s giving it a shot. With 16.0 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.4 spg and 1.8 bpg, J-Smoove is still a stat-sheet-stuffer. Supposed bad attitude and all.

Raymond Felton- In the Eastern Conference, there always tends to be a spot for an overachieving performer. Last year, it was David Lee and Gerald Wallace. In 2009, it was Devin Harris and Mo Williams. The year before that it was Caron Butler. This year, Felton (17.7 ppg, 8.8 apg) is scoring 5 more points and dishing out 2 more assists than his career averages in those categories. But perhaps more importantly, he’s a leading character in what appears to be a return to relevance for the New York Knicks. And when New York is relevant in anything, it usually amounts to more revenue – which the NBA sorely needs.

Is there enough room on the All-Star roster for Rondo and Allen?

Notable Omissions (and explanations):

Ray Allen- Allen could very well be a part of this team, and there wouldn’t be any argument. While Allen’s free throw percentage has uncharacteristically dipped under 90%, his 87.1% FT accuracy can hardly be used as a knock against him. But otherwise, Ray-Ray is having the best shooting season of his career. Allen is shooting over 51% from the field, including almost 47% from beyond the arc. He’s continuing to hit the back-breaking shots that are fueling the Celtics push to maintain the best record in the East (32-9). Being universally acknowledged as the league’s best shooter, Allen’s ability to get open consistently is nothing short of amazing. The more I dwell on his success, the more I want to give him the edge over Felton.

Chris Bosh – 18 points and 8 rebounds. That’s the extent of Bosh’s argument to make his sixth straight All-Star squad. But I don’t think he’s had enough of a memorable impact to make this team this year.

Danny Granger – Defenses are paying more attention to Granger. Consequently, his scoring has dropped to 21.5, and his All-Star stock has done the same.

Andrea Bargnani- Bargnani is certainly a good shooting big man. But his case begins and ends with the fact that he is a seven-footer who averages a measly 5.8 rebounds per night. His Western Conference contemporary, Dirk Nowitzki, averages over 7.

T Lamont’s 2010-11 NBA Western All-Stars

T Lamont — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:21:54 +0000

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Our American forefathers did us basketball fans a grave misdeed…

If there’s one thing that gets messed up in a democracy, it’s NBA All-Star voting.

In the past, we’ve seen both Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady voted as starters when they hardly played prior to the break. The same thing happened about a decade ago with Grant Hill.

This year is no exception. Some of the more notable missteps by the voters have Yao Ming starting at center for the West, while Amar’e Stoudemire was trailing Kevin Garnett for a spot in the East for the majority of the voting period (and now only holds a slight advantage).

Thank goodness that you all can lean on my unbiased ramblings of who belongs and who doesn’t.

As we inch toward the season’s celebrated mid-point, let’s examine my picks for the midpoint extravaganza of the NBA season:

Starting Five (not reflective of current voting, strictly based on merit…and my interpretation):

Point Guard: Deron Williams - In one of the more debatable picks, Williams gets my top spot. Readers of Ball or Nuthin’ know that I have always been a proponent of Williams’ well-rounded play, and he has proven to be the most statistically consistent floor leader in the league. D-Will has scored at least 12 points and dished out at least 5 helpers in each game this season.

Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant – He plays in the West, so he starts in the West. Any questions?

Small Forward: Kevin Durant - The preseason MVP frontrunner is leading the league in scoring – again. And don’t look now – the Thunder are tied for the fourth best record in the Western Conference. In other words, “no Lakers in the first round”…

Watching Dallas attempt to run its offense without Dirk was a painful experience.

Power Forward: Blake Griffin - Yeah, I know he’s a rookie. And?? Quick – name a better power forward in the Western Conference. Duncan isn’t what he used to be, Amar’e and KG are in the East now – and this was a position that was four-deep every year, leading to the West’s All-Star Game dominance. If Griffin really makes it in, which he should – easily, All-Star Weekend will prove to be quite a showcase for him.

Center: Dirk Nowitzki - Yes, yes…the German is not listed as a center on the All-Star balloting. But hey, these are my picks. The shifting of the NBA to a more face-paced, guard oriented game has chipped away at the number of important interior forces. This has been so much so that the player who should get the starting nod here is more noted for his perimeter touch than anything else. Although he’s missed some games, Dirk is much more of a player than Nene, as illustrated by Dallas’ freefall in the loss category during his absence.

OK, that was the easy part.

Picking reserves is always a nightmare because there are always arguments that can be made for multiple players at the same position. There’s also the issue of picking spots based on position. As I already mentioned, today’s NBA is stacked with elite perimeter players and very few noteworthy bigs.

That was my foreword to a very cloudy picture that exists as far as the remaining spots are concerned. But enough said, let’s get to it…

Russell Westbrook – He’s no longer Kevin Durant’s little sidekick. Westbrook has turned the corner and become a player that opposing defenses have to game plan against. He’s doing it all on the court, and is clearly one of the most aggressive point guards in the league.

Chris Paul - Although he’s averaging the second-lowest point per game average in career – and his lowest assist per game numbers in over three years, Paul easily gets the nod over Steve Nash for a coveted point guard spot on this roster. Just check the conference standings and it’s easy to see that he has done more with his mediocre cast of characters than Nash has.

Monta Ellis - In my mind, the spot came down to Ellis versus the Clippers’ Eric Gordon. About a month or so ago, this looked like a dead heat. Since that time, Ellis has increased his averages, while Gordon’s decreased slightly. One thing to consider is that Gordon plays alongside a burgeoning All-Star in Blake Griffin. The last All-Star of any position to play in Golden State was Latrell Spreewell in 1997.

Carmelo Anthony - He’s still putting up 23 points per contest. Still waiting for the other shoe to drop to see when, or if, he’ll become a Knick.

Kevin Love – K-Love has been getting some love this season, and he’s earned it. He’s controlling the boards night in and night out. Love has recorded double-digit caroms in his last 29 games. 21 and 16 should get anyone to the All-Star Game regardless of the team that they play for. Agreed?

No need to be shocked, K-Love. Hard work has placed you in elite company.

Manu Ginobili - Someone from the team that has the NBA’s best record had to find his way onto this roster. Picking between Tony Parker and Ginobili is indeed difficult, but the point guard depth in the Western Conference makes it tough for TP to seep through. Just think…I am already leaving two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash off of this squad…

LaMarcus Aldridge - This is clearly my obligatory second reserve big-man selection. In my estimation, the players that he is competing against are Zach Randolph, Pau Gasol and Nene Hilario. Aldridge holds the edge because his outstanding performance has been self-generated. Randolph, Gasol and Nene have Rudy Gay, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony to thank for their success. Aldridge has been handling business all year, and has increased his production since he has decidedly become the Blazers #1 option (with Brandon Roy out indefinitely). Aldridge is averaging 27 points and 10 rebounds since the turn of the new year.

Notable Omissions (and explanations):

Steve Nash – Williams, Paul and Westbrook are all having better seasons than Nash, and Phoenix is going to have a tough time getting close to playoff contention. Not that it’s his fault, but he needs to play for an Eastern Conference team to get into the All-Star Game this time around.

Tony Parker – Once again, the West is loaded at the guard position. Even though Parker plays for the team with the best record in the NBA, his inclusion at the expense of one of the top five point guards in the league (as of this moment) should not happen.

Tim Duncan – Same explanation as Parker, but for power forwards (Griffin, Love, Aldridge are better). Also, selecting Duncan as a reserve would mean that he deserved a spot more than one of the my other picks…which is not the case.

Zach Randolph, Pau Gasol, Nene Hilario and Eric Gordon - Their cases were mentioned above within the descriptions for other inclusions.

2010 NBA All-Star Game Dominated by Class of ’03

T Lamont — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:35:52 +0000

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Despite having one of the biggest busts in NBA history for its #2 selection, the 2003 NBA Draft could very well go down as one of the best ever. Even though Darko Milicic will have the Detroit Pistons forever wishing they would have passed on the unknown foreigner, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade have accomplished more than enough to elevate their class.

During Sunday night’s All-Star Game, they gave us a glimpse of what we’ll be seeing for years to come.

In the 59th NBA All-Star Game, the East All-Stars defeated the West All-Stars, 141-139. Since the game was covered by TNT, it wasn’t void of drama in its final moments.

With under 30 seconds left in the game, the score was tied at 135. Deron Williams’ had a mental lapse and fouled Dwayne Wade – when the game was tied at 137 with 12 seconds to go. Wade made both shots, giving the East a two point lead. The West countered with a set play to free up hometown favorite Dirk Nowitzki for a three-pointer. Dwight Howard popped out over the screen to contest Dirk and fouled him with 7.7 seconds to play in regulation. Nowitzki canned both free throws to once again tie the game, 139-139.

After a timeout, Chris Bosh took a handoff strong to the basket but was tripped up on the way. He went to the line with 5.0 seconds left to shoot free throws and Bosh capitalized, nailing both freebies. The West had one last chance, but Anthony was unable to connect on an off-balance triple.

Carmelo Anthony will be a fixture in All-Star Games throughout the upcoming decade.

The East All-Stars – led by James, Wade and Bosh – made a late push to secure a victory over the West All-Stars. James and Wade provided lots of highlight material…connecting on multiple alley-oops and converting numerous slam dunks.

It was Dwayne Wade walking away with the game’s MVP award – scoring 28 points, dishing out 11 assists, grabbing 6 boards and collecting 5 steals. He was one of three East All-Stars who could have legitimately carried home the honor, as LeBron James (25 pts, 6 ast, 4 stl) and Chris Bosh (23 pts, 10 rbs) also put up huge numbers in the victory.

Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony – the third pick in the 2003 draft – paced the West All-Stars with 27 points and 10 rebounds. The West trailed for the vast majority of the game before making a run at the close of the third quarter which extended into the start of the fourth quarter. Shortly afterward, the Eastern squad made a slight push to go up by a few possessions. But the West quickly countered to keep themselves in the game, and set themselves up for a shot at consecutive wins (the West won last the 2009 ASG, 146-119).

The game was held in the new Cowboy Stadium in front of over 108,000 fans – and Dallas Maverick Dirk Nowitzki made his presence felt by scoring 22 points including a few early basket to get the home crowd into the contest. The West also had notable performances from Chauncey Billups (5 triples), Kevin Durant (15 points) and Deron Williams (14 pts, 6 ast, 4 stl).

Pro Bowl is Much Worse Than the NBA All-Star Game

T Lamont — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:41:22 +0000

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As I’m catching the closing bits of the NFL Pro Bowl, I am thinking to myself…

“Now I see why the NFL has such an issue with figuring out what to do with this game…”

There’s always the dilemma in all-star type events of a lack of intensity. Is there any motivation for the players to play hard?

Major League Baseball thinks they have come up with something - but I think it’s pretty ridiculous to have an all-star game decide home field advantage in the World Series. But when comparing the NFL Pro Bowl with the NBA All-Star Game, the NFL certainly comes up short.

The reason why?

Quite frankly, both games are void of any defensive effort. That alone basically strips the game of any general sense of competitiveness. But the NBA wins out easily because of the ability to execute spectacular plays.

In the NBA’s midseason extravaganza, there are always breathtaking dunks, no-look passes, long shots…and even in a non-competitive exhibition those moment of athletic brilliance will make the most casual fans jump up out of his seat in appreciation.

How spectacular can a Pro Bowl play be? A touchdown in a non-intense game is fairly unspectacular. As a matter of fact, any play in football becomes rather plain without the all-out effort from players on both sides of the ball. The reason is simple – - at its core, football is truly a team game. The structure of the game itself makes it very difficult for individual excellence to be demonstrated. The more individualistic game of (NBA) basketball lends itself to fantastic exhibitions of its greatest participants.

So, what should be done with the Pro Bowl?

Well, at the very least, don’t make me watch it before the Super Bowl.