Tuesday’s Layup Drill

Schultz, the former Sonics owner, is taking Team Bennett to Gaveltown with an espresso of Lattefrappalyinsackacrappa.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004349361_schultz15.html

Said David Stern, on the subject of the smoking gun emails, in reference to their contradiction of Team Bennett’s Good Faith Attempt to Stay in Seattle . . .

“I haven’t studied them, but my sense of it was that Clay, as the managing partner and the driving force of the group, was operating in good faith under the agreement that had been made with Howard Schultz,” Stern said on a conference call. “His straight and narrow path may not have been shared by all of his partners in their views, but Clay was the one that was making policy for the partnership.”

He should have stopped at “I haven’t studied them.”

I live in Boston and will watch parts of CSN’s Celtics broadcasts and I can’t stand Tommy. I knew he was one of the biggest homers and most annoying announcer but I’m glad to see most people feel that way.

He’s got no class and any foul against the Celtics is a bad call with him. I HATE refs but I can acknowledge a good call. He’s just an old POS that makes me hate the Celtics even more than I already do.

Can anyone sum up the whole Sonics/Seattle thing for me? I haven’t really paid attention to it, and so I’m not sure what the deal is. Why OKC?

Did Dave Cowens say why he’d rather face Philly and San Antonio? I kind of get the San Antonio one, they don’t look good at all. But, Toronto seems so much easier than Philly.

I think it’s down to a four team race: Lakers, Celtics, Pistons and an outside shot for the JaZZ.

Rob: Bennett is from OKC and the NBA (as well as the city) wants a team there after the successful run (guaranteed by funds from Bennett) by the displaced by Hurricane Katrina-Hornets had there. At the time the Hornets were displaced, Bennett got a bunch of people together to put forward a guaranty (the financial term, I’m not flubbing the spelling) on OKC. The next year he turned around and snagged the Sonics from Howard Schulz (Mr. Starbucks).

The whole thing is a giant double-bird to the city of Seattle and was executed under shady conditions, but to be fair, no one from Seattle stepped up and Bennett did. Winner: Oklahoma City

I found Ziller’s look at the Top 10 title contenders not only interesting, but statistically relieving. I’m pretty sure the chart shows that the Pistons are the most balanced team. They gives me a little bit more security in our title chances.

Hey Rob G, I’d be happy to sum it up: David Stern’s an asshole.

Okay, what LB said. I just like to take any chance I can to call David Stern an ass.

“Record: 56-26
Conference: 1st (Boston close behind)
Division: 1st

Prediction:

Tayshaun will make his first All-Star appearance."

As for the record I was very close but for conference standings I was just a little off and Tayshaun will make an All-Star team one day. :D

Re: the predictions, could we be any more wrong about the Bulls? Scott Skiles is rapidly becoming Larry Brown-lite. I for one, didn’t take the Celtics seriously enough, my bad. I take thems seriously now, but I still like us pulling it out if only for this simple mathematical statement: Flip Saunders > Doc Rivers

QD: It mostly had to do with rankings — Toronto isn’t half bad by a lot of metrics, whereas Philly is the worst FT shooting team and the worst 3P shooting team in the league. He didn’t explain the Spurs pick too much — I got the feeling it was just a “lesser of X number of evils” answer since there are so many tough teams out there.

This made me smile. From Yahoo Sports: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=playoffantiheroescanmake&prov=tsn&type=lgns

Playoff anti-heroes can make a big mark

“Jason Maxiell, Detroit Pistons: Along with Rodney Stuckey and Amir Johnson, Maxiell will one day inherit this team. The thing is, he’s already started to make waves off the bench, especially with the starters getting their beauty rest. He’s among the most vicious big men around, except he’s undersized and explodes like a guard. Look for him to get more and more PT during these playoffs, and use it to make opponents shiver, his "baby-eating" legend will go worldwide.”

Was Cowens around in 05? Maybe he wants revenge… I know I do!

Rob G: I’m only teasing you here and I apologize if I sound condescending (not my intention), but you could answer a lot of your questions from a few minutes on Wikipedia. Then again, I am happy to answer them for you as well. Cowens left the WNBA’s Chicago Sky to join the Stones at the beginning of last season when we added him and Terry Porter to the coaching staff. Perhaps he relates to the revenge sought by the Pistons franchise and surrounding community.

Greg: Awesome link, thanks for the heads up.

At least Cowens isn’t totally crazy, ripping off his jacket, tie, and shirt, buttons a-poppin’ everywhere, beating his chest and screaming “WE WANTS UTAHHHHH!”

LB – why get info from Wikipedia when I can get it from the best community of blog readers in the whole wide world?

Rob G: Awwww, you flatter us so. Although, as our top poster Rob, you are the standard flag bearer of the community, so you might just be showering yourself with praise. Just remember, pride is one of the seven deadly sins, often considered to be the most serious.

Yes. I know it well. Seriously though, most of my comments are obscure references to academic jargon.

On another note, once the playoff schedule is announced, would any of y’all DC area Pistons fans like to go out and grab a pitcher? I like the Crystal City Sports Pub – they’re usually accommodating to me, even when I want to watch something rather obscure like Pistons/Sonics…

Minnesota has something to play for . . .

They’re one game up on NYK and MEM for the 3rd best lottery shot. They should tank this game to prepare for the first pick selection of Kenny George.