Morning Shootaround: Big Baby Fined, Kuester Optimistic, and Midseason Grades
Two games in the NBA last night. When TNT's feed wasn't cutting out and I wasn't hearing about how gutsy Kobe is for playing through that serious broken finger, the Cavs/Lakers game was worth the watch. Lebron took over in the 4th (12 points), celebrated during the final seconds like it was the biggest win of his career, and then downplayed it as just another game in the post-game interview with Craig Sager (who was wearing a sparkly black suit, which was pretty conservative for Craig Sager). I didn't watch the nightcap, but the Nuggets beat the Clippers by 20.
Links until tonight's game.
MLIVE Pistons midseason grades
Deadspin Glen Davis And The $25,000 Magic Words
SI.com Pistons coach John Kuester tries to keep optimistic outlook
Detroit News Pistons players, coach say talk of sale not a distraction
Freep Allen Iverson voted to start NBA All-Star Game (what a joke)
Crain's Detroit Business Palace president: Joint arena with Pistons and Red Wings is ‘logical'
Freep Rasheed Wallace: Return to Palace was cool, wonderful
MLIVE Ben Wallace gets his digs in after Pistons beat Rasheed Wallace and Celtics
Full Court Press - MLIVE Rip Hamilton not afraid to claw his way to victory
Detroit News Pistons might be tough sale for Karen Davidson
ESPN Boston First impressions: Pistons 92, Celtics 86
Piston Powered Game Review: Anything is possible for Detroit Pistons
Roto World Fantasy Basketball: Charlie Villanueva
Need4Sheed The Past and The Future
ESPN Indiana Pacers vs. Detroit Pistons - Preview - January 22, 2010
CBS Sports Pacers-Pistons Preview - Jan. 21, 2010
Detroit4lyfe Lebron James staying in Cleveland 'Forever'?
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i watched less than five minutes of cavs lakers
but stiil saw lebrun complaining wildly in his bad sport way about not getting an and one. pointing to his elbow where he must have received contact. how come he never gets a t? lebrun makes kobe look like sportsman of the century. if it comes down to this matchup, i will definitely be rooting for kobe.
by andyfrombrooklyn on Jan 22, 2010 7:32 AM EST reply actions
I don't know why...
but I kinda like Kobe. I like how he’s evolved his game. Not everyone decided to add a more complete post game to the package, especially a guard. They usually get lazier with age and just try to improve a 3 point shot.
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Kobe > Lebron
More likable supporting cast that’s actually, you know, good. And you can’t say Kobe isn’t serious as hell, which is Lebron’s problem. What I’m saying is is that Kobe doesn’t bother me.
by Biz Markie Moon on Jan 22, 2010 11:04 AM EST up reply actions
I love Kobe. I really do.
And I’m not even remotely ashamed about it. He’s without a doubt the closest thing to Jordan we’ve seen since Jordan. His game is impeccable. He improves himself every year. On top of being without a doubt the most polished offensive basketball player of his generation (maybe ever? up for debate), he’s also an elite defender, he’s driven, intense, he’s a leader, he plays through every injury (and plays well), and he wants to win more than any other person in the sport. He might be the best post up player in the league. He’s without a doubt the best midrange player in the league. He’s compensating for his waning (barely) physical prowess by being smarter than everyone else on the floor. He’s going to be incredible into his late 30’s, mostly because of the previous sentence. When Kupchak and Dumars agreed in principal to trade Kobe for Rip/Tayshaun/Max/picks before the ’07-08 year, I came in my pants. I love Kobe.
I also love Tiger Woods. For most of the same reason. And watch, just like Kobe came out gang-busters after the rape trial and ended and took his game to another level, I expect Tiger to have his most dominating year ever. He’s pissed. He’s focused. The only thing in his life he has any control over right now is golf, and he’s going to fucking kill it. No wife distracting him. No more silly standards to live up to. Be afraid, Jack Nicklaus. Be very afraid.
I became a fan of Kobe after the Colorado incident.
I watched a Lakers/Cavs game and a Lakers/Heat game and I was shocked at the amount of contact Kobe was getting without a call while Wade and Lebron were parading to the FT line. As the game advanced Kobe just kept attacking and working through the contact to put up some amazing shots and make them. Even when the league didn’t have his back he was owning.
Have to disagree on a few things...
You make some good points, Joel. I also would say Kobe is the most Jordan-like of current players (though Kobe on the court is more Drexler than Jordan). I can’t debate the intangibles you listed. I can, however, take issue with some of the more concrete statements.
Kobe is not an elite defender. He can be, when he wants to be, but he understandably conserves his energy for offense. Opposing shooting guards get a PER of 14.1 against Bryant, which is only slightly below average. Certainly it’s not a perfect measure, but it’s something. (thanks, 82games.com)
And Kobe is not “without a doubt the best midrange player in the league.” I searched on Hoopdata.com, limiting to players averaging 30+ minutes in 30+ games.
Of the 20 players averaging at least two shots per game from 10-15 feet, Kobe is ranked fifth in percentage, behind Duncan, Roy, Paul, and Jermaine O’Neal. (Incidentally, Stuckey is the worst of the group at 29.8%. DBB fave Al Jefferson takes the most shots, at 5 per game, from this range but only hits 35%.)
From 16-23 feet, I used a cut-off of 4 attempts a game. 39 players fit the criteria. Dirk, Roy, Deron Williams, Paul, Nash, Kaman, Terry, Haslem, and Amare all do better.
As for maybe being “the best post up layer in the league,” well, he’s not even the best post-up player on his team. One offseason of working on his moves with Hakeem, while a nice story, does not make him better than players who have been working in the post for years.
Dirk Nowitzki might argue about the most polished offensive player, too.
For the record...
I should say that I think Kobe is one of the best players in the league. LeBron is better, but he’s a freak; there is no shame in Kobe being less than James.
That Kobe deal was proposed?
I think I JUST came out of surprise. How did that get stopped? Why was LA stupid enough to propose that?
by Biz Markie Moon on Jan 22, 2010 1:26 PM EST up reply actions
Well like all trade proposals, it was just a rumor, nothing comfirmed.
But seem to recall the rumor was that both teams agreed but Kobe vetoed it .
Kobe is a dirty philandering rapist
but he’s the best player since Michael Jordan, and the best player in the league. Lebron is good, but not Kobe Good.. Kobe’s been an ass to his team mates for much of his illustrious career, but he’s definitely not a bitchmade little crybaby punk like Akron’s favorite son.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
by Skylar on Jan 22, 2010 3:49 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Take away Kobe from the Lakers, and you still have a 50-win team.
Take away LBJ from the Cavs, and you’ve got a team that struggles mightily to be .500.
LBJ, as much as I hate him, is head and shoulders the best player in the world, who literally does everything that a player can do on the basketball court. He’s a freak, a once in a lifetime type player the way Wilt was in his day.
I disagree.
I don’t think any Lakers team without Kobe is going to win 50 a season.
You think Pau Gasol and Odom are winning 50 games in the west?
No sir.
He’s the top player in the west.. and the league.
"I’ve had to overcome a lot of diversity." — Drew Gooden
I think if you take Kobe away from the Lakers, you end up with something roughly approximating the Nuggets.
Odom’s role increases without Kobe, so he produces more.
The only problem is that they obviously don’t have any type of serviceable backup SG … but those aren’t too hard to find.
I think people underestimate just how good Gasol is. That team was not very good, even when Bynum was putting up those numbers before his injury. Kobe is a very good player, but not good enough to propel that team anywhere meaningful. Add Gasol, one of the best all around bigs in the game, and they’re great.
Whereas in Cleveland, LBJ has literally propelled that team to the Finals by himself
Anyway, it’s all subjective, I guess, but that’s what I think. If Kobe does end up going down with that finger injury, we’ll find out.
It's pretty funny
That directly after Ben Wallace gets done talking about playing as hard as he can until he can’t anymore, the next paragraph is titled
Wilcox likes the Beanee Weenee way
Kinda sums it up.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
I love it...
probably unplanned but hilarious at any rate.
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My Blog: Inside A Head
I guess I was right about the Detroit crowd.
Another fan incident in Detroit (although BBD was way in the wrong to respond to an idiotic, cowardly heckler). It’s one thing to throw a snide comment or two at a player from the opposing team from seats near courtside, and it is totally another matter when you’re insulting him loudly all game. I can’t imagine it was too much fun for the fans sitting around this fan to have to listen to his mouth for half the game. I guess the crack security staff of octogenarians in Detroit is still not up to snuff when it comes to controlling obnoxious fan behavior.
So this idiot fan yells at a player ad infinitum, , and when the player responds, the fan goes running to the authorities to lodge a complaint. What a joke. Detroit fans should be embarrassed for this twerp.
Scott Zack, you are a little punk. BBD, you are immature, out of shape, and emotionally unstable. Detroit fans who don’t admit that your crowd acts beyond the pale, you are in denial. And this is from a guy who has been to hundreds of NBA games, many in other NBA cities than Boston.
BTW, congrats on the win. The Pistons played well in the second half, while the Cs are, as Joe Namath would say after a few drinks, struggggling. As soon as Piston fan favorite Kevin Garnett comes back, the ship will be righted. Good luck with the rest of your season.
doesn't your comment count as obnoxious fan behavior?
besides these guys make enough where 25 grand isn’t a huge deal anymore. I mean really all he would have done with that 25 grand is wipe his big fat ass anyway.
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by madpoopz on Jan 22, 2010 2:42 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Again, one guy. C'mon.
So no, you’re not right about the Detroit crowd. You will get assholes like him at any of the 30 teams’ games in this league.
This is how I felt about the situation:
“Glen Davis is highly paid for what he does.
The heckler was unimaginative and low-class, but Glen sunk deeper by asking the guy to service him orally.
So Davis deserves a fine because of how he conducted himself, but that’s just egging on a guy who hasn’t been at peace with himself since childhood."
Thanks for the Joe Namath quote, it’s a favorite. And the well-wishes.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
Boston doesn't need hecklers...
…because their players get away with screaming expletives at players on the other team. They even get away screaming s*** in a guy’s ear while he’s trying to shoot in front of their bench. That should be a tech in my opinion.
by Quick Darshan on Jan 22, 2010 5:23 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

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