The New Jersey Nets are going for the NBA record books with an official shot at the all time open the season and lose games record. The 1988-89 Miami Heat and the 1999-2000 Clippers each started at 0 – 17. That is nothing for the Nets. They have already tied that record and are embarking on a whole new standard of losing.

As a lifelong Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions fan, your intrepid author has seen some monumental losing. Hey, my Grandfather and my Father grew up in New Jersey, so NBAObsessed has some ties to the New Jersey area. You might be surprised to see the Southern Coast of New Jersey, it is beautiful, just a string of islands with beautiful beaches from Atlantic City on south to Cape May. But the Nets are actually closer to New York and competing with the New York Knicks to see who can stink the most.

Tonight you can stop questioning the trade of Jason Kidd to Dallas for Devin Harris. Not to knock Devin, he had an All Star year last year, but somehow it is hard to believe Jason Kidd would have let the Nets sink so low. Now Jason Kidd has the chance to put the proverbial nail in the coffin as a victory tonight by his Mavericks would seal the deal and give the Nets NBA history!

Jason Kidd may send the Nets into the NBA record books

Even if the Nets should surprise the Mavericks they have a long year ahead of them.

Even beyond rebounding, the offense has been flat out dreadful. With All-Star
Devin Harris missing most of the early part of the season with an injury, the Nets have sunk to 30th in the NBA in offensive efficiency. In fact, New Jersey ranks dead last in true shooting percentage, effective field goal percentage, field goal percentage, turnover rate, assist rate, points per game and next to last in 3-point percentage.
source

Don’t worry New Jersey Nets fans, you can come back and be great. The Detroit Tigers are playoff contenders every other year now and the Detroit Lions…Well, maybe you can’t come back!

Image: Zuma Press

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Once again we visit the “what have you done for me lately” NBA. This time a team with no talent called appropriately the New Jersey Empty Nets have been called upon to fire a once upon a time young coaching prodigy. His name is Lawrence Frank and he is now referred to as the Ex-Coach of the New Jersey Empty Nets.

You have to understand that in the NBA, if you have no talent or your talent screws up and you lose a bunch of games, the first person to have their head removed is the coach. Is it Lawrence Frank’s fault?

Does a front court of Brook Lopez, Terrence Williams, and Courtney Lee scare you? Only if you happen to be their coach. Does a back court of Rafer Alston, Devin Harris, Chris Douglass-Roberts, and Trenton Hassell rotating in and out to squeeze a few extra ounces out of your guard play even make sense? Not if you happen to be the Empty Nets coach.

Will Lawrence Frank end up on Dancing with the Stars?

So did anyone expect the Empty Nets to produce anything beyond empty stands of no fans once Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, and Jason Kidd were dealt away? How good were those players? Hmm, Orlando took in Vince and will go for the Conference finals in the East. Richard Jefferson went to San Antonio and they will challenge the Lakers for the West. Jason Kidd led the Olympic team and now makes Dirk Nowitzki one of the most feared forwards in the league.

Yes, Rod Thorn is doing an excellent job of systematically destroying the Empty Nets.

So who are the prime candidates to replace Frank?

GM Kiki Vandeweghe prominently has been mentioned as a replacement, but one team source strongly denied the possibility. John Loyer, in his first season as Nets assistant but 10th overall in the NBA – he did nine years with the Sixers and Blazers – is a possibility along with other assistants Doug Overton, Roy Rogers and Barrise.

But Thorn said he will be meeting with candidates from outside the organization. A source from an opposing team said that former Rockets, Bucks and Lakers head coach Del Harris is one option.
source

By the way, one time Kiki Vandeweghe was playing for Denver, your intrepid author NBAObsessed thinks, and he was on a fast break to the basket and had this uncanny knack of finishing in what seemed like slo-motion. So while other defenders flew by him trying to block his shot he slowly made his moves to the basket and laid it in. He was really a true joy to watch. That has nothing to do with any of the above, but thought you might enjoy that story.
Image: Zuma Press

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Shawn Marion is known as the Matrix and he can do it all on a hoop court. For years he operated in near anonymity in Phoenix. It got so bad that Shawn threatened to leave just so he could be the man on some other team instead of third banana behind Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire on the Suns. Finally the Suns gave him his wish and dealt him to the Heat for the Shaq. The Heat were not very good and needed a big man, so Matrix was dealt to Toronto and from there he was dealt to Dallas.

Dirk Nowitzki will join Shawn Marion to go for the NBA title!

In Dallas, Shawn will never be the man. That label belongs to Dirk Nowitzki the perennial All Star and offensive power house. But the overall game and relentless movement on offense from Shawn has brought an extra dimension to the Mavericks that will only serve to enhance the play of Nowitzki.

“He’s pretty amazing, I got to admit,” Nowitzki said. “Playing against him all these years, you don’t really know all the little things he does. I really like playing with him. He doesn’t demand the ball, he just gets his points on the go.”

And he also sees the big picture. Marion’s do-it-all game should make life simpler for Nowitzki.

“I really think, especially on the break, that’s going to open up my shots on transition,” he said. “And we can get some baskets where we don’t have to work extra, extra hard.”
source

The Mavericks will now face the Western Division with 3 solid but aging stars in Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, and Shawn Marion. If they stay healthy it could be the same formula the Boston Celtics used to win the NBA title a few years ago.

Image: Zuma Press

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

What is going on with these teams anyway? The Mavericks, Knicks, and Trail Blazers are fighting, that is right, fighting to sign Jason Kidd. Why? He will be a basketball grandpa age of 37 next year and how is he supposed to keep up with the speedy young guards if his team makes the playoffs?

Will Jason Kidd be able to keep up with the young guards, let alone the Tony Parkers of the world?

Jason Kidd will be in the Hall of Fame and there is no questioning that at all, but he will be there for piling up stats like the rest of us pile up our dirty clothes in the corner of the room. He is long past his prime and hardly worth the money to the three teams involved. These are all building teams.

Let us say, just for example, that you have a team with a superstar or two and all you need is a point guard to handle the rock and you are heading to the conference finals. Hey, Jason Kidd would be perfect, but that does not describe any of the above teams.

Kidd has enjoyed a fantastic career. A great deal of what he provides cannot show up in individual statistics, but individual statistics have also helped inflate his worth. He’s a bit of a liability to an offense if he isn’t dominating the rock, dishing out tons of assists. He has a reputation as a fast-break point guard, but I can’t tell you how many would-be breaks have been halted by Kidd chasing after rebounds, instead of leaking out and waiting for the outlet pass. And his jumper, though on-point in 2008-09, comes and goes.

This is the point where I have to point out that I’m not pointing toward denigrating this point guard’s skills. He’s a fine, fine player, even at this stage. He helps teams. I just don’t get where he fits into the plan for a team like the Knicks, or the Trail Blazers.

source

Image: Zuma Press

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

But nobody told Dallas and Denver about the script. Not to mention a few other things.

Ok, let’s mention them.

No Manu Ginobili. Would the Spurs have won with him? Who knows, but their chances would have increased signifigantly.

Rick Carlisle. Rick has changed Dallas. They now play offense at a slightly less frenetic pace and they play defense. While Rick was in Piston land, before Larry Brown, he did an incredible job of making each player accountable. He loves to not double team and hold his defender accountable. It is working in Dallas. (On the flip side, Carlisle was very unlikeable to everyone right down to the janitors.)

The most significant different component in the organization is Carlisle, who has Jason Kidd running a well-coordinated offense and who has the Mavericks playing better defense than they ever did under defensive-minded Avery Johnson.

Carlisle seemed to make all the right moves, getting maximum effort from the bench, from Josh Howard, and, yes, from Erick Dampier.

source

Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups.

Chauncey is a kid at 32 compared to Kidd at 36

Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups are old-school warriors. Forget sizzle. They are grade-A, superior-quality point guards for whom winning is the only meaty issue, something that gives them far more pleasure than a breakaway dunk or a through-the-legs pass.

“This series,” Mavericks’ coach Rick Carlisle said Saturday, “will be a better-basketball DVD on how to play the point.”

The young, flashy point guards of the “now” NBA are Chris Paul and Deron Williams. They’re also on vacation.

Kidd and Billups? They represent the best of the vintage point guards left playing.

“It’s two old dogs,” Denver forward Kenyon Martin said.

source

Yes, the old dogs are getting it done!

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Pay attention, this is not a blog by yours truly. Today we bring you a special treat. This is a blog by Graham Brunell and he is a talented writer for Celtic 17.

Here are some outtakes.
Why Rajon Rondo wasn’t an All Star, and Why he WILL be in the future.

Rajon Rondo, one of the best point guards in the NBA today, was not selected to be an all-star. Why, you ask? We’ll just have to find out.

The Eastern conference: The East was just too good this year. Too good for the coaches to even argue whether his numbers (11.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists) show the true player he really is. Think about it: Ray Allen, Mo Williams, Mike Bibby, Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, David Lee, NOR Andre Iguodala made it.
…
His offensive skills will make him a triple-double machine: Wait are we talking about Jason Kidd or Rajon Rondo here? That’s right folks, Rajon Rondo has rebounding skills whether you like it or not. His passing skills are sneaky, yet accurate, and he can get to the basket almost any time he wants to. If he can develop a 15-foot jump shot, or possibly a three-point shot, which would be a miracle, he could be right up there with point guards like Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Devin Harris.

His speed leaves most defenders in the dust: There is no denying it, Rajon Rondo can run. His speed lets him get ahead in the fast break, run the baseline freely, and blow by defenders to get an open lane to the basket.
…
His basketball IQ and his leadership are at a high level: Being a point guard on the ego-filled Boston Celtics isn’t easy. One night during an interview Doc said that the reason he loves Rondo is because he has the confidence to say “no” to superstars each and every single night.
…
So sorry Rondo, but this year you won’t be in Phoenix (at least not on the floor). Don’t worry, you’ll get plenty of chances. PLENTY.

(To see the whole blog read Celtic 17 in the MVN blog network.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh show off the Gold!

Have you heard that LeBronze James is thinking of changing his name to LeGold James?

OK, bad joke, but it sure was refreshing to see the United States do it the right way. The guys on the team actually wanted to be there. They stayed in the Olympic village and said all the right things.

USA 118 Spain 107

Spain played an inspired game with Manu Ginobili going out early with an ankle injury and Jose Calderon also out with an injury. This did not stop the Spaniards, as they just kept firing the ball down from long range or busting it inside with slashing drives against a good U.S. defensive team.

But it was not enough as Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade led the way to victory with the U.S. making plenty of their own 3 point shots.

Dwyane Wade scored 27 points for the Americans, who found a much gamer Spanish team than the one they humiliated by 37 points earlier in the tournament. Kobe Bryant added 20 points.

In a game so devoid of defense that it felt more like an NBA All-Star Game than one with a title at stake, the Americans had too much offense down the stretch. Bryant converted a clutch four-point play with 3:10 remaining, holding his finger to his lips to quiet the rowdy Spanish crowd behind the basket.

Wade added another 3-pointer that made it 111-104 with just over 2 minutes left, and only then could the Americans relax a little.

source

Jason Kidd is amazing

Jason Kidd ran his record to 56-0 in senior international play and collected another gold to place alongside the one he earned in 2000, becoming the 13th U.S. player with multiple golds. source

USA Olympic redemption

The U.S. started planning for this game after the Athens Games four years ago, the low point in its hoops history, following a sixth-place flop two years earlier in the world championships. Jerry Colangelo was given control of USA Basketball and constructed a national team program in 2006, requiring those who wanted to play to commit to three years.

He got Bryant and James quickly on board and landed almost everyone else he asked for, finding a group of NBA stars eager to give up their summer to get back what they felt belonged to their country.

And he needed all of them against a Spanish team that on this day would have likely beaten any other recent U.S. squad.

“Being a part of the ‘04 team, we really didn’t get the opportunity to showcase our talent,” said Wade, one of four holdovers from Athens. “We really wanted to come in and help lead this team.”

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Superbad Superman has a stress fracture, but not to worry. It will heal in time for the next set of practices on July 21. That is when training camp resumes.

“It’s a six to eight week recovery time, and this is the sixth week,” said Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski, who expects Howard to be fully healed by the time the team reconvenes for training camp July 21.

Still, the injury is worrisome for the Americans, who are planning to go to Beijing with just three big men — Howard, Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer. If Howard were to aggravate the injury, that lack of front-line depth could become a major issue.
source

Dwight Howard has some serious guns for a hoop player

Image details: Philadelphia 76ers v Orlando Magic served by picapp.com

Something just does not seem right here. The USA has come right out and said that they planned this to win the Olympics. Then went out and put Tayshaun Prince on the team as proof that a non-superstar great defender clutch player could make the team.

But…They still did not stock the team with big guys and took too many guys that just like to score. Do you really need Carmelo Anthony and Michael Redd, when you have Kobe Bryant and LeBron James? And why are there no Celtics on this team?

My good friend RonB wonders why we don’t just take the NBA Champion team and send them to the Olympics. My addition would be to add a few players to their bench like Kobe and LeBron. Can you imagine the announcers getting all over Rondo in the Olympics? Ok, add Chris Paul as well.

Let’s say Howard reinjures his sternum. Just a hypothetical.

That leaves Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer as your big guys.

Chris is 6′ 10″ tall and weighs 230.

Carlos Boozer is 6′ 9″ and weighs 266.

Now Dwight Howard is a little taller at 6′ 11″ and weighs 265.

Wait a minute, no 7 footers at all? Howard sits and we go to a thin 6′ 10″ or a heavier 6′ 9″?

Check out the rest of the roster, no big guys there.

Joining Williams and Boozer on the ‘08 Olympic team are fellow NBA stars Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Michael Redd, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Tayshaun Prince.
source

Yes, yes, the trend lately in college and NBA is to be more mobile, less defense and more offense. Boston’s center was only 6′ 10″ Kendrick Perkins, but he weighed 280 and had 6′ 11″ Kevin Garnett right beside him.

The Pistons had 6′ 11″ Rasheed Wallace. The Lakers had 7′ Pau Gasol. The Spurs had 6′ 11″ Tim Duncan. Maybe all that small ball is not working.

On the bright side, when Dwight Howard is healthy, he is a beast of a player and even without polished moves down on the blocks, he often commands a double team.

Go USA! Take the Gold in the Olympics.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Paul Pierce is out and Tayshaun Prince is in. Who would have thought?

Image details: Detroit Pistons v Boston Celtics – Game Five served by picapp.com

No official announcement of all the positions on the team has been announced, but we do know some things.

Take my Pistons. Tayshaun Prince is in. Tayshaun has a balanced game and has never made the All Star team. This pick is a departure from the past and a good one. Chauncey Billups is out. Chauncey opted out due to family reasons. There was talk he would not make the team anyway.

Dwyane Wade is in with Chris Paul and Jason Kidd. Good picks all of them.

Carmelo Anthony is in. Must be looking for scoring punch with no D.

Paul Pierce is out. Don’t get that at all. This guy is at the peak of his game.

Michael Redd is in, again like Carmelo, all O and no D.

Amare Stoudemire is out. After a healthy year following two injury years, Amare did not want to risk damage to the knees.

Beyond that?

it’d be hard to imagine Kobe, Dwight and LeBron not making the roster. In fact, it’d be impossible to imagine. They’re in. So that brings us up to nine guys, with just three spots left.

Of the remaining 18 names, I think Colangelo will pick Bosh and the two Jazzies — Deron and Boozer. Billups withdrawal opens the door up for that third, physical point guard, while Bosh and Boozer help in the size department. Also, their ability to operate in low-post sets when the game slows down could be key.

source

That is a lot of talent, but is it me or are they missing the big man underneath?

And what is with no Celtics? Not even Kevin Garnett?

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

LeBron James doing it alone as usual

Image details: Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics, Game 1 served by picapp.com

Don’t the Cavaliers know they are only renting LeBron James, that his destiny is bigger than Cleveland?

The Cav’s are in round two of the playoffs dueling with the Boston Celtics and Kevin Garnett. No, make that Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. See, that is the problem with Cleveland. It is still just LeBron James, the King.

There are those that say James should stay in Cleveland. He went to high school in Ohio. He is an Ohio boy. Never mind the market is so small.

The Cavaliers deserve to keep James home for the core of his prime. They’ve already landed him in one NBA Finals. They’ve already honored their commitment to competing for a title by making the in-season deal for Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West, taking payroll and luxury tax hits along the way.

source

Cleveland has only one chance to survive and that is to find star number 2. Kevin Garnett has two star number twos. Tim Duncan has Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Kobe Bryant has Pau Gasol. Dallas tried with Jason Kidd to Dirk Nowitzki. Phoenix tried with an aging Shaq to Steve Nash.

Wally, Joe, and Big Ben Wallace do not qualify as the number 2 that LeBron needs. There are no Scotty Pippens to LeBron’s Michael Jordan in that group.

Cleveland needs to find this number two star before 2010, the LeBron free agent date, the sooner the better or LeBron is out of here.

Where will he go? To a bigger market, most likely New York, most likely the Knicks.

In fact, Donnie Walsh wouldn’t have accepted the presidency of the Knicks if he didn’t think it was feasible that the team could get far enough under the salary cap to wine and sign James.

The Nets are also expected to join the bidding, as minority owner Jay-Z is a close friend of LeBron’s who has made no secret of his desire to see James someday pack the new arena the Nets are supposed to be putting up in Brooklyn.

New Jersey may struggle to get LeBron, because it is not the storied franchise that the Knicks have been.

And we know that LeBron loves Madison Square Garden.

James wants to go in as a Yankee, which is precisely why he wore the team’s cap — much to Cleveland’s dismay — during last year’s Division Series. He has big-city dreams, LeBron does. The lifelong Yankees fan is also a lifelong Madison Square Garden fan. Back in March, after managing 50 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds on the Knicks’ home floor, James beamed as he said the following:

“This ranks really high, just because of the point of where it happened, the mecca of basketball. I’ve dreamed about playing well in this building. To get a standing ovation in the greatest basketball arena in the world is a dream come true for me. It’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

Better get busy Cleveland. LeBron appears to just be a loaner right now.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed