Chris Duhon shows his passing ability

This one had to hurt.

One of my favorite hoop players to watch, but one of my favorite players to not have on my team, Stephon Marbury has lost the battle for starting point guard.

That was Mike D’Antoni’s explanation yesterday on why he has all but chosen Duhon as the New York Knicks’ starting point guard over Stephon Marbury . Duhon has looked barely adequate at best during three preseason games, but that hasn’t stopped D’Antoni from glowing.

D’Antoni’s most detailed support of Duhon came two days after Marbury said “I’m a starter, period,” following the Knicks’ preseason loss to Philadelphia.
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Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was the Olympic coach and D’Antoni was an assistant and has influenced Mike D’Antoni in this area.

“It’s not like we’re coming off a championship,” D’Antoni said.

“(There’s) some gut feelings,” D’Antoni added. “People underestimate Duhon. I think he’s a really good basketball player and what he does is win. But I don’t want to compare him to Steph. I don’t think it’s fair.”

Photo source Newscom

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Coach K will keep the right attitude

OK, the Redeem Team won the Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympics. Peace is restored and all is normal once again in the World!

After the Dream Team showed up and mopped up it appeared that the United States and the NBA had the winning formula, just show up with some NBA talent. It did not work.

So a plan was put in place. There was a 3 year commitment and a change in attitude. No longer would just showing up suffice.

Krzyzewski, an assistant on the 1992 Dream Team, the first team that used NBA players, said the thinking after ‘92 was to just send over the best players for each Olympics. But he said what the rest of the world did was different — build national programs from the junior level up. That’s exactly the type of thing McKillop said goes on in Argentina — with a funneling of junior players up to the Olympic team.

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Now with Coach K involved and continuing his involvement only good things are bound to happen. Coach K does it right and does it with class.

“We won a gold medal, represented our country well, and the question is now where do we go from here and how do we get better?” Krzyzewski said. “How do we make this a much better program and make it fashionable [to play for the USA]. We want people to have an intense desire to play for their country out of high school, college and the NBA. I know the guys who did were ecstatic and a number want to do it again.”

As for coaching the team again, Krzyzewski said, “right now I just want to help. I enjoy recruiting and coaching Duke but I’ll see where all of it goes. All I can tell you is that I’ll be involved. I want to be with how we go forward.”

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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.
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Dwight Howard has some serious guns for a hoop player

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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.
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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.

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