About last night - BDL Live Blogging

FYI …

Participated in a live blogging event yesterday with those in charge at Ball Don’t Lie (Kelly Dwyer & J.E. Skeets), plus others. If you check the record out for yourself, right here …

BDL Live Blog: Hornets at Spurs, Game 3

you will see illustrations of some of what’s been talked about in this space for quite some time, re:

* The answer for the Spurs
* The relative importance (or not) of certain game stats when evaluating Winners vs Losers in an NBA game
* The importance of Individual Match-ups in deciding the outcome of an NBA game
* The role of Momentum in an NBA game
* A specific game changing play in an NBA environment 
* The Moment of Truth in an NBA game
* What a Top Notch Coach Looks For (and sees) as a Turning Point in an NBA game
* What other NBA observers perceive (or not) about the game played at this level of competition

Your feedback is always appreciated here.

PS. The technology used by the BDL crew (and others) to bring this sort of event to the masses seems to be first-rate. Check it out for yourself at … COURTITLIVE.COM.

The Winner Within - Spanish Style

For some of you, this might be old news, since it was first published last week (May 1), on Jose Calderon’s personal blog … 

Jose sets the record straight, in his own words
Everyone is how they are, but the main thing is the team, therefore I have sacrificed many things for the Raptors. During the season we lost against worse teams and, if I were to continue in Toronto, I would like to react to these losses. Maybe to think about the ring is an excessive aspiration but, of course, this is not a team that can only aspire to lose in the first round of the “Playoffs”.

but for these eyes, reading it just a few minutes ago, courtesy of From Deep, was a novel experience.

Those words, written right there, are the quintessential beliefs of a Man who is capable of leading HIS team to an NBA championship, one day in the not-too-distant future, as a main-frame PG.

Will he get that chance playing for the Toronto Raptors?

Only time will tell … but, if you’re an astute NBA observer AND a Raptors’ fan, you sure do hope so. 

Step one in the re-building of the Maple Leafs

“Think back Pilgrim …” to what was written in this space on Feb 16 … 

Mis-diagnosing the Maple Leafs

regarding the process which was needed to set this sorry organization sailing in the right direction, after years and years of being Lost in Space.

Well (pretend you’re hearing my best Ronald Reagan impersonation) … 4 months after the fact, seems like venerable Uncle Cliffy actually agrees with me … as yesterday,

Leafs fire coach Maurice.

Now let’s see just how long it takes for them to implement Step Two.

PS. 100 Bonus Points … and my eternal affection … to the person who can correctly identify the source of the 3-word quote at the start of this blog entry.

PPS. Do yourself a favour and click on the different links in this entry. Juxtaposed … ‘Lost in Space‘ with “Strong, free and full of hope … for you, your family and a better future“ with “… there’s lots of time“. My, how time flies by, when you’re standing still.

Live Blogging and Game Analysis: Detroit @ Orlando (Game 3)

Will be Live Blogging for tonight’s crucial Game 3 … to see if the Pistons are going to sweep the Magic away (my pick for this series) or resuscitate Orlando with one of Detroit’s periodic stinkeroos.

Seems to work best on wordpress.com when using the ‘Comments’ section.

Please feel free to drop by - beginning at approximately 7:45 PM Eastern Time - and expound to your heart’s content.

Enjoy!

The answer for the Spurs

Q1. When was the last time you saw Manu Ginobili look & act like this?

A1. During the 2006 playoffs vs the Dallas Mavericks.

———————————–

Unless Gregg Popovich & Co. finally figures out that the Bruce Bowen vs Chris Paul match-up is NOT the way San Antonio SHOULD be playing this series … and creates the Tony Parker vs Chris Paul match-up, instead … the Spurs are going to be in serious of jeopardy of not getting past the Hornets in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Going with the Bowen-B vs Paul match-up unnecessarily is the same sort of ‘poor’ coaching decision that cost the Spurs dearly 2 years ago in their series vs the Mavericks … where Pop insanely tried to ‘go small’ against Dallas rather than rely on San Antonio’s tried & true Inside Finesse & Power Game (in their customary 3 out/2 in Offensive Attack alignment).

Over the years, Gregg Popovich has shown a tendency to excel when he’s got the better of the two teams in a contentious series … but, as well, to NOT necessarily make the correct adjustments in a series when he finds himself facing an opponent with more basketball talent than the Spurs have at the moment across the board.

Secondly … IF the Spurs would only realize that this is the rotation which they need to be using this series vs the Hornets …

STARTERS:
PG - Parker v Paul
OG - Barry v Peja
SF - Ginobili v Peterson
PF - Thomas v West
C - Duncan v Chandler

BENCH:
PG - Vaughn v Pargo
OG/SF - Bowen-B & Finley v Wells & Wright
PF/C - Oberto & Horry v Ely & Bowen-R

so that they can High-Low the Hornets to Death …

then San Antonio will still be able to get by New Orleans in either 6 or 7 games.

On the other hand, however, if Pop keeps overplaying Tony Parker and inserting Mr. Udoka into the game when he shouldn’t be (e.g. vs West or Peja or Wells) … the Spurs quest for back-to-back championships will be over quicker than you can say, Happy Chris Paul Blog Day.

Fight or flight response

Q1. When the Code by which you live is, “Run, Run, Run …“, how can you possibly hope to respond … during times of hardship … with steadfastness?

A1. In all likelihood … you can’t.

———————————-

After an oftentimes spectacular 4+ years at the helm of the Phoenix Suns, head coach, Mike D’Antoni seems as though he will soon be moving on to - what he hopes will be - greener pastures.

In a searing indictment of all that’s at the root of the Basketball Philosophy, ‘Seven Seconds or Less‘ (Jack McCallum), Adrian Wojnarowski (Yahoo! Sports) explains the how’s & why’s.

D’Antoni ready to leave his desert mirage behind

Mandatory reading for all.

NBA Playoffs 2nd Round Preview: Part III

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

(1) BOSTON CELTICS (H)	(4) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
By the Numbers
QIR - #1 (6) Points Differential Rank - #1 Points Allowed Rank - #2 Rebounding Differential Rank - #3	QIR - #8 (26) Points Differential Rank - #16 Points Allowed Rank - #9 Rebounding Differential Rank - #1
Basketball Acumen
Still the team to beat in the East with home court advantage throught the playoffs. Team D must find a way to limit ‘the King of Akron’. Easier said than done. Key Match-up: Doc Rivers vs Mike Brown, especially, during the last 6 minutes of each game.	Good enough to win the series with LBJ at the helm. One of many Dwarfs will need to make 4 ’big shots’ for Snow White to get to the EC Finals this year. Hard for Dwarfs to step up during Prime Time. Must assert their collective will to dominate the glass.
Who will win
Boston in 7.

 

The Straw that stirs the drink in New Orleans

(in honour of the inaugural ‘Chris Paul Blog Day‘ hosted by AttheHive.com)

Chris Paul (6-0, 175) is now the quintessential ‘Point Guard’ in the NBA.

In terms of Leadership (which is crucial at this position), Offense, Defense & Rebounding … he is operating at the top of the League this season:

EFFICIENCY [2007-2008] *

1 Chris Paul 27.89
2 Deron Williams 22.60
3 Steve Nash 22.40
4 Baron Davis 22.20
5 Jason Kidd 20.64
6 Chauncey Billups 19.29
7 Tony Parker 17.36
8 Jose Calderon 17.28

doing precisely what a Point Guard (PG) is supposed to do for his team … i.e. Make his teammates Better.

Earlier this year, there were other PG’s operating at a very high level who compared favourably to Chirs Paul …

The Best Point Guards in the NBA

but, as the season has progressed several of these outstanding players have fallen by the wayside, unfortunate casualties in the annual ‘War of Attrition’ which is the NBA’s regular season schedule and, most recently, the 1st Round of the Playoffs (i.e. Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Jose Calderon & Baron Davis).

For a player to be considered amongst the ‘All-Time Greats’ he MUST excel in ALL THREE areas of the game, allowing him to DOMINATE the play in whatever way is necessary for his team to succeed, in a given match-up.

With his Size, Strength, Dribbling Skills and exceptional Change of Pace, Chris Paul has the ability to take the basketball everywhere on the floor it needs to go - at whichever speed it needs to get there - for his team to operate efficiently, either, in Transition or the Half-court. 

With his tremendous court vision, his off-the-charts Basketball IQ and, most importantly, his Willingness to involve his teammates in the play, CP3 has the ability to create and then take advantage of the easy scoring opportunities for the other four players on the floor with him. 

With his Size, Strength, Basketball IQ and, most importantly, his Willingness to get the job done, CP3 has the ability to Defend (multiple positions) & Rebound when (i) the opposition has the ball, or (ii) neither team has gained possession of the ball, which gives him the ability to exert His Influence on the game, at all times, and control the action for his team.

During his first two seasons in the NBA, Chris Paul’s major weakness, as a potentially dominant player, was his sub-standard 3Pt Shooting Percentage (i.e. ‘05-06/28%, ‘06-07/35%). This is no longer the case, however, as this season CP3 elevated his performance in this area to an acceptable level (i.e. ‘07-08/37%) for a player with his solid stroke from the Free Throw Line (i.e. Career Average/84%).

At this point, only 3 seasons into his pro career, Chris Paul is a leading MVP Candidate - New Orleans (56-26) finished with the 2nd-best W-L record in the ultra-competitive Western Conference - and is on the brink of transforming his team into a serious contender for the NBA championship this year.

What still stands in his way?

The Best Point Guards in the NBA: An Update

‘Air Force One‘ … either Kobe Bryant (PG?) or Deron Williams (PG) … and Chauncey Billups (PG) or Doc Rivers (PG) or Lebron James (PG?) … THAT’S All.

It’s a long way to ‘the Top’, in the NBA.

In order to get there, and become ‘The Man’, you MUST beat ‘the Best’.

For Chris Paul … that journey has now begun, in earnest.

Yet another mutt & jeff moment

Hearing ‘the call’ of this sequence during yesterday’s national ABC broadcast, harkened back to other exquisite duo’s in the history of North American pop culture who managed to carve a niche for themselves and, thereby, became an indelible part of 20th century lexicon … fitting together seemingly (and seamlessly), like hand & glove, from the get-go.

Abbott & Costello … Ruth & Gehrig … Gable & Lombard … Hope & Crosby … Hepburn & Tracy … Bogart & Bacall … Martin & Lewis … Lucy & Ricky … Carney & Gleason … Batman & Robin … Sonny & Cher … Rowan & Martin … Brando & Pacino … Ali & Frazier … Butch & Sundance … Burnett & Conway … Raiders & Dolphins … Packer & McGuire … Mork & Mindy … Thelma & Louise … Shrek & Donkey … Vincent & Jules … etc.

In this grand tradition, sometimes, it can simply be awe-inspiring to see the collaborative work being done these days by the off-set tandem of Mark ‘A-is-for-Action‘ Jackson & Jeff ‘V-is-for-Vivaca‘ (Van) Gundy … aka, ‘Mutt & Jeff‘ … two-thirds of ABC’s analyst team for NBA games. As perfectly illustrated in this video clip …

It just doesn’t get better than these two ‘pardners’ when it comes to crsytalizing & then deseminating THE most ‘important’ elements of an NBA game to an expectant TV world, hanging on their every word.

Harmonious, complimentary & totally in ’sinc’ with one another … this pair is, by far, the most entertaining & insightful duo of basketball broadcasters working together today - a joy to behold, and hilarious to listen to - on a lazy Sunday afternoon in May … Where Amazing Happens! … every once-in-a-while.

Action: “That’s not a dirty play … that’s not a dirty play … it’s up to your defense to say, hey, watch your back the screen is coming … it’s his job to get the double team off his guard … it’s a clean play … it’s a foul but it’s a clean play … ahh yeah, but, Pachulia should be upset with his, his, teammates not yellin, ‘watch the screen’ …”

(in response and juxtaposed)

Vivaca: “Well, that, that’s a hard hit … but I will just say this … when you talk to players about when to try to get back at somebody that may have cheap-shotted you earlier in a series, you do it up 30 … and you do it right there, where you don’t cost your team a chance to win a game and go back at them immediately … that was a signature, ‘Good-bye’ Zaza.”

Classic.

NBA Playoffs 2nd Round Preview: Part II

Western Conference Semi-Finals

(1) LOS ANGELES LAKERS (H)	(4) UTAH JAZZ
By the Numbers
QIR - #10 (30) Points Differential Rank - #3 Points Allowed Rank - #19 Rebounding Differential Rank - #8	QIR - #4 (21) Points Differential Rank - #4 Points Allowed Rank - #13 Rebounding Differential Rank - #4
Basketball Acumen
Best in the West right now. Rebounding, Team D & Offense all top notch. Will miss Bynum inside vs Boozer. Key Match-up: Fisher & Farmar vs Williams & Price. Must hold D-Will in check. Two outstanding coaches but Phil Jackson has always had Jerry Sloan’s number. Kobe on a Mission.	Deep, physical & versatile. Good enough to win the series. Will need Okur, D-Will & Korver to knock down perimeter shots. Key Match-up: Kirilenko vs Bryant. Millsap must play big to offset the Lakers fire-power off the bench. Sloan must find a new dimension to get by the ZenMaster.
Who will win
Los Angeles in 7.