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NBA Studs and Duds: 12/29/08

By Stu Holdren | December 29, 2008 | NBA Noise

Studs:Al Jefferson, Minnesota TimberwolvesTimberwolves fans can rejoice with their second win in three games, and Al Jefferson was a major part of tonight's. The Grizzlies had no answer for Jefferson, who scored a season-high 38 points and snagged 16 rebounds in a 108-98 overtime victory. [boxscore]Shaquille O'Neal, Phoenix SunsAfter Steve Nash went out of the game in the first quarter with back spasms, the Diesel took the game into his own hands and helped the Suns get a 110-102 win against the Thunder. O'Neal put together a complete game with 28 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and made a very un-Shaq-like 8 of 12 free throws. [boxscore]Stephen Jackson, Golden State WarriorsIn true, frantic Warriors fashion, Stephen Jackson produced his fourth 30-point game as the Warriors beat the Raptors 117 to 111. Jackson also got himself involved in all other aspects of the game as he had 7 rebounds,...

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: Al Jefferson, Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, Phoenix Suns, Shaquille O'Neal, Stephen Jackson, Yao Ming

With Houston Coming, Dikembe is As Good As Gone

By Celticsfanatic | December 28, 2008 | Celtics 17

Joakim Noah against Ben Wallace - watkinscbw

Ever since the Houston Rockets made a trade involving Steve Francis going to Memphis for a second round draft pick, and trade rumors flying around involving Charlie Villanueva leaving Milwaukee, and the Rockets shipping out Carl Landry, there have been strong rumors about Dikembe Mutombo coming to Houston. A few weeks before that, it was rumored that he might come to Boston. After Dikembe, our options are P.J. Brown and Stephon Marbury. They don't exactly jump out at me like Antonio McDyess or Dikembe did. Could we make a trade? Might we sign a player that will jump out and surprise us? Will he be enough for Boston, and Boston fans? Its time to bring out the option table again.Free AgentsP.J. Brown - Brown, who played for the Celtics last year, retired after he finally won a championship with Boston, but now might be coming back to the Celtics to...

Read more | 3 Comments | Tags: Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Dikembe Mutombo, Houston Rockets, Joakim Noah, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder, P.J. Brown, Stephon Marbury

Ranking the top ten players 6'0" tall and under

By Stu Holdren | December 27, 2008 | NBA Noise

The NBA is a league of giant men, but it is the little guys who we often find the most endearing. Maybe is that us "average Joes" can relate to being the little guy, or even live vicariously through the short players in the league. Some of everyone's favorite absurdly small, but productive Lilliputians included the 5'3" Mugsy Bogues and the 5'7" Spud Webb - a former Slam Dunk Contest winner. Currently, there are 17 players on active NBA rosters who are 6'0" or less. While I don't even believe that many of these guys are as tall as they say they are, let's take a look at the top 10.1. Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets, 6'0" CP3 is undeniably one of the best players in the whole league. Even at only 6'0", people generally don't associate him with his diminutive stature. Maybe that is because of the diverse skill...

Read more | 4 Comments | Tags: Aaron Brooks, Allen Iverson, Charlotte Bobcats, Chris Paul, D.J. Augustin, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Jameer Nelson, Jose Barea, Kyle Lowry, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Sebastian Telfair, T.J. Ford

My NBA Christmas wishlist

By Stu Holdren | December 25, 2008 | NBA Noise

I've already torn through my litany of gifts (beard trimmers, underwear, power scissors, etc.) but being the greedy bastard I am, I want more. But as we all know, some of the best gifts are free. But if I'm getting free gifts (again, a greedy bastard), they better damn-well be NBA related. Here are some of the things I'm hoping for in the remainder of the season.Let Stephon Marbury play. His off-court antics are only good for a bit of coverage. Sure, it's entertaining, but it's getting to the point of not being applicable to NBA fans. If I could only cover one player on this blog, it would be Starbury - but if he's not on the court I'm left high and dry.Allow Greg Oden to learn how to not foul an exorbitant amount of times. Oden has shown he has the ability to positively affect the game when...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Dwight Howard, Greg Oden, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Stephon Marbury, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming

Rockets trade Steve Francis to Grizzlies

By Stu Holdren | December 25, 2008 | NBA Noise

The world has a funny way of bringing things full circle - and this is a laughable instance. The Houston Rockets have traded Steve Francis to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a conditional second-round pick in 2011 (aka nothing). If you recall, Francis was originally selected by the Grizzlies (of Vancouver at the time) in 1999, but pitched a classic hissy fit that forced the Grizzlies to ship him off to Houston.Francis, who has struggled with injuries in recent seasons has been little more than a contractual trading chip. He was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers from the New York Knicks as part of a 2007 a draft-day deal that sent Zach Randolph to the Knicks. The Blazers then bought out Francis' contract, having no real intention of keeping him as a part of that trade.Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace stated that the trade was made with the...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Steve Francis, trade

Eight-Second Violation: Wednesday, December 24, 2008

By Zach Harper | December 24, 2008 | Talk Hoops

Holiday Viewing Guide By Zach HarperOkay. We all need to stick together on this. Christmas comes with a lot of pressure, commitments, and responsibilities through the holiday. For those of you who do not celebrate the holiday due to philosophical or religious beliefs, consider yourself lucky this year. For those of you who do celebrate it, consider yourself screwed. The NBA has provided us with four potentially fantastic games and one match-up that looks like it will be over by the time Grandpa passes out. Here are the games with times and stations: New Orleans at Orlando, 9am PST on ESPNSan Antonio at Phoenix, 12:30pm PST on ABCBoston at LA Lakers, 2pm PST on ABCWashington at Cleveland, 5pm PST on TNTDallas at Portland, 7:30pm PST on TNTOther than the Wizards-Cavs snoozer, that is a loaded day of basketball. Unfortunately for someone like myself, I will be bouncing around from...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, LeBron James, NBA, Ron Artest, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming

Another Statement: Cavs Dump Rockets, 99-90, in "Playoff Atmosphere"

By Amar Panchmatia | December 24, 2008 | Cavalier Attitude

Highlights ll BoxTrack of the night: Zion I - Silly Puddy (f. The Grouch)What you saw from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night should convince you that this team is ready to win a championship - a championship that has eluded this franchise in its 38-year existence and a championship that has eluded the city for 44 years and counting.Beating the Houston Rockets is no small task for the Cavs. Every team has that one team out there that gives them all sorts of trouble and is a thorn on their side no matter what. For the Cavs, it's Houston."That was a heavyweight fight," said LeBron James afterward. "It felt like a playoff game."The Rockets are a mirror image of the Cavs. Both clubs are based on the principles of a tough team defense with players who know their roles on both sides of the floor inside and out. Both...

Read more | 6 Comments | Tags: Anderson Varejao, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Mike Brown, Mo Williams, Orlando Magic, Rick Adelman, Ron Artest, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, Washington Wizards, Yao Ming, Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Eight-Second Violation: Tuesday, December 23, 2008

By Zach Harper | December 23, 2008 | Talk Hoops

First Trimester Awards Breakdown By Zach Harper For all intents and purposes, every team in the NBA is pretty much done with one-third of the regular season. This may sound a little contradictory and it certainly is to some degree but I hate it when people talk about playoffs and make a statement such as, "If the playoffs started today..." It's arguably the dumbest statement you can make because it's completely hypothetical and at the same time undeniably impossible. The playoffs will never start earlier than after the last scheduled day of the regular season. It just won't happen. Shannon Doherty has a better chance of someone asking who her plastic surgeon was because they like that doctor's work. But people want to know where players stand throughout the season in regards to which guys are winning the awards. If the season won today, who would win what awards? ...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Brandon Roy, Carlos Boozer, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, NBA, O.J. Mayo, Ron Artest, Shane Battier, Utah Jazz, Yao Ming

NBA Stock Market: Rondo Keeping Celtics on Record Pace

By Joe Boikess | December 22, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Rajon Rondo surveying the floor (Photo via culhanen/flickr.com)

Note: We at MVN Outsider have re-organized our posting schedule in an effort to make our sports coverage more well rounded and timely. For those of you expecting to see the NBA Power Rankings today, that post has been moved to Tuesdays. With these changes, get ready to see more fresh content every day on every major sport. Thanks, and enjoy!Rising:Boston Celtics - Honestly, this team has been on the rise this entire season, piling up wins at a rate that we haven't seen since the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls. They now have won 18 in a row and have tied the league mark for the best start (26-2) for a team with two losses. Their recent success has been due in large part to the play of point guard Rajon Rondo. When the team needs him to score, he does it (as we saw on Sunday in the C's win...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, NBA, NBA Outsider, New York Knicks

Chances Are That Brandon Roy Has Made a Fool Out Of You, Too

By Amar Panchmatia | December 19, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Most of America slept while Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy was busy dropping a career-high 52 points on the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night as chants of "M-V-P" rained down from a packed house at the Rose Garden. Of those who were either sleeping or simply not paying attention, at least 105,345 believe that Dallas' Jason Terry, who doesn't even start for his own team, is more deserving of an All-Star starting spot than Roy. Just ask them: They casted a vote to prove it. Another 332,222 will tell you that Tracy McGrady deserves it more despite the fact that T-Mac has been in and out of the lineup and is averaging 16.5 points and 4.6 assists to Roy's 22.3 and 5.2, respectively. Still another 162,286 will tell you that Jason Kidd and his 9.3 points for a terribly underachieving Dallas team deserve it more than the leading scorer...Read more

Read more | 3 Comments | Tags: Boston Celtics, Brandon Roy, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Manu Ginobili, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Tracy McGrady

Top ten surprises of the NBA season so far

By Jon Burkett | November 18, 2008 | MVN Outsider

With most teams past the 10 game point in the NBA season, subplots and storylines are emerging. While the Lakers and Celtics are clearly the top teams in the league, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are playing well as the best of the rest. Other teams have not been up to the challenge. Heading in to Tuesday's action, here are the top ten surprises of the NBA season so far... 10. Mark Cuban's alleged insider trading - The league's most entertaining and passionate owner has been on the wrong side of David Stern before. He has a reputation for being a bit of a rogue, but always follows the law. The most surprising aspect of the story to me is public reaction fueled by speculation. Sure, the NBA is still reeling from image issues of the Tim Donaghy scandal two summers ago. But every piece of gossip is not...Read more

Read more | 3 Comments | Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clipppers, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, NBA Outsider, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards

NBA Stock Market: Ford's play has Pacers soaring

By Joe Boikess | November 13, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal (flickr.com)

A week ago I tabbed the San Antonio Spurs as the team on the rise after Tony Parker led them to their first win of the season. Then Parker went down with a badly sprained ankle, sidelining him for about a month, and the Spurs have since managed only one win. This only proves that things can change in an instant in the NBA. Here's my risers and fallers for this week...Rising:Indiana Pacers - Indiana's schedule to begin the season was about as tough as it gets: games at Cleveland and at Detroit, and two home meetings with the Celtics and Suns. But after starting out 1-3, the Pacers have won their last three after notching a couple wins over the Nets and one against the lowly Thunder. T.J. Ford has carried much of the load during this latest win streak, getting within a few rebounds or assists shy of...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Andrei Kirilenko, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, NBA, NBA Outsider, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Tracy McGrady, Utah Jazz

NBA Week 1 Power Rankings

By Joe Boikess | November 3, 2008 | MVN Outsider

With the first week of the NBA season now in the books, it's time to take my weekly look at the league. I ranked the defending champion Boston Celtics number one in my preseason power rankings, but will they be able to stay there? A number of still-undefeated teams might have something to say about that...1. Los Angeles Lakers (3-0) - The Lakers' first week went about as well as anyone could have asked for. Just ask the newly re-signed Andrew Bynum if you don't believe me.2. New Orleans Hornets (3-0) - Chris Paul already appears to be in midseason form, carrying the banged-up Hornets to wins over Phoenix and Cleveland last week.3. Boston Celtics (2-1) - The C's looked like champions against the Cavs and Bulls, but I have to drop them after they got burned in Indiana.4. Houston Rockets (3-0) - Two of their three wins came against...Read more

Read more | 4 Comments | Tags: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Magic, NBA, NBA Outsider, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic

How the West will be won

By Joe Boikess | October 22, 2008 | MVN Outsider

With the NBA regular season set to tip off in less than a week, it's time to reveal my predictions for how the Western Conference will shape up. Last year the requirement was at least 50 wins for a team to make the playoffs in the ultra competitive West, and I believe this year will be no different. That's not to say that all the same teams will be there in the end, however...In addition to ranking the teams in the order that I believe they'll finish, I decided to also separate the teams into tiers based on their potential to win the West. Here goes...Tier 1: The Clear Favorites1. New Orleans Hornets (1st in Southwest) - I realize that preseason performances should only be taken with a grain of salt, but the Hornets are 6-0 so far, and they have allowed the third-fewest points of any team during the...Read more

Read more | 7 Comments | Tags: Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NBA Outsider, New Orleans Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Western Conference

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