The Potential Is There For Something…I Just Don’t Know What

Far be it for me to suggest that Allen Iverson has nothing to offer a team at this moment in time. But it’d appear that a player who’s now on the downside of what one might deem an illustrious career. It would probably be in his best interest to ride off into the sunset with his head held high. And let his legacy speak for itself. Rather than him now being ridiculed as the shell of the player he once was .

A seemingly happy Allen Iverson is introduced to the Detroit media having just been acquired by the Pistons in exchange for point guard Chauncey Billups who was traded to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for the former League MVP. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Gregory Shamus ............

Well at the end of the season Iverson became an unrestricted free agent. His tenure in Detroit proved to be a complete disappointment with the Detroit Pistons. Now very much his own man , though no longer an elite player. He now has to sit and wait for a team to show at least a modicum of interest in his talents. And for a player of Iverson’s undoubted talents, the days are long gone where’d be viewed as player that would command a king’s ransom for his services.

A smiling Allen Iverson in a Pistons' uniform. A rarity as such as his playing time was often pared due to recurring injuries and a loss of form . However on this occasion to be happy as his Pistons' team had just defeatd the Los Angeles Lakers 106-96 in a game played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California,. picture appears ap/photo/ Gus Ruelas ....................

These are stark and dire times economically and teams aren’t prepared to pay top dollar for marginally above average talent. Mid-level cap exemption status or not. The fall of a once great player now seems to be resonating with a number of fans across the league. The thought that we’re now seeing a player of Iverson’s caliber struggle to even find a team seems somewhat perplexing. Albeit that it may well have something to do with the player’s perceived character and his susceptibility to recurring injuries. But one thing for sure is that we all know is that as a player, in no way does Iverson lack heart ! He gives of himself and of his body, perhaps more than is actually required in the pursuit of victory.

Iverson as a Nugget playing at the team's home venue, the Pepsi Center in Denver , Colorado,. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Ryan Williams ............

Amongst the peers of his generation , perhaps only the ‘The Big Man’, ‘The Diesel’, Shaquille O’Neal played with as much heart as Iverson in his heyday on the basketball court. But this is no longer a veteran’s game. Albeit that cerebral players such as Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are said to be still at their peak. And those are the players from Iverson’s generation that we tend to associate him with.

And whilst we can contend that the failed experiment of Iverson’s tenure with the Denver Nuggets , playing alongside Carmelo Anthony , Kenyon Martin , J. R. Smith and Nene’ . But yet they could still not function as a cohesive unit , much less as a team. And for Nuggets’ coach George Karl , there was no end to the nightmare , as they set out on this doomed facsimile of an experiment. The Nuggets with Iverson in tow , was a team primarily built on the premise offense. Defense it would appear was never a part of their mindset. And it was understandable when the Nuggets as an organization sought to trade Iverson to the Pistons in exchange for hometown hero, Chauncey Billups , a Denver native. And in the end we all saw who got the better of that deal .

Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers seen here participating against the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA's Summer League. pictur appears courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Garret W Ellwod

The Denver Nuggets would indeed ascend whereas the Detroit Pistons, though barely having made it into the playoffs. They were jettisoned from postseason play like rancid garbage being thrown into the streets of New Delhi.

As is befitting a team and a player seemingly on the demise. The Detroit Pistons and Allen Iverson are at a crossroads as to their immediate futures. For the Pistons and their GM Joe Dumars . It is now about rebuilding a team and making them once again a perennial contender. Whereas for Iverson it’s about rebuilding his reputation and at the same time prove to any team, willing to take him. That he has indeed something still to offer a team, by way of his own contributions.

Amongst the teams or said team to be interested in Allen Iverson. It’s allegedly Donald Sterling’s Los Angeles Clippers. This couldn’t be perceived as a marriage made in heaven. But it may well have to do as far as Iverson’s career ambitions may well go.

Whilst on paper the team’s roster looks great with a mixture of seasoned veterans in Baron Davis , Marcus Camby, Ricky Davis, Zach Randolph and Chris Kaman. There’s also promising sophomore Eric Gordon and this year’s number #1 draft pick Blake Griffin to complement and round out the playing staff of this team. And as much as we’ve derided the Clippers over the years for their ineptitude. It has to be said that the possible addition to Iverson on this team. And the foundations could well be laid for a successful season.

Eric Gordon of th Clippers seen here playing against the Phoenix Suns in an NBA game from last season. It's hoped that Gordon and Bake Griffin will be viewed as the conerstone of the Clippers' long term future. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Anthony Kettering .............

But much of that percieved success would be predicated on the egos of some players being left at the door. It’s bad enough having the likes of Davis and his namesake Ricky Davis on the same team . In addition you’ve also got a malcontent and an enfant terrible in Zach Randolph added into the mix. That’s as volatile and combustible a mix as anyone would want to have to undertake as a coach of this team. Nevermind then adding Iverson into such an environment. Talk about a molotov cocktail . This may well be a Krakatoa type eruption waiting to happen. And in the midst of it all all you’ll have these two young players in Gordon and Griffin having to ingratiate themselves with their more experienced teammates.

It could either bring about a recipe for disaster. Or dare I say it , complete resounding success ? What Iverson can bring to this team as its elder statesman is a wise head and hopefully a calming influence to this team. But let’s not forget we are talking about the Los Angeles Clippers. Success for them as of late has been to play the entire regular season of 82 games and then to be mistakenly recognized as members of the Los Angeles Lakers. In reality the only thing these two teams have in common is that they share the same home venue and they both play in the Western Conference. As to comparing their competitive nature. That’s like comparing a highly priced bottle of vintage jeroboam champagne to a bottle of stale vinegar. It just doesn’t equate !

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The Potential Is There For Something ……I Just Don’t Know What

The Birdman Can Still Fly High In Denver But Can He And The Nuggets Join The Mile High Club?

The Denver Nuggets have resigned Chris Birdman Andersen to a 5 year deal . The deal itself is said to be worth in the region of $26m . And it’s a handsome reward for a player that seemingly resurrected his career with the Nuggets.

The high flying Chris Andersen who was resigned by the Denver Nuggets to a 5 year $27m contract. Anderson appreciatie of the commitment shown in him by the franchise. picture appears courtesy ap/photo/Mark Bartlestein ………

For coach George Karl and that of the Nuggets’ hierarchy it was a welcoming reward in the return of a fan favorite amongst the Denver crowd. He brought energy to the team’s home arena and the fans fed off that. And with his zany antics , erstwhile character and willingness to sacrifice his body in order to do the dirty work on the offensive and defensive end in terms of rebounding. It’s easy to understand why it is that the franchise were determined to retain the player.

And though the team fell short of their expectations , having been eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals 4-2 after a determined effort. It has to be said that this will be a team to be reckoned with next season. A year older but much more wiser one would hope. This augurs well for the franchise and their ultimate aim of winning an NBA championship.

Ty Lawson who was selected 18th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves is seen here with Nuggets' coach George Karl after the player was acquired by the team in a trade . Lawson will be the backup to point guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter . But in all likelihood he's viewed as the heir apparent to Billups. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo / David Zabulowski ............

And with the experience of having a proven winner within their midst in point guard Chauncey Billups as a well as the maturation of Carmelo Anthony. It’s easy to see why this team may well be one of the few teams in the Western Conference who could give the Los Angeles Lakers a run for their money in defending their NBA title.

Carmelo Anthony (left), Chauncey Billups (center) and Nene Hilario of the Denver Nuggets are on the sidelines during the Western Conference quarter finals game played against the New Orleans Hornets at the Pepsi Center in Denver , Colorado. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Chris Farrior .............

Not lost in all of this has been the draft of the Nuggets. There’s been astute assessment in what their requirements were. And they went about picking up a very talented player. They may well have picked up the heir apparent to Billups in acquiring former Carolina Tar Heel Ty Lawson. The player was orginally taken 18th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves , who then dispatched his rights to the Nuggets via a trade. That in ofitself could well be a blessing in disguise for the team as a whole. With Lawson they get an intense and creative offensive player . Who’s also equally adept on the defensive side of the ball. And with the team’s roster almost seeminly unchanged . The cohesiveness that we saw throughout much of the regular season and into the earlier rounds of the playoffs ought to be still there as the new season beckons.

The aspirations of the franchise won’t at all be lost on the fans in Denver. They’ve shown their loyal support to the team throughout the regular season and then into the postseason itself. And even with the disappointment of the loss to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. They could see the beginning of something fruitful as to the team’s play and the resolve shown.

Yahoo Sports.com reports: via AP Sports Writer Pat Graham …..

Anderson reaches 5-year deal to stay with Nuggets.

AP Sports Writer Pat Graham :
Denver (AP) Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen has reached a 5 year deal to keep his high flying, shot blocking act with the Denver Nuggets , the team he revived his career with last season.

Andersen’s attorney, Mark Bryant , confirmed the agreement on Wednesday , saying it would be signed later in the day.

Andersen, who turned 31 on Tuesday could make up to $26m over the lifetime of a back-loaded contract that gives the Nuggets financial flexibility.

The Nuggets didn’t return phone calls.

Andersen will make close to $3.65 million in 2009-10, up from the $998,398 he made last season, when he averaged 6.4 points and 2.5 blocked shots in 20.6 minutes.

“You write the best scenario, think you’re dreaming and open youre eyes and it’s real,” Bryant said. “He’s very excited . They treated him as a priority.”

With his colorful tattoos and spiky hair, Andersen was an instant hit with the Denver fans, who’ve embraced his return to the court.

Andersen came back to the NBA in 2008 following a ban that lasted almost two years after he tested positive for an undisclosed “drug of abuse”.

The energetic forward known for his defensive disruption around the basket provided a spark off the bench as the Nuggets made a run to the Western Conference finals, where they fell short to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

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Free Agency News Round-Up

Allen Iverson interested in joining the Memphis Grizzlies

The Oracle’s Take: Allen Iverson isn’t wanted by any of the contending teams, so going to the Grizzlies would be the best move for him and, surprisingly, the Grizzlies.  Allen Iverson wants to get paid more than the minimum, and the Grizzlies would likely give in the mid-level exception and the Memphis Grizzlies desperately need to sell more tickets, and Iverson is one of the most exciting players in the league.

 Allen Iverson is interested in playing for the Grizzlies, according to a league source.

Iverson, a free agent for the first time in his career, had minor discussions with the Heat after free agency opened on Wednesday.

Memphis had no comment on Iverson’s interest in playing for the team.

The Grizzlies are believed to be weighing the pros and cons of signing Iverson, who would likely be asked to come off the bench.

Iverson wrote about his free-agent status on his Twitter page Thursday.

“I’m a Free Agent, healthy again, and capable of signing with any team,” he wrote. “My only preference will be to play for a coach that knows what I bring to the table and that I am going to bring it every night! Someone that knows how to best utilize my skills to make our team the very best that we can be.”

Toronto Raptors offer Shawn Marion 4-year deal

The Oracle’s Take: The Raptors aren’t anywhere near contending for a championship, in fact, it would be a surprise if they were able to make the playoffs.  The shouldn’t be spending their money on 31 year-old players who’s games are based solely on athleticism.  They should save the money and start rebuilding, starting with the trade of Chris Bosh before he leaves as a free agent next season anyway.

The Raptors have offered free-agent forward Shawn Marion a four-year deal worth more than $32 million, according to the Globe and Mail.

The deal could be worth as much as $34 million, according to the report, and is longer and more lucrative than the three-year, $21 million offer Toronto was reported to have made to Marion.

Jason Kidd intends to stay in Dallas

The Oracle’s Take: I believe that the Mavericks are overpaying for Jason Kidd.  If he was younger he would be worth that money for the stats and impact that he has, but he is getting older and won’t be an elite point guard for much longer.

Jason Kidd intends to return to the Mavericks for a three-year, $24 million deal, according to HoopsWorld.

HoopsWorld cited an “informed source.”

Kidd said that he would take the holiday weekend to mull over offers from both New York and Dallas.

Barring an unforeseen development, Kidd is expected to tell the Mavericks on Monday that he will accept the offer.

New Orleans Hornets are shopping Tyson Chandler Again

The Oracle’s Take: Even with the talented nucleus of Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler, David West, and James Posey, the Hornets aren’t anywhere near competing for the championship.  The Hornets should start rebuilding around Chris Paul with better players before it is too late.  If they can get Phoenix to take Chandler for Ben Wallace like it has been rumored, or trade Chandler for an expiring contract, then they should do it.

A number of sources said last week that the Hornets are again shopping center Tyson Chandler.

New Orleans general manager Jeff Bower could work on making a trade before he offers a contract to any free agent.

In addition, the Hornets could look to move one of their veteran guards, such as Morris Peterson, Antonio Daniels or Devin Brown.

The Hornets are also interested in bringing guard Jannero Pargo, who played overseas this past season, back.

Stephon Marbury doesn’t think he will be coming back to the Celtics

The Oracle’s Take: Stephon Marbury doesn’t deserve more than the Celtics offered him, especially considering his attitude problems and lack of productivity last season.  No team with offer him more than the Celtics did.

Free agent Stephon Marbury, the former New York Knicks guard who joined the Celtics midseason, says he doesn’t foresee a return to Boston after the team offered a veteran’s-minimum deal that would’ve paid $1.3 million, according to The Boston Globe.

“Thank you Boston for allowing the world to see me play again after all that went on in N.Y.,” Marbury said in an e-mail to The Globe. “The fans treated me with open arms and that’s all anyone can ask for.”

Marbury, 32, joined the Celtics on Feb. 27 after a buyout of his $22 million Knicks contract. Marbury told the Boston newspaper that three other teams, which he wouldn’t name, were interested in signing him for next season.

Marbury averaged 3.8 points, 3.3 assists and 18 minutes in 23 games last season with the Celtics.

Post Game Analysis: Lakers @ Nuggets–Game 6

                                                                                                          119  92                                                                                                                                           

With a dazzling combination of outside shooting, dunks and hook shots, the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Denver Nuggets on Friday night in route to a 119-92 victory culminating in their 2nd straight trip to the NBA Finals. Leading the way with his leadership and playmaking was none other than 07-08 NBA MVP Kobe Bryant. Bryant might have had his best all around game in this series as he scored 35 pts while adding 10 assists and 6 rebounds. Power forward Pau Gasol added 20, 12 and 6 while Trevor Ariza continued his great postseason run with 17 pts on 7-9 shooting from the field. And for the first time all postseason, Lamar Odom showed up in back-to-back games as he led the Laker bench with 20 pts and 8 boards. All this led to the Lakers playing their best and most complete game of the series as they held the Nuggets at bay from start to finish.

Turning Point of the Game: Kobe Bryant scored 11 points in a decisive 21-7 Laker run over the final 6:37 of the second period that turned a one point defecit into a 53-40 halftime lead. The run took the buzz out of the Nugget fans and frankly took the air out of the Nuggets, who did not respond to the adversity of being down double digits in an elimination game. Denver began to throw up wild jump shots and played without poise while Kobe and his teammates steadily increased their lead to 18, then 21, and finally 27 points late in the 4th.

Player of the Game: For the second straight game, this title goes to Kobe, who was unstoppable all game. He could have scored 50 if he wanted to, but instead looked  for his teammates all night resulting in 10 assists for Bryant. The Lakers had five players score in double figures including four who had 17 pts or more. When the Lakers have this much balance in their scoring, no one will be able to beat them. Kobe’s unselfishness was evident from the start and he finished  12-20 from the field with 2 baskets from behind the arc and 9-9 shooting from the foul line. The Lakers had a ridiculous  plus 31 point differential when Bryant was on the court, which summarizes his night up well.

Key Stat from Game 6: Coming into Game 6, the Lakers had shot a modest 74% from the free throw line in the series against Denver. Well on Friday Night at the Pepsi Center, LA shot a perfect 24-24 from the foul line. Championship teams must shoot well from the line and the Lakers proved they are a very good free throw shooting team, led by Kobe, who is making over 90% of his free throws in the NBA playoffs. Also, LA was hitting on just 33% of its 3pt. attempts vs. Denver but in Game 6, they knocked down 9-16, good for 56.3%

One more thing. Denver should be proud of the way they played throughout the entire 2008-2009 season. They finally won a playoff series and reached the conference finals for the first time since 1995. But they will regret their lack of poise late in games in the series against LA and they did not play smart on numerous occasions. They had too many stupid fouls and technicals and took many bad shots a recipe for defeat against a confident, experienced Laker team. But expect Denver to retool and be in the hunt next year.

Post-Game Analysis: Nuggets @ Lakers – Game 5

 

94 – 103

 

 

The Lakers showed why they are a championship caliber team when they dispatched the Nuggets in the 4th quarter and won 103-94 in game 5 to move within a win of reaching the NBA Finals for the second straight year. Kobe Bryant led the way with his unselfish play, scoring 22 pts on just 13 shots while grabbing 5 boards and handing out 8 assists (and 7 turnovers). Carmelo Anthony was the top scorer for the Nuggets as he had 31 pts. The key to the Lakers win in game 5 was their 21-3 run spanning the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter after they fell behind by seven. This turned the seven point defecit (73-66) into an 87-76 lead with 8:11 to play. The Nuggets missed 11 straight shots over this span.

Turning Point of the Game: The turning point of last night’s game should be pretty obvious if you watched the game last night. With 4:20 to play in the 3rd and Denver leading by 5, Chauncey Billups pumped faked at the 3pt. line and tried to lean into Shannon Brown to draw a foul. But Brown did a nice job of avoiding the contact and Billups was forced to change course in midair, throwing an errant pass right to Pau Gasol at the foul line. Gasol led the 3 on 1 fastbreak with Brown on his right and Trevor Ariza on his left while Billups  sulked and let Brown run by him to create the 3 0n 1 instead of a 3 on 2. Gasol flipped the ball to Brown who took two steps and jammed over the outstretched arm of Chris “Birdman” Andersen.

With the dunk, the little used Brown got the crowd involved, inspired  his teammates and boosted the energy and moral  of a Laker team that had been outplayed up until that point. And to add to his excitement, Brown earned himself the #4 play on SportsCenters top ten plays of the day, as well as a poster with his dunk on the Birdman (I can’t wait to see what that looks like).

Karl’s Yellow Streak Underlines The Fact That He Has No Guts

After last night’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.  There’s no denying that the Denver  Nuggets’ coach George Karl really is the liability for the team as a whole.  Instead of trying to accentuate what needs to be done by his team in trying to win this series. 

Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets and the Lakers' Lamar Odom contest a loose ball during the game . picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Tom Scott

What has been uttered from the lips of Karl has been nothing but platitudes and a list of complaints that stretch for miles.  And in no way will change the outcome of what has transpired already.

If anything this clearly shows Karl for what he really is.  And that’s a coach who appears to be way in over his head when it comes to coaching a team in the postseason.  Albeit that he’d had measured success in previous stops.  Most notably in his stay with the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle Supersonics.  And as we know what has since befallen that franchise.  As they’ve since become the Oklahoma  City Thunder.

Shannon Brown of the Los Angeles Lakers takes the ball downcourt against the Denver Nuggets during game 5 of the Western Conference Finals played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , Calfornia . picture appears courtesy of nbae/ getty images/ Andrew D Bernstein

 For three quarters the Nuggets were able to remain competitive with the Lakers before succumbing to a 103-94 loss in a pivotal game 5.  But if anything showed that the team’s heart may no longer be in this series.  Then the actions of Karl and his addressing of the press in the postgame conference was clearly indicative of this.

Rather than suggesting where he felt the team went wrong in terms of their overall play.  He was more concerned with the fact of the officiating and the fact that his team wasn’t getting their fair share of the calls.  The question I would ask of Karl is, since when did he expect there to be any semblance of consistency when to comes to the officiating in the NBA postseason?  We’ve continuously see the inconsistencies not only in the postseason, but also in the regular season itself.  And it’s not about to change anytime soon.  The vagaries of the game being what they are.  And the mere fact that even NBA Commissioner Stern feels that his officials are above reproach.

Pre-Game Analysis: Nuggets @ Lakers – Game 5

2009 Western Conference Finals

 

 

 V.S.

 

Going into game 4 down 1-2 the Denver Nuggets needed to come out with a lot of energy to avoid going down 1-3. And coming out with energy they did; with Carmelo Anthony ailing (virus and hurt ankle) the Nuggets role players stepped up big time. The Nuggets just looked like an energetic team facing elimination, and were very aggressive on the boards (winning 58-40). The Lakers on the other hand, looked like a very weary team. Aside from Kobe and Gasol nothing seemed to work for the Lakers. You could say that it was another case of Los Angeles not caring as much when they were not backed into a corner, but I just think that they were a little exhausted. The time for being exhausted will have to wait a couple more weeks as these two teams head back to L.A. for game 5.

Key to the Game:

Lakers

1. For the love of God, can they get the ball inside to Pau Gasol? It was very evident at the end of game 3 when the Lakers won to go up 2-1; that Pau Gasol could not be contained. In game 4 he finished with a solid 21 points on 11 shots, but saw the ball very seldom in the second half managing only 4 shot attempts. That is a very disturbing and unacceptable stat. instead of giving him the ball to continue his dominance in the low post the Lakers thought it would be a better idea to hoist up an unbelievable 31 shots from behind the arc. If this continues to happen don’t expect the Lakers to go back to Denver ahead in this series.
2. The Lakers Bigs need to act like it and start showing some dominance on the glass. As stated before they were killed on the boards 40-58. That is just an unacceptable margin with a roster that boast two seven footers (Gasol, and Bynum) and a very athletic 6’10 power forward (Odom); these three only had 23 between them with Gasol having 10 of them. The Nuggets had 20 offensive boards leading to many second chance points and that left the Lakers with very little chance of winning game 4.
3. My last point is asking Coach Phil Jackson to have a sense of urgency, and treat this game like an elimination game. In a sense it is the Lakers do not want to go back to Denver down 2-3. By urgency I mean leave Kobe in the game 48 minutes or until the game has been decided; in game 4 Kobe took what I felt was too long of a break and the team suffered Denver just extended their lead with him on the bench. He also needs to make it a point to his players to get the ball inside to Gasol and occasionally Bynum; if the ball is getting inside he needs to call a few timeouts and remind his players what needs to be done. I also would like to see Coach Jackson use Shannon Brown A LOT more. I understand everything that Fish has done for us, and Phil’s loyalty to him; but he is s-t-r-u-g-g-l-i-n-g. He cannot seem to find his shot and simply isn’t the same on defense as he was in the past.

Too Much Spot Light?

OK, I’m taking a break from all the analyzing stuff. Enough stats…

We’ve all seen it. Kobe-LeBron puppet commercials, winning MVP, ESPN overdoing it, and this alleged ”guarantee” by Mo Williams. I’m going to tell you about these things, and how much they can back fire, what they can do to your head, and how stupid they can be.

Kobe-LeBron Puppets

An extremely funny commercial, I love it. Really though, with the way things are going, how good is this going to work? As you can see this was made with the thought of them meeting in the finals. They are both getting out-played right now. At this rate. The NBA is going to have to make a new commercial not with Kobe-Lebron, rather ‘Melo-Dwight or Chauncey-Dwight. How stupid would they look then. Upsets happen. I think that at least the Cavs or Lakers are going down, if not both. I feel sorry for anyone who has to talk to David Stern, if it ends up with Denver v. Orlando.

James MVP

“MVP! MVP! MVP!” I know, I know, James was doing fine the games after he won MVP. Well that was before the Orlando series. He would be doing fine. But, when LeBron goes to turn on the Lakers games’, what does he see? Either Bryant, Anthony or Billups lighting up the arena. But wait, he’s MVP he should do better. What does he do? Goes out and scores more. Not much else, just goes out and scores. Sure he scored more, but what has that done? Win one game, barely. James, just get all that mess out of your head, you’ve already won MVP. Get back to playing as you had. You don’t have to be King every game.