The Links: AI’s fed up, Shawn Marion’s watching She-Ra, David Stern needs a penguin
News and notes from around the NBA…
Quick, which Eastern Conference teams have the most road wins? Think about it… think about it… ready?
Orlando? Yep, they’ve got 5 wins.
Detroit? Cleveland? No, they’ve got 4 and 2 road wins each.
How about Indiana? They’re 5-5 on the road, so they’re tied with the Magic.
And there’s one more team. Any ideas?
The New York Knicks! They’re 5-5 on the road, but in the Leastern Conference, that’s good enough for first place.
Surprising, isn’t it? All we hear about and read about is how horrible the Knicks are, how their salary cap is a mess, how Steph and Isiah hate each other, blah blah blah.
Back when I first started writing The Links every morning, besides checking the team’s various newspaper websites, there wasn’t a lot of NBA stuff out there, at least not stuff being updated daily. That’s changed now, and with the rise in popularity of blogs, there’s now a ton of fresh NBA content, being updated nearly every minute. Even the newspapers have their writers working double-time, filing blogs along with their regular stories.
(And let me make clear that I’m all for this. More content — and more choice — is always a good thing. I love that writers are getting a chance to be heard and discovered via routes outside the old, standard ways.)
The problem with this — and we here at SLAMonline.com can be just as guilty of it as anyone else — is that with the need to create content and grab attention comes a tendency to exaggerate and go over the top. This guy is the best player of all time, or that guy is the best young player in the NBA…you know what I mean.
I read a column this week about how Isiah and the Knicks are screwed, and which basically said they’re such an incredible mess that there’s no way the Knicks will ever win a game again. So of course they went out and beat the team tied for first in the Central Division and moved within a game of first place in the Atlantic Division.
Basically, you can believe the hype, but it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on it, too.
Oh, and before we hit The Links, our little friend Sam Rubenstein is battling a tough cold today, so send your good vibes to him. Lots of fierce colds going around, from Sam to my man Sekou at the AJC. Meanwhile, I’m doubling my already copious consumption of Airborne.
Let’s hit it…
QUOTES OF THE DAY
“In 10 years, man, they’re going to regret not taking Mr. Okafor.” — Dick Vitale, after the Magic picked Dwight Howard.
“I needed a new look. I went from being a pretty boy to being sexy.” — Drew Gooden, on shaving his head and wearing a headband.
“Our bench guys are like starters who aren’t playing.” — Hedo Turkoglu, on the Magic.
“I won’t try it again unless we’re up 20 points. That’s spontaneous Nate. Spur of the moment.” — Nate Robinson, on trying to bounce a ball to himself for a dunk during the Cavs game.
“I don’t think we’ll see that again. I think he understands how I feel about that.” — Isiah, on Nate.
“Sometimes people need their names called (at the start of games). If that’s so, I’ll get a megaphone.” — Bernie Bickerstaff, on his guys wanting to be in the starting line-up as opposed to coming off the bench.
THE LINKS…
• Great column from Mike Bianchi about the 2004 NBA Draft and, gasp, the hype that was involved.
• Here we go: Allen Iverson and Mo Cheeks don’t seem to be getting along, and AI blew off a mandatory appearance last night.
• After taking several “blows to the head” in the last few games, Dirk had to come out of last night’s game with “blurry vision,” basically the same injury that boxers can have. They say he’ll be fine with rest, and luckily the Mavs were playing the Raptors last night, so they didn’t even need Dirk.
• The David Stern Robot must have loved the Suns/Rockets game last night, which had players from six continents involved. Stern has allegedly promised a $1 million bonus to whichever of these teams first signs a penguin from Antarctica to suit up the next time these teams play. (And the writer forgot that Steve Nash was actually born in Africa.)
• My main man Joe Johnson hit nine straight shots last night in the second quarter on his way to 36 points.
• Doc Rivers and Wally World got into it at halftime last night over defensive lapses. Can’t believe Doc was expecting Wally to actually play defense.
• Check the note at the end here about Shawn Marion being totally into cartoons, so much so that he wanted to find old episodes of She-Ra. Maybe we should call him Boomerang from now on.
• My favorite lede of the day comes from the New York Post, which begins their Knicks sidebar with:
“Nate Robinson made about four bonehead plays last night, none more ridiculous than his attempt at a circus dunk when he was ahead of the field.”
Exactly. Nice try, Nate, but not the smartest of plays. (Video here.)
• Love that Scot Pollard showed up for Cavs’ shootaround wearing a Drew Gooden bald cap.
• Yesterday I linked to a Dave D’Allesandro column about how the Nets needed to start getting Hassan Adams some playing time. Last night Hassan came out and had career highs across the board (16 pts, 8 boards) and helped the Nets get a win…even if he did miss the team flight to the game and have to go commercial.
• Phil Jackson was asked to call the League office, and the news wasn’t good.
• Derek Fisher has stopped wearing his headband, per the rules of Jerry Sloan, and he’s speaking out about Big Ben’s right to wear whatever he wants.
• The Pacers have demoted Danny Granger from the starting lineup, and he says he’s perfectly fine with that.
• MoPete says he’s not worried about trade rumors.
• So maybe the Sonics are going to stay in Seattle after all?
44 Responses to “The Links: AI’s fed up, Shawn Marion’s watching She-Ra, David Stern needs a penguin”
Nov.30 at 4:54 pm
Matthew says:
Hope you feel better Sam. I bet a Giants win on Sunday would clear that cold right up. Oh, and the Magic will never regret taking Howard. NEVER. That boy is a beast. And yeah, I said boy. Wait till he’s 25 or 26 and like Torii Hunter says, has his “man” muscles. Dickie V is just mad that he didn’t go to college BABY!!!!
Nov.30 at 4:58 pm
Matthew says:
Oh, and shout out to Tony Parker. The newly engaged Tony Parker. Damn. Eva Longoria. She could clear my cold up anytime. Do ya thang TP.
Nov.30 at 5:04 pm
Ryan Jones says:
With rare exceptions, if Dave D’Alessandro writes it, it must be true.
Nov.30 at 5:05 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Oh, and with rare exceptions, if Dick Vitale says it (and by “it” I mean anything that idealizes college basketball and its players and especially its coaches — to whom “You gotta give a lotta credit,” or so I’ve heard — than it must not be true at all.
Nov.30 at 5:07 pm
Max Airington says:
What if he said that the NCAA is just a sacred cash cow and a free developmental league for the NBA?
Nov.30 at 5:10 pm
Ryan Jones says:
That would be awesome, baby. With a capital A.
Nov.30 at 5:10 pm
Ryan Jones says:
‘Cept he won’t, of course.
Nov.30 at 5:13 pm
Ryan Jones says:
And Bianchi’s ‘04 Draft column is on-point, but I think most linkstigators will agree that any columnist whose idea of timely cultural references includes Groucho Marx and Brenda Lee might not be a good fit for our readers. If only he’d ended his column by saying that Dwight Howard is BAAAAAALLLIN’, I think I’d be able to trust him.
Nov.30 at 5:14 pm
jbn74sb says:
Nice how the Orlando writer conveniently avoids any mention of Fran Vasquez…
Nov.30 at 5:14 pm
Ryan Jones says:
My point being, that Jim Jones kid is just terrific.
Nov.30 at 5:15 pm
Max Airington says:
Nothing wrong with broadening one’s perspectives.
Nov.30 at 5:15 pm
BETCATS says:
Ryan u will neve beat my record (44) of most un-answered post so dont try nuthin.
Nov.30 at 5:19 pm
Max Airington says:
Stern likes you guys, you can’t be that gangsta, otherwise he’d have replaced you along with baggy Evisus and platinum medaillions. Maybe you’re “culturally significant”?
Nov.30 at 5:20 pm
Max Airington says:
You were on The Wire, and I hear all sorts of crusty white folks love that. The kids too. And BETCATS is right, give it up.
Nov.30 at 5:22 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
UGHH!
Nov.30 at 5:24 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
Brenda Lee is my homegirl. Watch it, Ryan.
Nov.30 at 5:30 pm
J-Bird says:
Nate Robinson is annoying
Nov.30 at 5:43 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
Baalllling is dead, please stop. please.
Really how names thier kid Plaxico?
Nov.30 at 5:44 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
Who, even
Nov.30 at 5:50 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Damn. Damn. Damn.
Nov.30 at 5:51 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Seriously, I’m gonna miss you guys.
Nov.30 at 5:56 pm
Max Airington says:
Ditto.
Nov.30 at 6:24 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Funny how I got sick the day after eating food at the Nets game. Funny.
I think the media should spend less time making the Knicks out to be the biggest disaster and an example of everything wrong with basketball and spend their time on other things. Such as what’s wrong with the Chicago Bulls. They signed the big free agent and had the 2nd pick in the draft. If they were the NY Bulls, you would be so sick of hearing about their drama by now.
People have been telling Steph and Francis their whole careers that they have to play with more discipline and reign in the streetball style of play.
Now they might lose their jobs to Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford. That is what you call irony. I think.
Nov.30 at 6:34 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
Sam, did you have fun playing Madden all day?
Nov.30 at 6:36 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Sam, didn’t you say you DIDN’T eat a hot dog in Jersey? Honestly, that’s the one piece of NBA media room food I know I can always count on. I’m not pretending they’re good for you in any way shape or form, but f*ck they’re tasty, and they’ve never made me sick. If I’ve ever been sick after a Nets game, it’s because I’ve eaten six of them. Point being, I think you blew it.
Nov.30 at 6:39 pm
Ryan Jones says:
The irony of Lang’s question being that, up until we actually started making them do work a few months ago, Sam would’ve been at the office playing Madden all day.
Nov.30 at 6:39 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Played Madden and took some naps. A great day.
I had lots of pasta and salad. Poison.
Nov.30 at 7:59 pm
Steve says:
Q: What would happen if Shawn Bradley and Sarah Silverman had a kid?
A: Joakim Noah
Nov.30 at 8:49 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Steve, the imagery is fascinating, but you seem to be missing a slighly darker hue in there somewhere. Considering dude’s actual parents are a light-skinned black man and a Scandanvian-looking blond, you might wanna re-think.
Nov.30 at 8:50 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Also, Joa was probably more coordinated at age 12 than Shawn was in his, um, “prime.”
Nov.30 at 10:22 pm
Adrian Zapata says:
Does Allen Iverson have any respect whatsoever to the people who are supporting him? How can he be so ignorant to skip a meeting like that. How many years has he been in the league and he still has not learned? That’s why I love my spurs, down here in san antonio we don’t have to put up with that crap
Nov.30 at 11:52 pm
MDShuai says:
Shawn Bradley will be forever immortalized for his role in the 2004 playoffs, when t-MAC sat on his back and dunked it over him. I think he even got a foul call for it too. It was marvelous.
Dec.1 at 7:31 am
Darksaber says:
Herr Nowitzki must be heading to the Rim more this season, headfirst. Get well soon Dirk, Team’s looking fantastic after that bad start. Who woulda thought Avery can coach like this, damn. Now Findog has to come back home and the world realigns itself for me
Dec.1 at 9:24 am
Froggiestyle says:
52 for Kobe - in case there was any doubt, the Mack is back and still on track. Oh LBJ care to see how you make FT’s?
Dec.1 at 9:51 am
Harlem World says:
Does anyone even listen to Dick Vitale anymoe? Wow…I’m pretty surprised at that. And anyone who calls Stephen A and elephant in pajamas is good in my book.
Dec.1 at 10:00 am
Ryan Jones says:
Froggie, just so I’m clear, we’re gonna do the head to head comparison every night all season, right? And if so, did you post something after Kobe showed such clutch decision making in bricking that 40 footer to seal a home loss to the lowly Bucks two nights earlier?
Dec.1 at 12:25 pm
Max Airington says:
I did. Which is why I could say balllllin with a clear conscience, if it werent played out already.
And the frog is right, LeBron couldnt do that if he tried. Wade either.
Dec.1 at 4:32 pm
rob stewart says:
Trade A.I.
Dec.1 at 4:50 pm
BETCATS says:
to the Bobcats.
Dec.3 at 2:52 am
OJ King says:
To da suns yall
Dec.4 at 2:09 am
Ekam says:
hey ryan jones u no wat i think about u UR A FUKEN FAG up LEBRON JAMES Ass jus answer this wats so special about lebron im telling u now i play nationals for canada im only in gr 8 and im the best player in nationals ill go nba
Dec.4 at 6:03 am
paul wall says:
i bet that nate would’ve made it i they gave him 24 more tries…
Dec.4 at 8:47 pm
tony says:
yeah
Dec.5 at 2:53 am
non subscriber loser says:
booyakasha. just like that, the jazz are on top. Will this continue? will they make the playoffs? Past the first round, make the finals… gold.
that is my vision.