Instant Game Notes: Jazz/Rockets Game Four
Salt Lake City: Where Deron Williams Happens.
by Russ Bengtson
The Rockets-Jazz game tipped off at 10:50 Eastern tonight (last night?), perfect for a series that no one on the East Coast could bring themselves to care about anyway. Masterful scheduling work, David Stern. Nothing like halftime after midnight.
Even better, the telecast was delayed thanks to even more timing issues in Atlanta, as the Wal-Mart shotclocks failed, delaying the start of the second half by roughly three years. The routine-obsessed Ray Allen must have been going crazy. Well, crazier.
So early on we get a little bit of useless (at least on my throwback 27”) split-screen coverage so I can’t even tell you who’s winning as the Hawks finish off (and taunt) the Celtics.
It’s 10-9 with 6:03 to go in the first when we finally join the Utah/Houston game for good, unless Paul Pierce kills Al Horford and we need to go back to Atlanta for bonus coverage. Apparently Tracy McGrady already has been to the locker room and back in order to get his knee re-taped, which isn’t what the Rockets want to hear.
I think I’m gonna just straight notes this thing since I haven’t done that this series yet. I promise not to note ALL the minutia, and I’ll also try to get off-topic as much as possible.
FIRST QUARTER
• Williams finds Kirilenko with an alley-oop, which is probably the best thing for Drei’s fragile psyche. And his scoring totals, which have fallen off the face of the earth since Game One. That’s seven straight points for the Jazz, I think.
• “Dees Dikembe Mutombo. Dees basket for Houston Rockets.”
• The semi-unheralded Jazz youngsters—Ronnie Brewer and Ronnie Price—are really good.
• If I worked at a company where some sluttily dressed secretary walked around stapling things while eating a KFC wrap with an orgasmic look on her face, I’d probably post my resume on Monster. But I’d get her number first.
• And about that Meatloaf Gophone commercial—I had no idea that the kid wasn’t his actual kid (it’s not) and that the wife was actually Tiffany (it is). What’s alarming is that she doesn’t look much older than Mr. Loaf. His name is Robert Paulson.
• Tracy McGrady on not winning a playoff series: “You’re aware that basketball isn’t a one-on-one sport and I’ve only had home-court advantage once, right? You know that Grant Hill has been in the League longer than me and never won a playoff series either, right? Can you please ask me about something else?”
• Rick Adelman should have grown a luxuriant playoff mustache.
• Bobby Jackson fouls Ronnie Price with 6.9 seconds and a foul to give, which is smart. Bobby Jackson fouls Ronnie Price with 1.8 seconds and no fouls to give, which is stupid.
• Of course then Battier gets fouled by Matt Harpring with 1.3 seconds left, which is REALLY stupid. Rockets by two after one.
SECOND QUARTER
• In-game interviews with coaches need to stop.
• The role of Matt Harpring is being played tonight by Matt Damon.
• Aaron Brooks may be able to handle the truth, but he can’t handle Deron Williams. Two fouls in as many minutes.
• There are an awful lot of scrappy (third time I’ve used that word in talking about this series), blue-collar rebounders in this game: Carl Landry, wild-ass Chuck Hayes, Paul Millsap, even Carlos Boozer (although he falls into the Bruce Springsteen pseudo-blue-collar group since he’s making a zillion dollars).
• Full-court (or at least 3/4 court) bounce passes don’t happen nearly often enough. Thank you, Magic Williams.
• Shane Battier looks awfully fuzzy tonight.
• You can run double-teams at Mac all you want, but when his shot is on it just doesn’t matter. He’s 6-9, gets elevation on his jumper, and gets on those runs when he can hit dead-center every time. From anywhere. It’s scary.
• The Jazz have decided they don’t need Carlos Boozer anymore. Apparently.
• If McGrady had any more tape on him he’d be marching and playing a fife.
• When Kyle Korver is taking a shot inside 20 feet, does he yell “LAYUP”? Probably not, he seems too polite to do that.
• AK-47 is playing aggressive (pronounced like Teddy KGB would say it) tonight, which is good news for the Jazz.
• Oh, hey, Boozer’s back.
• Things are a little physical, a little testy. And Houston is over the limit. Pretty sure there’s an “MVP” chant for Deron Williams right now, unless KG/Kobe/CP is at the game and I just don’t see them. Supporting your guys is one thing, being pathologically delusional is quite another.
• With the exception of McGrady, Houston more or less can’t score. Yet they’re still only down nine with under a minute left in the half. It’s 46-37 Utah with 24 seconds to go, and I can’t believe I have to watch another half of this. Can we pick up the tempo? Maybe hit some shots? Carl Landry hits one of two from the line.
• Ronnie Price isolation. He’s only one of two players who’s averaging a point a minute in the postseason—the other being Kobe Bryant. Kobe’s played a couple more minutes, I think.
HALFTIME
• Midnight Eastern. I’m getting overtime for this, right? Sometimes I wish real life had TiVo.
• Stephen A. Smith has been speaking in a normal tone of voice all night tonight, and I’m starting to get seriously confused.
• There’s the Stephen A. Smith I know and despise. Jalen Rose looks like he wants to kill him. And Jalen knows people who knows people. Heck, Jalen probably knows people, period.
• If some strangely dressed person came up to me and offered a Heineken Light I’d pour it on their head. So stay away, weirdos.
• The Def Leppard “Are You Tough Enough?” song may be the worst thing about the playoffs.
THIRD QUARTER
• The Rockets main problem can be summed up in one word: offense. As in, they don’t appear to have one.
• Ronnie Brewer opens the second half with a personal 4-0 run that would have been five, but free throws aren’t free.
• Good: Mehmet Okur rarely gets called for three-second violations. Bad: It’s unsure that Mehmet Okur knows where the lane is located. That said, he already has a double-double with 10 and 12.
• The Jazz already have four of five starters in double figures, the exception being Deron Williams who just hit a pair of free throws. Utah by 14.
• Luis Scola, the Rockets second-leading scorer and leading rebounder tonight, picks up his fourth foul with eight minutes to go in the third. And Okur hits a jumper. Battier comes back with a three as Rick Carlisle reels off a list of injury woes and faxes his resume to the Bobcats.
• Mac cuts the Utah lead to 10, Kirilenko is fouled by Battier. It’s hard to tell who Mutombo is guarding—he sure isn’t running around after Okur.
• “Dees Dikembe Mutombo dunking.”
• Okur gets blocked AND levelled by Battier. Somewhere Superfly Jimmy Snuka is smiling.
• A Skip three (he’s their “most charismatic player” according to Carlisle) and the Utah lead is down to six.
• Utah is 0-8 from three tonight, which isn’t helping their cause.
• Your game LVP right now is Luther Head. In 3:33 he took and missed two shots, both threes, and committed a foul. He’s a –5. (Scola is low man at –11, but he’s played 21:45 and has a team-high seven rebounds.)
• Jerry Sloan’s tie is sageriffic.
• Ronnie Brewer has 12 points on 6-9 from the floor, and I’m not sure whether I even mentioned him in the series preview.
• McGrady cuts the Utah lead to five, The Harpring Ultimatum puts it back to seven, and gap-tooth Landry picks up an and-one to make it four. He needs to get a gold tooth up front like Larry Johnson used to have.
• Five-point Jazz lead after three, as the scrappy Rockets scrap their way back into this. Apparently Jerry Sloan is going to talk to Heather Cox when we come back. Lovely. One gets the feeling that Cox should fear for her life.
• “Maybe you thought I picked Kwame Brown first overall and traded Rip Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse and hired Leonard Hamilton to be an NBA coach.”
FOURTH QUARTER
• The Jazz are shooting an abysmal 41 percent. They should not be winning this game. Except for the fact that the Rockets are shooting a whatever’s-beneath-the-abyss 37 percent.
• McGrady starts the fourth on the bench, and Korver starts with a deuce.
• Gotta love playoff fouls. Williams drops Landry—if that had been LeBron, Deron would have been charged with a felony. Sorry, Carl. Gonna have to wait ‘til you make more commercials.
• Skip to My Basket. One-point Utah lead with McGrady getting rest. Wild. Williams gets it back (all the Jazz starters are now in double-digits).
• Deron Williams, again. Boozer’s on the sideline too, so we have dueling point guards. Skip misses a three, Okur with another board.
• It’s 72-67 with 8:13 to go in the 4th. Denver-L.A. this ain’t.
• BOOOOOZ with the rainbow. And wild-ass Chuck Hayes runs over Good Will Harpring. Offensive foul.
• Korver misses from deep, Okur comes up with a great board (his 16th), but Korver can’t convert close in.
• Scola picks up his fifth foul scrapping with Boozer for a loose ball. Scrappy! He yells and shakes his long, flowing locks in the ref’s general direction.
• Kyle Korver, again. Utah by nine with 5:42. Mac comes back with his 21st point on a driving layup. First bucket of the fourth, ending an 8-0 Jazz run.
• Mac to the line, goes one of two, W.A. Hayes gets the rebound, but throws it away. Yao Ming is not wearing a tie.
• Neither team can buy a field goal, but I’d appreciate it if they’d start shopping for some. The Talented Mr. Harpring fouls McGrady, sending him to the line to deafening chants of “OVER-RATED!” One of two again.
• Boozer goes glass, is fouled by W.A. Hayes. Mac’s on the three-point line, hands on his knees. He looks tired. Scola checks back in for Hayes, Booz hits both.
• Kirilenko literally blankets McGrady, and the Rockets can’t get him the ball. Alston can’t convert, Jazz ball. Korver misses a three, Jazz are 0-12 from deep.
• Carl Landry! On the baseline (assist, McGrady). 78-73, three minutes to go.
• Holy crap. Deron Williams with a drive past Rafer straight down the center of the lane and a surprising dunk on Battier. Gonna be a popular replay in Salt Lake this week. Kirilenko with the stop, and Williams with another basket. Nine-point game.
• Okur misses a three, Mac gets his eighth board, finds Scola. Still, he’s only taken one shot in the fourth.
• Battier with a deep three, and it’s a five-point game under a minute. Williams up top, Korver misses a three. And Skip hits one off the dribble, which means it’s a two-point game with 13.6 seconds to go, and I don’t even know what’s going on anymore. The Rockets WILL NOT DIE. Unless they do. Korver’s fouled immediately on the inbounds. Hits both. Four-point game.
• The giant head cutouts are creepy. Who started that anyway?
• Jackson misses a layup, Landry dunks the follow, and Skip fouls Williams with 7.3 to go. Ice, ice baby. Nope. Misses the first. Leaving that door wide open. He misses again, but Okur gets his biggest rebound of the year—maybe of his career—and goes to the line himself with 5.5 seconds. One. Two. Four-point Utah lead.
• Jackson misses a corner three, Kirilenko blocks the Landry follow (turnabout is fair play), and that’s the game. 86-82, Jazz.
• The Jazz finish with six guys in double figures (led by Williams’s 17) and a pair of guys (Okur and Boozer) with animal-style double-doubles. For Houston, McGrady finishes with yet another near triple-double: 23 points, 10 boards and eight assists, but he shoots just 9-25 from the floor (which is worlds better than Bobby Jackson’s 1-10, but still), and is again not a big factor in the 4th.
They say a playoff series doesn’t truly start until the home team loses. It’s possible that this one didn’t start until the home team won—and now it’s most likely over.
116 Responses to “Instant Game Notes: Jazz/Rockets Game Four”
Apr.27 at 2:18 am
RV says:
good stuff russ, but define “over”, is over like 5 games, 6 games, or just that Utah will win the series for sure? i can see Houston pushing it 6 games
Apr.27 at 2:22 am
RV says:
and deke should have been in the game to rebound the free throw misses, Tmac agrees, as he calls out Adelman (sort of) on it during the press conference….i havent seen the replay, but i think Landry actually would have ended up with it if TRACY hadn’t tipped it off the backboard…maybe tmac hasn’t seen the replay either
Apr.27 at 2:27 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Just over in that Utah won’t lose the series. I have a lot of respect for the Rockets, though. They don’t quit.
Apr.27 at 2:30 am
RV says:
Does anyone not live on either coast around here? Looks like i got this page (and series) to myself…..so i’m just gonna rattle off some thoughts….can’t believe a guy as clutch as Deron can’t hit his freebies, if he ever shoots consistently he’ll be right up there with CP3
Apr.27 at 2:35 am
RV says:
Rocket fans should be pretty happy, the biggest reason why the rockets aren’t on the other end of that 3-1 lead is their offense, and what else is Yao Ming if not reliable offense? My biggest concern was a series-long let down, which would lead to a embarrassing sweep, but i’m glad they’re giving Utah and their fans something to think about besides the Lakers. They’ll be one of the top contenders next yr.*
Apr.27 at 2:36 am
RV says:
*if they stay healthy..
Apr.27 at 2:48 am
RV says:
and if Sloan actually teaches the jazz to either make their shots or miss them perfectly so that the rebound always bounces off at just the right arc to come back to a jazz player, then he needs to go into the Hall of Fame right now.
Apr.27 at 2:51 am
xthor says:
Well, I’m not on a “coast” unless you count the coast of the Great Salt Lake. And I wouldn’t. Hell of a game! Just got back from it a few minutes ago. No, Deron (De-ron? Da-ron? Anyone hear T-Mac’s post-game comments on that? What a moron) should not have missed those freebies. I’m sure he’s beat to death. Bruised butt, lands on his wrist and elbow, and turns his ankle right before those missed freebies… ouch. Rockets fans should be happy? They’re down 3-1. They managed to win 22 straight without Yao, I’m sure he’s critical, but I think missing Rafer was a bigger problems for this series. Jazz in 6. I’d be shocked (even though I am a die-hard Jazz fan) if T-Mac surrenders another game at home.
Apr.27 at 2:53 am
Hursty says:
oh well… they tried hard RV.
Apr.27 at 2:57 am
Hursty says:
true that RV. i had no footage for the 2nd half. soooo ANGRY! how come BJAX ended up with a 3 to win the game? 5 seconds is enough for a layup and then a tip if it misses. A 3 takes 2 seconds to go from hand to ring then another 2 for the rebound…..
Apr.27 at 2:59 am
Hursty says:
tmac 4th Q stats. 4 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 2 made/2missed free throws, 2 rebounds.
Apr.27 at 3:06 am
RV says:
when jax shot that 3 they were down by 4 so they had to take a 3
Apr.27 at 3:15 am
Hursty says:
no the last seconds of the game…?
Apr.27 at 3:18 am
Hursty says:
read the play by play wrong, my bad, thought it said that was down by 2, I was thinking that he shot a 3 to WIN the game when we were really down 4. I thought that the last 2 points came from the shot rebound, oops.
Apr.27 at 3:21 am
RV says:
i think they should seriously consider trading tmac, not because of this “he’s never gone past the first round” stuff, but because i seriously think his body is deteriorating at a more than average pace since the last 2 yrs or so. I dont even think his training is the problem anymore, he’s just always banged up now and i don’t believe he takes that much punishment considering he settles for jumpers a lot. I see him being a nice compliment to Yao in the future, but i dont see him being able to step up big consistently or make a move to win a game unless he just shoots over the defender. His first step isn’t too great anymore, his explosion to the rim isn’t either, which happens with age and wear and tear, but his shot isn’t consistent enough for him to fall back on it like other all-stars. With more and more tall and athletic big men coming into the league its also becoming easier to contain him.
Apr.27 at 3:24 am
RV says:
i also think they should look into signing Linas Kleiza this offseason
Apr.27 at 3:27 am
Hursty says:
ok RV… i dont think too many will argue with that but who they gonna sign instead? vince? no thanks, cant get a good 4 man and theyve got landry, scola. dont want wade… LeBron? include chuck hayes and Luther Head please, maybe a pick.
Apr.27 at 3:28 am
Hursty says:
why would you want Kleiza? dude is determined to shoot and shoot till he gets his numbers…
Apr.27 at 3:29 am
Hursty says:
Josh Howard? dont want Melo. No JR Smith either. Kobe is going anywhere and Marion cant create his own shot.
Apr.27 at 3:32 am
tealish says:
Thanks for the link to the Boston Globe. It was an interesting read. I like Ray Allen even more now.
Apr.27 at 3:33 am
Hursty says:
JJ is getting max money. from what im thinking now is that we get a lot of picks for him in a 3 way trade on draft night or lots of young dudes who are potentially gonna do well….
Apr.27 at 3:35 am
Hursty says:
go Ray. he wont leave the C’s and besides hes 32 almost.
Apr.27 at 3:38 am
Hursty says:
Rudy gay doesnt play the right position or defence.
Apr.27 at 3:41 am
RV says:
humm, now i think kleiza may not be a free agent afterall, but i like Kleiza because he’s big and can shoot, can also drive ocassionally and he’s aggressive, great Ft shooter, and i think we need someone who actually wants and is determined to shoot unlike Shane, Luther, and novak. He’ll get open looks with yao and tmac so he should make a good amount.
Apr.27 at 3:47 am
RV says:
you can’t go with young guys at this stage of Yao and shane’s career, i was thinking of working a sign and trade with Washington and picking up Arenas, he’s listed houston as one of his top 4 choices if he opts out and goes elsewhere. I don’t know if we can sign him as a free agent though, he might make too much.
Apr.27 at 3:49 am
Hursty says:
i thought you wnated to trade TMAC?
Apr.27 at 3:51 am
RV says:
yeah, but he’ll get open shots with tmac or whoever we’d replace tmac with, since it should be an all-star as well (i would hope)
Apr.27 at 3:53 am
Hursty says:
yeh i was about to type on arenas, prefer Butler though since hes a swingman and can play tmacs style of game without the passing aspect. Arenas takes time of bJAx legs (dude is 35 appatently) and if we trade head then thats ok with me, might as well pick up Andre Barrett agian
Apr.27 at 3:57 am
Hursty says:
any chance of Turkolu? i cant imagine the magic not resigning him and he seems to be doing well with the guys hes with right now… not sure how his contract/years situation is though. Ron Artest? very good defensive team. kevin martin, baron davis (nearly 30…), monta ellis?
Apr.27 at 4:00 am
Hursty says:
nobody leaves the spurs. nobody.
Apr.27 at 4:01 am
RV says:
the Arenas situation is perfect though, it’ll be tough enough to convince any team to trade us a 24ppg+ scorer for tmac and his injuries, but thats pretty much what we have to do because we don’t have the money to sign a big name in free agency and we’re not trading shane or Yao. Arenas can pretty much convince Washington to go for the sign and trade since they’ll at least get something in return instead of him just walking.
Apr.27 at 4:03 am
RV says:
i dont see the magic letting hedo go, they’re having a nice playoff run and need to keep that team together. Artest said he doesn’t want to leave Sac and they said they’ll keep him, not sure about martin or davis, Monta is probably untouchable for the warriors right now.
Apr.27 at 4:03 am
Hursty says:
true, arenas has had his fair share of injuries as well.
Apr.27 at 4:06 am
Hursty says:
anyone else worth mentioning?
Apr.27 at 4:07 am
RV says:
with this team we either need tracy to go back to tmac of old, which isn’t likely, or to trade him for a prolific scorer. if that doesn’t happen, we can keep tmac, but we need a bigger and stronger PG who can drive the lane and not bounce off defenders, all of our guys (brooks, alston, Jax) can’t drive whenver they wan’t, they need to get an opening first. Francis may help out in that area though if he’s healthy. And then we’d need a long PF with a mean streak because right now all of our guys are undersized or too nice.
Apr.27 at 4:08 am
RV says:
Yeah but i think Arenas’ injuries are just accidents while tmac’s are from his body falling apart, so i’ll gladly take Arenas
Apr.27 at 4:09 am
Hursty says:
trade chuck hayes for a 2nd round pick or cash or for god’s sake release him.
Apr.27 at 4:11 am
Hursty says:
scola and landry will be better next year and scola allows us to run if hes at the 5. Landry only played 45 games or so… imagine a whole season of improvement.
Apr.27 at 4:13 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Maybe you could go after Baron Davis in a sign-and-trade if the Warriors would rather move forward with Monta and Jack. But Baron has some of the same problems. Dirk Nowitzki? Shaq (for the ultimate in Twin Towers)? Zach Randolph? Vince Carter? Antoine Walker?
Apr.27 at 4:14 am
Hursty says:
I like Arenas, when hes on, he’s top 10 in the L. at the PF issue, either we pick a 4 in the draft or trade for one. I would rather get rid of scola and hayes (than landry) for a guy like millsap or some other poor mans boozer.
Apr.27 at 4:15 am
Russ Bengtson says:
The Nuggets might dynamite things, but I’m not sure whether they’d trade Melo. AI, maybe. Then again, if I’m Tracy, I want to go back East. I think. McGrady for Rip Hamilton?
Apr.27 at 4:17 am
RV says:
i dont think there are any other big names we could get, Arenas is a perfect and the most likely possible situation for getting rid of Tmac. Smaller names are Kleiza, Reddick, wouldn’t mind Juwan howard and his consistent 15 footer for the league minimum, corey maggette’s ability to get to the FT line is something we need, but may be too expensive , Bostjan nachbar might not be bad it he’s cheap, he finally learned to take it up strong and hit the 3 consistently, could replace novak, Giricek’s shot is needed also
Apr.27 at 4:19 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Would you start a Skip/Gil backcourt? Kind of small. And I think Landry has the potential to BE a poor man’s Boozer. Scola I’m not sure about. And honestly I’m not entirely sold on Yao, either. He’s a bit of a dinosaur in a League that seems to be getting faster every year. I almost feel like the Jazz would be having an easier time with the Rockets if Yao was playing.
Apr.27 at 4:22 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Or could the Bulls interest you in a package of Larry Hughes and a re-signed Ben Gordon? Probably not.
Apr.27 at 4:25 am
RV says:
they need someone in the same age range as their core players whether they trade tmac or pick up FAs, roughly, 27-30, shane’s 29, yao’s 27, scola’s 27 and tmac is 28. For tmac’d say another two-guard/sf would be good, any other position and it forces Houston to pull more trades to even up the spots. Arenas might not go for the 2 spot though.
Apr.27 at 4:25 am
Hursty says:
no thanks russ, i like Dirk as a tall shooter who gives Yao room, shaq…urgh…. Vince=worse than tmac, walker= hasnt played meaningful minutes for 2 years. Zach is a cancer and needs the ball
Apr.27 at 4:29 am
RV says:
Yao’s been solid this yr, he’s finally become consistent and although he ‘ll always have his problems with small teams, he’ gives them a fit as well. This year we have more capable power forwards and they are slowing Booz down, last yr we had no choice but to put Yao on Boozer and he killed us, or Yao was on Okur and Okur would kill us. Now landry and scola can shadow Booz or Okur more effectively, at least on the perimeter.
Apr.27 at 4:29 am
Hursty says:
co sign RV. BG at the point is ok, his handles are alright and Skip is improving so i dont know. BG is a combo guard and comes off the bench anyways, how would it fit though?
Apr.27 at 4:34 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Luol Deng? I’m just not sure who’ll be available. AI is too small. Baron would mean you’d have to move Skip (and find a two). I can’t imagine the Warriors letting Ellis go after the Arenas debacle. Jamal Crawford is probably not the droid you’re looking for (although he’d help space the floor for Yao). Jason Richardson? Leandro Barbosa?
Apr.27 at 4:35 am
RV says:
Last year I thought we’d have a chance at Okafor this offseason since he’s from Houston and we needed a PF like him, but this year we have the PF spot full and he said he’d like to stay in charlotte so he’s off the list.
Apr.27 at 4:37 am
RV says:
I dont think Leandro would know what to do in the half court, other than wait to shoot.
Apr.27 at 4:38 am
RV says:
Michael Redd
Apr.27 at 4:40 am
Russ Bengtson says:
The Bucks might be willing to blow it up, that’s for sure. And McGrady could probably get the Bucks into the playoffs.
Apr.27 at 4:40 am
RV says:
I wonder what it would take to get Redd and mo williams, Tmac, Rafer, and?
Apr.27 at 4:44 am
Hursty says:
Bogut was my man for MIP this year. Redd? why not? dude can shoot
Apr.27 at 4:46 am
RV says:
Yao, Scola, Battier, Redd, and Williams works for me. Ship out Rafer, Tmac, and brooks
Apr.27 at 4:48 am
Russ Bengtson says:
They’d probably want to expand the deal and make you take Bobby Simmons, too.
Apr.27 at 4:49 am
RV says:
hell, give them Mike harris too
Apr.27 at 4:49 am
Hursty says:
chuck hayes? with those 2?
Apr.27 at 4:51 am
Hursty says:
mike is a wildcard. hayes is far too limited, d league for some teams. david Lee?
Apr.27 at 4:52 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Although Simmons makes $9 million a year, so that would be tough to match. Not sure how it would work with just Redd and Williams, as the Almighty Trade Machine has Williams as a base year compensation guy.
Apr.27 at 4:52 am
RV says:
Bobby was playing well before he got injured, i think he was averaging like 16-18 a game, might not be a bad pick up, good shooter, i can’t stress enough how much houston needs consistent shooters, the more the better.
Apr.27 at 4:53 am
Hursty says:
I like Lee. works hard, plays d, can score by himself or scrap for boards and is a walking double double.
Apr.27 at 4:55 am
Hursty says:
simmons could be the Brown factor, (or A. walker) buy his contract then sit his @ss on the bench if needs be for free agents.
Apr.27 at 4:56 am
RV says:
I wouldnt trade chuck just yet, he’s only 24, and when he’s in the line up with guys like Novak and luther he’s lost, but put some playmakers around him and he’ll be efficient as hell. Very few mistakes, tough D, capable of 9 boards a night and he’s the world’s greatest lay up maker
Apr.27 at 4:57 am
RV says:
Forgot about Lee, i like him too, but now with Isiah gone, they’ll actually start him and try to keep him.
Apr.27 at 5:00 am
Hursty says:
i wish we could get Lee, the commentators (and I) both get so frustrated at Hayes inability to dunk the ball under the ring, he tries to lay up and gets fouled but he cant make freebies consistently.
Apr.27 at 5:11 am
Hursty says:
Chandler? Im liking Arenas (hes also a great go to guy in the clutch and has similair stats to TMAC (even though hes 4 inches shorter) hes also only 25, tmac is 28 going on 29 early next year. Dirk is also another nice option but the money they make is way too high to keep BJAX, yao. Thing is with the guys they got now, without tmac they fall well under the cap cos of the young dudes on minimum/rookie and veteran contracts.
Apr.27 at 5:17 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Lee’s not going anywhere unless the Knicks want an all-out ticketholder revolt. I think he might actually be overvalued a little because the rest of the roster is so bad/misused (I believe his agent was quoted using the word ‘max,’ and not in reference to the Mel Gibson character), and you’ve already got guys like him in Hayes and Landry, not to mention Scola.
Apr.27 at 5:37 am
Hursty says:
but hes taller and a better free throw shooter.
Apr.27 at 5:39 am
Hursty says:
hayes cant score and isnt a great passer and is not ever gping to score more than 15 a night unless he develops late like randolph.
Apr.27 at 6:00 am
Hursty says:
i love the effort, grit, determination and heart of the forwards but they need some sort of upgrade either through trades, free agency or the draft. A good fit might be Drew Gooden, dude is tall (6-10), pretty athletic, a better shot blocker than anyone else except Mutombo, can play the 5 cos hes reasonably heavy (240, 250) nice passer, can shoot the ball from the mid-range to draw out the defence for space for yao.
Apr.27 at 6:44 am
Tariq says:
Russ: I’ve been mulling over something…do you think Mac’s ongoing 1st-round saga, as well as dudes like KG and Jesus having limited previous playoff success, have anything to do with expansion? I mean, I keep thinking of these really good/great players who have hardly been in the playoffs, like Elton Brand and Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Michael Redd seems to be on that path too. I don’t really remember, but it seems that the good players in the 80s not only made the playoffs, but invariably made deep playoff runs. Maybe because in those days guys like Byron Scott and Dennis Johnson were your fourth or fifth options as opposed to being go-to guys or second bananas?
Apr.27 at 8:21 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Expansion definitely has something to do with it. It’s ridiculous that a 48-win team didn’t even make the playoffs this year. Although I’m sure there were guys in the ’80s who never made it far, either. Like Bernard King. I’m not sure what the deepest he went was. (Of course there was one fewer round back then, too.) Or Adrian Dantley before he ended up on the Pistons. Even poor Pistol Pete. Not to mention back then the good teams were able to stay that good. Hard to believe the Celtics would have been able to keep Bird AND Parish AND McHale (not to mention Ainge and DJ) given today’s salary constraints. Ditto the Lakers with Cap and Magic and Big Game James and Byron and company. So yeah, expansion and salary issues. Look at guys like Crawford and Curry, who’ve never played in the playoffs. Sometimes if you go for the money–which didn’t happen as much back then, I don’t think–you lose out on success.
Apr.27 at 8:28 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Also, I think some of the second-tier players from back then, the Brands and the Abdur-Rahims of the ’70s and ’80s, have been forgotten–or at least marginalized–in comparison to the perennial successes. Guys like Alex English and Sidney Moncrief. We’re also living in the era of the pre-made superstar. Tracy had a shoe deal and a huge contract before he’d really done much of anything. Looking at his career and what he’s done from a purely objective standpoint, it’s hard to call him a failure. He’s only had home-court once, and his Magic teams were always flawed. It’s when you look at him based on what adidas SAID he would be that he falls short.
Apr.27 at 8:36 am
Tariq says:
Oh, I definitely don’t consider Mac a failure. I never thought about how marketing has affected the perception of what a player should do ON the court, even though it seems pretty obvious now that you point it out. Interesting.
Apr.27 at 8:48 am
Russ Bengtson says:
I hadn’t really thought about it much either until I started running off at the, um, fingers.
Apr.27 at 9:04 am
Tariq says:
Impossible is where amazing is nothing.
Apr.27 at 9:45 am
DP says:
scola needs to calm down……..he is not that tight.
Apr.27 at 10:43 am
FLUXLAND says:
TMac - HAHAHAHHAHHAHA!! Karma doesn’t like the paper chasers… at least you got all that money! KG.. you’re next!
Apr.27 at 11:00 am
B. Long says:
TMac to Nawlins.
Apr.27 at 11:33 am
FLUXLAND says:
TMac should retire. He’s a perennial loser and chocker. He left TO cuz the thought the grass will be greener on the other side. Turns out you have to mow it there too.
Apr.27 at 12:50 pm
RV says:
the cash definitely was greener
Apr.27 at 12:55 pm
RV says:
Hayes is actually a pretty good passer, the problem is he doesn’t have anyone to pass it to, he gets stuck with the ball at times with a bad team on the floor, but he makes great passes to cutters. I dont think we have to stress over the PF position, we have a good mix right now and they’ll keep improving, and without yao being out there it made it easier for Utah to roam the paint looking for boards, we could use a long pf, like stromile swift type, but not necessarily an all star.
Apr.27 at 12:55 pm
Captain America says:
Rockets done.
Apr.27 at 1:07 pm
RV says:
No captain america, they’re gonna come back down 3-1 without their best player after losing homecourt and playing 2 rookies big minutes….
Apr.27 at 2:13 pm
FLUXLAND says:
RV .. I don’ mean any disrepect towards you or anyone as a Rocket fan .. but dude is only getting what he deserves. And don’t worry, old-blind-man backstabbing Boozer is getting his in the next round.
Apr.27 at 2:49 pm
Jj (the real one!) says:
I’m still not buying that Boozer backstabbing Gund. The more I think about it, the more it looks like the cavs took a gamble and thought they’d get Boozer on the cheap for a longer period if they didn’t extend his rookie contract. so they didn’t pick up their option hoping there’d be a retribution from Boozer as in “look Carlos, we’re giving you five mill now instead of 1, but you’ll stay here for that money for the next 5 years right?”… and someone from Salt Lake said “5 sounds nice right? now… how bout 10? sure we got no LeBron, but we have an AK! and the greens!” and then they drafted Deron and the rest is history. Thinking about it, Booz would have a shot at the finals with the cavs, but the longer he stays in Utah, the more the chances he has at a title…
Apr.27 at 3:07 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Jj.. that doesn’t change the fact he chased the paper.. something karma don’t likey. Not to mention.. what freaking moron leaves LeBron? Like TMac not wanting to live in VCs shadow, he didn’t want to live in LeBrons. And how did that work out for TMac? Sure, LeBron has no rings… but looks like he will get one before Carlos (if ever)will. I didn’t read Russ’ comments initally… but he alluded to it: “Sometimes if you go for the money–you lose out on success.”
THE KARMA POLICE SAYS: PAY UP, SUCKA!!
Apr.27 at 4:41 pm
Mayor of Lovetron says:
Yeah but Utah has polygamy fluxland
Apr.27 at 4:44 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Mayor.. LOL.. of course.. how could I forget..that must have been the last piece in the “offer he couldn’t refuse”.
Apr.27 at 6:10 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Shaq sure got screwed when he jumped to L.A. for the money. Gee, that karma sure can be a bitch. And Boozer may have been a “freaking moron” to leave LeBron, but he would have been even more of one to sign for $30 million less than he was being offered. And did a guy like Elton Brand deserve to spend his prime in basketball purgatory just for signing a max deal (which he, in fact, deserved)? And yes, I’m sure Tracy and Vince, had they stayed together, would have enjoyed nothing but success. Please.
Apr.27 at 6:49 pm
Tariq says:
If Mac and Vince had stayed together, they’d have AT LEAST 3 rings by now. But I’m talking about those friendship rings. No, wait…those are bracelets.
Apr.27 at 6:55 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Hahaha.. comedians, ha? Did you guy email each other before posting those?.. Having an opinion around here is impossible and God forbid you say anything critical of the “writers” …
As you said.. SOMETIMES.. and I reiterated. So yes CAN be not IS …
Apr.27 at 6:57 pm
FLUXLAND says:
I’m not knocking the paper chase.. I’m saying it comes at a price. And Tariq, you know this how? Where is this crystal ball you posses?
Apr.27 at 7:28 pm
FLUXLAND says:
And Russ..Elton didn’t leave his team.. so that’s not really chasing paper.. Shaq didn’t leave anyone behind with a potential HOF career. Care to try again?
Apr.27 at 7:48 pm
Tariq says:
I have numerous crystal balls which I like to keep spread out across the land. I keep one, naturally, on the mantle. I have a pair I like to use as bookends, and I tend to keep at least one in the freezer next to the bottle of vodka. But they don’t really have any future-telling powers. They’re just balls, after all.
Apr.27 at 7:56 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Yet your seem to know VC and Tmac would have not won any rings? To what should we attribute this amazing ability to predict perceived facts? Or are they simply opinions presented with arrogance implying facts?
Apr.27 at 8:31 pm
Tariq says:
The third one.
Apr.27 at 8:40 pm
Hursty says:
toronto wouldve competed against teams like young detroit without sheed and confused Chauncey, celtics with P2 and walker, Indiana with reggie,O’Neal, AI sixers, bucks with Cassell and Ray Allen
Apr.27 at 8:42 pm
Hursty says:
100 yay!
Apr.27 at 8:51 pm
Tariq says:
I think my local club, Ittihad, can take these punk-a$$ Pistons. Ittihad ain’t small-time either, they once paid the wages of the great God Shamgod. My only fear is that Ittihad will play with a sense of arrogance against Detroit. That’s the only way I see my boys losing.
Apr.27 at 8:56 pm
Hursty says:
shamgod huh? that guy was awesome till LeBron came and ate him up in the H.S all star games and the injuries/issues he had.
Apr.27 at 8:58 pm
Hursty says:
sixers need to wake up, detroit is dominating them except for turnovers and now Prince is injured.
Apr.27 at 8:59 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Hursty.. there is not sense in arguing with the superiorly intelligent Russ and Tariq in the SLAM universe. You will be dismissed as mere idiot whose opinion belongs in the script of the 5th element.
Apr.27 at 8:59 pm
Tariq says:
Hursty: What? I think you’re confusing God Shammgod with someone else. Shammgod got drafted by Washington in 97 or 98, when Bron was what, 12 or 13.
Apr.27 at 9:00 pm
FLUXLAND says:
moderation?
Apr.27 at 9:01 pm
Tariq says:
And I don’t think he had any injuries. His problem was that he was a small dude with a crazy handle and crossover who couldn’t shoot at all.
Apr.27 at 9:03 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Hursty there is not sense in arguing with the superiorly intelligent Russ and Tariq in the SLAM universe. You will be dismissed as mere idiot whose opinion belongs in the script of the 5th element.
Apr.27 at 9:11 pm
Tariq says:
Flux: I’m far more intelligent than Russ or anyone else in the Slam universe. With the possible exception of schoolgirl2494.
Apr.27 at 9:27 pm
Hursty says:
im a bionicle.
Apr.27 at 9:29 pm
Hursty says:
rgh, maybe its the dude who got in a car accident or something. I cant remember, just that he had insane stock and was a year or two? ahead of LeBron in school and Bron had his way with him as a soph/junior.
Apr.27 at 9:33 pm
RV says:
flux, u have to consider both tmac and vince’s characters, they are similar, vince is a stats machine, a human highlight film, but he’s not a winner and never really has been, tmac can win, but he can’t lead, they both are too easy going, take too many shots, play similar positions, roam the same area, if they both had stayed together it wouldn’t be Tmac + Vinsanity, it would be two guys who dunk well and are pretty good players, even if somehow they were to become all stars together, they would have demanded money, big money, u cant build a team around two guys who both want the max and play the same spot and the same role. you can build one, but its gonna be a crappy one.
Apr.27 at 9:43 pm
FLUXLAND says:
RV… yeah I realize all that and what you are saying. Darn $! Couldn’t T just back him up off the bench? It’s just one position. We had CBills, we had OAK.. darn it.. we could have been a CONTENDER!!! LOL! I have my dreams and “facts” as pushed opinions by experts will not shatter them!
Apr.27 at 10:13 pm
henry says:
nice ray allen article. he has been the embodiment of consistency for the past 12 years. and tracy mcgrady needs to do more of a take over in the fourth quarters. we know he has been come the playmaker and more of a team player, but his teammates can all be counted on. playoffs are new to a few of them… geeezzz if scola would had that and 1 bucket…
Apr.27 at 11:04 pm
RV says:
oh yeah, forgot about Allen, cool article, i’m a little OCD myself so i can relate, tmac should consider doing something similar with his free throws