Dave D'Alessandro of the Star-Ledger lays out how the Nets' front office can make lemonade from the lemons Jason Kidd has served them: "... here's your best-case scenario: Clear cap space, stay cheap for two years, and then jump on the LeBron Express in the summer of 2010, when he opts out. By then, they'll be on their way to Brooklyn, Rod will consulting from Naples, Kiki will be the guy with the hardhat and clipboard, and only RJ, VC, Boone, Krstic (presumably) and perhaps the Williams kids will be on the payroll for a 35-win team. Even if you don't have the necessary cap room, you probably sacrifice RJ in a sign-and-trade to get it done -- he'll only be 30 with one year left on his deal at that point. And by then, you'll look back fondly upon this week and objectively conclude that J-Kidd did the franchise a favor by expediting an inevitable bustup, even if you never stick one toe in Flatbush."
Wow. How about this for ironic? The Timberwolves flounder all season and wish they had more talent. Then they start playing well, just as Randy Foye and Theo Ratliff are working their way back from injuries, and the Timberwolves have to worry about doling out minutes and upsetting their chemistry.
Ryan Schwan of Hornets 247 examines the fifth scorers of a lot of teams and concludes that Hornets fans should "lay off" Morris Peterson, who looks to be a solid fifth option. (Interestingly, in this simple analysis, the league's best fifth option is Utah's efficient Ronnie Brewer.)
Let's hear it for Travis Diener completing a play against Tayshaun Prince that eluded Reggie Miller many yeas ago.
Somehow the Sonics beat the Spurs. John Hollinger says it's not crazy to think the NBA champs might miss the playoffs this year. Adam Hoff of Section F Sports isn't buying it: "Every year we read too much into the regular season failings of the Spurs, only to watch them kick into gear for the playoffs. There are still few answers to Duncan. Not many point guards can stay in front of Tony Parker. All those graybeards on the San Antonio bench no doubt retain their ability to make threes all day once the playoffs start. The Spurs are like vampires -- you have to drive a garlic-covered wooden stake into them to kill them."
The Celtics maul the Heat without famous players like Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Basketbawful lets loose on the Heat. Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel says the Heat heard their loudest boos of the season last night, and noticed an ironic moment: "At one stage in the second quarter, Celtics coach Doc Rivers blared to his players, 'Come on! Let's play together!' The Celtics had 14 assists at the time; the Heat had two."
ESPN's David Thorpe has a new rookie watch posted. Here he is on Corey Brewer: "Corey Brewer has proved to be an excellent defensive player, rookie or not. His stellar defense against Boston's stars was impressive. But as solid as he is on defense, he is equally lost on offense. I think it stems from a lack of confidence in his jumper, which unsettles the rest of his game. Until he learns to shoot with a consistently extended follow-through, I doubt he will develop a shot he can be confident in."
Jason Friedman of Houston Press on the Rockets last night: "Missed free throws in the final two minutes. Killer turnovers down the stretch. We'd seen this play so many times before. In fact, it seemed to have claimed permanent residence status at the Toyota Center over the past six weeks. But for one night at least, the Rockets flipped the script on us. This time, they were the ones in control and executing during winning time, leaving Golden State to agonize over its own myriad of missed opportunities. Give the Rockets credit. The table was set for an epic collapse that may have soured fans on this underachieving team for good. When Baron Davis drained a three with 2:11 remaining-giving the Warriors their first lead of the game, and completing their comeback from a 21 point deficit-you didn't hear gasps of horror so much as you heard an entire fan base muttering 'Here we go again.' But instead of coming apart at the seams, the Rockets came together. There were heroes aplenty on this night which ended with a 111-107 Houston victory. But one man towered above the rest, showing why he is this team's MVP, and-perhaps more important-its leader. 'We had Yao Ming and that was the difference,' said Shane Battier after the game. 'The big fella was awesome tonight.'"
When Joe Johnson asked the Phoenix Suns not to match his offer from Atlanta -- effectively choosing to be the man in Atlanta instead of one of many men in Phoenix -- I suggested that he was ruining his career. Sekou Smith of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution taks to Johnson about that decision in hindsight. "'You can't turn the clock back,' said Joe Johnson, who played three and half seasons and 275 games in a Suns uniform. 'And I never looked backed or second-guessed myself when I left here. It was a decision that I made and one that was well thought out over a long period of time. So you move on, you live and you learn and you put your blood, sweat and tears into the team you're with right now. Anything else would be unfair to yourself and the guys you're playing with now.'" Good answer.
There's a massive banner hanging near Portland's Rose Garden that says "Rise With Us." It's coming down.
Often there are stories that will make you not like Rasheed Wallace. But then there are stories that will make you love the man. This is from that second group.
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