Blogger MVP rankings have been going on for a while, and LeBron James is winning at this point. Kobe Bryant is second, Chris Paul is third, and Kevin Garnett is fourth. Many point out that LeBron James gets amazing statistics on a team that plays at a very slow pace. If he played at the same pace as Bryant, his numbers would be even greater.
Jason Friedman of the Houston Press: "If you really want to get a glimpse at the -- here comes that word again -- unfathomable nature of the Rockets' roll, just ponder this: During one particular five minute stretch in the second quarter last night, Houston threw out a seemingly underwhelming fivesome consisting of Rafer Alston, Luther Head, Chuck Hayes, Shane Battier and Mike Harris - he of the brand spanking new ten-day contract. Put that lineup on the floor in NBA 2K8 for five minutes and you're probably staring at a double digit deficit in no time. In real life? That unit outscored New Jersey 14-7, nearly doubling the Rockets' lead in the process. Unfa ... never mind, you get the picture."
Mike Jones of The Washington Times: "Over the summer, Golden State Warriors swingman Stephen Jackson got a new tattoo that covers part of his chest and stomach. The background is a church window. In front are two praying hands holding a gun. Jackson says the ink symbolizes his past (the gun) and his future (his new weapon of prayer)."
Attendance at some Pacer games has reportedly been as low as 8,000, which everyone thinks is related to the off-court troubles the Pacers have had. If I were an agent representing a "boy scout type" player, I'd ask for extra money, because it's clearly worth extra in some markets, at least.
Michael Wallace of The Miami Herald: "Coach Pat Riley said Monday he won't miss as many Heat games as he first anticipated because of travel issues related to scouting college players. After watching Sunday's Penn State-Indiana game to scout Hoosiers freshman guard Eric Gordon, Riley plans to attend the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City later this week. He is expected to miss the Heat's game Friday night against the Magic in order to scout Kansas State freshman forward Michael Beasley, the potential top pick in June's draft. Riley said there's a downside to his in-season scouting excursions. 'ESPN wants to put you on [the scoreboard screen], and all of a sudden, everyone knows you're in the arena,' Riley said. 'I've always had a hard time going out to scout, because you can't be anonymous. Unless I put a hat on and a beard.'"
Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times: "Barring an unexpected run to the Final Four or an even more unlikely return for a second season of college basketball, Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo hasn't had quite the impact he envisioned 15 months ago. USC didn't suddenly become a college basketball blueblood. In fact, the Trojans are still very much the undercard in their own town."
Dave D'Alessandro of the Star-Ledger on what must be a dark time for the NBA career of Gerald Green, who was recently cut by the Houston Rockets: "The Nets are in town, they are in need of an offensive wing to bolster their bench, and it just so happens that Houston waived an offensive wing three days ago. In fact, it's a kid who three years ago Rod Thorn would have done backflips to have on his roster. Now? The Nets president said he has no interest in Gerald Green, who was cut by the Rockets Saturday. 'I don't think we're in the market right now, because it would be hard for him to come in and learn the system as we go along,' the Nets president said. 'But if we were to have an interest, he's a guy that you'd take to Summer League, and go from there.' That's a remarkable flip from 2005, when Thorn passed up Green to draft Antoine Wright, and almost immediately regretted it. A year later, Thorn said the Celtics rookie 'was the one guy picked late (in that draft) that could be a star -- he was such an athlete, and he could shoot. Great potential.' Much has happened since, of course. Green bombed in Minnesota, and was activated for only one game here in his hometown."
Kevin Arnovitz of ClipperBlog: "Can we all agree that the Heat has the most insufferable public address announcer in the business? If 'The Simpsons' needed someone to voice the Springfield Arena P.A. Announcer (Did the Isotopes have one?), they'd hire Miami's for his perfect locution of everything really obnoxious about NBA PAs. I'm not partial to the Lakers in any meaningful way, but Lawrence Tanter? Classy. That's the guy I want PAing my funeral."
Matt from Blogabull: "Meanwhile, in the lamest playoff push in history, the Bulls gain ground by simply not playing, as the Sixers, Nets, and Hawks all lost."
How is Ben Wallace working out in Cleveland? Not great, if last night is any judge. Brian Windhorst of the Akron Beacon-Journal: "This is, by far, the worst Ben Wallace has looked in a Cavs uniform. Aldridge has 17 points, mostly on him, because he's just been quicker and more athletic. Ben has five rebounds but three of them came flat-footed, which he mostly is in this game. He is a step slower, which we've seen for several weeks now, but his effort level also seems off and that he can control. Mike Brown had to pull him in the first quarter he was getting beat so bad to rebounds and in defensive spots. He's also 0-of-4 from the field and hasn't taken a shot from more than two feet away."
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