Shoals has a good read over at TSN on how moving to Detroit will reframe Iverson's cultural persona: "In Detroit now, though, Allen Iverson is once again subject to reinterpretation. There are parallels with his time in Philly: Motown is the same kind of troubled metropolis as Philadelphia, perhaps on an even grander scale. And while Larry Brown may be a distant memory in Detroit, the Pistons are still considered avatars of unselfish, orderly team ball. The city will have to appreciate his toughness but will have to come to grips with his style of play-capable of involving others, but first and foremost about taking on the world in an attempt to get buckets."
Jonathan Abrams deftly explains something I've heard a lot in recent weeks: "...the prevalence of video, the proliferation of advance scouts roaming from city to city and the encyclopedic memories of most coaches have dramatically reduced the actual surprise of what teams see from the other side. Nearly ever wrinkle in the game is immediately seen and studied, rewound and rehearsed - from the triangle to the Princeton offense." This is one of the primary reasons you're seeing teams run more early offense -- it prevents the defense from leveraging that expertise.
Flip Saunders on the Iverson-Billups deal: "Saunders described the Pistons' big trade of Chauncey Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson this week as 'interesting.' 'It will be interesting how it all works out,' he said. 'Chauncey was kind of the glue of that team the last six years, and I'm sure their style of play will change a little bit now.'" [Hat tip: Detroit Bad Boys]
Austin Burton at Dime has some very sensible voting reform proposals for the NBA All-Star ballot: "With the way the game is going, as the concept of the true center continues to dwindle and with more power forward/center hybrid players than ever, the ballot should be divided as follows: Point Guards (one starter), Wings (two starters), Big Men (two starters)"
Peachtree Hoops has a very plausible premise: Atlanta (2-0) at New Orleans (3-0) just might be the "Game of the Night in the Association." PH's primary concern for the Hawks? "[N]ot Chris Paul (Why worry about a problem that lacks a plausible solution?)"
You're 0-4; you've lost every game by double-digits; your projected starting lineup hasn't played together for more than a few minutes. So who's on deck for the Clippers? The Lakers. Clips Nation suggests it's almost better that the Clippers will be wearing their road solids tonight: "In some ways it's probably easier for them to play in Staples as the visitors - if the place is going to be chanting M-V-P at your opponent, you'd rather it not be while he's standing on your logo."
Now that Eddy Curry is reportedly on the trading block, Matthew Gordon at RealGM examines what it would take to mask Eddy Curry's many, many shortcomings.
Not since he remixed Joni Mitchell has Q-Tip so thoroughly delighted the masses -- or more specifically, Legend of Cecilio Guante: "Ladies and gentlemen, behold the inspiring, motivational and absolutely laughable new pump-you-up "Go New York!" video featuring Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest."
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