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The Road to Brooklyn
Jay-Z’s dream has finally come true. For the first time in six years, the formerly New Jersey Nets are a playoff caliber team representing Brooklyn, New York. The Nets made many changes during this off-season. Not only did they change their home state/city, uniform, and logo, but they also made some colossal modifications to the roster.
Re-signing Deron Williams was critical. Without him, this team would be nothing. He is the glue that holds the whole team together. Williams led the team last year with 21 points and 9 assists per game. He also set a franchise record scoring 57 points in one game!
D-Will was extremely close to joining the Dallas Mavericks and teaming up with NBA champion Dirk Nowitzki. However, D-Will had a change of heart when Brooklyn’s aggressive management re-signed Gerald Wallace and acquired Joe Johnson.
Johnson is incredibly versatile on the offensive end of the court. Last year in Atlanta, he averaged 18.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. He also is an incredible shooter averaging two three-pointers a game and shot 39% from beyond the arc!
The Nets may perhaps have the best backcourt in the league. Johnson and Williams are elite players at their respective positions and the young and talented Marshon Brooks is a great asset to have coming off the bench. Brooklyn was also able to sign back-up point guard CJ Watson from the Chicago Bulls.
While the Nets have secured a remarkable backcourt, they were also able to re-sign seven-foot-tall Brook Lopez and power forward Kris Humphries, a rebounding machine. This rounds out the top five when you include Gerald Wallace at the 3. Let’s take a look at the projected starters.
PG Deron Williams SG Joe Johnson SF Gerald Wallace PF Kris Humphries C Brook Lopez
Lopez is primarily a scorer and is a great offensive presence for the Nets down low. He may not be the best defender or rebounder but Wallace helps make up for it as one of the best all around defenders in the league. And Kris Humphries is an absolute beast on the boards averaging 11 rebounds per game last season.
With Brooks, Watson, and newly acquired Reggie Evans coming off the bench, the Nets will be a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. With the two All-Stars in the backcourt, the Nets are capable of making a serious playoff run. They are one solid big man away from being championship contenders.
The Knicks might have a little competition this year. For the first time in NBA history, these two teams will be competing for the best team in the state. And the Nets home opener is against none other than the New York Knicks. Let the rivalry begin!
Posted in Basketball, Brook Lopez, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Nets, CJ Watson, D-Will, Dallas Mavericks, Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki, Free Agency, Gerald Wallace, Jay-Z, Joe Johnson, Kris Humphries, Marshon Brooks, NBA, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Reggie Evans, Trades
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The Road to Brooklyn
Jay-Z’s dream has finally come true. For the first time in six years, the formerly New Jersey Nets are a playoff caliber team representing Brooklyn, New York. The Nets made many changes during this off-season. Not only did they change their home state/city, uniform, and logo, but they also made some colossal modifications to the roster.
Re-signing Deron Williams was critical. Without him, this team would be nothing. He is the glue that holds the whole team together. Williams led the team last year with 21 points and 9 assists per game. He also set a franchise record scoring 57 points in one game!
D-Will was extremely close to joining the Dallas Mavericks and teaming up with NBA champion Dirk Nowitzki. However, D-Will had a change of heart when Brooklyn’s aggressive management re-signed Gerald Wallace and acquired Joe Johnson.
Johnson is incredibly versatile on the offensive end of the court. Last year in Atlanta, he averaged 18.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. He also is an incredible shooter averaging two three-pointers a game and shot 39% from beyond the arc!
The Nets may perhaps have the best backcourt in the league. Johnson and Williams are elite players at their respective positions and the young and talented Marshon Brooks is a great asset to have coming off the bench. Brooklyn was also able to sign back-up point guard CJ Watson from the Chicago Bulls.
While the Nets have secured a remarkable backcourt, they were also able to re-sign seven-foot-tall Brook Lopez and power forward Kris Humphries, a rebounding machine. This rounds out the top five when you include Gerald Wallace at the 3. Let’s take a look at the projected starters.
PG Deron Williams SG Joe Johnson SF Gerald Wallace PF Kris Humphries C Brook Lopez
Lopez is primarily a scorer and is a great offensive presence for the Nets down low. He may not be the best defender or rebounder but Wallace helps make up for it as one of the best all around defenders in the league. And Kris Humphries is an absolute beast on the boards averaging 11 rebounds per game last season.
With Brooks, Watson, and newly acquired Reggie Evans coming off the bench, the Nets will be a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. With the two All-Stars in the backcourt, the Nets are capable of making a serious playoff run. They are one solid big man away from being championship contenders.
The Knicks might have a little competition this year. For the first time in NBA history, these two teams will be competing for the best team in the state. And the Nets home opener is against none other than the New York Knicks. Let the rivalry begin!
Posted in Basketball, Brook Lopez, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Nets, CJ Watson, D-Will, Dallas Mavericks, Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki, Free Agency, Gerald Wallace, Jay-Z, Joe Johnson, Kris Humphries, Marshon Brooks, NBA, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Reggie Evans, Trades
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The Knicks Need More
The Knicks have made many moves this off-season to become a contender in the Eastern Conference. The expectations are higher than they have ever been as the Knicks seek their first title in over thirty years. The way I see it, the Knicks still have more moves to make if they want to compete with the Miami Heat. Lets compare the projected starting lineups.
New York Knicks Miami Heat
Raymond Felton Mario Chalmers
JR Smith Dwyane Wade
Carmelo Anthony LeBron James
Amare Stoudemire Shane Battier
Tyson Chandler Chris Bosh
A lot of this season will depend on how well Amare Stoudemire can play. We all know that Melo will be the same guy he was for the United States Olympic team and that Tyson Chandler will continue to be a powerhouse defender. But there are many questions surrounding Amare who had an injury plagued season in 2011 and has not been able to prove that he can play with Carmelo Anthony. This is the make or break season for Stoudemire. He averaged eight less points last season than in the 2010-11 season. STAT needs to turn that STAT around and start hitting his jump shot if the Knicks have any chance of making a playoff run.
And what about the point guard position? For a while, New Yorkers believed that Steve Nash would be the starting point guard. Then it was Jeremy Lin. Fans thought there was no way that management would let the big hit Linsanity leave New York City. They were wrong. Raymond Felton is the starting point guard with Jason Kidd backing him up.
Felton is 28 years old and has the potential to be a great distributor on the court. When he played with the Knicks in 2010, he had career highs with 17 points and 9 assists per game. Since then, his numbers have decreased but unfortunately his weight has increased. He was definitely looking a little chubby last season in Portland.
But if Felton can get back into shape and start nailing his jump shot, the release of Jeremy Lin will not seem as crazy as most people thought. Lin struggles with turnovers way more than Felton and Raymond’s pick and roll style meshes quite well with Stoudemire according to the 2010-11 season. Felton could actually be a good fit for this team.
The problem for the Knicks is depth and three-point shooting. It’s not so much that the Knicks lack depth, but the Heat are just an incredibly deep team. The best three-point shooter in the history of the National Basketball Association is the BACK-UP shooting guard for the Heat. Ray Allen was part of the big 3 for the Celtics and yet now he is coming off the bench for Miami! Udonis Haslem is the second string power forward even though he would start for most teams in the NBA. He is a great rebounder and defender making him a great asset to have off the bench. Proven sophomore point guard Norris Cole will chip in some minutes for the much-improved Chalmers. And the Heat were able to bring in another veteran three-point shooter in Rashard Lewis.
With so many lights out shooters on this team (including Mike Miller if he is healthy), they will be almost impossible to defend. Every time Wade or LeBron drives to the lane, one of these guys will be wide open for the three. The Knicks do not have enough firepower to keep up with the Miami Heat if they do not make a few tweaks.
New York does have a great back-up center in Marcus Camby but until Iman Shumpert comes back, the starting five will have to lead this team throughout the regular season. Jason Kidd will most likely split minutes with Felton and the Knicks best shooter Steve Novak will come off the bench. Other than that, this team has a bunch of guys that have no value. The Heat are much deeper and they have better shooters. Not to mention, LeBron James is the best player in the league.
I believe that the Knicks need to make more moves right now. Carmelo and Tyson are in the prime of their career and it is time to surround them with as much talent as possible. I know that is what the organization is trying to do, but I think there are more free agency signings and trades that could be made.
The Knicks definitely need a solid power forward coming off the bench. Right now they are pursuing Kenyon Martin. If they get him, it is a huge bonus. But if K-Mart decides to sign elsewhere, who will back up the aging Stoudemire? If they could, I would say that New York should trade the former All-Star but I don’t think any team would be willing to take on his lucrative contract. So what should the Knicks do?
They could sign a guy like Ben Wallace who is an old veteran that can still play solid defense. However, I think having Wallace and Chandler on the floor at the same time would decrease New York’s offensives efficiency substantially. That is why the Knicks need Kenyon Martin or even a guy like Matt Barnes who can play defense and shoot. He is more of a small forward but Carmelo could always move to power forward. Another option is to sign free agent Josh Howard who averaged 20 points in 2007-08. Although his numbers are in a steady decline, he is 32 years old and still has something left in the tank.
The Knicks are without a doubt a top five team in the Eastern Conference. This year it is crucial for them to shoot for the #2 seed in order to avoid playing the Heat until the Eastern Conference Finals (assuming they make it that far). Iman Shumpert could not come back soon enough and I believe that the Knicks need to go after guys like Kenyon Martin or Matt Barnes if they want be considered a serious contender.
Right now I have the Knicks finishing as the 4th seed but if they make the right moves, who knows what could happen? The regular season is full of unknowns. Maybe some minority bench player who has been cut from multiple teams will come out of nowhere becoming the best player on the team and start an entire movement? Hey, it’s happened before…
Posted in Amare Stoudemire, Basketball, Carmelo Anthony, Championship, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Eastern Conference, Heat, Iman Shumpert, Jeremy Lin, JR Smith, Knicks, LeBron James, Marcus Camby, Mario Chalmers, Miami, NBA, New York, Norris Cole, Rashard Lewis, Ray Allen, Raymond Felton, Shane Battier, STAT, Steve Novak, Tyson Chandler, Udonis Haslem
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The Knicks Need More
The Knicks have made many moves this off-season to become a contender in the Eastern Conference. The expectations are higher than they have ever been as the Knicks seek their first title in over thirty years. The way I see it, the Knicks still have more moves to make if they want to compete with the Miami Heat. Lets compare the projected starting lineups.
New York Knicks Miami Heat
Raymond Felton Mario Chalmers
JR Smith Dwyane Wade
Carmelo Anthony LeBron James
Amare Stoudemire Shane Battier
Tyson Chandler Chris Bosh
A lot of this season will depend on how well Amare Stoudemire can play. We all know that Melo will be the same guy he was for the United States Olympic team and that Tyson Chandler will continue to be a powerhouse defender. But there are many questions surrounding Amare who had an injury plagued season in 2011 and has not been able to prove that he can play with Carmelo Anthony. This is the make or break season for Stoudemire. He averaged eight less points last season than in the 2010-11 season. STAT needs to turn that STAT around and start hitting his jump shot if the Knicks have any chance of making a playoff run.
And what about the point guard position? For a while, New Yorkers believed that Steve Nash would be the starting point guard. Then it was Jeremy Lin. Fans thought there was no way that management would let the big hit Linsanity leave New York City. They were wrong. Raymond Felton is the starting point guard with Jason Kidd backing him up.
Felton is 28 years old and has the potential to be a great distributor on the court. When he played with the Knicks in 2010, he had career highs with 17 points and 9 assists per game. Since then, his numbers have decreased but unfortunately his weight has increased. He was definitely looking a little chubby last season in Portland.
But if Felton can get back into shape and start nailing his jump shot, the release of Jeremy Lin will not seem as crazy as most people thought. Lin struggles with turnovers way more than Felton and Raymond’s pick and roll style meshes quite well with Stoudemire according to the 2010-11 season. Felton could actually be a good fit for this team.
The problem for the Knicks is depth and three-point shooting. It’s not so much that the Knicks lack depth, but the Heat are just an incredibly deep team. The best three-point shooter in the history of the National Basketball Association is the BACK-UP shooting guard for the Heat. Ray Allen was part of the big 3 for the Celtics and yet now he is coming off the bench for Miami! Udonis Haslem is the second string power forward even though he would start for most teams in the NBA. He is a great rebounder and defender making him a great asset to have off the bench. Proven sophomore point guard Norris Cole will chip in some minutes for the much-improved Chalmers. And the Heat were able to bring in another veteran three-point shooter in Rashard Lewis.
With so many lights out shooters on this team (including Mike Miller if he is healthy), they will be almost impossible to defend. Every time Wade or LeBron drives to the lane, one of these guys will be wide open for the three. The Knicks do not have enough firepower to keep up with the Miami Heat if they do not make a few tweaks.
New York does have a great back-up center in Marcus Camby but until Iman Shumpert comes back, the starting five will have to lead this team throughout the regular season. Jason Kidd will most likely split minutes with Felton and the Knicks best shooter Steve Novak will come off the bench. Other than that, this team has a bunch of guys that have no value. The Heat are much deeper and they have better shooters. Not to mention, LeBron James is the best player in the league.
I believe that the Knicks need to make more moves right now. Carmelo and Tyson are in the prime of their career and it is time to surround them with as much talent as possible. I know that is what the organization is trying to do, but I think there are more free agency signings and trades that could be made.
The Knicks definitely need a solid power forward coming off the bench. Right now they are pursuing Kenyon Martin. If they get him, it is a huge bonus. But if K-Mart decides to sign elsewhere, who will back up the aging Stoudemire? If they could, I would say that New York should trade the former All-Star but I don’t think any team would be willing to take on his lucrative contract. So what should the Knicks do?
They could sign a guy like Ben Wallace who is an old veteran that can still play solid defense. However, I think having Wallace and Chandler on the floor at the same time would decrease New York’s offensives efficiency substantially. That is why the Knicks need Kenyon Martin or even a guy like Matt Barnes who can play defense and shoot. He is more of a small forward but Carmelo could always move to power forward. Another option is to sign free agent Josh Howard who averaged 20 points in 2007-08. Although his numbers are in a steady decline, he is 32 years old and still has something left in the tank.
The Knicks are without a doubt a top five team in the Eastern Conference. This year it is crucial for them to shoot for the #2 seed in order to avoid playing the Heat until the Eastern Conference Finals (assuming they make it that far). Iman Shumpert could not come back soon enough and I believe that the Knicks need to go after guys like Kenyon Martin or Matt Barnes if they want be considered a serious contender.
Right now I have the Knicks finishing as the 4th seed but if they make the right moves, who knows what could happen? The regular season is full of unknowns. Maybe some minority bench player who has been cut from multiple teams will come out of nowhere becoming the best player on the team and start an entire movement? Hey, it’s happened before…
Posted in Amare Stoudemire, Basketball, Carmelo Anthony, Championship, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Eastern Conference, Heat, Iman Shumpert, Jeremy Lin, JR Smith, Knicks, LeBron James, Marcus Camby, Mario Chalmers, Miami, NBA, New York, Norris Cole, Rashard Lewis, Ray Allen, Raymond Felton, Shane Battier, STAT, Steve Novak, Tyson Chandler, Udonis Haslem
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Kobe is back and LeBron is still really really really good!
After having an atrocious last few games in the Olympics, Kobe Bryant was able to find his killer instinct. He had a pretty awful first half with just two points and a couple turnovers. The second half was quite different.
Australia went on an 11-0 run to start the third quarter and the Americans appeared to be in trouble. Clinging to just a six point lead, Bryant was able to make his first three pointer of the game. On the very next possession, Kobe stole the ball giving the United States a fast break. He pulled up from beyond the arc and nailed another three.
Australia was forced to call a Timeout, which presumably would slow down the “Black Mamba”. But Kobe was not done. Just about halfway through the fourth quarter, Bryant made four three pointers in a row in just a fifty-six second span! That was the dagger!
After the game, Kobe was asked what helped him get out of his ten quarter slump. He said that he got angry. When asked if he was angry about playing Argentina next, he responded, “Livid.”
But I respect the Australians performance. Australia was able to stay with the Americans for three quarters. They were only down fourteen going into the fourth and they had it down to six at one point in the third quarter. Back-up San Antonio Spurs point guard Patty Mills led the team with twenty-six points. But Team USA just has too many All-Stars and LeBron James is one of them.
LeBron was absolutely masterful even though he only converted three field goals. He had his first triple double in Olympic history! James scored 11 points, 11 assists, and 14 rebounds. Might I add that he also did not record even one turnover! He did it all.
LeBron’s performance was riveting and he was seeing the court just as well as Magic Johnson did back in the day. There were two plays where James was on the wing and was able to find a three-point shooter in the weak side corner for wide open buckets. He is so big that he has the length to pass it over the defense. James also had a spectacular pass in the first half when he placed the ball perfectly through the defender’s legs finding Carmelo Anthony who got the “and one”.
James is 6’8” but was running around the court like he was Steve Nash in his prime. And at the same time, he was able to lead the team with fourteen rebounds including three on the offensive end of the court. I used to hate “King James” but I just cannot dislike the guy anymore. He is amazingly talented and is the MVP of this Olympic team.
So after a sluggish first half, Team USA was able to trounce Australia 119-86 and move into the semi-finals. Lithuania was close to defeating the Americans earlier this week but they lost to Russia earlier today. So at this point, only a miracle could stop Team USA from winning the gold medal.
Posted in Australia, Basketball, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Olympics, Team USA, Three-Pointer
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