So long Hots. Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night not only marked the end of  another Jazz season, but the end of an era.    After 42 years collectively, legendary broadcaster, and the voice of the Utah Jazz “Hot” Rod Hundley is retiring.   He is the last of the original members of the New Orleans Jazz organization, and has called every game in franchise history.  Being a, avid Jazz fan my entire life;  living just a few, short blocks from the arena I loved listening to Hot R0d on the call- for both radio and television.   To emphasize the impact that he has had on the league and as a broadcaster, he was given a standing ovation last night in the Staples Center.  A visiting broadcaster for a road team in the playoffs receiving that is unheard of.   He was more than just his catch phrases, he was the voice of a franchise for three generations.  He truly will be missed.

“A gentle push and a mild arch, and the ol’ cowhide globe hits home”

Los Angeles Lakers @ Utah Jazz. Game 3 live blog.

1st Quarter

A.K. gets the start instead of Kyle Korver.  Coach Sloan is looking for defense.

Sloppy play by both teams.  5 to’s in the first 2 minutes.

Carlos Boozer with 3 quick rebounds- 1 offensive.

Ronnie Brewer has missed his first 2 jumpers – bad sign.

Bynum picks up 2 quick fouls .  Good sign for Utah if they can get him in early foul trouble.

Jazz are moving very well without the basketball.   Amazing what being back on the home court will do.

Boozer and Millsap are both playing very well, 12 pts and 12 rbs.   Contrarily Kobe and Gasol are quiet, 2-10 for 4 points.

Utah on a 17-4 run, pushing the lead up to 10 pts.  They are owning the boards.

1st quarter score:  Jazz 26, Lakers 17

2008-2009 ALL NBA TEAMS.

Please note that these are just my opinions.

This is my compilation of the NBA players who had the best seasons.  All NBA= overall great season, Defensive= overall great defensive year and rookie= overall best rookie year.  The list go in chronological order with 1st team being the best, and so on and so forth.

1st team all NBA

C:  Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic (20.6 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 2.92 bpg)

F:  Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks (25.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg)

F:  Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers (28.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.2 apg)

G:   Kobe Bryant,  Los Angeles Lakers ( 26.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.9 apg )

G:  Dwayne Wade, Miami Heat (30.2 ppg, 5 rpg, 7.5 apg)

2nd team all NBA

C:   Yao Ming, Houston Rockets (19.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.95 bpg)

F:   Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs ( 19.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.68 bpg)

F:  Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets (22.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.4 apg)

G:   Brandon Roy, Portland Trailblazers (22.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.1 apg)

G:  Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets (22.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 11 apg )

Mavericks @ Spurs Game 2 Live Blog

1st Quarter

Tony Parker is dominating.  He’s getting in the paint at will. If this continues the Spurs will win easily.

Mavs are getting to the free throw line (8-10 for the quarter).

The front court of the Mavs looks awful, they can’t stop anybody.

Mavericks have been out-rebounded 4 to 13.

Back-to-back layups for Tony Parker, he has taken over this game- 19 points in the quarter.

1st quarter score- Spurs 30, Mavericks 19

2009 NBA first round playoff predictions

Eastern Conference

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons:  Cavs in 5.  Lebron and Co. are just too good.  Even though Detroit is battle tested, this is not the same team that they once had.  I say 5 graciously, because anything can happen.

#2 Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls:  Celtics in 6.   Even without Kevin Garnett, I still don’t think the Bulls have the firepower to counter.  They do have some very streaky shooters (Ben Gordon, John Salmons) that could win them a game or two; but not a series.  Expect Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to step up big.

#3 Orlando Magic vs Philadelphia 76ers.  Orlando in 6.  Even with injuries to Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkogolu, the Magic should still roll.  Although, if these injuries increase and make it so the aforementioned players can’t play, the tide could quickly turn.  However, Philly has no one that can contain Dwight Howard.  I’m expecting a big series from him.

#4 Atlanta Hawks vs Miami Heat:  Atlanta in 7.  Dwayne Wade is damn good, but he’s not enough to beat a solid Hawks team single handedly.  The Hawks have the bigs to build an interior wall on defense as well as a star in Joe Johnson.  Although I like Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers for the Heat, I can’t put my trust in rookies performing above and beyond in the playoffs. 

 

Western Conference

 

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs Utah Jazz.  L.A. in 5.  The Lakers in my opinion are the best team in basketball, and the favorite to win the title.  They have a myriad of althetic big men (Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum) that the Jazz cannot contain, alongside the reigning MVP, Kobe Bryant.  The Lakers have too much firepower for the Jazz to deal with.  It would not shock me to see the Lakers sweep, however, the Jazz have the capability to win a couple games because the Jazz are so good at home.  If the Jazz need any shot to win, they will need huge games by Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, as well as a healthy Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko (mentally). 

#2 Denver Nuggets vs #7 New Orleans Hornets:  Nuggets in 6.  Denver has been a slept on team all year, but have been solid all season.  The Hornets have been injury plagued and underachieved this year.  However, they do have the x factor in the series; Chris Paul.  However, I see New Orleans having no shot without Tyson Chandler.  The Chauncey Billups/CP3 matchup should be intriguing, as well as David West against the Denver bigs.  However, if Tyson Chandler can’t play in this series for New Orleans, they have no chance.

#3 San Antonio Spurs vs #6 Dallas Mavericks:  Spurs in 7.  For years I’ve picked against the Spurs and they have continuously proved me wrong.  Jason Kidd doesn’t have the legs to stop Tony Parker who will be x factor.  Role players like George Mason and Matt Bonner will have to step up as well.  However, the Mavs have been playing very well, and without Ginobili, the Spurs could be in a lot of trouble. 

#4 Portland Trailblazers vs #5 Houston Rockets.   Houston in 7.  Houston finally gets out of the first round!  Without Tracy Mcgrady!  This will be my most anticipated series of the first round.  Yao Ming will have to be the x factor and dominate the bigs of Portland.  I see Brandon Roy struggling because of Houston’s solid defense and the combination of Ron Artest and Shane Battier (two elite defenders) sharing the task of guarding him.  Although I love Portland – who is incredibly tough at home – I see Houston being the more experienced, battle tested team.  Watch out for Portland come next season though.

2008-2009 NBA best of.

Block of the Year: Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lebron puts an end to a Milwaukee Buck fast break, by sprinting the floor and sending pg Ramon Sessions layup into the nosebleed seats.  Perfect example of hustle, athleticism and speed.  This is the definition of the “wow” factor.

Assist of the Year: Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers.

Pau Gasol, a true 7 footer, leads a fast break against the Utah Jazz.  After dribbling the ball between his legs backwards while sprinting he executes a perfect no-look pass to teammate Trevor Ariza for the dunk.  Amazing athleticism and awareness for a man of his size.

2008-2009 NBA season awards

Another NBA season is beyond us, and now it’s that time of year again- where self proclaimed know-it-alls in the blogosphere use what little knowledge (bias) we have and crown the who’s-who of the NBA.  Also, with the playoffs coming as soon as tomorrow (predictions coming soon) I’ll hand out my awards before the action gets too nailbiting. 

Most Valuable Player:  Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all knew that it was only a matter of time until King James took his game to a level that allowed him to be crowned as the NBA’s best player.  Playing in 81 of a possible 82 games (he sat out the last game of the season due to the wishes of his coach) while averaging 28 pts, 7  assists and 7 rebounds.  We have never seen a player with the strength, size and speed of Lebron.  He single-handedly placed a team on his back and the result was the NBA’s best record (66-16) and the second best home record of all time (39-2).  Only thing left to do now is to win the NBA Finals. 

Rookie of the Year:  Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Averaging 17 pts, 6 assists and 4 rebounds as a rookie, Rose emerged early in the season as the class of last years draft – proving that he deserved that #1 pick.  He quickly became the leader of the Bulls and has led them to the postseason and a first round matchup with the Celtics. 

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All you have to do is take a look at the image and see why Howard has become the poster child for defensive presence in the NBA.    He led the league in both rebounding and blocks (14 and 3), all while averaging over a steal a game.   Also, he changes the outcome of a game with plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet, like deflections and altered shots.

 6th Man of the Year:  Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19.5 points per game in 34 minutes. 46 percent shooting, 36 percent from the 3 pt line, 88 percent from at the free throw line. 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.6 turnovers, 2.4 rebounds, average defense, and accepting a leadership role off the bench with a great attitude that can’t help but reflect off his teammates. The Jet has been fantastic this season.  Also, his team made the playoffs – Sorry Nate Robinson.

Most Improved Player: Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets.

 Consider this season the official Devin Harris coming out party.  In one season he’s gone from a decent role playing pg in Dallas, to an all-star and the “it” guy for New Jersey.   Harris impressed while boosting his averages to 22 points and 7.0 assists; the only players with better numbers in those categories are Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul and Lebron James (all MVP candidates)

 

Coach of the Year:  Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adelman has dealt with a season-ending injury to perennial all-star Tracy McGrady, alongside injuries to Shane Battier, Ron Artest, Calry Landry, and the loss of his starting point guard Rafer Alston to a trade, all while weaving in inexperienced players like Von Wafer, Aaron Brooks, Kyle Lowry, and Chuck Hayes.  However, the Rockets still won over 50 games and the fifth seed in the playoffs for the third straight year.

NCAA ‘08-’09 recapped

Another college basketball season has come and gone.  Congratualtions go out to North Carolina, for being the best team at the start and the end of the season (and the one final four team I got right in my office bracket).  I watched a lot of ball this year (more than normal, minus the big 10).  Here are my opinions/awards to sum up this year in college hoops.  Also, I would like to add that March Madness is the greatest sporting event of all time; nothing comes close.

Player of the year:  Blake Griffin, Oklahoma.  

MVP of March Madness:  Ty Lawson, North Carolina.

Game of the year:  Syracuse vs. UCONN (6 ot’s, Big East tournament)

Block of the year:  Hasheem Thabeet, UCONN.

Assist of the year:  Johnny Flynn, Syracuse (check about the 1:05 mark)

Dunk of the year:  Blake Griffin, Oklahoma and Carlon Brown, Utah.

Play of the year:  Scottie Reynolds. Villanova.

Blooper of the year: Adam Waddell, Wyoming.

Revived

So after taking nearly a year off from the blogosphere, I have decided to come back out of retirement for both school and personal reasons.  So please, consider this my official announcement back in the game (it’s got me feeling like Michael with the #45 jersey on).

It just makes sense

Seeing that John Madden has had a trouser-ripping boner for Brett Favre for the past 15 years, it’s only fitting that after the man retires he pays homage and puts him on the cover of Madden ‘09.

I am far from a Favre hater, in fact I am quite the opposite, but I do find this a bit suspect.  I’m wondering if this is a way to break the Madden curse, or to keep the curse alive any suspicion of a Favre comeback to rest.