December 08, 2004
NBA 2004-05: The First Month
- What a rollercoaster for Jerry Sloan... the Jazz looked like beasts for the first couple weeks, and now look like they're competing for the lottery. One thing is clear, though: without AK47 roaming around and blocking shots, there's not much "there" there.
- I've got my fingers crossed for the Bobcats. Hang in there, guys... as expansion teams go, this has been a helluva start.
- I've got similar hopes for Okafor and Howard, both of whom have already dispelled any notion that they would descend into Kwame/Curry/Chandler mediocrity. The NBA needed more quality big men, and now it has 'em.
- How about those Magic? Damn. I'll say it again... "Mr. Hill, I sincerely apologize for doubting your ability to make it back." And to not only come back, but also turn Stevie Franchise into the kind of player he should have been all along? Again, damn.
- I'm concerned about Yao. I suspect that giving him a superstar of any kind may have been a mistake... he needs the kind of pressure that can only come from being the first and last option, every time down the floor. Unless things improve dramatically, I say deal T-Mac for a whole raft of quality role-players, and see what happens.
- With that said, he clearly doesn't get much love from the refs. It's like he's Shaq, but without the power or attitude it takes to defend himself.
- My Early Season Dream Team: LeBron and Grant Hill at the guard spots, Kirilenko and Tim Duncan at forward, and hobbled or not, the Daddy in the middle.
- Congratulations to Gordon Gund... Drew Gooden doesn't have the scoring potential of Loozer (who is still an ass, by the way), but he's doing an entirely credible job on the boards, which lets people like Big Z and McInnis do their things.
- Speaking of Jeff, does he have the sweetest little floater in the league right now or what? He goes spinning through the lane and tosses that shit up, and I just know it's going to miss... until it rips the net.
- The Spurs: consummate professionals, incredibly boring.
- The Nuggets: just plain funny.
- The Kings: Good lord. I mean... good lord. They're winning, but we're talking First Round Exitville.
- The Sixers: those A.I. trade rumors may come true next summer. As oft-predicted, he's rapidly passing the age where he can dominate games, night-in and night-out. He needs to go play second-fiddle somewhere, and his performance in the Olympics tells me he might even be able to do that.
- Seattle: what, you mean being able to shoot will win you a bunch of games? Alert the media!
12-08-2004 04:53:22AM - Permalink - - Trackback
category: Sports
related topics:
(NBA)
(basketball)
