US Against The World

I was a shorty when the 1992 Dream Team housed the entire globe in basketball. You try and give me a better team in ANY sport and I will laugh at you. This was THE squad. Check out the top 10 plays from that moment in Basketball History:



That #1 is just too funny. Effortless. I miss those days...

Posted bykhal at 1:30 PM 0 comments  

MRI reveals torn labia: The Tracy McGrady story

“T-Mac got hurt in the game.”

“Word, what happened to him?”

“He had heart failure.”

*laughter ensues*


Happy New Year, kids. The previous quotes were from a conversation that my boy Scott and my brother King were having after we returned from watching the Rockets get stomped out by the Mavs a few weeks back. I’ve been meaning to talk about this for a while, but between disgust and boredom I haven’t been able to put finger to keyboard to properly express how I feel. This probably won’t capture the full extent of how I feel, but here goes:

Tracy McGrady has no heart.

Ah…how refreshing. Now Rockets fans, before you get up in arms, let’s take a trip down memory lane. I’ll spare you the gory details and ask you this:

How many playoff series have you won since McGrady became a Rocket?

How many playoff series has McGrady won, period?

McGrady is not a winner. Point blank. End of story. You remember when I told you about the last time I saw him play live; well, McGrady played like crap for the next few games after that, poured 20 on my sorry bulls, and then promptly missed a few more games after dinging his knee against the Pistons. You always know when T-Mac is going to get hurt; if his shot isn’t falling, look out for a limp or a wince of “pain”, followed by a complete shut down in effort.



He had an MRI about a week ago which revealed no structural damage. Surprise, surprise. Furthermore, an extended physical revealed that McGrady was experiencing painful menstrual cramps combined with a fiery yeast infection. Ok, so I made that last part up. The yeast infection part.

The fact of the matter is that no matter where McGrady goes, he will not be the one to lead any NBA team to the Promised Land. He wants all of the glory, fame, and money that goes along with being The Man but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, you’re more likely to see him get a DNP than an MVP.

Sorry, Rockets fans, but T-Mac isn’t the guy for you. Oh well, there’s always next season.

P.S. – There are now rumors that T-Mac has indicated that he wants out of H-Town. I say make it happen, quick!

Posted byEnigmatik at 10:22 AM 4 comments  

Killer Crossover (New Year's Eve 2007)

  • The Lakers threw on the short shorts, but they still got their tight pants handed to them by the Celtics, 110-91, in the Staples Center. Maybe they should have worn the nut-huggers past halftime...
  • What's really good with Stephon Marbury not suiting up for the recent loss the Knicks received from the bulls? Is this a sign of a trade in 2008?
  • Speaking of trades, Philly seemed kind of quiet. Odd, assuming that they traded away Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz. Which is just odd in itself, seeing as the Jazz already have Andrei Kirilenko, who I remember hearing wasn't the happiest.
  • Word is Ron Artest is going to be seeking some medical consultation inre: possible elbow surgery. If he gets it, he's gonna be out for weeks. Hopefully this is the same arm he writes rhymes with...
  • For you bulls fans: Dime has a post regarding Scottie Pippen's assessment of the current roster of Chicago's team. He does not mince words, but the truth hurts, right? That might change if this piece of info Enigmatik just sent me is true: rumor has it that both Kirk Hinrich and Ben Wallace are on the trade block, and the Cavs might be giving up Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes for them!?

Looks like, as 2007 is winding down, 2008 is just about to heat up!

Posted bykhal at 10:09 AM 0 comments  

This was a terrible idea.

No wonder they got stomped out. Running around the court in coochie cutters is not a good look when you play in the NBA.


You shoulda slapped the equipment manager for this one, Kobe.

Posted byEnigmatik at 9:40 AM 0 comments  

The bulls win!!! 11-17

F*ck the Knicks. Word to Billy Sunday. But before I talk about how we smashed the Knicks, let's talk about the win over the Bucks.

Jim Boylan took over for Scott Skiles and was greeted by a Bucks team that's been less than stellar lately. The Bucks were desperate for a win and must have smiled to themselves when they saw the bulls on the schedule. Boylan's first move as the new coach was to send Ben Gordon down to the bench. Personally, I feel that if anyone deserves to be benched it should have been Kirk Hinrich but what do I know? Anyway, Ben Gordon was nailed to the bench to start the game but when he got in he shot the lights out. Ben had 31 points of the bench, including 19 points in the fourth quarter to help the bulls pull out the victory over the Bucks. The game was tight, but we got a bit of a cushion after Bucks' coach Larry Krystkowiak was ejected from the game for arguing a call. Luol Deng pitched in with 28 points while Nocioni and Aaron Gray added 11 and 10 points respectively. Old Man Wallace managed to reel in 10 boards.



This afternoon against the Knicks, we had a chance to notch another "W" in the win column and did just that. Ben Gordon came off the bench again and finished with another strong game as he had 25 points on 11 out of 15 shooting. Luol Deng was second fiddle again and had 17 points. Ben Wallace pulled down 10 rebounds again, and Kirk Hinrich had 8 assists and no turnovers. Tyrus Thomas is the only member of the bulls who did not enter the game. Thabo Sef-a-what's his name apparently got in the game as he shot the ball once and missed. Other than his 0-1 performance in two minutes of action, there is no other evidence that Thabo was in the building. The amber alert for his game is still in effect.



I'm guessing Tyrus Thomas' days as a bull are numbered. I say we package Tyrus Thomas, Ben Wallace, and Thabo Sefolosha's basketball card in a trade for a low post scorer.

Next up, our inside guys get a chance to defend Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. Good luck with that.

Posted byEnigmatik at 7:44 PM 0 comments  

Top 10 Facials for 2K7

[II] on that title, but that's how the NBA titled this video. Some thunderous in-game dunks in this one; #2 is my fav:

Posted bykhal at 8:02 AM 1 comments  

Punishment. By LeBron James.

Posted byEnigmatik at 10:42 AM 0 comments  

TBLA. 9-17

I guess I should talk about the bulls. Here goes...

F*ck the bulls.

Ahhh...how refreshing.

This season is over. Sure, we're only about 2.5 games out of the last playoff spot but who the hell cares? Who really wants to get the eight seed and get promptly swept out of the playoffs by the Boston Juggernauts? Not me.

The game against the Spurs the other night went pretty much the way that our other 15 losses went. We had a decent first quarter and then got blasted out of the building the rest of the way. The rotations didn't change and neither did the results. Ben Wallace played like George Wallace. Hinrich continues to be the worst point guard in the league. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng continue to show and prove that the bulls did the right thing by not signing them to massive deals. Tyrus Thomas still can't get in a game, and there is an amber alert out for Thabo Sefolosha. Another game, another L for the bulls.

Firing Skiles was only part of the problem. John Paxson went ahead and hired Skiles' top assistant to coach for rest of the season (in your face, Pete Myers!). The idea of Paxson firing Skiles and replacing him with Skiles-lite is baffling, but then again, nothing that this team has done in the last few years has been anything short of baffling. It's time to start firing some players and if that doesn't work, Paxson will be packing his bags. For good measure:

F*ck the bulls.

Posted byEnigmatik at 10:00 AM 1 comments  

NBA All-Star 2008 Voting Update


Yesterday, the fan ballots for the 57th NBA All-Star game came in, and *shocker*, Kevin Garnett and Yao Ming are leading the pack. KG, I can see - since signing with the Celtics this year, homeboy has seen his stock RISE. Yao Ming? I won't be ignorant and say that the entire population of China is voting for him, but that's the rumor on the interwebs.

Following behind KG in the East voting was LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Amare Stoudamire was 2nd in the West. Other big names that are in the top 10s for both the East and the West: Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard (will he be in the Dunk Contest this year? He needs to be!), Tracy Mcgrady (hopefully his knees are up for it), Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, Dwayne Wade, Jason Kidd and Vince Carter.

Why I feel so excited for this season's All-Star Weekend is beyond me - I love the competitions more than the actual game - but I might actually crack a cold one and peep a few quarters. The festivities go down in New Orleans (I'm expecting Lil' Wayne and his cups to be in attendance) on the 17th of February. Expect coverage on HYSMD, ya dig?

Posted bykhal at 9:51 AM 0 comments  

Nike Zoom Air Kobe 3 White

E and I were peepin' this HoopsVibe post from last week, detailing Kobe Bryant's kicks throughout his career (he's rocked some fugly jawns, like the KOBETWO, por ejemplo). This pair isn't AWFUL, but for street ballin', this pair is going to get dutty QUICK (make sure you cop that sneaker cleaner). I'm also not a fan of that grid-design up the sides of the shoe, but to each his own.

"Friday Kicks", Post 3, via Sneakerfiles (as per usual).

Posted bykhal at 8:51 AM 0 comments  

Nike LeBron Soldier 2 White/Red

"Friday Kicks", Post 2 (via Sneakerfiles by way of Juebankongjian): These are another pair not out until 2K8 (although, via Juebankongjian, you can cop them now), and I'm actually feeling that. Not too overstated, and that grey design (which with a close-up contains the word "HICKORY") adds a nice touch IMHO.

These are the kind of kicks LeBron would slip into for a chilled night out on the town after a tough victory, like last night's 88-81 win over the Mavs.

Posted bykhal at 8:43 AM 0 comments  

Air Jordan XX3 Black/Red


Post 1 of "Friday Kicks": we already showed you the Air Jordan XX3 basketball, now check this look at the new Air Jordan XX3, which is due in stores Feb. 23, 2008, with a price tag of $185. These joints are crispy, even though I'm not too big on the X's on the black ones. For you big doe ballers, though, this might be the ticket.

Via Sneakerfiles.

Posted bykhal at 8:33 AM 0 comments  

Dwight Howard got robbed.



They better let him raise the rim in the dunk contest. I remember when I had hops like that.......

Posted byEnigmatik at 5:44 PM 0 comments  

D. Wade gets served by Louis Williams



Damn homey. I'm glad the Heat are holding down the worst squad in the East spot.

Posted byEnigmatik at 5:40 PM 0 comments  

Why Show Up?

The funniest thing about last night's 101-83 win (which gave the Pistons a six-game winning streak) was Richard Jefferson looking like a black Nosferatu.

The Pistons had this one wrapped in the 3rd quarter. By the end of that quarter, they had a solid double-digit lead on us, and even though they only hit 4 more points than we did in the 4th, our constant game of catch-up came back to haunt us, again. And we ended up being the 7th team in a row that got held to under 90 points by the Pistons. Not that we even tried: Carter had like 5 or 6 points in the entire 2nd half, Jeff-eratu had 18 points, and Kidd missed all 8 of his shots (although he had 13 dimes). Vince spoke of last nights game, but the following quote plays perfect for many of our losses:

"They turned it up and we didn't match the intensity and level they brought in the second half," said Carter, who was limited to five shots in the second half. "They just made it tough for us."

We were just nothing special, period. We accumulate 15 turnovers, no real "oomph", and just down right didn't bring it. Did someone not get what they wanted for Christmas?

Posted bykhal at 1:51 PM 0 comments  

Nike Fall 2008 Basketball Preview

Sneakerfiles has the low-down on what you can expect to cop for the Fall of '08; above is one of the Nike Flight Dunk Hoops. Hit this post for more flicks of the new wears, and some of my selections below:

Nike Huarache 08
Nike Zoom Dynasty

What do you ballers think?

Posted bykhal at 11:39 AM 1 comments  

Nets Notes (26th December 2007)

Sean Williams has been getting his game tight, looking like a star in the rookie rankings. Check out the NBA Video love he's been getting, mainly for his blocks.

Here's the rundown since the last time I posted about my home team:

  • We stomped on the Warriors on the 21st of December, getting a 100-95 win at home. Jason Kidd recorded his 94th triple double that night, and with Vince (23 pts) and Jefferson (31 pts), our "Big Three" pulled in solid performances at the end. Josh Boone came up gold that night as well, ringing in 19 pts and 13 boards! If we could only get that kind of game night in and night out...
  • On the Trade Talk scene, ESPN's Weekend Dime spoke on the Nets being willing to trade Carter away, but his contract is a trip. I doubt that happening, though - NJ needs Carter's points, even if his numbers are a tad bit down this year (I'm going to chalk it up right now to his ankle problems). Kidd talk was still live and well, with a rumor that the Lakers want to go 3-for-1, sending Kwame Brown, Vladimir Radmanovic and Jordan Farmar to NJ for Kidd. Again I just don't see that happening - I'd imagine the Nets would like to get some quality (or some $$$) for Kidd as opposed to Kwame Brown (Phil Jackson says to neevr think of a trade like this a "ludicrous"). The Cavs and Nuggets are also on the horizon, but come on, Kidd and A.I. on the same team? There's even talk of the Magic wanting Kidd, the recent exit of Scott Skiles is being seen as an indicator for Kidd in a bulls uniform,
  • Expect NBDL baller Billy Thomas, who recently got brought up, to be in uniform tonight for the Nets/Pistons game.
  • Finally, with recent news of Jay-Z's departure as president of Def Jam, it looks like Hov wants to spend more time with his investment, i.e. the Nets. What can that mean, exactly? Aside from bringing the Nets to Brooklyn, what else will he do? Freeway concerts during half-time? NJ Nets edition S.Carter Lows? That'd be the truth.

I'll get into tonight's game tomorrow. Holla back.

PS: You gotta love how two Nets plays were both #1 and #2 on the NBA's Top 2007 Amazing Plays list. Peep that #1, E.

Posted bykhal at 11:20 AM 0 comments  

Merry Christmas, Grant Hill



This is the nastiest dunk that I've seen in a long time. Lakers won, 122 - 115.

Posted byEnigmatik at 9:12 AM 0 comments  

Bah Humbug: bulls fire Scott Skiles

First and foremost I'd like to say that I'm pissed that Khal beat me to the punch on a post about my squad. Much like the bulls, my production has been slipping over here at Have You Seen Me Dunk? so I must apologize. I've just been so disgusted by the play of my favorite squad ever that I didn't know what to write.

Well, I just got off of the road to check what's going on with the Internets and I see the headline:

Bumbling Bulls Fire Coach Skiles

After watching how dreadful the bulls were against the Rockets on Saturday night, I knew that a change was going to come. Not only was I infuriated that the bulls were getting blasted, but they were getting blasted a team that is the Western Conference version of themselves. In the sense that the Rockets are probably the second most disappointing team in the league right behind the bulls. Seeing that vagina Tracy McGrady smiling at the U.C. as his Rockets squad buried my bulls was too much for me to handle. Especially considering I was in San Antonio watching the game at my younger bro's house (those folks in S.A. love them some Spurs).

I wish I could say that this is good news, but it isn't. For all of his faults, Skiles brought a certain hard nosed attitude to the ball club that for one reason or another just has not been seen all season long. If the players start to magically play better, then I'm going to be both happy and pissed - happy that they'll start to look like professional ball players and pissed that they mailed in the first quarter of the season.

The question now is where do we go from here? We still have the same undersized team that is now under-performing on a regular basis. Winning is a habit and so is losing, and the bulls have gotten quite comfortable with getting pummelled. I would love to see some roster changes but no one on our ball club would fetch anything appealing at this point (I think).

Will Ben Wallace start earning his paycheck on a nightly basis or should we ship him back to Detroit for free?

Will Ben Gordon become a consistent player?

Will Kirk Hinrich murder whoever this guy who has been posing as him this season?

Will Luol Deng prove to everyone that he truly is an untradeable asset?

Will Tyrus Thomas earn a spot in the rotation?

Will the bulls get to .500 this season?

WILL THE bulls MAKE THE PLAYOFFS?

Posted byEnigmatik at 5:09 PM 1 comments  

Real Talk: Coach's Fault

Word has just hit the wire: Scott Skiles is now the former coach of the Chicago Bulls, a team that right now is underperfoming in a weak Eastern Conference, not even hitting the double digits in the win column. John Paxson had this odd comment for the press:

"This was a difficult decision to make, but one that was necessary at this time," Bulls general manager John Paxson said in a release. "Scott helped us in many ways during his time with the Bulls; most importantly, he helped this franchise get back to respectability. I am appreciative of his hard work and the imprint that he left on our team."
OK so I can see you wanting to not totally dog someone you just kicked to the curb, but if Skiles "helped... in many ways", as well as helping "this franchise get back to respectability", why was he given his walking papers? Why are teams so quick to dispose of their coach when the players underperform, especially someone who has helped make your club respectable?!

The fans are asking for the Knicks to do the same thing, as if Isaiah Thomas is suited up. A coach can only give a team so many tools - if their team fails to capitalize on it, how can you then blame the coach? I can't speak on how many times E hits me up, depressed over Kirk Hinrich's lack of performance, Ben Wallace's underwhelming tenure with the Bulls, and a host of other problems. When do you go ahead and cut the fat?

I'm not saying a coach does not hold the blame - far from it. It's his vision, and he should be held accountable. I just wonder why franchises are so often to axe the coach, instead of making a productive move and removing the players who aren't earning their keep.

It's something to make you go "hmmmmm", but it's also Real Talk.

Posted bykhal at 1:36 PM 0 comments  

Air Jordan 12.5 Black/University Blue

Sneakerfiles has the detailed look on these new Air Jordan 12.5's. These are buttery through and through. I don't know how much I'm feeling the mesh on one side, but regardless, these look prime and ready to cushion your dogs when you're getting your pick-up game on.

Posted bykhal at 7:57 AM 0 comments  

1990 NBA Slam Dunk Contest

CLASSIC: Dominique Wilkins; Kenny Smith; Shawn Kemp; Kenny "Sky" Walker; Rex Chapman; Scottie Pippen; Billy Thompson; Kenny Battle. Loads of behind the back/acrobatic stuff. I forgot how much I dug "Sky" Walker.



Kenny Smith's between the legs/off the backboard WITH the pale-blue Kings uniform? Priceless.

Posted bykhal at 9:08 AM 0 comments  

Wilkins Vs. Webb

Spud Webb was an ill dunker, mainly because he was all of 3 foot 5 inches tall. That ant had crazy hops, though!



The Human Highlight Film has some MONSTER dunks in this piece, though.

Posted bykhal at 8:56 AM 0 comments  

Jordan Vs. Wilkins

Michael Jordan. Dominique Wilkins. Back when Dunk Contests were the truth.



These new jacks need to recognize real. As we wait for the 2007-08 contest, who do we have to look out for? Dwight Howard?

The day of the DUNK has commenced.

Posted bykhal at 8:45 AM 0 comments  

Late Bloomin'

I didn't think we could do it. With less than a minute left, I told wifey "we'll screw it up" (well, I dropped the F-bomb, but I digress...); even when Vince Carter hit that long bomb to give us the 94-92 lead, I was jut waiting for the Heat to crush our dreams.

Then my Nets pulled it out. We stuck it out in overtime, and pulled out the 107-103 win in Miami. And it was all guts. We were down 7 to be almost winning, and if it wasn't for the lax defense as regulation ran down (we could've kept that shot from going off), we would have had a really beautiful story.

Oh, did I mention that Dwayne Wade dropped 41 on us? Yeah, we overcame that adversity.

I laughed at Shaq fouling out (this is a recent trend of his, no?), but did not like Sean Williams' 5 fouls in 15 minutes last night. And forget that the Heat went into last night with a record of 6-19 or some nonsense. It's the moral victory.

Big up to Malik Allen for his solid performance last night. Those young guys can pull it out when they want to!

In another angle to this Heat vs. Nets game, Alonzo Mourning (remember he stiffed us after Jason Kidd begged for him to come to NJ?) will be out for the season - and possibly the rest of his career - due to his knee injury. At age 37, and with his on-again/off-again problems with his kidney, this is expected. Just sad to see him go - although anything I say his name, a bit of bile hits the back of my mouth.

Sorry.

This Saturday we have Baron Davis and the Warriors to deal with. Oh joy.

Posted bykhal at 2:02 PM 0 comments  

Air Jordan XX3 Basketball

This is the basketball that was created with the Air Jordan XX3 sneaker. It's ill to see things like this, although with less than 5 shopping days left for Christmas, I hate seeing things like these. It reminds me that I have negative ends in the good ol' bank account. Not that I could afford this, but let your boy dream once in a while.

If you hit up the close-up pics, you can see the interesting features (the fingerprint, the "CHITOWN", the other dope touches) that would make this an ill collector's item. Not sure if/when this is dropping, but just admire it.

Spotted at Sneaker Files.

Posted bykhal at 9:16 AM 0 comments  

"Fire Isaiah"

Not 24 hours after I read Isaiah Thomas saying he was wrong and that his players need to shape up or GTFO, the fans rallied outside of the Garden this afternoon, carrying a big pink slip and chanting "Fire Isaiah".

While I do think Thomas isn't handling things properly, and that the Knicks organization's heavy-handed care with him is mad suspect, he isn't the problem. The problem started years before he came to the team, and while he's mismanaged money, firing him won't make them better. Firing him might feel good, but that's like throwing away a new pair of pants because your fat belly broke the clasp. While getting a bigger pair would be dope, your belly is truly the issue.

The lack of focus of the players is the issue. The horrible decisions made years back is the issue. And firing Thomas won't solve them. Reorganization, and possibly a bit of the player shifting, is the first place the team should start.

I wish I had a pick of that giant pink slip, though.

Posted bykhal at 4:31 PM 0 comments  

Would Jordan Get Served Today?

No disrespect to His Airness, but this shot from a recent Bobcat practice session that Michael Jordan was in on has MJ looking like someone's uncle. E showed me a pic of Jordan in action from the same session, and I had to ponder: could Michael Jordan run with the guys today... without HGH?

The question is immediately drawn: "Is this his comeback?", which I would totally frown upon. Putting on that #45 was bad enough; we don't need you being 45 on the court these days, no matter how badly Charlotte plays. I mean, cats were quoted with saying MJ would "be effective", but putting up 15 a game isn't being effective to his legacy, it's counter-productive, and fodder for crazy ribbing from the most hardcore roundball writer to the random Perez Hilton-esque blogger, just commenting for hits.

Basically, this is my letter to Air Jordan: don't come back. Keep on the suit, stay in the booth, and play the game behind the desk. Make your sons your next stars, live through them. Don't muddy up my image of you and your reign.

Posted bykhal at 4:15 PM 2 comments  

Patiently Waiting

That's a skill I've learned, being a Nets fan since Derrick Coleman was a rookie. When you come to realize that most teams are truly just getting by, waiting to either get an ill player to make it all pop, or just lose enough to get a good draft pick, you can rest easy knowing that, hey, these games don't matter...

Who am I kidding?! All of these games matter, but do you think New Jersey is playing that way? Let's recap the last week in the Nets' life:

  • News of Eddie Gill getting waived hit on the 12th. He wasn't a star, and with Darrell Armstrong & Marcus Williams on the way back, the room for a 4th PG was lacking.
  • Rod Thorn let it be known that he is not even trying to hear offers for Jason Kidd... at this time. He did let it be known that the Nets need to turn things around, and fast, with speculation being that a trade is in the works.
  • Kidd and Vince Carter were 2nd and 3rd in the Eastern Conference All-Star voting, which is weird. You'd think someone as old as Kidd, who can't get an equal in trade talk, wouldn't even be on anyone's radar...
  • Speaking of Kidd, Jane Doe is suing him for groping her butt and crotch at a nightclub. I'd imagine he didn't do this, I mean that sounds crazy weird, but who knows...
  • Friday the 14th saw the Nets pummel the Cavs on both sides of the court, getting a 105-97 win at home. Sean Williams suited up and came off the bench to much praise; Carter & RJ dropped 32 and 24, respectively, in a great second half performance.
  • Saturday the 15th found the Nets getting rocked by the Knicks, in New York, in an offense-less 94-86 loss. With Jefferson knocking down 14(!?!?!) points on 7-21 shooting, you can just think of how bad the rest of the squad did. Poor performance.

Which takes us to last night's disappointing loss to the Kings. The end score was close (106-101), but with the Nets delivering 22 turnovers (half coming from Kidd and Jefferson), as well as our apparent inability to defend the three point shot (Sactown was something like 13-for-21 from downtown), and us letting John Salmons come up with a career-high 31 point night, it just wasn't in the cards. S-Dub did come up with 11 points, 7 boards and 8 blocks in his start last night, but sadly it was the only true highlight to another game we could have won, given we tightened it up.

We're now at 10-15, when we should be over .500 right now. Sadly, without some change (whether it be with the bodies in the uniforms or the brains in their heads), we will continue to get by like Kweli. There's no reason, in a conference as scattershot as the East, for the Nets to not be capitalizing. We're a top team but that's in the sack of losers. We can do it, but when will we realize that?

Posted bykhal at 1:04 PM 0 comments  

NBA Live: Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks 12/15/07

This is kind late, considering that the game was on Saturday but screw it. Let me tell you about my NBA Live experience anyway.

Me and my boy Scott hit up the game this time and braved the freezing cold temperatures (freezing by Houston standards). As we walked into the arena, we discussed the fortunes of both of our respective teams. Unlike my buddy Keith, Scott is a die hard Houston fan. Scott wasn't too pleased with Houston's sub-par record and this game did nothing to help brighten his demeanor. As is my usual custom, I scanned the crowd to see if there were any dimes in the house and did notice a trio of lovely ladies making their way court side. A quick glance at the Maverick's bench revealed that I wasn't the only one checking for ladies in the crowd as I saw one of the Mavs checkin' out those ladies. He handed a note to one of the members of the Mavs' staff...prah'lee orders to go get those ladies contact info. Ah, the life of an NBA player. But I digress.

The action on the court was pretty lackadaisical all game long. Josh Howard was a man among boys out there and scored at will. Dirk had a nasty two-hand dunk down the lane during the first half. The play of the game occurred in the first quarter though...Tracy McGrady drove to the basket and bumped knees with one of the Mavs. He played timid for the rest of the game. Pull up jumper after pull up jumper rained down from Tracy's hands and most didn't find their mark. The Rockets had zero fast breaks and that was mainly because Tracy would look at the point guard or whoever was dribbling the ball down, as if to say "You better not even think of running because I refuse to run with you." The had plenty of slow breaks, that's for sure. No fast breaks = no opportunities to get easy points. So yeah...Tracy walked around the court for the majority of the game, put that patented "Tracy wince" on his face and just looked generally like a bitch out there on the court. Yao played great on the other hand and did what he could to make the game respectable. Unfortunately, the Rockets don't have a point guard which adds to their troubles. Steve Francis got the surprise start and did nothing with his opportunity. It was sad to watch him out there. He just doesn't have it. I guess a little too much partying will do that to your game. Dah well.

I started falling asleep by the second quarter, woke up for the third in which I told Scott "whoever wins the third quarter will win this game." The Mavs went on to beat up on the Rockets, turning a three point halftime deficit into a seven point lead heading into the fourth quarter. I drifted off to sleep again with the Mavs up by 13 when Scott finally said "Let's get the fcuk outta here."

It was about 9 or 10 o'clock by that time so we chilled out before we hit up the club...at the spot we saw Steve Francis and Chuck Hayes. And the Rockets continue to underperform.

Posted byEnigmatik at 4:04 PM 0 comments  

Still waiting on that "B" 8-13

Yeah, I've been away from providing the bulls recaps, but that's kind of by design. You see, we're creeping up on finally reaching .500 for the season and every time it looks like we're about to reach that mark we catch a head-scratching L.

Immediately following our victory over the Pistons we faced the Boston Juggernauts, I mean Celtics. Their Big 3 didn't really go off on us, but the supporting cast for the C's stepped up and drilled a spike in our collective hearts. When you've got Rajon Rondo going off on your back court you know you're in for a long night. Needless to say, we became another notch on the belt of Boston.


Lucky for us, we got a chance to face a team that we had a solid chance of beating in the Seattle Supersonics. Those kids in Seattle are young and haven't had the best season in the world but Kevin Durant has shown flashes of greatness. Unfortunately, we weren't having any of that ish and stomped them out for our biggest win of the season. Ben Gordon started off on fire and never looked back. Four out of five starters reached double figures and helped pace the bulls win.


Would the momentum carry over into the next game? Well, for about a quarter and a half we looked awesome against the new millenium Jailblazers. Halfway through the second quarter, the Pacers decided to lock and load and blast us out of their building. Yeah, I know. Tyrus Thomas also decided it would be a fine time for him to get back in Scott Skiles' dog house by getting ejected from the game after a brief scuffle with Troy Murphy.


The game turned into another fine collapse out from the bulls and showed just how far we have to go as a team.

Friday night was a chance at redemption. We could either sink to new lows, or redeem ourselves from both blowing the Pacers game and losing to the Knicks a few weeks back. Fortunately, Luol Deng came to play last night as he dropped 29 points and pulled down 10 boards.


Kirk Hinrich stepped it up in a MAJOR way, notching his second career triple double - 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists. Nice. Nocioni was solid off the bench with 17 points. We got bruised on the inside as Zach Randolph rumbled to 27 points and 15 rebounds, while Fred Jones dropped in 22 points together with Jamal Crawford's 18. Solid performances from the Knicks weren't enough to knock of the bulls at the U.C. Unfortunately, we almost blew this game as well and late-game free throws from Kirk saved the day. So far to go...

Next on the schedule are the Lakers on Tuesday, the Wizards on Wednesday, and the Celtics on Friday.

Posted byEnigmatik at 8:36 AM 0 comments  

Consistently inconsistent @ 12-11

Dec. 7 @ NJ Nets W 96-89
T-Mac goes for 25, Yao adds 24. We lead from tip to finish. A good road win (and big for staff bragging rights).

Dec. 9 @ Toronto L 93-80
The first half of this game was a carbon copy of the effort against the Nets a few nights back. Then came halftime. Outscored in the 2nd half 59-35. Yep, that's an ass kicking right there. I would love to say that a major case of food poisoning struck the boys at halftime, but naah, we just got our ass kicked.



Dec. 10 @ Philly L 100-88
The illness from Toronto made it's way to Philly the next night. We played like 3 day old milk left out on the counter...STANK! Bonzi went nuts for 24 off the bench. Yeah, that's about it.



Dec. 12 v. Detroit W 80-77
6 for 22. Free throws...man. At one point we were 1 for 15 from the stripe. We did everything we could possibly do to GIVE this game away, but somehow managed to hold on for the win. By far, one of the best defensive performances of this early season holding Motown to 36% from the floor. Early in the 3rd this one looked like we would run away with it, but the Pistons are an elite team for a reason.








I was glad to see Yao being a bit critical of his teammates following the loss in Philly. Although I felt it was a bit funny with him urging his squad to not play so soft, when he's been just as equally criticised throughout his first few years in the league for being just that...mr. softie! Yao, when you start dunking the ball EVERYTIME you get within 3-4 feet of the hoop (a la SHAQ) then, and ONLY THEN should you be calling anyone else soft.





Huge two home games against Dallas & Orlando coming up. Let's get these "W's".





and there it is...

Posted byFishbone at 10:30 PM 0 comments  

Killer Crossover (Dec. 12th 2007)


  • Isaish Thomas and the New York Knicks will not be getting any punishment from the league over the recent sexual harassment fiasco.
  • You gotta love how Jason Williams' lawyers got all Johnnie Cochran on a prosecution investigator. We'll see if lightning can strike twice.
  • TJ Ford has been cleared after the hard hit he took last night.
  • Pacers Coach Jim O'Brien refrained from disciplining Jamaal Tinsley, saying he did nothing wrong. I guess there's no punishment for immaturity, though. The thing that cracks me up about those who are confused as to why Tinsley is being berated is this: if Tinsley didn't wear a Pacers uniform, this would be a different story. His status makes people forgive him, whereas any other young Black male in that situation who does NOT play professional ball (or college ball for that matter) would get the motherlode of "what were you doing"/"what are you thinking" questions. The fact that Tinsely didn't fire a gun or is allowed to be out at 3AM does not excuse the fact that he should know better, given that this is the third time he's been in a situation like this. [BONUS: ESPN has a timeline of that night's events.]
  • Allen Iverson wants to stay a Nugget until he is 39.

Any other pertinent news? Got any thoughts on what's going on in the league? Comment us!

Posted bykhal at 12:55 PM 0 comments  

Something's Gotta Give

Should I even bother going on about this game, the 8th game lost at the IZOD Center in the last 8 home games played? The continued downward slide we're on? The fact that, with about 1 and a half minutes left in the 4th, we had only scored 5 points? Or is it the airball that Carter threw up in the 4th (boo, Vince, boo)? When the deal went down, the scoreboard read 91-82, and no matter how many $10 ticket deals the Nets throw out there, no one is trying to watch the home team lose. If the starting 5 can't show up to play, why should they expect the fans to?

What's the point of playing? What's good with 32% shooting from the field? Not surprising to anyone, Jason Kidd got another triple-deuce, and Sean Williams did not play. Speaking of Kidd, during the ESPN Coast To Coast coverage, the big discussion was on Dallas now wanting to get Jason Kidd if a trade situation came up (even though other sources say this isn't going down), but my thing is, I'm not sure if Kidd wants to really do that. The whole "end where I started" mantra is nice, but you also left on ill terms. Why go back? It may sound like I'm pleading... I am.

And I'm not supposed to panic? I guess the good news is that the Nets' Brooklyn Arena won't be up until 2010 now. I wonder if Jay-Z will perform "Hello Brooklyn 2.0" to celebrate?

Posted bykhal at 10:05 AM 0 comments  

Smarten Up, Tinsley

With Sean Taylor's body still warm in the ground, you'd think that professional atheletes would, you know, stay home after dark. Not Jamaal Tinsley: for the third time in 14 months, he's been involved in some late-night beef. This most recent situation involved some static over the amount of flash Tinsley had at Cloud 9, a club in Indiana (I mean, really, do you have to come 3 whips deep, including your Benz, your Charger AND your Rolls Royce?)... you'd think after guys like Eddy Curry and Antoine Walker were robbed (at gunpoint, no less) over the summer, as well as NFL player Dunta Robinson being tied up and robbed, as well as the aforementioned Taylor incident, that known atheletes would try to play it really close.

The problem is, not only is Tinsley on that flashy nonsense, but upon realizing he's being tailed, he pulls into a hotel parking lot, as if to "handle" his "beef", which is essentially hateration in the wee hours of the morning. I guess he wasn't expecting to have a .223 assault rifle pulled on him and his crew. Sadly, Joe Qatato (the "equipment manager" for the Pacers, which just sounds like a glorified weed carrier position in NBA terms) was shot in the elbows. On a side note, I know that the majority of the blame rests on Tinsley's shoulders, but is this Qatato guy going to get punished too? Should HE be out some 2/3AM in the morning? Anyways, you have to love how Tinsley's brother, James, has the 9MM on him, and proceeded to let off shots (at least he had a permit), and that Tinsley was riding with some guy with the last name of Toon, who had a warrant out for his arrest due to dealing a controlled dangerous substance!

Does the NBA have a charm school? Stories like these are what make James Whitlock hate on not only the Hip-Hop community, but black males who play any sport. I haven't seen his take on this, but I can imagine him having a field day with his "Hip-Hop athelete" talk, and using Tinsley as the shining star. I'm not on that at all. But you'd think, with someone who is in the national eye for 82 nights out of the year, plus the playoffs if they are lucky, that they'd conduct themselves a bit classier. I'm not saying to stop being who you are, or being an instant role model, but why do you need to be the last one out of the club? Why must you flaunt your wears at the spots where you know full well crews that mirror the Street Family would be hanging out? You are a target, Jamaal. I understand a man needs to protect his own, and has the right to go wherever he pleases, but you'd think that someone who is a professional would have the common sense to conduct himself in a professional manner outside of the court. (Word to Conrad Brunner)

Larry Bird and the rest of the Pacers front office are in a tough bind. Ever since the Pistons/Pacers brawl, Indiana has been having to deal with the off-court transgressions of their players, which is unfair considering that guys like Stephen Jackson and Tinsley are great players, especially Tinsley, who is having a solid year so far. It hurts but these situations deserve one thing: tough love. Bench dude or kick him out. You can't keep giving someone 2nd and 3rd and 5th chances. Either ish or get off the pot, because it could have very well been Tinsley getting shot/killed, and then what? All for what, a few seconds of envy?

Fix yourself, Tinsley - you're officially on thin ice, and a lot of people are riding for you right now.

Posted bykhal at 1:24 PM 0 comments  

What A Weekend

After all of the speculation of last week came to a head, Jason Kidd came forth and let it be known that, yes, he had a migraine, he is human, and needed a night off. The sad part is, there are a few heads out there who think trading Kidd is the best option, as if the team could function in the offense they've adapted to mainly because of Kidd! In this league, you need someone who can direct the team, be a true leader, and someone who gets things done. How is that NOT Jason Kidd? Side note: the recent batch of talk has shifted to Dallas being the spot for Kidd, tradewise, but I don't think that would be the right move if that WAS to go down.

Flash to Friday night, where the starting 4 scored 80 of Jersey's 89 points in this 96-98 romp with the Rockets, as well as committing 17 turnovers (Fishbone, you won this time). This loss prompted Richard Jefferson to let it be known that he's tired of the double-digit trailing, and is laying blame square on the starting 5 (he later downplayed his comments, saying he had some suggestions, but the situation looks back when two of your starting 5 are that cold in interviews, whether its 100% truth or not). It didn't matter, though, as Sunday night was more of the same nonsense, with NJ dropping 18 turnovers, pissing away the second half, getting trounced by the Wizards, 104 to 89. And get this: RJ only contributed 9 points. Wizards coach Eddie ("I'm not related to Michael") Jordan called this "gut-check basketball", but when you're on the winning end by double digits, how much of a gut check is it, really? Caron Butler of the Wizards had this shocking comment on the game:

"We're a team that's known for probably putting our guard down a little bit early and letting teams get back into the game, but tonight shows our maturity," Butler said. "It shows how much we've grown as a basketball team."
Sounds like the Nets, without that whole "growth" thing. And until we fix up, it will be the story of our (losing) season.

Posted bykhal at 12:06 PM 0 comments  

Gutta Time

Here's the video for Master P's "Gutta Time". Lots of hoops action, and some crazy social commentary to boot.

Posted bykhal at 8:32 AM 0 comments  

The bulls win!!! 6-11


An excellent thing happened in the past 24 hours. The bulls strung together two wins in a row! Not only that, but they've improved to 2-0 against the hated Pistons this season. Everyone who got in the game contributed a solid effort that led to the win.

The star of the show for the bulls was Andres Nocioni. So far, I consider him the MVP for the bulls in this young season. He has definitely been the best overall player for us and has been a spark plug for us all season long. Nocioni chipped in 22 points off the bench, dished out five assists, pulled down three boards, all in 26 minutes of action. Chris Duhon also came off the bench and notched 12 points, including a big 3-pointer down the stretch of the ball game. Joakim Noah had 11 points in 16 minutes of action. Nocioni and Noah were killing the Pistons on the screen and roll and the bulls might want to keep that combination going. Ben Wallace had a great game with 10 points (8-9 from the free throw line), 13 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 assists. I guess bringing Ben back to his old stomping grounds put a little pep in his step. Luol Deng added 17 points and pulled down 9 rebounds in a solid effort. Joe Smith led the bulls in rebounding with 14 boards, Ben Gordon had 11 points, and Kirk Hinrich scored 9 points, dished 6 assists, and had 3 turnovers. However, Kirk was NOT the Terr-a-bull of the game. That distinction goes to......

The duo of Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha!


Thabo's game has been on a milk carton all season long and got zero minutes of run on Friday night. Tyrus is chained to Scott Skiles' dog house and also didn't see any burn against the Pistons. Since we won the game, I can't really complain...BUT...Tyrus Thomas is too talented to be picking up DNPs. Trade him or play him. Simple as that.

Enough with the b.s. though...the mighty Boston Celtics touch down in the U.C. tonight. I'm hoping that this big win over one of the better teams in the East will carry over into tonight's game against Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. The Celtics are coming off a game in which they blasted the Raptors, who have also blasted the bulls twice this season. I'd love for the bulls to turn the C's 16-2 record into a 16-3 record. C'mon, Chi.

Posted byEnigmatik at 11:14 AM 0 comments  

1st "Staff Showdown" of the season





"Hey Khal! Ya'll goin down, baby!"








VS.








Yeah...I said it!!!





and there it is...

Posted byFishbone at 4:06 AM 4 comments  

Rockets Mini-recap



So the last time I wrote I had just finished watching us win at Phoenix to start 2-0 on our 4 game west coast swing. That high was immediately lost with a horrible 2 game losing streak to Golden State and Sacto, respectively. Against the Warriors (L 113-94) we were really never in the game. T-Mac and Yao combined for 21...POINT BLANK PERIOD end of story. What was worse was the total lack of effort, energy, excitement...hell anything that starts with "e" 2 nights later against the Kings (L 107-99). Yeah, T-Mac dropped 40 (but took 30 shots) and Yao had another double-double (29-11) but the rest of the team put up diddly squat. Believe me, the final difference was 8 points, and we led at the half...but the 2nd half was where the effort failed. A not so wonderful 1st trip back to Sacto for Coach Adelman.

3 days off plus a little practice time proved to be just what the doctor ordered after Wednesday's home win over Memphis (W 105-92). Note to the rest of the league, if you match up a 6' 1" guard against Bonzi Wells, he'll make you pay. 24 poontas (11-14 from the floor) in 29 minutes...yeah, son that's what I'm talkin' bout! Our bench outscored the Grizz 42-9 with Bonzi and Scola going for 40 combined! Not to mention T-Mac going for the trey-dub (3rd of his career) as well. Just what we needed going into the upcoming 3 game east coast swing.

and there it is...

Posted byFishbone at 3:47 AM 0 comments  

The bulls win!!! 5-11

We are so dominant! Ok, only when we play the Bobcats - proud holders of the longest current losing streak in the NBA. Check the fly ish, Luol Deng went off, Chris Duhon needs to start (I can't believe I said that), Nocioni continues to play great, and Joakim Noah actually hit a jump shot. Best of all, we won. I wish we could play the Bobcats every night. Enough of the good stuff, let's take a look at the crap.

Terr-a-bull of the night: Kirk Hinrich! Kirk tell the people what you're here for:

17 0-3 0-2 0-0 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 3 0

Three shots attempted, none made, two rebounds, one assist, one turnover, three fouls, and no points scored in 17 minutes of "action." Has a starting point guard from a playoff team ever been sent down to the NBDL? Now is the time.

Tyrus Thomas played six minutes. What. The. Hell. Why is he even on the team? He is too good to only play six minutes.

Skiles continues to juggle the line-ups, giving the team zero consistency heading into the 17th and 18th games of the season. By the way, we play the Pistons and the Celtics back-to-back. I sense a terrible record is about to be set within the next 72 hours.

Posted byEnigmatik at 5:35 PM 0 comments  

NES Basketball

You know you had one.

I got passed this website that took me for a journey in the way-back machine. A slew of emulated 8-bit NES video games, just like you remember them. I figured, hey, why not post up the B-Ball games listed there. Here they are in all of their 8-Bit glory:

Your welcome.

Posted bykhal at 2:43 PM 0 comments  

Nets Loss: Sign of Bigger Problem?

OK: My Nets lost to the Knicks, a game they didn't have to lose AT ALL. In NJ, getting whupped by the Knicks 100-93 was NOT what I was expecting, but the undercurrent is deeper... let the rumor mill tell it.

I spoke about Jason Kidd's shared dream to play with Lebron James last week, and earlier this week I mentioned about the whole contract-extension confusion that popped off. One can only hope that the inevitable doesn't sneak up on us earlier than necessary... but with Jason Kidd sitting out due to a migraine is just not really what anyone saw going on. Iannazzone wonders if this is Kidd's dissention, almost a silent protest if you will. The info surrounding the whole sitting out is being described as "conflicting", and I'm just hoping it is what Kidd says it is.

New Jersey's captain is Jason Kidd. When the captain is happy, they are doing it big. When he is unhappy, things fall apart. They cannot afford to lose Jason now, or ever. Not without a replacement. I highly doubt that they are going to get a good deal for Kidd - hell, the dude who brought us Vince Carter just left for the 215. We're down players, we're down a solid GM, and now is just not the time for any of this.

Who knows how this will play out. NetsDaily has a compilation of many different views on this subject - and until we get the official word, it's all talk. Hopefully we can just get to playing.

Posted bykhal at 11:29 AM 0 comments  

Ballin'

Riley gets his hoops on in the latest episode of The Boondocks:

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3 / Part 4

Posted bykhal at 1:41 PM 1 comments  

Nets Notes (5th December 2007)

This game was a wrap before the first whistle, and the Cavs proved what many fans dreaded: their team is "just-OK" with Lebron on the bench (they are 0-3 without King James, and have lost the last 4), losing last night's game with a final score of 100-79. Richard Jefferson lit up the scoreboard with 36 points (and is now 4th in the league in scoring), Vince Carter added 19 points and 7 dimes, and Jason Collins even scored 7 points! Jason Kidd sat out the entire 4th quarter, and the Cavs got whupped at home. Happy Birthday, Hov.

Tonight, the Nets face the Knicks in New Jersey, and it looks like it could be a repeat of last night for the Nets. There's no word on who will be the starting PG for the Knicks, but at 5-11, unless the Nets truly fall asleep at the wheel, it shouldn't matter much WHO is at point for New York. Al Iannazzone has the right idea, and the Nets should heed his words and take the bull by the horns. Keep the momentum going and press on.

Finally, while we lost the guy who helped the Nets sign Vince Carter, we might end up getting Kiki Vanderweghe, aka the former GM over in Denver who brought them Kenyon Martin (the NBA is a small world), is a possibility for the open GM spot, as is Mark Jackson, interestingly. More on this situation as it develops...

Posted bykhal at 1:26 PM 0 comments  

Shoot the J! Shoot It!!!



If the T-wolves don't sign Prince, we need to pick him up quick. Instant offense, fa shizzle.

Posted byEnigmatik at 1:34 PM 0 comments  

Bon Voyage, Billy King

I chuckled to see the local Philly news this morning, making the wishes of many 76er fans come true: Billy King, who has been in high-ranking positions for the Philadelphia 76ers' organization since 1997, has finally been canned (to be replaced by Ed Stefanski, who was the GM and talent scout for the Nets), and while guys like Patrick Cassidy at Dime are estatic, I don't really see this as being a definite upgrade for the Sixers:

  • While Ed Stefanski has been instrumental in getting guys like Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter to the Nets, how many championships has he helped attain?
  • What makes anyone want to possibly play for Philly? They are a young team with guys who fit under the "shoulda-coulda" title. At least when C. Webb was grabbed, he had Allen Iverson to look out for. Who wants to be down with Kyle Korver?
  • Was King the only reason the Sixers were never what they should have been? I know he was "handcuffed" by Larry Brown, but it seems like all over, money got misspent, and possible trades were fumbled (again, who wants to be in Philly?)...

I guess this could be the organization just putting up their hands and screaming "ENOUGH!", but until the 76ers turn around, this won't be seen as anything special.

Posted bykhal at 12:51 PM 0 comments  

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