Fuck Yea[h] NBA

I love this SI feature on the fine art of the free throw...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:15:05 -0500

I love this SI feature on the fine art of the free throw distraction, but where’s the Delonte West-Gloria James pic that made me feel guilty for laughing?

Old Timey Photo: Magic Johnson kicking it with the OG MJ,...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:43:06 -0500

Old Timey Photo: Magic Johnson kicking it with the OG MJ, Michael Jackson, from SI’s Photo Vault. Can anyone spot another famous person?

Sorry Blazer fans. Via

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:12:05 -0500

Sorry Blazer fans.

Via

Here are the 2012 US Olympic Basketball team uniforms courtesy...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:38:06 -0500

Here are the 2012 US Olympic Basketball team uniforms courtesy of Nike Basketball.

H/T: I Am a GM

One of my best friends is a Wu-Tang head. We spent many a night...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:29:00 -0500

One of my best friends is a Wu-Tang head. We spent many a night together in college mimicking the onomatopoeia clap-trap of ODB and the rest of the Staten Island crew while blazing blunts and laughing at Redman’s MTV Cribs episode [please note Redman is NOT in the Wu-Tang]. Unfortunately for me, my friend is busy devising solar-powered instrumentation around Africa and Europe to facilitate potable water. He is not in the U.S., but we talk frequently via email and on the occasional phone call when he can afford the long-distance charges. He has a PhD, but he might as well have a second PhD in Wu-Tang. Recently, he sent me an email that blew my mind because I thought I had seen every Lin pun on record. To wit:

ShaoLIN shadowboxing, and the Wu-Tang sword style.

If what you say is true, the ShaoLIN and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous. Do you think your Wu-Tang sword can defeat me?

So, to commemorate his email, here is a little Wu-Tang music, and a couple Lin articles I’ve enjoyed today.

Beckly Mason on playing pick-up ball with Lin for HoopSpeak.
Eric Maroun goes LINside the Numbers at Hardwood Paroxysm.

I miss my buddy a lot, but he’s doing amazing work.

The Miami Heat have the best record in the NBA and they’ve...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:06:06 -0500

The Miami Heat have the best record in the NBA and they’ve won 7 straight including a 5-1 record on a recent road trip (there only loss was to Orlando way back on February 8th). During this abbreviated season, their ability to get out to large leads through the first 3 quarters, allows them to rest their starters. Regardless of LeBron’s selfish disdain for this practice, it will help them come playoff time when other starters are exhausted after the NBA’s unfair sprint to the finish line in June.

According to HoopData, Miami is first in the league in offensive efficiency, and 5th in the league in defensive efficiency. They’re a juggernaut, and with LeBron as the frontrunner for league MVP, it could be an all-Heat year at the top of the standings and awards. Just scope LeBron’s numbers, and notice Wade is second in their rankings for Alternate PER.

For more LeBron MVP talk, check out:

SB Nation where Tom Ziller continues to have LeBron in the top spot.
Sun-Sentinel where Ira Winderman’s oeuvre continues to be ‘Bron-heavy.
Sheridan Hoops where Chris Bernucca argues in favor of ‘Bron even as his boss thinks Kevin Love deserves some consideration.
NBA Hangtime blog roundtable all agree it’s James.

When LeBron made his decision to go to Miami, this is what everyone feared. The Heat’s dominion on the Larry O’Brien trophy seems have started its reign. But, again, we’re all waiting until June. Anything is possible.

PHOTOS VIA

Continuing the Carmelo - Lin combination and whether it will...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:35:06 -0500

Continuing the Carmelo - Lin combination and whether it will work in New York, here’s what Carmelo Anthony thinks about him and Lin.

“‘I want Jeremy to have the ball,’ Anthony said. ‘Hands down, I want him to have the ball. I want him to create for me, create for Amar’e, create for everybody and still be as aggressive as he’s been in the past two weeks.

I want that. There’s going to be times I have the ball in the pick-and-roll situation, being a distributor and trying to be aggressive. But for the most part I want Jeremy to have the ball in his hands.’”

-Frank Isola

Also, it should be noted it was the Garden that leaked a story Carmelo told D’Antoni Lin should be getting time at the point. The clusterfuck and doublespeak in New York continues even as Lin continues to grace every periodical on the planet.

As the New York media salivates over Lin, I wish Charles P. Pierce had consulted me before his piece about the trevails of Internet hype for Lin during LinSanity.

[New York Daily News; h/t I Am a GM; Pic via BR]

A couple prescient reminders about Jeremy Lin from facebook a...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:12:19 -0500

A couple prescient reminders about Jeremy Lin from facebook a few weeks ago.

Via & Via

I wonder why Colorado doesn’t think Jeremy Lin and Carmelo...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:30:05 -0500

I wonder why Colorado doesn’t think Jeremy Lin and Carmelo Anthony will ever gel. Oh, right.

In other news on the Colorado/New York front, George Karl doesn’t think the Knicks will make it out of the first round.

I’m not usually of the same mind as Kenyon Martin (except I have some body art of my own), but he’s right about Karl. Dude needs to shut up about Carmelo and the Knicks and focus on the Nuggets.

[ESPN SportsNation Poll; Sports Ilustrated; Larry Brown Sports]

Dave Chappelle inside the Golden State Warriors locker room....

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:57:00 -0500

Dave Chappelle inside the Golden State Warriors locker room. Remember Chappelle Show? Yeah, it was mandatory viewing after an L* in college. You can hear various Warriors players riffing off his old sketches in the background as he talks with Stephen Curry.

*This is a sneaky way of saying, I’m was quite talented at cracking a Philly in the car with no lights.

h/t Hooped Up Online

Who is the best perimeter defender in the NBA? It used to be...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:27:17 -0500

Who is the best perimeter defender in the NBA?

It used to be either Shane Battier or Ron Artest, but both players have grown old. Now, we have Tony Allen and Andre Iguodala.

“Trick or Treat” Tony as blogging superstar Bill Simmons nicknamed him, has been quietly efficient as a backcourt defender for a couple years now; that this, he can be efficient. His motivation to do so ebbs and flows depending on the context.

He probably first jumped on your radar during his Boston tenure, but since being let go and picking up with the Grizzlies before the 2010-2011 season, he’s flourished as the defensive stopper for last year’s Western Conference Semifinalists. He’s quick and strong and when he really wants to shut people down, he appears otherworldly in his anticipation. His 6’4” 213 lb. frame is taut with muscle, so he can guard larger offensive players. His tenacity, quickness and his immovable center of gravity is hard to overcome no matter the size of an opposing player. The only problem is his commitment to shutting down an opposing off-guard vacillates depending on the night.

Andre Iguodala should probably be on the US Olympic team simply because he’s the best perimeter defender in the game, and he has been for a couple years now. The 6’6” Iguodala is long and tough. He takes a special pride in his defense that comes with being heralded as a shut-down defender. For a Sixers group that can only be successful when shutting down an opposing offense, Iguodala is the key ingredient in that game plan. Regardless of his offensive production, which flits between a poor man’s Scottie Pippen and a rich man’s Paul George, its his defense that separates him from other 2-guards.

There are very few players that make the upper echelons of offensive 2 guards less enthusiastic about playing than Andre Iguodala and Tony Allen.

[Pic Via]

Contributor, Steven LeBron, answers some of your questions,...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:49:05 -0500

Contributor, Steven LeBron, answers some of your questions, which have been accruing space in my mailbox for a while now. You should also follow his excellent tumblr and twitter if you aren’t already.

Q: Are you starting to like the Mavericks’ chances with Dirk playing the way he has? Also what do you think the chemistry will be like when West comes back?

Steven LeBron (SL): I have my doubts as to whether this team is ready to win four rounds in the playoffs. The classic Mavericks team in the Mark Cuban era always plays great during the regular season, than finds a way to throw it away in the post-season.

Last season changed that narrative, but the roster has turned over.

I don’t have doubts Dirk will continue along the elite level that he’s been at for the past decade, but the center position continues to concern me, and I’m not sure what I’m getting off the bench from Lamar Odom, Vince Carter and Delonte West when he comes back.

The Mavericks will win their share of regular season games, but right now, I see them in the middle of the pack. They’ve shown too many championship hangover moments for me to think there’s a commitment there to get it done for a repeat.

Q: Who would you rather trade: Melo or Amare, if you had to trade one?

SL: Amare for sure.

It’s been a tough season on the court and personally for Stoudemire. He was a consolation prize for the Knicks in the off-season last year, after they moved so many pieces to get a shot at Lebron.

Instead, he took the city by storm and energized New York for the first half of the season. He’s taken a step back this year, struggling to find a proper rhythm in the offense. But the more important thing is that he’s always one injury away.

For all the criticism about Carmelo’s ball-stopping offense (more on that in another question below), he’s 27 years old, a relatively clean bill of health, and one of the best pure scorers in the league.

You can build around Carmelo. He’s more of a sure bet than Amare to me, short-term and long-term.

Q: Who are the top tier teams in the West and the East. That is, who has a legitimate chance to go to the Finals this year?

SL: Assuming no significant injuries. In the East, I’m of the opinion that it’s the Heat and Bulls. The Pacers and Sixers are having surprise seasons, the Celtics and Magic are lurking on reputation alone, but there’s a clear separation and Miami and Chicago are way ahead of the class.

I’ve written about Derrick Rose and the Bulls, and I believe that they’re a clear second to Miami unless you believe that the tandem of Rose and Deng can create enough offense for the team to keep up in the post-season against the Heat. Their defense and style of play will keep them in games they have no business being in, but they still face an uphill climb come playoff time.

The wild card in the East are the Knicks. They’re a .500 team now, but with all the bodies coming back healthy, I’m very intrigued to see how their players fit in. If we are to believe that they’ve acquired a top point guard in Jeremy Lin, all the pieces start to fall into place. A match-up with Miami this Thursday before the all star break will be very telling.

In the West, it’s got to be the Thunder, Spurs, Mavs and Lakers. I would put the Nuggets and Clippers on the fringe. I don’t trust either team’s coaches. The Thunder are head of the class on record alone. The Spurs are quietly angling themselves for another title run. The Mavs are here on reputation alone. And I have so much respect for Kobe that I am looking past all their flaws (more on this below as well) and giving them a puncher’s chance in what I think is a wide open conference.

Q: Would you sign Gilbert Arenas if you were Mitch Kupchak?

SL: Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Their point guards are Derek Fisher and Steve Blake right now. So yes. The Lakers have a lot of needs they need to fill. Why not take a chance on Gilbert Arenas and see what happens. Though, when you’re attached to every player that’s currently not in the league (Arenas, Iverson), it’s a sign your team is more than a few pieces away from contending. Kobe, out of anyone, should recognize that you don’t just piece together players and expect to create a contending team.

Q: Can Jeremy Lin play with Carmelo Anthony? Will his play fall off this year, and if yes, why?

SL: Yes, Jeremy Lin can play with Carmelo Anthony. Knicks fans should look at it this way: you’re pairing one of the top scorers in the league with one of the top emerging young point guards in the league. If anything, they should be excited.

You traded half of your team for Carmelo last year with the understanding that you’d have to build pieces around him. Amare was one. Chandler another. And now, they have a point guard in Lin. They’re going to make each other better, and make this team very dangerous down the stretch.

As for Lin’s play. He’s brought something new to the table every game. Whether it’s the early questions about his jump shooting. Or doubts about his toughness. Or the ability to not be a shoot first point guard and create for others. We’re not watching a one trick pony here. He’s shown a diverse enough set of skills over two weeks that it’s not inconceivable to think that this is a level of play he can sustain.

The best thing is that the Knicks don’t need Lin to be a superstar; to be their primary scorer and distributor at once. This team has weapons in the starting line-up and off the bench. If Lin just focuses on being a distributor alone, he can be very successful with this line-up. I think he will.

Do you have a question for Fuck Yeah NBA? This will probably become a regular feature. Make sure you follow Steven LeBron, and keep asking questions.

If you think you’ve written something interesting about the NBA both current and past, shoot me an email, and you can be a contributor too.

[Pic Via]

Scores from last night: No road teams won last night. The...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:35:00 -0500

Scores from last night:

No road teams won last night. The Cavaliers were down 17 at home, but they rallied behind Antawn Jamison and Kyrie Irving to squeek out the win; Roy Hibbert’s 30 points led the Pacers over the Hornets in OT; Dwyane Wade dropped 30 points along with 10 assists as the Heat continue to look unbeatable right now; Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies in points/rebounds/assists as the Grizzlies won an ugly game when faltering Philly came to town; the Blazers destroyed the Spurs at home by 40, and ended their 11 game winning streak as Tim Duncan sat on the sidelines (you can be sure Popovich is cursing them out as we speak).

Home teams in CAPS.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 101 - Detroit Pistons 100
INDIANA PACERS 117 - New Orleans Hornets 108 in OT
MIAMI HEAT 120 - Sacramento Kings 108
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 89 - Philadelphia 76ers 76
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 137 - San Antonio Spurs 97

PHOTOS VIA

“What time is it…GAME TIME, WOO” -Chicago...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:18:05 -0500

“What time is it…GAME TIME, WOO” -Chicago Bulls pre-game chant circa 1992.

[via]

Jack Nicholson, the only man that receives a standing ovation...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:46:05 -0500

Jack Nicholson, the only man that receives a standing ovation after signing his autograph for an attractive woman.

Minnesota Timberwolves fan, Chase, on his pet hamster, Ricky...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:14:06 -0500

Minnesota Timberwolves fan, Chase, on his pet hamster, Ricky Rubio. He’s rocking Kevin Love’s jersey though, so he’s not a first timer at this rodeo.

Calvin Lane, the only man that can make Shaquille O’Neal...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:41:06 -0500

Calvin Lane, the only man that can make Shaquille O’Neal look small in comparison.

Via

An important note on the epistemology of Lin-Sanity, which is a...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:09:06 -0500

An important note on the epistemology of Lin-Sanity, which is a portmanteau, and so the dailyportmanteau clears it up:

A search on Google Insights shows the rise in usage of this portmanteau, and using Google News as a reference, The Daily Portmanteau has traced the first citation to the lovely headline writers at The New York Daily News, whose headline on Feb. 4: “It’s Lin-sanity! Knicks score win over Nets”, marks this portmanteau’s debut into the public lexicon.

So people are using LinSanity more now? Astounding news. It was nice to discover who ran the first Lin-Sanity headline, but I’d like to know who the first mainstream writer was that dropped the hyphen.

[Daily Portmanteau; PHOTO: Getty]

Doesn’t it seem like Westbrook is KD’s little...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:37:06 -0500

Doesn’t it seem like Westbrook is KD’s little brother?

Via

Just a friendly reminder of why the GOAT is the G.O.A.T.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:05:05 -0500

Just a friendly reminder of why the GOAT is the G.O.A.T.