This Week in the NBA

Well now that there is one full week in the books it is time to roll out a new feature on Cuzoogle. Once a week I am going to have a full post about the NBA and what is going on in the league. I have recruited a few other contributors so it should make for some good reading if you are a fan of pro basketball. Ideally it will create some new opinions and shed some light on something you do not read about in every other publication. Also since I am a Raptors fan I will apologize now for the Toronto bias but hey it is my blog and if you do not like it, start your own.

Last night the Raptors had a huge win at the ACC over the Sixers and there were so many postives in this game. Okay they still looked a little lost at times and their interior D was lacking but those few shortcomings were overshadowed by all the plus’s I saw.

Bosh was the man: Bosh again put in huge numbers and played some solid D. The best part was that he demanded the ball at the end of the game and was making the shots. Included in this was a dramatic, desperation three ball in the last seconds to give the team the win. I had that game in the preview window as I was watching Lost and as he released it, it looked so good that I had to flip the channel fast to see it drop. Nothing buy net! Yes he is the franshise player indeed.

Kris Humphries who had not played yet this year came in the game and was ready to play. He made a few key buckets and drew some key fouls on the Sixers big men. He is exactly what the Raps were hoping out of bench bigs in years past. He came in with energy and made a difference. I am looking forward to seeing him play some more.

Joey Graham! So glad you showed up Joey, that was the best I have seen you play since your days at Oklahoma. Nailing open jumpers and taking it hard to the hoop. That one dunk would of been sweat if he did not get fouled in the process. Now if he can play like that even 70% of the time Toronto is going to have a killer bench.

Other notables: Parker had a horid shooting night, Jones was good again hitting big shots and showing his athletic skills, T.J. had moments of brilliance but still is getting comfy with his teamates. He is so fast I think he doesn’t know how to handle it sometimes. Rasho played great D and the Spanish boys really added to the mix as well. It was a down night for Bargnani but then again he is young and is going to be good. He looked lost with the crafty vets (Webber and AI) showing him stuff he will learn in years to come.

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J-Rock is a die hard Raps fan from Toronto. 

Raps diary, Nov. 9

It was definitely a thrill to see two young big men like Bosh and Dalembert go at it last night. Dalembert, the “Haitian sensation” (I’m pretty sure I’m the only one that calls him that”) has not lived up to everyone’s expectations, but he is clearly a superior shot blocker, more than capable rebounder, and has a Ben Wallace-like offensive game, i.e. he can dunk it when close enough to the hoop. It is still way too early to mention those two in the same sentence, but Dalembert may yet earn some of that massive contract.

The play that everyone is talking about the next day is the Bosh three. We saw his range at the World Basketball Classic, but the clutch buzzer shot at the end of a broken play that eventually won the game, I’m not sure anyone anticipated that. The ball went through the hoop just as I was finishing the sentence: “I don’t know about this….” Continue to prove me wrong, Bish Bosh.

Calderon……Ford……. I don’t know. I like Calderon’s intensity and playmaking skills, I still see him as a bit of a pylon on the defensive end. I can’t help but think back to that game where Kobe dropped 81 on the Raps, and Calderon was a huge part of that matador-style defense. Sam Mitchell obviously likes what Calderon brings to the table, waiting until 6:26 left in the game before finally bringing Ford back in. I thought both Ford and Parker played good D on Iverson, I mean he is going to get his points anyway and was forced to hit some tough shots to keep Philly in the game. I thought Parker played pretty well, though he seems to disappear from time to time.

I am so far not enamored with Garbajosa (even with his swarthy, pirate-like good looks). Sure, he plays pretty good positional defense, but against superior athletes he is going to get beat down the court and to the rim. He’s not blocking very many shots, and while it looks like he is fighting hard for some rebounds, he doesn’t seem to reel many of them in. This ‘aint horseshoes, Garbo, close don’t count. Just grab the freakin’ ball. I have heard it said that he’s important to the Raptors offense because with 2 big men on the floor (he and Bosh) that can shoot, it stretches the defense and creates lanes to the baskets for our slashers. I have two questions about this: for one, if he can’t hit the jumpers, that theory goes right out the window. Two, with guys like Ford, Calderon and Fred Jones getting to the basket at will, it doesn’t seem as if we need the lanes that wide.

Speaking of Jones, I think it is still early to gauge the accuracy of Cuzzy’s 6th man prediction. He looks good, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always thought of him as an underrated defender, and he was beating the entire Sixer team off the dribble last night. He just needs (and this goes for Ford as well) to FINISH those glittery moves he pulls off to get by two or three guys. They get the ball on the perimeter, a quick crossover and they are at the rim in a flash. Then typically an interior player comes over to challenge the shot and they brick it off the backboard. It sure looks nice, and the potential was there, but both Ford and Jones need to get to Home Depot immediately (to get some finish, get it?)

JOEY GRAHAM!!! I had mentioned that his outside shooting was the most promising part of the preseason, but breaking down guys off the dribble? Who knew? If he can start contributing like that on a continual basis, then you might see Morris Peterson sitting down the stretch of a few more games. How must it feel to be that guy right now? He struggled through so many ugly seasons, and now with his best season under his belt, Sam benches him for the end of the closest game of the season. He is “the” perennial Raptor with Alvin Williams no longer present, he has one of (if not the) longest consecutive game streaks in the NBA going, and this is how we treat him? Well, we won the game, anyway…..but I will be monitoring this situation closely.

Alright, that’s it, I’m out like Sheryl Swoopes.

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J-Bru is a long time fan of the NBA. Check out his other talents

Bru’s Bits: 5 observations from Week1 of the 2006-07 NBA season.

The Jazz are for real

Yes, I said it. And I’ll say it again.

The Utah Jazz are for real! Wow, that sounds funny to say.

Okay, let’s break it down.

Utah is second in the NBA in scoring differential with at +10. They are third in the league in field goal percentage. They are third in 3-point percentage and are the only team to score 100 points or more in every game this season.

I know, the year is young, and so are the Jazz, but the signs are all there.

The Northwest Division is very weak, and the Jazz could easily be the leader when the season ends. Garnett still has no help in Minny, Denver is the Jekyll and Hyde story of the NBA, Portland has too many kids and Seattle is 22nd in the league in field goal percentage.

Mehmet Okur is playing well. Carlos Boozer is getting a double-double each night, Andrei Kirilenko is shutting down opposing threes (and his wife lets him cheat. Irrelivant yes, but an interesting tidbit and possibly the reason he plays so well) and Dee Brown mixed with Deron Williams makes for quite a one-two punch at the point.

This team is for real, and if they can avoid injuries to one of their top guys this year, could shock their way into the second round of the playoffs.

Trade? Are we talking about a trade? Come on, trade?

Here’s some advice for all you fantasy basketball players out there. Always draft a player that was rumored to be traded the summer before the season.

Case in point. Allen Iverson.

In four games, A.I. is averaging 30.5 points, .461 field goal percentage, .462 3-point percentage and 8 assists.

Iverson is getting everyone involved and it shows. Philly has beaten three tough teams so far and is getting production from everywhere. Kyle Korver is averaging 17.5 points, Andre Iguodala is scoring 14 a game and Chris Webber is just a hair from averaging a double-double.

Good players make the players around them better, and Iverson’s passion for winning is obviously rubbing off on his teammates.

Now if Samuel Dalembert can play up to his potential, the Sixers could challenge New Jersey for the Atlantic Division title.

The defending champs are in trouble

Okay, so it is early in the season but the Miami Heat definitely appear to be in for a long season.

Shaquille O’Neal is already banged up, Pat Riley is juggling offenses and it is being reported that Dwyane Wade said he is tired from a busy offseason schedule.

No matter what you blame it on, Miami is going to have a tough season. This is the NBA however, and all the Heat needs to do is make the postseason, which shouldn’t be hard seeing as they play in the pathetic Southeast Division.

David Stern is the devil, or is he?

Okay, I am torn on this new ‘Zero Tolerance’ rule already.

On the one hand, as a long-time NBA fan, I am sick of seeing these players whine time and time again. I agree that this problem needed to be curbed years ago but is zero tolerance the way to go?

I am so sick of hearing so-called NBA analysts approve this rule by saying, “Watch Jordan, Bird and the older guys, they just played the game. They used their emotion with good play.”

These guys need to be hung with Saddam Hussein, seriously.

People may not agree, and as much as I idolized Jordan growing up, he was easily the most whiny superstar player in the history of the NBA, and maybe professional sports. He was always yelling at officials after every whistle, but he was Michael Jordan, so it was different, right?

On the other hand, as a player who has played ball at a very high level, basketball is a very emotional game, and sometimes the quietest of competitors needs to vent their emotions.

David Stern is creating an atmosphere that is going to get players hurt.

Why? Because rather than ask an official why he called a foul, or slam a ball down to protest a bad call, players are going to start committing flagrant fouls very frequently.

Okay, so maybe David Stern is not the Devil, but how long is it going to take before he realizes that his league is not being played by 40-year old Ivy League graduates. These are raw kids who are talented as hell and used to playing with emotion. In five years if this rule is still in place, I may go back to my ‘I hate watching the NBA, college ball is the way to go’ ways.

Odom running the Lake-show

I have been a fan of Lamar Odom since his days in Rhode Island. So let me just say, to see him lead the Lakers has been fun for me.

No, I am no Kobe-hater, but it’s nice to see one of the league’s nice guys shine this early in the season, especially since he lost an infant child in the summer.

Odom’s point forward play has the Lakers leading the NBA in points (107.6) and assists (25.4) per game.

L.A. has a chance to do some major damage in the Pacific Division if Kobe can show that he can adjust to his teammates like he did in the playoffs last season.

Odom should help that transition, and 19-year old Andrew Bynum’s play hasn’t hurt either.

The centre position was a big question going into the season and Bynum has supplanted himself as the starter for years to come. The youngster is averaging 13 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.

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One last thing before I leave you for the day. Here is a classic Iverson moment and one of the best clips ever in the NBA. Just count how many times he says practice! Until next week.

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