Basketball Notes by Alex

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Video: Top 10 Blazer Plays
2009-09-15 02:05:00
NBA.com has been churning out some top 10 team plays videos lately. I urge you to head on over to the NBA video page and find the others. I really like this Blazer s video. They're exciting and young to boot.My favorites are Brandon Roy's dunk against the Clippers, that glorious game winner of his and the in bounds alley-oop.Enjoy:Embedded video from NBA Video
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Shoe of The Week: Li-Ning Baron Davis BD1
2009-09-13 14:38:00
Disclaimer: I'm no full on sneaker head, but every week we're gettin our shoe on here! Each week I'll pick a shoe that I like, basketball, or normal. Get your new leather smell ready!It's been a while since we've done a shoe of the week. We'll try to churn them out as frequently as we can.These are some solid shoes from Li-Ning. They are a Chinese shoe company that has a couple NBA players (Davis , Shaq, even Chuck Hayes) and are trying to be the equivalent of Nike.Baron Davis is going to be wearing these next season. I like them. They are not amazing, I'd like a couple things changed, but for their first signature shoe with him, they did a fine job. I would change this big red logo.Bad news here is we don't know if they'll be released in the US! It would be sad to see these not come over. I bet they'd be affordable style. If I hear of a US release, I will let you all know. But for now, all we have are pictures and Baron Davis games next year to see these.
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Rider Wants Back In NBA?
2009-09-12 18:22:00
It seems that point guard Isaiah Rider has come out of retirement and wants to come back to the NBA, several sources told FootBasket. Rider, who just now turned 38 years old back in March, wants to make a comeback. He was last seen with the Denver Nuggets back in the 2001-02 season, averaging about nine points, three rebounds, and one assist per game for the team.He has had about 10,000 points and about 1,500 assists for his nine-year career. Rider was also the Slam Dunk champion back in 1994. Rider has been received interest by the teams like the New Jersey Nets and now the Minnesota Timberwolves. It has been reported that Rider has matured after his incidents he has been occurred in.If the NBA doesn't work out for him, a source told FB that he may play overseas like a team like the Olympiakos where he might play with such stars like Josh Childress, Linas Kleiza, and Von Wafer. He may also join the North Texas Fresh of the American Basketball Association.I hope all works out for R...
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Who Really Wants Stephen Jackson?
2009-09-08 16:00:00
Stephen Jackson wants a trade. He's said he wants to go somewhere he can win a title. Sure, he may be a solid role player for a team trying to win a title--he's a 6'8, 31-year-old title winning scorer. Yet, when you think about it, the contenders are already stacked and Jackson's contract really isn't that movable anyway.With the current economic climate, the Nets seemingly selling their manhood to fill seats, Jackson just isn't that easy to take on. To think about taking him on, you'd have to forget that Jackson's making $10 million a year when he's 34. That's paying top dollar for past prime merchandise. That wouldn't be seen as much of a deal, unless you're on the same crazy juice that Don Nelson must be sipping.Putting the juice down, the contenders have covered his spot anyway. The Lakers have Artest at SF, the Cavs have the somewhat decent player, last name James, and the Magic just brought in Vince Carter. Jackson said he wants to be moved to a contender, a Texas ...
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Video: Top 10 Circus Shots of the 09 Season
2009-08-30 15:36:00
NBA.com has been producing many top 10 videos from last season. They are getting pretty creative with them now, so here's the top 10 circus shots:
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Sorry For The Lack of Posts
2009-08-30 15:34:00
I know I've been MIA of late. I've been sick, school started and it's the off-season. All of those are great non-blogging factors. But now I'm back and I'm going to keep this blog as up to date as possible.So, with that said, I'm back like MJ, but not like Brett Favre!
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Two Basketball Documentaries To Look Forward To
2009-08-26 20:05:00
In these dull days of the NBA off-season, we find ourselves looking for basketball related entertainment, but usually can't find a thing. Well, at least there's two upcoming basketball documentaries to wait for.Devin Green: The JourneyThis is actually already out. It is being released through YouTube and there are already three episodes available (I hear the fourth is coming early tomorrow morning). More episodes will be added as things move along. I've already watched an episode and it's a great look inside what the business side of basketball can be like. Not everyone has an easy ride like Kobe or LeBron.Here are the first, second and third episodes also. Look for more on this as it continues on.This other documentary was announced a while back, but I wanted to give it a mention anyway:SonicgateIf you didn't watch the video, this one is about the Sonics leaving Seattle. It's about all the rough stuff that went down between the new ownership and the city of Seattle.It looks r...
More About: Basketball , Documentaries , Forward

Mason Will Not Re-Sign With The Oklahoma City Thunder
2009-08-23 16:56:00
ESPN.com reports that now former Oklahoma City Thunder 's shooting guard Desmond Mason will not re-sign with the team. The talks were already breaking down after negotiations were trying to be made all summer.Says Mason's agent:"Desmond is not ready to be relegated to a cheerleader and relegated to a mentor for the younger players,. He's got a lot left in the tank. We never discussed money. It wasn't going to be a dollars decision because his heart was in Oklahoma."I wish all the luck to Mason and we'll see how he does.
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Should Teams Stop Players From Representing Their Countries?
2009-08-20 15:20:00
The Dallas Mavericks are one of many teams that have not allowed their players from playing for their respective countries this summer. Dirk Nowitzki wasn't allowed to represent Germany, while J.J. Barea wasn't allowed to play for Puerto Rico. This issue creeps up with teams all the time.I'm going to tackle it from a team and players standpoint, then give my thoughts on it.If I pay guys millions of dollars to play basketball, why risk fatigue or injury for something that doesn't affect what your team's doing? That's how owners think. They think more about what it does for their endeavor, rather than the players themselves.I think of the case of Zydrunas Ilgauskas. A couple years back, he wanted to play for Lithuania. The Cavs declined because of his long injury history. While Z is now healthy for the most part, I'm sure the Cavs would still not allow it. That's just how these teams are with guys that get hurt.But then you look at what the Spurs and Lakers have done. The Spur...
More About: Players , Teams , Countries , Stop

Video: Steve Nash's Top Plays From 2008-09
2009-08-19 05:28:00
Steve Nash is still a great point guard. Even though he's at the latter end of his career, he's still very exciting and entertaining. A great player and a great guy, he'll likely never win a title (as the Suns are currently looking). The world can be a cruel place.Anyway, here's the video:Embedded video from NBA Video
More About: Steve , Plays , 2008

Ron Ron In A Chinese Outfit
2009-08-17 20:37:00
This picture was so good, I had to post it. Feel free to create a caption or something in the comments if you wish. I love crazy Ron Ron!Thanks, NBA Off-Season 2009.
More About: Chinese , Outfit

The Hornets Don't Want To Win
2009-08-12 19:49:00
Marc Stein of ESPN is reporting that the Hornets dealt three point specialist Rasual Butler to the Clippers for a future second round pick. Of course, this deal clears about $8 million in salary, once you add in the luxury tax. But, despite the savings, I have to question what the Hornets ownership wants.The Hornets are a team that just wants to shed salary for this season. That's the main reason the Okafor deal was made. Sure, he's got more years on his deal and will end up costing more, but if they can stop some of the pain for now, they'll take just about anything. I mean, you have your best shooter and an all around solid role player and you trade him for a second rounder?I know that your team isn't good enough to compete with LA in the long run, but damn. Who is expected to be your outside threat next year? Peja Stojakavic? He's 32, coming off of a season where he missed 21 games and didn't look great when he was out there anyway.I just wish teams would come out and tell ...

College conference debate, with a twist
2009-08-09 17:00:00
Written by Jim JantzCould a team of NBA players from any one college conference defeat a team of NBA players that jumped straight from high school? Quick answer: No!The team of players that made the jump straight from H.S. to the NBA has a relatively weak bench, but the starting lineup has too much star-power, athleticism and talent to be defeated by any college-conference team. I tried to create the best available 7- or 8-man rotation from each conference, then compared each of those teams to a team made up of players that jumped straight from high school. I also tried to pick players to fill each position (when possible), rather than just picking the 5 best players from that particular conference.Here’s how the teams shape up*:ACC –Starters: Chris Paul, Shane Battier, Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, Tim DuncanBench: Chris Duhon, Corey Maggette, Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Rasheed WallaceWith a legit PG in CP3, this team would be fun to watch. They could get up and down, or run a...
More About: College , Debate , Conference , Twist

Video: Al Jefferson Talks About His Off-Season
2009-08-08 21:51:00
Al Jefferson, Minnesota Timerwolves forward, has had one long, extended off-season. He hurt his knee, causing him to miss the rest of the season. He has said he'd be able to come back at 100% next season.Just to explain something important from the video: he says he will visit the doctor on August 24th. He expects to be cleared to play at that time. Then he can really start getting back into basketball shape. If all goes well, it sounds like he'll be ready from the get go this season.Enjoy:Embedded video from NBA Video
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Shoe of The Week: Nike Air Max LeBron VII
2009-08-08 18:13:00
Disclaimer: I'm no full on sneaker head, but every week we're gettin our shoe on here! Each week I'll pick a shoe that I like, basketball, or normal. Get your new leather smell ready!Say what you want about LeBron, but he and Nike know how to make a shoe. These are hot. I expected a lot out of these anyway. Since LeBron's contract with Nike is almost done, Nike needs to prove to him that they can produce a product up to his caliber.The technology of these kicks is supposed to be cutting edge as well. Kix-files has all the details on the sole and the craftsmanship of the shoe (and a few more pictures).My only question to Nike is this: $160, are you serious? I know they usually cost more than $100, but this is a little too far. With the economic times we're in, I know that Nike will lose some customers because of the price tag. But, looking at it from Nike's perspective, they'll be fine. Even if the market isn't as big as past LeBron shoe releases, the price tag alone will sup...
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Video: Top 10 Blocks From 2008-2009
2009-08-05 21:32:00
Another nice top 10 list from last seasons action. Check it out:Embedded video from NBA Video
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AI Should Go To Charlotte
2009-08-05 16:02:00
Allen Iverson is still searching for his home. He's coming off a nightmare of a season in Detroit. One that ended in what was probably a fake injury. He wasn't happy, the team wasn't happy; it was hard to watch. This summer is about finding a way into a happy situation. That's how Iverson wants to end his career.There have been reports that Olympiacos is interested, but I know Iverson wants to make his mark in the NBA. The perfect fit for him is the Charlotte Bobcats. Why? Because they have almost no offensive, a city starving for a reason to buy tickets and a guy that Iverson already knows and loves.The Bobcats have moved in a more defensive direction under Larry Brown. The trading away of Jason Richardson, for role players like Raja Bell and Boris Diaw tells the story. They need a player that can go out and score about 30 every night. Iverson is the only available player who has those types of skills. You can bash everything he does wrong all you want, but he can score and the...

An Idea To Make Marko Jaric's Career Somewhat Interesting
2009-08-04 17:15:00
She's with him? What? Oh well, I think Marko needs to do something to be more than a bad bench warmer with a hot wife. Even though he's averaged 10.2 points per 36 minutes for his career (which I was surprised at), he should collaborate with NBA TV.The collaboration would be a show called Wednesday Nights with Marko and Adriana. Other titles could be This Girl Dates That Guy???, or How the Hell Did Marko Jaric get his own show?? Basically, NBA TV would film whatever Marko and Adriana do for an hour.It'd be like NBA meets TMZ. Except this isn't the most famous baller, by a long shot. I can see them eating dinner with a couple. Fighting when they went away. That would be entertaining enough until the season started..Yes, this post is sponsored by NBA off-season boredom. Can we start a show like this to make things a little interesting, Stern???What other similar ideas do you all have?
More About: Interesting , Idea , Career , Make

Video: Delonte West Freestyles at KFC
2009-08-04 15:46:00
Yes, that title's correct. This is some funny stuff from Delonte West .Check it out:Thanks, FanHouse!
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Coming To The National TV World, It's Shelden!
2009-08-03 23:32:00
Sorry, NBA fans that don't have League Pass. This ball player by the name of Shelden Williams is coming to Boston. No, not to model the most recent Halloween costumes, but to play basketball for the Celtics.Try to get all the best of Candace Parker that you can Shelden. She plays in LA. That's not exactly close to Boston. Maybe they can get it on through Twitter? I'll leave that for them to decide.But, on a more serious note, what are the C's doing here? They still haven't finalized a deal for Marquis Daniels. It was first reported as a free agent signing, but now it seems like nothing's happening unless a sign and trade occurs. I'm not sure, but I'd like to know.To recap, I'm sorry the world has to see Williams on a more regular basis. Made he'll get some Boston-style makeover? We can only hope..
More About: National , World , The National

Shoe of The Week: CLUCT Ex-O-Fit
2009-08-02 00:02:00
Disclaimer: I'm no full on sneaker head, but every week we're gettin our shoe on here! Each week I'll pick a shoe that I like, basketball, or normal. Get your new leather smell ready!Not a ton of hot shoes out there on the nets. There were some, like these, but usually I'd expect more. These are some solid Reebok shoes. I would rock these with almost anything. Could go decent with some Lakers gear (a road jersey or shooting shirt, especially).Here's a little description on them from Nice Kicks:It owns a predominately black base with one yellow accents in the form of the strip design on the side panel. One more interesting feature on this shoe is the CLUCT embroidery seen throughout the quarter panel.Looks like they are available here. It is a foriegn site, so be careful about copping them there.
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Talk Around the Hardwood
2009-07-31 19:12:00
Sorry for the lack of posts lately. We'll pick it up for next week! Anyway, let's link!The Hoop Doctors. The 10 Best NBA Players Under Age 23- Part 2 (here's part 1).Reds Army. Your "All Celtics Team".SRI. OJ Mayo wants Allen Iverson on the Grizzlies.NBAdraft.net. Looking to the future of the league, the top prospects from the Las Vegas AAU's.RealGM. Hakim Warrick has agreed to sign with the Bucks.Twolves Blog. A quick update on Ricky Rubio.AP. Tyler Hansbrough could miss up to two months due to injury.SRI. Why not take a listen to a Steve Nash interview.Can we force Stern to start the season yet or not???
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Free Agent Forward Ike Diogu Signed by New Orleans Hornets
2009-07-30 20:56:00
Ike Diogu in Hornets uniform photoshopped by user "iDunk"at the InsideHoops.com Forum.After the recent Emeka Okafor-Tyson Chandler trade the New Orleans Hornets did with the Charlotte Bobcats, they have added furthermore to their talented squad after adding free agent power forward Ike Diogu.Terms of the contract were not disclosed.Diogu played for the Indiana Pacers for most of his career, but before the 2008-09 NBA season started, he was traded to the Portland Trailblazers. He also played for the Sacramento Kings during that season as well. He averaged about four points and two rebounds per game last year.His last two games of the season with the Kings were very impressive, though, having 32 points in one game and 28 in the other.Diogu is very undersized for his position at power forward/center as he is 6'8".Here's what ESPN's John Hollinger says of him:Diogu is undersized for a power forward at 6-foot-8, and that combined with average mobility make him a liability at the defen...
More About: Agent , Free , Signed , New Orleans Hornets

Talk Around the Hardwood
2009-07-29 18:58:00
Ready for some linkage?BallerBlogger.com. Mike Moreau likes Brandon Jennings.Game Informer. Check out the demo version of NBA 2k10: Draft Combine.SRI. Good radio interview of Steve Kerr (direct audio).Mass Live. Former NBA player Dee Brown will be coaching in the D-League.ESPN. Ike Diogu is going to the Hornets.Truth About It. In defense of Brendan Haywood.Project Spurs. The evolution of Tony Parker.Dime Mag. I still think 2k is and will be better, but in this article, they talk about playing NBA Live 10.Dallas Basketball. Talk ing to the GM of the Mavs.

Revisiting the Effectiveness of Blocked Shots
2009-07-29 15:45:00
I'm not John Hollinger, but I have had some thoughts about the way blocked shots are recorded recently. I've noticed a growing trend of blocked shots that go out of bounds. Some examples are LeBron's blocks: he runs down on another players fast breaks and usually bats the balls out of bounds. Also, most of Dwight Howard's blocks go out of bounds.While this is still a play the helps (the blocks that go out), it's not near as effective as a block that starts a fast break. All these blocks do is prevent an easy shot from going. They just force a team to regroup offensively. I'm not sure how many of the sets after blocked shots are successful, but most good teams can execute halfcourt offense pretty well. So that begs the question, how should we change the way blocks are recorded?The simple solution is to classify blocks that go out of bounds and blocks that stay in bounds. Blocks on box scores are recorded under the acronym BS. The simple solution would be to use these two acrony...
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1 Reason LA MIght Not Want Odom Back
2009-07-29 15:30:00
I have to say, this video is totally off-season worthy. Just watch and think, fellow Laker fans:
More About: Back , Reason , Odom

Poll: NBA Live 10 or 2k10?
2009-07-27 18:50:00
With the NBA video game releases getting closer, I want to know what you guys are thinking. NBA Live 10 has already released information on features and have recently put out a video of gameplay. All we know about NBA 2k10 is that Kobe's on the cover. Nothing else official has come out (except a screenshot).I know I'm likley getting 2k10. Two main reasons: Kobe's on the cover (I'm a Lakers fan) and 2k has always been better. The gameplay is usually superior. But, I want to see some new features in this release. I'd like advanced stats, similar to the Dynamic DNA (scroll down a little to see the description) that live has. The menus also need to be a little easier on the eyes. It's understandle in 2k9, but could be better.Which one do you plan on getting? Vote: Which game are you going to buy?(survey software)
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The Knicks Options With Lee and Robinson
2009-07-27 14:00:00
The New York Knicks have two free agents they are looking to re-sign this summer. Nate Robinson and David Lee. They are both pretty young players, on a team in the rebuilding process. Question is what can they do with each player?Nate RobinsonIt is being reported that Robinson will receive a one year, $5 million deal. Because that would put him off the books for 2010 and allow for more cap flexibility, I can't argue that.Mainly because Robinson has so many questions about the way he fits. Can he commit at all on defense? Couldn't you do better with Ramon Sessions? Do we want that kind of cockiness on our team? These are the questions surrounding Robinson.Those questions aside, he can score the ball and is very athletic. He can also shoot from the perimeter. He does fit most of the ingredients for what the Knicks want.But, I want to see him prove himself in all facets of the game. He really needs to improve that sporadic behavior. If he does, I wouldn't if mind the Knicks re-signe...
More About: Options

Shoe of The Week: Nike Air Hoop Structure Infrared OG Colorway
2009-07-26 19:48:00
Disclaimer: I'm no full on sneaker head, but almost every week we're gettin our shoe on here! Each week I'll pick a shoe that I like, basketball, or normal. Get your new leather smell ready!We haven't done a shoe in the week post in way too long. But we're back now! Getting pumped to see what kicks are coming out for next season!These Nike 's look perfect for balling. They have a nice, unique look to them. I would certainly cop these. I am in the market for some new kicks to ball in (leave some suggestions in the comments!).As of July 23rd, these are starting to hit retail. I'm not sure how many are out there, but I assume this isn't a limited edition release. I would certainly consider these for your gym shoes.Also, check out the sweet Philippines Hyperize and check out what Nike's got in store for their basketball collection.What shoes have you liked of late?
More About: Week , Infrared , Shoe , Structure

NBA Talk: How The Addition of Andre Miller Improves the Blazers
2009-07-26 03:14:00
Josh Dhani is a weekly writer for NBATipoff.comAlthough ESPN's John Hollinger does not like the deal of Andre Miller with the Portland Trailblazers, I totally have to disagree. Miller, who signed a reportedly three-year $21M contract which Hollinger called a bargain, helps the Blazers a lot.How so?That's where I come in. Let's break down how Andre Miller makes the Portland Trailblazers a much better team. And trust me, he improves them very much. So let's go ahead and break this down!You all know what this is, it's the world-famous NBA Talk .You know, it actually does make it a bit tough for Andre Miller with the Blazers. The point guard spot will truly be a competition between Steve Blake and Andre Miller. Jerryd Bayless will still be learning a bit, although he was quite impressive last year. Although it'll most likely seem that Miller will win, it does leave a whole for Blake and Bayless as both will have to receive playing time.So that brings me to the depth chart:PG: Andre...