I'm not Buying Isiah pursuing Vince at all

...but Kobe?

Vecsey reporting Kobe willing to go to one team... and one team only.

You're right. What am I thinking?

The Latest Pirates Movie

I haven't seen it yet but reviewers are saying Johnny Depp's character finds a newspaper clipping that quotes Michael ray Richardson saying, "The ship be sinking" and everybody heads out to find the Knicks.

When they get there Davey Jones is coaching the Miami Heat and the skeletons of Keith Richards, Woody Allen, and Spike Lee are saying either "LeBron" or Ma-Rone!" - hard to tell.

Who knew

Peter Vescey is a Chip Stern fan. In his latest column, skewering the Cavaliers Vescey mentions this tid-bit;

May 27, 2007 -- STEVE Jones (among other NBA analysts) used to say when a player has it going, you give him the ball until he flames out or his shooting arm goes dead.

So, how do we explain the Cavaliers going away from LeBron James for almost 13 minutes (after he took the first shot) at the start of the second half of Game 2, considering he controlled the first two quadrants - if that’s your description of scoring 14 points?

In the advanced opinion of Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, it was unfathomably imprudent to stop supplying James with touches. If you’re coach Mike Brown, how do you not order your team’s weapon of mass destruction be kept fully loaded?

Sure, that’s one way of looking at it in the one-dimensional, mechanically-responsive way.

Narrow-minded, negligent thinking like that has inspired column contributor Chip Stern (and he actually likes Sir Cumference) to dub TNT’s trio the Axis of Feeble.

Yes, learned coaches and players and analysts forever have preached about feeding the can’t-miss shooter, especially a team’s meal ticket, until shots regularly stop falling. But I never heard about continuing that practice from one half to the next. Still, as noted, James was the go-to guy out of the shoot, so to speak, and misfired once.

Whatever it is, it’s exceptionally more important - preach those same erudite coaches, players and analysts - to get teammates worthy of being involved in the offense shots early and often. Particularly in playoff games when hands tend to tremble and posteriors predispose to pucker more noticeably. Especially at third-round, sucking-for-air atmospheric pressure.

The hope is to have shooters other than the focal strike force owning at least a resemblance of rhythm and self-reliance to knock down open looks when the jury foreman is about to read the verdict.

How many times have we heard Kobe criticized for trying to settle matters by his lonesome in the first, second and third quarters rather than bide his time, go with the flow and dominate when it counts down the stretch? How often has the Lakers’ soloist been brought up on charges of not trusting his band enough?

Imagine the waterfall of pontificating from the Axis of Feeble had LBJ carried the scoring weight for 45 minutes then turned to his non-supportive cast for help when a swarm of suffocating defense forced him to pass.

Brown (through James) unsuccessfully tried to include Zydrunas Ilgauskas in third-quarter action. In Game 1 his presence, points (22) and rebounds (13) were pivotal.

If the Cavs are to prevail, logic dictated Z must be in the offensive mix. Yet in Game 2, he took an absurd six attempts in 27 minutes. Nobody can make a case they “got off.”

Today, Chip is basking in the love. Kudos, old pal, kudos.

Chip Stern, Peter Vescey - let god sort it out.

Houston Can't Stop Kicking JVG

JVG suggested altering the court size and the Houston Press is making him out to be a loon suggesting the idea come "out of left field". Last year he suggested just allowing all teams to participate in the lottery process equally.

Given the recent suggestion that the Knicks need to be given a break because of their "importance" to the health of the NBA, I have to laugh.

Look, it is not so much that the Knicks need relief from the dumb-ass NBA regulations, it is the league itself that needs to grow up. The NBA sucks because lots of teams have created a situation where the majority need to only appear to compete and when it is obvious they suck, they tank the season to play lotto in Secaucus. So the entire season is deformed into a ritual of perfunctory games that lull good teams into hubris (say, Dallas) and offer the fans of the NBA local Tankers years of unsatisfying mediocrity.

IMO, the draft needs to be eliminated entirely - it is a pathetic joke. But, barring that, JVG is (gulp) RIGHT! just let everyone have an equal chance at the lottery. Nobody has to tank and maybe a near contender stands a chance to shine.

And, by all means make the court longer - Phil Jax, JVG, and I agree on this as well. Put some excitement back in the game.

Isiah's Ace?

The New York Post reports via KNICKS IN 'VIN NOW' MINDSET by MARC BERMAN:

Sean Williams, a 6-foot-10 shot-blocking center who was kicked off the Boston College team for alleged marijuana use, will work out for the Knicks next month, according to a source. Williams is on Thomas' radar with the No. 23 pick in the NBA Draft.

Williams, not listed on most mock drafts because of his serious off-court issues, had 75 blocked shots in 15 games before he was booted in January. His stock is expected to rise after workouts.

A Boston College source said Williams had been suspended before for similar issues. Players are tested in the NBA five times a year for marijuana use. Drafting Williams would play into Thomas' mantra of building through "unconventional" ways. Williams may be at Wednesday's pre-draft camp in Orlando.

Wow

A news report just said Allan Houston raised $750K for Barack Obama at a party in Greenwich today.

Not bad.

Toughest Team Ever?

The Angry One has posted his all-tough NBA team:

Kurt Rambis, Alonzo Mourning, Popeye Jones, Dale Davis, and Charles Oakley.

It's All About Image

There's a pretty good article about the hit the Spurs are taking on their Sunday School image. It's called, Spurs' image takes a hit against Suns in NBA playoffs by Mike Lopresti. Here's a teaser.

It has been an uproarious few days in the NBA playoffs, where suspensions have been debated with vigor usually reserved for nuclear disarmament discussions.
To many, the timeline of this outrage seems clear:
The Spurs conducted a public mugging of Steve Nash over several games . . . which led to the Suns being understandably touchy . . . which led to Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw wandering away from the bench late in Game 4 after Horry sent Nash sprawling . . . which led to Stoudemire and Diaw being suspended . . . which led to San Antonio winning Game 5, and probably the series . . . which means the Spurs played dirty and profited by it . . . which is not the American Way.
Unless you get away with it.
Let us be clear and brief. The legislation on players leaving the bench during on-court disputes -- freely agreed upon by league members for a decade now -- permits no gray area, no matter how close the series is, or how valuable the offenders might be.
Maybe it's a lousy rule as written. Then change it. Do not condemn the man who must enforce it.
David Stern does not get a big paycheck and nice office in Manhattan just for handing out trophies and opening the NBA draft.
He must in times of turmoil act with long-term thought and consideration, while those around him from locker rooms to coaching offices to courtside seats to talk shows to newspaper columns rage with short-term interests.
When the rulebook starts being altered not by due process but the current mood and tone and television ratings of a Western Conference semifinal, then there is no governance.
If there was a mistake made here, it was Bowen not being slapped down days ago for the knee to Nash's groin.
There is the omission that set the table for what followed.
The Spurs are doing what they always do. Playing hard and smart and advancing deep into the playoffs.
But curious thing. Yawns have turned to boos. Now they're the scoundrels. The Pirates of the Riverwalk.
The past few days, the Yankees have had more friends.

As the NBA Turns

JVG is on the loose.

Larry Brown in Houston? Let's call it a ready-made for LB.

JVG in Miami???? Would Pat Riley do that to the Knicks after all these years? Oh, the irony.

Stan Van Gundy with the Knicks???? Would Stan do that to Riley? Oh, the double irony.

Just one fan's speculation.

We'll see.

Scott Layden's Revenge

Utah beat Golden State.

Utah! Are we talking about Utah?

Go Warriors

I can't stay up late to watch but I'm rooting for them.

Eddy Curry's off-season workout buddies

McGrady

No way he comes to the Knicks, not if JVG can help it. That snake would never help the Knicks, and I doubt McGrady would want to come here anyway.

McGrady a Knick?

Looks that way to me. The minute that Houston lost McGrady stripped the Houston jersey off his back - he's outta there.

Why the Knicks? Where else? McGrady's salary will require a monumental trade for other teams most of whom have no place for a McGrady. This is where Steve Francis may wind up all over again. JVG loves the vets.

JVG? He should be fired but as we all know he has more lives than a cat. But there will be a house-cleaning in Texas. Dallas and Houston leave the playoffs stunned.

In order to keep his job and divert attention from the playoff loss, JVG will need a media ploy. What better than the return of Francis who teased everyone toward the end of this season with some outstanding play. The buzz in Houston will be, Can Francis make a comeback?, Was it a mistake to trade Francis in the first place?, and so on. McGrady will slip out the back door and the Knicks will eat an extra year of contract speculation on McGrady's health.

I'm guessing McGady, Wells, and Howard for Francis, Rose, and Jeffries. Howard will be bought out or otherwise moved.

Okay

Have your chuckle.

Still...

Think Cuban would trade Dirk?

Not.

Dirk Off

A sentence of death?

A little quick with your whistle, eh FWK?

Whiteys Still Dishing Out Oppression to the Brothers

Study of N.B.A. Sees Racial Bias in Calling Fouls

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/sports/basketball/02refs.html

I'm not really sure what to think about this. Seems there are so many variables involved that to come out with a small statistical difference is questionable and not so useful. Also, frequently you find what you are looking for.

I'm assuming that most of the darker refs are on average younger than their paler counterparts. I'm wondering how that plays out. I'd also be interested in how the older refs officiate the tatted-up, cornrowed, hip-hop generation of players.

It would have been more interesting to see if any specific individual refs made such calls at a "statistically significant" rate, rather than just a big composite number-crunching exercise. Unrelated, but I am glad that Joey Crawford is gone no matter how his calls were colored.

Thoughts?

I found a candidate I can support...

Check this kid out

Nation's top scorer to enter NBA draft

Division I scoring leader Reggie Williams plans to skip his senior season at Virginia Military Institute and enter the NBA draft....

Williams set Big South Conference and VMI records for points this season. He had four games of 40 or more points and 15 games of 30 or more points. Williams is third in VMI history with 1,861 points.

I'm becoming a Warriors fan for the Playoffs

They're contagious - what can I say?

Pietrus is a revelation. Donnie Nelson should have never been fired here. To be a Knicks fan is to lament.

If you all remember my observation from last year, I advised Mark Cuban to trade No -WIN-ski.

Hey, Cuban, I TOLD YOU SO!