Well, the Wizards are in the midst of a brutal February where they’ve lost their first 5 games of the month, 6 losses in a row overall, as well as in 8 of the last 10 games. And while their early season play without Gilbert Arenas has surprised everyone, for some to the point of questioning the value of Arenas, this latest futility is no surprise. What has become evident is that no squad can overcome the level of injuries felt by the Wizards, and that dangerous NBA teams need a guy who is able to command points in the hoop.
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About That Nuggets Game [live blog]
With 5:41 left in the 4th quarter, as Linas Kleiza was hitting two FTs to push the Denver lead to 12 at 96-84, Carmelo Anthony, who at the time had 40 points, checked back into the game.
Normally, I would not blame a team for bringing their superstar back to the court with a 12 point lead. Five minutes and forty-one seconds is a lot of time….we know this is the NBA. But, it’s the manner in which the Nuggets carried out the remainder of the game that makes me object. Denver’s intent was not so much to put away the game as a team, rather so ‘Melo My Man could put on an individual show and go for an individual achievement.
Eddie Jordan has his opinion on the subject: “The end part of that game I felt was a little bit on the classless side,” Coach Eddie Jordan said after his team’s sixth straight defeat. “But we all have our ways and when you get your butt kicked, the other team can do whatever it wants to do. But I thought it was very classless to close a game out like that. I have my opinion; I can say what I want to say. That’s what I thought it was.”
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Stepped up in the Verizon last night with my pops. Knew we were in for a tough one, not so much because Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns were in town, but because pops had himself a bad back.
But I took some notes, and got them organized for the blog. Now Let’s start the show.
First of all….
Big Tigger is out? Not a die-hard I guess. MC Styles looks lost.
Little known fact: MC Chris Styles used to throw some kickin’ middle school parties.
1st Quarter
A minute forty into the game and the Suns jump out with a 7-0 lead. It’s all a set up, amazing to watch. You don’t know what is going to unfold until it happens. Some plays you see comin’….but not this Steve Nash pass to a cutting Shawn Marion for the dunk.
10:00 – 2nd personal foul on Brendan Haywood. He picked up the first with a silly charge a minute into game. Wiz were trying to go to him early, and that’s good…but not if Haywood tries to force it. Looks like Eddie Jordan is going to leave BTH in the game with 2.
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No….not really. Wait, what I truly mean is, not yet.
Ok, what do you think of when you hear the name Jason Kidd?
- Great passer (career 9.2 assist per game average).
- Deceptively quick, one of the best in transition.
- Court vision…and he takes care of the ball, 3.18 TOs per game for his career – excellent for someone who handles the ball so much.
- Best rebounding point guard (actually, best among all guards — he’s averaged 6.7 for his career).
- He’s big, (6’4″, 210 lbs.) and this is part of the reason why he can see the court so well, rebound, and post up smaller point guards causing the opposing defense to adjust.
- Before his knee injury history slowed him down, Kidd was a premier league defender, still has averaged over 2 steals per game for his career.
The negative? Jason Kidd simply cannot shoot, and leaves a lot to be desired on the offensive end in general. Partially, this is a side effect of him being such a great distributor…he doesn’t exactly need to score. But then again, his lack of range decreases the amount of offensive spacing for his team. His career FG% is a small hair above 40%, barely 33% from 3-point range.
So, how about Steve Nash?
- Experienced. He’s a savvy veteran who knows all the tricks.
- Court vision (pretty much a prerequisite for all great pure point guards) — 2.57 career TOs per game.
- Much better scoring threat than Kidd. His shooting percentages (FG & 3P),along with his scoring average has improved throughout his career
- Great transition player, and in my opinion, he is better at getting penetration into the lane than Kidd. This is probably a side-effect of him being more of a scoring option.
- And not that Kidd doesn’t, he’s great at this also, but Nash seems more astute in knowing the passing angles, along with the timing of ball distribution (not to mention that great PGs must know their personnel. — How many times have you seen a bad passer feed the ball to a lumbering big man on the break, only to see a bumblin’, fumblin’ turnover or missed shot?
And the negative? Defense. Look, I’m sure you can blame many other Suns players as to why they are not a good defensive team. And I’m sure you could also cite an offensive system which is not conducive to lock-down D. But if you are making, or going down, a list of reasons, put Steve Nash at the top. As the point guard, usually defending the other team’s point guard, you are the first line of defense in either keeping that other PG from getting into the lane and thus, making your own defense avoid a shift and cover…or, at least keeping the other guy from easily getting his team into their half court set. (Gilbert Arenas, are you listening?) Steve Nash is fast in the open court, but he is not quick on D…..but he certainly has his “tricks”.
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UPDATE: Found the clip of Nash tripping Felton.
Remember all that whining the Suns did last playoffs? Well, most of it revolved around Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw getting suspended. But….
*Side Rant* The rules for leaving the bench were implemented for a reason, a good reason. No exceptions should be made. Period.
And good for Commissioner Stern for not putting the rule up for discussion on the agenda for NBA owner meetings. For one, officials can’t always determine intentions when a player leaves the bench. But more importantly, neither can other players already involved in a potential situation. Plain and simple, fisticuffs in NBA basketball games have the ability to be defused easier and more quickly when you limit the possible number of players involved. And if the boundaries are broken, punishment should be handed down, no question.
But back to the Canadian.
I really don’t believe Bruce Bowen’s step-in on Nash last year…where there was incidental contact between Bowen’s left leg and Nash’s crotch…was that bad. Used to be, if someone was up in your sh*t on defense, you took the ball through their nose. Bruce Bowen has displayed many dirty defensive “tricks” in the past….but his reputation doesn’t always have to precede itself and translate to assumptions about every one of his questionable plays. So yea, call an offensive foul on Bruce in this instance…but otherwise, chill out.
And Robert Horry’s hip check. Bad foul, shouldn’t have happened. Call a technical, flagrant…whatever. But the reactions? Save that for TNT’s non-NBA programming. They know it.
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