Friday, October 1, 2010

MTV Offers Lupe Fiasco Some "Career Advice"

So today being a #FiascoFriday it was only too appropriate for the haters to come out and bash the way Lupe goes about his business. An MTV article claims that because Lupe doesn't drop a new track every week that he's fading out of the public imagination, hence the album delay. They also sort of inferred that Lupe doesn't deserve the #FiascoFriday protest, that is being held on October 15th outside of the HQ of Atlantic Records in New York, because he doesn't "deliver" to his fans on a more consistent basis.

One of MTV's main arguments was the fact that Lupe passes on "hit" records and refuses to record the types of songs that get massive radio play. Specifically the fact that Lupe passed on "Nothin' on You" and instead gave it to labelmate B.o.B. What MTV forgot to tell was that Lupe did initially record his own version of "Nothin' on You" but when he heard B.o.B.'s version he felt that it would be more of a success than his previously recorded version and guess what? it was. So a selfless act to give a labelmate a push in the public sphere gets Lupe criticized for not being selfish enough (yea that's what you want to teach kids right?). MTV instead makes it seem like Lupe passed on "Nothin on You" because he thought it would be a success. Seriously? who thinks like that? That's like a baseball player saying he's not going to use a bat to hit because he could actually get a hit (yea it makes no sense to me either).

Another thing that the article brought to the front was that if Lupe is actually all about the music why doesn't he just release L.A.S.E.R.S. as a mixtape? This is where the label politics and legal jargon come in. An album differs from a mixtape in the fact that the money provided to create it comes from the label versus a mixtape which an artist pays for themselves and sometimes the label will pitch in. Therefore an album is an entity of the label and not the artist themselves. This is why artists don't make crazy amounts off album sales because they only get a percentage of the profits and most of the profits go to the label in order for them to one, at least break even on the production value of the album and two, to create a profit (the album makes more than it took to make). Therefore if Lupe were to "release" L.A.S.E.R.S. without Atlantic's permission it could possibly be a breach of his contract (not totally sure about this 'cause I don't know what the particulars of the contract are) and Atlantic would have the right to sue him.

Anyway, Lupe fans went on the offensive and flooded Twitter and Facebook with messages of support aimed at Lupe and bashing MTV for it's um, "advice" to a critically acclaimed artist. It wasn't just fans either, artists like Chamillionaire and fellow All City Chess Club member Wale, also gave their endorsements to Lupe.





MTV has once again incensed the Lupe fans and let's all hope it's for the best and results in the release of L.A.S.E.R.S. I've been waiting for the album since the Cool dropped and I'll continue to wait but in the meantime I'm going to continue listening to the timeless and countless Lupe mixtapes and his 2 studio albums (by the way I did BUY the albums when they dropped) that have messages in them that ring true to this day. Certain artists get immortalized with their music and that's what Lupe's music will be like. It'll be remembered years from now and still ring true. Just like Tupac who some (like me) regard as the greatest rapper of all time. 'Pac didn't have an extensive mixtape collection or a large quantity of studio albums but his music lives on forever because he was a true poet that stayed true to his craft and didn't hold back in sending out the truths of society. If Tupac is the Malcolm X of rap then in my opinion Lupe Fiasco is the Martin Luther King Jr. of rap.

Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

*you can read the original MTV article here*

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

R.I.P. Ian Cameron

UK Prime Minister David Cameron's father, Ian Cameron, died earlier today after suffering a stroke while on holiday in France. The Cameron family was at his side shortly before he passed away. I know many of you don't follow UK politics and this actually isn't political, but I wanted to give a bit of background information about the life of an inspirational person.

Ian Cameron was born with very deformed legs. His father had little faith in his ability to fit in but nothing ever held Mr. Cameron back. He played many sports in school, even football; nobody could tell him he couldn't. In his adult years, Mr. Cameron persevered to become a successful stockbroker just like the generations before him. He went through several surgeries in his lifetime, especially in his youth, to ease the pain from his legs, but later had both legs amputated and lost the use of one eye due to an infection. Regardless of the appearance of misfortune, Mr. Cameron was very adamant about leading an extraordinary life, passing on the same attitude to his children, one of whom is now the prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Cameron has always praised his father and said this during the campaign:
"My father is a huge hero figure for me. He's an amazingly brave man because he was born with no heels – quite a disability. But the glass with him was half-full, normally with something alcoholic. I think I got my sense of optimism from him."

The House of Commons sent their condolences today prior to the Prime Minister's Questions period, which was led by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

I just wanted to add that President Sarkozy of France gave the Cameron family a helicopter to use so that they could get to the hospital as soon as possible. Great man.

May our thoughts and prayers be with the Cameron family at this difficult time.

- Franny.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

A G.O.O.D. Ass Mixtape


Ahead of the November release of his fifth studio album, Kanye West along with longtime friend/collaborator/blogger Perajok have released a brand new mixtape. The aptly titled G.O.O.D. Ass Mixtape features 30 tracks of music and skits from Kanye and artists signed to his G.O.O.D. (Getting Out Our Dreams) Music label, including Kid Cudi, John Legend, GLC, Big Sean, Fonzworth Bentley, Tony Williams, and Mr Hudson among others. This will clearly be the prelude of the anticipated domination by Kanye's camp in the coming Fall.

Whether you like him or not, it’s clear Kanye is working his way out of the trenches that his big mouth got him into (one of the biggest faux pas' of all-time!!), and he’s showing just why he IS the superstar that he is. Recently he's done new songs, new videos, new appearances, new tweets (yes Kanye FINALLY has a twitter, and it has been every bit as entertaining as I thought it would be)… and now a new, FREE mixtape. Some people might argue that it’s too much too late to make amends, but if he’s working on a change, then maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt.


But I digress, the mixtape itself is a great sample of what is to come from the G.O.O.D. crew. As a label it's always great to give a sample of what is to be expected. With that said, it has to be pretty stellar to grab the audience's attention. This mixtape certainly does that as it provides not only a deep tracklist but also good music to listen to. It includes some new songs and some snippets of new songs to come as well. All in all a very solid effort. You can listen to the mixtape below courtesy of Hypetrak and then download it
here. Enjoy!!


Perajok & Kanye West Present: G.O.O.D. Ass Mixtape by Hypetrak

Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Friday, July 30, 2010

The Chase For 600

600 home runs. Only six players in the history of Major League Baseball have achieved this feat (Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr. & Sammy Sosa) 2 of them will have a dreaded asterisk beside their names in regards to their “alleged” involvement as active participants in the steroid era. Sammy Sosa, is one of them and has the least of the 600 club with 609 career homeruns and the other is the all time leader in homeruns, Barry Bonds, who has a total of 762 career homeruns. These 2 players are often called out as cheaters and many baseball fans disregard their homerun totals and many still believe there are only 4 members of the 600 homerun club and that Hank Aaron is the rightful “homerun king”. As baseball records go, joining the 600 Club is a very big deal (it’s much more difficult to achieve than 3,000 hits or 300 wins). Now there is another player on the cusp of making it into this prestigious club and no one seems to care. Why?

Alex Rodriguez is an enigma, he has been, in my opinion, the 2nd best player in the last 35 years (Ken Griffey Jr being the best between 1989-2000) and the best player in the last 10 (mainly ‘cause Griffey’s body broke down with various debilitating injuries). However, instead of being celebrated as one of the greats in the game A-Rod is continually hated by a vast majority of baseball fans despite him wanting everyone to love him. He was one of my favourite players growing up because he played for my home team the Seattle Mariners (even though I grew up in Vancouver) and his departure from the Mariners was the beginning of his vilification.

What’s so different about A-Rod? After all Griffey left the M’s too but instead of being hated Griffey is celebrated as the greatest Mariner of all time. I believe what makes A-Rod different is three things. First, in 2000 A-Rod had become the M’s cornerstone player as they had dealt their 2 biggest established stars in Griffey and Randy Johnson after losing to the Yankees in the ALCS (yea the M’s were THAT good back in the day) in the hope to rebuild around A-Rod. So he was now the face of the franchise. However, it was not meant to be as a bidding war erupted for A-Rod unlike any other player at the time and the M’s simply could not financially compete with the New York Mets and the Texas Rangers. In the end A-Rod spurned the Mets, who were a better team, for the much inferior Rangers and an absurd contract (10 years/$252 million). No one can blame A-Rod for taking the money but it seems everyone does, he was seen as a sell-out and also someone who hampered his team as the Rangers couldn’t field a competitive team simply because they couldn’t pay anyone else (they’re still feeling the effects of that deal as they head into bankruptcy court). Despite all of that A-Rod had 3 of the best seasons of his career (although we now know they are tainted).

The 2nd reason people hate A-Rod is because he is now also tainted with the steroid asterisk. Why is this more significant for him? It’s because when everything surrounding Barry Bonds and steroids was settling down and it was evident Bonds’ record was tainted; the hope was A-Rod (then thought of as a “clean” player) who had vehemently denied steroid use would be the saviour to reclaim the record. Even the biggest A-Rod haters held out for this hope because they could at least respect the record but when he came out last year and admitted to using performance enhancing drugs and lying to baseball fans about his PED use, it was a big blow to baseball and like a punch in the proverbial “balls” (I’m not trying to be sexist ladies) of baseball fans. So now the haters became uber-haters and A-Rod became another example of “cheating the game” for baseball purists.

The 3rd reason why A-Rod’s “chase for 600” has been so irrelevant is because he isn’t the best everyday player on his team right now, that’s Robinson Cano who recently hit his 1000th hit, and he’s not the face of the franchise, that belongs to the much loved and respected Derek Jeter. So much for all that talk about A-Rod finally earning his pinstripes in this past year's playoffs. He’s been the 3rd best 3rd baseman in his division this year, behind Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria and Boston’s Adrian Beltre. Also, A-Rod turned 35 on July 27, and reports have surfaced that his age and his bothersome hip are both starting to eat at his skill. Meanwhile, statisticians and fans have been debating about whether the Yankees will regret the seven years left on A-Rod's 10-year, $275 million contract and whether his power numbers will stay high enough to pass Bonds' all-time home run record of 762.

A-Rod's talent is unquestioned. But it's bizarre, fans don’t see an A-Rod at-bat as a must-see event. You rarely hear talk about how he's about to enter the realm of baseball's all-time gods which is justified by his stats. Maybe it’s been all the off-the-field dramas that surround him or maybe it’s true that he is the most vilified athlete in sports because of his personality, or maybe the game of baseball is changing and instead of seeing homeruns, fans would rather watch someone like Washington Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg, who has taken the league by storm, throw 100 mph fastballs and back breaking curveballs to strike out 10+ batters a game. One thing is certain, A-Rod will hit 600 homeruns and many more, maybe he’ll break the all-time record or maybe he won’t but one thing is clear, nobody outside of New York (and even some in NY) cares if he does. This brings up an even bigger question, what will A-Rod’s legacy be? Will he ascend to be one of the baseball gods as the stats suggest or will he just be remembered as a great player in a very flawed era?

Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Friday, July 23, 2010

"Teflon Don" Review

Rick Ross isn't in my top 10 as far as emcees go in the game right now but I would put him in the top 15 that's just me though, others however love his style and laud him as one of the best rappers out right now and that's fine with me 'cause I respect everybody's opinions and realize we all have different tastes. Prejudices aside, I did take a fairly objective view towards his latest release: Teflon Don

Since his hit single “Hustlin’” came out in 2006, Rick Ross has become a heavyweight in the hip-hop game (much to the dismay of 50 Cent) and it's evident in this release. Teflon Don stands on three legs: Ross’ image, the album’s impressive production value, and its supporting cast of featured artists. Seriously, Ross proved he's got some serious superstar cred with the supporting cast on this album with tracks from producers like: J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, No ID, The Inkredibles, Kanye West and Danja just to name a few.

It doesn't stop there either as Ross pulled out some big names for appearances as featured artists, such as: Jay-Z, Kanye, T.I., Drake, Jadakiss, Erykah Badu, Ne-Yo, Diddy, Trey Songz, Gucci Mane, Raphael Saadiq, Styles P and Raekwon. That is an impressive gathering of course but it is also a negative for the album. Sure collaborations are great, but when 11 of the 12 tracks have featured artists with heavy lyrical input it devalues the album as truly just Rick Ross'. Rather it sounds like the album should be titled, "Rick Ross and friends present: Teflon Don".

Ross has improved his wordplay on Teflon Don, which helps the listener forget the utter lack of depth in his lyrics. He just doesn’t have much to say (hence all the artists, maybe?). With Ross, you simply have to take what you hear at face value. He has money, he thinks he’s awesome and yes, he loves his sunglasses. Rick Ross often gets criticized for his less-than-proficient lyricism, and rightfully so (which is why he'll never be in my top 10), but I can’t help but enjoy Teflon Don. Look at the featured artists and try not to be intrigued; Ross is the definition of commercial rap, and he clearly understands the business of hip-hop.

The impressive production value puts this album over the top because it is so beautifully constructed by the myriad of producers providing the beats. Each track seamlessly flows to the next and all in all it's a fun album to listen to. Take it for what it is because it doesn't fail to deliver.

Notable Tracks: "Free Mason feat. Jay-Z", "Aston Martin Music feat. Drake and Chrisette Michele", "Audio Meth feat. Raekwon", and "All The Money In The World feat. Raphael Saadiq"

Rating: 3.75 Stars (out of 5)

Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Raptors YoungGunz Dunkoff!!

I've been pretty sick so I haven't been able to type a real thought provoking article but I did promise a post soon and I don't ever go back on my promises. So I decided for this post to keep it fun. For those of y'all who know me personally know that I am a huge Toronto Raptors fan (I still secretly like the Grizzlies even though they left our wonderful city). And with Chris Bosh heading down to Miami (I told y'all that's why he cut his dreads for the fade lol) some Raptors "fans" have abandoned ship but not me. Why? 'Cause of the "Young Gunz" of course!! (also 'cause I stick with my teams through the good and the bad)

The original 3 members of the "Young Gunz" are Amir Johnson, DeMar DeRozan and Sonny Weems. These guys play a fun and high-flying game and it was shown last season. Although they have all been working hard during the Summer to improve, and it's shown as we went 5-0 in Vegas Summer League!! Sonny and DeMar not only participated but were the leading scorers and carried the team, they took some time out after a workout in Toronto to challenge each other to a dunk off to determine who's the best dunker on the team. After watching the video y'all can head on over to www.amirjohnson.com and vote for who you think is the best dunker. right now Amir leads with 49.19% of the vote while DeMar is in 2nd with 41.74% and Sonny is last with the remaining 9.08% of 39,137 votes!! Oh and the losers have to wear tights through downtown Toronto which I'm sure will be filmed by AmirTV. Hope y'all enjoy it and don't forget to vote!!




Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

A Very Arbitrary Thought.

First of all, I would like to apologize for my absence, I've been on vacation (as JabberWocky has mentioned) and is still in vacation-mode so I'm still shaking off my lazy. Second of all, the new look is awesome =) JabberWocky really goes ABCD (above and beyond the call of duty...I read it on a sign somewhere) and I'm very thankful and grateful!

This is short but it's been on my mind since I've been selecting classes for next year. If you had to choose one, which would you prefer: the same professor for multiple classes or a hot professor? Here's what I've been weighing:

Same professor for multiple classes
Pro- Could be buddy-buddy with the prof and he/she would have to know your name. References are important for grad studies!
Con- Could be a bad/dick professor and you're stuck with him/her for multiple classes! What a nightmare...

Hot professor
Pro- Eye candy and incentive for attending class, as well as actually paying attention (which would allow you to do better in the class)
Con- A huge distraction, trust me. Going to class just to drool and doodle disturbing images (not me I swear) is not the way to go.

What's the verdict y'all? Comment below (I know some of you wanna comment...there's someone out there...) and I'll keep it in mind, I promise!

Until next time!

- Franny.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

A New Look!!

First of all I would like to apologize to all our readers for not updating the blog in a LONG time. I have been very busy with other aspects of my life (yes I do have a social life, contrary to popular belief) and Franny is on vacation so she hasn't been able to blog (actually a valid excuse). However I am back!! and I promise that the blog will be better than ever!!

The first step in the rejuvenation of the blog is the look of the blog. Our regular readers will notice the larger margins in the main text area as well as the "argyle sweater" like pattern as the backdrop ('cause we're so fashionable). This isn't a final look and because we value the opinions of our readers, if you have any suggestions on ways we can improve the design or template let us know and we'll try it out. Also we will be adding some more interactive features on the blog if we can. I have been considering moving the blog from blogger to maybe wordpress or livejournal but for now we're staying with blogger ('cause we're loyal) if we do decide to move the blog to another site we will notify you in an appropriate manner (no we're not gonna do a 1 hour special called "The Decision" on a national tv network).

If you guys have any questions, suggestions, concerns or are looking to be contributors to the blog you can email us at arbitraryopinions@gmail.com, tweet us @ArbitraryO or me @Jabber_Wocky, or just comment in the comments section of this post, we're always looking for cool people to work with and you can obviously post anything you want about anything you want and anyway you want (we are called Arbitrary Opinions for a reason).

That's all for now but I will be posting again very soon!! 'til then,

Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Perfection.

I'd like to congratulate Roy "Doc" Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies for pitching his first perfect game, and the 20th in MLB history! I remember only ever watching the Jays play either when Doc pitched or they were playing the Yankees (Doc vs. Yankees always upset me, but in a good way?) Now that he plays for the Phillies, I've seen him pitch once this season but he's been superb! This is a BIG DEAL to those of you who don't watch baseball (to which I say, WATCH IT!) Congrats again and THANK YOU for giving me a crapload of points for my fantasy team =)

And I'd also like to thank JabberWocky for the profiles of the top drafts! I must say, Wall is my fav cuz I've heard of him and I hear he's good =P

Until next time!

- Franny.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

2010 Mock Draft Lottery Pick #4


Minnesota Timberwolves: Wesley Johnson

Bio:
Birthday: 7/11/87
NBA Position: Small Forward
Class: Junior, Syracuse University
Ht: 6'7"; Wt: 206 lbs
Hometown: Corsicana, TX

NBA Comparison: Tracy McGrady without the ballhandling abilities but better defense and rebounding.

Strengths:
- Has all the tools, and fits the mold of the classic athletic small forward.
- Quick when maneuvering in the lane.
- At 6'7, he has a huge wingspan (easily over 7' feet), and tremendous leaping abilities which allow him to rise above traffic around the rim.
- He has a smooth and fluid motion on his jump shot, and gets nice elevation.
- Has a strong mid-range game that will only get better.
- Arguably the best shooter in the draft.
- Can shoot spot up from anywhere, but seems to excel at shooting off one dribble after using his quick first step to create space between him and his defender.
- He also uses an effective jab step to create separation and get off his shot, a must-have tool for a scoring small forward in the NBA.
- Has deep range with a high and quick release, and his consistency will only improve.
- He shoots 50% from the field overall, and does not need 20 plus shots to be effective.
- Extremely unselfish, the offense rarely becomes stagnant when the ball is in his hands.
- An underrated passer showing excellent vision and passing skills for a 3.
- He moves extremely well off the ball, and does a great job of getting himself open off back screens.
- Can run the floor and finish effectively in transition.
- His quickness, awareness and long wingspan come into play defensively as well, as he is a terrific off-ball and help defender.
- Can quickly move from the weak-side to ball-side, and used those long arms and high leaping abilities for 2 blocks per game.
- He's athletic and long enough to play effective on-ball defense at the next level.
- His wingspan and leaping abilities also make him an excellent rebounder, and his persistent nature and good nose for the ball make him a good offensive rebounder.
- One of the more NBA ready players in the draft.
- Has an infectous smile that is always on display during games; should be a fan favourite for his personality as well as his game.

Weaknesses:
- Sometimes settles or relies too much on his jump shot, and when it's not on, he becomes invisible for long stretches throughout the game.
- Needs to bulk up; when guarded by stronger defenders, he tends to pull back for tougher jump shots as opposed to taking it strong to the hoop and drawing the foul.
- Attempts less than 4 free throws per game (too low).
- Tries to get out of slumps by shooting jumpers instead of attacking the basket.
- Does not have much of a back-to-the-basket game yet, but his skills, high release and length give him a shot to develop a post game over time.
- Has trouble creating off the dribble, most of his opportunities come after one dribble or a catch and shoot.
- Not much of a playmaker, his ball handling skills are average, and he tends to throw the ball away too often.
- He's 23 years old, so his upside and potential might be little low for some GM's in comparison to younger players.

Consensus: Will most definitely be a SF in the NBA. At 23 years old already, he should be more mature and NBA ready than most players entering the draft. The big question with Wes is whether or not his inability to create will prevent him from being a consistent scorer in the pros, he has to develop some dribble moves. However his defense and rebounding skills should translate well to the NBA.

Minny's other options: Trade the pick (a possibility but probably not going to happen); Draft DeMarcus Cousins (possible, if they are willing to depart with either Kevin Love or Al Jefferson) or draft Al-Farouq Aminu (not likely) or Xavier Henry, Greg Monroe or Patrick Patterson (all longshots)

Official Mixtape



Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

*NOTE: there have been rumblings that the Sixers are very high on Derrick Favors and he has moved up as the 2nd pick in many mock drafts and then if New Jersey took either DeMarcus Cousins or Wesley Johnson both of whom the Nets like, Evan Turner could fall to the T-Wolves and they absolutely love Turner, but I doubt this is going to happen as Wall, Turner and Favors are locks for the top 3 picks in any order you want to put them in.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

2010 Mock Draft Lottery Pick #3


New Jersey Nets: Derrick Favors

Bio:
Birthday: 7/15/91
NBA Position: Power Forward
Class: Freshman, Georgia Tech University
Ht: 6'10"; Wt: 245 lbs
Hometown: Atlanta, GA

NBA Comparison: Amare Stoudemire

Strengths:
- Explosive athlete with unique combination of power and quickness.
- Possesses an extraordinary wingspan, with Georgia Tech official website claiming a 9'1" standing reach.
- Tremendous leaping ability.
- Frequent target of the alley-oop pass and seemingly nothing is out of reach.
- Soft hands allow him to catch passes most bigs would muff.
- Runs the floor like a gazelle showing great speed from baseline to baseline.
- Finishes with power around the rim; a dunking machine.
- Has made dramatic advancements in his post game repertoire and footwork.
- Features a drop step into the lane for a mini right hook and quick spins to either side of the floor.
- Very quick in the post. Displays a deft touch with his left hand around the basket, almost inclined to use his off hand.
- Has a nice looking jumpshot out to 12-15 feet, but does not appear overly comfortable.
- An absolute vacuum on both the offensive and defensive glass. Averaged 8.4 rebounds in 27.5 minutes of action (5.4 def and 3.0 off).
- A shot blocking menace (2.1 per game this season); alters countless other attempts.
- His mere presence makes opponents think twice before driving inside.
- Not a boastful personality, but rather allows his game to do the talking.
- Excellent student and quick learner.

Weaknesses:
- Has done a good job adding bulk to his frame, but needs to continue to get stronger.
- Needs to increase trajectory on his jumper and increasing his range would serve him well.
- Ball handling is decent for a big, but must be improved for his face up game.
- Needs to continue advancement of his footwork and comfort level in the post.
- Seems to predetermine moves rather than reacting to the defense.
- Does not handle double teams well.
- Needs to slow the game down and not panic.
- Not a great passer out of the post.
- Has relied heavily on his athletic gifts up to this stage against inferior competition.
- Needs to work harder and understand court positioning.
- Can be lazy at times defensively and on the boards, depending on his length and leaping ability.
- Stands too upright on defense and his lateral movement needs to improve.
- His conditioning has been questioned, often tiring in the latter stages of games.

Consensus: Derrick Favors could go #1 in most drafts but for this year he's a lock for #3. He's arguably the best athlete in this draft but needs to continue developing fundamentals in order to become truly great; his work ethic seems to be good but could be a lot better. He has very high potential and although NJ wouldn't get Wall at #3 they would get a guy who perfectly compliments their cornerstones in center Brook Lopez and point guard Devin Harris.

NJ's other options: trade the pick (only if they can trade for #1 or #2 or they can land one of the big free agents in a sign and trade) or draft DeMarcus Cousins (possible) or Wesley Johnson (not likely). Reports are also surfacing that the Spurs are very high on Favors and want to move up to get him so they can make him Duncan's successor at power forward.

Official Mixtape (couldn't find a decent one of him at GA Tech, but this one shows off his athleticism very nicely).



Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

2010 Mock Draft Lottery Pick #2


Philadelphia 76ers: Evan Turner

Bio:
Birthday: 10/27/88
NBA Position: Shooting Guard/Point Guard/Small Forward
Class: Junior, Ohio State University
Ht: 6'7"; Wt: 215 lbs
Hometown: Chicago, IL

NBA Comparison: Brandon Roy

Strengths:
- Big combo guard with great versatility and a tremendous feel for the game.
- Extremely smooth with the ball in his hands and has a bag of tricks offensively.
- His handles are that of a point guards; Has supreme confidence with the ball in his hands with an excellent crossover.
- Great mid-range game with the ability to change directions and get defenders off balance to create looks.

- Good upperbody strength allows him to absorb contact and make plays at the rim.
- Strong finisher. Very adept at finishing after contact. Also utilizes the glass effectively.
- Has a good runner when he meets up with shot blockers in the paint.
- Understands how to use his body to shield the ball from opponents.
- Has a great ability to drive which really sets up his ability to pull up for shots.
- Utilizes the spin dribble to get by opponents effectively and into the paint.
- Creative playmaker with the ability to find others for shots when his path to the basket gets cut off.

- Solid vision and a good passer capable of finding the open man.
- An above average athlete with good speed and long arms.
- Makes a lot of impressive plays at the basket using excellent body control and creativity.
- Jumpshot has good form.
- Has a big wingspan (near 7-foot); his long arms allow him to disrupt passing lanes.
- Draws a lot of fouls on drives due to his aggressiveness.
- Runs down a lot of loose balls and makes plays based on desire and hustle.
- One of the best defenders in the draft.
- Plays with a high level of intensity at all times no matter the game situation.
- Good rebounder off the wing.
- Solid free throw shooter at 79%.
- As a Junior, he is one of the more mature players in this draft and one of the most clutch.
- Coming in as the AP Player of the Year and National Player of the Year

Weaknesses:

- Not a freak athlete, but above average by NBA standards.
- At times appears to be susceptible to being thrown off his game by physical defensive play.

- A better scorer than shooter.

- Needs to improve his catch and shoot ability and expand his range and consistency from the perimeter.
- Sometimes drives too much if it is too effective and forgets about his jumpshot.
- At times can fall in love with the dribble and become too ball dependent; needs to improve off-ball play.

- His creativity can lead to being a little careless passing the ball.
- Not great at setting defenders up off of screens and shooting spot up. He prefers to create a rhythm with the ball in his hands dribbling off screens or creating off isolation.
- Injury issues as he missed 4 weeks with two fractures in his back but was deemed to have fully recovered before the March NCAA tournament so doesn't seem to be much of an issue.

Consensus:
Like Brandon Roy was in 2006, Evan Turner is the most NBA ready player in this draft class, could go #1 but most likely will go to the Sixers at #2. Also the most versatile guard in the draft as he can play and guard 3 different positions but will most likely play Shooting Guard in the NBA. A threat for a triple-double on any given night.

Philly's other options:
The Sixers have said they'd be open to packaging the #2 pick to any team who would be willing to take back Elton Brand and his enormous contract off their hands. Or they could draft Derrick Favors (a maybe), DeMarcus Cousins (not likely) or Wesley Johnson (a maybe)

Official Mixtape



Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Monday, May 24, 2010

2010 Mock Draft Lottery Pick #1


Washington Wizards: John Wall

Bio:
Birthday: 9/6/90
NBA Position: Point Guard
Class: Freshman, University of Kentucky
Ht: 6-4, Wt: 196
Hometown: Raleigh, NC

NBA Comparison: Derrick Rose

Strengths:
- One of the most electrifying players to come out of college in years especially at the Point Guard position.
- Has a confidence that only the truly great ones possess.
- His speed in the open floor and first step blow by ability is absolutely jaw dropping, possibly the fastest player in this class.
- His body control and ability to make plays around the rim as well as find teammates with passes while playing at such a break neck speed is what sets him apart. At first you think he's out of control but he actually makes great decisions while playing at such a fast pace.
- Fearless at attacking the basket off the dribble and seems to find a space in the defense when it seem there isn't one there.
- His ability to finish from all angles around the basket with BOTH hands borders on the absurd.
- Very high potential, and his style of play (SPEED) is tailor made for the NBA level.
- Point guards with his size and athleticism are rare.
- Possesses elite athletic ability with length and explosiveness, especially for a point guard.
- His speed and ability to change direction allows him to get any place he wants on the floor ...
- Pushes the ball up the floor as well as any Point Guard.
- Potential to become dominant at both ends of the floor, being able to use his length as both a defensive stopper and above average rebounder from the wing.
- An excellent passer, particularly on the move. Can pick a part a defense setting up teammates for easy scores using his great vision, and creativity.
- A true floor general, best passer and court vision in this class.
- Huge hands give him excellent command of the basketball, with either hand.
- A ball hawk able to rip opposing point guards using his quick hands and feet and long arms.
- Excellent anticipation on passes contributed to his 1.8 steals per game.
- Shows leadership ability and will look to become a more vocal leader as he matures.
- Great character and a very smart guy, posted a 3.5 G.P.A. Spring Semester
- Has a chance to be a merchandising phenomenon with his incredible talent and charisma.

Weaknesses:

- Similar to Rose, Wall's jumpshot is a work in progress.
- Shooting form is not horrible, but it will require some tweaking and hard work (repetition) in the gym to become a real strength to his game.
- Not a good set shooter, prefers to create a rhythm using the bounce.
- His shot lacks great lift and is a little slow to get off. His form and release are decent, but should look to get a little more trajectory.
- At times it appears he is too caught up in making flashy plays instead of focusing on the ultimate goal of winning.
- More comfortable operating in the open floor than in the half court, will need to hone his pick and roll skills and half court command of the game.
- While possibly even quicker than Rose, he lacks the same body strength and ability to absorb contact. Adding some core body strength would allow him to finish stronger around the rim.
- Gets careless passing the ball at times. 4 turnovers per game show his lack of ball protection and that his point guard skills are still raw.
- His 1.6 assist to turnover ratio is solid for a freshman but should be better for such an elite level player.
- Competitive player, but will need to develop his killer instinct and ability to take over at the end of games.

Consensus: Virtual lock for the #1 pick; Wall is blessed with such incredible physical gifts that it will be up to him to put in the work to get the most out of his abilities.

Washington's other options: Trade the pick (not likely); choose either Evan Turner (a maybe) or Derrick Favors (not likely).

Official Mixtape:



Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Badassery to the Max.

Heyo ya'll, sorry I haven't been around lately, I've been pretty lazy. But the big news is that IRON MAN 2 is finally out and it is AWESOME! I don't know where the haters find their hate, but somehow they do, so all I can say is: do not read their bad reviews! They're just jealous. See I was going to do a little write up myself but I don't want to try to convince ya'll to go see it, I am demanding that you all do!

Second order of business, I really want to spice up this blog. I don't even know how many of ya'll there are who read this because no one comments. So that could mean that no one reads the blog, but our visits counters says otherwise! I am going to think of some ideas but those of you lurking in the shadows are encouraged to come out and tell us what we should do to make this blog more badass! I mean, me and Jabberwocky blogging is already awesome enough, but clearly we need something more! Shall we sing and dance?

Which leads me to my next point of order: watch Glee. Seriously, the hype ain't just there, it is such an awesome show! It makes me miss high school and kinda wish there was a Glee Club. I guess me being in band was kinda the same thing, but honestly, the band geeks ran the school kay, we'd never get slushied. Today I watched the episode about Rachel and her crush on Mr. Schuester, which made me think about how my school lacked hot teachers. Cept for Superman...

Anywho, I just wanted to make sure ya'll knew I was still alive and doing (relatively) well. Keep on rocking in the free world! ...Do people not use that anymore? They should.

- Franny.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Jazz Rally To Beat Denver; 33 Days Left

Utah's reserves were able to do what the starters couldn't for the first 12 minutes; get inside and score on the Denver Nuggets. Paul "The Paper Boy" Millsap led a surge early in the second quarter that got Utah back into Game 3 after a disastrous start, then the Jazz took control of the game and their Western Conference playoff series with a 105-93 victory Friday night to take a 2-1 series lead. Millsap finished with career highs of 22 points and 19 rebounds. Millsap's 18 points in the second quarter gave the Jazz a chance to recover after Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams struggled early. Once Williams and Boozer got going, the Nuggets never recovered in their first road playoff game of the series.

Utah limited Denver's Carmelo Anthony to 25 points and flustered him into five fouls. He also had just four free throw attempts after taking 19 while scoring a combined 74 points in the series' first two games. Anthony and Chauncey Billups, who also scored 25 points, were the only Denver players to score in double figures. Williams finished with a double-double of his own with 24 points and 10 assists and Boozer added 18 points despite missing his first five shots. Wesley Matthews added 14 points and helped pester Anthony into foul trouble for the second straight game and C.J. Miles added 10 points for Utah.

Denver shut down Utah inside through the first quarter, forcing the Jazz into outside shots that usually missed and bounced right to one of the Nuggets, who led by as many as 11 points. Millsap ended that trend with two quick layups and a dunk as the Jazz opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run. He made his first nine shots and finished 11 of 14 from the field for Utah. The Jazz outscored Denver 31-21 in the second quarter, then topped that with 32 points in the third while holding the flustered Nuggets to just 20. Denver's woes slowly built throughout the quarter as the Jazz quickly pounced to stop any rallies, then the Nuggets really lost their composure at the end of the period. Matthews took a high elbow while defending Melo with 1:05 left in the third, sending Denver's frustrated superstar to the bench with his fifth foul. Melo, who had four offensive fouls and fouled out in Game 2, was stuck watching as the Jazz took an 84-68 lead into the fourth quarter and continued surging early in the final period. Utah's lead reached 23 points and even Anthony, who scored 42 in the series opener, couldn't rescue Denver when he returned in the fourth. Game 4 is Sunday in Utah, where the Nuggets will need to win to avoid falling behind the short-handed Jazz 3-1.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

The Batlle Of Texas Gets Physical & The Celtics Win A Close One; 33 Days Left

Spurs G/F Manu Ginobli was bleeding profusely after he caught an inadvertant elbow from Dirk Nowitzki, then disappeared into the locker room while leaving a trail of red blotches behind him on the tunnel floor. He didn't know yet his nose was broken. So he patched up his gushing nose with a bandage and came back late in the third. He then scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 94-90 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. The Spurs took a 2-1 lead by surviving the first shot at home from the NBA's best road team. Ginobili was diagnosed with a nasal fracture after the game. He is scheduled to undergo a CT scan on Saturday.

The Mavs have their own problems to diagnose. Nowitzki made good on his vow after the Game 2 loss to hit the looks he got last time, scoring 35 points. He and J.J. Barea jump-started the Mavs back into the game with a 17-0 run in the third quarter that gave Dallas a lead for only the second time in the series since their Game 1 win when Nowitzki had 36 points. Nowitzki had help in that game though; notably from Caron Butler, who had 22 in the victory. Friday night Butler never left the bench in the second half on Friday as coach Rick Carlisle instead went instead with Barea in the backcourt. Butler has gone from being a major force in Game 1 to being nonexistent by Game 3. He made just one of three shots and finished with two points, which comes after he averaged 19.5 points in two games in Dallas.

The Mavs will spend between now and Sunday trying to figure out how to even this series. They can start by figuring out what happened to Nowitzki's supporting cast. Terry scored 17 points and Barea had 14 but Butler, Jason Kidd, and Shawn Marion had 16 points combined. Aside from Game 4, Sunday is also when Duncan turns 34 but so far in this series, he's looked ten years younger. He scored 25 points for the second straight game, and has the Spurs in position to possibly celebrate a commanding lead in this series if they can win on his birthday.
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There was no special play play being diagrammed in the final Boston huddle, no brilliant piece of strategy. Paul Pierce simply wanted the final shot and his coach Doc Rivers let him take it. And with Dwyane Wade watching helplessly from the bench, cramps rendering him unable to put any weight on his left leg, Pierce put Boston one win away from a first-round sweep of the Heat. Pierce dribbled the clock down to 2 seconds, got to his favorite spot just off the right side of the key and nailed a 21-footer at the buzzer Friday night, giving the Celtics a 100-98 victory in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round series. No team has ever rallied from an 0-3 deficit in a series.

But Miami might have even bigger problems. D-Wade hurt his left calf after missing a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left, replays showing he landed on Celtics guard Ray Allen's foot. D-Wade, who had to change jerseys during the game because he was sweating so much, crumpled to the court and was carried off by reserve center Jamaal Magloire and the team trainer, he then chugged a cup of Gatorade after stretching out his legs so he could play if the game went to overtime. It didn't. Pierce saw to that, his final shot capping a 32-point effort. Wade said he didn't think he landed on Allen's foot, insisting a cramp was his only problem. He took intravenous fluids after the game, but said he will play Sunday for game 4.

Boston has made all the plays against Miami this season, winning all six meetings and 14 of the last 15. And when Miami didn't elect to use its "foul to give" in the last 2 minutes, all Pierce had to do was make the shot. For the last play, the Celtics loaded the floor with shooters and ran a bunch of cuts, all of which were merely decoys. Doc Rivers said the play was basically to let Pierce have the ball and get out of his way. Allen added 25 points for the Celtics, who got 17 from Rondo and 16 from KG. Wade finished with 34 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Heat, who rallied from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead, yet saw the game and more than likely, the season, slip away. Michael Beasley scored 16 points, Dorell Wright had 15 and Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers added 10 each for the Heat.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Friday, April 23, 2010

J-Rich Torches The Blazers; 34 Days Left

Jason Richardson kept finding himself alone behind the 3-point line, so he jacked up shot after shot from behind the arc. Richardson made eight 3-pointers and finished with a playoff career-high 42 points Thursday night in the Suns' 108-89 victory over the Trail Blazers, which gave Phoenix a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series. Richardson hit his first 3 late in the first half as the Suns built a lead that would extend to 31 points. He made 13-of-19 shots from the floor. The secret to Richardson's success? Portland was so occupied with containing the pick-and-roll combo of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire that they kept leaving J-Rich open to contain those two with multiple defenders so Steve Nash just flitted the ball out to the perimeter every time.

Portland mounted a rally in the fourth quarter, closing within 91-80 after Rudy Fernandez hit three consecutive 3-pointers. But the burst came too late for the Blazers, who suffered a setback when starting forward Nicolas Batum aggravated a shoulder injury in the first half and did not return (the Blazers are either cursed or have the worst luck ever). Home-court advantage meant little for the Blazers. The red-clad Rose Garden fans even booed their team as the players left the court with a 66-37 deficit at the break. LaMarcus Aldridge led the Blazers with 17 points. Andre Miller, who scored 31 in Portland's Game 1 win, was off for the second straight game and finished with just 11. And the home team was dismal from the free throw line, making just 16-of-28 attempts. Stoudemire had 20 points for the Suns, while Nash finished with 13 points and 10 assists.

The Suns jumped on Portland early, quickly quieting the sellout crowd. Nash's left-handed layup midway through the first quarter put Phoenix in front 16-6. The Blazers were hampered by early fouls on both Fernandez and Aldridge. It didn't help when Jerryd Bayless was hit with a technical, and coach Nate McMillan had to signal his team to calm down. Richardson hit a 3-pointer and Leandro Barbosa made a layup to close out the first period with a 34-16 Suns lead. Richardson, who had 29 points in the Suns' Game 2 victory, had 21 in the first half alone while the Blazers unsuccessfully used second-year guard Bayless to defend him. Batum was questionable before the game after hurting his shoulder in the second half of Game 2 when he collided with Nash. But he started, and answered any questions about his shoulder with an early two-handed dunk. But late in the first half, Batum was fouled under the Blazers basket and appeared to re-injure himself. He quickly retreated to the locker room. The injury was of concern because Batum, the team's primary perimeter defender, had surgery on the shoulder just before the season opener and missed the first 45 games of the season.

The Blazers are already thin because of injuries. All-Star guard Brandon Roy tore the meniscus in his right knee and had arthroscopic surgery two days before the playoffs got under way. Centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla needed season-ending knee surgeries (twice for Przybilla who re-tore his knee after slipping in the shower) and Fernandez had midseason back troubles. Former forward Travis Outlaw, who was traded to the Clippers, sat out for a time with a foot injury. Roy missed more than a dozen games with a sore hamstring earlier this year before the slight meniscus tear was discovered. Even the coach, Nate McMillan, ruptured his right Achilles tendon earlier this season when he and assistant coach Monty Williams were filling in as practice players because the team didn’t have enough healthy bodies to play five-on-five. In all, 13 Blazers missed a combined 311 regular-season games, second only to the Warriors this season and somehow miraculously still made the playoffs in the Western Conference no less. Only Miller and forward Martell Webster played in all 82 games. No team can ever use injuries as an excuse ever again for underperforming after what the Blazers have been through this year (I'm looking at you Raptors). Game 4 is Saturday at Portland.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Bulls Buck The Cavs & OKC Gets Their 1st Ever Playoff Win; 34 Days Left

"M-V-P!! M-V-P!!" this chant wasn't for LeBron tonight, instead the Chicago faithful bestowed the honour upon their hometown hero, Derrick Rose. He later said that he almost fainted after hearing the chorus of chants; but being guarded by LeBron James late in the game didn't faze him at all. And now, the Cleveland Cavaliers can forget about sweeping the Bulls out of the playoffs. Rose scored 31 points, Kirk Hinrich added 27 and Chicago hung on to beat the top-seeded Cavaliers, 108-106, on Thursday night in Game 3 of a first-round series after their 21-point lead dwindled to one.

LeBron scored 13 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter but also committed some turnovers down the stretch. Even so, the Cavaliers were within 107-106 after Mo Williams nailed a 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left. They immediately fouled Luol Deng, who hit the first free throw but missed the second. Cleveland guard Anthony Parker got the rebound and raced up the right side but missed a desperation 3 at the buzzer, and the Bulls escaped with the win despite some shaky foul shooting late in the game.

Hinrich, a career 80.9 percent foul shooter, missed two with 26 seconds left and the Bulls up 104-99. LeBron then buried a 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to make it a two-point game. The Cavs immediately fouled Rose, who missed the first free throw before converting the second to make it 105-102 with 10.1 seconds left. Chicago fouled Anderson Varejao to prevent a 3-point attempt, and he made the first but missed the second. Brad Miller got the rebound and converted both foul shots to make it a four-point game, and the Bulls hung on for a wild win. They will try to tie the best-of-seven series on Sunday.
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Scuffling through another rough shooting night, Kevin Durant wanted to do anything he could to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder from falling hopelessly behind the Los Angeles Lakers. So he decided to take on the task of defending Kobe Bryant, that's the sign of a great player; even though his offense hadn't been rolling he decided to impact the game on the defensive end. The result? Durant had 29 points and 19 rebounds, and snapped out of a shooting funk while guarding Bryant to lead the decisive run, lifting the Thunder to a 101-96 victory in Game 3 on Thursday night in the first playoff game in Oklahoma City (Portland and, more so, Seattle fans are probably still crying right now or drowning they're sorrows of what could have been).

Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 22 of the final 23 for the Thunder, including every point during a 10-2 surge that put Oklahoma City ahead to stay. The top-seeded Lakers got back within 98-96 on Bryant's driving layup with 13.5 seconds left, but the Thunder closed it out from the foul line to pull within 2-1 in the seven-game series. Bryant scored 24 points to surpass Jerry West's franchise record for playoff scoring, and Pau Gasol had 17 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles. But when it came down to crunch time, shockingly Bryant couldn't deliver as he did in scoring 15 fourth-quarter points to seal the Lakers' 95-92 victory in Game 2. He went 2 for 10 in the final 12 minutes, with Durant stopping between free throws at one point to motion to the bench that he wanted to guard the former MVP.

Undaunted by a raucous sellout crowd, the Lakers scored the first 10 points of the game and were in control until the Thunder roared back with an electrifying run of eight straight points late in the third quarter. The fans reached a deafening pitch as the Thunder completed their charge back from an 11-point deficit set off by Westbrook's right-handed tomahawk dunk. James Harden and Durant followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to tie it at 74, and Oklahoma City finally took its first lead of the game on its opening possession of the fourth quarter. Near the end of the game Durant celebrated by thumping his chest and popping his jersey to show off the "Thunder" printed on the front while Westbrook, who scored 27 points, flapped his arms to egg on the screaming crowd. Game 4 is Saturday night in Oklahoma City.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Spurs Draw Even With The Mavs & Charlotte Loses Handle Against Orlando; 35 Days Left

Knowing he was among the guys Spurs coach Gregg Popovich thought "played like dogs" in the opener, Richard Jefferson bounced back by scoring 17 of his 19 points in the first half to help San Antonio beat the Dallas Mavericks 102-88 in Game 2 on Wednesday night. The win ties their first-round series at a game apiece, with the next two games in the Alamo City. Jefferson matched the measly four points he had in Game 1 in like 45 seconds into the game. He was 7 of 9 by halftime, and was at his best during a 12-1 run late in the second quarter that broke the game open for good. He got it started with a fadeaway jumper and a finger roll, then added a reverse layup after the Mavs somehow lost track of him.

While Jefferson was the first-half star the second half belonged to Tim Duncan, scoring 17 of his 25 points in the half, often just in time to break up potential Mavs runs. The "Big Fundamental" also had a game-high 17 rebounds. Mavs All-Star Dirk Nowitzki went from a scorching hot performance in which he hardly missed in Game 1 to hardly making shots for an ice cold Game 2. The Spurs didn't even send multiple defenders at him; merely knowing they were creeping his way threw Nowitzki out of whack. He missed six of his first seven shots, and even missed a free throw after having made 88 in a row.

The Mavericks played their best only after they repaeatedly seemed to have buried themselves. Down 16-5 early, they got within one by the end of the quarter; down 80-60 late in the third quarter they scored 12 straight points; down 13 early in the fourth, they clawed to within five. However, they never led and have now given away home-court advantage. Game 3 is in San Antonio on Friday night, and the folks down there are probably looking forward to seeing, and booing, Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who heated up the rivalry in recent days by repeatedly saying, "I hate the Spurs."
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Dwight Howard and Vince Carter haven't played great but they have played good enough to win so far. Carter finished with 19 points, Howard scored 15 (both went 5 of 10 from the field) and the Magic took a 2-0 series lead with a 92-77 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night. The Magic's star combo was less than stellar once again, but took over when it counted most. They combined for 21 second-half points to help Orlando build a 20-point lead and hold on late. Still, they'll have to be better if they want to compete for a title.

Charlotte is simply playing to steal at least one win. Stephen Jackson showed no effects from his hyperextended left knee in scoring 27 points, and Gerald Wallace had 15 points for the Bobcats. But their 21 turnovers are a big reason they're heading home still searching for the franchise's first playoff win. This one was one of the ugliest playoff basketball games you'll ever see. The Bobcats went more than eight minutes to start the game with only three points and had just one field goal with six turnovers during the stretch. The goods news for them: The Magic were almost as bad early.The first half was a turnoverfest for both teams, and nobody could consistently hit a shot. However, the Magic were 24-for-35 on free throws, while the Bobcats were 13-for-18, simply too large of a margin from the charity stripe.

The Magic put together the closest thing to a run in the first half, and they slowly went ahead 41-30 at the half on Ryan Anderson's 3-pointer. With Charlotte's 14 first-half turnovers, though, they should've been up more. Eventually, they would. Howard used a drop step, spun right and hammered home a rim-rocking dunk over Tyson Chandler that started a big Magic push. He had nine points in the first six minutes of the third before picking up his fourth foul, again relegating him to the bench. Then, Carter took the reins. Orlando's biggest offseason acquisition, Carter sliced his way through the lane for several layups late in the third quarter. He anchored a run that put the Magic ahead 75-55 after three quarters with their entire bench standing, waving towels, shouting and smiling as they pulled ahead big. After Charlotte trimmed the lead to eight with 3:16 left, Carter followed with a jumper. Then Jackson missed a layup, and Jameer Nelson raced down court to convert a three-point play that sealed Orlando's win. Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday in Charlotte.

Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Suns Blaze Portland & Lakers Keep Thunder At Bay; 36 Days Left

The Phoenix Suns finally rid themselves of the methodical style of play of the Portland Trailblazers and took charge of the tempo in game 2. The Suns played fast and they played on the break. Jason Richardson scored 29 points, Grant Hill made 10-of-11 for 20, and the Suns routed the Blazers 119-90 Tuesday night to emphatically tie the first-round playoff series 1-1. When the capricious Richardson has a night like this, his team almost always wins. Phoenix was 27-4 this season when he scored at least 20 points. Richardson finally got to concentrate on scoring after being freed from the chore of guarding Andre Miller. Coach Alvin Gentry turned to the 37-year-old Hill for that assignment, and Miller managed just 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting after getting 31 in Portland's 105-100 victory in Game 1.

Amare Stoudemire added 18 points for Phoenix and Steve Nash pushed the team from the start and finished with 13 points and 16 assists. Martell Webster led the Blazers with 16 points and Nicolas Batum also scored 12 before leaving with a right shoulder strain at the end of the third quarter. He said he was going to have an MRI on Wednesday but didn't think the injury would keep him out of Thursday's game. The injury-ravaged Blazers already are without leading scorer Brandon Roy for the series.

Roy or no Roy though, no team was better than Portland all season in disrupting the Suns' offense. But the Blazers didn't do it this time. Phoenix shot 52 percent to the Trail Blazers' 38 percent. The Suns led by 14 at the half and blew it open in the third quarter. The Blazers had won three of four meetings this season, counting their Game 1 victory that gave them home-court advantage, and didn't allow more than 102 points in any of them. However, the Blazers failed to slow down the NBA's highest-scoring team in this one. The Suns dominated the points in the paint 58-38 and had a 26-12 advantage in second-chance points. Portland trailed 63-49 at the half, and any hopes for a comeback vanished in the Suns' blistering third quarter. The Suns outscored Portland 13-4 to lead 78-58 with six minutes to go in the 3rd. During the run, Nash provided the highlight of the night with a circus shot. The 36-year-old playmaker drove to the hoop and, with his back to the basket, banked the ball in with his left hand. Portland went nearly five minutes without a field goal while the Suns poured it on.
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Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, carrying the Lakers in the fourth quarter when they lost the lead three times, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 95-92 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in a Western Conference playoff series. Bryant was 13 of 15 from the free throw line, but just 12 of 28 from the floor in front of his dad Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, who sat next to the Lakers' bench. Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 32 points and Russell Westbrook added 19, making all eight of his free throws. Pau Gasol had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum had six points and 10 boards for the defending champions, who failed to sustain a strong start for the second straight game against the Thunder. The series now shifts to Oklahoma City for game 3. History is on the Lakers' side as they are 39-1 all-time when winning the first two games of a best-of-seven series.

The Thunder had the lead 47-45 going into halftime, despite Westbrook picking up his third foul midway through the 2nd quarter. The Lakers were limited to 33 percent shooting, with Bryant going 2 of 7. The Thunder also had nine blocked shots in the half. The Lakers regained the edge in the third quarter, although not by much. Their largest lead was six and it dwindled to 73-69 going into the final 12 minutes. Durant was called for goaltending on the Lakers' last basket of the 3rd quarter or the Thunder potentially would've trailed by two.

The Thunder's defense kept them in the game, as they had 17 blocked shots. The Thunder led three times, but Bryant twice brought the Lakers back, the last time tying the game 88-88 on two free throws. The game was decided at the line over the final 2:20, with the Thunder forced to foul while repeatedly missing from the perimeter. Bryant scored 15 points in the fourth, but sent the crowd into an anguished groan when he missed the first of two free throws with 15 seconds left. He made the second to keep the Lakers ahead 94-92. Durant then missed a 3-pointer and Gasol got fouled, but he also missed the first of two with 7 seconds left, keeping the Thunder's hopes alive. Gasol hit the second, and then Jeff Green, who had 12 points, missed a 3-pointer as time expired.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Atlanta Pounds Milwaukee Inside & The Celtics Stomp Over The Heat; 36 Days Left

High-flying Josh Smith dominated the game inside. While Joe Johnson stepped up from the outside when the Hawks needed him. Atlanta now has a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series for the first time in 40 years. Johnson took control in the fourth quarter to finish off a 27-point effort and Smith finished one assist shy of a triple-double (21 pts, 14 rbs, 9 asts) as the Hawks ran away from the pesky, but outmanned, Milwaukee Bucks for a 96-86 victory in the Eastern Conference playoffs Tuesday night. Smith is playing as though he's still upset about being snubbed for the All-Star game, when teammates Johnson and Al Horford were selected but he stayed home. He's certainly a player capable of taking control of a series in many ways and is the player that makes this team go, as he demonstrated with his near triple-double, not to mention two blocks and two steals.

The Hawks aren't taking anything for granted, even though they've seemed capable of pulling away any time Milwaukee tries to make a run. Last season, Atlanta blew out Miami in its playoff opener but then lost at home and had to go the full seven games. This time, the Hawks took care of business on their home court. They'll head to Milwaukee on Saturday night with a commanding 2-0 series lead, the first time they've won the first two in a best-of-seven series since the Western Division semifinals in 1970.

Again, the Hawks' balance and size advantage on the inside were just too much for the Bucks, who knew they'd face a huge challenge in this series after 7-foot center Andrew Bogut took a hard fall late in the regular season (seemingly breaking every bone in his arm) and was done for the playoffs. All five Atlanta starters reached double figures for the second game in a row, and the 4 and 5 spots sure took advantage of Bogut's absence. Smith had the crowd on its feet with four thunderous dunks and a couple more above-the-rim lay-ins. While, Horford was nearly as dominant, scoring 20 points, snatching down 10 rebounds and blocking three shots. Johnson then took over in the fourth quarter. After Milwaukee had closed the lead to single-digit range, he buried four straight jumpers, the last of them a 3 from the corner, pushing the Hawks to an 87-74 lead that essentially finished off the Bucks.

Johnson also led the defensive effort against Bucks rookie phenom Brandon Jennings, who followed up a 34-point performance in Game 1 with just nine points on 3-of-15 shooting. John Salmons led the Bucks with 21 points and Ersan Ilyasova came up big off the bench with 13 points and 15 rebounds, but Jerry Stackhouse was the only other Milwaukee player in double figures with 15 points. The Bucks shot only 41 percent from the field (37 of 90). The Bucks head home, hoping to turn things around in the next two games. But it seems tough especially considering that they've led only three times in the series (never by more than two points) for a total of 1 minute and 32 seconds.
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No Kevin Garnett? No problem as the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat easily Tuesday night in the Eastern Conference playoffs. With the "Big Ticket" out, the "Ticket Stub" filled in. The good-humored but hard-playing Glen Davis was the starter in KG's place while the Celtics' emotional leader served a one-game suspension, as Boston rolled to a 106-77 victory that Miami coach Erik Spoelstra called "embarrassing." Davis had 23 points and eight rebounds, and Ray Allen heated up in the third quarter to end up with 25 points. Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 29.

With Garnett serving a suspension for elbowing Quentin Richardson in Game 1, Davis started and went aggressively to the basket to grab missed shots and draw fouls. The Heat took a 29-25 lead on a dunk by Jermaine O'Neal. But the Celtics then went on a massive 44-8 run over the next 16 1/2 minutes to go ahead 69-37 with 5:38 left in the third quarter, capped by one of Allen's five 3-pointers in the period. The Celtics never looked back as they led by 25 to 33 points the rest of the way.

Tempers stayed under control throughout the game, just three days after a skirmish with 40 seconds left in Boston's 85-76 game 1 victory led to Garnett's suspension without pay and Richardson's $25,000 fine. Garnett wasn't allowed in TD Garden, but made a prerecorded appearance on the scoreboard above midcourt during a timeout after the Celtics scored 19 straight points to take a 44-29 lead with 2:56 left in the first half. He encouraged the fans and when the scoreboard followed with a "Let's Get Loud" message, they raised their voices. Richardson was booed almost every time he touched the ball. Game 3 is Friday night in Miami.

Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

Deron Wills Jazz Past Nuggets And LeBron Doesn't Let The Cavs Lose; 37 Days Left

The Chicago Bulls kept daring LeBron James to shoot jumpers and he obliged. LeBron scored 40 points (15 in the fourth quarter) as the Cavaliers, fueled by a rabid home crowd that booed every move by Joakim Noah, maintained home-court advantage by beating the Bulls 112-102 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

James added eight rebounds and eight assists, just missing a triple double for the Cavs, who led 96-93 with 4:30 left before the league's soon-to-be 2-time MVP took over. When James came off the bench in the fourth, teammate J.J. Hickson touched his fingers to his forearm the same way a baseball manager would to summon his closer from the bullpen. And in came basketball's version of Mariano Rivera (though I still think Kobe is a better closer). He hit a 3 with the 6-foot-11 Noah coming at him and followed with a quick dance move and wink directed at Chicago's talkative bench. LeBron then made two free throws, a layup and two jumpers, scoring 11 straight points as Cleveland opened a 107-98 lead with 1:36 left.

Noah, who drew the ire of Cleveland fans by criticizing the city's lack of downtown activity, had 25 points and 13 rebounds. He has officially become the most hated person in Cleveland history. He dissed LeBron for his lack of professionalism while on the sidelines early in the year and now he just basically said Cleveland sucks. His exact words were, "You like it? You think Cleveland's cool? I never heard anybody say 'I'm going to Cleveland on vacation.' What's so good about Cleveland?" (obviously Joakim has never seen season 1 of 30 Rock) Derrick Rose added 23 points and Luol Deng had 20 for the Bulls, who will head home for Game 3 on Thursday night.
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With Utah seemingly running out of players, Deron Williams carried an even bigger load. Williams had 33 points and 14 assists while chalking up nearly 45 minutes to lead the Jazz to a 114-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round series. Carlos Boozer, pitched in 20 points and 15 rebounds also; as the injury-riddled Jazz tied the series before it shifts to Salt Lake City for Game 3 on Friday night.

Williams and Kyle Korver made two free throws each in the final 11 seconds to hold off the Nuggets, who had overcome a 14-point third-quarter deficit to take a 102-98 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game. And Utah was playing without two of its most experienced playoff performers in forward Andrei Kirilenko, who is out for this series with a calf injury, and center Mehmet Okur, who tore his left Achilles tendon in Game 1 and is done for the playoffs.

Carmelo Anthony was flustered all night despite scoring 32 points just 48 hours after his playoff-best 42-point performance in the opener. Melo made 14 of 15 free throws but was just 9 of 25 from the field and was whistled for four offensive fouls and he fouled out of a playoff game for the first time in his career. Anthony didn't have the open looks he did in Game 1, when he shot over his defenders. This time, Wesley Matthews and Miles were up in his face every time he took a step toward the basket.

Denver is 1-11 all-time when Melo fouls out and he was whistled for his sixth foul with 25 seconds left and the Nuggets down by a point. However, the officials blew the call. C.J. Miles had stepped out of bounds before Melo fouled him, which would have not only kept Melo in the game but Denver wold also have gotten the ball back, but the officials didn't see it and Miles made both free throws for a 110-107 lead. Each of Denver's other four starters finished with five fouls, and the Nuggets had 37 altogether. The slow-down effect of the fouls had Denver off-rhythm all night as they struggled for any sort of fluidity to their game but they were still in it in the end. Too bad some poor officiating at the end dictated who won the game. Honestly though the NBA refs do a solid job every game and they do make mistakes from time-to-time but after all they are human.

Peace and Much Love to Ya :)

*Again I apologize for the lateness of this post my internet problems have persisted for 2 days but it seems now it's all under control so I shouldn't spill over to the next day anymore.