Suspended Warriors’ Ellis addresses mo-ped issue
Monta Ellis finally addressed his controversial mo-ped accident Monday by releasing a statement through his agent, Jeff Fried.
NBA Rumors and Players – NBA USA
NBA news, NBA rumors, and information on NBA players and NBA games. Get the latest information and news on everything NBA, plus insightful commentary from NBA fans.Archive for October, 2008
NBA Preview; Central Division
Cleveland Cavaliers
Coach: Mike Brown
Projected Finish: 57-25
Projected Starters
C – Zydrunas Ilgauskas (14.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
PF – Ben Wallace (4.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
SF – LeBron James (30.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.2 apg)
SG – Wally Szczerbiak (11.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.4 apg)
PG – Mo Williams (17.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.3 apg)
Key Reserves
G – Delonte West
F – Anderson Varejao
G – Daniel Gibson
Analysis
This team is better than the team that went to the NBA Finals in 2007. Cleveland General Manager Danny Ferry finally addressed the team’s deficiencies in the back court with the acquisition of Mo Williams. Do not be surprised to eventually see two changes eventually in the starting lineup. A back court of West and Williams will be the Cavaliers future, with Gibson as sixth man. If all is truly forgiven between Varejao and Cleveland, he will eventually be the starting power forward on this team.
Coach: Mike Brown
Projected Finish: 57-25
Projected Starters
C – Zydrunas Ilgauskas (14.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
PF – Ben Wallace (4.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
SF – LeBron James (30.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.2 apg)
SG – Wally Szczerbiak (11.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.4 apg)
PG – Mo Williams (17.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.3 apg)
Key Reserves
G – Delonte West
F – Anderson Varejao
G – Daniel Gibson
Analysis
This team is better than the team that went to the NBA Finals in 2007. Cleveland General Manager Danny Ferry finally addressed the team’s deficiencies in the back court with the acquisition of Mo Williams. Do not be surprised to eventually see two changes eventually in the starting lineup. A back court of West and Williams will be the Cavaliers future, with Gibson as sixth man. If all is truly forgiven between Varejao and Cleveland, he will eventually be the starting power forward on this team.
Detroit Pistons
Coach: Michael Curry
Projected Finish: 54-28
Projected Starters
C – Rasheed Wallace (12.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.7 bpg)
PF – Amir Johnson (3.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.5 bpg)
SF – Tayshaun Prince (13.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.3 apg)
SG – Richard Hamilton (17.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.2 apg)
PG – Chauncey Billups (17.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 6.8 apg)
Key Reserves
G – Rodney Stuckey
F – Antonio McDyess
F – Jason Maxiell
Analysis
I can not tell you how many e-mails I have received, telling me not to overlook Detroit. Does this look like I am over looking the Pistons? However, by standing still they are now looking up at Cleveland as the new power in the NBA Central Division.
Indiana Pacers
Coach: Jim O’Brien
Projected Finish: 46-36
Projected Starters
C – Jeff Foster (6.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 0.7 bpg)
PF – Troy Murphy (12.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
SF – Mike Dunleavy (19.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.5 apg)
SG – Danny Granger (19.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.1 apg)
PG – T.J. Ford (12.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 6.1 apg)
Key Reserves
G – Jarrett Jack
G – Brandon Rush
C – Roy Hibbert
C – Rasho Nesterovic
Analysis
I like what Larry Bird has done with this team in the off-season. Ford is one of the toughest players in the Association. The rookies will help become the core of a good young team. Shawne Williams gone, and Tinsley surely soon to follow, this team will be going places.
Chicago Bulls
Coach: Vinny Del Negro
Projected Finish: 40-42
Projected Starters
C – Joakim Noah (6.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.9 bpg)
PF – Drew Gooden (12.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.8 bpg)
SF – Luol Deng (17.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.5 apg)
SG – Kirk Hinrich (11.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.0 apg)
PG – Derrick Rose (Rookie)
Key Reserves
G – Ben Gordon
F – Andres Nocioni
G – Larry Hughes
Analysis
Vinny Del Negro? As coach? Why? Is John Paxson after a promising start at the helm of the Bulls turning into a clone of his brother Jim, one of the worst General Managers in the history of the Association? Hughes, hurt yet again, Rookie Rose also injured. Very strange mix of players, seems transient, does Paxson have a deal in the works?
Milwaukee Bucks
Coach: Scott Skiles
Projected Finish: 32-50
Projected Starters
C – Andrew Bogut (14.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 0.8 bpg)
PF – Charlie Villanueva (11.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 0.5 bpg)
SF – Richard Jefferson (22.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.1 apg)
SG – Michael Redd (22.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.4 apg)
PG – Luke Ridnour (6.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 4.0 apg)
Key Reserves
G – Charlie Bell
G – Joe Alexander
Analysis
New Bucks General Manager John Hammond and new coach Scott Skiles have their work cut out for them with this rebuild project. How will Jefferson, who last year became the number one option for the Nets deal with being at least second, after Redd. He might be third option after Bogut.
Eddy Curry not a D’Antoni favorite
NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.
Eddy Curry does not have the quick look
Watching the Knicks struggle last year, the games often revolved around sloppy play or selfish moves. The one area where they seemed to have some strength was down on the box with Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph. New coach Mike D’Antoni just does not see it that way. Eddy is out and small ball is in.
After playing in four of the seven Knicks preseason games (including one DNP/coach’s decision), Curry was surprised by the news that he is not part of his coach’s regular rotation.
“Definitely stunned, especially being that [D’Antoni] didn’t tell me that,” Curry said Tuesday. “I haven’t talked to him. I’m here with him every day. All he has to do is tell me. I’m definitely stunned to hear that.”
Last season, the 25-year-old Curry averaged 13.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. During the preseason, he averaged 4.3 points and 2.5 boards in nearly 14 minutes.
source
This was often a complaint when D’Antoni coached the Suns. He would go small and quick for his quick shooting offense. During the regular season the Suns would pile up the victories, but in the playoffs the lack of size often caught up with them.
Last year the Sun tried adding the Shaq to the mix to give them some size when the game went half court in the playoffs, but Shaq is kind of old now and it just did not work.
Photo source Newscom
As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.
More blogs about basketball.
Tags: basketball, eddy-curry, mike-d’antonio, nba, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Shaq, Zach Randolph
Oden sprains ankle, Portland holds breath
NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.
You would think it is the second coming of Wilt Chamberlain or would that be Arvydas Sybonis? Look that one up younger sports readers.
Portland is going crazy over Greg Oden. Anything he does is big news.
Greg sprained his ankle in practice. You would have thought the stock market crashed. Oh, that’s right, the stock market did crash.
Bad analogy.
You would have thought your grandma fell down and broke her hip or something. (hope she didn’t)
The frenzy over his ankle baffled the 20-year-old Oden (7-0, 279), who played one year at Ohio State.
“It wasn’t that bad,” he says. “I walked to the training room. I practiced the day after that.”
But given his potential — and health history, which includes 2006 surgery to repair ligaments in his right wrist, which he damaged in high school — the incident provided a glimpse into the pressures he could face in his delayed rookie year, which begins Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 ET, TNT).
Get excited over Greg Oden
Portland has reason to be excited. Greg took Ohio State to the NCAA finals in his freshman season. He doesn’t even have a lot of moves yet. There are not many true big guys in the game and let’s face it, Shaq is about done.
Dwight Howard rules the hardwood in the box and he has about two offensive moves.
Portland, you can let your breath out, Greg Oden is fine.
Photo source Newscom
As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.
More blogs about basketball.
Tags: basketball, Dwight Howard, Greg Oden, nba, ncaa, ohio-state, portland-trail-blazers
Irregular heartbeat sidelines Spurs forward Oberto
Spurs forward Fabricio Oberto will miss the first two games of the season after undergoing treatment for an irregular heartbeat.