Will there be an NBA season?
NBA fans from all over the world are definitely suffering simply because the players and owners cannot manage to find a median when it comes to money issues. Owners feel like players are getting paid too much and players feel like they are not making enough. This issue has been around for quite some time now but only now has it actually caused the delay of the NBA season. Though there was a minor lockout in 1999, this is the first one that might prove to run throughout the whole season. This can be very bad for the sport and can actually cause a dent in the overall economy of the country.
Why is there an NBA lockout?
As simple as possible, owners simply feel like they are paying the players too much money. Though I am not sure as to what the exact details are, Derek Fisher and the players association have been trying to find a way to make the owners realize that the fans come to see the players and definitely not the owners. As some players begin to disperse and play in different countries,
Mavs without Marion take on the Warriors
Having only about a month to go before the playoffs start, the Mavs are definitely not in rhythm, a feeling that might get worse depending on the status of Shawn Marion. Returning from a hard defeat that left Marion with a hurt wrist, the Mavs will attempt to recapture a bit of momentum when they have the Warriors on Sunday with an opportunity to secure a playoffs berth.
The Mavs ( 48 – 21 ) have dropped 5 of 8 after an 18 – 1 span however they continue to be 3rd within the West. Grabbing a victory Sunday & a defeat by the Coyotes, the Mavs would secure a post-season position for the eleventh consecutive year. However, their enthusiasts may be getting worried that an additional early playoffs exit is what is in store for a club that has not made it out of the 2nd round since dropping to the Heat in the 2006 finals. Dallas’ previous 5 defeats have all come versus playoff competitors, which includes 97 – 91 to Spurs on Friday. The Mavs came back from a 40 – 22 disadvantage however ran out of gas within the last minutes.
Bobcats trying to find their groove against LAC
The Bobcats continue to be hopeful regarding their playoff opportunities in spite of current problems within a 4 game journey away from home, however their lack of depth having Stephen Jackson on the sidelines is a worry. That may not be as large an issue versus a Clippers club not having Eric Gordon. Jackson might skip a 2nd consecutive matchup Monday evening when the Bobcats host the Clippers, who’ll be not having Gordon indefinitely.
The Bobcats ( 26 – 36 ) come back to their home court following an 0 – 4 journey in which it put in 79.8 points & put in 39.7 %. The drop in scoring comes following dropping Gerald Wallace & Nazr Mohammed, who had been traded in deals February 24th. Coming off a 93 – 69 defeat at the Rose Garden vs. the Blazers on Saturday the Bobcats scoring issues were on display for all to see. Jackson rested on the sidelines having a strained left hamstring that he hurt during a 92 – 84 defeat to the Lakers on Friday.
Charlotte put in 42.6 %, bricked 9 of 10 three point shots & put in their 2nd – least points this year. Gerald Henderson put in sixteen points & D.J. Augustin put in fourteen, however Augustin had 6 of the club’s 22 turn-overs. Augustin is putting in 15.0 points the previous 4 matchups, however
Jazz cruise past the Cavs at home
The Jazz have had greater victories this year. They have had more uneven ones, as well. However maybe none had been more entertaining than Friday evening’s 121 – 99 win against the troubled Cavs. Start with the straight behind the back passes by Earl Watson & Andrei Kirilenko that ending up being Ronnie Price’s simple bucket for the Jazz during the 2nd quarter. That is, until bench player C.J. Miles after forty seconds later having a thunderous slam-dunk off a back-court turnover recovery by Watson.
Deron Williams directed Utah with twenty-six points on 10 of 15 from the floor, which includes ten points during the 1st period when Utah grabbed a 31 – 25 advantage. Miles put in twenty for Utah, who
Kobe breaks a new record Laker roll
Kobe looked at footage of Oscar Robertson while he was young, picking up some ideas of the large O’s skills to bring into his own. That is why Kobe briefly was at a had nothing to say following surpassing Robertson on the League’s career scoring list within an additional victory for the recently hot Lakers.
Bryant got twenty-five points while Climbing into 9th place in the standings, & Pau Gasol got twenty-one points & thirteen boards in the Lakers’ 3rd consecutive win, 101 – 97 against the Hornets on Friday evening.
following entering the League’s career best ten by passing Dominique Wilkins on Tuesday evening, Bryant passed Robertson with his twenty-six, 712th career point on a jump shot in the paint with 1:09 remaining within the 3rd quarter.
Bryant stated he admired Robertson’s physical stature versus smaller guards, taking them down low & hitting baseline jump shots over them. it is a method Kobe has copied through his career.
following getting a nice standing ovation from the Staples Center fan base for his record, Bryant completed 2 vital buckets during the last two minutes while Los Angeles defeated the Hornets on their home court for the 4th consecutive occasion.
LaMar Odom got seventeen points & thirteen boards for the 2 time defending champs, & Andrew Bynum put in seventeen points during LA’s 5th victory within 6 contests since he came back to the starting 5.
Los Angeles have picked up 3 contests in the previous 4 days after an embarrassing rout
Bulls maintain their dominance over the Pistons
The Bulls nearly gave up a matchup Sunday evening. At the end, however, the 2 best ballers on the court made the distinction. Carlos Boozer got thirty-one points & eleven boards, Derrick Rose put in twenty-three points & twelve boards & Chicago defeating the Pistons 95 – 92 during extra time.
Chicago may have had the contest wrapped up during regulation, however they permitted Detroit to throw up 4 attempts on their last possession. Charlie Villanueva at last converted for the Pistons, tapping in Richard Hamilton’s 2nd consecutive brick having 0.6 seconds remaining. The Bulls still completed having a big advantage on the glass, snatching 77 % of the Pistons’ bricked shot
Heat not up to the Celtics level of play yet
Fresh lineup, same issue for the Heat. They simply cannot discover a way to defeat Boston. Ray Allen sank his 1st 7 3 point attempts & finished using 35 points, & Boston didn’t trail in the 112-107 victory over the Heat on Thursday evening, defeating Miami for the 2nd occasion this year & giving them a 2nd consecutive home defeat.
Paul Pierce put in 25 points & Rajon Rondo got 16 assists, contributing to his NBA-leading total. The Celtics have picked up thirteen of the previous 14 regular-season matchups with Miami as well as getting rid of The Heat within the starting round of last year’s playoffs. Then, Boston ended the Lebron era in Cleveland two weeks later on, placing the wheels in
Mavericks edge out the Nuggets
The meeting between the Dallas Mavericks, and Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi center in Colorado this week was a wild affair that saw lead changes, great rallies, and was over all one of the most exciting games of this week. These two have been top contenders every year, and the feel in the air was more like that of a playoff game, rather than that of an early season on.
Future hall of famer Dirk Nowitzki dominated the scoring for both teams, putting up 35 points, and saving 12 rebounds en route to Dallas’ 102-101 win Wednesday night. Jason Terry, and Caron Butler also both came up big for the night, tacking on 20, and 16 points respectively Caron’s three pointer with two minutes left in the game was the pivotal play. Carmelo Anthony would attempt to rally the Nuggets one last time, nailing a dunk after a Mavericks’ shot clock violation, however it wouldn’t be enough at the end of
NBA Review – Phoenix vs Toronto October 17th
Steve Nash led the Suns with 16 points. Nash played just 27 minutes. Former Raptor Hedo Turkoglu scored just 5 points in 20 minutes. Jason Richardson and Grant Hill scored in double figures while playing limited minutes out of the starting lineup. Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick were the big stars off the bench. They each scored in double figures and played more than 20 minutes. That is a good sign for the Suns, who must fill the void of several key losses from a team that reached the Western Conference Finals. Chief among those losses is Amare Stoudemire. Warrick and Childress are key players in filling that void. The rest of the Phoenix bench offered minimal contributions.
The Raptors are a team in transition. The rest of the Atlantic Division is weak after Boston, but Toronto is coming off a disappointing season that saw them regress and miss the playoffs. Linas Kleiza led the team with 23 points. He has turned in a stellar preseason so far this year. Former number 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani added 15 points DeMar DeRozan added 14. The Toronto starters played more minutes than their Phoenix counterparts. That is no surprise as they try to gel as a unit. The Raptors bench was led by Jarrett Jack and Amir Johnson. Each scored 17 points for Toronto. Sonny Weems added 16 off the bench. Depth has been a major issue for the Raptors in recent years. The preseason has seen some improvement in that department.
The preseason has been discouraging for the Suns this year, but they still have Nash, Hill, and Richardson. If Turkoglu can regain the form he had two years ago in Orlando, he could fill the scoring void left by the loss of Stoudemire. Phoenix has the talent to stay competitive in the Western Conference, but they need to find consistency. Meanwhile, Toronto has the advantage of playing in a weaker Atlantic Division. The East is wide open after the top teams, so a playoff berth is within reach for the Raptors.
Rebuit Jazz look to claim NBA glory this year
This year Utah is looking to finally make a championship run. In the off season Utah made several changes at key positions, saying goodbye to Carlos Boozer, Kyle Kover, Wesley Matthews, and Ronnie Brewer. In their place the Jazz will be starting Raja Bell, Francisco Elson, Al Jefferson, and Gordon Hayward.
While many people feel that these changes may doom the Jazz as they attempt to build team chemistry, Jerry Sloan feels that this combination will be able to continue Utah’s tradition of hard nosed, in your face play.
In many ways this team is more balanced than the Jazz of a year before. Elson is a big man, who provides a presence up front while Okur recovers. Jefferson, who averaged 17.1 PPG for Minnesota should make a worthy replacement for Boozer. Raja Bell is a former member of the Jazz, and knows they system well. All these veterans will be surrounding the ninth overall pick in the draft, Gordon Hayward, who has shown amazing instincts and offer huge upside.
Despite the changes in the line up, this Utah team is better equipped, and healthier than a year before, look for them to make a deep run into the playoffs this year.
