Back to broadband
Finally! After going through the horrors of dialup for a few days, I have returned to the beautiful thing that is a fat pipe. Now, for the posting.
6 (2) Pistons
Why is a Lakers comparison so apt for these switch-flippers? One Detroit observer we trust says the champs' problem is arrogance against lesser teams. Just like the old Lakers.
- Marc Stein, today's ESPN.com Power Rankings
At first I was annoyed, but there might actually be some validity to this. Their games against bad teams (like the 64-62 win at Utah) have seemed sort of like disrespect... either that or they've just had some bad games that they managed to pull out lately. I'll tell you one game they recently had that they played well against a weak team and won in... this one.
A friend pointed out to me recently something funny about Antoine Walker. In his first twelve games with the Celtics, they were 11-1 and he took a total of 30 triples, making 13 of them. That's 43.3% and only 2.5 triples a game. In his next three, the team was 0-3 and he was was 4-18 from behind the arc, for 22.2% and 6 triples a game. There MIGHT be a correlation here. In particular, he was 0-6 from behind the arc against the Pistons, one of the numerous reasons his team lost. Other reasons his team lost were their 28 personal fouls (to Detroit's 17). Granted, the Pistons were only 4-18 from behind the arc (just like Walker last three) but they did a number of other things to keep ahead. Getting 37 trips to the charity stripe is probably the one that stands out the most, where they hit 29 (78.4%). The other one would be the monster night Rasheed had, with Walker guarding him. 11-21, 11 boards and 31 points, fantastic night for the taller of the Wallaces. The shorter of the Wallaces also had a funky 7-9-6 night, while Hamilton made his glorious return with a night of 22-8-8. Every starter played at least 44 minutes, but I still think it was a nice game for the team. They play the Mavericks tonight, that preview will come in a few. In other news...
14 (13) Pacers
How good a coaching job has Carlisle done? Consider that Pacers' projected starting lineup of Tinsley,
Miller, Jackson, Foster and O'Neal has combined to play zero games together.
- Marc Stein, today's ESPN.com Power Rankings
This is wrong in multiple spots. For one, you'd think their projected starting lineup would include that guy that was Defensive Player of the Year last year. Second, his claim isn't true. Look at the starters. The guy should do some better research, I think.
20 (22) Warriors
Montgomery says Baron is getting too much credit. Huh? GS is 6-4 on the road with Baron ... and 5-21 without him.
- Marc Stein, today's ESPN.com Power Rankings
And he's 53/141 (37.6%) from the field in those ten games. Again, Stein should read and think before he speaks. It's not that I don't Stein, I think he's alright, he just need to do more thinking and less pandering to people who think points per game = everything.
Read something humourous in today's National Post's (for those unfamiliar, it's a large newspaper in Canada) sports section. There was a quote in there from somebody (sorry about the vagueness, I read it three hours ago at a restaurant) who said that the Lakers went from a must see championship team to a bad one man team. I guess the Lakers don't have anyone shooting 47.3% from the field, scoring 15 points and grabbing ten boards a game on their team. Nobody at all.
Now, for the preview. Here is the one on ESPN.com. Mavs recently massacred the Cavs, but you know how the Cavs are on the road. Pistons are of course coming off of the game described at the top. Rip Hamilton's back. The Pistons beat the Mavs 101-85 last time they played and that was in the middle of the 12-12 start... so, dismissed. Aside from that abortion the other night against Indy (where they were sans Hamilton), the Pistons haven't lost at home since January 22 against Chicago. So, I think their chances are pretty good for winning.
Last word of the post comes about Larry Brown. His return is still indefinite but Heard seems to be doing an alright job now, so I don't think it will affect the team much. So, take your time, coach.
Update: I sent Stein an email about his error, he changed the column to read "Artest" instead of "Jackson" and replied to me with:
"do you see artest's name in that lineup?
read a little closer next time"
What an upstanding guy.
6 (2) Pistons
Why is a Lakers comparison so apt for these switch-flippers? One Detroit observer we trust says the champs' problem is arrogance against lesser teams. Just like the old Lakers.
- Marc Stein, today's ESPN.com Power Rankings
At first I was annoyed, but there might actually be some validity to this. Their games against bad teams (like the 64-62 win at Utah) have seemed sort of like disrespect... either that or they've just had some bad games that they managed to pull out lately. I'll tell you one game they recently had that they played well against a weak team and won in... this one.
A friend pointed out to me recently something funny about Antoine Walker. In his first twelve games with the Celtics, they were 11-1 and he took a total of 30 triples, making 13 of them. That's 43.3% and only 2.5 triples a game. In his next three, the team was 0-3 and he was was 4-18 from behind the arc, for 22.2% and 6 triples a game. There MIGHT be a correlation here. In particular, he was 0-6 from behind the arc against the Pistons, one of the numerous reasons his team lost. Other reasons his team lost were their 28 personal fouls (to Detroit's 17). Granted, the Pistons were only 4-18 from behind the arc (just like Walker last three) but they did a number of other things to keep ahead. Getting 37 trips to the charity stripe is probably the one that stands out the most, where they hit 29 (78.4%). The other one would be the monster night Rasheed had, with Walker guarding him. 11-21, 11 boards and 31 points, fantastic night for the taller of the Wallaces. The shorter of the Wallaces also had a funky 7-9-6 night, while Hamilton made his glorious return with a night of 22-8-8. Every starter played at least 44 minutes, but I still think it was a nice game for the team. They play the Mavericks tonight, that preview will come in a few. In other news...
14 (13) Pacers
How good a coaching job has Carlisle done? Consider that Pacers' projected starting lineup of Tinsley,
Miller, Jackson, Foster and O'Neal has combined to play zero games together.
- Marc Stein, today's ESPN.com Power Rankings
This is wrong in multiple spots. For one, you'd think their projected starting lineup would include that guy that was Defensive Player of the Year last year. Second, his claim isn't true. Look at the starters. The guy should do some better research, I think.
20 (22) Warriors
Montgomery says Baron is getting too much credit. Huh? GS is 6-4 on the road with Baron ... and 5-21 without him.
- Marc Stein, today's ESPN.com Power Rankings
And he's 53/141 (37.6%) from the field in those ten games. Again, Stein should read and think before he speaks. It's not that I don't Stein, I think he's alright, he just need to do more thinking and less pandering to people who think points per game = everything.
Read something humourous in today's National Post's (for those unfamiliar, it's a large newspaper in Canada) sports section. There was a quote in there from somebody (sorry about the vagueness, I read it three hours ago at a restaurant) who said that the Lakers went from a must see championship team to a bad one man team. I guess the Lakers don't have anyone shooting 47.3% from the field, scoring 15 points and grabbing ten boards a game on their team. Nobody at all.
Now, for the preview. Here is the one on ESPN.com. Mavs recently massacred the Cavs, but you know how the Cavs are on the road. Pistons are of course coming off of the game described at the top. Rip Hamilton's back. The Pistons beat the Mavs 101-85 last time they played and that was in the middle of the 12-12 start... so, dismissed. Aside from that abortion the other night against Indy (where they were sans Hamilton), the Pistons haven't lost at home since January 22 against Chicago. So, I think their chances are pretty good for winning.
Last word of the post comes about Larry Brown. His return is still indefinite but Heard seems to be doing an alright job now, so I don't think it will affect the team much. So, take your time, coach.
Update: I sent Stein an email about his error, he changed the column to read "Artest" instead of "Jackson" and replied to me with:
"do you see artest's name in that lineup?
read a little closer next time"
What an upstanding guy.
posted by Corey at 6:31 p.m.
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