Although I agree passing on Greg Odenwas extremely difficult to do, the Blazers should have picked based on their gut feeling in 2007 instead of their desire to go with the prevailing thought.
I understand even if Oden never lives up to expectations, the Blazers will not be blamed. Why? Because everyone in the NBA, media and fans said they should not pass up Oden and take Kevin Durant. OK, but the Blazers got a better close up and personal view during individual workouts. Because of what they saw, Durant should have been a no-brainer.
I was told by a credible Blazer source that Durant had the best workout they had ever seen. They said he passed with flying colors every obstacle they threw his way. On the other hand, Oden’s first workout was a disaster and they had to stop it and bring him back a few hours later without media watching. I will admit that should not have forced the Blazers to draft Durant, but it should have alerted them to the type of player Durant would become.
I have always been told that your first instinct is usually the best and the Blazers behind closed doors are kicking themselves for not taking Durant three years ago. Injuries can happen to anyone, so this does not play into my decision to make these statements. Oden has the same chance to get hurt as anyone else and unfortunately it’s been him on a regular basis. I still believe he will grow into an All-Star if he can ever stay healthy, but Durant was just the best choice and he is proving it every night. He’s a scoring machine and the most efficient scorer at small forward in the NBA with all due respect to Carmelo Anthony, one of my favorites.
When I first heard of the negatives attributed to Durant in terms of not being strong enough, I was in agreement that he needed more bulk to compete at the NBA level. I made a huge mistake and I should have known better. George Gervin proved that being skinny was not a hindrance back when defenders could maul you, so why did we make such an example of a 6-foot-10 kid out of Texas?
Well, there’s a pretty simple answer… We didn’ think he’d become a reincarnation of Gervin. We thought he would be a skinny Jermaine O’Neal with a jumpshot. We all understood Durant could shoot, but we thought his strength would be a problem because of his height and what position he would eventually have to play. We did not look at the ballhandling ability and the smarts he possesses and that is why he has proven us all wrong in that respect. He can play any position on the floor and therefore has become the most versatile scorer in the NBA.
There are five reasons why Kevin Durant is one of the top scorers in the game and these reasons will eventually move him into the Top 5 scorers in NBA history if he stays away from injuries.
- We already know Durant is an excellent jump shooter, but that skill alone does not make him the great scorer that he has become. Jason Kapono and JJ Redick are very good shooters, but are not and will never be big-time scorers.
Durant understands angles, timing and, most importantly, how to catch the ball in his range. These weapons make him extremely dangerous on the basketball court. Durant is a rhythm three-point shooter. That is not his strength, although defenders for the most part think it is.
This myth tends to relax defenders when Durant catches the ball below the arc, which really plays into the actual strength of his game. The key to any great scorer is the mid-range game and the rules protecting offensive players when they catch and face a defender provide a smorgasbord of points for Durant. He has mastered the Thunder’s offensive playbook and the art of receiving the ball 20 feet and in on the catch. So when he pivots towards the defender in a triple-threat position, the defender’s only option is to retreat a step and subconsciously lower arms worried about a one-dribble drive to the basket. When defenders falls into that position, they are automatically at the mercy of Durant.
His height and arm length automatically give him the confidence of knowing he will not get his shot blocked and his first step allows him the comfort of knowing the defender will not body-up on him. So Durant now has his defender on a string. If Durant threatens a drive, the defender drops his arms – thus giving up the mid-range shot. If the defender raises his arms, Durant can attack off the dribble. Most importantly, because Durant is one dribble away from a dunk, the help defenses can’t offer much help. So the defender is on Durant’s Island of Terror and that movie is R-Rated and extremely scary.
- If you are going to score over 25 points a game, you better not have a conscience. Durant has never had one. Scorers like Durant enter an arena with two thoughts in mind: 1. I want to win and 2. I want to score 50 on you in the process. When you have this thought process, you don’t carry your feelings on your sleeve. Why? Well, for one you tend to drive your coach crazy at times with ill-advised shots. You also tend to wear on fans at times if you are having an off night and they would rather have you pass than keep shooting.
The most important thing (and here is where great scorers get separation is relationship with teammates)… Scorers have to reel their teammates in with consistency and relentless effort. Scorers are not out to make friends and if they have teammates who don’t like them because of it, they just have to keep relentlessly working their approach every game. What eventually happens is those same teammates start passing the scorer the ball more than others.
Durant has had the most difficult job of any big-time scorer in the league because he is on a young team and they all have something to prove. The only player that seems to be in competition with Durant at times is Russell Westbrook, but he seemed to get on board somewhat after Durant went on that multiple run of 25-plus games. Durant, although unassuming, is an assassin and he is tough as nails when it comes to the art of scoring the basketball.
- I love Durant’s demeanor on the court. He has the same look and walk at the start of the game and at the end. He allows his game to do the talking and rarely do you see a waste of energy with excessive celebrations after a basket. Why? Because he plans on scoring a bunch, so conserving energy is a must.
You want to know the biggest advantage for a scorer like Durant? He rolls off excessive contact and he uses his energy when needed. That is the only way he can get numbers like he puts up every night. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are different scorers because they handle the ball much more than Durant. Durant is being challenged constantly with physical play and he does not buy into the confrontations. He buys into buckets!
I once had a teammate who desired to be a scorer and complained all the time. I remember we had three scorers out and the coach ran five straight plays for him and he did not get one shot off. Some players have no idea how much of an effort it is to get up 20 shots a game with defenses smothering you. Durant believes he is supposed to make baskets and the look he portrays after drilling a jumper in a defender’s face cuts deep into the psyche of any rival.
- Scotty Brooks has Coach of the Year wrapped up and personally I think he has done one of the best coaching jobs in years. This young team in Oklahoma is for real. Please name me a young team led by a third-year star with mediocre veteran help winning like this club? Brooks is doing something I have never seen. Convincing a young team to allow Durant to be the star was huge. Durant had to prove he was worthy of taking the lead and proving his coach correct and he has in a big way. I have not talked to Brooks, but I heard the only conversation Durant likes to engage in is how he can become a lock-down defender like Kobe and LeBron. The right coach can enhance a great scorer and Brooks has done it with unbelievable consistency.
- The most important piece in the maturation of this great scorer is… Teammates. They cheered him when he was on his streak of 25-point games and they stand up when he breaks ankles. That tells me Durant is grounded with his teammates. That tells me he communicates and supports them when they have success. That tells me he has ingrained in their minds that he deserves to take 20 shots per game and they should make sure he gets his touches. Most people outside of the team might think this is easy, but it is not. Egos prevail in NBA locker rooms and positioning for the next payday can interfere with making sure your strengths are taken care of on a nightly basis.
There are eight players in the NBA that I personally enjoy watching: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. I picked these players for my own personal reasons. When I first watched Durant play an AAU game five years ago in a hot gym In Houston, I knew he would be special and special he has become.
They say everyone has a twin in life. Well, George Gervin, you have found yours. Enjoy watching your clone for the next decade.
Training camps for the 2009-10 NBA season are about to begin. As we enter a new season, I would like to get the ball rolling with my Top 25 player prediction for this year. I computed last season’s accomplishments along with my thoughts on how they will perform this time. I already know a list like this one will have its disputes, but I assume that’s why we do lists. I must admit that LeBron and Kobe are apples and oranges, but in my opinion one of them is ahead by a millimeter. We have a couple of new players in the ranking and another player that fell out (Manu Ginobili). I did not rank Yao Ming because we don’t know if he will be playing this season, so with him I omitted a player that would be in the Top 10.
This will definitely be a competitive year and I expect this list to change come mid-season…
25. Ray Allen (24)
Ray had a very good year. He struggled at times in the playoffs, but in his defense he is better running off screens than spotting up. He had to stand a lot during the playoffs and he struggled at times because of it. Allen shot 4 percentage points above his career field-goal average last year. He averaged 18 points, shot 40 percent from behind the arc and nailed 92 percent of his free throws. Allen should flourish even more with Kevin Garnett back and the equally unselfish Rasheed Wallace on board.
24. Devin Harris
Speed kills and Harris has it. He jumps in at 24 and should be here to stay. Harris can get to the basket with the best of them and make his free throws at an 82 percent clip. Played only 69 games and shot a dismal 43 percent from the field, but I love his upside and I think he will flourish on a Nets team that will struggle all season. If Harris is not a Top 20 player this season, I will be disappointed.
23. Shaquille O’Neal (18)
Shaq had a great season last year in Phoenix although the Suns failed to advance to the playoffs. He was in tremendous shape and proved he can still flourish when in that condition. It will be interesting to see if he can duplicate it knowing the offense will not run through him like it did last year. I know he has his limitations on defense, but the Cavaliers have excellent perimeter defenders and his job will be much simpler than it was last year. LeBron will get him easy baskets, but the prevailing question is… Can he deal with getting out of King James’ way a majority of the time? That will be an issue on the court and in the locker room.
22. Danny Granger (23)
Granger has an old-school game in a new-school body. Takes what the defense gives him and makes you pay. 25 points per game and 87 from the line will give the Pacers a chance every night. Only played in 67 games last year and still put up crazy numbers. I would like to see his passing and defense improve before he moves into consistent All-Star category, but the Pacers have a player that will remind them of the scoring Reggie Miller left with.
21. Al Jefferson (25)
The best low-post ability in the game, when he is rolling he is virtually unguardable. The injury slowed him up, but it will not affect him because he plays below the rim. I believe he will become a better player because he will need to be more cerebral coming back from a season-ending injury. The Wolves unfortunately will still be bad for the next few years, but if Jefferson continues to grow as a player they will indeed have their cornerstone.
20. Kevin Durant
All I can say is, “League, watch out.” This young man can play and got better at a rapid pace with every game last year. George Gervin reincarnated with crazy range. At 20 years old, he poured in 25 points a game, shot 48 percent and grabbed almost 7 rebounds. He will be an All-Star the rest of his career and will flirt with the All-NBA team at season’s end. The one surprising aspect of his game that also has gotten much better is his defense. He should study film of ex NBA player Derrick McKey because he could become that type of defender before it’s over. The one area he needs to continue to grow in is leadership. He has a tendency to wander into his own world and forget about his teammates. He will move up on this list by mid-season and that’s a guarantee.
19. Steve Nash (22)
I have no idea why Nash has moved up three spots, but I suspect with the way the Suns will play again this year he will be higher come mid-season. For the third straight year he shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line (a record). All due respect to Ray Allen, but Steve Nash is by far the best shooter in the game and has been for the last six years. Nash also still found time to average 9.7 assists a game. He is the consummate professional and a teammate’s dream because he has no prejudice when he steps on the court. If you get open, you get the ball.
18. Joe Johnson (16)
Johnson, a personal favorite of mine, has probably the best handle for his size next to LeBron and Kobe. I would definitely like to see him improve his low-post game because with his passing ability he would destroy opposing defenses with the shooters he has at his disposal. Numbers tend to go down in the playoffs, which has to concern both Joe and Mike Woodson. He averaged 5 fewer points in the playoffs and if the Hawks are to get to the semifinals again this year, he has to be dynamic in the second season. Six assists a game will go up with the addition of Jamal Crawford and Joe Smith.
17. Chauncey Billups (13)
The Denver Nuggets should have given him a huge bonus, because he made them a ton of extra money that they would not have seen had they stayed put. He automatically settled them down and made them think about Team instead of I. Billups is one of the best leaders in the game and definitely one of its best clutch players. He averaged 20 points in the postseason, but ended with a whimper against the Lakers – which probably had him working out extra hard this offseason. He needs to improve his shooting when they run him off the three-point line. He shot a dismal 41 percent from the field. I expect Billups numbers to continue to go down, thus allowing players like JR Smith to take more of the load along with Carmelo Anthony.
16. Paul Pierce (11)
They call him The Truth and he has proven up to the label for 11 seasons. Pierce is definitely the go-to scorer on the Celtics and one of the best clutch players in the league, especially in the playoffs. He has been the rock for this organization and I expect him to become one of the few players to start and finish his career with the same team. The one thing I would love to see is better conditioning. There is a part of me that always feels like Pierce has never been in the type of shape that could make him have a super season instead of the ho-hum normal 20 points per game. I guess that’s just a part of me that wants to see more because he is one of my favorite people and players in the league. Dropping him to 16th was more an age thing than production, but I expect him to explode again this season with the addition of Rasheed Wallace.
15. Brandon Roy (21)
Roy is a taller version Tony Parker. He has an uncanny ability to get to the basket despite defenses gearing up against him. He has very good all-around ability, but I cringe at how he squeezes the ball for much of the shot clock. It will be interesting to see if Andre Miller can keep the ball long enough to at least run the offense before Roy runs to it and goes one-on-one. I think that selfish part of his skills needs to change early in the game to allow teammates to gain a flow. He will find out that he would become much more potent, like Kobe has found out, when he plays more of a decoy early and becomes the assassin later. I anticipate Miller having a calming influence, allowing him to flow to a much better season. That’s why I moved him up six spots. He should improve on that 48 percent percentage and score in the 23-24 range, but be fresh in the fourth quarter.
14. Chris Bosh (10)
It’s time for Chris Bosh to show that he can put a team on his back or ask management to bring in a veteran star to help him along. Bosh averaged 22 points, but shot a disappointing 48 percent. He has to develop a better low-post game and help his team get better high-percentage shots. Every year he seems to be floating further and further away from the basket. He took 49 three-point shots last year and made 12. Bosh is more of a finesse player, but the idea of improving his three-point game is the wrong road to travel. Let’s hope he has beefed up somewhat and is willing to allow his teammates to take care of the outside game. His role is to be dominant in the paint. Most importantly, I want Bosh to make Shaq change the statement he made about him last year. He called Bosh the RuPaul of big men. Bosh did not deserve that description. Let’s see if he can make Shaq look like the old man of centers.
13. Deron Williams (19)
When healthy Williams, Chris Paul and Tony Parker are the best all-around point guards at this juncture. I expect Williams to move into the Top 10 after this season if he puts in a full healthy year. He is the strongest point guard in the league and one of the best at the pick-and-roll. He will never show his true offensive skills because the Jerry Sloan system will not allow it, but his all-around abilities will propel the Jazz towards another solid season. His numbers normally escalate during the playoffs, which tells us about the toughness and confidence he possesses.
12. Amare Stoudemire (17)
How can you go from 17 to 12 after missing the last 29 games with a dangerous eye injury? Two reasons come to mind… 1. When he came back from a micro fracture surgery, we wrote him off and he became All-NBA. 2. The Suns are going back to their 7 Seconds or Less offense and Amare will be playing center. Those two reasons along with the tremendous shape he has kept his body in will propel him back up the ladder. There is no player in the NBA at Amare’s size with the quickness and explosiveness that he possesses. I expect him to average 27 to 30 points a game and help Phoenix secure a bottom playoff position this season. Also remember this is his free agent year, so expect him to be highly motivated.
11. Carmelo Anthony (14)
Anthony is the most versatile offensive forward in the game. He is listed at 230 pounds, but don’t believe that number. Anthony is packing on 240-plus and still moves like a gazelle. He can score anywhere on the floor. I don’t like his shot selection and that is why he shot 44 percent last year, but don’t get it twisted because he is a matchup nightmare. He is the best offensive rebounder in the league playing small forward when he commits himself. His post-up ability brings double teams and when he is focused, he is a pretty good defender. The Nuggets just need more leadership from him and more consistency on the offensive end every night. He is their most talented player, but he is not their best player because of these inefficiencies. I am looking for Carmelo to put it all together this season and elevate his game all-around, which would mean the Nuggets could have a return engagement with the Lakers in the Western Conference finals.
10. Pau Gasol (15)
Ok, I was wrong! I was not a big fan of the player I called the Poodle during the Celtic-Lakers Finals last year. He moves up five spots because he is the best fundamentally sound seven-footer in the league next to Tim Duncan. Gasol’s footwork is textbook and he has a great left hand that makes him virtually impossible to guard one-on-one. He showed me everything he had to in last year’s playoffs. He showed toughness, savvy, leadership and offensive consistency even when he did not touch the ball for minutes at a time. Kobe won without Shaq, but he would not have sniffed the Finals without Gasol. So I will retire the Poodle nickname and name him The Machine. The Lakers team already had that nickname for a player, but Sasha Vujacic doesn’t deserve it.
9. Tony Parker (9)
How can you be ranked number 9 and still be underrated? Will someone show me a player that can keep Parker out of the paint? Can anyone show me who finishes in traffic over bigger players more consistently at his size? I simply marvel at how good he has become in the pick-and-roll offense. There was once a time when teams would go under and dare him to shoot, but he has become a 50 percent shooter with an improved mid-range game. That improved skill will allow him to score 22 ppg consistently against anyone. Parker never gets the credit he deserves because of the greatness of Duncan, but he is the toughest player on the Spurs pound for pound without a doubt. This season might become his best because it seems as if Duncan has taken a back seat to the offensive prowess of Parker and seems content to let him shine. And shine he will.
8. Kevin Garnett (6)
When I first met Kevin Garnett, he took off his hat and said, “It’s an honor to meet you.” When I saw Garnett last year, he repeated that. Garnett is one the best leaders in sports and surprisingly always has been. I have even been guilty of being critical of his unselfishness. We will never be able to change that and I am so glad we as fans were not successful in doing so. He has been pass-first since he came into the league. He has at times deferred to players who were simple role players and at the same time ignored our bantering to shoot more. We watched him last year sit next to sweaty players in a custom-made suit on the Boston bench while he was injured. He did not isolate himself at the end of the bench. He was in the game even though he could not play and I noticed and respected him immensely for that. Who would not want to play with a superstar like him? He made Glen Davis cry last year during a game, but people don’t get fooled on why Davis was crying? I bet he cried because he was dressed down by a player that he respects to the highest level and he did not want to disappoint him. Garnett will come back with a vengeance and I expect the Celtics to return to championship form playing with the Big Ticket.
7. Dirk Nowitzki (12)
I made a mistake last season and left him off my Top 25. I corrected it right away and I think I made another mistake putting Dirk at number 12. Which brings me to the present. I am wondering if he can eventually move into the top 5. There will never be another Larry Bird. But if he isn’t close, who will? Dirk can flat out play and he works on his game. People are quick to label him soft, but tell me who gets beat up more than him and he still lights you up. I have always stood by the simple fact that great individual defense will never stop great individual offense consistently. I think Dirk proved that last year against Denver when Kenyon Martin got toasted all series long trying to guard him. The one area he needs to improve in, and it has gotten better, is his leadership. He has the talent around him to win the West, but it’s going to take a more rounded effort from him this season. I think he can pull it off. Watch out for the improved Mavericks and the best jump-shooting seven-footer in NBA history.
6. Chris Paul (3)
I love Paul. He is one of my favorite players to watch and for one reason. His leadership is off the charts and I enjoy how he directs and takes over a game with a scowl that has much bigger players paying attention. When he retires, he will have a pick of any coaching job available because of his ability to communicate and keep players in line. It was just too bad he really could not keep a healthy team on the floor last year. Losing Janero Pargo to a Greek team did not help. Paul did not fare well in the Hornets playoff loss to Denver and was embarrassed and shut down in their last two losses. I expect him to come back with a vengeance and play like a potential MVP candidate this season. His numbers offensively will probably go up unless Peja Stojakovic and David West stay healthy and perform up to expectations. If they don’t, Paul might do a Nate Archibald offensive impersonation this season and score over 25 ppg.
5. Tim Duncan (5)
Duncan is the best leader in the game and its best power forward. I can’t say enough about what a consummate professional Timmy is. Have you ever seen him take a night off? Have you ever seen him take bad shots? Have you ever seen him not be excited for his teammates? I watched David Robinson’s induction the other night and when they put the camera on Duncan, it was obvious where he got the immediate knowledge and unselfish nature from. Robinson stepped aside for Duncan and Duncan has been allowing his teammates to succeed as well with his unselfish nature. I expect Duncan to bounce back from the nagging injuries he experienced last year and help San Antonio challenge the Lakers for the Western Conference crown this year. His all-around numbers will go up, but the one category that could get them back to the Finals will be in the assists column. He averaged 3.5 last year and with the offense flowing through him that will get better.
4. Dwyane Wade (7)
Wade moves up three spots and I am sure in some fan’s eyes it was not enough. I can’t argue with that complaint. Wade is a scoring marvel. When he came into the league, he was all about getting to the basket and flying over the rim. But now he can score from anywhere with regularity. He shot almost 50 percent last year while leading the league in scoring at 30 ppg. He also impressed me by playing in 79 games, which were about 12 games over his average. The obvious reason was that Wade came into the season in great shape and he parlayed it into a career year. The Heat would have won 25 games without him and that’s why he was considered highly for MVP. Leadership will be tested this year again with so many young players and no significant additions. But one thing is for sure: South Beach belongs to Flash!
3. Dwight Howard (4)
I have Howard above Dwyane Wade for one simple reason: He changes the way teams have to defend in the paint. The second chance factor in the NBA is huge. If you give teams second and third chances to score on a consistent basis, your team will lose. Especially if it is Orlando with its plethora of scorers. Howard is so good on the offensive glass that teams don’t expect the player that’s guarding him to garner many rebounds because he has to almost face guard him. Then you put him on the defensive end and he changes the game with blocked shots and an intimidating presence. His offense will get better with improved footwork and patience and his free-throw percentage needs to move up as well. He grabs this spot because he took his team to the Finals last year. If Vince Carter fits in like he should, they might make another appearance with Superman carrying them.
2. Kobe Bryant (2)
The Black Mamba has finally did what many thought he would not be able to do… And that is winning a championship without Shaquille. He is the best offensive player and on-the-ball defender in the league. If Kobe wanted to score 40 a game, he could. But Phil Jackson has finally convinced him to share the ball and save that bottomless energy for the playoffs. Kobe is the most dedicated and smartest player I have ever seen and I wish every aspiring young basketball player could spend a day with him.
1. LeBron James (1)
I expect LeBron to continue to ascend to levels only reserved for the greats of the game. He continues to flourish every year. His shooting percentages across the board continue to grow with his all-around game. He shot 50 percent and elevated his free-throw percentage to 78 percent last season. The 35 points per game he scored in last year’s playoffs are just a sign of things to come for King James. We need to sit back and enjoy the sick individual numbers he will continue to post as his career moves along. There is no doubt he will win a championship before his career is over. Will that happen with Shaq?
In terms of this upcoming season, with New Jersey upgrading with the acquisition of Magloire at the center position, and with the Celtics getting KG and Allen, how do you see Toronto fitting into that Atlantic Division? Do you believe we were riding luck last year, or you think we can hold off these emerging teams and retain our Atlantic Division title?
I think Toronto will be improved as well. They learned a valuable experience last year. They should have beaten the Nets and just that thought should have had each of those players in the gym all summer working hard. The key will be Bosh and staying away from the injuries to key players that affected them last year. Morris Peterson’s defection to the Hornets will hurt, but the Raptors are talented enough to make a serious run at duplicating what they did last year although the competition has definitely gotten better.
How will the effect of playing for Team USA, or their respective countries, be on each of the players bodies? How much wear and tear will be done by participating in these games? Last year for the World Baseball Classic, a lot of those players saw a decrease in their performance and a physical decline towards the end of the season.
I think it does wear on you to an extent, but it all goes back to how you take care of your body. I think it will only affect the older players like Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups, but then again they did not play many minutes. I really liked how the players minutes were limited. So I don’t think it will be much of a factor during the season. LeBron is the only player that should be a little winded since his season lasted longer than any other player.
Eddie, I miss the good old days of the NBA, the days when you played and the game was physical. How do you feel when you see a hard foul in an NBA game and the player is ejected or even suspended, when if that happened back when you played, you just got two free throws and that was that? How many points a game do you think you would of scored if no one was allowed to touch you or give you a “Charles Oakley” clothesline when going into the lane?
You have gotten me so worked up now. People ask me all the time about the way the game has changed. I honestly felt it was needed, because players were becoming too sensitive. That might be the one major problem I have with players today… Why so sensitive? During my era everything was fair game including momma jokes. I tell you what, if players were as sensitive in my era as they are now, it would have been a fight every quarter. We had running dialogue all the time during the course of a game. I would have two or three trash talking conversations going on with different players all the time. The difference for us was that we did not take it personally and we used it as motivation to play even harder. Here is an example of players that I would have confrontations with every time I played them…
Xavier McDaniel and I hated each other on the court. I would be shooting and calling him a bald headed so and so at the same time he would come back and try and crack me with an elbow and then proceed to try and tear the rim down. It was vicious, but not one time did we have a fight and believe it or not we shared a drink and laughed about it during an NBA cruise during the offseason.
Larry Bird called me every name in the book when we played and I tried to reciprocate as much as I could and maintain some energy to guard him. The first time I guarded him in my career at Boston Garden he looked at me and said I am going to kick your @#$% and even during a game later in the season I popped him in the mouth with an elbow and laughed because they called a foul on him as well. He never lost his concentration and only waited till after the game to come in the locker room and drop his room key on my lap and said, “Let’s finish this at my hotel.” I reminded him of that years later and he laughed.
Lonnie Shelton was probably the quickest 6-8, 260 player I have ever seen and I hated him to guard me. He would throw me all around the court, but one night I got tired of it and I started talking about everyone in his generation to take his attention off the game. Nothing seemed to bother him till I came by the Cavalier bench and called him a fat @#$% in front of his teammates and they started laughing and he stared at me no matter where I was on the court till it really started to bother me. When he got in the game, he had nothing on his mind other than hurting me. I finally went up to him during a free throw and apologized and he said, “Cool, let’s play.” True story.
Tom Chambers and Frank Brickowski, I will mention them together because I use to get under their skin big time when they played for the Sonics. I would talk so much smack that both of them would take turns trying to pop me, but I was not stupid. I always took care of the wide bodies on my team and LaSalle Thompson and Mark Olberding would always be there to protect me. What’s so funny about those two is that in later years we would become teammates (Chambers-Suns and Brickowski-Hornets) and I consider both very good friends. They understood the method to my madness when we played together and they looked out for me as well.
Believe me, if guys were as sensitive then as they are now the league would have been out of control and David Stern would not have had one chance of turning the NBA around financially like he has done.
The only thing I will say about the defensive rule of not touching a player when he catches the ball and faces his defender is this, I would have scored at least 8 to 10 more points a game in my career. That would have put me at about 27 a game. So now what do you think Jordan would have averaged? Think about this, Jordan catches the ball 15 feet from the basket and he is allowed to turn and face the defender without the defender being able to touch him, are you kidding me. End of story!
Since you are Mr. Jumpshot, I would like to ask you about the NBA and “sidewinder” releases. Like Larry Bird and Chris Mullin, O do not square up to the basket; rather I turn about 40 to 45 degrees to the left. I think it gives a player the best chance to make the jumpshot a one-handed shot. Can I have your opinion on this release?
Hold up, you just gave me a headache. I only have an opinion about one thing when it comes to shooting and that is what’s the result? Bird, Mullin, Miller, Redd and Stojakovic were and are not text book shooters. Who cares? They have and had a great result. When I teach players, I try and work within their mechanics and go from there. I think anyone can become a very good shooter with proper understanding of why the ball has the best chance to go in. I will give no more of my secrets unless you pay or go to my website and purchase the best shooting DVD on the market!
How will Memphis Grizzlies do for the PG position with four guards (Tarence Kinsey, Damon Stoudamire, Juan Carlos Navarro and Mike Conley)?
I have no idea how they will do if Marc Iavaroni just hands the point guard duties to Conley. I do think they will have some stability if he allows Stoudamire to run the team and allow the youngsters to move slowly. The one thing Iavaroni does not want to do is alienate his scorers because he is force feeding young point guards and they are struggling to get the scorers the ball efficiently. The Grizzlies have talent, but it remains to be seen if they can develop heart and toughness to get back to the 50-win plateau again.
Am I the only one that is a little concerned about how Kevin Durant will hold up for the season? He is really good but you have to wonder, how will his skinny frame hold up over the 82-game season? As a catch-and-shoot player ( i.e. Reggie Miller) he would be OK. But let’s be real, he wasn’t drafted to be a catch-and-shoot player.
You just answered your own question. If you remember Reggie Miller early in his career, he drove the lane consistently and gave up his body and played 18 years. The offensive players in today’s game are protected and because of it Durant will be fine. He is an extremely committed young man and will get stronger and better as the season goes along.
I’ve been following the Bobcats since their inception. They appear to have done things the right way – building through the draft. They seem to have many talented players, but it can be hard to tell because so many players are young and many others have been injured. How does a team like this reach the next level? How does management or a coach decide what players are the nucleus of the team, and which ones are not (I remember Charles Barkley saying once that every NBA player is good enough to play). The next two years seem crucial to the Bobcats. What needs to happen for them to be successful?
Hopefully, Michael Jordan is allowing everyone to have a hand on decisions, which I am sure he is this time around. Luck plays a lot with getting to the next level. Assembling a team is extremely difficult because mixture can either enhance or destroy. If you look back at history, great teams have started with either the center position or the point guard position. Well, the Bobcats have neither. Yes, they can improve and win. But if they are to get out of the Eastern Conference it will have to be with the formula I just described. Emeka Okafor is not the answer at center and Raymond Felton is a stretch at the point position. Bottom line, the Bobcats need to find a way to convince some big time free agents to get on board in the next few years or they will just be termed a team that competes but comes up short.
Did you listen to some specific kind of music or song before you had to play a game?
I did not have a set order of doing things before a game. I just went with the flow. I never listened to music once I got in the locker room. That is another pet peeve of mind with today’s player. They isolate themselves from the people they are going to battle with. When I played, we talked to one another before games and not just about basketball. We would talk world issues and debate at times as well. That’s really the only part I miss about the game when I played – the fun we had in the locker room. For instance, when I played with the Charlotte Hornets in 1993, we had a fashion show before each game. Players would actually wait for you to walk in the locker room so they could dissect what you were wearing. Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues and Johnny Newman wore a different outfit for 82 games. I often wondered why Muggsy Bogues had his suits tailored when he was only 5-5 and could have bought his wardrobe at Target. They would hang up the worse outfit of the night and debate about it before our team meeting before the game. I have never laughed so hard in my life. I got to know all of those players that year because they did not isolate themselves and that was special.
I was just wondering what your thoughts are on the upcoming season for the Suns. Do you think DJ Strawberry and Alando along with Grant Hill will be enough to make up for losing Kurt Thomas and Junior or do they really need another quality big man to come off the bench before they can make it to the Finals? Also, Amare shot 66 percent from three-point land with Team USA. Are you going to give him some shooting pointers so he can become a deadly threat from anywhere on the court?
The question for the Suns this year and probably for the next three years with Steve Nash around is if they can get over the emotional hurdle the San Antonio Spurs present. That’s it! There are no other teams in the conference that can beat the Suns in a seven-game series (sorry, Maverick fans). The lost of Kurt Thomas and James Jones will hurt a lot if the Suns can’t find decent replacements. PJ Brown would be a welcome addition, but I believe he should jump in the fold now instead of during the season which is being tossed around. The hardest thing to do is come to a running team and try and catch up. Go ask Jalen Rose. If they do not get another big man, then Boris Diaw will have to play huge – which I personally believe he will this season. This will allow Amare to stay out of foul trouble and continue to dominate the paint for the Suns all season long. And yes, when the time comes he might be the second or third best three-point shooter on the roster. His mechanics are excellent.
Grant Hill will have the best season he has had since his years in Detroit. The pressure to perform and lead will not be there and so his relaxed role will pay major dividends on and off the court for the Suns this season.
The cities of Memphis and Boston are cloudy and gloomy today. Both the Grizzlies and the Celtics went through an 82-game season and finished with the worst records, but thought victory would come in the form of either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. Well, the lotto balls had another say in the matter and they came up with Portland and Seattle. I don’t know who to feel sorrier for – the two great players or the two teams they thought would have their rights.
Portland and Seattle will offer a lot of rain, long flights and very little chance at making the huge marketing dollars that I am sure Oden and Durant had envisioned playing on the middle or the East coast. But if they are thinking basketball without the distraction of the night life, then they are on the right teams.
I do feel sorry for Memphis. Oden or Durant would have raised them back to the 50-win team they were a short while ago. Plus they have struggled for so long that they really did deserve a break. If you want me to feel sorry for Boston, though, you might have to wait a long time.
The only people I feel sorry for in Boston are coaches Doc Rivers and Tony Brown. I might feel a little compassion for ex-teammate Dana Barros, who happens to live in Boston, but that’s where it stops. These people were not a part of the Celtics when they regularly beat up and embarrassed the entire league for a decade in the 80s and early 90s. Don’t even allow me to go back further when Bill Russell helped them destroy the league.
Why on earth should I feel sorry for them?
I remember when the Celtics went through the motions with Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson and Bill Walton for three quarters and then took your confidence in the fourth quarter. They would then laugh and have a good time on the bench. I saw so many highlights of the party atmosphere they used to have at the end of games it made me sick with envy.
I remember Bird coming up to me before a game my rookie year and asking me, “Are you going to be guarding me? If you are, I’m going to wear your behind out.” (I changed the wording).
He did not go back on his word that night.
I remember a few years later when I already had great self-confidence and I got the best of Bird. And to add to it, I allegedly popped him in the mouth at the end of the game. He was so confident that he walked in my locker room after the game and dropped his room key on my lap and said, “Let’s finish what you started later”.
I thought about going to his room that night, but not to fight. I wanted to get some pointers on how I could be half as good as he was.
It was that confidence from Bird and the feeling you got from the Boston fans that made you hate them with envy. The Celtics went into every season worried about one team and that was the Lakers. When you beat the Celtics, they always said they didn’t play well and it had nothing to do with who they just played.
So again, why should I feel sad for the Celtics? Don’t they have 16 championships?
Yes, I understand that the players there have nothing to do with my misery, but I just can’t help myself. I always cheer for the team that is trying to get what the other has had success in.
Heck, I even root against my hometown team Chicago Bulls. I grew up watching Bob Love, Chet Walker, Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier. But after being destroyed and dominated so many years by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, do you think I would feel sorry for the Bulls. Last time I counted, they had six championships.
I root for Utah, Memphis, Phoenix, Cleveland, Sacramento and any team that has not won a title. I never feel sorry for any team or city that has dominated like the Celtics, Lakers or Bulls.
So here is hoping that Yi Jianlian from China can become the next Larry Bird and Bostonians can say, “Look, we didn’t need that stinking lottery pick.”
Although I agree passing on Greg Oden was extremely difficult to do, the Blazers should have picked based on their gut feeling in 2007 instead of their desire to go with the prevailing thought.
In terms of this upcoming season, with New Jersey upgrading with the acquisition of Magloire at the center position, and with the Celtics getting KG and Allen, how do you see Toronto fitting into that Atlantic Division? Do you believe we were riding luck last year, or you think we can hold off these emerging teams and retain our Atlantic Division title?
The cities of Memphis and Boston are cloudy and gloomy today. Both the Grizzlies and the Celtics went through an 82-game season and finished with the worst records, but thought victory would come in the form of either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. Well, the