Time to start over and valuable lessons learned

Idle thoughts from a rambling mind.

Enjoy.

-

Team at the crossroad?

Would that be your San Antonio Spurs, who are on the verge of being just the second No. 1 seed to tumble to a No. 8 since the league went to the best-of-seven first-round format a decade or so ago?

They sure looked old and slow at times last night, didn’t they?

(No, I didn’t see a lot live thanks to the Dallas-Portland IGBT, but I have seen a bunch of stuff this morning).

I don’t know that there’s going to be a call for dramatic change if the Spurs don’t rally (and I don’t think anyone’s too confident they will) but seeing how Tim Duncan turned 35 yesterday, I’m thinking the move to someone else up front has to be made.

Trouble is, who?

Tiago Splitter’s been underwhelming, to say the least; DuJuan Blair is really undersized and I’m not sure where they can get some help.

We’ll delve into the dynastic qualities of the Spurs when they’re finally eliminated this year but, regardless, I still think they’re the gold standard for franchises of this era.

-

Do you think there were times this season when people in Indy and Philly might have thought:

What for?

Why sneak into the final few playoff spots just to get drilled? Why not play the kids, tank the season and build for the future?

The Pacers were 17-27 and fired Jim O’Brien; the Sixers started the season 3-13 and I can imagine more than a few people thought the best thing would be to have a so-so, season get another high draft pick and move on.

But here they are out of the lottery and I’ll tell you this:

The experience they’re getting in the playoffs is invaluable to the development of the team and when people ask me whether it’s worth sneaking into seventh or eighth just to get hammered by better teams, this is why I always say yes.

I fully expect both the Pacers and Sixers to have their seasons end tonight (no way they get road wins down 3-1) but I also think what they will have learned about playoff basketball in five games will serve them so well in the future, the fact they were quickly eliminated doesn’t matter.

-

Wow, did Canada really play the USA in the gold medal game of the women’s world hockey championships yesterday?

Whoever saw that coming?

Must have taken some monumental upsets for that one to come off, no?

-

Is there a favourite underdog?

I mean a team you can really root for passionately that you haven’t really thought much about?

I don’t think you can get all warm and fuzzy about Memphis for some reason and I don’t know that there’s a lot of love for Atlanta, to tell you the truth.

Oklahoma City’s a nominal favourite so the Thunder doesn’t count and Sixers and Pacers fighting history to come back from down 3-0 and neither really capture the imagination, do they?

So?

Portland or New Orleans, which do you like better?

Personally, I think New Orleans is a better story, continued reclamation of the city, less overall talent than the Blazers, a tougher opponent to overcome.

But it is kind of nice to have a couple of choices, no?

-

Best thing about the deluge of rain we’re getting here in Hazelville?

(Besides the flowers and the green grass and the coming spring and yadda, yadda, yadda)

Fewer walks for the wimpy Super Dog, who puts two paws on the front porch and goes, “no way, dude.”

-

Okay, we had all right attendance for the IGBT on Tuesday night, not a lot of advance warning, I guess.

So we’ll try it again tonight for the Magic-Hawks at 7, shall we?

Tell your friends, it’s a fun time in most regards.

-

My Man Griff, who made a rare appearance in the office yesterday, tells me to keep an eye on this Morrow fellow with the TOD, that he’s the next big thing.

So we should.

But if they’re going to get six runs a night, I like our chances at a fun summer.

-

Oh, those irrepressible kids.

Did Kevin Durant really show up at his post-game news conference wearing a book bag or backpack or something?

How cute.

I tell you, though, if it was a book bag, I hope inside there was a copy of “Hey, Pass Me The Ball Mr. 30 Shots Russell Westbrook!”

Really, I know Westbrook is good, among the better young point guards in the league this is one-on-five, jack-it-up-at-every-moment stuff isn’t going to fly.

-

Do you think we’ve seen now what we’ll see from Brandon Roy for the rest of his career?

Brilliance one night with a fair amount of rest and little impact the next?

I wonder how creaky those knees really are, he didn’t seem to have the “oomph” last night that he did on the weekend that’s for sure.

But, you know what?

I’m okay with him being dominant one night and so-so the next, it sure beats the alternative and if he can’t bring the same intensity, tenacity and talent every night, I’d be glad to see it every now and then.

Oh, and I am almost certain we’re going to get a Game 7 in that series. As I’ve mentioned, the Portland fans are probably the best in the league and I’m sure their energy will carry the Blazers.

And the more Game 7s we can get, the better, right?

-

Games Mondays, games Tuesdays, no chance to catch up with DWTS?

This hurts.

But I still have my money on Kirstie Alley, with Hines Ward as a close second.

All you Raptors fans should want that Romeo kid to do well, right?

You know why, of course?

Well, if you can’t figure it out, someone will help you.

Or I’ll let you know tomorrow.

-

 

 

Comments

[Stephen]

I'll bite......Isn't Romeo the son of Master P, the rapper/producer who once tried out for the Raptors......in typing this, I feel old somehow....lol

Is there a better group locked up for the long term right now then the Grizzlies? IF Gasol is retained, their core is intact for 3 more seasons at least. Wow.

Please NBA gods, do not let Tim Duncan become Shaq for his last few years. I hope he stays with the Spurs, and is not traded and re-traded over the coming seasons. He is a class act and I would hope he retires a Spur, as he really has nothing to prove.

Doug, have GM of the year votes already been taken? If so, wouldn't the Memphis GM at least be in consideration or is it based solely on regular season?

Blogger's note: We have a winner. And all balloting is done before the playoffs begin

[The J]

Forget D'Antoni, the Raps need to hire Popovich after he gets fired this week!!

[Bart]

Romeo is also good friends with Demar, supposedly he only got his scholarship at USC because they really wanted Demar to sign and they were thought of as being a package deal.

[C French]

I believe that Romeo was also the roommmate of Demar Derozan at USC...6 degrees...

[nate]

Hey Doug,

Going back to "That Draft" again: Would you (you and irregulars) rather have Classic Brandon Roy for 40-50 games or Andrea Bargnani for 75-80?

I think it's a no-brainer for Roy, who could at least get you into the playoffs in the East.

Blogger's note: I believe Andrea has still played in more post-season games than Brandon Roy, or it's a least very close

[Kent]

I find it hard to say anything bad about Popovich but I thought he underestimated the urgency of the situation last night by sticking to his regular substitution pattern. At the start of the 2nd half, Memphis jumped out to a double-digit and Manu was struggling badly. At the around the 5 minute mark of the 3rd, Manu's aggression level picked up; he hits a three and then 2 FTs to cut the lead to 5. Finally, Manu was in rhythm but then Pops took him out because it was his regular time to rest. What in the world was he doing??? Forget rest, it's the biggest game of the year! Two minutes later, Memphis's lead was back up to 10+. Pops puts Manu back in the game but his rhythm was gone and the cat was out of the bag. The series is not over though; sometimes funny things can happen when the underdog all of the sudden becomes the favorite.

[Kent]

Blogger's note: I believe Andrea has still played in more post-season games than Brandon Roy, or it's a least very close

Can you please remind me again what this random fact is indicative of? That Bosh used to play here?

[Steph]

Doug, the regular season seems to mean less in the west then the east. Does that make sense?

[Natalie Thomas]

Whats there about the Grizz to be passionate about? A team that plays the game in such a throwback style (Consistently Inside-Out) it actually stands out when one is clicking by the sports channels. Further, while I think the blue-collar team moniker in sports can be a bit tiring it is great to see two young teams (OKC) that actually seem to enjoy playing defence and putting on a good defensive show. Led by a player who, had one made a list five years ago of players least-likely to 'get it' on and off the court, would have likely competed for the top spot, Zach Randolph, a true center in Marc Gasol in an era where that position seems to be on ice and a coach Lionel Hollins who paid his dues longer than he needed to who doesnt remotely try to be a new fangled 'players coach.' And they love him for it. Throw in an emerging game-changer off the bench who scared teams away because of health issues Darrel Arthur, one of the most compelling defenders to watch in Tony Allen and the man whos come full circle to the team that drafted him, Shane Battier now the veteran, leading with timely shots an frenetic defence, whats not to love? Finally a front office with such a shambolic track record that actually parlayed the elder Gasol trade (despite the fact that they may have got more for him) into so many of the current pieces on this team (GM Chris Wallace called Pau a donor) and have paid the necessary small-market-havent-won-consistently-yet-like-San Antonio-premium to lock up their core, leaving cap room to tinker makes them, along with OKC as one of the best positioned young teams (Grizz 2nd youngest, OKC 3rd youngest in the NBA) in the western conference. The reclamation stories on the court and in the front office along with the potential for growth would be compelling enough but the way the Grizz play basketball alone is truly enough to make one passionate.

[doug]

you know when during the final 2 weeks or so of the regular season a coach says playoff match-ups don't matter, well that's just coach speak for his team to hear as he doesn't want them to go into the playoffs with any negative thoughts...but in private they know and fret about certain ones...this year we are seeing 2 teams in tough just because of match-ups....the Grizz-Spurs is a classic example, the Grizz just match-up superbly against the Spurs,,,Spurs anchored by a big man, the Grizz are also with Gasol, the Spurs run by a point guard with quicks, who can shoot and create off the dribble, the Grizz likewise with Conley, the Spurs a wildcard player in Ginobli that does a lot well, the Grizz likewise in Randolph...the Spurs have no area of strength to exploit, the Grizz match-up perfectly, and it shows, Pops knows there is nothing they can do, there toast...another match-up creating problems for a team is the Lakers-Hornets...as the Lakers can handle a lot of players, systems, etc just because of their big's and their athleticism, but the one player that gives them trouble is a point guard that can create off the dribble, slash and burn and shoot....Paul is the epitome of that type of player, and the Lakers have no way defensively to slow him down...their struggling, in my opinion they need to counter the Hornets offense with their own, they need to pick up the tempo, and just score....so match-ups are a big factor in the playoffs, Pacers-Bulls tough match-up for the Bulls, Hawks-Magic, Hawks can score, hence it's putting pressure on the Magic to respond, in tonights game the first quarter will be huge, if the Hawks come out shooting and scoring (well they'll come out shooting we all know), how will the Magic respond?/, plus having Jason Richardson will help them out quite a bit...every night in these NBA playoffs brings a new chocolate in that box Forrest talks about..

[doug]

Jared Weaver is 6-0 by April 25th....first in MLB history to do so, mighty impressive, I never thought we'd see a Denny Mclain type season in this day and age..."good pitching beats good hitting" is a so true old adage...I am enjoying the post-juiced era of baseball again, the game being played as it should be not a glorified slo-pitch game...

[Matt M]

I thought we shifted to 'should have drafted Aldrige' instead of Roy everytime Porland gets a mention in this blog. It is hard to keep up to the commentors sometimes.

[RK]

“Ron [Artest] has such a passion for the issue and has demonstrated such leadership he was a perfect choice for such a prestigious award,” said Doug Smith of the Toronto Star and president of the Professional Basketball Writers Assn. in a statement. “His work embodies the kind of dedication to important causes that NBA players have become known for.” (via LA Times)
Great choice Doug, plus it makes us Irregulars (at least this one) proud and honoured to be reading your blog. Cheers!
Oh, and the Lakers are going to three-peat, they just need a
bit of trouble and adversity to get their engines running properly.

[Lorie]

Doug!
To select Ron Artest as your association's winner of the NBA Citizenship Award is great news. (And thanks for the link @RK.) Chipping away at the societal stigma of silence surrounding mental health issues is a long, slow process. However, a person like Ron Artest, with his high profile - and passion for the cause - can shine a light not just on the need for increased funding, but also for increased understanding. Thank you and the PBWA.

[Richard]

A paragraph from an ESPN.com story I saw today:

Once you get past the shocking drop-off between the top two picks and the rest of the top 10, things do begin to look up. "I think from 10 to 35 or so, this is a pretty strong draft," one Western Conference GM told ESPN.com. "When you're picking outside the top 10, you're just looking for players who can be in your rotation. I think there are plenty of guys like that here."

2 reasons I thought to post this here. First to show that I'm not cherry-picking opinions on this draft class just to corroborate my POV. Second, to pose the question here to those staunch believers that we must use this coveted high draft pick; using the analysis by this particular GM, what should the Raptors expectations be from this draft choice if they don't get the first or second pick? Should they simply be seeking a player that will eventually be a rotation contributor? Or should they be expecting to land a high calibre impact player with this selection (potentially chosen from the 3 - 5 slot, though I'm not sure if they could fall further or not in the lottery)? I'd be interested to better understand why making the pick is an absolute "must" to some.

[Mike D.]

But Doug, if the Sixers and the Pacers had just taken a longer-term view and tanked this season, imagine how better they would look next season with their young guys more seasoned and with the addition of...er...Jimmer Fredette or Donatas Montiejunas or Bismack Biyombo!!

[Lorie]

Oh, and a DWTS tidbit: The BackStreet Boys are performing on that show tonight. Irregular numbers may be impacted. Upwards. Cause nothing says irregular like 30-yr old men who insist on calling themselves "Boys". DWTS, I'll be back when you get your groove back. Cheers!

[doug]

congrats on selecting Artest, good hearted dude who knows despite his antics at times what is important in life and what isn't...good to see him recognized for all that he does...

[Kent]

@Richard. I like your persistence. But recall what people were saying before the Lebron draft. In hindsight, that was of course one of the best drafts ever but the pre-draft talk was that after Lebron, Darko, and Melo, there wasn't going to be anybody else. Do u recall Vince shaking his head on the lottery show when he found out Toronto was picking 4th? Well, we all know now that Bosh and Wade were #4 and #5. The GM you cited probably said the same thing back then. The point is, you have to give yourself a chance to get lucky like Miami and Toronto did. Let's just hope they don't waste another lottery pick on another 7-footer who's allergic to paint.

[Dave]

Well said, Natalie Thomas. I like the Grizzlies' makeup also...Nice late draft pick in Sam Young, too...good energy off the bench. I find it tough not to like the Grizz...And I really dislike Randolph - mostly on principle - but boy does he have a nice game.

[J]

@Richard:

What Kent said. The draft is the only place where you can really get lucky. If you trade the pick, you're acquiring almost certain value, and if you are right about the draft being pointless past the top 2 picks (at least perception-wise), why would anyone trade value for our pick? It goes both ways.