What's new with the NBA? Not a whole lot

So, whither the NBA as the league gets to the halfway point?

Sure, there have been some surprises and disappointments – did you check out NBN this week – but what about the league as a whole?

Is it better off for the lockout?

Worse?

The same?

I don’t really think there’s been all that big a change at the moment and everyone who figured back in December that the league had routed the players should probably take a deep breath and re-think things.

Seems to me we’re still hearing about players bolting at the first chance they get – and I have no issue with a guy who has fulfilled his contract finding a new place to work if he so wishes – and the contract extensions we’ve seen signed are still astronomical and tend to reward future hopes than past accomplishments.

Now, this could all change in the next couple of years when a stricter tax plan comes into place but I even wonder about that. I know owners and I presume some will have no concern about blowing the bank account, which kind of defeats the purpose of the league locking players out for almost six months to level the financial playing field.

On the court?

Well, there have been more abominations of games so far this season than ever, players are too tired, too banged up, too unable to work on their games in practice because of the horrid schedule.

Yes, there have been some good games, like there always are, but I would suggest there have been more true dogs this season than ever before.

And both sides are complicit in that. The league wanted to maximize the potential for revenue by jamming 66 games in 124 days and the union went merrily along because it meant more money for the players, who are getting pro-rated shares of their salaries.

It was a two-sided cash grab with little or no regard for fans who have to shell out good money to watch bad games.

So, whither the NBA?

About the same place it was in July at the moment and they need to get this aberration of a season over with, take a summer so everyone can collect their breath and come back with some semblance of normalcy next October.

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Better get this out of the way, given where we are and all, right?

Good theme song bring back any memories of Those Of A Certain Vintage?

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No, HWSNBN never got back to me to let me know what time to show up for the big Obamafest at the house, the bum.

But I know.

I know because Barack’s plane landed about 15 minutes after ours last evening and the resulting hubbub and security concerns closed a lot of the taxiways and ramps an infrastructure at the airport and while our plane got to the gate before things were shutdown, it screwed up the luggage delivery and it had to be 55 minutes before any of us saw our suitcases.

Thanks, Barack.

Thanks, Vince.

But The Prez is a fashionably late dinner guest; he couldn’t have arrived at the posh Islesworth house ‘til almost 9 p.m.

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Why I had Air Canada, Vol. 1,290,572

Waiting to board a full jet down here, about 25 people get to walk down the ramp to the plane and all of a sudden the process comes to a screeching halt.

We wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.

Had to be 25 minutes, maybe half an hour, no one’s moving, one Air Canada guy’s on a phone, an Air Canada lady is on a walkie-talkie and we’re all getting impatient.

Wouldn’t you think one of the other three or four Air Canada people milling about would have grabbed a microphone and let us know what was going on?

Noooooo.

As a guy once told me, the official motto should be:

“We’re not happy ‘til you’re not happy.”

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I guess it’s all well and good that Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun won his appeal of the drug suspension, everyone I’ve ever spoken to who knows the game speaks of him in high regard.

Me?

I’d be far more impressed if the reason he had his 50-game suspension overturned was because of faulty science rather than some technicality in the handling of his samples.

But that’s just me, I guess.

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Hmm.

Tough night in Linsanity, wasn’t it?

He was 1-11 from the field with eight turnovers as the Heat spanked the Knicks and while I still say it’s a great, great story and I hope the kid makes a billion dollars over his career, I think we can stop all the talk about all-star status, can we?

I think more troubling for the Knicks – Lin’s a solid NBAer but that’s going to be about it – is the fact Amar’e Stoudemire looks horrible.

We saw it in Toronto when he had about half a dozen shots blocked and you could see it a bit again last night: His athleticism seems to be waning and, frankly, you take that away from him and it’s trouble.

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Last shot for mail, please.

Not sure how much time we’ve got today to do it, though. There’s a 9:15 a.m. bus to the media availability for the Kids Game tonight, a bus about 11 a.m. over to a Hall of Fame news conference to announce the finalists for next year’s class, a noon-2 media session with the players in Sunday’s game and then a bus ride back to our hotel to write.

And if any of you knows Orlando, you know it’s one of the most spread-out cities in the history of civilization, there are theme parks and amusement parks and highways, so intimacy is not a hallmark of this weekn.

But if the rain holds off, it might be nice to sit outside and type.

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Raptors?

Nary a snippet of news (no, nothing on Chandler) and this is the first weekend in the history of the franchise that they won’t have a single soul here to do anything.

Kind of refreshing; won’t have to chase HWSNBN or Bosh or some rookie or sophomore or dunker. What’s a fellow to do?

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Comments

[Peter]

I agree with you in your review of the labour negotiation, but I do think one thing has changed that may have been forgotten. The owners are now taking home a significantly larger piece of the pie. All of the negotiations last summer and fall seem to boil down to just that one fact. But I'm with you, I want to see what happens when the luxury tax rules tighten up in the upcoming seasons.

[john]

Hey Doug, When the Nicks signed Stoudemire to the big contract I thought it was a typical disaster for the franchise. He was in his sixth year playing on a knee operation that only lasts 5. To me It is unbelivable that a Franchise would take that kind of gamble on his Microfracture sugery lasting twice as long as any others. Microfracture sugery is not a permanent fix, the cushion created wears much faster that cartilage does and thats for ordinary people walking around, not for athletes pounding away daily.

Good for Amare to get his money. Great example of teams shooting themselves in the foot. The Knicks amnestied the wrong guy.

[David T (Ottawa)]

Here's a "Why I hate Air Canada no. 1,345,123"

Last Thursday I'm flying Ottawa-Toronto-Victoria, leaving around 6pm and getting in around 11:30 Pacific. I show up a little earlier than usual, go to the lounge, relax, go to the gate, the plane is delayed by 10 minutes. 10 minutes later, the plane is delayed by 10 minutes. Half an hour later the plane is delayed by ****4 HOURS****. They give an announcement saying that they are running some "re-routing software", so I don't stand in line and whine, figuring I'd catch the next flight to Toronto and sneak in on-time anyway.

Half an hour later, I stand in line to whine. They had already fully booked the next flight to Toronto and since I have to re-book for the next day, I have to go to the ticket counter. So I do and I wait.... and I wait.... total time in line: 2 1/2 hours for the privilege to move from best seats on the plane (I love Elite status - you must be Super Elite huh Doug?) to the very last seat in the back one day later. 5 day vacation turns into 4 day vacation.

At least they gave me taxi vouchers to/from my door. Too bad the taxi took 45 minutes to show up in the morning...

[Lorie]

Morning, Doug!
Oh, the memories that clip brought back! Of a simpler time - of black and white TV and where the name "Cubby" was still in vogue. Never missed that show and wanted so very badly to be one of those cool kids on it. Oh, yes, the life of a Mouseketeer was for me - but sadly I couldn't sing like Annette or dance like Darlene and my Mickey Mouse Ears were always sliding down to my shoulders as I followed along in the living room. But at the end of the show when Jimmy looked straight at me and said ..."See you real soon. Why? Because we LIKE you!"...it somehow made me feel like an honourary Mouseketeer. See if you don't feel the same way too. Enjoy Orlando! Is it in colour now?
http://youtu.be/QNK5KzI48mM

[joeu]

Good morning Doug,

regarding your comment about clubs' tending to contracts that "reward future hopes" rather than "past accomplishments", I noticed this happening in the NHL when the salary cap was introduced - instead of giving accomplished vets big contracts, and being willing to live with the possibility that they might be declining, all of the emphasis was shifted to big guaranteed contracts for the up-and-comers.

Part of this was because Free agency went from around age 30 to age 27 ( or 25 in some cases ), but with a cap it seems natural to "lock up your future" (as if) rather than to put your money on the player with potential to decline.

[David in Oakville]

Go see a man about his mouse!

The Canada & China Pavilions at EPCOT are worth the price of admission if you ask me.

[Matt M]

Of course we can all stop dubbing Linsanity an all star. It is a well known fact that all stars never have bad games and that all stars are born the second they are handed the ball and don't improve as they gain experience, especially those that play the point guard position.

[John]

Not sure if it's time to jump off the Linsanity bandwagon just yet. Remember, the kid is in his second year playing the toughest position, averaging 23-9-4 as a starter (along with an admittedly ugly 6 turnovers per) while getting the underachieving Knicks back into the playoff hunt. Sure, it's silly to be talking all-star on a 10-game sample, but given the benefit of a full training camp next year, plus giving his coach the time to tweak the offence to integrate him with Melo, and who knows where he'll be in a year or two. Remember, he's a second-year player. John Wall is averaging 16/7/5 on a 7-25 team. Just sayin' ...

[doug]

I think the whole Lin thing needs to be kept in perspective, we have a kid playing his first games in the NBA at PG in a pg driven offense as D'Antonio's is, the bigger problem to me is that it is a PG driven offense and that's why the Knicks did so well when Melo was out.......D'Antonio and Melo can't co-exist, as the offensive scheme won't be changed or can't be as D'Antonio knows no different, look at his years in Phoenix...in the last week the Knicks have added J.R. Smith, Baron Davis played last night and Melo returned, those 3 went 12-38 last night, therein lies the problem ....no flow to the offense and in watching, Lin was relegated to a bystander most of the time, D'Antonio has a problem on his hands that management has given him, i don't think he or anyone can coach themselves out of this mess unless the NBA changes the rules to allow 2-3 balls on the court simultaneously,, but in a PG driven offensive scheme the problem is magnified, this team is in trouble going forward and Lin is the least of their problems...

[Mr cook]

Hey Doug, I'm down here in Melbourne beach enjoying a vacation and I happen to win a ticket to the nba jam session so I drove up to Orlando and checked it out. Great family event--everyone I saw was having a blast, but not a great event for late-twenties nba die hards. Anyway, my real point is that, like you, I find Orlando ridiculous and if that event can be held in that space, clear on the other side of the city from the am way centre then I am here to tell you Toronto should be allowed to go as far as copps colesium if it is ever held at the acc. Truly ridiculous. Weather has been great all week btw, high twenties and sun--why did you bring the Canadian clouds down with you?

[Greg]

Thanks Doug.

Small correction, I think ...

"Why I had Air Canada, Vol. 1,290,572" = "Why I hate Air Canada, Vol. 1,290,572"

[Moshigh]

I know there has been bad games, but I think there is bad games every year and in every sport. But yes there have been games where is clear teams are gased.

As a consumer paying big money for my cable service it HAS BEEN AMAZING!!!. Every night basically 2 games.Every single night (as long as you have a decent cable package. I love it, cant say the same for my wife.

I hope D Howard finally gets traded or some other big moves, I love the non stop action of this year. Im in couple of fantasy leagues so its very entertaining!!!

If Raptors trade Calderon, they better be getting back a PG or this team will certainly fight for one of the worst records!...His value is highest, Im torn!!

[Wilber]

Come on, Doug - we're all expecting our Super Grunt to cover the Canadian Content angle in the Celebrity Game tonight. Surely Super Wife has made you watch the Property Brothers on W network?

[JHK]

Hmm.. when was the last time there was zero Raptors participant during the all-star weekend?
I can't think of it...

Blogger's note: Never

[JHK]

Was it really never?
Wow...

Blogger's note: First entirely Raptor-free all-star weekend

[Penguin]

The state of this NBA season is not the fault of the players. It's not the fault of the teams. It's not the fault of the NBA.
The fault, dear fans, lies with you. Fans are sheep and have earned the right to be treated like them.
Cancel an entire season, as did the NHL...the fans return.
Fail to complete a season, with playoffs and a championship, as did MLB, the fans return, albeit more slowly in that case and at the expense of the Montreal franchise.
Eliminate a large part of the season and really resolve nothing other than the slices of the pie, as did the NBA, and the sheep...uh, I mean fans, return to watch sloppy games being played by increasingly exhausted teams missing key players due to injuries.
This is one fan who can't help following the NBA and even watching it on TV (and loves reading your blog and other coverage), but I will not buy a ticket to a game. If I did, I would have as much contempt for myself as apparently the players, owners, and league have for the sheep who produce their revenues and inflated salaries.

[doug]

to those that want the Raps to "tank' here's a interesting snippet on the upcoming draft,watch what you wish for .. .....and as far as Braun goes come on I said this would happen the day after his "suspension' was announced, no way was he going to be suspended, none, nada and MLB can say all they want about how upset they are by this ruling....come on, if their so upset then let people know he got off on a technicality , if this was Reyes or Hanley Ramirez this would never have happened, too predictable and just to sad actually....

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/219189/NBA_GM_Not_Impressed_By_Potential_Draft_Pool

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Before anyone goes all Linsane and tries to get Lin booted off his own bandwagon, Lin-sen up – the kid's 23 and he just got here – c'mon man, he's practically Linseed. And I tend to agree with @doug that there may be trouble a'brewin' at MSG, and it has nothing to do with their newfound PG or a coach who knows how to make a PG click.
"Orlando. Is it in colour now?" Ha!!! LOL brilliant. I tended to watch the Mouseketeers because, quite frankly, Howdy Doodie and Andy Devine tended to give me the creeps. Music was just heating up in those mid-50s. Here's a good'n from that same year when Annette Funicello was a rug rat's dreamboat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT-JUj-0bg8
Cheers. Go Raps!

[Ryan]

Vince supporting Obama explains his career right there.