Jun

8

Slam Dunk Central Reporter Stephen Rhodes’ 2008 NBA Mock Draft

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???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Washington Wizards

Yesterday I covered the Toronto Raptors’ draft needs and also projected who they would draft with their first-round pick.? Today, I cover the Washington Wizards’ draft needs and also predict who they will select with their first-round pick.

Washington Wizards

Draft Position - #18

Needs - Center, point guard.? The Wizards would be in relatively good shape, team-wise, if not for the fact that center Etan Thomas’ health is of great concern (heart) and other than Gilbert Arenas, I don’t see a true point guard - not that Arenas is a “true” point guard - on the Wizards’ squad.

Washington Wizards select: JaVale McGee, center, Nevada

Tomorrow: Cleveland Cavaliers

Jun

8

No More Excuses For Kerr In Phoenix

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I truly like Steve Kerr as a person! The few times that I have interacted with him during his playing days were always quite pleasant. Steve would talk to reporters whether his team won or lost, and whether he had a good or bad performance on the court. There was never a hint of attitude with Kerr, you always got the feeling he realized how fortunate he was not only to play in the Association, but to be a reserve player on two NBA Championship franchises. Kerr was a one trick pony as a player, if his feet were planted and he had enough time he was deadly from outside. For that reason he would be on the floor many times in clutch situations.

Steve was a pleasant TV analyst for NBA games on TNT, no Doug Collins (in my opinion the best on Television right now) but certainly better than Jeff Van Gundy. I was shocked when at the end of the 2006-2007 season he was named General Manager of the Phoenix Suns. The man had no front office or coaching experience, I still do not understand what Suns Team Owner Robert Sarver saw in Kerr that convinced him he was the man he wanted running his team. But apparently he thought that Steve had “The Right Stuff” because Kerr is now running the show in Phoenix.

Judging by what happened in Kerr’s first season at the helm, I am still as perplexed as I was last year at this time why Steve is at the helm. You can not give Kerr credit for the Grant Hill signing, the former Magic forward would have signed with Phoenix if I was the General Manager. Hill wanted to go to the Suns for a bunch of reasons, but none involved his belief or confidence in Steve Kerr.

The move that best signifies Kerr’s tenure last year was the ill-timed trade that brought Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix in return for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. I understood at the time, and still do the reasoning behind the trade. Kerr believes, and history backs him up that “Fast Break Basketball” will win you lots of games in the regular season, but it is a different story in the post season. Since the days of “Showtime” with the Lakers in the late 1980’s, slow down half court basketball teams have won the NBA Finals. Kerr was making the trade to defeat San Antonio late in the playoffs.

There were two flaws in Kerr’s logic, the timing and the player. The Phoenix Suns had the best record in the Western Conference at the time of the deal. They limped into the playoffs as the seventh seed. I am a big believer in chemistry in the clubhouse in professional sports, I?have been in lots of locker rooms where the talent is not the best but the whole plays better than the sum of the collective parts. Why? Chemistry, pure and simple, an all for one, one for all attitude. Subsequently, I have been in too many locker rooms where teams have amazing talent, but don’t win. The same reason applies, lack of chemistry, infighting back stabbing, cliques. Put all those factors together, you won’t win a thing. Now I don’t think that the “Big Cactus“  was a divisive presence in the club house, but the mix was now different, the chemistry was gone.

The Shaquille O’Neal of the Lakers was a dominant enough player, he may have overcome those obstacles. Even the edition that played in 2006 with the Heat, may have had enough, however O’Neal was not that player in February of 2008. He had been out since late December with a hip injury, that at the time looked career threatening. Now to their credit the Suns trainers and medical staff got the “Diesel” back on the floor, and he did actually start to resemble the Shaq of old at times. But ironically, Phoenix faced the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, and were totally over matched.

So Kerr caught a lot of flak from Owner Robert Sarver after the Suns first round exit, right? No, actually Sarver and Kerr tried to put the blame at the feet of coach Mike D’Antoni. They said the reason they lost was because D’Antoni did not stress defense enough with Amare Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa. That’s like trying to blame George W. Bush’s approval rating being below 30% is because he can’t pronounce the word nuclear! D’Antoni, nobody’s fool asked the duo for permission to talk to other teams, today as you are well aware he is the new coach of the New York Knicks.

After a month long process it was announced on Saturday that Kerr’s former teammate with the San Antonio Spurs Terry Porter will be the new bench boss for the Suns. Porter was an assistant this season, with Detroit, and a former head coach with the Milwaukee Bucks. One has to wonder, that with Joe Dumars knowing that Flip Saunders could be fired, which he was, why he allowed Phoenix to talk to Porter. If he is that good a coach, one would think that he along with Michael Curry would be candidates for the Pistons job?

But be that as it may, Kerr now has his coach, and his team. He can no longer pass the buck or dodge the blame, this team has been created on his watch. I will be curious to see just what will happen next year if the Suns make another early exit in the post season. Steve may look around for another “Fall Guy” but this time he will have to accept the responsibility, it’s time to put up or shut up.

© Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net

Jun

8

Pierce Expects To Play In Game Two

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The “Boston Globe” reported Saturday that Boston Celtics All-Star forward Paul Pierce expects to play and start, on Sunday when the “Green Team” hosts the L.A. Lakers in game two of the NBA Finals. Pierce had to be carried off the court midway through the third quarter Thursday night in game one, when he went down with a knee injury. Pierce?returned to the court a short time later with a protective sleeve on his right knee. Pierce was diagnosed with a strained knee, and it was unknown after game one whether he would be able to play Sunday. Pierce says he is about 75-80% but he believes the pain will vanish once he takes the court. Pierce told reporters “I think it’s going to be easy as far as handling it mentally. Because once you step on that court, hear the crowd, you look up and you see posters of The Finals, I’m totally going to probably forget about it. From there on, my adrenaline will probably get going. Usually you tend to forget about injuries when you’re on that court and you’re playing for something special. That’s what you dream about all your life!” Boston lead the series 1-0.

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net?

Jun

8

ESPN: Greg Oden Rehabs Injured Knee

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Jun

8

ESPN: Report: Suns To Hire Terry Porter As Head Coach

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