Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Clipper Cure
By: Amil Delic
Maybe you haven’t heard but the Los Angeles Clippers have been on a tear lately. I know, who would have thought!! The curse that they have carried for so many years might have been cured. The Clipper boys have won the last 9 of 11 games and they’ve been playing basketball that would scare the poorly tailored pants off of Freddy Krueger.
The Clippers went head to head last night with the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Staple Centre and were up almost the entire game by a fair margin. Comfortable enough to sit Blake Griffin for most of the 4th quarter and rest him up for tonight’s game in Portland. Not the smartest move by Vinny D if you ask me when you consider Griffin’s streak of 28th straight double-double games coming to an end last night. What caught me off guard was Blake’s (29pts, 8reb and 6 assists) great reaction to his streak coming to an end by saying “it gives me a chance to start another streak”.
You can already tell that this guy will be a professional for many years to come. He isn’t bragging about how many points he scored or how many triple-doubles (double-doubles) he racked up during his rookie season..cough cough Brandon Jennings and Lebron James. You don’t catch Griffin talking about his personal achievement or any of his teammates singling themselves out because this team is playing as a unit and playing off one another. They only one thing on their minds and that is to make the playoffs. Last time the Clippers made the playoffs was just over 5 years ago and that was with a young Elton Brand and the very handsome Sam Cassell. Before that it was in 1997 with slam dunk champion Brent Barry and 300lbs centre Stanley Roberts. The Clippers might have made a flurry of terrible draft picks throughout the years but I think they might have hit the jackpot this time around.
The 2010-2011 LA Clippers are a very different team with Blake Griffin (Mr. Double-double), Eric Gordon (Dunk Contest?), Baron Davis (Overweight Assists Man) and Deandre Jordan (Go DJ!!) leading this franchise to a potential .500+ season and maybe a playoff berth.
This hot streak will most likely keep going as they play Blazers, Warriors, Mavericks and Rockets the next 4 games. This team is only getting better month to month and I am tuning in to every 10:30 Clippers game. Their points per game are improving every month to go along with their rebounds and assists Turnovers are down and the fouls are up due to this team’s tough play and low post physicality. This toughness has been shown against many teams in the league especially the Lakers. The chart below shows the Clippers month to month improvements:Los Angeles Clippers 2010-2011 Month Splits
Month | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TPG | FPG | A/TO | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
Oct. | 87.3 | 43 | 17.7 | 7.3 | 4 | 16.3 | 19.7 | 1.1 | .377 | .246 | .688 |
Nov. | 99.7 | 41.2 | 20.9 | 6.47 | 4.2 | 16.8 | 22.6 | 1.2 | .469 | .340 | .708 |
Dec. | 96.3 | 44.7 | 23.5 | 7.33 | 5.07 | 16.5 | 21.1 | 1.4 | .460 | .347 | .660 |
Jan. | 108.9 | 46 | 25.4 | 7.25 | 5.88 | 15.6 | 21.9 | 1.6 | .473 | .367 | .697 |
The people of Los Angeles will have a hard time picking a team. The Clips are back and Snoop Dogg probably looks better in red, blue and white anyway. Plus, Blake Griffin needs crazy fans like this one to vote him in as a starter to the All-Star game in LA February 20th.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNBsg43cdTc
Johnny's NBA All Star Selections
For the 2011 NBA All Star Game happening in Los Angeles Feb. 20th, my starting 5 as voted on NBA.com.
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
Eastern Conference Starting Forward's:
Lebron James - Because in spite of his reluctance to grow up, he is simply an amazing ball player. Lebron would be in my all time starting 5. Team Captain.
Amare Stoudemire - Because he has single handedly turned the knicks around and into an eastern playoff team. Remember back in the summer after Lebron joined Miami, everybody was saying New York was screwed with just 1 All Star and no Steve Nash to throw him assists. Amare has put this team on his back and willed them to their current position in the NBA Standings
--> These two picks are in line with the top vote getters for these positions. Lebron (1,518,807) and Amare (1,143,391)
Eastern Conference Starting Guard's:
Derrick Rose - D. Rose is simply a talent to behold. I'd love to see him win MVP and as such he's a natural All Star selection for me.
Ray Allen - Because he has the best shot in the NBA, and is one of the games most clutch players ever.
--> D. Rose (1,225,575) is the runner up to D. Wade (1,499,768) in current voting and ahead of Ray Allen (630,588) is Rajon Rondo (1,171,311).
I already picked who I think is the best player on the Heat to be an all star. & I picked whom I consider to be the superior Point Guard in D. Rose. Ray Allen might not have the legs he used to and you could argue Rondo is more important to the Celtics, but in my all star starting 5 as constructed Ray Allen is the better pick. Rondo can come off the bench (only I can't vote for bench players; only NBA coaches). Ray also gets the edge as Jesus Shuttlesworth is one of my favorite players of all time.
Eastern Conference Starting Center:
D. Howard - Because he's the best playing Center in the league!
--> Top Vote getter at this position with 1,537,619
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
Western Conference Starting Forward's:
Kevin Durant - KD's lighting up the scoreboard again! A very long, agile player. Great game and overall team attitude. Thunder up!
Blake Griffin - Based on sheer entertainment value alone Blake gets my pick. Griffin has breathed new life into the league and has been featured in every NBA highlight reel since the season began. Rarely are rookies immediate all stars, but Blake is certainly an exceptional NBA player and more than worth the vote.
--> KD is top vote getter at this position (1,270,729). Blake follows Carmelo Anthony (945, 720) and Pau Gasol (851,456) with 702,784 votes. While it might be a stretch to argue that Blake is more deserving of an all star vote than Melo or Pau. With Melo leaving Denver things are sour in Colorado and things are not just right yet in LA with the Lakers and their team game. I think Blake is doing more for his team right now, and he's leading a clipper turnaround that might take them out of the NBA basement and into the Western Conference playoffs. Blake's my all star wildcard.
Western Conference Starting Guard's:
Kobe - Still the best player in the game in spite of increasing physical limitations. & he's getting Ring #6 this year. Team Captain.
Monta Ellis - 3rd leading scorer behind KD and Amare, 2nd in steals; Ellis is logging the most minutes in the NBA and has worked harder than any other NBA player has had to all year.
--> KOBE is the leading all star vote getter (1,757,216), and Ellis isn't even inthe top 10 for western guards. I took him over CP3 (949,049), Ginobli (593,718), Nash (522,215), and D. Williams (487,887) who was my runner up for Ellis's spot. The 2nd guard position is the hardest to vote for as there are so many great players at these positions in the west.
Western Conference Starting Center:
Emeka Okafor (317, 677) - Long overdue, and the fact that when asked about finally being selected as an all star, he said he'd take the playoffs instead makes him my frontrunner for starting western center.
--> Yao Ming is leading vote getter (928, 928) at this position, but he's injured and second leading vote getter Andrew Bynum (660,576) has hardly played this year and is not an all star.
Make sure you cast your ballot. Voting is a responsibility that has been entrusted to all of us. =)
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
Eastern Conference Starting Forward's:
--> These two picks are in line with the top vote getters for these positions. Lebron (1,518,807) and Amare (1,143,391)
Eastern Conference Starting Guard's:
--> D. Rose (1,225,575) is the runner up to D. Wade (1,499,768) in current voting and ahead of Ray Allen (630,588) is Rajon Rondo (1,171,311).
I already picked who I think is the best player on the Heat to be an all star. & I picked whom I consider to be the superior Point Guard in D. Rose. Ray Allen might not have the legs he used to and you could argue Rondo is more important to the Celtics, but in my all star starting 5 as constructed Ray Allen is the better pick. Rondo can come off the bench (only I can't vote for bench players; only NBA coaches). Ray also gets the edge as Jesus Shuttlesworth is one of my favorite players of all time.
Eastern Conference Starting Center:
--> Top Vote getter at this position with 1,537,619
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
Western Conference Starting Forward's:
--> KD is top vote getter at this position (1,270,729). Blake follows Carmelo Anthony (945, 720) and Pau Gasol (851,456) with 702,784 votes. While it might be a stretch to argue that Blake is more deserving of an all star vote than Melo or Pau. With Melo leaving Denver things are sour in Colorado and things are not just right yet in LA with the Lakers and their team game. I think Blake is doing more for his team right now, and he's leading a clipper turnaround that might take them out of the NBA basement and into the Western Conference playoffs. Blake's my all star wildcard.
Western Conference Starting Guard's:
--> KOBE is the leading all star vote getter (1,757,216), and Ellis isn't even inthe top 10 for western guards. I took him over CP3 (949,049), Ginobli (593,718), Nash (522,215), and D. Williams (487,887) who was my runner up for Ellis's spot. The 2nd guard position is the hardest to vote for as there are so many great players at these positions in the west.
Western Conference Starting Center:
--> Yao Ming is leading vote getter (928, 928) at this position, but he's injured and second leading vote getter Andrew Bynum (660,576) has hardly played this year and is not an all star.
Make sure you cast your ballot. Voting is a responsibility that has been entrusted to all of us. =)
Monday, January 17, 2011
Bosh: ultra soft like Charmin?
"You've got to watch people's legs," Bosh said Saturday. "I know guys want to hustle and everything but we all want to play and provide for our families and have a job."
The play in Question:
If you ask me there's no intent on Asik's part to injure Bosh. Asik was already in the dive when Bosh stepped in front of him. Granted it looked like it hurt, but Bosh didn't really have the right to call Asik out.
Bosh for his part has gotten off to a slow start in Miami, but he has been a consistent contributor to the Heat. Everyone in TO knew he would leave to capture some more time in the spotlight. Instead, he's not even mentioned as an all star anymore and appears to be feeling sorry for himself for being exposed as a second rate all-star. Without LeBron or Wade in the lineup the Heat can't win. Can the same said about Bosh? Worse still, a lot of players are making fun of Bosh since his free agency move. I think Shaq's RuPaul comparison may have stuck. Bosh is a good guy, but in following his All Star buddies he's set him self up for every criticism coming his way.
As the old adage goes: careful what you wish for.
He's forever relegated himself to being a sidekick, or to quote Van Gundy a "lap dog." When the Heat win a championship I only expect to see Bosh's elbow on a cover of Sports Illustrated showcasing LeBron and D. Wade's Heat team.
(Note: I borrowed the Bosh Ultra Soft moniker from my boy Cortron; big shout out!)
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