New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

There are a couple of young and hungry wing players in the Lakers that just might break out this season. I say they will make the playoffs.
 
I didn't notice the trend but looking at the Kirk/John Wall pic kinda validates Karl's point. :D The knee paddings/wrap might as well extend all the way down to the ankle, hence making the socks negligible. :D


http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...understand-why-modern-nba-182526028--nba.html


Karl Malone doesn’t understand why all these modern NBA wimps need protective gear
Kelly Dwyer
By Kelly Dwyer 14 hours ago Ball Don't Lie

The Utah Jazz knew they were getting an irascible sort when they hired Basketball Hall of Famer Karl Malone to be their big man coach over the summer. Malone seemed to croak like a man in his 70s even in his late 20s, and that was the only facet of Malone’s game that was ahead of his time – the 1997 NBA MVP was in freakishly-good physical shape throughout his career, one that ended with Malone ranking second on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Malone was able to bash his way towards most of those 41,689 career regular and postseason points despite wearing no padding on his person, while somehow not suffering a major (or even minor, really) injury until his final season in 2003-04. With that credibility in place, Karl doesn’t really understand why the modern set needs to cloak itself in all manner of protection. From Ron Zundel and KSL.com:

"I'm not concerned with your elbow pads, your knee pads, all of your garb and your full body armor. What do you need all that for? Our soldiers need that in Iraq and they're doing a hell of a job for us. Take all that off! We don't need that. What I need you to do is show up and be ready to play. That's it.

"I had one of my ‘bigs' today and he had body armor from his thigh to his neck. I ask him what he was doing and he said he was protecting himself. I said 'Who you protecting yourself [from]?' There's no sniper in this building! Man up! If you're hurt, see the trainer and play the game.

"When I played, if you came out there with a sleeve on your elbow, I won't say 'I'm going to attack it,' but you're a wounded animal and I've got to take a stab at it. I like where we're at, but let's get rid of all that and play the game, encourage your teammates," Malone said.

To be fair, though there have been some frightening defensive budget discrepancies during this country’s conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States military isn’t exactly hurting for compression sleeves and elbow pads.

The larger point is one Karl has both created with his own words, and own actions. Some 20 years ago, there weren’t a whole lot of Karl Malones banging and driving on the NBA scene. In 2013, though, with increased weight room time and a generation’s worth of smarts in place, more and more NBA players are at least approximating Malone’s stacked frame. They may not look like carbon copies of The Mailman, but quite a few players do have season tickets to the gun show.

And when you play against a series of mini-Mailmen? You’re going to need padding. Lots of it. Maybe not this much padding:

KHJW184241948.jpg

... but some sort of protection.

Malone isn’t on board, but you’ll also have to remember that this is the man who recently bought himself a mule, obviously looking for a kindred spirit. Even if a Jazz big man like Enes Kanter (himself a Malone acolyte, in terms of getting into knockout shape, and hitting the open water with a pole) needs the protection, Karl isn’t feeling it.

Which is sort of the point of wearing that sort of protection. Someone should inform Karl about what he’s created, but that person should also attempt a tactful approach in speaking with the Jazz legend. Mules tend to kick, we hear.
 
And this can really sound ridiculous, but the new kid in town is rebuilding the C's. Everyone rainin' the 3's. :D

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/boston-celtics-could-revolutionize-nba-2013-2014-214300205--nba.html


How the Boston Celtics Could Revolutionize the NBA in 2013-2014
Yahoo Contributor Network
By Justin Haskins 15 hours ago


COMMENTARY | It may sound ridiculous, but a team most analysts expect to finish in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference could revolutionize the NBA next season under the guidance of new head coach Brad Stevens.

According to Celtics.com reporter Marc D'Amico, Brad Stevens has been running three-point shooting drills in recent practices -- with the entire team shooting from beyond the arc. That's right, every player on the team is focusing on his three-point shooting, including Boston big men Jared Sullinger, Kris Humphries, Brandon Bass and Vitor Faverani.

You may be thinking that's not a big deal; it is, after all, just practice. But looking at the box scores of Boston's first four preseason games reveals a surprising trend: Almost everyone on the roster is attempting three-point shots.

In the first four preseason games, the Celtics have attempted 96 three-point shots, 30 more than their opponents, and it's not just the usual suspects either. The 6-foot-11-inch rookie Vitor Faverani has taken 4 three-point attempts, center Kelly Olynyk has 7 attempts and forward Jeff Green has an incredible 20 three-point attempts.

Even second-year player Jared Sullinger, who weighs in at 6-9 and 260 pounds, has taken 7 attempts from deep, which is truly remarkable given that he only managed to attempt 5 three-pointers in 45 regular season games in 2012-2013.

While it's true coach Brad Stevens was quick to point out in D'Amico's story that fans shouldn't "read too much" into the three-point "contests" the team is holding in practices, it's hard not to notice that virtually every player on the roster is capable of hitting a three-pointer and is spending valuable practice time working on it.

Given the struggles the Celtics are likely to go through in 2013-2014 scoring points without Rajon Rondo to start the season, anything at this point is conceivable -- even the possibility of an offense that utilizes the three-point shooting ability of every player on the floor.

If such a strategy is implemented and does actually produce positive results, it could radically change the way teams are forced to play Boston. But even if the strategy fails, one thing is absolutely true: Brad Stevens is the kind of guy who will experiment with a team until he finds something that works.

For fans, it's great to see. The Celtics are going to be a fascinating team to watch in 2013-2014.
 
Watcing the Nets vs C's game now. It sure feels weird the first time like I'm even happy if Brooklyn makes a shot, or Pierce makes a shot or assist. :D Nets need to use Blatche to the max this season. I would love to have him as as starter on my team and this guy is just a back up. He can be a mini Hibbert (not that he's small) and be a terror both ends. With assistant coach Frank in the Nets bench, their D should be improving from last season.
 
While it's pre-season and all, I saw a stat that got me a bit worried - the Pacers are winless, till tonight, losing to the Bulls wherein DRose exploded like a Bull on fire. The C's are winless to but that is to be expected. The Pacers are very good to be reeling so I think they ought to win at least 1 going into opening day and try to get the most wins they can to secure home court. They really need home court in the event of a Heat rematch.
 
Doc might have 'endeared' himself to Celtics fans again. :D


http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...s-makes-call-cover-lakers-193736203--nba.html


Clippers coach Doc Rivers makes the call to cover the Lakers championship banners at Staples Center
Kelly Dwyer
By Kelly Dwyer 5 hours ago Ball Don't Lie

View gallery
.

The banners made their debut in an exhibition game on Friday (Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers both moved into the Staples Center during the 1999-00 season, the only NBA teams to share an arena. Since then, the Lakers have hoisted five NBA championship banners to add to their 16 in total, alongside two other conference titles in that span. In that time the team has also added two more retired numbers to the jerseys that hang at the top of the arena, bringing that total to nine, while also hoisting two tributes to the championship Minneapolis Lakers and late Hall of Fame broadcaster Chick Hearn.

In that time, the Clippers have accomplished … well, they made it to the second round a couple of times.

New Clippers coach Doc Rivers is attempting to change that. After the laissez-faire turn of former coach Vinny Del Negro, the former Boston Celtics coach has decided to instill a defensive mindset and more consistent offensive philosophy for a Clippers team that disappointed with a first round exit in last year’s playoffs. And to drive a team-first point home, he’s asked the Staples Center to cover the Lakers banners when the Clippers take hold of the arena. From the Los Angeles Times:

"Well, I didn't look at it as the banner thing," Rivers maintained. "I just look at it as putting our guys up."

[…]

"Listen, I think this is our arena when we play," Rivers said. "So I just thought it would be good that we show our guys. No disrespect to them. But when we play, it's the Clippers' arena as far as I know."

“Our guys,” in this instance, refers to banners of Jamal Crawford, Blake Griffin, J.J. Redick, DeAndre Jordan, Jared Dudley, Matt Barnes and Chris Paul being placed over all those championship remembrances and retired numbers. Rivers doesn’t want a lick of purple and gold to be seen during Clippers home games, outside of the smart alecks that still show up to Clippers games in Kobe Bryant jerseys.

It’s doubtful that players like Crawford (on his sixth NBA team) or Matt Barnes (on his eighth NBA team, and second go-round with the Clippers) will ever have their numbers retired, but in competitive terms, this hardly matters. Not only are the Clippers superior to the Lakers at present time, but the injury to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook could provide a window for a Rivers-led Clippers outfit to grab home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.

Rivers, whose Celtics defeated the Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals, probably doesn’t mind the direct Lakers-to-Clippers comparisons that will result from the covering of the Laker banners, because this year’s Lakers squad (with Kobe Bryant out for an undetermined amount of time, and Steve Nash still limping around) is a long shot to make the playoffs this year, even if they still sort of run the city.

They may run the city, but they don’t run the arena. As Clippers center DeAndre Jordan told the Times:

"You've got to give those [Lakers] guys credit. They won championships so they have the right to put them up," Jordan said. "But at the same time, it doesn't say Lakers Arena outside. It says Staples."

It’s true. Not only do the Lakers and Clippers call Staples home, but so do the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, various award functions, and the usual array of touring boffo acts. And though Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band may not mind a dangling reminder of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook, the newest Los Angeles Clippers savior is certainly allowed to balk at such a tribute – because for at least 41 nights this season, the Staples Center is Doc Rivers’ arena.

At press time, there’s no word on any Laker plans to obscure any banner the Clippers may raise in recognition of the 2013 Pacific Division title, the franchise’s only such achievement in 43 years of existence, dating back to the team’s days in Buffalo. Strangely, for a team that once counted on Michael Olowokandi to act as a franchise player, the Clippers do not have any retired numbers.
 
Steve Williams said:
I read that earlier but as a Lakers fan I just couldn't post it :)
Click to expand...

I understand your position Steve. :)

Maybe the good thing for Lakers fans is there is no retired jersey or banner on the clippers side, as the article mentioned. :)
 
I've been to at least 200 Clippers' games at Staples Center and never understood why the Clippers didn't cover the Laker banners during their home games.

Glad to see Doc did it.

They also need to re-cover the purple seats in the lower bowl !! Supposedly that was done for the LA Kings since they were the original Staples tenants. The Kings and Staples Center are owned by AEG.
 
What I still am wondering is why of all places and arenas, Donald Sterling has to choose where the Lakers play to share the arena with another NBA team. Why not play in a city of his own choice or his hometown city? He should be the only one in the NBA doing that, or maybe in all pro sports, but that is a strange thing to do. I mean had the Russian billionaire moved the Nets to the TD Garden to share the stadium with the Celtics, and call themselves the Boston NETS, boy, that would been really strange for me. :D
 
Cavs' Bynum (knee) close to practicing with team

only $12.5M guaranteed this season. I wonder if and when he will play

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cavaliers center Andrew Bynum has been playing in 3-on-3 games and is "close" to practicing with his new team.



Bynum, who did not play last season for Philadelphia because of knee injuries and surgeries, has made good progress and Cleveland coach Mike Brown said the 7-foot-center could begin practicing with the Cavaliers in the near future. Brown said Bynum looked good in half-court workouts this week and has been impressed by the former All-Star's work ethic.
Bynum sat on Cleveland's bench for the first half of Thursday's exhibition win over Pistons. Brown does not know if Bynum will be cleared in time to play in any of Cleveland's final four preseason games. The Cavs open the regular season on Oct. 30 against Brooklyn.
Bynum signed a two-year, $25 million contract with the Cavs in July. Only one year of the deal is guaranteed.
 
jadis said:
What I still am wondering is why of all places and arenas, Donald Sterling has to choose where the Lakers play to share the arena with another NBA team. Why not play in a city of his own choice or his hometown city? He should be the only one in the NBA doing that, or maybe in all pro sports, but that is a strange thing to do. I mean had the Russian billionaire moved the Nets to the TD Garden to share the stadium with the Celtics, and call themselves the Boston NETS, boy, that would been really strange for me. :D
Click to expand...

Sterling lives and operates his businesses in LA. That's where he wants the team. There was some talk a few years ago that the Clippers might move to Anaheim, down the road in Orange County, but it never worked out that way. There are somewhere around 20 million people in southern California so plenty of people and money to support both teams.

Sterling is about 78 years old so no telling what will happen in coming years.

No doubt that Lakers are a more storied franchise but its really fun to be a Clippers fan now. :D
 
WLVCA said:
Sterling lives and operates his businesses in LA. That's where he wants the team. There was some talk a few years ago that the Clippers might move to Anaheim, down the road in Orange County, but it never worked out that way. There are somewhere around 20 million people in southern California so plenty of people and money to support both teams.

Sterling is about 78 years old so no telling what will happen in coming years.

No doubt that Lakers are a more storied franchise but its really fun to be a Clippers fan now. :D
Click to expand...

good to know some info about sterling, thanks.

i'm expecting a good run this year for the clippers. they have good players, they just needed a better system and consistency. and doc is responsible for that now. i was telling my son over a clippers pre season game that i hope blake could be an unstoppable type of player someday, and soon, for the sake the cllppers fans. he is strong, fast and very athletic, but need some finesse in his moves in driving to the basket. he has to improve his post up play and shooting percentage. with that much power in his position he can be a lethal weapon for any team.
 
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