Real Deal

Neither wanted to play defense, but to answer your question, most definitely. Amare can't even defend me in the post.

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I'm sure he will, but that wasn't my point. The Spurs are playing faster than they ever have. They are feeding off of Parker and Manu. It's a much different game. How much success will this team have playing one way all season long, then going back to the "Duncan halfcourt offense" they've won four championships with? They will either go back to him, or they will continue to play this way and miss his contributions in the post, and elite teams will eat that up in a seven-game series. There's more good than bad when you rest players...but there's still bad. This is going to be an issue when April rolls in. And I wouldn't consider Duncan's playoff performance (overall) at a high level when you compare it to his other performances. His career playoff average, before the last two seasons, was 23.4 PPG and 12.7 RPG. In his last two, he has failed to average 20 PPG both times, failed to grab 10 RPG both times as well. His 2.6 APG in last season's playoffs were his lowest since his rookie season. Nine straight seasons of averaging 10.5+ rebounds per game in the playoffs until his last two post-seasons (and in four of those nine, he averaged over 14, including one just three seasons back). Coincidently, those last two seasons were wins of 50 and 54, one being the worst regular season of his career and the other being the third worst. The only time Duncan never found his way out of the first round? Two seasons ago (he didn't play in 2000). Last season, he was swept in the second round, something that has never happened to him before so shortly. I don't take in much from defensive rating numbers, but it's something to consider when Duncan's defensive ratings have been their lowest in his last four seasons in the NBA, and also the case in his last two playoff appearances (which show he has been a wreck on defense in those). Third lowest FG% of his career, lowest scoring of his career, lowest minutes, second lowest rebounds, lowest shot attempts...he's being pushed completely out of the picture by a Spurs team that has its highest offensive rating since 1995, and has not seen a defensive rating under 100 for three consecutive years now, after having 10 straight years under 100 (and that's amazing). I don't know what else needs to be said. Duncan is definitely not the same, and neither is this Spurs team.

Video game KO, for sure.

Knicks' wins + Gallinari's shooting... vs. TOR: 3-9 FG, 4-4 FT, 2-5 3PT, 12 PTS vs. CHI: 7-11 FG, 6-6 FT, 4-4 3PT, 24 PTS vs. WAS: 6-13 FG, 0-1 FT, 4-9 3PT, 16 PTS vs. SAC: 4-8 FG, 16-17 FT, 3-5 3PT, 27 PTS vs. GSW: 7-15 FG, 6-6 FT, 3-5 3PT, 23 PTS vs. LAC: 7-11 FG, 13-13 FT, 4-6 3PT, 31 PTS ---------- TOTAL: 34-67 FG (50.8%), 45-47 FT (95.8%), 20-34 3PT (58.8%), 22.2 PPG Knicks' losses + Gallinari's shooting... vs. BOS: 0-6 FG, 2-2 FT, 0-3 3PT, 2 PTS vs. POR: 2-9 FG, 0-0 FT, 0-3 3PT, 4 PTS vs. PHI: 4-11 FG, 5-6 FT, 2-6 3PT, 15 PTS vs. MIL: 1-6 FG, 3-3 FT, 0-2 3PT, 5 PTS vs. GSW: 3-9 FG, 9-9 FT, 0-5 3PT, 15 PTS vs. MIN: 6-17 FG, 9-9 FT, 4-11 3PT, 25 PTS vs. HOU: 4-7 FG, 6-9 FT, 0-1 3PT, 14 PTS vs. DEN: 6-19 FG, 7-8 FT, 2-10 3PT, 21 PTS ---------- TOTAL: 26-84 FG (31.0%), 41-46 FT (89.1%), 8-41 3PT (19.5%), 12.6 PPG Just how important is Gallinari to the Knicks? Looks to be pretty important, and a big reason for their struggles so far this season.

For the sake of giving props to who actually won those games in Phoenix, can we say it was Steve Nash's system? D'Antoni's offense is the same as Nelson's, if we're talking an up and down the court, fast-paced scoring offense. Many teams run it. But if we're talking strictly the pick and roll, and the seven-second pull-up or spot-up jumpers...it's all Steve Nash. There isn't a system D'Antoni will ever run that will equal what he had in Phoenix, and it's because what he had in Phoenix was, hands down, the best system-based point guard of all-time.

It's LeBron. I know some will think Wade or Paul, and maybe it's closer than some think...but James is just the bigger game-changer. He has as many holes in his game as Wade does, but he's the better offensive player.

I shoot threes with medicine balls all the time, when I'm out practicing.

S-Jax put up a trip-doub. Didn't think he still had it in him, but Phoenix just doesn't play defense...ranked 30th (worst) in the NBA.

Knicks will take the game, but their fans can't be too mad that everyone is star-struck by Griffin right now.

That's exactly why I hate looking at boxes and posting after it. I saw a lot of the fourth, and I wanted to see what Nene was doing to Lopez. The CBS box showed 48 minutes for Lopez at the end of the game. Garbage.

Dude...I don't even know what to say.

Could've been the players, could've been Spo. Even if they did foul, that basket was going to happen because drawing up a play would've given Memphis the chance to go in the post, and it's an even easier bucket that way. Miami would rather lose on a Rudy fadeaway jumper over the reach of the Defensive God, James, than Gasol or Randolph easily dropping one in over Bosh, or hitting one free throw to win. Not to mention, Rudy would've put the ball up on the foul, gotten to the line. You could tell he was actually anticipating it right before he continued his drive, because he delayed for a second, to take that foul. You lose on a mistake like that, and it makes the team look even more fragile. And I'm sure it would be Spo's fault once again, because the idiot wanted to foul. Acknowledging that the Grizzlies deserved the win, then pointing fingers at Spo...you do that every time. Good win by Memphis, Spo didn't call for a foul at a tie game, and it wasn't Spo that started the game cold or lost that fourth quarter for them. He started Big Z again, he limited Jones after he shot and missed his six threes, limited Stackhouse because he was playing like he was 50 years old, couldn't play Haslem much because it was Udonis fouling the hell out of everyone, and that's how the Heat had a chance to win this game in the end. The real problem was the fact that the Heat didn't get to the line like they need to. LeBron had six free throw attempts, the team a total of 12. Like I've said before, when the Heat are down and about out of the game, they bend their heads down and drive to the rim. They get their fouls, and they go to the line. Because Bosh is no true post player, and both LeBron and Wade are not off-ball players, this will be one issue they will have to deal with forever. Not having a legitimate starter at the point hurts, and the same goes for the five. Miami will not be equipped to beat a contender in a seven-game series, and it has nothing to do with shooting. Jones, Arroyo, Haslem, Big Z, they can all knock down open jumpers...but it's not enough. The offense is all about the three all-stars, and the defense is all about help, instead of on-ball. It's not going to work unless LeBron treats his teammates like he did in Cleveland, and they find someone who can defend the post (like a Varejao, even). You can quote me right now, but I'll be back in this topic in June if you decide to. You took offense to what I said about them being like Cleveland. Unfortunately, they will need to be. Give that Cleveland team a Dwyane Wade who doesn't mind deferring at the right times (key point there), and all of a sudden, Cleveland has a ring.

This team doesn't even need a 30-minute Duncan, let alone one for 20 minutes. That's fantastic for the organization, and good for Tim until he's actually needed. If the idea is to play like this every night, resting Tim...they can't change their style of play. They have to keep their identity, or they will get a swift kick in the throat once they start playing out of the post every single trip down the floor during the playoffs, because Tim is definitely, 100% not the same player he was a few seasons back. It may be Tim that has to adjust, come playoff time...and I'm not sure if he can.

Lopez was pretty soft this game, but why was he playing all 48 minutes? Did he ever come out once? I don't get that. Harris has to be more aggressive, also. I know he was in foul trouble for a little bit, but once you re-enter the game, it's go time when your best teammate (Lopez) isn't exactly dominating his opponent, and getting worn down when he (Nene) was playing like he was an all-star.

Memphis was on a five-game losing streak, coming off a back-to-back where they lost against Washington just last night (who didn't have Wall). They had just four wins on the season strolling into this game as a dysfunctional team. It's not Spo's fault that Randolph and Conley (a big and a point guard) dominated the Heat, just like most talented bigs and point guards do. Knew it was going to happen since the start of the season. Every single Heat loss, you have blamed Spo. Every one of them. You have been practically begging Riles to coach this team. When LeBron complained about the minutes, you begged Riles to come and give them a kick in the ass. When they lose, you hope it's Riley coming back. Did it ever occur to you that your Heat have big, gaping holes in the roster? Like we all knew since July? If you want to blame anyone, blame Pat Riley, or start blaming the players for not being able to play their positions up to par with their "all-star counterparts."

I don't see why Spo didn't just block Rudy's shot at the end of the game.

Rudy gave him that KB jumper. Never try that again, though.

Welcome to the best.

Matt Barnes became the third player in the last 25 years to put up 20/5/5 with perfect shooting from the floor and free throw line. The other two? Charles Barkley and Gary Payton, in the mid-90's. Barnes put up 24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 0 turnovers, 2 steals, 7-7 FG, 5-5 3PT, and 5-5 FT in 24 minutes of play against the Wolves. Pretty impressive.

The lockout will be temporary, so I don't see how they would work this out. They aren't going to close it up for a full NBA season...the league would lose too much money, and so would the players. Both sides would break.

Camby or Noah are better comparisons to Rodman. Evans doesn't play much defense, and Rodman is the greatest defender of all-time.

I think the confidence would be shot having to play alongside James and Wade, because he would be expected to play in the post more. I think that's what it comes down to the most. Beasley is a small forward that can play some power forward, simple as that. In Miami, he would be playing the four OR coming off the bench. Why can't he play in Miami the same way he does in Minny? Well, because the Wolves have Love and Darko up front. Miami would run a lineup of Anthony, Beasley, LeBron, Wade and Arroyo...which would basically be a bunch of perimeter players and a stone hands center, leaving hardly any scoring in the post. Bosh is going to be the better fit in Miami, while Beasley has already found out that he's better off playing on a team that allows him to spend the majority of his time slashing to the rim and playing his defender face up, from any spot on the floor. While Bosh isn't exactly the post player I'm saying Miami needs, he's much better in the post than Beasley is, and Bosh has the ability to play the center position as well.

At his size, he was the greatest scorer of all-time. I'm not ready to call him the greatest scorer ever, though, because he didn't really have an offensive arsenal most would expect just by looking at his numbers. In all of my years of watching basketball, Iverson was at the rim more than any other point guard I've ever seen...maybe even more than any other two-guard and small forward (yes, including LeBron). The most amazing part about Iverson, though, wasn't that he could score the ball at 30 a game...it was that he could absorb all of that contact throughout his career. Shaq laid him OUT in one game, when O'Neal was with the Lakers...and I really didn't think AI would get up. I was wrong...dude popped right up, grimaced a bit, and went to the line for his free throws. This is a guy that was under 6 feet tall (yeah, they added an inch) and just 160 pounds, getting hit (maybe trucked is the better word) by a seven-footer that was around 355 at the time. If it wasn't for his body control, he would've landed like TJ Ford. Pretty crazy what he did in the pros.

He does everything, but he doesn't do it well enough to stand out. His success in college was mainly due to that, though. If you can do everything good, you're going to make it big in college basketball. Once you get to the pros, though, you have to be able to do at least one thing great to be able to stand out among the rest. You look at John Wall, for instance...he can pass, and he's one of the fastest players in the NBA. Those are two aspects of his game that translated well to the pros. Turner can score the ball, pass, defend, to the point where he looks like a poor man's Brandon Roy...but he's having to do this against 350-400 of the best players in the world, so something has to improve to the point where he's got an advantage over others in at least one department of his game.