Quickies Slightly Less Quick Than Regular Quickies
- Watching the Detroit/Toronto game on Saturday night, you got the feel that two of the stronger Eastern Conference teams were going at it, and the Pistons knew it. Detroit knows how to turn it on for big games and the play of the Raps recently made this match-up a pretty big deal for the Motowners. They wanted this game; they weren’t ‘bout to let these new kids on the block get a win in their barn. All you have to do is look at the way Rasheed Wallace stepped up. ‘Sheed balls whenever the hell he wants and he showed up big time for this one. He displayed why he is arguably the best defensive power forward in the game as his pestering of Chris Bosh had a lot to do with the un-Bosh like performance. As for the Raptors, they played admirably and hung on right to the end, which was especially impressive because it was the 2nd half of a back-to-back. To be playing this well with so many new parts and young players 50 games in to their 1st season together leaves a lot to the imagination of Raps fans.
- There was a former Raptor who got lots of camera time last night – an event very unfamiliar to him. Rafael Araujo, also known as The Cock of Bab-Rob, was ejected for fouling Marvin Williams kinda sorta hard in the Hawks-Jazz tilt. Araujo’s arm made contact with Marvin’s face but it was incidental and it shouldn’t have got the big man bounced. It’s not interesting that the Jazz’s 12th player was tossed but what is interesting was the response by the Utah crowd. They gave him a loud ovation that made him blush just a little bit. It was nice to see Hoffa get some love – everyone who has ever been around him has only kind words to share. Jerry Sloan compared his work ethic to Stockton and Malone and he’s even seen the court a little bit lately. Araujo didn’t get a fair shake in Toronto. He was always booed mercilessly because of his association with the Babcockian era.
- As for the Jazz, they can run like a pack of really fast jungle animals (imagine the fastest creature you can think of, cause I can’t think of a single one). Paul Millsap is a freakin’ specimen, Deron Williams has gotten in to some serious game shape, everyone knows how athletic Andrei Kirilenko can be, Mehmet Okur is the prototypical center for the new NBA, Carlos Boozer has great agility to go along with that hulking size, Matt Harpring is a spark plug, and on and on and on. Watching them dismantle the Hawks at breakneck speed was beautiful to watch. The Jazz have always been looked at as a tough, physical team, but they have adapted and added the finesse game as well.
Quickies: “Sussudio” Comes Post-Game
- Michael Redd likes spaghetti and meatballs; Brian Skinner enjoys fishing; Mo Williams listens to Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” before every game. You’re welcome. [JSOnline.com]
- Unknown Jazz players questioned about possible assault … because they’re black! [DesertNews.com]
- Gerald “Crash” Wallace has a “No Diving Zone” sign up in his locker-room. Cute. Think Adam Morrison has a “No Dumping” one? [Charlotte Observer]
- I hate Pepsi, Steve Larmer in NHL ’94, interpretive dance, and Grant Hill’s foot. [Orlando Sentinel]
- The Old Man and the Flea musical will be played by Clifford Robinson and Allen Iverson. [NBA.com]
Quickies: Does He Still Have The ‘Fro?
- Don’t sleep on Josh Childress; do sleep on his ‘fro. [AJC.com]
- Raptors go Mel Gibson-y on Maccabi Tel-Aviv; win 118-84. [TheStar.com]
- Quite possibly the
greatestonly Tim McCormick flash animation ever. [Pride & Passion]
- BORIS HEAVY ROCKS!!! Diaw reportedly agrees to 5-year extension. [ESPN.com]
- Hilarious Jamaican Tour Guide: “Like Shaggy would say, ‘It wasn’t me.’” [FileCabi.Net] (thx Steash)
- Happy Birthday, Detroit Bad Boys … and Happy Brithday, Sactown Royalty too! [Detroit Bad Boys & Sactown Royalty]
Quickies: Party On, John!
- This is not The Greatest Song in the World. This is just a tribute. [WIZZNUTZZ]
- If things go according to plan, the Clippers will add 8 or 9 wins and 75 pounds in the month of January. [ClipperBlog.com]
- Who is playing Big Buck Hunter with the Milwaukee Bucks roster? First Bogut; now Bobby Simmons. [ESPN.com]
- Josh Howard: “Pay me my money, bitch!” [DallasNews.com]
- The San Antonio Spurs have a 40-foot-long bus shrine called the “Spurs Experience”. Um, does that mean it’s a boring ride? [MySanAntonio.com]
- Raptor drops ladder on young girl; hurts dino-mascot-balls in process. [TheStar.com]
Quickies: Andre Miller’s Pregnant
- Andre Miller is pregnant. Pass it on. [DenverPost.com]
- Joe Johnson on the new ball: “It’s definitely going to take some getting used to, like anything else. The good thing is I’ve already got a built in excuse if my [jump shot] isn’t falling.” [AJC.com]
- 10 pounds lighter, the Grizzlies starting center spot is Jake Tsakalidis’ to lose. That shouldn’t be hard. [CommercialAppeal.com]
- With Stephen Jackson off in court — packing heat, no doubt — who is the Pacers starting two-guard? Marquis Daniels? James White? Cabbage? [Pacers Insider | IndyStar.com]
- I may have read this wrong, but I think Marbury’s new wife is Isiah Thomas. [New York Times]
- Finally, The Uwe Blab Confab (fantasy) team has been set. Unfortunately, we had the 11th pick out of 12 teams. Fortunately, Tas and I are awesome. Anyway, peep our roster, and let us know what we did right/wrong. Here she be:
(11) Y. Ming
(14) S. Nash
(35) G. Wallace
(38) P. Stojakovic
(59) C. Butler
(62) C. Webber
(83) R. Bell
(86) A. Harrington
(107) E. Jones
(110) Mo. Williams
(131) P. Brown
(134) C. Mobley
(155) Anthony Parker
Quickies: WWAKD?
- Forget Jesus, What Would Andrei Kirilenko Do? [UtahJazz.com]
- Merry Christmas, new Bucks jerseys! [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
- The Grizzlies need to change their playing style, halftime shows and concession service to keep people in the seats. So what’s their new advertising campaign? Oh, “Dunkyland”, of course. [CommercialAppeal.com]
Dunkyland? Are you serious? Who got paid for this amateur hour bullshit? And hey, what was so wrong with their halftime shows in the first place? Yeah, I’m sorry, but this is fucking mint:
- The Black President, Gilbert Arenas has parted ways with his agent, Dan Fergen. Early rumors say, “the tiger told him to do it.” [RealGM]
- C’mon, Julius, shake it off already. (I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Get better, champ.) [RockyMountainNews.com]
- If the Spurs lose any preseason games in France it’s because Coach Popovich is drunk off wine. [MySA.com]
Quickies: Yao, Vanna White Style
- Dwight Howard — aka ‘Sergeant Snap’ — thinks the Magic can go to the Finals this year. I have no comment. (And oh, I’m slightly reading between the lines here, but it’s sounds like The Man-Child is going to be 2K Sports next cover boy.) [Orlando Sentinel]
- Chuck Klosterman on this year’s playoffs: “People overestimated the idea of the ‘team concept’, so when it got to Wade and Shaq (in the Finals), you get to that last tier, and it’s who has the guy that the other team can’t stop.” [Undeclared — SLAM!]
- As a Radio & TV grad, there’s little I love more than new basketball commercials. Check it: “[Amare] Stoudemire joined teammates Shawn Marion and Steve Nash and NBA stars Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal, Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce and Rasheed Wallace for the photo shoot to introduce the new Nike ‘Air Force One.’ The commercial was shot in an airplane hangar with the players decked out in flight suits before playing basketball.” [East Valley Tribune]
- Paging Paul Lukas: The Raptors unveil their new-look; The Wizards rumored to be introducing an alternate — black and gold — road jersey. I like; sounds sort of pimp. [TheStar.com & The Washington Times]
- Stromile Swift is back in Memphis. Cool, cool… wait, when did he leave? [CommercialAppeal.com]
- Dear Sirius, when the f you going to return our calls? Look, if you don’t want The Jones on satellite radio, just tell us. [Uncrate]
- Update: Wow, I just pledged my (2nd) allegiance to the Rockets and look what happens! Bonzi agrees to a two-year, $5M deal with Houston. [ESPN]
Quickies: Karl Malone Keeps On Truckin’
- Allegations against Karl Malone of bribery, perjury, racketeering and unjust enrichment dismissed from court. Allegations of Karl Malone actually being white sustained. [Basketbawful]
- Look away Hornets fans: “Tyson [Chandler] turned the rock over on 21.5 percent of the possessions he participated in (the second-worst mark in the league, behind Michael Ruffin).” Bleck. There’s three words you never want to hear–behind Michael Ruffin. [Dwyer / SI.com]
- Nets president Rod Thorn: Vince Carter is “happy”; rookie Josh Boone is “frisky”. Good to know. [ESPN]
- “We’re back” translated all WizzNuttzy: “Like Negative Approach at T&G’s 25th anniversary party, WIZZNUTZZ IS BACK IN ACTION LIKE MAHALIA JACKSON!!! EVEN THOUGH SHE’S DEAD!!!” Ch’eng-Huang, I’ve missed them. [WizzNutzz]
- That’s a lot of deutsche marks, ya! Mavericks give Dirk three-year, $60M extension; will play in Dallas through 2011-12. [The Dallas Morning News]
- Today’s weather forecast: Showers, easterly winds, and an 80% chance of very dangerous rip cunts. [BREAK.com]
Quickies & TCK Update
- Washington’s Verizon Center now prohibits fans from bringing food into the arena. Peter John Ramos cries, “But what about my pastelillos?” [WashingtonPost.com]
- Willie Green makes “significant donation” to alma mater to renovate men’s locker room. The only thing I ever “donated” to my high school’s locker room was farts. [Philly.com]
- “CP3 is getting old.” Um… yeah… and I’m getting younger and more handsome. Regardless, Coach Byron Scott’s mission in training camp is to keep Paul’s minutes down. [NewsOK.com]
- “If Amare’s knee resembles the result of an 87-year-old who has lost his dentures, the Suns will muddle in the midsection of the Pacific.” Tom Ziller — of fame — previews the Pacific Division. [The Big Lead]
- Kobe’s Knee Knupdate: It’s getting better, but I think he said he’s going to play this season with his ears. That cocky, son-of-a-bitch… [ESPN]
- Here’s a nice, winter t-shirt line from the gents at Kindred Market. (Note: I have no idea what makes them “winter t-shirts”; I just made that up.) [via Dethroner]
- I think Weird Al’s spoof of Chamillionaire’s Ridin’ Dirty is the best one he’s ever done. [Break.com]
- TCK Update, Game 3: Our rec league team, Touching Chris Kaman absolutely crushed the opposition last night. 43-26, I think the final score was. Yeah, not much to write about really, but let’s just say we had a 3-on-1 fast break every second play. It was dirty. Current record: 2-1.
Quickies: Flamboyant Cubs
- Word out of Memphis is that the Griz will play a more up-tempo style of ball with their Gay and Pau-less bears this year. (Oh my, paw-less — that’s mint.) [CommercialAppeal.com]
- Josh Howard and the Mavs provided $30,000 to upgrade an outdoor basketball court in Howard’s hometown Winston-Salem over the weekend. Coach Avery Johnson, also in attendance, helped “break the court in” by punching every last kid in the nuts. [ESPN.com]
- Those GSoM boys love their rumors. The latest one: Dunleavy and Pietrus to the Bobcats for Gerald “Multiplicity” Wallace and Melvin Ely. [Golden State of Mind] (Update: If Bonzi Wells takes the Cats 2-yr. deal, this trade could have legs.)
- Why haven’t scientists turned Grant Hill into the Bionic Man yet? I mean, he’s got six million dollars, right? Well then what the fuck is taking so long? [Orlando Sentinel]
- Try to guess which team has made the most off-season moves this summer. Nope, not Toronto. (Close though.) It’s the NOOCH. Yeah, the Hornets have lost 10 players, and added 9. [NewsOK.com]
- I can’t stop watching this “Little Superstar” video. Seriously. It is… um… it is… oh, just watch it, OK? [YouTube]
- Finally, only about 4 hours left at the name our fantasy team polls. As of 8:30pm EST, the standings look like this: The Basket-Pals (14 votes), Driving Mr. Eddie Griffin (13), and The Uwe Blab Confab (12). So get your votes in quick if you’re a fan of the latter two. [The Basketball Jones]
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The Basketball Jones is a NBA blog and podcast, written and recorded five times a week by J.E. Skeets, Tas Melas and Jason Doyle. Comments, questions and cold hard cash are always welcome and much appreciated. Contact us.
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