30 Teams / 30 Hours: Liberty Bells
You know, one can never have too many NBA season previews. (That’s a lie.) Which is why we present another series to add to the list: The Basketball Jones’ 30 Teams in 30 Hours NBA Season Preview. Yup. It is what it is.
6:00p / Philadelphia 76ers: When I visited NBA.com to make sure I knew half the guys on this roster, there were mistakenly two Philadelphias in the Atlantic Division. That sounds about right. There will be Philadelphia A that gets off to a horrible start because “They’re young and need time to grow”. Then there will be Philadelphia B that has a solid record in the last 25 meaningless games sprouting false hope for Sixer fans next season. Four white guys is probably two too many but it will be interesting to see if Kyle Korver and Louis Amundson switch jerseys to see how many games it takes Coach Cheeks to notice. Or, maybe they did it last year and the switchback sparked the streak.
Tas says: 4th in the Atlantic
Skeets says: 5th in the Atlantic
(Don’t forget to check out today’s NBA season predictions podcast.)
Comments (1)Sixers’ Samuel Dalembert Joins Team Canada
Good news from Team Canada basketball this morning: Samuel Dalembert of the Philadelphia 76′ers is finally going to play for our senior men’s national team. (Jamie Foxx? Still undecided.)
The 26-year-old Haitian-born, Montreal-bred centre officially joined the team last night after becoming a Canadian citizen earlier in the day at a swearing-in ceremony in Hamilton, Ontario. (Ugh. Hamilton? This is the hellhole new Canadian citizens first see? Samuel, I’m sorry.)
Dalembert is a six-year NBA veteran, all with Philadelphia, who averaged a career best 10.7 points and 8.9 rebounds in the 2006-07 season. A 6’11” centre, with great athletism, Dalembert was Philadelphia’s first round (26th overall) pick in the 2001 NBA draft.
“I wanted to join the Canadian Team in 2003 but had a surgery and out for their season and so it didn’t work out,” said Dalembert. “But in the back of my mind I knew I always wanted to play for Canada and this time it worked out and just seemed to fit. To have the chance to play in the Olympics is really something special.”
This is obviously a huge addition for Team Canada, who need to try and finish in the top five of this month’s FIBA America’s Championship to even keep the Beijing Olympic dream alive. (The top two teams garner automatic berths; three-through-five will be invited to another qualifier tournament next summer.)
As Doug Smith notes in the Toronto Star this morning: Dalembert gives Canadian coach Leo Rautins an anchor for his defence and a big man who can finish around the rim. He also represents the lone NBAer on the squad because Toronto’s Jamaal Magloire blows, and Steve Nash is busy playing pick-up soccer in Central Park.
Oh Todd MacCulloch, if only you could walk away from the pinball machine. (Hell, if only you could walk!)
Samuel Dalembert Headlines Additions To Canada’s Training Team … [Canada Basketball]
Dalembert Welcomed To Team Canada [Toronto Star]
Iverson Is A Nugget!
My initial thoughts about the Iverson trade are up at the ‘House, but you can guaran-damn-tee Tas and I will be analyzing this big news in detail on tomorrow morning’s podcast.
Anyway, if you’re game, why not send in your own thoughts and concerns about the trade for the show? (It’d sure make our 5am morning a little more tolerable.)
E-mails are good; voice-mail messages are better. (#:214-5-JONES-1) Thanks in advance…
And oh, we’ll try and air/read as many as we can, so please keep ‘em crisp, clean and short…
Note: Andre Miller, Joe Smith, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, some draft picks and no ‘Zo for those two guys on the right. Amazing…
Comments (6)All About The Answer?
I’m tired of the media calling Allen Iverson selfish and greedy. Too much ‘I’ in AI? There’s obviously not enough to talk about in the L. I don’t get it. Why the hate? Iverson did request a trade. He did want a better situation for himself. He can be fiery and stubborn. And ya, he’s put up a lot of shots throughout the years, but who else was supposed to take them? Aaron McKie? Eric Snow? John Salmons? Dikembe Mutombo?
For years, Billy King has assembled role players around AI. He was the go to guy in all situations. Allen hasn’t learned, nor needed to play any other way. To call him selfish for taking a team on his back when there was no other choice for the past decade is not seeing AI for who he is. In my opinion, Iverson didn’t have anyone to share the ball with until Chris Webber came along. AI loved the idea, publicly approving for C-Webb to join him in the spotlight. Now, with the development of Andre Iguodala, Iverson has struggled to distribute and make his teammates better.
But AI has never had to make like Terrell Owens and share. The teams around him just weren’t good enough. Would a tougher coach more like Larry Brown and less like Maurice Cheeks be the answer? Maybe. It’s more than likely his new situation will show if he can become a true team player. He’ll be forced to split the limelight with other stars.
Calling him egocentric is wrong. I don’t care if he missed a team function or left practice early. It’s hard to be a good employee when you’re not wanted, and the Sixers showed no love when they shopped him in the off-season.
He can be hard-headed but there’s no doubt he’s a winner. He’s gonna have to learn to become a different kind of winner. I for one can’t wait to find out.
Comments (7)AI Gone? Blame It On The Shavlik
It just hasn’t been the same for Iverson since 76ers teammate Shavlik Randolph fractured his ankle. After the brutal event Iverson called: “The worst injury I’ve ever seen”, it almost seems like AI has been a different person – missing team functions, leaving practice early… oh wait, that’s the Allen Iverson we all know and love.
The luster of AI’s career in Philly has been dulled for a while now. The feeling his days were numbered was very apparent in the off-season when he was shopped around like one of Borat’s favourite prostitutes.
When I saw Iverson in Toronto on November 8th, it felt like a part of that tough little guy was missing. The Sixers were down 3 in the dying seconds and AI, the 2nd, raced up court and fired up a shot that clanked. Iverson sauntered to the locker room, head down. 5 days after hitting the game winning shot against the Magic it was Iverson’s heir apparent, Andre Iguodala, who got to take the important stroke.
Iverson has played second fiddle to no one in Philadelphia. It’s been his squad since he was drafted in 1996. The team is undoubtedly going in another direction. They want to start over again with younger players like Iguodala, Dalembert and Korver.
AI doesn’t like it. He truly has given his everything to the city. He has been the toughest player in the NBA for the last decade. No one has gotten hit more than Iverson. He almost brought Philadelphia a championship when he took the team on his back in 2001. He has cried on national TV, he has feuded publicly with coaches. He does it all because he loves the game of basketball and the city of Philadelphia. He has worn his heart on his sleeve and been the face of the franchise for a long time. That’s why he can’t take a back seat to anybody. There’s no way he can become a 2nd option on the only team he’s known. That’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if Peter Vescey’s report about AI asking to be traded is true.
I don’t see him as an unworthy superstar crying his way out of a situation. He’s scoring 31 points per game for Cheeks’ sake! Although he knows the team is going nowhere, he wouldn’t have a problem if he were the go to guy. Can he learn that secondary role on a new team – say if he’s traded to play with Kevin Garnett in Minnesota? Maybe, no one can be sure. I just think he’s too prideful to do it in Philly.
Comments (5)Kinda Ballin’: The AZ Rankings
When you’re on top of the rankings, you have nowhere to go but down. But when you’re at the bottom of the rankings, you just suck ass. Thus, by process of elimination, the middle of the rankings is the ideal place to be.
Every Tuesday, the AZ Rankings lists the four most ho-hum teams in the league. Why? Because mediocrity is deadly, people. Dead-ly.
Last week it was Indy, Minny, Golden State-y, and Milwaukee. This week…
14. New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets: I tried watching the Hornets play last Sunday with my dangerously hung-over friend, Ken. Ugh. The Bee’s had like, 12 turnovers in the first 9 minutes. Didn’t take long to realize watching Ken try to keep down Cheetohs, Fuzzy Peaches, and Ginger Ale was much more entertaining. (Note: Tyson Chandler’s mo-hawk is even ordinary!)
15. Washington Wizards: I feel a l’il dirty about placing my third fourth favorite team in this spot — easy, UM — but well… they deserve it. They’re playing like a bunch of rusty seesaws down by Marsh Pond. (No, not because they’re playing up-and-down, but because they smell like bird shit and kiddie pee.) Stop floundering, stop stepping backwards, and stop wasting AGENT ZERO!
16. Indiana Pacers: Uh-oh. I’ve already run out of ways to describe the Pacers’ mediocrity, even though I know they’ll be on this list every single week. Um… um… JO’s forehead looks smaller since he shaved the rows, no?
17. Philadelphia 76ers: Two things: 1) I’m sticking with my “Sixers will suck / Iverson will be traded” prediction. Yeah, don’t be fooled by the 3-3 record; this team sucks and they’ll be huffing paint in the basement with the Knicks soon enough. 2) When it’s all said and done, I think this kid’s cackle (at the :18 mark) might best sum up this Sixers season.
Comments (1)You Will Never Hear Chris Webber Sing This Song
Tas and I mentioned this briefly on our Atlantic Division podcast, but here is video of the Philadelphia 76ers rookie class singing “Lean On Me” in front of their teammates, family and coaches.
Most of the guys are pretty good sports about it — see: Rodney Carney, who even gets a hug from an overly delighted Rick Brunson: “Yo Rodney, that’s a good Rook” — but man, what the hell is wrong with young’n Louis Williams? (The guy on the far left, hiding under his hoodie.)
Yeah, apparently Williams thinks he’s a ‘lil “too cool for school” to bust out some Bill Withers with his new teammates, eh? So sad… CUT HIM!
Sixers Rookie’s Singing A Song [YouTube]
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Comments (5)Seriously, Think About It
The kind gents over at The Big Lead asked me to write an Atlantic Division preview for them a little while back. I kicked and screamed and broke three lamps, but finally caved in and did so. Anyway, it’s now up. Here’s a small sample on a toothpick:
Breakout Player: Easy. Andre Iguodola. He’s going to be sexier than a young Richard Jefferson. (Huh?)
See, that’s some deep shit right there. Read it.
NBA Preview: Atlantic Division [The Big Lead]
Comments (1)“I’m the Bad Boy flavor, light brown gators”
In his latest Insider article, John Hollinger lays the odds of Allen Iverson being traded to the Golden State Warriors for Troy Murphy, Ike Diogu, Mickael Pietrus, and Zarko Cabarkapa at about 7-1.
But let’s just say Jason Richardson decides to throw in his $800 pair of brown alligator dress shoes. You know, sweeten the pot a little.
Then what are we lookin’ at? 3-1? 2-1 odds?
I mean shit, if you’re 76ers GM Billy King, are you, or are you not just dyin’ to slip your callused feet into a fine pair of Mezlans?
Five Possible Allen Iverson Trade Scenarios [ESPN Insider]
Comments (0)Allen Iverson Talks
I Am What I Am And What I Am Is Pissed.
Recap: Power dribble right – no – bring it back – you falling … falling again – gone. Lates.
I shook you Antonio. I shook you hard like Horry did Dick. I made you bite like it was Jer-Bear’s arm.
But it ain’t nothin’ personal. Yeah, you ain’t the first and you far from the best. You gotta remember, I shook The Greatest. Shook him like the dice he rolls. Stuttered once – stuttered twice – he high-fives air – pop. Map me.
But we good champ. I dig Ohio. Yeah, I gots love for the Bowling Green even if the jerseys be orange and they ain’t got no campus lanes. Hahaha, I kid. We aight. But I’m still stinging, you know? I’m still mad.
Yeah, no lie, I saw Invites in those ankles. I saw Lithuanians, Argentineans, Commies … all of ‘em just taped up; chillin’ inside those nice mid-black socks you rock. And they broke. All of ‘em. Broke, like a Mountain silhouette on a Michael Adams throwBack. Who? What? Check the numbers. Think about it.
But those ankles broke like something else too. Yeah, those ankles broke like my heart did when that phone didn’t ring. You Nyquil’d on this one Colangelo. Got drowsy. Slept. Yeah, you’re just flat out wrong on this (no) call. Explain to me how you go and hand The Big Aristotle a ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card, while I get a ‘Go Take a Ride On The Fuck You Railroad’? I mean, how does that make sense? Shit, that hurt.
But it’s OK. We cool. In fact, maybe it’s a blessing. Yeah, while you went and slept, I’ve been awoken. It’s on now. Enough with all of this Kobe and The King and Those White Dudes talk. Yeah, it’s time. The Answer is ready.
And oh, someone better call that Luke kid, and tell him to tape up those ankles EXTRA tight. F’real.
Note: I know this post was Wizznutzzy, but damn, I like them okay?
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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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