Hi Hater

You see me...

This win doesn’t really prove anything for the Heat. They still can’t beat a good team.

I mean how good are the Lakers really? 

Weren't we just saying before the all-star break how old they looked and how much trouble they were in? Who cares if they beat the Spurs by thirty, now that they lost to the reeling Heat (again), we see the Lakers for what they really are.

I wouldn’t be surprised if that is the reaction today in the wake of Miami’s win last night.

Because if there is one thing that has been consistent this season, it’s been the hate the Heat have faced.

I went onto the NBA.com Blogtable yesterday before the game to read the responses of their seven contributing writers when asked who would win last night’s match-up.

ALL of them said the Lakers.

Really? Everyone?

Not at least one of them could have said there is no way the Heat lose 6 in a row?

Not at least one of them could have said that the Heat would respond to all the vitriol they have been facing and use this game as a statement of their own?

I call that kicking a team when it’s down.

And yes, the Miami Heat were down after losing 5 in a row. Something was wrong and I’m not sure what it was. But that doesn’t mean armageddon is coming just yet.

The amount of hating the Heat have faced this season, both team wise as well as individual players, is - to borrow a Kobe IV catch phrase - venonomenal. 

Let me inject a dose of reality into some of these haters.

The Heat have been playing “horrible” lately …and they still have the 6^th best record in the NBA. They had lost 5 in a row, and still only have one more lose than the Lakers, three more loses than the Bulls and Mavs.

Dwayne Wade

Has faced the least amount of criticism of everyone. And why not? He has already one a chip on his own and he did nothing wrong in the off-season. After all, there is a sense that this is still really his team, and that he is the best clutch performer on it.

His numbers have been fabulous. Why wouldn't they be? He is one of the top three players in the world. Not much really to hate here, but I’ll use his stats in comparison to LeBron’s in a little bit.

Chris Bosh

Boy has this guy has received a lot of hate.

I’ve heard people call him a "bum" ad nauseam.

A bum? Really?

This guy is giving the Heat great production - averaging around 18 points and 8 rebounds while shooting close to 50% from the field. 

To me that is amazing.

Why you ask?

For basketball players, its pretty hard to play with someone who jacks you out of the game (for those not familiar with the term ‘jack’ it means to jack up shots. Someone who jacks or is a jacker shoots excessively without any conscience and has no idea of what the word ‘pass’ means). It is really hard to find your rhythm playing with a jacker, mostly because of how incensed they make you by their audacity to take horrible shots in copious amounts.

It’s hard enough to play with one jacker, now imagine playing with TWO.

And that is what Chris Bosh has to do. 

Now of course I am joking when I refer to LeBron and Wade as jackers, but the truth is they have the ball in their hands a majority of the time and are both taking a lot of shots. By being the best players on their team, let alone in the world, that is something they SHOULD be doing. But it doesn't mean it's easy for someone like Chris Bosh to adjust to, especially when he is used to having the ball in his hands.

In truth, Bosh complements either Wade or LeBron well, but perhaps it's tough for him to complement BOTH at the same time. It would be great if the Heat had more of a beast that doesn't need the ball to be effective but rather just finishes around the rim and hits the boards to get double-doubles - kind of like a Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Kevin Garnett, Amar'e or even David Lee.

But those guys are rare to come by and they'll probably pick up someone in the off-season to fill their beast void anyway.

In the mean time, Don't act like Chris Bosh can't play or doesn't have skills.
He was just as good as Dwight Howard on the olympic team.
The other day he demanded the ball more and guess what, he dropped 24 points on the Lakers on 10-17 shooting with 9 rebounds,  a performance highlighted by the Hang Time Blog at NBA.com. 

Hold that.

LeBron James

Let's cut to the chase, this is the real reason so many people hate the Heat right?

He went from the 'chosen one' to the 'evil one' just by one 'Decision'

It's time for everyone to wrap that up and let it go.

What do you want me to say? 

At that time LeBron was a 25 year old kid who never left home, was tired of bearing the burden of an entire state on his shoulders, and wanted to go to Miami to play with his friends. 

Is that so hard to understand?

Of course he could have handled it a little better, but that's what made him a 25 year old kid.

What was worse, in my eyes, was the celebration the Heat threw for the big three upon  their introduction, without them having played even one game yet. That was a little ridiculous. 

But let me tell you, I felt like doing freakin' cart wheels in the middle of the street when I heard the Knicks got Carmelo Anthony. So I can only imagine what it felt like to get LeBron, with Bosh, while resigning Wade. We would have done the same thing in New York.

What, you think LeBron is not a winner?

Well it's not like he took a team with the worst record in the NBA and made them the team with the best record in the NBA two years in a row, single handedly.

Oh wait a minute...

What, he's not good in pressure situations?

How about game 6 last year against the Celtics, when he had 27, 19, and 10 assists? Not enough right? He still had 9 turnovers right?

How about game 7 against the Celtics in '08, when he had 45, 5, and 6 assists? Not enough?

What about this year when he had to go back into Cleveland with the whole world watching and the whole city hating - and had 38 through 3 quarters. And when he went to New York to face the hate and dropped a triple-double. Or when he went into L.A. on christmas and dropped a triple-double?

Next you'll say to me: "LeBron James is 2-9 this season when the game is 3 points or less in the final minutes." Guess what homie, Dwayne Wade is also 2-9 this season in similar situations. But yet we all all agree Wade is much better in those situations right? We can all listen to Charles Barkley and other analysts say that Wade is better at closing.

Well how about comparing LeBron's and Wade's performance against the celtics this year.
In three games against Boston:
LeBron is averaging 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists a game while shooting 46% from the floor.
Wade is averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists a game while shooting 27% (!) from the floor.

Are you kidding me!?
That's not even close.

And that my friends is the very essence of hating on someone: the stats and facts tell you one thing, but  you ignore them because of some visceral feeling you have.

Let me tell you how nice LeBron is. 

Last night Wade played great, period. He played lock down defense on Kobe, had 8 points in the 4th, finishing with 20 points (even though it was on 9-23 shooting), 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He won them the game right?

Well without you even noticing, LeBron finished with 19 points (1 less than Wade), 8 rebounds, and 9 assists. Light. 

A quiet near-triple double.

I'm not saying that we can't be critical of LeBron. I certainly was in a recent post. He certainly has flaws in his game -  EVERYONE does. But anyone who doesn't think this guy is AT LEAST the 3rd best player in the world (but probably the best) is both crazy and ludicrous. Period.

Maybe you don't like him because you think he is a jerk off the court. And maybe he is. But you probably won't like a lot of great players based on that premise. 

The Heat

Okay, so they're not going to win 73 games this year (they'll probably do that in two years when both the Lakers and Celtics are gone). It's very hard to live up to that kind of hype. In fact the only person I can think of in recent memory to do so is LeBron James coming out of high school - who was actually better than the hype.

People say that LeBron and Wade playing together won't/doesn't work, they play the same style and they don't complement each other well.

Hmmm...
Well if 26, 8 & 7 for LeBron to go along with 26, 7 & 4 for Wade isn't working or complementing...
please tell me what your definition of it is.

And you mean to tell me that you think the Bulls, Magic, or Knicks will beat them in the playoffs?

I'll take that bet.

The Heat beat the Magic by around 20 points twice this year and lost twice after squandering 20 point leads. It was a similar scenario against the knicks. They also gave up double digit leads in two losses to the bulls. You think that means they can't beat these teams?

I would say it means they have the ability to dominate, not beat, these teams if they play for four quarters.

Finally you'll say they can't beat Boston because the Celtics have a better team.
Yeah, no kidding the Celtics have a better team!

That's usually the case when you have four future Hall of Famers plus one of the best point guards/assists leader in the NBA. Don't hate the Heat for that.

I said from the moment LeBron made his decision that I still think the Lakers will win the championship this year. Maybe at the time we all looked past the Celtics, but we all did that last year as well. The Lakers will probably face the Celtics again in the Finals this year. After all, that would probably be the best match-up anyway and the grudge/rubber match that we as fans deserve.

But more importantly, it will probably be the last chance for both teams.

The Heat are built for the next five years, in which they will add more pieces, get better, and win multiple championships when the Lakers and Celtics are done. But I wouldn't still wouldn't be surprised if they make a run to the finals this year as well. Normally at the end of games you want the best player on the floor on your side.
The Heat will have the TWO best players on the floor come playoff time.

Keep hating.
None of this matters in the playoffs.
We'll see what happens.

Till then...

The importance of Having a Mid-Range Jumper pt.2

This is why you trade for Carmelo Anthony:

I think I remember someone saying that in a last minute situation, you need to rely on your skill. In particular, you need to trust your mid-range jump shot.

"Just create space and elevate."

I also believe that same someone mentioned how Carmelo Anthony was quite adept at using myriad moves to get his shot off.

Melo's game winning shot last night was essentially a 10 second workshop on how to perfectly utilize the mid-range jump shot with the game on the line.

Let's look at the check list:

1) Ward off your defender (Tony Allen) with your body and give the passer a target by extending your outside hand (This makes it easier for your teammate to get you the ball).

2) Catch the ball while establishing your left foot as a pivot to turn and face your defender (YOU are now at the advantage. You can assess what the defense is giving you and decide what to do).

3) Jab step going right then rip the ball back through to go left
(YOU are dictating what will happen, the defender is reacting to your move. Due to the natural delay in their reaction time, you will have created enough time and space to get a shot off).

4) Take one dribble left then pull up into your shot
(As the defender is still trying to recover laterally, use that fraction of a second in his delayed reaction time to elevate vertically).

5) Trust your shot
(You have created the space to get your shot off, even if it is contested. There is no need to go to the basket and face the help defense)

Keep in mind, this entire process has to be seem-less. We're taking about a fraction of a second and inches of space that you are creating with your move. Don't think. Don't hesitant. Trust your skill and instinct. Once you get the opening, don't give the defender a chance to recover, go right into you jump shot.

Follow through.

You got all that?

Consider yourself lucky that one of the best in the business at his craft gave you a free lesson last night.
And by the way, when was the last time the knicks hit a game winning shot on the road in a meaningful game???

I'm just saying...

Deja Vu

Did I say that defenders taking a nose dive to the floor was a rarity?
Well apparently LeBron James wasn't aware of this:

My goodness.
To put things into perspective, Nicolas Batum DOVE from around the dotted line (6-7 feet from the basket?) to the cameras out of bounds.

Thats a long distance to travel.

And I might add, LeBron pulled this off without the aid of a screen or the defender getting tripped up.
He 'simply' hit Batum with a behind the back crossover.
Dude even had the nerve to make the jump shot after.

I mentioned before these sorts of plays are a source of great humor.

This wasn't funny.

It was nasty... and it was dangerous.
Batum was flying off his feet so fast that his teammate, LaMarcus Aldridge had to dodge him before trying to help and contest the shot.

I know the Heat still lost and everyone would prefer to hate on them rather than relish this magnificent play. Never mind the fact that LeBron finished with 31, 11, and 8 assists...

Sonny's Blues

Half asleep watching the 1 am sports center I came across this gem:

It's rare that you see guys take a dive to the floor after a cross-over like Sonny Weems did in this play. Usually you see the defender either
A) get crossed out of the picture by going the wrong direction
B) touch the court with one hand to regain balance
or
C) have their legs buckle from underneath them

Taking a nose dive is a rare exception that makes for great humor.
What makes this play worse was that Williams was then able to throw a successful alley-oop to Brook Lopez, ensuring it made the highlight reels.

Talk about international exposure.

I've watched Deron Williams as much as I can. I love his game and I think he may be the best point guard in the NBA. I've certainly seen him cross over many defenders in his day. His ability to change speeds and direction is amazing and almost un-defendable. In fact, so inspired by his play, I've went to the gym numerous times after watching him to try to emulate his cross over pull-up.

But upon reexamination I have to ask, did Deron Williams really cross Weems to the floor?
Take a closer look and you will see that Weems' foot gets tripped up on the foot of the man setting the screen.

Therefore, does this really count as a highlight?
Can Williams really take credit for Weems hitting the floor?
What standards - be it domestic or international - do we have for a legitimate cross-over?

I think in this case the truth is that it doesn't really matter.
Williams crossed-over and Weems hit the deck.

Not sure if show-casing the Nets and Raptors (17-43 and 17-44 records coming in, respectively) is the best way to gain european interest in the NBA. But accentuating the flamboyance and entertainment value of NBA players like Deron Williams is. Just listen to the crowd in awe.

To make matters worse, listen to Marv Albert and Mike Fratello make the call.

If History is written by those that are the victors of major conflicts, then highlights are determined by the end result of plays - not the cause or context. It's sad in a way, but such is what feeds the insatiable appetite of pop culture and entertainment.

For a more balanced call of the play, check this out:

Way to go guys. Way to not give in to the pressures and norms of society.
Way to give poor Sonny his fair due.

The Importance of Having a Mid-Range Jumper

 As excited as I am by their heart and performance against one of the top teams in the NBA, I'll wait to see what the Knicks do against Orlando tomorrow before I go crazy.

But still, let's talk about one of the final plays of last nights game. The one in which Amar'e Stoudemire showed brilliant help defense by coming over from the weak side and blocking LeBron James' lay-up - essentially securing the win for the knicks.

Here it is:

                               

From the moment I saw this play live, one thing stuck out at me:
Look at how much room Carmelo gave LeBron.
I mean seriously, look.
It must be close to three feet.
Carmelo is below the foul line when LeBron is around the top of the key.

LeBron could have easily pulled up for a mid-range jumper - which would essentially have been wide open. Even if you think that Carmelo would have be able to contest a pull-up, well okay, LeBron still could have stepped back into a jump shot to provide himself with another foot of space - still within mid-range.

In basketball, INCHES make a difference in getting a shot off (check out Billups clutch three over Wade). On this play, we're talking about FEET of space.

Listen to Hubie Brown say "give Anthony credit for taking away the lane."
Okay, give Anthony credit for that.
And give Stoudemire credit for an amazing play.

But you know what?
The truth is if that were Paul Pierce, the Knicks would have lost.
If that were Kobe, the knicks would have lost.
If that were Kevin Durant, the knicks would have lost.
If that were Dirk Nowitzki, the Knicks would have lost.
They all would have hit the mid-range jumper.

I get it.
LeBron is a physical specimen with incredulous talents. And if you can get to the basket at will, as he can, then keep doing it. The problem is in a real game with real defense it won't be so easy. And you better believe, as per the game plan, help will be coming.

This is the difference between LeBron and many other players in the top-ten category, including Melo.

LeBron is an all-world talent, that is the MVP over the course of the season because of how much better he can make a team with his muti-dimensional play. He's athletic, he's fast, and he's powerful.

Carmelo, relatively speaking, is none of those.
BUT, Carmelo is skilled.

Having watched Melo closely the past three games, as has most New Yorkers, he's quite adept at creating  space with a plethora of moves to get his jump shot off. In fact, he seems content to pull up for the mid-range rather than drive to the basket.

I have always felt, it is more important to be skilled than talented/athletic (ask Steve Nash)
Having a mid-range jumper may be one of the more deadliest weapons a basketball player can have. I can't tell you how many times I see guards  - at any level - get by their man or come off screens and then drive all the way to the basket to have their shot contested or blocked. Why? Just pull up for a mid-range jump shot! Just create space and elevate!

Now I know, always settling for a jump shot is not a good thing. Some people think it makes you a passive player. But the truth is, having that mid-range jumper MAKES you a better driver, as defenders are more willing to bite on a fake or get blown by as they push up on you. In a do or die situation, it becomes a necessity.

Over the course of a season, LeBron wins out because of his abilities. There is no denying that. But when games, perhaps even the season, comes down to one play in the final moments.... Melo may be better than LeBron.

The reality is, this is something LeBron should know and have mastered - being the best player in the world. Well, maybe the reality is that I have to clarify that statement - maybe LeBron is just the best talent in the world. Maybe he won't have the best player title until he is also the most skilled player in the world.

Random Thoughts from the All-Star game

I realize now that we are in the midst of STAR WARS between New York and New Jersey.
I realize now that Carmelo has played his first game as a knick
But I started writing this post before the Carmelo and Deron Williams trades went down.

So let me get this one out of the way before it becomes entirely irrelevant, as some of my points are already starting to be adjusted (I have written some additional comments made after the trades in parenthesis).

Here is what I took away from the All-Star game......


Kobe is still the best......in certain situations

When he is rested. When he is healthy. When he takes good shots. When he lets the game come to him. When he lets his skills take over.

Sometimes he tries too hard in real games, but when the moment is big Kobe is great. Certainly in an all-star venue, when the game becomes a show and he becomes an entertainer, Kobe has fun and we have fun watching him.

Did anyone really doubt he was taking home the trophy at the end of the night? 37 and 14, light.

And the bounce he had in his game was amazing, ask D. Rose and LeBron.

Interestingly enough, when the game got serious down the stretch, and the intensity on both sides picked up. Kobe wasn't as dominate. Which means that at this stage in his career, some people may actually be able to check him, for at least some possessions.

Which means the rise or even realization of the new best player is already here......



LeBron is the best......in every other situation
This guy is amazing. In the 3rd he got dunked on by Kobe and had several turnovers that helped push the west's lead. Well, someone forgot to tell him this was an All-Star game and to take it easy. He went into full attack mode in the 4th and almost single handedly brought the east back to win. That's how nice he is; he can mess around for three quarters and still finish with a triple double - against the league's best. It was only the second in all star history (29, 12 and 10 assists).

And he did it not with skill, but just being a straight up bully by grabbing rebounds and running down the court while daring someone to jump with him.

Still, for all his dominance in the 4th, There was a telling possession late in the game. Down by four with around a minute to go LeBron had a chance to cut the lead to one with an open three. Instead he passed the ball to Chris Bosh to take the shot, who missed.

Come on buddy, YOU have to take that shot......

Kevin Durant will take the big shot
With the east cutting the lead to two, it was Durant who pushed back with a jumper to get it back to 4 and then a three to push it to 7. Kobe finished with 37, but really should thank Durant, who finished with 34, for securing his hometown victory and MVP trophy.

Some say Durant is better than LeBron. I am NOT one of those people. Some say he will be better than LeBron. I am NOT one of those people. Some say he is more willing to take and make the big shots than LeBron. I......

"Excuse me."

Amar'e Stoudemire is big time
Thought he was slowing down after his MVP caliber start? He tied LeBron for the east lead in scoring with 29. What if LeBron did team up with him in NY? He used to be a Blake Griffin type all-star - only catching highlight dunks. But this time he did it with skill, knocking down multiple jump shots including a three late in the game to cut the lead back down to 4. Not to mention his lob pass to Dwight Howard for a dunk in the 1st quarter. What if Howard teams up with Amar'e in NY?

The game came down to Kobe and KD vs. LeBron and Amar'e. While the west won, I'm glad the knicks had someone representing them as the best of the best (Now with Carmelo, we have two!)......

Blake Griffin is a force to be reckoned with......but not yet
Leave it to coach Poppovich to put the rookie in his place by keeping it old school and not playing him too much. It just goes to show you how many levels there are in the NBA. Griffin has taken the game by storm just by harnessing his raw power and athleticism. But to have real success in the NBA, you have to combine that with extraordinary skills, both mental and physical.

In a game of this caliber he is just there to catch ally-oops and put on a show. Although as with Amar'e, Griffin will get there, and soon......

A taste of things to come 
Russel westbrook is a problem.

My brother likes to remind me, he knew Russel Westbrook was nice a long time ago. I on the other hand didn't jump on the band wagon until I saw him play live in their first ever playoff game at OKC against the Lakers. It was the game he dunked on Lamar Odom.

While he didn't kill in the All-star game, you saw flashes of what he can do. His fastbreak dunk in the 2nd quarter made me flinch and text my brother. And the move he put on D. Wade in the 2nd quarter made my brother text me.
Take a good look at that move, he crossed up one of the top 3 players in the world...and made the jump shot......

A taste of things to come
Watching that Westbrook vs. Wade possession was amazing. As it will be in during the 2012 finals.

After I saw OKC play the lakers, last spring, I walked out of the arena thinking they could win a championship in three years. After Miami got LeBron and Bosh, I thought they could win four championships in the next six years.

Somethings got to give.

At the beginning of the year I told a friend of mine that OKC and Miami were the teams of the not too distant future, assuming their rosters don't change too much. He laughed when I told him OKC would match up well:
Durant vs. LeBron
Westbrook vs. Wade
Green (or Ibaka) vs. Bosh
He said to me "Westbrook is not in the same league as Wade."
I beg to differ. I'm not saying he is better, but he can compete at that level.

This would be an epic battle.

(Although, things have already changed in the last two days. If the Knicks add Chris Paul to Melo and Amar'e - even though I would prefer Williams - they would give the Heat a run for their money. Not to mention if the Nets add Dwight Howard to Williams in Brooklyn)......

Game recognize game

"We are going to kill in the second half."

NBA players and coaches seem to really respect what Carmelo anthony can do.
Last year in Dallas he took the last shot of the game to try to win it for the west - even though Dirk was the home favorite. He missed.

This year,  other than his  interview with Craig Sager (and Kobe, and Chris Paul) , Carmelo didn't have an impact on the game. Still he was on the court at the end of the game when it mattered most.

It seems that everyone knows how dangerous of a player he is and has the ability to  pretty much score at will.

When asked about (at that time) a potential trade for Melo, Kobe responded: "Melo is a bad boy."

Game recognize game
What I love about the All-star game is that you get to see so many differnt permutations of basketball players together that you otherwise would never see. Both on the same team and competing against one another.

Additionally, it is the one time in which it is okay for rival players to appreciate and complement - both literally and figuratively - one another.

Take a look after Kobe's reverse baseline dunk. I just smiled seeing Dirk Nowitzki's reaction, and then sharing his thoughts with Russel Westbrook and Blake Griffin next to him.

Sometimes it's okay to be a fan of your peers......

"Quick, take a picture!"

WE ARE BACK!!!!!!

Those are the words I texted to my brother and friends immediately after hearing that the Knicks closed the deal for Carmelo Anthony today.

Jubilation is the emotion that I felt.

I'm not sure what percentage of New Yorkers I speak for, but I can finally say that there is a sense of optimism and excitement for basketball in this city, which has been missing for a long, long time.

"We got Carmelo!" were the words I spoke to any and everyone I saw at work - even those that may not follow basketball.

"The Knicks are back" were the words Amar'e Stoudemire said after introduced for the first time as a knick. Those were words I met with skepticism. Even with the improvement they showed before the All-Star break, we weren't really back - unless you mean back from the abyss and showing a pulse.
But with this move that statement is undeniable.

And you know what? Amar'e is the real hero in all of this. He came here first by himself. He brought his swag and single handedly changed the culture of Knicks basketball - in half a season. He is the one that said right after he signed, he could get other stars like Carmelo to come. Dude wasn't lying.

I have already mentioned in my previous post why this trade was a necessity. But still there are those that think we gave up too much or could have played our cards better and got him for less.

Stop it.

This wasn't the time to get cute or greedy.
We traded Chandler, Galo, and Mozgov for Melo......that is not too much.
There is a reason why Carmelo is one of only three players in the picture on the top of this blog.

We did this for our past, our present, and our future.

I personally have never been alive to see the knicks have two bona fide super stars. The closest maybe was the '99 team that had Sprewell and Houston, and of course an aged Ewing. We lost out on a championship that season because of Ewing's injury in the playoffs. But even then, this is different. It is not out of line to say we now have two of the ten best players in the NBA on our team!

And after all we as knicks fans have been though,

WE DESERVE THIS

Can you tell how excited I am?
I'll settle down. And we'll all come back to reality. And the new-new look Knicks will need time to mesh.

But, we are better today.
In a year, or less, we'll be even better.
And in the summer of 2012, if not sooner, we will become championship contenders.