Grizzlies 115, Raptors 107 posted by Brad Hurt

This just in : Zach Randolph is a beast.  Everyone who has said he would be a cancer and wouldn't play hard and is the same thug he was in Portland isn't looking very smart right now.  Randolph can single-handedly dominate the post for the Grizzlies this season.  He proved as much last night against the Toronto Raptors as the Grizz earned their first win of the season 115-107 on Friday.  Randolph led the Grizzlies with 30 points and seven rebounds.

Chris Bosh led all scorers with 37 points.  Sure, that is a high number, but the Grizzlies forced him to try to beat them single-handedly, focusing their defense on Hedo Turkoglu, who burned them in the past as a member of the Sacramento Kings.  Turkoglu managed only 14 points on 4-of-10 shooting.

The Grizzlies showed some of their youth with an inability to close the Raptors out when they built a double-digit lead in the first half, and lost the third quarter scoring battle as usual, but they outscored the visitors 39-28 in the fourth quarter to snuff out any hope of a comeback.

Along with Randolph, the Grizzlies got double figures from the other four starters, as well as 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench from rookie Demarre Carroll, who looks like he could be a stud.  Who needs DeJuan Blair when you can get a guy who will sacrifice his body for a loose ball, snatch rebounds out of nowhere and knock down a shot in the clutch?  Carroll earned a reputation as a scorer at Missouri, but he has shown there is little he can't do on the professional level, and he doesn't appear rattled yet in his first two appearances.  I'm sure his day will come, though.  It's a long season, and it drags down every rookie sooner or later.

Toronto Raptors preseason posted by john howard

I have always enjoyed the Toronto Raptors. There is something about them that catches my eye.  They always have a knack for finding talent.  They just have a hard time keeping it.  This year they managed to bring one in: Hedo Turkoglu.

This year will be a year of gelling and growing.  How long will it take for Turkoglu, Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon, and Jarrett Jack to gel?  The sooner the better.  This team should be one that improves throughout the year.

A lot of how much they improves relies on the progress of youngsters, DeMar DeRozan, Sonny Weems, and Marco Belinelli.   Toronto has a thin bench and one of these guys will start.  But, the other 2 will see plenty of time.  They are a shooting guard away from making the play offs and a year away from acquiring more bench help or having it develop.

This team is doing a nice job.

The NBA Draft's Five Best Second Overall Picks Since 1984 & Sammy Sosa Is a Joke and He Does Not Deserve Induction into the HOF posted by Colin Linneweber

The NBA Draft's Five Best Second Overall Picks Since 1984

The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pick former Oklahoma Sooners star Blake Griffin Thursday with the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

However, there is not a consensus projection for the No. 2 pick and basketball analysts remain largely uncertain who the Memphis Grizzlies will choose tomorrow in Gotham.

In recognition of the NBA Draft, I have decided to rank the five most accomplished players selected second overall in the past quarter century.

1) Jason Kidd

Kidd, 36, attended the University of California and helped resurrect the Golden Bears dormant basketball program with his stellar play at the point guard position.

After being honored as a First Team All-American as a sophomore, Kidd declared for the NBA Draft and was selected 2nd overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 1994.

Unfortunately, the Bay Area native’s initial stint with the Mavericks didn’t materialize as most anticipated it would.

According to legend, singer Toni Braxton went to the Mavs team hotel to meet Kidd after a game.

However, instead of rendezvousing with Kidd, Braxton instead left with his Dallas teammate Jimmy Jackson and the two purportedly fornicated until the wee hours.

Subsequently, Kidd loathed Jackson and he demanded an escape from “Big D.”

Kidd, a 9-time All-Star and 6-time All-NBA nomination, was traded to the Phoenix Suns at the conclusion of the 1996 season and his career began to truly ascend in the desert.

The 5 Best Second Overall Selections in the NBA Draft Since 1984 posted by Colin Linneweber

The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pick former Oklahoma Sooners star Blake Griffin Thursday with the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

However, there is not a consensus projection for the No. 2 pick and basketball analysts remain largely uncertain who the Memphis Grizzlies will choose tomorrow in Gotham.

In recognition of the NBA Draft, I have decided to rank the five most accomplished players selected second overall in the past quarter century.


1)  Jason Kidd 

Kidd, 36, attended the University of California and helped resurrect the Golden Bears dormant basketball program with his stellar play at the point guard position. 

After being honored as a First Team All-American as a sophomore, Kidd declared for the NBA Draft and was selected second overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 1994. 

Unfortunately, the Bay Area native’s initial stint with the Mavericks didn’t materialize as most anticipated it would. 

According to legend, singer Toni Braxton went to the Mavs team hotel to meet Kidd for a date after a game. 

 However, instead of rendezvousing with Kidd, Braxton instead left with his Dallas teammate Jimmy Jackson and the two purportedly fornicated until the wee hours. 

Subsequently, Kidd loathed Jackson and he demanded an escape from “Big D.” 

Kidd, a 9-time All-Star and 6-time All-NBA nomination, was traded to the Phoenix Suns at the conclusion of the 1996 season and his career began to truly ascend in the desert. 

Toronto Raptors and the draft. posted by john howard

The Raptors had a horrible season finishing third from the bottom in the East.  Anthony Parker, Shawn Marion, and Jake Voskhul are all free agents.  That is 2 starters and a top bench player.  That leaves a shaky starting lineup:

PG--JOSE CALERSON  SG--JASON KOPONO  SF--JEOY GRAHAM  PF---CHRIS BOSH  C--ANDREA BARNANI

And a very weak bench.  Things may get worse before they get better.  I don't know of any trades, but perhaps a splash in free agency. It's not a big market this year.  And next year, Bosh is a free agent.  So the draft is the best bet for now.  The Raptors have the 9th pick in the draft.  There is bad news and great news with the 9th pick.  Of the past 14 drafts 7 have produced startes, 5 bench players and 3 flops.  The bad news is out of the top 10 picks, the 9 spot produces the least amount of startes and the most number of busts.  The great news is that the 7 starters are all-starts.  Picking first or third also produced 7 all-starts in that same span.  The 9th pick has yielded just as many all-starts as the 2nd, 6th, 7th, and 8th combined! So, the 9th spot is truly a hit or miss.  There isn't much in between.

The top 2 choices on mock boards appear to be either Gerald Henderson from Duke or Tyreke Evans from Memphis.  Both are sf/sg type guys who are athletic.  An all-star to go along side Bosh would be great.  This team is definately retooling.

Catching up with the Phoenix Suns rumors this off season and who should be kept around for next year? posted by Ryan Greyslak

There have been many rumors surrounding the Phoenix Suns since they missed the playoffs this season. Some of these rumored trades would actually help the team, but some of the options are only opportunities to cut payroll for the oncoming season and further destroy the team. Some of the biggest names involved in these rumors for the team have been Amare Stoudemire, Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Nash, Leandro Barbosa, and Jason Richardson.

 Shaq Rumors 

Shaquille O’Neal has not been shy about the fact that he would not mind playing for another team other then the Phoenix Suns and is interested in a contract to extend him for one to two more years. Some of the rumored teams to be interested in Shaq are Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and New Orleans Hornets.

Cleveland has reportedly offered Ben Wallace (who might request a buyout or retire) and Sasha Pavlovich who has a non guaranteed contract. The Suns could potentially get out of both players and save money off payroll this year. This is a bad deal for the Suns and I would not expect it to happen for these players. They would get nothing for Shaq.

Another of the rumored teams interested in Shaq are the Dallas Mavericks. One of the rumored packages would send Jerry Stackhouse expiring contract and Erick Dampier. Dampier is guaranteed for the next two years at over 23 million. This again would be a horrible trade for the team and they would essentially be giving Shaq up for a smaller expiring contract and a slower less effective center. If the Suns have any talks with Dallas they should absolutely involve Josh Howard but it is rumored Sarver does not want to do business with Cuban.

Relieved Post-Deadline Knicks Beat Down The Toronto Raptors By Thirty! posted by Jason M. Williams

One day after the NBA Trade Deadline passed, many Knicks played like they had a world of pressure taken off their shoulders.  With much speculation swirling around whether or not the Knicks would deal away enigmatic guard Nate Robinson and workhorse David Lee, both were able to breath easier last night knowing that they'd be playing in New York for the remainder of the season.

The team came out strong against the Toronto Raptors, scoring the game's first nine points and never looking back.  At one point the Knicks led by a season-best 38 points, and finished the rout with a 127-97 victory in front of the loyal Garden faithful on Italian Heritage Night.

On the bench in his new number-nine jersey was Chris Wilcox, who was brought over from the Oklahoma City Thunder at the deadline.  Next to him on the bench in street clothes was Larry Hughes, brought in from the Chicago Bulls.  Both were interviewed by the MSG Network and both seemed excited to get integrated into Mike D'Antoni's system. 

But most noticeable of all was the loose, relaxed, and somewhat relieved play from Lee and Robinson.  Both had big nights - Lee with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Robinson added 26 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and one sick block of Chris Bosh that he sent into the tenth row to ignite the crowd.

With only 28 games remaining on the season, the Knicks currently find themselves two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth seed.  Remember, however, that the Knicks have been atrocious against the Bucks this season (0-3), so they'd have to leapfrog them if they want to get past them into the postseason. 

Marion Trade May Put Heat On The Knicks posted by Jason M. Williams

Today, the Toronto Raptors traded Jermaine O'Neal, Jamario Moon, and a lottery-protected first round pick to the Miami Heat in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.  On the surface this looks like a great trade for the Heat, but it can also cause potential problems for the Knicks as they do battle with the Raptors twice next week and will continue to battle them down the stretch in the Chase For The Eighth Seed.

Marion will immediately allow the Raptors to do two things - move Andrea Bargnani to the five and stick Marion at the three.  A frontcourt of Marion, Bosh, and Bargnani is very troublesome for opposing teams, namely the Knicks. This new front line will be very dangerous in the open floor and gives them a post presence, a big man who can hit the outside shot, and the workhorse in Marion. 

The Knicks will now lose their mismatch against the Raps while on the offensive end.  No longer will they be able to run Jermaine off the floor and will still face the music that they can't defend big scorers in the paint like Bosh.  Marion gives the Raptors another level of athleticism, one that is greater than that of the Knick wings.

So, as we gear up for the second half of the season, this Marion-O'Neal trade creates dual problems for the Knicks.  Both the Heat and Raptors improved and created stronger teams that will make life more difficult for the Knicks.  Now, it is time for Donnie Walsh to put his cards on the table and make an improvement to the roster to help this team reach the NBA's second season.

The NBA Trade Deadline is right around the corner!! posted by Cristopher Hinds

Always an interesting time of the NBA season, when all of us fans sit and wonder which NBA superstars are on the move. This year, there are some really big names that are on the trading block. Lets look at a few of them, hey they just might end up on your favorite team.

Amare Stoudemire. Wow, who would have thought that Phoenix would ever trade this coveted PF/C. This guy is an absolute freak on the basketball court and has progressed really well in his short career. When Phoenix traded for Shaq last year, Amare and his talent took a backseat on the Suns team. The rumors are pretty serious. Expect him to land in Memphis, Chicago, Toronto, or Miami.

Shaquille O'Neal. This one is puzzling to me. If Amare goes, Shaq stays or vice versa. Shaq has once again shown the league and his critics that he can still play at a very high level. I think that Shaq stays in Phoenix and eventually will leave when he becomes a free agent at the end of next year.

Jermaine O'Neal. This guy can definitely help a contender if he can stay healthy. He has improved his value over the last couple of weeks by playing good basketball and logging moderate minutes. Sources say he will end up in Miami and I believe that is a good fit for him.

Shawn Marion. Wow, Marion on the move again??? This guy flourished with the Suns, but his offensive game hasn't been up to the standards he set for himself. He can help your team out defensively and provide great energy. Source say Toronto.

Jamaal Tinsley. Is this guy gonna really get a chance to play this year? He was told not to come around the team in Indiana, and know there are rumors that he might get dealt to the Bobcats. A deal involving Raymond Felton. Wow, what a presence and veteran leadership he could provide to the team in Charlotte.

Grizzlies 78, Raptors 70 posted by Brad Hurt

The Grizzlies caught a break with the absence of Toronto's Chris Bosh on Saturday, and they took advantage of it by beating the Raptors 78-70.  The Grizzlies were shorthanded themselves, playing without three of their regulars.  Rudy Gay was a late scratch because of a sore hip, a sprained ankle sidelined Kyle Lowry, and Darrell Arthur missed his second straight game due to a family illness.  With those three out the win became even sweeter.

O.J. Mayo scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to help the Grizzlies close out the game.  That came after the rookie couldn't buy a basket early on, missing 10 of his first 12 attempts.  His assist to Marc Gasol for a fast-break layup in the third quarter capped an 11-0 run to put the Grizzlies on top for good.

The Raptors made things difficult for the Grizzlies by grinding them and not allowing them to get easy transition opportunities.  The Grizzlies simply adjusted their style of play and didn't let the Raptors push them around.

The Grizzlies rebounded from a disappointing defensive effort on Friday against the Clippers by holding the Raptors to 29.5 percent shooting.  They limited Jermaine O'Neal and Andrea Bargnani to a combined 14 points on 3-for-20 shooting.

That is the kind of defense they need to play every night.  Even though it may seem cheap with Bosh out, it is important for the Grizzlies to have this kind of physical, defensive victory.  Impressively, they played better perimeter defense, which may be a first this season.  Maybe they actually paid attention to the game tape from Friday.  They just haven't seemed to learn from their mistakes until recently, and that has a lot to do with coaching.

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Jarrett Jack's 27 points lead Raptors' 101-96 comeback win over Bucks (TheCanadian Press)

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Bosh, Turkoglu lead Raptors past Knicks (AP)

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Bosh has 24 points and 18 rebounds to lead Raptors to 111-103 win over Heat (The Canadian Press)

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