The Dribble

The Chicago Bulls think they are to the NBA what the Yankees (no moustaches or long hair) are to MLB

Headbands

Wikipedia:

• Practical uses;
• Sweat absorbing
• Hair retaining
• Cold Protection
• Head protection

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headband:


The hypocrisy of commercializing Ben Wallace wearing the headband but asking him to refrain from playing with it on to fit into the team's concept has been looked at by the team at The Association.


Lebron James has an opinion via the Beacon Journal:



Carmelo Anthony via Denver Post:



Have we seen the last of this? Let's hope so ...this is trivial stuff definitely not worthy of suspensions

All this talk of the game having changed to a more offensive style seems to have outpaced the statisticians.



Both the league and the Hawks have apologized yet the stat (a missing field goal by TJ Ford) has simply disappeared. If that is the case one would expect a new system to be implanted soon (throwing of the red flag from the sidelines...???). It's not like the technology doesn't exist to avoid such situations in the future (hell, it doesn't even have to be wireless if you're courtside...).

This was a close game no matter how you look at it the two teams were tied 5 times and the lead changed hands five times as well. The last play of the game had a discouraged Raptors team two posessions down (4pts) letting the clock run out...


Until then the conspiracy theories will continue.

Well it was just a matter of time before someone picked him up and now (after waiving Alan Anderson) the 6'5, 32 year old Derek Anderson will be joining the Bobcats and will wear #23

According to him this is the best fit amidst the countless offers he had.

Last season Derek played 20 games for Houston and 23 for Miami. During the Heat's championship run he was on the floor for a total of 8 games and averaged 8 mpg for a total of 3 ppg.


Derek Anderson @ basketball-reference.com

oh the echoes of egoes fri nite against the Magic Pat Riley started:

Dorrell Wright
D-Wade
Kapono
Haslem
Mourning

playing Payton for only 8 min while Toine got 16 min of action with Posey, Shaq, and Jason Williams out something had to be done to shake things up i imagine

The Heat's vets are playing old tired and out of sync so why not give a shot to the eager youngsters


at least they made a game of it this time as they had a chance to tie it on a last second fade away shot from beyond the arc by Wright that went in but was deemed to have been released after time had expired



Heat lose at home and are now 3-7 in their last ten

Four weeks has gone by now since the start of the season and the 2006-07 season is shaping into one that has the West dominating the contenders rankings yet again

the only eastern rep might be Cleveland or ...Orlando(...yikes!?!)

in the west it's Utah or San Antonio and New Orleans who are off to a fast start with Dallas picking up steam, who do you fear playing most..?

A trip to Hoopsstats.com is in order:

All west coast teams dominate the top 5 in offense (ppg):

1. Den-108.3
2. Uta-107.8
3. Pho-106.5
4. GSW-105.5
5. Sea-102.2

in defense (ppg):

1. Hou-90.5
2. San-92.4
3. Cle-93.1
4. Nok-93.7
5. Orl-94.3

Fg%:

1. Uta-50.2%
2. Orl-49.4%
3. GSW-48.1%
4. Pho-47.8%
5. LAL-46.8%

the most turnovers per game:

1. Orl-19.0
2. LAL-18.3
3. Den-17.7
4. Cha-17.5
5. Ind-17.3

another revealing stat is who is driving to the basket and getting the calls for a trip to the charity stripe and who is settling for jumpers:

1.Den-32.3 ft attempts
2.Bos-31.9
3.Was-31.5
4.LAC-31.3
5.LAL-30.7

30.Pho-22.5
29.Chi-24.4
28.Sea-24.4
27.Dal-25.1
26.Ind-25.3

it's probably too early for the starter and bench stats to be of any significance because most teams haven't exactly settled on steady rotations just yet (ie.:GSW, Por, Char,) but should reveal some interesting information about the depth of the teams listed and who can afford to trade some assets:

Starter ppg:

1. Sea-81.6
2. Den-81.3
3. Pho-80.9
4. Mil-77.3
5. Was-76.7

Bench ppg:

1. NYK-39.5
2. Mem-39.4
3. Uta-37.3
4. Chi-35.6
5. Orl-34.0

Much is being made across the NBA about the style of play that has come to be associated with Bruce Bowen (think: limited offensive ability and an unrelenting defensive pressure) following complaints being made to the commish of his repeated attempts to injure on the part of the Mavs (last year's playoffs) and the Knicks in the regular season this year.


Sam Smith of MSNBC.com compares the aggressive defense that Bowen plays to that of being a player with a dirty rep:


Of course he goes back in time citing examples of the Pistons in the 80's, the Jazz's Stockton & Malone and their dirty picks, Rodman wherever he went along with the Bullets Mahorn or Ruland.

The players these days (Smith mentions names like Nocioni, Terry, Howard, Alonzo, Posey even the little used Fortson ) are just labeled as "tough" and "hard-nosed" or "defensive specialists" but not dirty because their "dirty play" is just not consistent enough to warrant such a definition.

In the run'n'gun that has become the new NBA with the emphasis placed on offense anytime a player develops a reputation as a defensive specialist he will be labeled as being dirty. The hard fouls are frowned upon (see Stackhouse vs. Shaq / NBA finals 2006) and suspensions are debated but we will see more of the hard fouls if the NBA is headed in the direction of emphasizing the fast break at any cost because fast break defense does not exist. Defense exists only in the half-court set, defending the break is left to individuals going either for the swipe or the swat ...gone is the hard foul.

Like Sam Smith says you just have to look more "carefully" for it in the new legislated technical[ly] laden NBA.

On a night that Jon Stewart is blogging (yes, his show is like a daily videopodcast) about a woman live-blogging herself blogging the election on CNN and asks:

"I wonder if she'll blog about that?"...


We ask ourselves does Bosh fall in love with the shot i hope not cause if he does the Raps are in bg trouble

tor 106 - phi 104

Iverson sounds like he's holding himself back

One week in with a record of 2-3 Derok at TWolvesblog.com (welcome aboard by the way) hands out grades for Minnesota

Overall grade B-

Parent / Teacher meeting coming soon

NBA.com Kenyon Martin game log


Rocky Mountain News

Denver Post

Waiting to see what the ol' Nugg Dr. has to say about this after a loss to the Knicks. But it's not like they're used to playing with him anyways. Expect Najera and Evans (finally some minutes) to pick up the slack.

Jeff Clark at CelticsBlog lets us know that "Big Al" is out for 2-3 weeks following an appendectomy

Tough break for the winless Celtics who were looking forward (yes, again) to Jefferson's breakout season.

NBA.com Al Jefferson Info page

Michael Ventre at MSNBC not usually on my regularly visited sites but i got suckered in by the headline:

Highlights


---Shoeless tips in ....a jump ball!!!
---Tyronn Lue's career night
---Childress blocks Big Z

---Wade and Dorrell combo in Miami


what can you say about Andrew Bynum who had another dominating performance this time against the T-Wolves and heard the LA fans chanting his name for the first time
20pt(6-9)
14reb
3 blk





News / Notes

• Warrick in Fratello's doghouse

• Brand pacing himself for a long 82 game season

• SarJas still has the same back problems that hindered him last season

• uh-oh..... JRich going to get that clicking sound in his knee checked again

• Espn says Jalen Rose has signed with Phoenix for $1.5

• Rookie Brandon Roy has a bum ankle

• Speedy Claxton is far from being 100%

• Wizards have issues as the two centers are duking it out for round 2 (they had a fight last year too)
• the Hype bitchslaps both here

• will Andreas Glyniadakis see any time at center for the Sonics?

• is Ariza ready to come back?

• the Stevie Franchise's (?) MRI is negative ...(too bad)
  

Filed in the better late than never category...





Droooooool




http://www.popcornmachine.net/

read up on the latest trend of player diaries as David Harrison writes for SLAMonline

be sure to check out Friedman's highlights of the Kobe interview on FoxSports with Chris Myers at 20 Second Timeout



Here

More and more players are suffering from the trendiest of foot / heel injuries known as Plantar fasciitis; hobbled Tim Duncan all of last season

While this year's vics include Raptors Bosh & Garbajosa, Celtics Rajon Rondo, Nuggets Marcus Camby, Knicks Jerome James, Kings Brad Miller expect the list to grow this season

• Overview

• treatment

• alternative treatment

• who's at risk
  

Week one is done and Joey at Staight Bangin' gives us some highlights

Here

• the association has been posting the Lakers scouting reports

• John Lopez of the Houston Chronicle reiterates what has been dogging Rafer Alston ever since he made into the NBA
  

• the Magic got back into the game when Hill was on Iverson?

• Rose has decided to try Phoenix

• Melo apologizes for ejection

• how about what Isiah had to say of Eddy Curry in loss to Atlanta:

• Banks goes 0-8 vs Jazz who finish on a 13-3 run for win
  

• T-Wolves comes back from 5 down on the road in Denver as K-Mart picks up the "T" with 3 min to go

• the Spurs pick up Dunkmeister James White but lose to visiting Cavs:

if i had the time and the talent

i'd apply myself but

here are some thoughts

• Elson has some Mcdyess spice

• did umpire Jess Kersey eat that Dampier swat or what
• (...someone else will have the Youtube up somewhere i imagine eventually...think of that as synergy by rem)
  

• Howard is still a matchup problem for the Spurs he just has more things now...$$$$$
  

• Nuggets' J.R. Smith has "stumbled" into a very prosperous situation with permission to fire at will (like Ricky Davis had when he was in Boston)
  

• "Socks" for Brandon Roy

• Pierce won't be able to do that all year (but i would love for him to prove me wrong)

• and i guess keep an eye on these guys

the NBDL draft was held and Corsley Edwards name was called first:

It seems that Henry Abbott is being courted by Disney as he undergoes Deja Vu, so long as he continues to keep us up to date with these Synergy Sports interpretations

... oh the envy






p.s. he doesn't need the League Pass is what he's saying

Still can't get over derMarr's do.


(actually turn it into a Mohawk and it might look alright)

At the Bobcats game Jordan received guest Derek Jeter in his suite for a drink and a game, as they witness the "premiere" of ---the Stache

and were privy to Mek's franchise setting six block performance---Brezec must be exhausted just thinking about it

Granger's flagrant (book him) proved yet again (as if any proof was needed) that the Pacers still have a rep as he takes down Glass (yeah i believe i have finally baptised him with a nickname), the Bobcats leading scorer from last year.

Making the nights work that much easier for Jerm, Sar Jas, and Jax

If Darko would've had a dominating preseason he might have cashed in big time, now Orlando is playing a dangerous game of wait and see. The seven foot one time phenom has to prove his worth after spending almost three seasons in limbo he was never given the playing time and still has fans gloating over his potential.

The Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz Magic Basketblog is reporting that the Magic let the deadline pass on Darko Milicic's contract extension thereby making him a restricted free agent next summer.

ESPN's Bill Simmons is posting his two part preview of the coming NBA season


Here are some highlights:

Part I:



Part II

After being waived by the Knicks, Jalen Rose is thinking about joining either the Heat, Suns, Lakers, or his hometown Pistons.

Miami is already full of veterans and available playing time, so he would fit right in, going to Phoenix just won't happen because the biggest drop in Jalen's game is clearly his defense and the Suns cannot afford to have a liability. Going to his hometown Pistons seems the logical choice as Dumars is expected to offer the veteran's minimum and the other players on the court could make up for his lapses on the defensive end but the playing time (Delfino?!?) will have to be fought for.

Rose is expected to make his decision today