One more note on the MSG Melee

Can't believe I didn't make this connection sooner... but it's become obvious to me why Isiah Thomas has decided that Mardy Collins will serve as his designated late-game hockey goon. Collins played for John Chaney at Temple -- a coach and program with a well-known history for this sort of thing.

My only question is why hasn't some intrepid ESPN reported located Nehemiah Ingram or John Bryant for the requisite "Where are they now?" piece and reaction to the controversy?

Maybe all the reporters from the "Worldwide Leader" are still chasing Jeffrey Maier around Disneyworld.

We talk, but we can't fight

The "best reaction to the melee at MSG" award goes to coach Sam Mitchell of the Toronto Raptors... and no one else even comes close.

We can't fight. Understand something. We talk, but we can't fight. Are we really calling that a fight?

You don't stand toe to toe and trade haymakers. It's kind of like, you duck, close your eyes, (throw) an overhead, wild right swing which (doesn't) connect to anything, or a kick as you're backing up.

Thank you, Sam.

The Mike Lupicas of the world would have you believe that fans at the Garden on Saturday were subjected to violence unseen since the first ten minutes of Saving Private Ryan.

What they really saw: a hard foul, some pushing and shoving and wrestling, an awkward, glancing punch and a guy skipping backwards the length of the floor.

Read the full account of Mitchell's reaction in this Toronto Star article.

Knicks vs. Nuggets: The Response

Now THERE's the David Stern we all know and love.

I was getting a little concerned that Mr. Stern was going soft when he backed down on the whole "synthetic ball" fiasco. I mean -- he's David freakin' Stern -- since when does a little unfair labor practices complaint bother David Stern?

Mr. Stern was back on point today, handing out suspensions like they were those small-and-unsatisfying candy canes you get from Santa's elves at the mall...

• Carmelo Anthony: 15 games
• Nate Robinson: 10 games
• J. R. Smith: 10 games
• Mardy Collins: 6 games
• Jared Jeffries: 4 games
• Nene: 1 game
• Jerome James: 1 game

If you're wondering how these penalties compare with recent NBA history, ESPN.com has a recap of some of the NBA's greatest fights. This thing reads like a commercial for one of those "Pride Fighting" pay-per-view events -- but it's hard to imagine why the epic Knicks/Heat brawl in the '98 playoffs doesn't merit its own bullet point. I mean, c'mon -- how often do you see Jeff VanGundy clinging to Alonzo Mourning's leg like a fireman sliding down a pole?

Not often enough.

But enough of ancient history.

Does the punishment fit the crime? Probably. Everyone knew that 'Melo was going to get hit hardest... partially because he threw gasoline on the fire by taking a swing at Collins after the initial flare-up had died out... and partially because he's by far the biggest-name player involved, and David Stern don't play dat. I'm actually sort of surprised that Robinson didn't get the same penalty as Anthony. Little Nate's role in fanning the flames was pretty obvious, and he's been anything but repentant.

The sentences for Smith and Jeffries seem about right, and Nene and James got the automatic one-game rip for leaving the bench. (It's hard to fault James... he doesn't get to leave the bench that often these days.)

Conspicuous by his absence: Isiah Thomas. And y'know what? I'm glad.

This is probably the first and last time I'll defended Isiah in this space... but c'mon. The basketball world spent 24 hours foaming at the mouth over the possibility that (gasp) Thomas told Carmelo Anthony not to go into the paint before the fight broke out. The most shrill of the voices, the Daily News' Mike Lupica, says Thomas was threatening Anthony.

And I say: so what if he was?

Has the NBA really reached the point where a hard foul against a guy attempting a showy dunk in extended garbage-time (please pronounce that with the French inflection... gar-BAHGE... as Marv Albert would have) merits this amount of outcry?

George Karl was running up the score. There's no other explanation for the fact that four starters (Anthony, Smith, Marcus Camby and Andre Miller) and a key rotation player (Eduardo Najera) were still in the game with Denver up by 19 and a minute left. Why? Because he doesn't like Isiah Thomas. He wanted to embarrass the Knicks, the way the Knicks embarrassed his buddy Larry Brown.

Nice? No. Good sportsmanship? Hardly. But part of the game.

Thomas apparently responded by telling his team that the old "no layup rule" was in effect; that any Nugget who attempted to dunk should get a hard foul.

Nice? No. Good sportsmanship? Hardly. But part of the game.

Did Collins hit Smith too hard? Yes. Was Collins in the game specifically to foul someone? Odds of that seem pretty good... considering it was his second flagrant foul in two games. Could Collins have committed a hard foul in a less egregious manner? Absolutely. He could have at least pretended to go for the block.

That said... c'mon. Stop the whining. Home run hitters get fastballs in on the hands. Quarterbacks absorb enormous hits in the guise of "blocking" during interception returns. And guys who attempt NBA Jam-style dunks in garbage time get fouled. Blame punk behavior from Nate Robinson and Carmelo Anthony. Don't blame Isiah.

Knicks vs. Nuggets: Lightweight Title Bout

Note to 'Melo... you'd seem much tougher if you didn't sprint the length of the court backwards after landing a sucker-punch on a guy being held back by his coach.

There's nothing that unravels an NBA players' carefully-cultivated tough-guy image faster than his performance in an actual fight, huh? I mean, Carmelo Anthony tries so hard to look "street," obscuring his baby-face with the corn-rows and tattoos and such... but when the time comes for him to actually throw hands, he acts like a kid playing "ring and run" at the neighborhood cat-lady's doorbell.

Today's NBA. Gotta love it.

As for the fight itself... I don't doubt the reports that Isiah Thomas "ordered the hit" on J. R. Smith. At the very least, I'm sure Isiah declared that the Charles Oakley Memorial 'No Layup Rule' would be in effect. It's nice to see Knick history honored by the new regime at least.

And why did George Karl have four of five starters still playing with his team up 19 and one minute left? That's really not hard to figure... Karl is a caporegime in Dean Smith's Carolina mafia. He's already spoken out about how shabbily he thinks the Knicks treated consigliere Larry Brown. Think he had Anthony and Marcus Camby and J. R. Smith in the game specifically to make the Knicks look bad?

I do.

On the plus side, it seems like Isiah has finally found a way to keep Garden crowds from leaving before the final buzzer.

Free Kicks from Stephon

The Stephon Marbury image reclamation project continues. Marbury has announced that he'll be distributing pairs of his "Starbury One" low-cost basketball sneakers to every varsity hoops player in New York City. Full details of the program will be announced today.

While we applaud this program, we can't help but notice that the announcement has been obscured by the Knicks' dreadful record -- and in particular, their struggles at Madison Square Garden. Even marquee opponents like Tim Duncan and LeBron James haven't filled the "World's Most Famous Arena" over the last few weeks.

And we can't help but wonder what promotion Starbury will try next.

• Free sneakers to any resident of New York City?
• The Starbury One Study Group for Peace in the Middle East?
  
• First 5000 attendees at Madison Square Garden get a Buick?

How about this one, Steph: stop whining and pouting, and go out and win a couple of games. I'm sure Knicks fans will love it.

Isiah's Exit Strategy

We've got it all figured out now... even Isiah Thomas knows that the Knicks are an irredeemable mess. Even Isiah knows he has no chance of turning things around. The axe is coming. It's inevitable.

So now, Isiah is simply trying to get fired.

That's the only reasonable explanation for the new tack he's taken in the media, blaming Knick fans for his team's atrocious (2-8) home record and insulting their collective basketball knowledge.

Note to Isiah: Knick fans know basketball. In particular, they know that watching your Knicks play basketball isn't worth the larcenous price of a ticket at MSG. That's why you've been playing games in front of so many empty seats.

RotoWire Barometer: Around the D-League

This week's Barometer is live... if you don't subscribe to RotoWire you can read it at Yahoo! Sports.

Covered in this week's column:

• Players in the D-League that might help an NBA team this season
• An update on the sale of the Memphis Grizzlies
• And the usual upgrades and downgrades

Starbury: Marketing Genius

Hi. I'm Stephon. You may not remember this, but I'm the guy who got all sorts of good press last summer when I rolled out my line of sneakers that sell for just $14.98 a pair.

Good times.

You may be having trouble remembering... because recently, I've been behaving like the petulant crybaby you remember from before my image-rehabilitation campaign. For the last couple of weeks, I've been pulling the same crap on Isiah Thomas that I used to pull on Larry Brown. I didn't even manage to take a shot in my last game.

But there is one bright side to all this. Really, it's my second stroke of marketing genius in the last six months. First: the sneakers. And now... now I've done something that even the best and brightest of Madison Avenue, combined with all the marketing gurus at Cablevision and the NBA have yet to accomplish.

I've made Isiah Thomas look good.

Headbands and Headcases

Do you really want to be the person telling this man he can't wear a headband? (Do you really want to be the person telling this man he can't do anything he pleases?)

Usually, I'd want to take the player's side on any conflict involving something silly like headbands or knee socks or length-of-sideburns. But in the Ben Wallace vs. Scott Skiles controversy, there seems to be no shortage of blame to go around.

Apparently Wallace feels singled out because of Skiles' team rules about having ankles taped and other such trivialities. But the no-headband rule is the straw that broke Big Ben's back. As the AP story reports...

A source close to Wallace told The Tribune that the big man is annoyed by the headband rule because he wasn't informed about it until after he signed his four-year, $60 million contract with the Bulls.

Reading between the lines, Wallace's mouthpiece seems to be saying, "Ben would have turned down the contract if he'd known about this headband rule." I'd like to think it goes a little deeper than that. But then, I've never been so attached to a piece of headgear that I'd consider bailing on $15 million a year.

Luckily, I have experience dealing with cranky three-year-olds, so I know exactly how to talk to both of the combatants in this squabble.

Earth to Ben: You're getting paid $15 million a year for the next four years. No one forced you to take Chicago's money, and if you didn't consider what it would be like playing for Scott Skiles, that's your bad. Reason with the guy. Talk to his boss. But don't try to show him up during a game -- that's never going to work.

Memo to Scott: Ben Wallace is an NBA veteran, not a college kid still used to taking heat from Roy Williams or Jim Calhoun or Mike Krzyzewski. You might want to tone down the "little dictator" routine just a touch when dealing with Wallace and P.J. Brown. Besides -- your Bulls currently sit in thirteenth place in the Eastern Conference.

You have more important things to worry about.

Another Open Letter to the St. John's Athletic Department

Maryland 92, St. John's 60.

Do you fear the turtle? I fear the turtle.

I take it all back. I liked it better when Red Storm games weren't televised.

The Internet has let me down...

Based on the descriptions and accounts of the incident, it seems very fair to say that the latest Bob Knight controversy is a great big steaming pile of nothing. Thus far, the biggest impact seemed to be on Mike & Mike, who scheduled a long succession of guests (Gene Keady, Jay Bilas... I imagine Dickie V had to weigh in at some point) who all agreed that last night's incident was a great big yawner.

(A side note -- it was interesting to hear Keady talk about using "paddles" on players when he coached in high school. Paddles?!? Are you kidding me?)

Here's the much bigger and more important question -- why hasn't this incident surfaced on YouTube yet? C'mon, army of people who post such things... you are clearly off your game on this one. It's two-thousand and freakin' six -- a newspaper account of what Fran Fraschilla said about the incident really ain't gonna cut it.

Get on the stick, YouTubers.

An Open Letter to the St. John's Athletic Department

Congratulations on assembling what sounds like an exciting young team. As a long-time fan of the program, I was glad to read about Avery Patterson breaking the team record for three-pointers in the season opener, and about Darryl Hill's progress in the Navy game.

Please note that I am reading about these exciting games. Like most of the rest of the world, I haven't been able to see or hear the Red Storm play this year.

It continues to be a disappointment that, in a city with approximately nineteen all-sports cable outlets, only four of fourteen Red Storm games before the new year will be televised. While Norm Roberts' squad was playing its most anticipated season opener in years, the SNY Network showed Connecticut vs. Quinnipiac. For game two against Navy, SNY subscribers were treated to a Big 10 football game.

I know that this subject has been brought to your attention in the past. And I'm aware that the rights to TV broadcasts are controlled by the Big East Conference. And I'm certainly aware that, after the catastrophic years of the Mike Jarvis regime, St. John's basketball doesn't have the same cache to TV networks as it did during the days of Chris Mullin or Walter Berry or Mark Jackson or Ron Artest.

The fact remains -- Connecticut somehow manages to get its season opener on the air -- and on a major cable network in New York City.

To make matters worse, local radio coverage is provided by 1050 ESPN Radio. 1050 also holds the broadcast rights to the Knicks and Rangers -- if either team has a conflict with a St. John's game, the Red Storm is shunted to 1560 Radio Disney... which has a signal so weak, it cannot be heard in Westchester or on Long Island, and which does not offer internet radio of basketball games. As a result, the most die-hard fans of St. John's basketball -- the guys who spend their lives discussing recruits and game plans and coaching decisions on Redmen.com -- spend game nights trying to connect to streaming radio broadcasts from Jacksonville or Annapolis.

You are alienating your die-hard fans. Worse, casual fans don't even know you exist.

It seems a shame to hide Norm Roberts' light under a bushel. So here's a suggestion from a long-time fan: your arrangement with the Big East must be amended. You need to have the option to sell games that aren't picked up as part of the league TV contract to SNY or some other local network. These games need to be on the air. High school players and their coaches and parents need to see St. John's -- and not the Connecticut Huskies or Boston College Eagles -- on television in New York.

And New York's basketball fans need to see something other than the Knicks.

If the Big East cannot adjust so that all its member schools get appropriate media coverage; perhaps its member schools should take a second look at participation in the Big East.

Good News, Bad News for the Tru Warier

Ron Artest took a lot of abuse earlier this week when XXL Magazine reported that his solo album, "My World" sold just one copy in its first week of release. Well, good news for the Tru Warier -- due to some sort of goof, SoundScan apparently undercounted sales quite a bit. The correct figure: 343.

The bad news: while 343 is certainly better than one, it's more than 6,000 less than Kevin Federline sold.

Mea Maxima Mel Kiper Culpa

Dave Telep, the brains behind Scout.com, has been way off on a few players over the years. The most recent example: Adam Morrison and Tyrus Thomas (the third and fourth picks in this year's NBA draft) weren't rated as top 100 prospects in their high school classes.

Unlike most professional talent evaluators/talking heads, Telep actually went back to figure out where he'd gone wrong, and told the Philadelphia Inquirer about it. This is worth a read for anyone who follows the college game.

I'd love to see a similar analysis from Mel Kiper or Chad Ford... "Well, you see... I paid entirely too much attention to the guy's 40 time and vertical leap. Completely neglected the fact that he's an utter meathead."

Credit where credit's due department: found this one on the always-informative Redmen.com.

New Arena Sponsor: United Van Lines

More sports-related fallout from Tuesday's elections: King Kaufman on Salon.com has details on how voters in Seattle and Sacramento gave the big thumbs-down to public stadium financing. (NOTE: You MAY need to click on a sponsor link to see the entire post. Does Salon really count that as an ad clickthrough? Seems shady to me.)

As a result of these votes, it's looking more and more like the Sonics and Kings will be heading to greener pastures in Oklahoma City and Las Vegas, respectively. Which also raises the possibility that Seattle native Paul Allen will look to move his Trailblazers up the coast to Washington. (Assuming, that is, that Zach Randolph and Darius Miles are allowed to cross state lines.)

Isiah's Master Plan

I've finally figured out Isiah Thomas' master plan to save his job. And no, it has nothing to do with winning games, though the Knicks did squeak one out in Denver last night.

The Knicks' settlement with Larry Brown was supposed to be confidential, but parent company Cablevision included the amount in a filing to the Securities Exchange Commission this week. There was $40 million remaining on his contract, and he was asking for an additional $12 million in damages. Most observers thought he'd net at least $30 million via arbitration... but Brown settled for $18.5 million to walk away.

The fact that Brown got less than fifty cents on the dollar for the rest of his contract has, predictably, enraged several members of the NBA coaching fraternity -- including several of Brown's closest friends and allies.

Expect this to be a theme as the Knicks face new opponents this year. Every opposing coach will be asked what he thinks of the Knicks' treatment of Larry Brown. Spurs coach Gregg Popovic sounded off last week, and last night George Karl and Doug Moe were up. Karl said the Brown controversy showed "a dark side of Knicks basketball and NBA basketball," while Moe commented that the Knicks had gotten out of Brown's contract for "pocket change."

All this raises the question:

When Isiah Thomas is inevitably fired... who is going to want to take over? If you were a highly sought-after NBA personnel guy or coach, would you be willing to go work for an organization that just squeezed Larry Brown? Or would you wait and hope that a more attractive job became available?


Our guess is the axe will fall before Christmas. Jamal Crawford's desperation steal and heave last night likely saved New York from a 1-9 start; I don't see too many winnable games coming up on their schedule, with visits to San Antonio and Houston on deck, followed by home games against the Cavs, Wizards and a trip to Miami. At that point, the Knicks will be forced to close out the season with interim management... Herb Williams redux, perhaps... and have a ton of trouble finding their next GM next summer.

So maybe that's Isiah's master plan. If he can't turn the Knicks around, he can make the job look so bad that no one else will want it.

Why Sports Fans Should Vote...

I'm so tired of hearing Bob Menendez and Tom Kean Jr. throw mud at each other, I'm thinking of moving to New Jersey just so I can vote against both of them. But today, Lester Munson of SI.com has given me a new reason to care about tomorrow's election.

Long story short, the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives has been making noise about a possible review of how big-time college athletic programs benefit from the tax-exempt status given to educational institutions. Outgoing committee chairman Bill Thomas (R-California) has written a letter, in which he asks,

"How does playing major college football or men's basketball in a highly commercialized profit-seeking entertainment environment further the educational purpose of your member institutions?"

Another interesting question:

Do big-time college hoops and football offer any educational benefit greater than "that which is received by participation in other Division (II and III) or intramural athletics."

(Speaking from experience, I can say that intramural basketball players attract a lot less "benefit" from groupies than the guys who play in the big gym... but I suspect that's not what he meant. And no, I'm not bitter.)

Some other factors covered in the Thomas letter:

• Why should federal taxpayers subsidize charter travel, athletic facilities, and huge coaching salaries?
• Do the current academic minimums really ensure that student athletes can succeed academically at the collegiate level?
• Payouts from events like the NCAA Tournament are handed out based on wins and losses -- wouldn't it make more sense academically if the tournament money was handed out equally to all?
  

And this doozie:

• Aside from the fact that the athletes aren't paid... how exactly do you differentiate D-1 college sports from the pros?

The NCAA has until November 14 to respond. (Read the full text of the Thomas letter here.)

So here's where the whole "voting" thing factors in. Thomas opted not to run for re-election, so there will be a new chairman of Ways and Means come this January. If the Democrats take over a majority in the house, Charlie Rangel of New York is expected to take over the position. If the GOP hangs on to its majority, any one of several representatives might step in. It isn't clear whether or not this inquiry will be a priority for the new chair, but Rangel at least is reportedly in agreement with the letter.

So make sure to cast a vote on Tuesday. You could play a part in deciding the future of college sports. (Oh, and the free world and all that.)

Every Rose Has Its Thorn...

Everybody give it up for Bret Michaels and Poison!

And speaking of poison... Phoenix is reportedly close to signing Jalen Rose.

This strikes me as what Bill Simmons might call the Suns' "Keith Hernandez moment." Suns management has seen Mike D'Antoni make productive players out of other squads' castoffs so often now, they're convinced he can turn lead into gold. Me, I'm not convinced. Rose showed up for camp out of shape... in a contract year. He failed to hit a shot from the floor in the entire preseason. He's going to help the Suns?

Hey, I shouldn't doubt. D'Antoni has worked miracles before -- hell, Tim Thomas was one of the stars of last year's playoffs, and he couldn't get run for the Knicks or the Bulls.

But I doubt. I really doubt.

Knicks Knation

The New York Daily News -- my newspaper of choice for all things Knicks (and Nets, and Yankees, Jets... etc.) has launched a new Knicks blog, written by beat writer Frank Isola. Check out his first post, which offers a succinct and unique insider's perspective on the decline and fall of the Larry Brown era.

It's easy, at this point, to look at the Dolan/Thomas/Brown relationship as doomed from the start, and to explain last year's 23-win season as the product of a brutal power struggle between coach and GM. The problem is, Knick fans want someone to blame.

Some blame Brown, and have wildly optimistic views on the 2006-07 season.

Some blame Thomas, and can't wait for the axe to fall.

Some, like our MySpace buddy Sell the Knicks, lay all the blame at Jim Dolan's feet.

Me? I look at it this way:

Let's say you own a fish tank. You see five really pretty fish at the pet store, buy them, and put them in your tank. One by one, they die... one of them is a salt-water fish, and you have a fresh water tank. One of them is a predator. One of them needs higher water temperature. The one thing they have in common is that they're totally incompatible.

So who's to blame?

Not the fish. The nimrod who put 'em all in the same tank.

So if you want an explanation of the Three Mile Island caliber 23-win meltdown of the Knicks, riddle me this: who made the decision to hire Larry Brown to coach Stephon Marbury just weeks after Brown tried to have Marbury cut from the Olympic team?

First Impressions on the Grizzlies

Saw the Memphis Grizzlies in their triple-overtime season-opening loss to the Knicks last night -- my first impressions:

• Rudy Gay looks like he'll be a serious asset if he can keep his head on straight -- having a no-nonsense coach like Mike Fratello will probably be very good for him.
• Kyle Lowry might be the steal of this year's draft. He made a few rookie mistakes, and he's easily the youngest-looking player in the NBA since BJ Armstrong retired, but he really energized the team. Lowry totalled ten boards, including a couple of pure hustle plays where he grabbed the ball away from much bigger guys like David Lee. Look for him to start stealing minutes from...
• Damon Stoudamire, who really looks like he's not 100% recovered from last year's injuries. Mighty Mouse looked good in the opening quarter, but seemed to get winded pretty quickly. With the Grizzlies likely out of contention this year due to Pau Gasol's injury, I could see the team looking to develop younger players like Lowry ahead of Stoudamire and...
• Chucky Atkins, who still has some game, but who seems like an unnecessary luxury for a team like the Grizz. If I'm Pat Riley, I'm on the phone right now with my old buddy Jerry West, trying to swing a deal for Atkins.
• Mike Miller has a beautiful jump shot, but he disappears for long stretches of games. His line in last night's box score (18 points, 4-9 from three) might look impressive, until you consider that he hit three threes in the space of about two minutes in the first quarter. Miller also bricked a couple of big free throws at the end.
• Oh, and speaking of free-throw shooting, Hakim Warrick is Ben Wallace-esque. Yikes.

Shaq Fu: The Return

Nice interview with Shaquille O'Neal this week in Time Magazine, of all places. The Diesel continues to be the best interviewee in the NBA since Charles Barkley retired... this nugget was my favorite:

"The ball is terrible. It's something we'll just have to get used to. Playing with the new ball is like going to a gentlemen's club, seeing an exotic dancer and then going home and playing with a plastic blow-up doll."

Interesting image, Shaq. And nice to see that things have calmed down for NBA stars since the heyday of the Gold Club.

But I digress.

The rest of the interview is good, too. Shaq talks about his role in a botched raid on a child pornography suspect's house, his ambition to someday become Miami's sheriff, and the Heat's chances of repeating as NBA champs.

Of course, after the beating they took at the hands of the Bulls last night, he might want to revise that last bit. Shaq netted just seven points in the loss, which was the biggest opening night beat-down of an NBA champion ever.

Who wants to be a millionaire?

Larry Brown and Jalen Rose now join the ever-expanding list of people who are being paid millions of dollars not to work for the New York Knicks. The buyout of Brown's contract was reportedly finalized yesterday for somewhere north of $30 million. Rose's buyout is probably worth around $15 million.

So how much are the Knicks paying people to stay away?

• Larry Brown: ~$30 million (possibly as much as $52, but unlike James Dolan, we'll be conservative with the money)
• Jalen Rose: $15 million
• Maurice Taylor: ~$9 million
• Allan Houston: $20 million
• Jerome Williams: $6 million
• Shandon Anderson: $8 million

For those keeping score, that's $88 million dollars Cablevision is paying out so those six guys won't be associated with the Knicks.

Attention Mr. Dolan -- I don't work for the Knicks. How do I hitch a ride on this gravy train? I guarantee, I'll come even cheaper than the junkyard dog. Give me $500k, and I won't show up for a single practice.

No Man Flies in the Eyes of Mutombo

The miscreant who used racial slurs while heckling Dikembe Mutombo at a preseason Magic/Rockets game has reportely issued a full apology, offered to make a $5000 donation to a charity of Mutombo's choice, and pledged not to attend any Magic games until he gets an OK from the big fella.

That's all very nice. But his explanation leaves a little bit to be desired... he claimed that he didn't know that calling Mutombo a monkey might be considered offensive.

Really? You didn't think that big Deke might object to that term?

If Mutombo had simply swatted the guy in the head, the way he's redirected so many weak shots in his career, that would have been just fine with me. Give this clown a great big ol' finger-wag, Dikembe. You owe it to yourself.

We Got Next...

The WNBA is 10 years old today.

Hard to believe we've been ignoring it for that long, isn't it?

Isiah's Metrics for Success

Knicks owner James Dolan has made it clear that the Knicks will need to show improvement this season, or Isiah Thomas will go the way of Scott Layden. But "show improvement" is a pretty vague standard, especially when you're following up a 23-win season. So the big question is: exactly how long is Isiah's leash?

Well, if you listen to Isiah, the Knicks are already on the right track. After Friday's preseason finale against New Jersey, Zeke told reporters that the Knicks played with "competitive fire" and that the team had "turned the corner."

Wow. Sounds great, huh?

I suppose it does. If you ignore a couple of minor issues like:

• The Knicks allowed 138 points in the game (Final score: Nets 138, Knicks 121)
• They couldn't hang on to the ball, coughing up 27 turnovers that led to 39 points
• Three knicks (Quentin Richardson, Channing Frye, and Eddy Curry) fouled out
• They let Bostjan freakin' Nachbar score 20

I'm sorry, but no team that lets Bostjan Snackbar score twenty has turned any corners. Apparently, Isiah was all pumped because the team actually responded when Mikki Moore threw a forearm shiver at Steve Francis late in the fourth quarter.

(In fairness, last year's team probably wouldn't have noticed if Moore had taken a folding chair to Francis head all WWF-style... so maybe that IS progress.)

The fact that Zeke chose this occasion to talk up the Knicks' positives gives me the impression that maybe... just maybe... he has a different set of success metrics than the rest of us. With that in mind, I'm going to make a couple of guesses as to what Isiah will say when this year's Knicks hit a few more key milestones:

When the Knicks open the season 0-5:
Isiah: I feel like the team is really gelling. I've been impressed with their intestinal fortitude.

When the Knicks drop their 20th game and take sole possession of the worst record in the NBA:
Isiah: We've really turned the corner. Our competitiveness was excellent. When we fell behind by 25 points in the second quarter and Kyle Korver was openly mocking us from the Sixers bench, I could tell that the team was really upset by it. They took it to heart, man.

When he's fired -- probably around the All-Star break:
Isiah: I feel like right now, the team is in a better position to turn things around than at any previous point in my tenure.

New Column Live on Rotowire

This week's Give and Go is now live on Rotowire.com. This week, Rotowire managing editor Chris Liss and I discuss:

• The disappearance of the prototype NBA center. Where are today's Hakeem, Patrick and The Admiral?
• Is the NBA of today deeper at the wing positions than it's ever been? How do Kobe and D-Wade and LeBron and 'Melo stack up against Dream Team-era guys like Magic, Bird, Jordan and Drexler?
• Should NBA teams draft "tools?" Or should they draft guys who've been proven to win basketball games? Would you rather have a Shelden Williams or a Rudy Gay?

Give and Go is published every week on Friday, and is available to Rotowire.com subscribers.

Downgrade D-Wade

New on Rotowire.com -- my weekly fantasy hoops "Barometer." In this week's article:

• Dwyane Wade has a championship ring. Will that have a negative effect on his fantasy value this season?
• NBA teams are finalizing their rosters, and a few recent lottery picks are looking for jobs.
• Halloween is the deadline for teams to pick up options for rookie contracts -- who is getting re-upped, and who is looking at free agency next summer?

Plus, the usual player upgrades and downgrades.

If you're not a Rotowire subscriber, you can check out the article in Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball.

Steroids in the Association?

A pitcher in the World Series takes the mound looking like he forgot to wash up after using the potty, and the entire country is subjected to a week-long tizzy on cheating and the national pastime.

An unknown cyclist tests positive for some flavor of performance-enhancers, and it's Oprah material.

A couple of baseball players and track stars testify before a grand jury in the trial of a steroid supplier, and respected journalists get access to the "closed" transcripts, use them as the basis for a book, and are threatened with prison.

But the best player on the best defense in the NFL is hit with a four-game suspension for a failed steroid test, and the only reaction is "How are the Chargers going to get by without Shawne Merriman?"

(An aside... my favorite take on the Merriman story has been the "The Chargers are now without two of their top linebackers" angle... published while ignoring the fact that one, Steve Foley, is out after being shot during a confrontation with the police and the other is facing a drug suspension. Never mind what happened... let's get right to how this is going to affect the point spread.)

What's wrong with this picture? Why is it that we only care when baseball players and cyclists cheat?

With cheating in general and steroid abuse in particular on the top of the North American collective sporting consciousness this week, a reporter for the Toronto Globe and Mail spoke with Raptors Chris Bosh and Fred Jones about 'roids. Jones is built like an NFL halfback; Bosh is one of those super-slight big men who looks like he should stop skimping on dessert.

Bosh had a particularly enlightened view of steroid abuse, saying:

"You'd be a great player for a year, but after that, it would come crashing down."

"You can't play for a long time, getting big that fast, probably because it's more work on the joints."

"Eighty-two games is no joke. It can wear down on you . . . we play too much. Shoulders, ankles, knees, there's too many joints working at the same time."

(It is worth noting what he didn't say... which is "steroids are illegal and cheating is wrong. Besides, the NBA drug-tests for that stuff.)

The NBA does test for 'roids and has since 1999... but the only players who have been caught to date are Matt Geiger, Samaki Walker and Don McLean. None will ever be confused with Anthony Mason in terms of physique. (McLean's suspension inspired one of Charles Barkley's all-time best one-liners, "I've seen Don MacLean naked, and he doesn't use steroids.")

Three guys in seven years of testing. Either the NBA is remarkably free of performance-enhancers, or the marketing genius behind the "Original Whizzinator" is making a mint.

Money, it's GOT to be the shoes

Oh, the Nike people are going to be working overtime on this one.

Today's Daily News reports that Stephon Marbury is suffering from a minor case of bursitis in his heel and was held out of a preseason game as a result. So of course, one of the first questions from the press corps was "Does it have anything to do with the shoes?"

"The shoes" are Stephon's low-cost basketball kicks, which he's marketing via Steve & Barry's University Sportswear for $14.98 a pair -- and wearing in games this season.


So before this becomes a big to-do about how Steph is putting his image rehabilitation before team goals or some such nonsense, I want you all to embrace a couple of minor points:

• Basketball players will occasionally fight aches and pains during training camp and beyond. As of yet, no one that I'm aware of has questioned Jerome James' shoes.
• There is no early reason that basketball sneakers need to cost over $100 a pair. The unit cost of a pair of top-line kicks has been estimated at around $20. (Approximately $.02 of that is for labor.)

As Chuck D once said, "I like Nike, but wait a minute..."

I love the fact that Marbury has lent his name to this effort. I hope his sneaker line, and similar lines from other NBA stars (Shaq's shoe sells for around $40) bring a little sanity to the industry.

And I reserve the right to re-think this entire post of Stephon misses 20 games due to insufficient arch support.

Eric Musselman's DUI

Sacramento Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof have announced that coach Eric Musselman won't face punishment from the team as a result of his recent arrest for driving under the influence. (Musselman could still face a fine or suspension from the NBA if he's convicted.)

Musselman is, by all accounts, a good guy and a family man. He's apparently not a big drinker. He made a mistake.

But this is not a strong enough response from the Kings or the NBA.

I'd like to see something a little stronger than Musselman's tearful apology. A substantial donation from the richer-than-god Maloofs to MADD or something similar. A SADD fundraiser at the Kings home opener. Anything to show that the NBA and the Kings take drunk driving seriously.

One would think drunk driving would be top-of-mind for David Stern and the rest of the NBA this week, given the recent news that the three-time loser who killed Malik Sealy in a drunk driving incident six years ago was arrested on October 17th with a blood alcohol content more than twice Minnesota's legal limit.

On Stephon's Couch

Finally -- an answer to the question, "What do Stephon Marbury and Rachel Ray have in common?"

Apparently, low-cost sneakers are just the first step in the large-scale image-rehabilitation campaign being put together by Marbury and his people. Today's New York Post tells us that Starbury is shopping a talk show.

"It's fun," Marbury told The Post's Marc Berman. "It's a lot of easier to speak to basketball players. I get certain things out of them because you're going through the same things that they're going through. The lives that we live is different than anyone else. You can relate to the person you're speaking to better than you [the media]. It was a great interview [with Kobe]. A lot of things people wouldn't be able to get from [Kobe], I can."

Along with Kobe, Chauncey Billups and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will reportedly submit to Stephon's questioning... as has Knick teammate Steve Francis. We'd be interested in seeing the Stevie Franchise interview, if only to determine whether or not Steph and Stevie can communicate OFF the court. (The Knicks' laughable perimeter defense tells me all I need to know about them ON the hardwood.)

Of course, Steph isn't nearly so accomodating when he's the interview-ee... he's reportedly been dodging questions about his cousin's run-in with the law last week.

Rotowire Barometer

In this week's Rotowire Barometer, we're taking a look at how lineups and rotations are shaping up for a number of teams across the NBA.

If you're not a Rotowire.com subscriber yet, you can also read the column on Yahoo! Fantasy Sports.

Give and Go

New column is up on Rotowire.com -- The Give and Go.

Give and Go is a weekly roundup of news/issues relating to the NBA and fantasy hoops, written as a conversation between me and Rotowire editor Chris Liss. This week, we're talking about:

• Possible expansion of the NBA to include a European division
• The NBA's transformation back to a faster-paced style of play
• How to fix the playoff structure

Check it out: The Give and Go

(Rotowire.com subscription required)

Case Against O'Neal Dismissed

This blog is starting to look more like a police blotter and less like a basketball roundup. Can we move up the start of the regular season a little?

Anyway... following up on the story about the lawsuit filed against Jermaine O'Neal in the wake of the Pistons/Pacers brawl: the suit was dismissed. The jury reportedly decided that Mr. Haddad was asking for a whuppin' -- which is more or less how we summarized the issue.

For those who have finally managed to get the image out of their heads... here's O'Neal's haymaker punch. (How did we ever live without YouTube?)

Ripped from the Headlines

This is going to make an excellent episode of Law & Order.

Earlier this week, Boston's Sebastian Telfair left a preseason game against the Knicks at halftime to speak with police. Telfair reportedly had a $50,000 necklace stolen outside P Diddy's restaurant in Manhattan -- the same place where rapper Fabolous was shot.

Didn't really think anything of it at the time. Gunfights involving rappers aren't that uncommon in the big city.

But today's Daily News casts the whole tale in a more interesting light. According to their sources, here's a more detailed sequence of events:

• A member of Fabolous' posse, the "Street Family" steals Telfair's chain and flees into Justin's.
• Telfair makes a cell phone call.
  
• Twenty minutes later, the gunman is seen on video leaving the scene.

No one's accused anyone of anything... but I've seen enough episodes of CSI to put this one together. Someone thinks 'Bassy called in a favor.

For what it's worth, Telfair is reportedly cooperating with the police and has shared all the numbers he called that night.

Still, this sure doesn't sound good.

First Impressions on the Celtics

Some quick notes on the Celtics, after watching their preseason game at Madison Square Garden last night.

• Granted, I was watching them against the defensively-challenged Knick guards, but Boston's backcourt looked great. Sebastian Telfair was able to get into the lane at will and hit open teammates. Rajon Rondo is a speed demon. And Tony Allen was very solid... and the only one of the bunch who seemed to offer much on defense (though he did make a bonehead play by fouling Jamal Crawford on a three-point attempt). If I'm Delonte West, I'm getting increasingly nervous about missing these preseason games.
• The Celtics are going to score an awful lot of points. Their guards bring the ball up quickly, and with their quickness, they'll get to the line a lot. They posted 108 points last night without leading scorer Paul Pierce, who sat out due to a sore hip.
• The Celtics are going to give up an awful lot of points. Some of this is due to strategy -- they're looking to outgun opponents, not get into defensive battles. And some of this is due to personnel -- Theo Ratliff also missed last night's game. But some of this is due to the fact that they're just atrocious on defense. Michael Olowokandi allowed Eddy Curry (not known for his footspeed) to blow past for a couple of easy layups, and the Celtics front line at one point allowed the 5'9" Nate Robinson to score on a putback.
  
• Player to watch -- Wally Szczerbiak. Opposing defenses will need to key on Paul Pierce, and Boston's points will be able to beat nearly any other backcourt off the dribble. That should open up tons of kick-outs for Szczerbiak, who has more than enough skill to take advantage.
  

First Impressions on the Knicks

Got my first look at the 2006/07 edition of the New York Knicks last night, as they played a preseason game against the Celtics. Here's my take:

• Jalen Rose started, but don't get used to that. Isiah Thomas told the press that Quentin Richardson probably would have gotten the nod if Paul Pierce had been able to play. The Knicks seem to be thinking that small forward will be a primarily defensive position, and Rose plays no D. Until Jared Jeffries returns, Richardson or David Lee or even Renaldo Balkman would be better options.
• New York's perimeter defense was atrocious last season, and right now it seems that's a trend that will continue. The starting backcourt of Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis doesn't match up well with quick guards. Look for guys like Allen Iverson, Sebastian Telfair and T.J. Ford to do a lot of damage against the Knicks.
• How can you not like Nate Robinson? At one point in the first half, Robinson brought the ball up and passed off to someone on the wing -- it was either Jamal Crawford or Quentin Richardson, I didn't see. "Crawfordson" took a quick three, which hit the front rim... and Robinson snaked his way down the lane and scored on a putback. Left-handed. The guy is about as tall as my three-year-old son, and he's scoring on putbacks. That's outstanding.
  
• Eddy Curry was active, and he looked a lot quicker than at any point last season. Of course, the Celtics' interior defense could charitably be described as "horrendous," so last night might not be a representative example.
• Channing Frye was aggressive on the offensive end, really looking to score when he got the ball inside of 18 feet or so. I think he'll have a big season.

And finally, I think the fans at Madison Square Garden are going to fall in love with... Renaldo Balkman. The guy is crazily energetic on the floor, he attacks the basket with abandon, and he's able to rip down a rebound and immediately start pushing up the floor leading the break. New York hasn't had a big man with that sort of ability since Anthony Mason.

The more I see of Balkman, the more he reminds me of Mase-in-the-Face. Manic energy. Surprising ball-handling skills for a man his size. Active defense. Very limited offensive game. (Balkman's range extends to maybe six feet. Mason was famous for using the same ball-fake every time he got possession on the block, and then having his shot swatted.)

Do I think they drafted him too early? Yes. Could they have gotten another player with their first pick and still nabbed Balkman with the 29th? For sure. But Balkman will be fun to watch, and I think he'll make New York's rotation.

My New Favorite College Team...

Is the McMurry University... uh... "team."

I don't even know if they play hoops.

Doesn't matter.

Update on Eric Gordon/Kelvin Sampson

Interesting new twist to the Eric Gordon/Kelvin Sampson recruiting controversy. In today's "Hoops on Hoops" blog, Dick Weiss indicates that Gordon backed out of his verbal to Illinois over the summer. If that's true, I take back all... well, most... of the mean things I said about Kelvin Sampson.

The mean things I said about Jim Calhoun stand.

The Risks Associated with International Travel

Normally I wear protection, but then I thought, "When am I gonna make it back to Haiti?"
-- Saturday Night Live, "Bad Idea Jeans"

I've been taking a beating on the comment board of my 2006-07 Fantasy Busts column (Rotowire.com subscription required)... mostly for suggesting that Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade might not live up to the hype this season.

My reasoning? Paul just played an 82-game NBA season for the first time, then followed it up with a lot of difficult minutes for Team USA. Wade played all the way into June and then joined the national team, with very little time for rest or recovery. In either case, I'm concerned about the number of miles on their odometers this year, and thinking they might not play up to their usual standards.

On the other hand, Kevin Pelton of 82games.com has an analysis that says I'm way off base; that there's no evidence to suggest that players in Paul or Wade's situations are at a higher risk of injury. (For the record, his column doesn't factor in players who are hurt while participating in international competitions -- like Tony Parker or Pau Gasol.)

I'm still on the fence. I'll concede that you can't make a blanket statement that players who participate in big-time tournaments over the summer are at a higher risk of injury. I'll even admit that some players probably benefit enormously from the international competition. (I think Carmelo Anthony is this year's example -- I think the leadership role he took with Team USA will benefit him, and the Nuggets, enormously this year.)

But I'm still not taking Paul or Wade in the first round of any of my drafts.

Verbals... not worth the paper...

Another day, another example of shady dealings by NCAA hoops coaches. This time it's Indiana's new head man, Kelvin Sampson, who managed to recruit Eric Gordon for the Hoosiers even though:

• Gordon had already verbally committed to Illinois
• Sampson is under recruiting restrictions dating back to some shenanigans when he was the head man at Oklahoma

This is a serious gray area for NCAA hoops programs. Generally, there's a working "gentleman's agreement" not to work players that have verbally committed -- but there's no hard and fast rule against it.

Now to be fair, Gordon is a tailor-made Hoosier out of North Central High School in Indianapolis. When he gave Bruce Weber his verbal last season, the coaching situation at Indiana was highly unsettled, and a blue-chipper like Gordon would have been nuts to commit. That said, Gordon (and Sampson) could have eliminated the appearance of any skullduggery by simply coming out and de-committing over the summer. That would have given Weber a chance to fill his scholarship -- now, it's a little late in the game to attract a player of Gordon's caliber.

This is the second time in recent memory that a big major conference recruit has switched teams at the last minute. Doug Wiggins, a mid-level recruit from Hartford, Connecticut gave an early verbal to Norm Roberts at St. John's. Wiggins then spent the summer shooting up the recruiting rankings with a series of stellar performances at camps and AAU events. The the Marcus Williams/AJ Price laptop scandal made the point guard situation at Connecticut a lot less solid, and suddenly, Wiggins signed with the Huskies. Roberts, like Weber, was hung out to dry after a coach in his own conference recruited a player who'd given a verbal.

This issue should become a big topic of conversation in the offseason. Other big-name coaches like Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Michigan's Tommy Amaker have spoken out on the subject, and the ethics committee of the National Association of Basketball Coaches is expected to weigh in, ESPN's Andy Katz blogs (ESPN Insider subscription required).

NBA Barometer

The first NBA Barometer of the season is live tonight on Rotowire. Barometer is a weekly column for fantasy basketball players, looking at who's hot and who's not. Some of the items covered this week:

• Why the trade market for point guards should start heating up
• Who should be the number one overall pick in your fantasy NBA draft
• Who stands to gain from the legal troubles of several Indiana Pacers

To read Barometer and the rest of Rotowire's updates, you need to subscribe. And tell 'em Three Seconds sent ya.

More Legal Trouble for the Pacers

Even yet still more legal troubles for the Indiana Pacers, as a judge has inexplicably allowed the fan who stormed the court during the Detroit/Indiana melee to sue Jermaine O'Neal.

Peter Vecsey of the New York Post offers his take, which is essentially this: once this Charles Haddad set foot on the court, he was asking for whatever he got... just as Ron Artest had no defense for his actions once he entered the stands.

It pains me to admit that I'm 100% in agreement with Vecsey on this one. Imagine what happens if Haddad wins a chunk of O'Neal's money. We'll have "fans" falling all over themselves to pick fights with players in all sports.

Maybe it's time to bring back the cage around the court.

Six Pack of Beer > Six Stolen Laptops

Write a blog about hypocrisy at big-time college sports programs... you'll certainly never run out of material.

The latest entry features our old friends at the University of Connecticut. You remember them -- the same guys who suspended future NBA player Marcus Williams for a semester, and reserve-player-recovering from a life-threatening disease AJ Price for an entire year, after the two were caught up in the theft of some laptops. At the time, much was made of the apparent inequity between the two suspensions, and UConn coach Jim Calhoun washed his hands of the affair, claiming that a university disciplinary committee handed down the punishments.

(Right. Jim Calhoun has no say over what happens to his players. I'd be more inclined to believe that Jodi Rell runs legislation past stutterin' Jim before she signs anything into law. But I digress.)

So now, thanks to Deadspin, we have the story of five Connecticut football players who have been dismissed from the team. Their transgression? They are under 21, and they purchased a couple of six-packs of beer.

Couple of points worth noting:

• They bought the beer. They didn't steal it. And this was reportedly a first offense for the students involved.
  
• Even if they HAD stolen the beers, we're pretty sure that a laptop costs a whole lot more money, Moore's Law be damned.
• According to the Hartford Courant, the punishment was handed down by coach Randy Edsall -- not some mysterious disciplinary committee.
• I may be going out on a limb here, but I haven't seen any of these kids' names on Mel Kiper's big board.

So what have we learned? At the University of Connecticut, it is worse for an underage player to purchase a six-pack of beer than to steal and attempt to fence fellow students' laptops. I wonder if they have a course in ethics up there in Storrs.

I hope Jonathan the Husky is hanging his tail between his legs in shame.

Potentially, the best Knicks news in a LOOOOONG time

You'll need an MBA to really decipher most of what's going on in this story from Blogging Stocks. Here's the "I was an English major" summary:

• The Dolans are trying buy up shares of Cablevision and make the company private.
• Some shareholders and other financial-analyst types think the current shareholders might get a better deal by splitting up the company assets -- like, say, the Knicks -- and selling each to the highest bidder.
• There's also conjecture that Time Warner's cable division could get involved.

What does all this mean? Possibly nothing. The Dolan family has a huge controlling interest in the company, and they're unlikely to give that up without a great deal of kicking and screaming. But, for the first time in forever, it does seem like a real possibility. And ask any Knick fan -- like my man "Sell the Knicks" -- Isiah Thomas has been bad, but the root of the Knicks' problems is in the executive suite.

Bull Market for Backup Points

Kenny Anderson, get your resume ready... it looks we're about to have a big run on backup point guards.

Two teams that consider themselves title contenders, the Heat and the Pistons, are reportedly looking for additional depth at the point. Miami is likely to make the first move; no one thinks that the tandem of Jason Williams and Gary Payton will make it through 82 games (plus the playoffs) healthy. Plus, Shandon Anderson's neck injury has put his future with team Riley in doubt, which means there may be an open spot on the champs' roster.

Detroit is also rumored to be on the lookout for point guard help, and Atlanta seems like a reasonable destination given Speedy Claxton's recent injury.

So clearly, there's a need -- what about a supplier? Milwaukee seems to be three-deep in serviceable guards with Mo Williams, Charlie Bell and Steve Blake. With the announcement that Williams will start, it would seem that one of the other two could be expendable. The Knicks seem to have a massive glut in the backcourt, but there's not really a pure point guard in the bunch, and the New York papers seem to think that Jim Dolan isn't eager to let Isiah Thomas swing another big trade (as evidenced by the reports that Jalen Rose won't be dealt this season).

Two names to watch: San Antonio's Beno Udrih and Utah's Brian Chase. Udrih has fallen to fourth on the Spurs point guard depth chart, behind Tony Parker, Brent Barry and Jacque Vaughn, and the Spurs haven't yet picked up his third-year option. Chase, an undrafted free agent from West Virginia, has reportedly given second-year man Deron Williams fits with his quickness and attacking style.

And let's not forget Jay Williams. I'm not sure about Williams' chances of sticking with New Jersey; not with Marcus Williams in the house. But all these openings -- some of them with very attractive teams -- have to increase the odds that he'll play in the NBA in 2006-07.

Another Reason to Root Against Miami

Taking as inspiration Pat Riley's legendary trademark on "three-peat," a financial analyst in South Florida has registered a trademark for a pun that we'll be hearing entirely too often
if Miami makes another run at the NBA title.

I won't mention the actual phrase here, because I don't want to encourage this sort of thing. Oh, and I don't want him charging me.

Miami Herald: Cashing In on a Catch Phrase

Hawks with Broken Wings

I don't think the Hawks will be good -- not by any stretch of the imagination -- but I wrote in several season previews that I think Speedy Claxton is an excellent fit and fantasy sleeper on a team with tons of athletic wings and finishers. The big caveat: can Speedy stay healthy?

The big answer: No, not so much.

Speedy broke a finger during a workout; he'll miss six weeks and might not be ready for the season opener. Zaza Pachulia is also on the shelf, after taking a Lorenzen Wright elbow to the noodle during practice -- he needed 30 stitches . And now, rookie Solomon Jones is sidelined with a sprained ankle.

I still think Claxton will put up big numbers on this team -- but with him missing the entire preseason now, it seems reasonable to expect that chemistry will take more time to develop. The new recommendation: don't draft him, but target him for a "buy low" trade or free-agent pickup around New Year's, and look for Speedy to put up nice numbers down the stretch.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Hawks Limping Through Training Camp

A Wild Night Out with Stephen Jackson

"After his arraignment, Jackson is rumored to be headed to the Portland Trailblazers in a three-player trade."

This one is almost too easy...

SI.com - Stephen Jackson punched, hit by car, fires shots

Troy Murphy moves to Center

The NBA is a better place with Don Nelson in it.

Now, I don't think Nellie is going to win anything with the Warriors... one could actually make the argument that he's become the Buck Showalter of the NBA -- he can get teams pointed in the right direction, but it's his successor that'll get a ring.

That said, it takes a known noncomformist like Nelson to do something truly earth-shattering... like setting up a starting lineup that puts the best five guys on the floor, regardless of the positions listed on their basketball cards.

(Do they still make basketball cards?)

SI.com: Murphy moves to center for new-look Warriors

Olowokandi Makes Surprise Appearance

Quick poll -- what's the most surprising fact in this story?

a) Michael Olowokandi, the first overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, showed up for camp with the Celtics as the 18th man on a 15-man roster.
b) Michael Olowokandi was the first overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. (How did that happen? Did he have the same agent as Ryan Leaf? We need to get to the bottom of this.)
c) Michael Olowokandi is in camp with the Celtics, and not the Knicks.

Olowokandi makes surprise appearance - The Boston Globe

The Return of A. J. Price

OK... I'm glad to see that AJ Price is doing well. Really, I am.

But I still think the "The University decided the punishment, Jim Calhoun didn't" story is shaky at best. Price and Marcus Williams committed the same crime -- but somehow, the NBA-caliber point guard was only suspended for a semester, while the redshirt recovering from a life-threatening medical condition had to miss the whole year.

Remember this, Jimmy Calhoun... karma is a bitch. 'Course, maybe you learned that during the George Mason game.

SI.com: UConn's Price itching to make his mark

Isiah Already Screened Out

Could the Knicks actually get worse this season?

Could be.

Here's an ominous sign -- the New York Daily News is reporting that Isiah Thomas invited the entire team to New York for informal workouts starting just after Labor Day. Apparently only Channing Frye and David Lee deigned to attend.

Ouch.


New York Daily News: Isiah already screened out

'Cheap, toy store balls'

I'd like to thank Shaq-Fu for weighing in on the NBA's new game ball... which he compared to the sort of indoor/outdoor balls usually sold at places like KayBee Toys, imprinted with a picture of SpongeBob Square Pants.

Here's my suggestion -- let's bring a grand pickup hoops tradition to the NBA. Each player brings his own ball, and before the game, the teams will decide whether to use the leather ball with one of the panels starting to tear away on one side, the ball that's slightly deflated, the ball that's over-inflated like the ones used in the free-throw booth at a church carnival, or the beat old model that has a slight bulge on one side. Let's see what THAT would do to shooting percentages.

ESPN.com: Shaq detests NBA's new balls

Maybe THIS is how he made the original Dream Team...

As if we needed another reason to think that NBA players are vastly overpaid...

ESPN.com: Group including Laettner agrees to buy Grizz

State of the Knicks

My first post on this blog will serve notice that the East Coast Bias will be in full effect here at Three Seconds; I'll kick things off with a few observations on everyone's favorite punching bag, the New York Knickerbockers.

How will the Knicks do this season?

My guess (and my worst fear... well, not my worst fear, but my worst fear relating to NBA hoops) is that the Knicks will finish with a thoroughly mediocre .500 record and squeak into the sixth or seventh playoff spot.

That would be real bad. Why? Because it would allow Isiah Thomas to take credit for an 18-game turnaround.

You are what your record says you are -- true. But I don't think the Knicks were a 23-win team last year. Larry Brown came in and tried to force a roster reconstruction, the team resisted, and Isiah took the players' side. A coach without Brown's credentials would probably have been able to coax 10-15 more wins out of last year's squad by simply staying out of the way. That in mind, I'm discounting any Isiah-related turnaround by the 16 or so additional games Starbury and company should have won last year.

'Course, my opinion doesn't really matter. If the Knicks make the playoffs, Jim Dolan will probably extend Isiah's contract well into the next decade.

Other Knicks News
Eddy Curry is reportedly in much better shape going into training camp. Big Ed doesn't have the reputation of being a workout warrior, but remember, last summer he was more or less shut down for months due to his heart problems. Let's hope he keeps his playing weight under three bills.

Mo Taylor is gone. He won't be missed. Zeke is bringing in some pretty interesting names to fill the open roster spot, including one I won't even attempt to type. The New York Post has the story.