Real Deal

Jenkins is shooting the ball far better off the bench (at around 48%, versus 43% as a starter)...last five games, he has shot under 30% FG, and for the last 10, around 37%...but that may be expected, because the more he plays (and the less Golden State cares, since they have been out of the playoffs for a while), the road becomes much tougher for him. I think he can maintain that 45% or better if the entire team plays with a purpose, and doesn't give more burn to the undeserving, just for the sake of playing games and not worrying about overall record (at this point of the season). Very good article. It's nice to see non-superstar players (and in this case, a non-star) being given attention every once in a while.

Honestly, I doubt it would have mattered, because Wall had already turned on the jets and was wide open for a runner, if someone was going to grab at him (assuming they'd even catch up to him, because he had already burned his defender off of that hand-off), which would have put him at the line to win the game. Haslem almost picked that pass off, anyway.

Doubt he will, but if he's healthy in time, it shouldn't matter how you feel about the way he's acting. I hate LeBron James, but he better play for the Olympic team, because he's better than having someone like Danny Granger take his place. I'd rather see Dwight Howard over JaVale McGee. Bynum is going to go over to Germany to fix his knee (what Kobe did last summer), so he won't be replacing Dwight. Tyson Chandler could be the only legitimate defensive anchor.

When they say he was having back problems, they were talking about his back spasms. I'm pretty sure the herniated disc is a separate issue, no matter how they try to connect the two. Also, he had the surgery in LA, and has been told he's on the shelf for six months. I doubt he'll be playing for Team USA in the Olympics.

It would be a huge, huge list, because I don't exactly have anything on the board that averages it out by posts per day...just the post numbers each and every day. So, since the rebuild, you're talking 1,000+ days. Let's put it this way: if we get 300+ posts nowadays, I'm happy. When the lockout happened, we were basically on life support.

Fun to watch Kobe again. So much for everything else.

Knicks need to make moves this offseason...pretty obvious by now. Amare has to go.

We need two wins to lock up #3, against the Spurs, Thunder and Kings (or one win, if the Clips lose against the Hornets, Hawks or Knicks). It would be awesome to get this one.

Looking at the roster, you'd think the Pistons would come out and run the Wolves (remember, Love and Rubio are both out). Kind of sad when you watch Gordon, Stuckey, Monroe, Knight, Villanueva and Prince all get their asses handed to them by a Minnesota team that has no business winning with who they are putting on the court right now.

Looking at the standings (yes, I actually updated them tonight), it seems like this game was the deal-breaker for the Bucks. It could be safe to say that Milwaukee is all but out. I don't see how the Sixers will lose to the Nets or Pistons, and even if they did lose three of those last four, the Bucks would have to win out...which means a win against the Celtics (but, they could sit their players...who knows).

I actually forgot, you guys get fouled far too many times every game, and that's with little effort most of the time (because it's just the regular season). Gotta remind myself who I'm talking to. So yeah, you guys just stay mean out there, and you play hard when you want, and when those guys push you around, you push back, damnit!

Either you thought I meant it was an illegal pick, or you knew I was talking about the stare-down. Anyway... So you'd be fine with Blake Griffin (the guy you dislike) doing something about the fouls he's getting, especially the Robin Lopez foul tonight? I doubt it. But, anyway... No team is allowed to taunt and push other players on the court...and if you actually think I support that shit, you must not pay attention to anything I've posted about it over the years...from Garnett's BS all the way to Andrew Bynum obliterating JJ Barea in Game 4 vs. Dallas last year. I still wouldn't like it...but if LeBron is going to shatter someone with a pick, then stare them down, it should be someone his size or larger, or someone that has a bad reputation on the court. Lucas? In the backcourt, for no reason other than to taunt the Bulls? Please.

Point out where I said it was an illegal pick, please (he did lower his shoulder a bit, but it wasn't that significant). Staring him down was the issue, but LeBron is a [expletive] face, so I'm not surprised at it. -------- Regarding what Wade did, Rip basically used his forearm to create space, much like every superstar and non-superstar does in this league (LeBron going to the rim, Kobe taking a shot, etc). Wade overreacted and blatantly pushed Rip, for no reason. You know that, though.

Impressive losing streak...lol. -_-

LeBron and Wade going after Lucas and Rip. Oh my God...I seriously thought we would see far less of this as we approach Kevin Garnett's retirement, but I guess not.

Guys, if you're hosting your avatar or signature on tinypic.com, please use another host. Their servers have been up and down for the last 2-3 days, and it's causing very, very slow loading times. Thanks.

I wouldn't bet money on it. There will be better squads. UCLA would probably tear them up, as long as they end up playing team ball and not becoming too selfish.

This is exactly where I stand, although if they did drop the age limit and restrictions, I wouldn't care. A successful high school basketball player can look at that and say, "Well, I'm not LeBron James or Dwight Howard, so I don't think I'll get drafted top three...but if I go to college for two years, I can raise my stock and get that #1 pick, and a max rookie contract with it." Then, you have the kids that know they can't go to college because of money, or grades, and if they have the skill to be a top 30 pick, they get a guaranteed contract.

Pfft. Stupid Lakers.

That particular hailstorm didn't hit the city I live in, but we've had hail nearly that large a few times before. I got hit in the back with a hailstone the size of a softball once, dropped me in my driveway as I was trying to get to my car to move it into the garage. That was the year they declared a natural disaster in my town, too...tore the hell out of houses, shattered windows, etc. Every single window on the right side, and front, of my house was broken into pieces, and the siding had holes in it the size of golf balls (and larger). Quite a few cars were totaled, too. I don't know anyone personally, but yeah, there have been a few in US history who were stuck out in it (ex. maybe a huge parking lot, like Wal-Mart's) and were unable to get out of it before a huge stone hit them in the head. Rare that it kills people, though...probably just a lot of injuries.

Hail in Kansas on Sunday.

Yikes. Crazy game, though.

Yeah buddy! Yes, that's an OTR shirt to my right.

Coachella started in 1999...just saying (for those who watched and listened)... :o

Because in the third, Phil wanted him to focus more on the defensive end, and to get the teammates more involved. You do realize that Kobe had 17 second-quarter points, right? And the Lakers were still down by 15 at the half. Had he retreated back to his scoring ways in the 4th, he would have been criticized anyway, and the Lakers would have lost, regardless. In fact, Phoenix was double-teaming Bryant at 25-feet out in the second half. They were doing it every now and then in the first half, and Kobe hit at least 2-3 from downtown that were from WAY OUT because of it (one was a 30-footer). Kobe was incredible, but he's not going to beat a team that can outscore him OR that chooses to run Marion and Bell at him all game long, together every now and then (or with Diaw) from that far away from the rim. Not since Shaq (during the dynasty) and Wilt did any player in NBA history see the kind of defensive pressure Kobe saw that season.