On The Court: An NBA Christmas

Merry Christmas!  I hope everyone received what they wanted, because I sure did: family, turkey, presents, and a full day of basketball!  For those who missed out here's my recap for the five NBA games on Christmas day:

Game 1: Boston at  New York
A pretty damn good start for the quintuple header.  New York came out strong, as expected, playing their first home game at MSG.  Occasionally pressing, New York took an early lead and held it for the first half. The Celtics, being the veteran team, matched the Knicks' intensity in the second half, not only coming back but taking a double digit lead.  As both teams competed fiercely,  this match could've been mistaken for a playoff game.  Carmelo Anthony, the lead scorer took over in the fourth finishing the game with a game high 37 points.  The game came down to the wire with New York on top by two points and only 3.9 seconds left on the clock.  Without Pierce (heel injury) to close out the game, they go to KG, who gets a decent look but wasn't able to knock down the shot to tie it up.  Knicks win after 8 consecutive losses to the Celtics.

Game 2: Miami at Dallas
Dallas opens the game with the raising of the 2011 championship banner.  Miami started off the game focused and ready for revenge but Dallas just seemed unmotivated.  While Lebron poured on the points, the Miami defense were causing turnovers left right and center on the defensive side.  Meanwhile, the Mavericks all played with the intensity of a preseason game with the exception of Jason Terry trying to prevent Miami embarrassing them at home.  With a gap as big as 30 points, this game soon became boring to watch.  In the 4th quarter, Dallas able to close the gap to 11 points but this game's outcome was sealed by the first half.

Game 3:  Chicago at Los Angeles Lakers
This was my most anticipated game to watch.  I haven't seen Derrick Rose, the former MVP, play this season yet and was excited to see him in action.  As both teams battled, it was a close game up to the first half.  In the second, L.A. seemed to be running away with it but I knew the Bulls weren't going to give up.  After the Lakers missed four consecutive free throws late in the fourth, Chicago capitalized with a Luol Deng and-one.  Down by one point, Lakers inbound with 20.4 seconds on the clock.  Deng miraculously comes up with a steal following the double team on Kobe Byrant, and after a controversial no-call on what seemed to be a travel on the pass to Derrick Rose, the former MVP waited for the clock to go down and drove towards the center, elevated, and hit the ten foot floater right in Gasol's face with 4.8 seconds left.  Who do the Lakers go to?  Who else?  Kobe Bryant grabbed the inbound pass, drove right but Deng came up with a huge block!  Chicago wins it big on the road, starting off what will be another impressive season.

Game 4:  Orlando at Oklahoma City
Dwight Howard and the Magic started off strong but once the game became the Durant-Westbrook show, you could tell where the game was heading.  Turkoglu could not guard Durant and the OKC fans were letting the Magic know.  The Thunder defeated the Magic 97-89.

Game 5:  Los Angeles Clipeprs at Golden State
This game was somewhat close.  Paul and Billups dropping their veteran points.  Jordan and Blake bringing the Lob City to Golden State.  Monta ellis trying to keep them in the game but when LAC started to run way with it, Mark Jackson implemented the hack-a-Jordan strategy that seemed to get them back in the game.  In the late fourth quater, the game was up for grabs, despite that, Curry, playing injured, gave away consecutive careless turnovers, and Chris Paul put the dagger in the game.  Sad to see Curry injured once again; I really thought this was going to be his year.  He's got to be healthy again, but until then, it seems like Mark Jackson has a lot of work to do to rid of the Warriors' bad habits.

Off The Court: Azealia Banks

Nicki Minaj meets M.I.A. was the first thought that came to mind upon watching this clip.  Azealia Bank's 212 has been a hit--tearing up clubs all around the states.

The newcomer is a 20 year old rapper from Harlem, New York.  She released her first single in 2009 called Seventeen.

212 was the first track that put her on my radar.  I couldn't decide whether her unique style was weird or hip but after sleeping on it, I couldn't wait to hear it again.  What really caught my eye was her "in your face" lyrics, delivered over a hard hitting beat, but also incorporates a bit of an indie-hipster vibe.

After hearing more of her discography, I was surprised to find one of her tracks produced by Lunice, who I've seen perform live in Montreal.  She kills it over a very well produced instrumental!

Literally, 2 days ago, Azealia's website was upscaled.  This young lady's making moves and getting the attention she deserves. Watch out for her during the upcoming year, she could potentially run 2012.

On The Court: Clippers Land Chris Paul

After a wave of excitement and let down, Chris Paul has officially been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers!  Hornets receive star shooting guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and the unprotected Minnesota 2012 first round draft pick.  Clippers also receive two future second round picks.  Not a bad trade, eh?

Wait, did I just become a Clippers fan?!  I can't say yet.  All I know is I can't wait to watch Paul toss up some filthy alley-oops to Blake Griffin!

On The Court: High School High Flyer

Shaquille Johnson is the most ridiculous high-flyer I've seen this season in high school basketball!  Standing at 6'5", the ferocious dunker plays above the rim.  I'm excited to see what else this kid can do offensively as well as defensively but with athleticism like this, his potential is out the roof.  This video will definitely get you as excited as I am:

On The Court: Upcoming Player - Stephen Curry

Last year's NBA season, it was quite apparent how much Team USA's endeavor to the gold medal championship improved the players on their roster.  The team consisted of MVP Derrick Rose, All-Star Kevin Durant, and the monster rebounder, Kevin Love, achieving 31 points and 30 rebounds in 2010-2011 season.  Not to mention Eric Gordon, Lamar Odom, Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, and Tyson Chandler all contributing a huge impact on their NBA teams after playing together on the international level.

Stephen Curry, also a USA gold medalist, was on the verge of a dominating season.  With one of the smoothest jump shots as well as one of the quickest releases in the NBA, Curry's high basketball IQ makes him a dangerous threat on the court.  However, hindered by his ankle injuries last season, the upcoming star did not follow the path of his fellow international teammates.  This year, Curry's been humbly attending Davidson and staying healthy during the lock out.  He's bulked up a bit, played a couple of chairty games, but most importantly, he's ready to dominate the way he was suppose to last year.

I'm predicting an explosive year for the Golden State Warriors.  Along with new coach Mark Jackson's defensive mindset, prolific scorer Monta Ellis and sharp shooting Stephen Curry will provide a deadly back court combination that will surely lead the Warriors to an improved record.  If all goes well under the new head coach and the roster stays healthy, you can expect to see this team in the 2011-2012 playoffs.

Off The Court: Illanoize

So this discovery took place last Friday evening, sipping on a casual beer, chillin' with some friends, vibin' to some good tunes.  I was looking for something special to hear, something new.  Group settings are usually well complemented with some Hip Hop bumping in the background so I browse my iPhone for a sick album or playlist and settled for Nas' Illmatic (how can you ever go wrong with old school Nas).

As the casual beer became a casual five beers, everyone's feeling pretty good by this point.  A friend yanks the jack out of my iPhone and puts on a track.  Suddenly I realize what I'm listening to is sick!  A new school instrumental with an indie flavour rapped over by Aesop Rock.  Never have I heard a remix of None Shall Pass but I've always remembered that Aesop Rock delivers unreal flow in that track, but the instrumental portrays an but cool mood.  By replacing it with a Sufjan Stevens sample, the song becomes very easygoing.

The mixtape, Illanoize is by Tor, a Vancouver-based producer.  Every track features ridiculous rap flows remixed over a Sufjan Stevens sample including hit songs such as ATLiens by Outkast and Make You Feel That Way by Gift of Gab.  The video's posted are my favourite songs, but every track is sick.  Get a free download and tell me what you think!

On The Court: Player Transactions

Here's the clear and organized update of all player transactions that have been made courtesy of NBA.com
Enjoy!

NBA transactions for the 2011-12 season: July 1, 2011 to the present.

December 2011

Monday, Dec. 12
• Houston Rockets signed forward Marcus Morris. Claimed guard Jeremy Lin off waivers from Golden State. Added guard Ibrahim Jaaber to the training-camp roster.
• Memphis Grizzlies agreed to terms with center Marc Gasol.
• Philadelphia 76ers re-signed center Tony Battie.
• Los Angeles Clippers matched the Golden State offer for center DeAndre Jordan.
• Boston Celtics acquired forward Brandon Bass from Orlando for forward Glen Davis and guard Von Wafer. Signed forward JaJuan Johnson and guard E'Twaun Moore. Re-signed guard-forward Sasha Pavlovic.
• Chicago Bulls re-signed forward Brian Scalabrine.
• Cleveland Cavaliers re-signed guard Anthony Parker. Waived forward J.P. Prince.
• Dallas Mavericks re-signed forward Brian Cardinal. Signed forward Vince Carter.
• Detroit Pistons waived guard Richard Hamilton.
• Minnesota Timberwolves signed forward Derrick Williams.
• Toronto Raptors agreed to terms with guard Anthony Carter.

Sunday, Dec. 11
• Dallas Mavericks signed guard Drew Neitzel.
• Phoenix Suns re-signed forward Grant Hill. Signed guard Sebastian Telfair and forward Markieff Morris. Added guard Jeremy Hazell and guard Dwight Buycks to their training camp roster.
• Washington Wizards re-signed center Hamady Ndiaye.
• Toronto Raptors signed center Aaron Gray.
• Golden State Warriors waived guard Charlie Bell. Rescinded their qualifying offer to forward Reggie Williams. Signed center DeAndre Jordan to an offer sheet.
• Memphis Grizzlies signed guards Josh Selby and Jeremy Pargo.
• Oklahoma City Thunder signed guard Reggie Jackson.
• Charlotte Bobcats signed guard Kemba Walker.
• New York Knicks signed guards Mike Bibby, Iman Shumpert, forward Jared Jeffries and center Josh Harrellson.
• Portland Trail Blazers signed forward/center Kurt Thomas.
• Los Angeles Lakers traded forward Lamar Odom and second-round pick to the Dallas Mavericks for a first-round pick and $8.9 million trade exception.

Saturday, Dec. 10
• Golden State Warriors signed forward Gary Flowers and forward Chris Wright.
• Indiana Pacers re-signed center Jeff Foster. Signed forward/center Jeff Pendergraph, forward/center Jarrid Famous, forward Tyren Johnson, forward Darnell Lazare and forward/center Matt Rogers.
• Milwaukee Bucks signed forward-guard Mike Dunleavy to a multi-year deal.
• New York Knicks traded forward Ronny Turiaf, cash considerations and a 2013 second-round draft pick to Washington and guard Andy Rautins to Dallas, who sent center Tyson Chandler and the draft rights to Ahmad Nivins and Giorgos Printezis to New York and a 2012 second-round draft pick to Washington. Washington also sent a conditional future second-round draft pick to Dallas.
• New York Knicks waived guard Chauncey Billups.
• Sacramento Kings signed forward Lawrence Hill and guard Adrian Oliver.
• Toronto Raptors signed forward Rasual Butler.
• Atlanta Hawks signed forward Vladimir Radmanovic.

Friday, Dec. 9
• Atlanta Hawks signed guard Tracy McGrady to a one-year contract.
• Boston Celtics signed guard Marquis Daniels, forward Chris Wilcox and center Greg Stiemsma.
• Chicago Bulls signed forward Jimmy Butler.
• Charlotte Bobcats re-signed guard Derrick Brown to a one-year contract.
• Cleveland Cavaliers signed guard Kyrie Irving and forward Tristan Thompson and waived forward Joey Graham.
• Dallas Mavericks signed forward Brandan Wright.
• Golden State Warriors signed guard Charles Jenkins and waived guard Jeremy Lin.
• Los Angeles Clippers signed forward Caron Butler to a three-year contract.
• Los Angeles Lakers signed forward Jason Kapono amd guards Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock.
• Miami Heat agreed to terms with guard Mario Chalmers.
• New Jeresy Nets signed guard MarShon Brooks and forward Jordan Williams.
• Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to terms with guard Daequan Cook on a two-year contract.
• Orlando Magic released guard Gilbert Arenas via amnesty provision and signed guards Larry Hughes, Gabe Pruitt and DeAndre Liggins and forward Justin Harper.
• Philadelphia Sixers agreed to terms with forward Thaddeus Young on a multi-year contract. Also signed forward-center Nikola Vucevic, centers Dwayne Jones and Mike Tisdale, guards Antonio Andersen andXavier Salas and forward Lavoy Allen.
• Phoenix Suns re-signed guard-forward Grant Hill to a one-year contract and signed guards Sebastian Telfairand Shannon Brown to one-year contracts. Waived guard Vince Carter.
• Portland Trail Blazers signed center Greg Oden to a one-year contract.
• Sacramento Kings signed guard Marcus Thornton and center Chuck Hayes to four-year contracts and guardsJimmer Fredette, Isaiah Thomas and forward Tyler Honeycutt to rookie contracts.
• Toronto Raptors signed center Jamaal Magloire.
• Utah Jazz re-signed guard Earl Watson and signed center Enes Kanter and guard Alec Burks to deals.

Thursday, Dec. 8
• New Jersey Nets named P.J. Carlesimo and Mario Elie assistant coaches and Jeremy Bettle strength and conditioning coach.
• Utah Jazz named Michael Sanders player development coach.

Wednesday, Dec. 7
• Minnesota Timberwolves named Terry Porter, Jack Sikma, T.R. Dunn and Bill Bayno assistants coaches andR.J. Adelman director of player personnel and David Adelman player development coach.
• Portland Trail Blazers promoted advance scout Larry Greer to assistant coach. Named Dan Dickau player development assistant.

November 2011

Tuesday, Nov. 15
• Philadelphia 76ers named Jeff Capel assistant coach.
• Sacramento Kings named Keith Smart and Bobby Jackson assistant coaches.

October 2011

Wednesday, Oct. 26
• Toronto Raptors named Ed Stefanski executive vice president of basketball operations.

Thursday, Oct. 6
• Utah Jazz named Sidney Lowe assistant coach.

September 2011

Monday, Sept. 26
• Golden State Warriors named Rick Welts president and chief operating officer.

Tuesday, Sept. 13
• Minnesota Timberwolves named Rick Adelman coach.

Friday, Sept. 9
• Phoenix Suns announced the resignation of president and chief executive Rick Welts, effective Sept. 15.

August 2011

Monday, August 29
• New York Knicks named Mike Woodson assistant coach.

Monday, August 15
• Milwaukee Bucks named Sidney Moncrief assistant coach.

Thursday, August 4
• Golden State Warriors named Pete Myers, Wes Unseld Jr. and Jerry DeGregorio assistant coaches andDarren Erman and Kris Weems assistant coaches/player development.

Wednesday, August 3
• Detroit Pistons named Lawrence Frank coach.
• Golden State Warriors named Nate Bjorkgren coach of their D-League Dakota Wizards affiliate.

Tuesday, August 2
• Charlotte Bobcats named Dave Hanners assistant coach.

July 2011

Friday, July 22
• Miami Heat promoted vice president of basketball operations Nick Arison to chief executive officer.

Wednesday, July 20
• Houston Rockets announced the retirement of center Yao Ming.

Monday, July 18
• Indiana Pacers named Jim Boylen assistant coach.

Thursday, July 14
• Cleveland Cavaliers named Wes Wilcox general manager of the NBA D-League affiliate in Canton, Ohio.
• Phoenix Suns named Elston Turner defensive specialist.

Wednesday, July 13
• Indiana Pacers named Brian Shaw assistant head coach. Retained assistant coach Dan Burke.

Tuesday, July 12
• Minnesota Timberwolves fired coach Kurt Rambis.

Thursday, July 7
• Cleveland Cavaliers announced they have purchased the New Mexico Thunderbirds (NBA D-League) and will relocate the team to Canton, Ohio.

Wednesday, July 6
• Golden State Warriors named Marty Glick chief financial officer.
• Indiana Pacers named Frank Vogel coach.

Friday, July 1
• L.A. Lakers named Chuck Person and Quin Snyder assistant coaches.

Source: http://www.nba.com/news/transactions/2011_12/

On The Court: Brandon Roy's Retirement

Ill-fated by his knee injuries, Brandon Roy is retiring in his prime.  After years of building the franchise around the all-star, drafting future prospects (Aldridge and Oden) to complement his game on the court, and giving the city of Portland hope for a future championship, it seems much that was gained is lost.  Roy's final memorable moments on an NBA court will surely bring us back to Game 4, against the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.  His performance will forever be remembered as a stunning display of courage, heart, and pure talent:

On The Court: Chris Paul to Lakers Trade Called Off

Last night, basketball fans raved about the Laker's acquisition of Chris Paul only to be let down by David Stern calling off the trade.  The complex three team trade deal consisted Chris Paul (New Orleans), Pau Gasol (L.A.), Lamar Odom (L.A.), Kevin Martin (Houston), and Luis Scola (Houston).  It was announced that the deal had been made moving Gasol to houston, Odom, Scola, and Martin to New Orleans, and Paul to L.A.  After complaints from various owners including Mark Cuban (being allegedly very vocal) forced David Stern to intervene.  Part of the post-lockout collective bargaining agreement was to prevent large franchise teams to leverage smaller teams.  Stern, showing support for free agency, vetoed the deal.

I'm not much of Lakers fan but I do credit them for being an outstanding basketball team supporting a legendary franchise.  My reactions to the trade before it was revoked initially was shock and confusion.  So much uncertainty comes about when two players who dominate the ball are forced to play on the same team.  Surely being a play maker, Paul could complement Bryant's game but Kobe, for the most part, creates his own shot.  Meanwhile, I would credit a large part of the Lakers' previous success to their dominant big men, on both offense and defense.  As much as I was excited to see Paul and Bryant play together, I think the better move was keeping Gasol in L.A. but since the trade was made and called off, the players are now aware of their worth to their teams.

Now is the question of Dwight Howard.  Chris Broussard of ESPN claims that he is preparing to ask the Magic for a trade to New Jersey.  This will put pressure on the Lakers to trade Andrew Bynum so that Howard can team up with Kobe.

To me, Andrew Bynum is not equivalent to Dwight Howard.  Yes, he's got the size and potential to be dominant but Howard already has shown that he is, whereas Bynum's injuries have kept him very inconsistent.  The Magic better try to get more out of this trade, because Bynum alone is not going to be able to replace Howard.