28,000 and counting

"Trying to escape my trouble..."

Jay-Z - Politics As Usual

The 66-game shortened NBA season is a week old, but it's too early to do an in depth analysis. There have been some major changes in Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York, however the new year will certainly bring excitement, and surprise in the upcoming months.

Consistency

On New Year's Eve the Lakers outlasted the Nuggets 92-89 as Andrew Bynum returned to the lineup after sitting out 4-games due to a suspension that carried over from the playoffs. He played well scoring 29-points while securing 13-rebounds, Derek Fisher made the ultimate hustle play that saved the game and could have more than likely set the tone for the season.

With all the changes to the Lakers; Coach Mike Brown, Metta World Peace, and the Lamar Odom trade to Dallas, one thing has remained the same, and that is Kobe Bryant. Just when it seems that his reign as one of the best players in the league will come to a close, he continues to move forward, playing through injury, change, and milestones.

Sunday night in the second game of a back-to-back against the Nuggets he struggled early and never shook off the shooting woes as Denver won 99-90, finishing the game on an 11-0 run.

Bryant entered the contest needing only 4-points to become the youngest player to reach the 28K plateau, which he achieved on a free-throw at the 10:43 mark of the 3rd quarter. He now stands at 6th in all-time scoring, and will need 584-points to eclipse the next closest player, Shaquille O'Neal.

The saga continues tonight as the Lakers host the Rockets at the Staples Center. 

Words: @axgilbert

Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Double Double

"Remember when they ain't believe in me..."

Kanye West - Family Business

The Lakers defeated the Nuggets for the first time since the '09 playoffs, and while they wore their Sunday best white uniforms...this game was far from anything routine.

By Any Means Necessary

Kobe Bryant had a poor shooting night, making 3 of 17 baskets, however he utilized a superior attack, and contributed with an array of veteran savvy moves...combined with his sheer will and intelligence. The Lake Show had a slow start, as this was a game of two starkly different halves...with Denver making the most of things in the first two quarters, and then after intermission...the home team made some adjustments, as they began to defend much better, forcing Anthony, and Billups out of their comfort zones. Then referees got in on things, with the Nuggets benefiting from the closely called game at the outset...however the same calls went to the Lakers towards the end, as Carmelo fouled out with 2:13 to go, and his team down 4.

You have to respect the way Kobe plays and approaches the game. He is still working through the changes that his many injuries have put him through, and with his jump shot faltering...he stayed aggressive in drives to the goal, which enabled him 8-trips to the free-throw line, as he went a perfect 8-8 from the stripe. He also hauled in 5 rebounds, handed out 12 assists, and had 3 steals, with 2 blocks.

This was a complete game, from a complete player, and thanks to teammates like Lamar Odom, and Ron Artest...in the end, everything today at the Staples Center, made perfect sense.

These teams will play again in the second season, and that is when the real fun will begin.

Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/via Getty Images

Respect Due

"That blue and yellow, yeah that's the Carmelo jag..."

Nicki Minaj - Up Out My Face

"Melo had a great game...if the West would have won, he would have been MVP..." - Dwyane Wade

Super Official

On Sunday the NBA hosted the All-Star game, however last night the Cavs matched up with the visiting Nuggets, for an entertaining duel between best friends.

Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James will forever be linked not only through basketball, but also because of their mutual respect and bond. The league is driven by stars and team dynasties, so when Kobe and LeBron get the international advertisements, and continue to do the impossible...they tend to overshadow their peers. However there are special players throughout the association, and one such person is Carmelo Anthony.

He has been given the nickname Captain America from his breakout play with Team USA, and ability to score as well as defend, making Anthony one of the best. At 6'8", 230lbs he moves like a guard, with Usain Bolt like speed.

In Cleveland, he and the Nuggets needed an extra 5-minutes playing into overtime to outlast the Cavaliers 118-116. Carmelo had 40-points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks, while James counted with a triple-double (43-points, 15 assists, 13 boards), but it was Anthony's jump shot with 1.9 remaining that delivered the win.

One thing is true, in that after everything is said and done...there will be nothing left to say or do.

Photo: David Liam/NBAE via Getty Images

Senioritis

Anxious

Eager

"But what can I do...I gotta stay true, cause deep down I'm still a G..."

Trey Songz - Can't Help But Wait

The media has everyone looking forward to a Kobe versus LeBron showdown, however unless "they" know about something I don't...then the conference finals determine who will play for the 'chip, and we still have a long way to go before June 4th.

Growth

When I was in the 12th grade, one of my teachers made a comment about senioritis. Until that day I had never heard that term...in fact I thought it was something lame that he made up, as I went through my entire final year of high school not knowing what the word meant. 

This morning my gears were turning about the eastern and western conference finals, and while the Cavaliers are down in their series against Orlando, and the Lake Show are going back and forth with Denver, it seems to me that LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have this thing called senioritis...

So I can't write a story about a word that my English teacher made up...and I cannot use something that never knew the meaning of it can I...so the first thing I did was Google the word, and what I found was interesting.

Read about it here: Senioritis

In a nutshell, it is used when students work so hard to get the point of graduation, and then they coast, because they understand that things will be over very soon. Now don't get me wrong, LeBron and Carmelo are playing VERY well, however they are so close but so far to winning the NBA Finals. Are they coasting, and going through the motions...NO they are not. 

So where does my theory make sense...well their respective teams are going through the motions. Nothing against the Lakers or Magic, but each team hosts an Olympic superstar and it is collectively that the series and championship will be won as a team. 

The Lakers experienced poor team play and senioritis last year against the Celtics...and now they are playing to get back to the big stage of the Finals. As Yogi Berra once proclaimed..."it ain't over 'til it's over..." Anyone can win either series and play for the title...yes you read that correctly.

Tonight the Cavs/Magic series resumes in Cleveland. Game time is 8:30PM EST, and I don't make predictions...I just watch the games.

Deja Vu

The Closer

Mr. Defense

All eyes on me

"I got so much trouble on my mind...refuse to lose..."

Chuck D - Welcome to the Terrordome

The Lakers defeated the Nuggets 103-97, playing spoiler to the first home Western Conference Finals game in the mile high city, in the last 24 years.

Get Familiar

The Lake Show now have a 2-1 lead in this best of 7 series, and as the saying goes...the more things change the more they stay the same. Allow me to explain: so the venue changed, but Los Angeles won after trailing most of the game...Kobe scored at least 40 points in a victory...Pau Gasol led the team in rebounding...and what's more uncanny is that Trevor Ariza gets a key steal off the in-bounds play, late in the 4th quarter. Sounds like something you've heard before right? That's exactly what I was thinking...

Unlike the last Lakers win in which I felt they really lost...tonight with great defense, and some clutch shooting and desire from Kobe Bryant, the Lake Show actually deserved the comeback win. This is the type of game that could change things, as the purple and gold actually seemed to solve the mystery of the Denver Nuggets. This was a swing game, and Game 4 favors LA.

The keys from tonight's game are as follows:

Kobe Bryant...enough said, but if I must explain, he turned it on late, and never gave up on the script. He also in the midst of a scoring binge trusted his coaches, and teammates.

Luke Walton played pesky defense on Carmelo Anthony, which is no easy task, and then he made some great passes and plays on the offense end while Ariza was out of the game.

Pau Gasol made the baskets that kept the Lakers within striking distance, giving his team enough room to take over and win. LA's front court is the key to the team success.

Lamar Odom played superb defense on the in-bounds pass that led to the Trevor Ariza steal...just like in Game 1.

Carmelo Anthony had a great first half, played aggressive, gave his team the lead, and kept the City of Angels at bay. However he struggled in the 2nd half and fouled out the contest.

Chris Andersen grabbed 7 rebounds, and netted 15 points which could prove costly for the opposition in the upcoming games.

J.R. Smith has changed his game, and is now finding the open teammate, as he had 6 assists, but his technical foul after making a 3-pointer was unnecessary and costly.

The refs have been sub par to say it nicely.

The struggles from the foul line from both teams can determine the series because the games are so close.

Photos: Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images

MVP - Most Valuable Points

Jubilation

"We can do it real big, bigger than you've ever done it..."

Drake - Best I Ever Had

The Eastern and Western Conference Finals are some of the best games of this year...and what I like best is that each team boasts a key member of the 2008 Olympic team.

Full 48

The Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Orlando Magic 96-95, however just like the Lakers in their first game against Denver...the Lake Show won, but they really should have taken a loss. 

The Cavs blew another big lead, and the Magic were about to win 95-93 to go up 2-0 in the series...however after Hedo Turkoglu all but closed the door on Cleveland, LeBron James sank his only 3-pointer of the game with 1 second left in the 4th quarter.

If this were a baseball game, then James hit the walk-off homerun, as the venue now switches to Florida for Game 3 on Sunday.

He are a few key points from tonight:

The Magic have too many weapons (Howard, Turkoglu, Lewis, Pietrus, and Lee), and if they play their game...they can actually win this series.

Hedo Turkoglu has been playing at the point guard position...in Game 1 he had 14 assists, tonight he had 4 assists, with 21 points.

Orlando split the first 2 games in Cleveland, that's all you can ask from a road team.

Cleveland plays extremely well, and they have to learn to finish Orlando out...as tonight's game will show, both teams have to play for the full 48 minutes.

Mo Williams seemed to find his stride, so expect the guard play from the Cavs to get better in Game 3.

Photo: Tony Dejak/AP Photo

Blue Magic

Showmanship

Power

"Slick like a gato..."

Jay-Z - Can't Knock the Hustle (Featuring Mary J. Blige)

Cleveland had yet to be tested in these 2009 NBA Playoffs, and as Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals began, it looked as if nothing had changed but the faces on the visiting team.

Statement

This game was a tale of two halves, as LeBron James and the Cavaliers jumped out to a 15-point lead at halftime, out playing the Magic during the first 24 minutes. The most amazing thing of the first half however was a Magic moment, as Dwight Howard threw down a serious dunk...breaking the shot clock clean off the backboard. 

In the 3rd and 4th quarters Orlando seemed to wear down the home team in a basketball battle of attrition. Cleveland mirrored Denver's Game 1, in that LeBron James carried his team with 49 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds in a loss...like Carmelo Anthony's 39 in a futile effort.

The Magic used all of their weapons to get the 107-106 victory, handing the Cavs their 3rd home loss of the year.

Dwight Howard had 30 points, and 13 boards...Rashard Lewis added 22 points with his biggest shot...a 3-pointer with 31.6 seconds to go, pulling his team ahead 104-103. Hedo Turkoglu rounded out the balanced attack with 15 points, and 14 assists.

Game 2 is Friday night in Cleveland.

Will Power

40

39

Teammates

"You have to show them that you're really not scared..."

Michael Jackson - Beat It

When the Rockets took the Lakers to the brink of elimination, two things happened...the so called experts said it was over for LA, and the team clicked, and destroyed Houston in the 7th and deciding game.

Savvy

The well rested Denver Nuggets flew to the City of Angels to matchup against the Lake Show. Carmelo & company played extremely great from the outset...they played well enough to win, however there were a few things that led to a 107-105 Denver loss. 

It seemed as if everyone including the Lakers were watching Melo play, instead of assisting/defending him, as he was able to do whatever he wanted to the tune of 39 points. The Lakers need to make someone else beat them, and people like J.R. Smith need to get more involved. 

The home team should have lost Game 1, but I honestly believe it was the inexperience of the upstart Nuggets that led to their demise. The Lakers didn't win the game...the Nuggets just lost it. For example the Kenyon Martin foul on Kobe Bryant with 30 seconds remaining...sending him to the line, where Bryant sank 2-free throws for a 101-99 lead...then Trevor Ariza stole the ensuing in-bounds pass that allowed LA to wind the clock down to 10 seconds, before Kobe was fouled again for a 103-99 lead that sealed the victory.

Experience is the best teacher, and between the lessons the Lakers learned last year, and the painful learning curve the Nuggets had last night...the door is wide open for anyone to win Game 2. 

As Rasheed Wallace would say..."both teams played hard", but it was the squad that executed the best down the stretch that won the game...well that, and Bryant's 40 points didn't hurt either.

Fantastic 4

Focus

Desire

"It's time to chase your dreams..."

Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock

The NBA is down to the Conference Finals, as the winners will advance to play for the ultimate prize...an NBA championship.

2nd Season

The Los Angeles Lakers will matchup against the Denver Nuggets, while the Cavs play host to the Magic. I find it interesting that a lot of "experts" and media outlets alike are already pitting the Lake Show against Cleveland for the title bout, but I wouldn't pencil anything in just yet, as the Nuggets are more than deserving to vie for the Western Conference crown with the likes of Carmelo Anthony, and Chauncey Billups.

A Kobe/LeBron series would be the best thing since people started slicing bread, but as Herman Edwards once said, "you play to win the game"...and in this case...the teams have yet to take the floor. However, I promise you that these series will be just as entertaining as the games in the first round. Remember the Chicago/Boston cliffhangers...well prepare to turn off your cell phone, and put the children to sleep, because you do not want to miss Kobe and Carmelo, or LeBron against the Magic.

I'd like to go out on a limb and make a prediction, but that's not my style. A few keys to each upcoming game...Trevor Ariza's defense on Carmelo for the Lakers, and the point guard battle...Mo Williams, and Rafer Alston will determine more than Game 1.

I love this game!

Captain America

Boricua

Anthony and Anthony

"Make 'em call you Carmelo..."

Lil' Wayne - Swagga Like Us

The 2003 NBA Draft class is as historic and legendary as the '84 and '96 group. The best of the best have emerged within the past 6 years to become superstars, and world champions.

Respect

I find the media very interesting sometimes, especially when it comes to professional sports. I have been writing and covering the league for several years and when I see a special player like Carmelo Anthony...I do my best to let his game and words do the talking, as I use that to tell my story. 

Less from me, and more from the athletes themselves.

Last night Melo hit the game winning 3-point shot, giving the Denver Nuggets a 3-0 lead over the stunned Dallas Mavericks. For the past two seasons Anthony has been playing on a high level, and instead of getting great press, and or endorsements...he is often left out of the great player conversation because of some off the court issues. 

We all make mistakes, and no one is perfect...Melo is a very dedicated father, and talented athlete...so let's all stick to the script and understand him for who he is, and not what he is perceived to be.

Reverse the Curse

Love/Hate

“The Blueprint 2 homie, follow the moves…you put on two tube socks you couldn’t walk in my shoes…”

Jay – Z – Diamond Is Forever

William Michael Krzyzewski took over a struggling Duke University Men’s Basketball program 29-years ago, and while he has had the success of 3 National Championships, and 10 Final Fours…there is a stigma that goes along with being a Duke Blue Devil.

True Blue

I’ve always been a fan of basketball, and teams that play the game the “right” way. In my youth I watch John Chaney, and Mark Macon of the Temple Owls play so well that they were ranked number 1 in the nation during the 1987-88 season. The other team that intrigued me was the Bruins of UCLA, as they had the prestige of the NCAA record books, and the allure of Southern California…so in 1992 when Christian Laettner hit the game winning shot off a Grant Hill pass in my hometown Philadelphia, something changed and I became a Duke fan.

There were two problems with my being a Blue Devil fan…first and foremost everyone where I lived was either a UNLV or Michigan supporter, or both…because in my community, it was easier to identify with Larry Johnson, and Chris Webber, than Brian and Grant Hill. The other obstacle is/was that no one from Duke ever did anything worth mentioning in the NBA…and this argument has been carried on in barbershops, on basketball courts, and living rooms across the country.

In my opinion the players from Duke should be discussed in categories, instead of labeling them all as a disappointment. The way I see things, they can be organized as follows: bust (Alaa Abdelnaby, Trajan Langdon, Shelden Williams), all-star (Grant Hill, Elton Brand, Carlos Boozer), solid (Johnny Dawkins, Christian Laettner, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Corey Maggette, JJ Redick, Dahntay Jones, Luol Deng) tragedy (Bobby Hurley, Jay Williams)

I have my stance, but I never played in the ACC, nor did I attend the university on tobacco road, so instead of going any further with my theory…I asked a few former Dukies why their program consists of equal parts hearsay, judgment, love and hate?

Elton Brand
Philadelphia 76ers

Can Duke players make it within the NBA game?
“In college you know we have so much of a team concept, and everything is really about the team. In the NBA its more about individuals…so when we play our defense, that’s team defense, when we play on offense you get an open shot, you set a pick, you’re focused on a team. When you get to the league, it’s more individual…can I iso this guy…and a lot of our players aren’t those players. It’s a system, and also you know besides North Carolina…it’s not a ton of players from Arizona, Kentucky, or from any other premier powerhouse every year that has ten players doing it, you know what I mean? You know with the high school exodus, guys were coming out of high school…so you know North Carolina with MJ, and those guys, Sam Perkins…getting to the championships all those years, other than that…there isn’t too many other powerhouse colligate programs that have ring after ring, and players. In the league it’s not like those players are translating into top-notch pros also. And you know UCONN…they have some players in the league too…”

What do you think about Gerald Henderson Jr.?
“I saw the Georgia Tech game. That was the game he played really well…he had like 25 points. He’s comfortable in the system, you know finding his way, and learning, and growing as a player. I think he’ll do well [in the league] too. You have Dahntay Jones out in Denver…he’s playing well, and I think he’ll be in the same type of mold or better, he has that same athleticism.”

Is it easy to pick on Duke because it’s an elite program?
“Oh yeah! Other schools have some of the same traits, same stories, but it’s easy to pick on Duke. For one a lot of people don’t like Duke, you know what I mean? Our mantra was hated by few, loved by many, but respected by all. That was our manta…let’s go get it! So Coach K will get the best out of his players in a team concept.”

What ever happened to William Avery?
“Was he cold or what? That was my roommate…that was my dog. You’re right…you got another one for your list.”

JJ Redick
Orlando Magic

What do you say to the fact that people believe Duke players never develop as great NBA players?
“I think the average fan doesn’t realize that 80% of the league, it’s all about being in the right situation. I think Elton [Brand] is exactly right…if you made the league then you panned out, you panned out as a basketball player. So the fact that we have whatever…13, 14, guys in the league is a testament not only to the talent level we’ve had, but the development program that Duke has had in place…I mean I don’t buy it. We’ve had too many good players, especially within the last 7 or 8 years, starting with Elton, that have been a major role…have had major roles on great teams…Grant Hill, Elton, Corey Maggette…there’s a long list of guys, and I don’t know what the numbers are, but I know as of last year I think our salaries…we’re all signed for whatever [laughs]…you know Boozer is an All-Star…Olympic guy, we’ve had a lot of guys that have had a lot of success in the league. I think in the 90’s there…unfortunate things happened with Bobby and his accident. You know people pick on Christian [Laettner]; he was so good in college, that unless he was the next Larry Bird…I mean people forget…Christian average double figures many years. He averaged 18 a game his rookie year, he was an All-Star in Atlanta, I mean the guy played for 13 or 14 years, I don’t buy any of that stuff, and I think Elton is right on…when you’ve had success, I don’t want to say people get sick of you, but you become a target of scrutiny, and I think that’s what happened with Duke a little bit.”

How is Coach K?
“I think Coach K gives us a lot of freedom. I know when I was there, I got to do what I wanted on the court in terms of playing offense…taking shots, I think the locker room atmosphere, how people talked to each other is definitely different from the NBA. I think that was probably the biggest adjustment, because…everything…Coach K is so hands on, whether if it’s meeting with a player an hour after practice, or have a 3-hour team meeting, I mean everything is just very detailed…you don’t have the time in the NBA to do that with 82 games, so I don’t think it’s because Duke plays as a team that guys get to the NBA and are like oh my gosh what do I do? It’s just a different system and it takes some adjusting to do.”

Why do you get so much of that Duke hate?
“I think that the only explanation is that I went to Duke. Maybe early on in my career…my freshman and sophomore year I acted like a bit of a jerk on the court…but let’s say I went to Texas or Florida, 2 elite programs, 2 great programs…their programs have had a lot of success within the last 10 years, I don’t think that I would be a name. So I think that it was a gift and curse, because I made a name for myself…I became a household name in college basketball, but also there was a lot of negative attention and scrutiny, so it went both ways.”

Dahntay Jones
Denver Nuggets

What are your thoughts on Duke players in the league?
“The focus is on us because we are so successful. Guys have had different stories, different routes, people have had career ending injuries, and sometimes it’s not the right situation, but we’ve had a lot of guys stick around and play key roles on teams. We have guys that have had success in this league…Elton, Corey Maggette, Mike Dunleavy plays well in Indiana, Christian had a cool career…he didn’t have a stellar career, but few people have a stellar career. Before Grant [Hill] got hurt he was having an awesome career. It’s just the right situation, at the right time.”

By Any Means Necessary...

Carmelo Anthony and AG. in DC

Telling it like it is

Boys to men

"Thangs done changed on this side...remember they used to thump, but now they blast right..."

Dr. Dre - Lil' Ghetto Boy

Basketball is a game of passion, that when taken seriously it can have a positive, long lasting result. In the ‘hood it’s widely known as a way to not only deliver yourself, but your family to a new life and tax bracket. However basketball isn’t about the money, it’s about the love, and in the end that’s all that matters.

Captain America

As I talk about the greatest game that has ever happened to me, it’s only fitting that I write this as I watch the ‘06 NBA Draft…and speaking of the draft…in June, 2003 Carmelo Anthony was selected as the 3rd overall pick out of Syracuse. Four months later Sole Collector magazine would debut with issue 1, and the NBA and the magazine industry has not been the same since.

Now that I’ve given a little background, it’s imperative that I fill in the blanks a little and explain my theory. 2003 was a launch pad for Carmelo Anthony as he won the NCAA Championship, an ESPY Award, and he went on to sign with the Jordan Brand and Denver Nuggets. Coincidentally, it also marked the rise of a little known writer to the national scene, named Anthony Gilbert from Temple University.

Other than the fact that we are both named Anthony, and we are former student athletes, I have always found it interesting how much he really loves collecting sneakers. It is always good to see how much a like people are, no matter what race, color, or creed.

I first met Carmelo Anthony in Los Angeles during the 2004 NBA All Star Weekend, and we have been good friends since then.

I have had an opportunity to write a few stories on him…and to chronicle a player of his caliber is not only an honor, but as a journalist I would not have even thought this were possible, when I first saw him at Syracuse one Saturday afternoon on CBS versus Georgetown. Since then Anthony has emerged as a team leader and while he hasn’t gotten the recognition in years past, it’s his peers around the league that know his props are way overdue.

‘Melo and I had a chance to sit down and talk for a spell this past summer before the Olympic games, and after we caught up with one another, I interviewed him…here is the final score on our conversation:

How important is it to be active in the community?
“That’s my number 1 goal. Every time I get a chance to give back and serve the community that is what I’m going to do. The community is very important and whenever I can get involved in something positive, I’m going to give it my all and participate.”

What do you like so much about sneakers?
“We have to have…people like myself, you know…I love sneakers, so when I look at you, and magazines and I see all the old, or exclusive sneakers that nobody can get…it keeps me focused to where I want to be, and collecting is what I’m going to keep doing.”

What does the Jordan Brand have in store for the upcoming season?
“Man I can’t tell you...but knowing you, I’m sure you already have an idea [laughs]…”

Most basketball players are really into sneaker collecting and the culture, because from the day we began playing, you always needed something on your feet not only for the obvious reasons but also to show some of your personality and style. When I began playing in 1989, my mother took me to Marshall’s department store and I got my first pair of Nike. They were hi-tops…white and royal blue Sky Force, and even though the team uniforms were green and gold, and my shoes didn’t match them, it was all about my shoes, my game, and the love.