What'd We Learn About the Bucks in Vegas?

The 2010 Las Vegas Summer League has come and gone, and fortunately for the Bucks wins and losses mean absolutely nothing.  Otherwise, the whole "going 1-4" thing would be cause for grave concern.

The team didn't play especially well, and 2nd round pick Darington Hobson missed the event with a groin injury.  The good news is that most of these Bucks, well, didn't have a chance in Hell of making the final roster anyway.  10 roster spots were locked down prior to Vegas (Brandon Jennings, Carlos Delfino, John Salmons, Drew Gooden, Andrew Bogut, Larry Sanders, Corey Maggette, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Ersan Ilyasova) with another pair added today (Jon Brockman via trade with Sacramento, and Keyon Dooling in free agency), and another couple (Darington Hobson, Tiny Gallon) claimed, though not taken by any stretch.  The Milwaukee roster is looking pretty full, and that's a good thing.  Despite the lack of positive results, there's certainly some good things to take away from Vegas, and because the internets like nice round numbers, I'll give you five.

1. Larry Sanders--Bucks' fans, you'll love Larry Sanders.  He's a ball of energy who blocks shots from the weak side, shows flashes of finishing ability around the basket, and has a mid-range game.  He's tall and long enough to get his shot off even when contested, and he runs the floor like a damn gazelle.  Blocked in the starting lineup by new Buck Drew Gooden, Sanders will be an ideal 1st big off the bench and a suitable replacement in the starting lineup if (...when) Bogut misses time.  His weak side shot blocking ability should help negate Gooden's defensive limitations when playing the 5, and if he can post up against smaller, less athletic 4's, all the better.  He's not the straight up stopper that Mbah a Moute is, but not many guys are.  I'm not sure how Ilyasova / Brockman / Sanders / Mbah a Moute will juggle minutes at the 4 (I suspect Ersan may have played his last game in a Bucks uniform), but I know you'll enjoy watching Larry play.
2. Point Guards--Prior to today's signing of vet Keyon Dooling to backup Brandon Jennings, the Bucks were thin (and not just physically) at the lead guard spot.  Marquette product Dominic James was the best point guard on the VSL roster, and Sun Yue came over mid-league from Washington.  It also remains to be seen how Hobson fits in, if it all.  If he can play point in a pinch, we're pretty well set.  Brandon gets the majority of the minutes, Keyon will come in and get the 2nd unit started while hitting open shots, with Hobson (or James, or Royal Ivey) being the 5th guard.  Dooling is a solid signing in the Ridnour mold, and adds another 3 point threat to a roster that desperately needed one.
   
   

Don't Do the Space Jam

As I was reading the fantastic piece David Halberstram wrote for ESPN on Allen Iverson (to which I was referred by Tas Melas of the Basketball Jones and Dan from the Disciples of Clyde) during the 2001 finals, something he said about identifying with Allen Iverson really resonated with me, but with another superstar of today:

But here is what we should remember, and it was something pointed out to me years ago by Roger Angell, the gifted New Yorker writer, when I asked him what a player on the Red Sox was really like. "They are what they do," he answered, wiser in the ways of being around big time athletes than I. That was it. They are what they do. Which strikes me as wise and as good a definition for measuring an athlete as we have.

His actions being the chief metric by which we should judge an athlete, what are we to make of the recent actions of LeBron James?  After losing to the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, he refused to shake hands with his opponents or speak to the media.  After being dunked on at his own camp by Jordan Crawford from Xavier, tape of the incident was confiscated, only for a second copy to leak.  He gleefully entertained questions about leaving Cleveland in free agency, at least until it was suggested doing so was a bad idea.  At that point he said he’d stop answering questions about it, as if he had never broached the subject on his own.  Now, in a meaningless game against the Chicago Bulls that was in doubt until deep into the second half, he’s doing a pregame dance routine on the bench.  During the game. 
  
I do find a lot of criticism of King James to be a bit harsh.  He is, after all, 24 years old (soon to be 25), and a certain youthful indiscretion is both expected and evident.  Here, though, lies something beyond youthful exuberance.  His pregame photo shoots are youthful exuberance.  Bounding around the court is youthful exuberance.  This, though, came off as some sort of celebration from a guy who only lost once at home last year with very much the same team.  Beating a listless Bulls team at home should not be cause for celebration, especially not one so obvious and showy. This was showing up the Bulls, a la Jarrett Jack, but at least Jack had the cajones to do it during play, not when he was off to the sideline.  


Say what you want about Iverson, but I don’t think he’d ever be caught dead dancing on the sideline during a game, nor would he allow it from teammates. A famous coaching axiom is “Never allow in victory what you’d scold in defeat,” and the same adage is adopted by the best leaders.  We’ve often said that Iverson and Kobe were too stoic in crunch time, but this focus is what allows them to demand the full focus from their teammates, and it wasn’t façade.  I get the sense from LeBron now that when he yells at a teammate and demands more, they won’t have that healthy fear.  They’ll inwardly wonder, “Weren’t you just cutting a rug with Candace Parker’s brother?” 


So LeBron is what he does, and right now he’s an individually dominant young player that dances on the sideline during meaningless games and acts like a child after big, unpleasant losses.  This is not some morality play view, but rather one of a pragmatist; how many clearly immature players have led their team to NBA titles?  One?  Two?  Zero?  I don’t know, but I know it hasn’t happened since I’ve been alive.  It’s pretty easy to blame LeBron’s failings on his teammates, but someone like, say, Iverson never did.  His intensity inspired teammates.  And while LeBron’s joking helps team chemistry now, what happens when it’s not time for fun and games and time for some sheer force of will?  Maybe LeBron needs some more AI in him.

Working the Wire

Unfortunately, as the Timberwolves, Clippers, Kings, and Nets can attest, the early portion of the season isn’t without it’s share of significant injuries.  These injuries can cause not just a change in playing time, but a change in playing style leading to unlikely contributors emerging.  For example, Wolves forward Kevin Love went out in the preseason with an injury that’ll keep him out another week or two. It appears, though, that the main fantasy beneficiary isn’t another power forward; it’s…

Corey Brewer (SG/SF-MIN)—Though the early knock on him was his horrendous shooting percentage, his other contributions made sure he stayed on the court.  Now that his shooting percentage has moved into respectability (don’t expect it to go much higher), the rest of his game becomes fantasy relevant.  He’s grabbing a couple of steals, and putting up 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists as well.  And he’s really not shooting enough to hurt your FG% badly if he regresses there.  If the Timberwolves start to experiment with a Flynn-Sessions backcourt though, don’t hesitate to let Brewer go and start looking elsewhere.

Brandon Bass (PF-ORL)—With PF Ryan Anderson out for the next week or so, Bass looks like a prime pickup.  He’s shooting over 50%, and has proven he can rebound and block shots.  It may only be a stopgap, but he’ll give you good numbers for the next week or two.

Beno Udrih (PG-SAC)—With SG Kevin Martin out for 6-8 weeks with a broken wrist, it looks like the Kings will need someone to stop up the scoring.  The prime candidates are Tyreke Evans, and Mr. Udrih.  Granted it was against the Warriors, but Udrih was aggressive with the ball in the Kings previous games and looked to some added responsibility.  It looks like the natural setup is playing Evans and Udrih side-by-side, which bodes well for both of them.  They may not be the most efficient numbers, but Udrih should be a solid pickup over the next couple of months.

Larry Hughes (SG-NYK)—One of the things I like about fantasy basketball is that it mirrors the real game closely (cough, football, cough) in that good fantasy players are almost always good real players, and vice versa.  This, though, is not one of those occasions.  Despite all evidence that it’s a poor strategy, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni continues to give Larry Hughes major minutes (in D’Antoni’s defense, there aren’t a lot of other options).  And Hughes, never one to be shy…isn’t.  He usually puts up numbers when given playing time, and it appears he’ll be seeing the court a lot this season.  As long as he’s getting minutes, he’ll contribute across the board and is a major plus if you’re looking for steals.

Will Bynum (PG-DET)—Will Bynum continues to impress when given time, and is perhaps the anti-Larry Hughes, in that despite all evidence he should be played more, he simply hasn’t gotten on the court enough.  Now, though, it appears the Pistons are recognizing his contributions and are gradually increasing his role.  He’s currently averaging 11 ppg, 3rpg, 4apg with almost a steal as well.  I don’t see these numbers going down in the near future, as the trend league-wide is toward smaller guards.  

Roy Hibbert (C-IND)—Hibbert is averaging a double-double (11 and 10) with three blocks, yet he’s owned in just 31.5 percent of ESPN.com leagues.  There’s no excuse for this people—blocks are hard to come by, he’s even pitching in an assist and good percentages. He’s a borderline #1 center at this rate.

Quentin Richardson (SG-MIA)—Q has always been a bit mercurial, to say the least, but he seems to have found his niche playing in between fellow scorers Dwayne Wade and Michael Beasley.  With the pressure off, Richardson is thriving again.  In his last 3 games he’s averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds, along with 3.3 3PG.  The big difference has been a jump in playing time with Daequan Cook sidelined by a shoulder injury.  As long as the minutes are there, the stats should be too.

Channing Frye (C-PHO)—Another good center owned in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues.  He’s tailor made for the Suns system—a big man that can shoot along side Amare Stoudemire.  He’s been good for 14-5 with 2.8 3PM, and steal and a half per contest.  I shouldn’t have to advocate picking up a center that contributes in 4 categories, but here we are.

Bill Walton Retires

It is fitting that my copy of “The Breaks of the Game,” ordered off of Amazon last week in a fit of League Pass induced basketball euphoria, would arrive on the day that Bill Walton’s day in the basketball spotlight would be ended by the man himself. Walton announced today that he’d be leaving the broadcast booth after what he described as a “life threatening, life changing ordeal with back problems. I, like most fans, will miss Walton’s vague, hyperbolic adjectives and celestial metaphors.

Perhaps the reason we’ll miss Walton is not so much because he was good at calling a basketball game, but because he turned a basketball game into an experience. When you heard his voice at the start of a broadcast, you got the feeling that something awesome was about to happen; whether it was the action on the court or the often psychedelic musings of an enraptured observer who just happened to be one of the game’s greatest big men. His love for the game permeated everything he said, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Half the fun was determining what it was that the man meant, and we were so interested in doing so because we knew the source so well.

In some ways he announced like he played, grabbing something only he could and giving it to us in a special way to digest and decipher.  Hubie Brown makes great points, Gus Johnson excites, and Jeff Van Gundy is astute. But none of them can make the observer think (or want to, really) the way Walton could.  Sure, sometimes they were just mumblings that belied a man who had dabbled in the cannabis. Maybe they were most of the time. But he could make a blowout interesting, even if he just made you examine ideas that had never occurred to you before. Because they couldn’t occur to you, they were unique to him, for better or worse.

These are just my quick thoughts; feel free to leave yours below.  I’m guessing many of you think he’s a rambling idiot, and to that I don’t have much of a defense if my thoughts above don’t change your mind. Just know that it’s rare to get access to a guy with such a genuine transparent and infectious love of the game. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some reading to do.

Week 2 Fantasy Primer

In leagues with weekly changes one of the best ways to rack up stats is to squeeze extra games out of your roster.  While superstars should be started every week, scheduling will factor in when deciding whom to round out your roster with.  This is an in-depth look at the schedule for each week, identifying teams with extra games and favorable matchups to help you take advantage.

Two Games: San Antonio

Three Games:  Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Golden State, Houson, Indiana, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Portland, Toronto

Four Games: Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, Utah, Washington

There’s not much to be gleaned from this, as only San Antonio plays two games next week.  PG Tony Parker and PF/C Tim Duncan are the only definite plays on this team, though PF Dejuan Blair and SG Manu Ginobili could be useful options if you’re in trouble.  Hopefully, though, there are better options available.

Good Schedules

Atlanta (@POR, @SAC, @CHA, DEN)—Atlanta gets four games this week, including two against Sacramento and Denver.  Those two figure to be high-possession affairs, meaning guy like PG Jeff Teague and SG Jamal Crawford could see a nice uptick in value this week.  I like Crawford more of the two, but either could be used in deeper leagues.  Of course the usual suspects (Bibby, Johnson, Smith, Horford) should all be started as usual.  SF Marvin Williams might also be worth a thought, but I’m passing on him until he shows any consistency.

Orlando (@DET, PHO, DET, OKC)—While the two games against the Pistons aren’t anything to get excited about, Orlando can score with anyone.  It’s in the other games that they’ll get the chance to do just that.  Look for C Dwight Howard to have big games all week, as none the teams Orlando plays this week have a center that can even consider matching up with him.  Beyond the usual suspects, this week JJ Redick, PF Ryan Anderson, and maybe even PF Brandon Bass deserve your attention.  I like Anderson as a source for efficient three point shooting and some boards even after Rashard Lewis’ return.


Boston (@PHI, @MIN, PHO, @NJ)—Boston has a particularly favorable schedule, including two games against Phoenix, and a Minnesota team that had ten blocked shots against the Nets.  This makes C Kendrick Perkins a particularly attractive play, and he’s available in 63% of ESPN leagues.  He could be a difference maker in the block category.

Golden State (MEM, LAC, @SAC)—Most every week there are a plethora of Warriors that have fantasy value, but this week their opponents all happen to take the same “defense optional” approach that Nelly does.  Beyond Ellis, Jackson, and Biedrins I’d suggest looking at PG Stephen Curry, PF Anthony Randolph, SG Anthony Morrow.  Morrow in particular could be a great source of threes, as the Warriors have made it a point to get Morrow more open looks.  SG Kelenna Azubuike could be a nice all-around sleeper for this week as well.

Manu Ginobili Kills a Bat

 

As my dad always said, "It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop at the end."

Underrated part of the video:  Dejuan Blair ducking and running from it.  Oh, rookies.

Thabo's Thunder

As long as you're not calling them the "Zombie Sonics," the Oklahoma City Thunder live up to their nickname.  First noticed as if by gut reaction to subtle vibrations that arrive before the noise, the Thunder have been gathering attention without yet doing anything worth noticing.  Any observer gets the instinctual sense that there's great potential here.  It's nothing concrete, but that only adds to the excitement.  It's the idea of possibility and the anticipation of future amazement.  We can sense it. 

Their resigning this week of Thabo Sefolosha only adds to the tension.  He's another good, young player with a clear set of skills that complement the abilities of those around him, and he's on the cheap.  He just makes sense.  And so we wait, excitement growing with every Russell Westbrook steal and every Kevin Durant jumper, for the impending explosion of noise.

The star of this incarnation of the Thunder is clearly budding superstar and possible scoring automaton Kevin Durant.  As a 6-9 small forward that can go to nearly every offensive move in the book at will, he deservedly demands our attention.  There's a certain thrill to watching an unstoppable scorer, a player contributing so clearly to his team's success that we watch in half awe, half excited bemusement; Did you see that? Unbelievable.  Scary.

That's what makes Thabo important, nay, necessary to this team.  Science has shown repeatedly that attraction is based on symmetry.  We like seeing a mirror image, whether it be of ourselves in a mirror or the opposing sides of a loved one's face; it's comforting.  There is eternal truth in symmetry; it just makes sense.

In Durant and Sefolosha, we get two sides of the same coin.  Durant's explosive offensive repertoire is balanced by a defensive skill set that is lacking, though not exclusively of his own doing.  When playing shooting guard he often looked like a spider trying to defend an ant, all arms and legs trying vainly to stop the smaller force of a single mind from getting past him.  It looked not unlike a one-on-one game of Red Rover, and Durant often lost.

Speaking of lost, this is perhaps the most apt description of Thabo on offense.  As awkward as Durant appears on defense, his Swiss counterpart has him beat on offense, often looking as though he believes his team loses points for every second the ball stays in his hand.  I'm unsure of making statements about his offensive skill set because I don't know how good he could be, because he looks youthfully uncomfortable.  It would be like making a judgment about a college student's future sexual exploits at move in day.  There's just no way to get an honest inference from him. 

Durant is the proven scorer who is developing his defense; Thabo is the proven defender developing an offensive game.  They're exact opposites in skill set, but in one they'd make a team-defining whole.  Hopefully, eventually, they'll lose that symmetry.  Durant will improve his defense, removing the final wart from his game. The adjusted plus minus stat doesn't take too kindly to Durant's defense, and the sooner that skill approaches Sefolosha's the sooner he'll put any talk that he's overrated to rest.  But for now he needs Thabo like the Thunder need Thabo.  He's at once a foil to and mirror image of Durant, and though he's under-appreciated this signing only makes it more likely that the Thunder are capable of something special, eventually.  I can sense it.