2007 NBA Lottery Mock Draft

I'm pumped about the draft tomorrow. Not only is this one of the most loaded drafts ever, but there is a great chance we will see a blockbuster deal involving some of the game's best players (Kobe, KG, Amare, Zack Randolph, Shawn Marion, etc...). Before we get to the mock draft, I'd like to let the Scrapper Nation know that I've been invited by the creators of ArmChairGM to be a guest blogger so I'll be cross-publishing a few of my posts on their site. Also, you all should visit Walters Football Site since they've linked to this mock draft. Alright back to the draft, here's how The Scrapper thinks the lottery will play out (without trades):

1-Portland Trailblazers-Greg Oden (Ohio State)
Height: 7-0
Weight: 245
Position: Center

You’re thinking “duh!” But believe it or not, I had to think long and hard before I made this pick. The Trailblazers have a huge hole at small forward and one of the best young post combinations in Zack Randolph and LaMarcus Aldridge. The tiebreaker between Oden and Durant is scarcity of position. Although the Trailblazers don’t have a dynamic small forward at the moment, good small forwards come a dime a dozen in the NBA. Let’s look at some starting small forwards in the league right now: Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Richard Jefferson, Josh Howard, Luol Deng, Tayshaun Prince, Paul Pierce, Ron Artest, Shawn Marion, Gerald Wallace, Caron Butler, Josh Smith, Peja Stojakovic, Mike Miller, Andre Iguodala etc… There are lots of great players and tremendous depth. Now let’s look at some centers: Shaq, Amare Stoudemire, Marcus Camby, Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, Mehmet Okur, Ben Wallace, Eddy Curry, Samuel Dalembert, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Chris Kaman, Brendan Haywood, Tyson Chandler, Erick Dampier. The pool of great centers is obviously much weaker. Oden is a true center and a tremendous athlete. I see him as a David Robinson like stalwart in the league for the next 12-15 years.

2-Seattle SuperSonics- Kevin Durant (Texas)
Height: 6-10
Weight: 190
Position: Small Forward

Sam Presti, the Sonics general manager, has a pretty easy decision to make come draft day. Either Oden or Durant will fall to him, and the Sonics will be glad to select either player. I think the Sonics should sign and trade Rashard Lewis and then trade the soon to be 32-year old Ray Allen (while he still is worth something in return). They could get another high draft pick or nab some young players so they can really start the rebuilding process around Durant. How about the T-Wolves making a last attempt to put together a championship team around KG by trading the no.7 pick for Allen?

3-Atlanta Hawks- Al Horford (Florida)
Height: 6-9
Weight: 235
Position: Power Forward

Billy Knight, will you please take a point guard? You have so much talent on your team and could make the playoffs in the terrible East if you just select a point guard so Joe Johnson isn’t forced to be a point-forward anymore. Why not learn from your mistakes (read: selecting Marvin Williams over Chris Paul and Deron Williams) and go with Mike Conley, Jr.? I think Conley is going to be something special but all indications are that Knight is enamored with big Al Horford. I’m sure Horford will be a dynamite player but if I’m the Hawks, I take Conley with this pick, nab a center at 11, and hope Sheldon Williams becomes a serviceable power forward. Billy Knight should also be actively shopping this pick. There has been some talk of the Hawks getting Amare Stoudemire in a three-way deal between the Suns and T-Wolves involving KG going to the Suns and the T-Wolves picking up a couple first round picks. Can you imagine the Hawks with Amare and Joe Johnson together again? Too bad Atlanta has one of the worst and most deliberative (i.e. too slow to make a deal) general managers in history.

4-Memphis Gizzlies- Mike Conley, Jr. (Ohio State)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Position: Point Guard

I love Mike Conley, Jr.’s game. The reason Ohio State was so good when Greg Oden wasn’t playing was because of Conley’s stellar play. The Grizzlies are full of swing players like Mike Miller, Rudy Gay, etc… and desperately need stability at point guard. Considering Chucky Atkins is a free agent, Damon Stoudemire can’t be counted on because of his knee injury, and Kyle Lowry (last year’s first round pick) is unproven since he was only able to play 10 games last season because of a broken wrist, the Grizzlies should be strongly considering Conley. If the Hawks nab Conley or the Grizzlies choose to go in another direction, they’ll go with a big guy (Brandon Wright, Yi, or Joakim).

5-Boston Celtics- Yi Jianlian (China)
Height: 7-0
Weight: 246
Position: Power Forward

There’s a rumor going around that Paul Pierce will publicly demand a trade if the Celtics do not acquire a talented veteran to play alongside him. Danny Ainge is desperately shopping this pick but I think it would be a huge mistake if the Celtics end up trading this pick for Shawn Marion. Since the Suns worked out Noah, Brewer, and Green, you have to wonder whether the Suns and Celtics are close to a deal. I think Marion is a great player in a wide open system. If your team plays more half court ball, why would you trade for him? He has stated that he would opt out of his deal next year. If I’m Danny Ainge, I only make a deal for a Kevin Garnett, Zack Randolph, or Amare Stoudemire. If the Celtics keep the pick, the decision will be between Yi, Green, Brewer, and Noah. While Doc Rivers prefers Jeff Green since he is ready to play immediately, Ainge is enamored with Yi. Ainge ends up selecting Yi and Paul Pierce demands a trade Friday morning.

6-Milwaukee Bucks- Jeff Green (Georgetown)
Height: 6-9
Weight: 225
Position: Small Forward

The Bucks have a couple of major needs. The point guard spot is an issue considering Mo Williams is a free agent. The Bucks could also use a great swing player to play alongside Michael Redd and another post player to complement Bogut and Villanueva. Since I already have Conley off the board, the Bucks go with Jeff Green. Brewer and Wright are also potential picks here.

7-Minnesota Timberwolves- Brandan Wright (UNC)
Height: 6-10
Weight: 210
Position: Power Forward

The Scrapper thinks/hopes KG will be traded before the draft. The T-Wolves seem to be committed to dealing KG now while he still commands considerable value. With KG gone, there will be a huge hole at power forward. I say the Timberwolves use this pick to draft the man that will hold down the 4 spot for them for the next 10-15 years, Brandan Wright. His length is very similar to KG and this guy has so much upside who knows how good he can be in a few years. Now I have a special treat for the Scrapper Nation. Since Brandan Wright thought it would be a prudent decision to confirm my facebook friend request, we get to check out some of his "tagged" pictures. Enjoy these:

Ok, back to the Mock Draft.

8-Charlotte Bobcats-Corey Brewer (Florida)
Height: 6-8
Weight: 185
Position: Shooting Guard

When it’s all said and done, Corey Brewer will be one of the top 5 players to have come out of this draft and a perennial presence on the All-NBA defensive 1st. It’s a stretch to have Brewer fall all the way down to 8, but if he is here the Bobcats are going to have a tough decision between Brewer and Noah. In recent drafts the Bobcats have fallen in love with successful college players (Felton, Morrison, May, Okafor) and either one of these guys will fit the mold. But because of Gerald Wallace’s decision to pursue free agency and Morrison’s weakness on the defensive side of the ball, Brewer is the pick here. However, since MJ is now the man in charge, the Bobcats may choose to go in another direction with Julian Wright.

9-Chicago Bulls- Joakim Noah (Florida)
Height: 6-11
Weight: 230
Position: Power Forward/Center

This is an ideal scenario for the Bulls. Joakim Noah is a high energy guy who is a tremendous defensive presence. He would fit in well with the Bulls. Lots of mock drafts have the Bulls taking Spencer Hawes since his offensive game is well-developed, but I think he’ll be a major huge bust. If I were John Paxson, I’d furiously be trying to trade this pick if Noah is off the board. If the Bulls trade this pick for Zack Randolph, the Bulls will be the favorites to win the East next year. Imagine this lineup: Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordan, Luol Deng, Zack Randolph, and Ben Wallace with Duhon, Thabo, Tryus, and Nocioni coming off the bench!

10-Sacramento Kings- Spencer Hawes (Washington)
Height: 7-0
Weight: 230
Position: Center

There’s a strong likelihood that the Kings take a big man with this pick. They were near the bottom of the league in rebounding and blocked shots last season and Brad Miller seems to have taken a couple of steps in the wrong direction. With Spencer Hawes as the highest rated big man on the board, the Kings are likely to take the kid from Washington. Other possibilities here are Yi (if he’s still available) and Julian Wright.

11-Atlanta Hawks- Acie Law (Texas A&M)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
Position: Point Guard

Rumors are circulating that the Hawks promised the Texas A&M guard they would select him at 11. I think Acie is another potential bust candidate. I’m not a big fan of Law and I question his ability to be a pass-first point guard in the NBA. Javaris Crittenton has also been thrown around as a possibility here but I was really unimpressed with his play in the ACC last season. This is why the Hawks cannot pass up Conley at 11. If they took Conley they could use this pick on a big guy (Hawes or Sean Williams). I think Sean Williams is the next Amare Stoudemire and would go with Conley and Williams over Horford and Law in a heartbeat. In the end though, it’s not what I would do but what I think Billy Knight will do.

12-Philadelphia 76ers- Al Thornton
Height: 6-8
Weight: 210
Position: Small Forward

Al Thornton is a monster. He is extremely athletic and could play the 3 or the 4. The 76ers would be set up to really start running with Miller, Iguodala, and Thornton. Julian Wright is also a strong possibility here.

13-New Orleans Hornets- Nick Young
Height: 6-6
Weight: 200
Position: Shooting Guard

Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic, David West, and Tyson Chandler are the foundation of this team. They need a two guard and will go with Nick Young here. My only concern is whether Young will be able to be effective at the 2 since he spent a lot of time at the 3 and 4 in college.

14-Los Angeles Clippers- Julian Wright
Height: 6-9
Weight: 220
Position: Small Forward

If Julian Wright falls all the way to the Clippers, there’s no way the Clips pass on him. Wright might be the most athletic player in this entire draft. The only reason I have him falling so far is because of his often unreliable jumper. This pick makes Corey Maggette expendable. The other possibility here is at point guard. Sam Cassell is an old man and Shaun Livingston might not be the same when he gets back from his knee injury. Either Law or Crittenton are possibilities.

Potential Stars Outside the Lottery

Sean Williams
Jared Dudley
Josh McRoberts
Glen Davis
Marco Belinelli
Thaddeus Young

2nd Round Steals

Reyshawn Terry
Marcus Williams
Taurean Green

YouTube Draft Video- Stephen A. getting heckled at last year’s draft.

NBA Trade Ideas and Random Thoughts

Trade 1

2 way deal between the Suns and the Lakers shipping Kobe to the desert. Let's see what each team would get:

Suns: Kobe Bryant ($17,717,750)

Lakers: Leandro Barbosa ($1,679,733), Shawn Marion ($15,070,000), and 2 first round picks the Suns received from the Hawks in the Joe Johnson deal.

Analysis

This trade only goes down if Shawn Marion agrees to sign an extension with the Lakers because he will be a free agent next summer. If he agrees to do that, this is the best value the Lakers can get for Kobe. The Lakers starting lineup for the future would be Barbosa, Jordan Farmar, Lamar Odon, Shawn Marion, and Andrew Bynum. That’s a pretty nice core. The Suns starting line up would be Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, and Amare Stoudemire. This trade would make the Suns the prohibitive favorites going into next season.

Trade 2

3 way blockbuster deal between the T-Wolves, Lakers, and Bulls. Let's see what each team would receive:

Timberwolves: Tyrus Thomas ($3,260,760), Ben Wallace ($16,000,000), and the Bulls no.9 pick in this year’s draft

Lakers: Luol Deng ($2,614,440), Chris Duhon ($3,024,000), Ben Gordon ($3,862,080), Victor Khryapa ($1,172,400), P.J. Brown via a sign and trade ($8,560,000), and the Bulls’ 2007 second round and 2008 first round picks

Bulls: Kobe Bryant ($17,718,750), Kevin Garnett ($21,000,000), Maurice Evans ($1,620,000-via Lakers) and Craig Smith ($412,718-via T-Wolves)

Analysis

Let’s break down this deal. Kevin Garnett can opt out of his deal next summer so the T-Wolves are eagerly examining trade options. And the Lakers just might decide to let Kobe go because of all the damage that the most stubborn player in sports has already caused (there is a 24 second video out there of Kobe trashing Andrew Bynum and the Lakers front office). This trade has a chance of working only because the Bulls have an extraordinary amount of great young players and draft picks. Let’s see what each team’s lineup would look like after the trade.

Lakers- Jordan Farmar, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum

T-Wolves- Randy Foe, Ricky Davis, Tyrus Thomas, Ben Wallace, and Julian Wright or Jeff Green (from either the no.7 or no.9 pick in this year’s draft). The T-Wolves could use one of these picks on a small forward and the other one on a big guy like Yi Jianlian, Joakim Noah, or Spencer Hawes.

Bulls- Kirk Hinrich, Kobe Bryant, Thabo Sefelosha, Andres Nocioni, and Kevin Garnett.

Huge deal. Let's look at all of the key players that the Bulls would be losing: Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, and Ben Wallace. The reason the Bulls must do this deal is because of their cap situation. A considerable number of the Bulls’ young players are still on their rookie contracts. Very soon all of these young players (Gordan, Deng, Thomas, Sefelosha, etc…) are going to be demanding big-time contracts and the Bulls will have to let them walk because they won’t have enough cap-space since they signed Big Ben to such a mammoth contract last off-season. By trading away these young players and Ben Wallace, the Bulls will avoid this problem and have the league’s best duo in Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett. The Bulls can play Garnett at center and force match-up problems with other teams. Sefelosha has a long wing-span and would be able to play the 3 while Nocioni would be a menace on the boards at the 4. This Bulls team would be a lock for the finals and would have a 3- or 4-year window where they would be contending for championships.

I think the T-Wolves would instantly become better than they are right now and that the Lakers would have a solid foundation for the future.

I love this deal. What does the Scrapper Nation think?

Random Thoughts

1. Check out what Greg Oden had to say about Josh McRoberts on his blog:

I am staying in Carmel, Indiana, which is north of Indianapolis. In this area lots of people know high school basketball. When you ask someone about it, the first name that pops in their minds is not Greg Oden, Michael Conley Jr., or Eric Gordon. It's JOSH MCROBERTS, one of my favorite people in the world. He is one of the funniest people I have met, and the one person in high school basketball that I dreaded playing, because I had to guard him and he is a monster. He uses both hands on the court. That gives him an edge on everybody else. He was here for a day so I got to hang out with him. It was one of the greatest days. Him and a couple of his friends and I laid out at his pool, played horse in the pool, stayed in too long, hands got wrinkled and when we got tired of being in the pool his mom came and grilled some hamburgers and teriyaki chicken with macaroni salad and cookies. It was the BOMB! Then we just chilled later on with some of his friends from high school and it was cool. The next day he left for Chicago to work out. He is a great player and I hope him well this year in the draft. I hope they invite him to go to the draft cause he will probaly have me laughing the whole night. I don't want to brag, but we were on one of the best AAU teams ever with 1. Michael Conley Jr, 2. Eric Gordon, 3. Deaquan Cook, 4. Josh McRoberts, and 5. little ol me. We also had Aaron Pouge, Curtis White, Mark Titus, Reese Cheatem, and Devin Williams coming off the bench. Those years were fun.
-Greg Oden

Josh McRoberts was the one player Greg Oden was scared of playing against? I feel bad for Josh, he would have been a lottery pick if he had come out straight out of high school or if he had even came out last year. Josh and Shavlik Randolph have had a very similar fate. Both were highly touted, top 5 recruits coming into college. Both were extremely athletic and were forced to gain weight to play in the post at Duke because Coach K doesn’t recruit enough post players. They should have both been allowed to play the 3 or 4 and float around the perimeter or in the post as they desired but Coach K had to try and make them big men. At least Josh left now, if he had waited until after next season he would have been a late second round pick (or not even been drafted).

2. It’s been a couple of days now so I think I can vent a little bit about Tiger’s loss. He didn’t have a clean 4th round and chunked a couple chip shots but that double bogey at the 3rd hole was what really cost Tiger. Tiger has finished second in the last two majors and was a total of only 3 shots away from a second Tiger Slam. Oh well, he’ll be back.

3. In more Tiger news, Tiger had a baby GIRL named Sam Alexis Woods yesterday. Sam? Tiger sounds like he really wanted a boy. I wonder how having a child is going to affect Tiger. When Jack Nicholas had children he had a major drought for a couple of years. I think Tiger’s a family guy so we’ll see what kind of an effect this has on him.

4. Mike Nifong, Durham’s rogue District Attorney, has been disbarred. Now he better get ready to be sued.

5. The Scrapper starts summer school tomorrow but I’ll try to update as often as I can.

Tiger's Third Round Live Blog

2:01- Tiger just walked off the practice green, clanked his ball against his putter, and walked to the tee. He looks ready to roar.

2:05- Tiger introduced at the tee (par 4). He’s wearing baby blue, looks kind of girly, but he looks focused. What is this! Tiger takes out his driver! No more weak sauce 2-irons off the tee, I hope. Tiger rips it, cuts the ball, into the fairway. That’s what I’m talking about. What a great start on the “toughest opening hole in golf”. I watched Tiger’s first two rounds and he was hitting irons off most of the tees and still missed a considerable number of fairways. If Tiger’s going to miss the fairway even with his 2-iron, he might as well whip out his driver and be a 100 yards closer to the hole. I’m going to predict a 68 from Tiger today.

2:06- Tiger’s playing partner, Nick Dougherty, looks frightened. Wayward tee shot, it’s in the deep, deep grass. He’s so intimidated of Tiger, it’s going to be a really long day for him.

2:10- Tiger’s at the top of the hill and just has 168 yards into the green. He better get it near the hole or the ball is going to funnel off the green, I just watched it happen to Furyk. What a crisp, sweet swing. Left of the flag and it ends up about 15 feet away. These mid-range putts are the kind of putts Tiger is going to have to make today if he wants to make a run. A big start is huge for him. A birdie at no.1 would be a huge statement for him since more than 2/3 of the field has already gone through the first hole and there haven’t been any birdies.

2:15- Tiger’s getting the read. I don’t think he’s going to make it, I’m not feeling it. And he runs it by and Tiger taps in for par. Tiger makes the most intense facial expressions when he messes up. The guy curses himself out every time he screws up. Anyways, a solid start.

2:22- Short Par 4. Tiger has his DRIVER out. What! I love it when Tiger’s aggressive. He’s going after this one.

2:24- 274 yards to carry the cross bunker. Tiger can’t hook this or the ball’s going to be in the creek. His ball ends up in the cross bunker. Tiger drove the ball 270? What? The Scrapper can drive the ball 270 (downhill), that’s weak.

2:29- Ball’s in the bunker. Tiger has an 8 iron out, he’s about 60 yards away. Ball hits the down slope and funnels down. Tiger’s yelling “STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP.” Oh man, that’s great. Ball stops about 20 yards from the hole.

2:33- Nice lag. He’ll tap that in for par. Starting out par-par is just fine at Oakmont.

2:36- We’re at the third hole. What a pretty hole with the church pews on the left and the bunkers on the right. Tiger takes out an iron, probably a good move, this is a difficult fairway to hit. Great shot, great bounce, he kept it low and it’s right down the middle of the fairway. I like it.

2:41- Tiger’s got 150 into the green. Really high shot...WOW, great shot. He’s in birdie position, only about 10 feet behind the hole. Tiger better cash in this birdie opportunity.

2:47- Tiger needs to make this birdie. The crowd will roar and all the other players are going to hear the roar and get nervous. I guarantee Tiger doesn’t win if he misses this. BAM. TIGER sinks it. What a great putt. He’s +4, and ready to make a run. I love how Tiger just lifts the putter and stares the ball down when he knows it’s in.

2:51- We’re at the 609 yard par 5 fourth hole. Driver out and he absolutely NAILS another fairway. NBC is showing his swing in slow motion. It’s perfect. Wow. He always releases the ball at the right time. I need to watch that swing more, maybe it’ll rub off on me. Check out this clip of Tiger’s swing using Swing Vision:



2:55- Tiger has an iron out, he’s about 275 yards away. And he’s easily on the green in 2! Tiger can’t be more than 30 feet away. WOW. EAGLE is a possibility here. Let’s go Tiger.

3:01- The eagle opportunity. If he makes this I absolutely guarantee he wins. This is between 18-20 feet. OW! The putt looked great and ends up an inch from the hole. Tiger taps in for birdie. They just showed Angel Cabrera, the leader, on the practice green looking scared after hearing the roar after one of Tiger’s putts. He better be scared.

3:09- Tiger hit a beautiful drive and now he just has a little pitching wedge left (140 yards) to the hole. Another beautiful shot. Another green, another birdie opportunity. Tiger’s just 10 feet away. Tiger is playing great today, he’s hitting his fairways and hitting greens in regulation. He could go really low. They just showed Paul Casey. His round of 66 yesterday was ridiculous.

3:14- This is a really fast putt. If Tiger goes for it, he could really run this one by. Tiger aims the ball way left, he totally over judged it. The ball didn’t turn enough. Another par.

3:18- Alright we’re at the par 3 sixth hole, a little less than 200 yards away. The wind just started up, Tiger’s flinging pieces of grass everywhere. What a perfectionist. Tiger eventually switched form his 7-iron to a 6-iron. Another good shot with great distance control. What a great decision.

3:25- To get within 2 shots of the lead, and Tiger…MISSES ANOTHER ONE. He’s misreading everything. But alas, he still has a tap in for par. I think the field is coming back to him. Tiger’s already in 6th place with his fast start and guys are bogeying holes everywhere. Bubba Watson is in 2nd place right now and he was Tiger’s playing partner for some practice rounds earlier in the week. The guy has a pink driver. No wonder Tiger likes him.

3:28- So pretty. His driver is really working, he split the fairway in two. You know what, maybe my prediction of a 68 was high. Tiger could shoot 65 or 66 today the way he’s looking.

Ok…The Scrapper’s tired of live blogging. I need to enjoy this round. If Tiger starts making some putts, this could be a legendary round. Tiger's hitting every green in regulation (7/7 so far). I’m going to make a turkey sandwich with a little bit of avocado on top (like the Tiger Wiii commercial) and I’ll check in again after Tiger’s round is over.

---------------------------------

Well, I have to say that my turkey sandwich with a little bit of avocado on top was special, but it was missing a little something. Some bacon would have made it perfect. Likewise, Tiger probably feels the same way right now with his round. He played exceptional but there was just something missing that kept the round from being perfect; his putting game.

Tiger played a very solid, extremely high-percentage round of golf, hitting 17/18 greens in regulation. Overall, I don’t know if I have ever seen Tiger’s ball-striking be more crisp. His putting, however, was a somewhat different story. Although he made a pair of high-pressure par putts, he did misjudge the line on a lot of putts in the 10-20 foot range, putts we are accustomed to him normally making. Remember Pebble Beach? Tiger was draining long birdies from everywhere. To his credit, these greens look much more difficult and contoured then anything these guys have seen in quite a while.

I think Tiger has positioned himself reasonably well for tomorrow. Besides Paul Casey having another Friday-like day (66), the one guy I’m especially worried about is Aaron Baddeley. Baddeley has been putting lights-out. I watched him make many big-time mid-range putts today. On a tough course like Oakmont, good putting really goes a long way.

Prediction: Tiger wins with a final score of 2 over par, 282

Samkon Gado: A Real Hero

Now that I know and I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I feel like a sense of obligation, a sense of duty. Somebody can make a change. I think it begins on an individual basis. And that’s how change starts, with one person.
-Samkon Gado, Houston Texans backup running back

I was watching Cold Pizza this morning when Jay Davis interviewed Samkon Gado, a backup running back for the Houston Texans. After watching the interview and reading some more articles about him on the web, I can’t tell you how incredible this guy is. He was on air this morning talking about how seeing poverty and disease when he was in Nigeria inspired him to want to become a doctor.

It’s one thing to say you want to go to medical school and become a doctor so you can fight poverty in Africa, but it’s something totally different to actually carry out this plan when you have a $435,000 contract to play football for the upcoming season. Samkon already finished up his required pre-med courses when he was at Division I-AA Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia (Class of 2005). He also just finished up a prep course for the MCAT. In fact, Texans’ coach Mike Kubiak allowed Samkon to miss a couple of days of training camp so he could finish up his studying for the test, which he is taking on July 13. Samkon has also spent time shadowing doctors. This is what he had to say about his shadowing:

“I help with taking blood, blood pressure, vitals, and essentially anything the nurses need me to do or help them do…It’s a wonderful experience because it actually gets me used to being a health professional. Learning how to deal with patients and learning to know when to leave a patient alone and when to talk to a patient and just the intangibles that a health professional needs to be successful in my field. To be able to help somebody when they’re probably in a very vulnerable spot makes me keep want to do this”

What a great guy. Besides wanting to become a doctor, Samkon was also a huge fantasy force two seasons ago. In his first start for the Packers on November 13, 2005, he scored three touchdowns against the Falcons. That same season he recorded 111- and 171-yard games against the Lions and Eagles before suffering an MCL sprain. He got traded to the Texans that off-season and has made a big impression on his teammates. Fellow Texans’ backup running back Wally Lundi had this to say about Samkon, “If he takes the work ethic that he has on the field and applies it to being a doctor or just applies it in his life…I mean, there isn’t anything he won’t be able to do.”

I’m angry though. I’m angry that the media allowed us to know all the details about Pacman “making it rain” or all the Bengals players getting arrested while they kept us in the dark about Samkon’s goodwill and great character. Sports in general, and especially the NFL, need more guys like the great Samkon Gado.

Everybody who’s reading this article really needs to watch this YouTube clip of Samkon:



Samkon Gado, you are an inspiration to others and my new favorite NFL player.

Are these Spurs better than the 1995-96 Bulls?

Last night’s Cavs-Spurs game was the most frustrating, unwatchable basketball game I have ever witnessed. Something that’s really irking me is how the media is blaming last night’s loss on Lebron’s teammates. There’s no denying that the Cavs missed a lot of open looks and that Varejao was totally out of line taking that potentially game-tying hook shot that didn’t even come close to the rim, but to me, it was Lebron’s third consecutive sub-par performance that really cost the Cavs.

I wrote in my last blog entry about how Mike Brown should start Daniel Gibson and play the Gibson, Jones, Lebron, Varejao, and Marshall lineup for an extended period of time. Brown came through on both counts and those were two huge reasons why the game was as close as it was. But with the game on the line with less than five minutes to go, it was time for Lebron to take over. Lebron blew it, something that’s becoming a regular occurrence for him.

I was watching the game with Charlie last night and he made a great connection comparing this Cavs-Spurs series to last year’s Heat-Mavs NBA Finals match-up. The Heat lost Games 1 and 2 decisively and were down by as many as 27 in Game 2. But in Game 3, Dwayne Wade took over and didn’t let the Heat lose. With 5 minutes left and the game on the line in Game 3, Lebron needed to either take the ball to the hoop or make the jump shot the Spurs were giving him. Instead, whenever he got the ball he let the shot clock wind down and then rushed a bad pass or attempted a ridiculous fade away with the Spurs swarming him.

Lets be honest, right now Dwayne Wade is a more complete basketball player than Lebron James. I think that if the Cavs could have had a 100% healthy Dwayne Wade for the last 5 minutes last night, the Cavs would have won. D-Wade can take the ball to the rim, shoot, and he has a reliable and remarkably consistent bank shot. Moreover, he knows when to take over a game.

I’m starting to get a headache talking about this series anymore, it’s too painful. All I have to say is congratulations to the San Antonio Spurs, the 2007 NBA Champions. But how good really is this team? In my mind, the only team I am extremely confident would beat these Spurs is the 72-10 Bulls team that featured MJ, Scottie, and Dennis Rodman.

Charlie was trying to argue that this year’s Spurs would beat that team but I’m skeptical. Let’s see what the Scrapper Nation thinks (I’ve added a little YouTube Clip of some Bulls highlights from the 1995-1996 season).

Before you make your decision, carefully examine the 1995-96 Bulls’ starting lineup: Ron Harper, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Luc Longley. The Bulls also had the league’s best bench with Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc, Bill Wennington, Jud Buechler, and Randy Brown. And along with this dynamic core, the Bulls had Phil Jackson, arguably the best coach of all-time. So Scrapper Nation, let your voice be heard.

Who would win a 1995-96 Bulls vs. 2006-07 Spurs Best of 7 Game Series?
	1995-96 Bulls
	2006-07 Spurs
pollcode.com free polls

Mike Brown and Lebron are Costing the Cavs

First off, I’d just like to thank Charlie for volunteering his time to provide such an insightful and comprehensive analysis of the NBA Finals.

Alright, let’s be honest people, the Finals suck. When a team is up 25 points at halftime of an NBA Finals game, you know something is wrong. That something is the complete and utter ineptitude of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Everyone shares the blame for the Cavs’ performance in the first two games but The Scrapper points his finger at two people: Mike Brown and Lebron James.

Mike Brown

It’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals and your star player picks up his second foul with about 9 minutes left in the first quarter. What do you do?

The knee-jerk response by most coaches in the NBA to this situation is to immediately bench your star for the rest of the quarter. But as Jeff Van Gundy commented during the broadcast, does this really make sense? If I were Mike Brown, having already lost Game 1 and being on the road in a hostile environment against a team like the Spurs, there’s no way I take Lebron out. Although the Cavs didn’t get down by too many points while Lebron was on the bench, the effect on Lebron was enormous. Lebron started the game very aggressive, fighting through multiple defenders to take the ball to the hoop. But after Lebron reentered the game in the second quarter, he came back cold and considerably less aggressive. He started to settle for his jump shot (and let’s just say his jumper wasn’t exactly on, the guy air balled a free throw). He committed turnovers, and became passive. I really wonder how the game would have panned out if Lebron hadn’t had to go to the bench so early since he started out the game playing so well. Bad decision Mike.

A characteristic of a good coach is being able to adapt and change styles when what you’re doing isn’t working. I think we can all agree that Mike Brown needs to make a lot of changes tonight. The first thing I would do is start Daniel Gibson (I refuse to call him ‘Boobie’). It’s obvious Larry Hughes isn’t a hundred percent and he’s been missing open shots along with becoming a defensive liability. Gibson is shooting a ridiculous percentage this post season and he has a .619 mark so far in the Finals. Mike Brown, give him some more minutes. Also, there has to be a reason, besides the Spurs letting up, why Cleveland has been so good in the fourth quarter. This has been the lineup for the majority of those minutes: Gibson, Jones, Lebron, Donyell, and Varejao. If I were Mike Brown, I would start these guys in Game 3. Brown would be able to find out pretty quick if those guys were too much of a liability defensively but maybe they would continue to play really well together. They’re all shooters and quick, so you never know. But the only thing Mike Brown has shown me is that he’s really stubborn and unwilling to mix things up. Let’s see what he does tonight.

Lebron James

Lebron, you fooled me. After your scintillating performance in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, I thought it was the beginning of greatness for you. It might very well be, but the one thing separating you from getting to the next level (the MJ, Kobe, even D-Wade level), is your jumper. When it’s on, as it was in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, you’re elusive, explosive, and utterly unguardable. But when your jumper hasn’t been on, you are very guardable. To see just how off Lebron was in Game 2, check out this YouTube Clip of him air balling a free throw:

Lebron, you have what it takes to be great, but you’re not going to be great consistently until you develop a reliable shot and stop being such a streak shooter. In both of the first two games of the NBA Finals the Spurs were giving you open look after open look. If you could drain those shots you would open up your ability to take the ball to the hole. If you find your jumper, the Cavs have a chance. If not, and at this point probably even if you do, the Cavs are done.

I have a feeling Cleveland is going to be rocking tonight and we’re going to see a really close game. And if not, I’m watching America’s Got Talent, maybe the biggest rip-off show of all time. I can’t wait to see David Hasselhoff’s best Simon Cowell impersonation.

Cavs-Spurs Finals Preview

When I want my NBA fix, I go to my main man Charlie T. This cat knows his stuff.
-The Scrapper

Tonight's the night. Loyal Scrapper fans, I’m honored to have the privilege of previewing the NBA Finals for you. If you don’t like my post, please let me and The Scrapper know in the comments so that he can fire me.

Spurs-Cavs has the potential to be a tremendous matchup, perhaps slightly reminiscent of the Chicago-Utah series of the mid-90s. We have a similar setup on both sides – Cleveland, like those Jordan Bulls, is a team built around a megastar going up against a more conventional, old-school, fundamental team in the Spurs. The Stockton-Malone-Sloan Jazz had a lot in common with today’s Spurs – they had their all-stars but they also counted on significant contributions from their role players (Hornacek, Ostertag, etc.).

Clearly this is far from a bulletproof analogy. The obvious missing piece in the Bulls-Cavs comparison is Scottie Pippen. One of the NBA’s 50 greatest, Cleveland has no equivalent to Pippen. Larry Hughes? In Danny Ferry’s wildest dreams, maybe, but not in reality. The Cavs are going to rely on Lebron even more than the Bulls relied on Jordan, and it remains to be seen whether or not he’s up to the task. Like most, I remain skeptical. Even if Lebron exceeds all reasonable expectations, I don’t see the Cavs being able to topple this Spurs team.

Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the matchups (based on projected starters)

PG – Tony Parker vs. Daniel Gibson

Parker has had a breakout season. We knew he was good, but I’m not sure anyone knew he could take his game to these heights (maybe not even the Spurs – remember the Jason Kidd offseason?). He’s really focused his game on penetration, becoming a much more efficient scorer and distributor. He has a speed advantage against his defender almost every time he steps on the court, but this matchup with Gibson could be one of the exceptions.

Gibson has really come out of nowhere and stolen some of Lebron’s thunder lately. After Lebron’s legendary performance in Game 5, ‘Boobie’ (I’m not a fan of that nickname at all) lit it up in Game 6, sticking dagger after dagger into the Pistons’ hearts. He was good but not spectacular at Texas, but he has embraced the spotlight and has given the Cavs exactly what they needed – reliable outside shooting and energy. Against the Pistons, he was something of a liability on the defensive end. Of course, he was guarding Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, and sometimes Tayshaun Prince (yikes). He’ll have a much better opportunity against the Spurs. He is better suited to guard a quick guard like Tony Parker than a big, post-up guard like Billups.

This is a critical matchup. Gibson has seemed immune to the pressure of the big stage thus far, and we’ll see if he can keep up his fearless play under the ultimate spotlight, with the whole world watching. The Finals are practically home away from home to Tony Parker and the Spurs at this point, and nerves shouldn’t be an issue.

The advantage here clearly goes to Parker, and I expect him to get the better of Gibson night in and night out. If he’s lazy on defense, however, Gibson will make him pay, and if Gibson can somehow contain Parker on his penetration, it will provide a critical boost to the Cavs defense.

SG – Manu Ginobili vs. Larry Hughes

I’m listing Manu here because even though he comes off the bench, he’s clearly the Spurs’ go-to guy at the shooting guard position. Manu’s game hasn’t changed much since he made his mark on the league in the Spurs’ earlier title runs. He’s added a bald-spot and better finishing ability to his already consistent three-point shooting and penetration skills. He’s also become a better defender, adding the flop to his arsenal. For a nice video of his finishing ability, check out this YouTube clip:

Larry Hughes, one of Cavs’ GM Danny Ferry’s critical free agent acquisitions, has failed to live up to the lofty expectations placed upon his shoulders when he signed with the Cavs. The team and its fans hoped that he could play Pippen to Lebron’s Jordan, but it has become clear over these past two seasons that Hughes’ potential is limited. He’s a terrific defender who is adept at playing the passing lanes and coming up with the steal. His three-point shooting is somewhat unreliable, yet he shows little hesitation in jacking up the 3 off the kickout. As noted by Steve Kerr during game 6, his strength is penetration, and the Cavs are going to need him to make good decisions.

Hughes is quick enough, strong enough, and savvy enough to keep up with Manu. We’ll see if he can handle the spotlight. His health is also a concern – though he played through his foot injury in the Pistons series, we’ll see if he can continue to keep it up against a tougher team with more aggressive defenders.

I’m being generous to the Cavs and calling this a wash, because if Hughes plays up to his potential he can theoretically keep up with Manu. But then again, who knows? Maybe Hughes will explode and Manu will choke and I’ll be eating my words.

SF – Bruce Bowen vs. Lebron James

This has been the matchup most publicized thus far, and I’m sure that if you’ve made your way here you’ve read a Finals preview somewhere else as well, so I’m not going to harp on it much. As has been stated by countless others, Bowen’s traditional weakness as a defender has been in the post against bigger players, and while the post-up game isn’t one of Lebron’s strengths, he should be able to score against Bowen without much trouble. Of course, this assumes that the Spurs use single coverage on Lebron. I suspect that they will, but don’t expect them to be as slow to double as the Pistons were. Popovich is a much better coach than Flip Saunders, especially on the defensive end, and we’re not going to see another string of 25 straight out of Lebron in this series.

The advantage is clearly to the Cavs. It will be interesting to see if Bowen can keep up his solid three point shooting and make Lebron pay for his sometimes uninspired defense.

PF – Tim Duncan vs. Drew Gooden

After watching Tim Duncan demolish Amare Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer, I feel bad for Drew Gooden in this series. Gooden is a decent enough offensive player, but he’s going to be stymied by Duncan every time he makes a move, with his best chance to score coming off pick-and-pops with Lebron.

On the other end, Duncan is going to make the Cavs pay on every possession. The Cavs’ only realistic hope here is that Varejao’s hair aggravates Duncan to the point that he loses control and gets ejected/suspended. Otherwise, there’s no stopping this guy. At this point, in my mind, he’s undoubtedly the best power forward of all time.

Advantage: Spurs in a landslide. Look for serious numbers out of Duncan, especially on the defensive end. Gooden and Varejao had limited success with their interior scoring against the Pistons, and it is going to be exponentially more difficult to score against Duncan, the perennial anchor of the All-NBA Defensive First Team. One caveat here: Duncan is a terrific interior help defender, and if Lebron is aggressive enough going to the hoop, he may be able to get Duncan into foul trouble, which could simplify the San Antonio offense and allow the Cavs to focus more on Ginobili and Parker.

C – Zydrunas Ilgauskas vs. Fabricio Oberto

The Cavs must win this matchup if they expect to compete with the Spurs in this series. We may see some switching here, as Duncan may be forced to guard Big Z if he gets it going. Expect to see Oberto (or possibly even Elson) start against Ilgauskas, however, because of Z’s tendency to play the pick-and-pop game. Duncan would prefer to roam the paint, and San Antonio is better off assigning Oberto or Elson to irritate Ilgauskas and get a hand in his face on those jumpers.

Ilgauskas has shown throughout his career and especially in this last series against the Pistons that he can be a very effective offensive rebounder. His length allows him to outreach defenders and get put-backs. With Duncan in the lane, these opportunities will be limited. If Varejao is in the game, Duncan will be able to sag off and help on the offensive boards. If he is matched up against Gooden (and if Gooden can consistently hit that 15-foot jumper), the lane should open up for Ilgauskas to have more chances at the tip-in. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

The advantage here goes to the Cavs, though it could swing to the Spurs if Duncan switches onto Ilgauskas.

BENCH:

Cleveland: Anderson Varejao, Donyell Marshall, Sasha Pavlovic, Eric Snow, Damon Jones.

At this point we all know what to expect from Varejao, and his continued contribution will be vital to the Cavs’ hopes. Marshall and Jones are both going to be expected to come in cold and hit the open 3, but expect to see much more of Marshall than Jones in this series. The Spurs’ offensive execution is flawless, and Jones is too old and too slow to be counted on at the defensive end. As in the Pistons series, we may see Eric Snow in at the end of close games, especially if Tony Parker is abusing Daniel Gibson. Snow probably won’t have as much success against the quicker Parker as he did against Chauncey Billups, though, so his playing time will be limited.

Pavlovic could really make a difference. He has displayed fearlessness in big moments, but unfortunately, he has fearlessly made poor decisions. It seemed as if he drew an offensive foul every time the Cavs turned to him for offensive production. That won’t cut it against this San Antonio team.

San Antonio: Michael Finley, Francisco Elson, Robert Horry, Brent Barry, Jacque Vaughn.

San Antonio’s veteran core is supplemented by proven winners coming off the bench. Whether it’s one of the great clutch performers of playoff history (Horry), the great white hope (Barry), or the Flying Dutchman (Elson), the Spurs know that they can count on these guys to come in and play mistake-free basketball. Michael Finley gives them an extra dimension: he’s a proven scorer who has improved his three point shooting and thus further spaces the floor, opening up space in the paint for Duncan to go to work. Vaughn will spell Tony Parker. Look for him to make good decisions with the ball, running the offense and spotting up for the 15-18 foot jumper.

The advantage here is clearly with San Antonio. Their bench is full of proven winners who will not turn the ball over and who know what it takes to succeed in the postseason. If the Spurs are up big in the closeout game, don’t be surprised to see Brent Barry attempt to recreate this magical moment in the waning minutes:

COACHING STAFF: Gregg Popovich vs. Mike Brown.

This is another storyline that has been beaten to death. By now we are all aware of the fact that Mike Brown worked under Popovich in San Antonio and designed his system based on what he learned from Pop. Unfortunately, Popovich is at the top of his game, and don’t look for Brown to be able to pull off any surprises here. Advantage: Spurs. It’s like arm wrestling your Dad when you’re a little kid. You’re not going to win.

CONCLUSION:

All of these matchup previews are written under the assumption that these games will be competitive and close. That’s what we should expect, right? It’s the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, that may not be what we actually get. This Spurs team is engineered for this moment, and every man on that roster knows and accepts his role. They have a superior roster and a superior coaching staff. Lebron is the X factor. If he can really make ‘The Leap’, and give heroic performances night in and night out, this series could go the distance, and the Cavs could theoretically pull it out. Unfortunately for all the Cleveland fans, this Spurs team is an absolute juggernaut, and the chances of them losing this series are extraordinarily slim.

The Prediction: I’m going to be very, very generous and say Spurs in six. I’m giving the Cavs the benefit of the doubt here. I think that there will be at least one and possibly two games in which the pieces just fall the right way for Cleveland: Lebron will be unstoppable, Gibson and Hughes will make their shots, Duncan will get into foul trouble, Damon Jones will actually make a meaningful contribution, etc. With that being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Spurs pull off the sweep. These guys are pros, and no matter how much everybody wants to see Lebron win the championship and officially claim the throne, I don’t see it happening. These Spurs are too good.

-Charlie

Billy Donovan: The Flip-Flopper

I can’t believe Billy Donovan changed his mind and wants to come back now. He can’t even make a decision. Scrapper, please tear this guy to shreds for me.

-Jake from Memphis

Back by popular demand, we’re going to spend a second consecutive blog entry tearing Billy Dononvan to shreds. Jake, thanks for the comment buddy and don’t worry, The Scrapper’s on the prowl.

Alright, alright, so I guess all you readers are starting to wonder about my assertion that Billy Donovan is too scared to stay at Florida now that he’s waffled on his commitment to become the next coach of the Orlando Magic and returned to the Gators. When I found out that Billy the Kid had changed his mind, I was thrilled. Now he gets to prove my point to the rest of the world, that he just got lucky these last two years and he isn’t a good enough coach to sustain Florida’s program at an elite level. But before we go into the ramifications of Donovan’s decision, let’s think about this from Florida’s perspective.

You have your coach bolt for a mediocre NBA franchise, only to instantly flip-flop and return. If I’m a Florida fan, I’m insulted that he made the decision to leave in the first place. If you are the 2-time defending national champion Gators, why allow him to come back? If Coach K decided to go to the NBA and then vacillated on his decision, I wouldn’t accept him back. Not after knowing he had the audacity to turn his back on us, even if only for an instant.

I hope this decision results in Billy Donovan losing a lot of credibility. Even when he realized he made the wrong decision, he should have sucked it up and honored his commitment. He gave the Magic his word (and his signature on a $27.5 million contract). Not only that, but he let down the hopes and dreams of Orlando Magic fans everywhere (if there are any). But seriously, people bought 200 season tickets within the afternoon that Billy Donovan was announced as coach and then poof, he disappeared. Personally, I’ve lost all respect for Billy Donovan.

My dad tells me that indecisiveness is a sign of weakness. I guess people don’t get much weaker than Billy Donovan then. What he is doing is embarrassing. Not only will he appear foolish, the Magic are also going to ban him from coaching in the NBA for the next 5 years and could also impose a monetary penalty. If I were the Magic, I would make him pay a lot of money ($10 million sounds about right).

Regardless of whatever made Billy Donovan change his mind, I think his recruiting goes downhill too. If I’m a parent, I don’t want my child playing for a man with such weak character. I guarantee Billy Donovan doesn’t win another NCAA title. I guarantee it.

As a Duke fan, it’s a great feeling knowing your coach turned down a job offer from one of the greatest NBA franchises in history. I can only wonder how Florida fans (like my roommate’s girlfriend) feel about their Coach deciding to leave them for the Orlando Magic (and then changing his mind to become the laughing stock of the NBA). I found the video below on Youtube, this guy is weird.

Why Billy Donovan left Florida

I fully expected Billy Donovan to bolt Florida after the Gators won their second consecutive title. For Kentucky that is, not the Orlando Magic! Billy Donovan isn’t leaving a contract that will pay him $3.5 million a year (which will top out at $3.75 million a year in the 2013-2014 season) for a storied NBA franchise like the Lakers, Celtics, Knicks, or Bulls, he’s leaving it for the Magic. The Magic have made it to the playoffs nine times in their all so brief history. And out of those nine playoff appearances, they have been swept in five playoff series and made it out of the first round only twice. Ladies and gentleman, Billy Donovan isn’t only leaving Florida because of the money ($5.5 million a year for 5 years), he’s leaving because he’s scared.

Yeah I said it, Billy Donovan is scared of staying at Florida. Why? The obvious answer, of course, is that he is about to lose three lottery picks to the NBA (Noah, Horford, Brewer) and the best recruiting class in Florida basketball history. Florida is going to go young next year, really young. But it’s not like Billy Donovan doesn’t have a lot of talent coming in, he has arguably the best recruiting class in the nation (see below):

Nick Calathes PG 6-5, 185 #3 Rated Point Guard
Chandler Parsons SF 6-8, 190 #5 Rated Small Forward
Adam Allen SF 6-6, 185 #19 Rated Small Forward
Jai Lucus PG 5-10, 160 #7 Rated Point Guard
Alex Tyrus PF 6-8, 210 #12 Rated Power Forward

So why is Billy Donovan scared of staying at Florida? Maybe he just wants to coach in the NBA you would say, right?

Well he had to think about the fact that a startlingly long list of great college coaches including his own mentor, Rick Pitino, haven’t been able to translate success from college to the NBA level. I’m sure Donovan consulted Pitino before he took the job, and I’m sure Pitino told him everything that comes along with the NBA game. Mainly, the fact that the head coach loses control. In college, Donovan controlled which players he wanted on his team and he was able to micromanage every aspect of their lives. In college Donovan was the coach, the GM, and the president of basketball operations. In the NBA, Donovan is just the coach, and will be held accountable for moves made by the front office. This isn’t a dynamic NBA franchise steeped in tradition folks, this is the Orlando Magic, with a career franchise win percentage of .485.

Enough, enough! The real reason Billy Donovan is leaving Florida is because he doesn’t believe he has what it takes to maintain a program at this kind of level year in, year out. Billy Donovan knows he hit the jackpot with this team and these last two championships and he’s cashing in. He knows Florida isn’t going to win the SEC next year, and they might not win it the year after. He knows Kentucky just nabbed Patrick Patterson and is going to put every resource towards beating him. And it’s sad, but he knows he’s not a great, marquee, Coach K-type of coach.

Billy Donovan had a chance to stay and build Florida into one of the best sustained basketball programs in history. The most apt comparison here is Coach K. You may think Billy Donovan’s 5-year $27.5 million deal is a lot of money, but try the 5-year $50 million deal Coach K turned down from the Lakers. Another similarity here is that Donovan came into a great conference and out-dueled one of the nation’s best programs, Kentucky. In the same way, Coach K came into the ACC and out-dueled Carolina. The difference is that Coach K has struck around and made Duke into one of the all-time great programs. Too bad Florida won’t have the same opportunity. Cheers to the end of Florida basketball.

Cavs-Pistons Game

While I was writing this blog entry I was lucky enough to be witness to perhaps the most transcendent individual performance by an athlete (not named Jordan) in my lifetime. Lebron scored the last 29 points and recorded the following stat line:

48 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals

Recap

After Lebron hits a ridiculously clutch shot to make the score 100-96 in OT, Lebron air balls the next time down. Then on the first possession in the second overtime he hits a fade away over Tayshaun. Then with 2 minutes left he goes behind the back with his left hand and drains a fade away at the top of the key just inside the 3 point line.

Lebron hits a 3 over Chris Webber to tie the game at 107. Lebron gets the ball, takes Chauncey off the dribble, and puts the ball in with a little scoop shot for a 109-107 lead with 2.2 seconds left! Michael Jordan reincarnate.

Thoughts

What in the world were the Pistons doing on the last possession? Why would you guard any other Cavs player when Lebron has scored the last 27 points and scored the last 11 Cavs field goals?

Mr. Big Shot missed a big shot with 2.2 seconds left in overtime.

What has happened to Tayshaun? He looks really depressed and dejected on the court.

Mike Brown really makes some terrible decisions. He wasted his timeouts in OT and then Cleveland didn’t have a chance to move the ball up the court when the Pistons tied the game with 3.1 seconds left. Lebron sure has a way to mask coaching mistakes. Oh and Mike Brown kissed Lebron twice on the face after the game.

Lebron James sure took his critics’ advice to heart after Game 1. They asked for Lebron to shoot with the game on the line, he did it. This is the official beginning of vintage Lebron games.

After 2:10 left in the 4th quarter, Lebron James was the only Cav to score. How do you let a guy drop 29 straight points on you?

Do yourself a favor and watch this game on ESPN classic tomorrow if you missed it.