Random Thoughts








These are things I pondered as I sat down to eat some Thanksgiving crow about my prediciton that the Nets would be better than people think.........








While I'm on the Nets, my sources tell me that LeBron James is just as likely to go to the Nets as the Knicks at this point. Contrary to popular belief, living in New York is much more important to LeBron than playing at Madison Square Garden. LeBron is keenly aware he can live in Manhattan and conveniently play for the Nets in Newark or Brooklyn. And yes, before you laugh at me, I really do have sources!!



Also, a quick post script on the Lawrence Frank firing. Lawrence was as hard working a coach as there was in the league. He earned his players' respect with tireless dedication. I have been critical of Frank in the past for not emphasizing shot selection enough. His teams always seemed to take a high volume of contested perimeter shots. Nonetheless, he was in a no win situation this season and handled his departure with grace and class. He is definitely a guy who deserves another chance without a stripped down bargain basement roster accompanied by an injury epidemic. Frank is one of the good guys.





Its very strange to me that as much as Greg Oden has improved from last year to this year, there are nights that Portland looks like they're regressing. And as good as Oden has looked he got shredded last week in consecutive games by Brook Lopez and Marc Gasol.





The Miami Heat have very little bench. Its starting to become a problem and the calendar's just turning to December. Their lack of depth will not exactly be a selling point when it comes time to re-sign Dwayne Wade.



The next head coach to get the axe will most likely be Jay Triano of Toronto. Its one thing to lack skilled perimeter defenders. Its another thing to hold no player accountable for what they do at the defensive end of the floor. With Chris Bosh in the last year of his contract, it is too important a season to let it slip out of control over effort issues. I would think that Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo sees the urgency and will act accordingly.



As good as the Atlanta Hawks have played, I guarantee you that Jamal Crawford will shoot them out of a very important game before alls said and done.



Read the above line again and insert the Denver Nuggets and J.R. Smith where the Hawks and Crawford are.



How do teams with NO guards like the Knicks and the Heat (besides Dwyane Wade) allow Jamaal Tinsley to end up signing with the Memphis Grizzlies. Tinsley has been a much better fit with the Grizzlies than Allen Iverson was ever going to be. He has made their whole starting lineup a better team. In the meantime the Heat keep rolling a slow Mario Chalmers out next to Wade every night and the Knicks keep giving Chris Duhon 30 minutes a night.



Speaking of Duhon, who do you think he has naked pictures of , D'Antoni, Dolan, or Donnie? My guess is Dolan.......



As good as the Phoenix Suns have been early on, they have gotten exposed this week as a team who plays weak interior defense. They should be a player in the trade market at deadline time looking for a big man who defends.



The Washington Wizards have started to play better with the return of Antawn Jamison. In the end, the best this group can do is a first round playoff loss. I know I belabor this point, but the two players he traded the #5 pick for last year, Randy Foye and Mike Miller, are making very little contribtuion to any success the Wizards are having. They could have been competing just the same and had Ricky Rubio stashed in Spain to begin loading up for their future. Unfortunately for Ernie Grunfeld, this might be his legacy in Washington.



Is Thabo Sefolosha the Swiss translation of Shane Battier?



Speaking of the Oklahoma City Thunder, it looks like they're starting to come around a little. Kevin Durant has been very good and Thunder coach Scott Brooks hides him well on defense. But the most important thing for the Thunder is the continued development of point guard Russell Westbrook. When Westbrook keeps his turnovers and missed shots low, ands his assists high, it directly translates into success for the Thunder.



T.J. Ford is the worst starting point guard in the league not named Chris Duhon. But at least you can forgive the Pacers for not pusuing Tinsley. He was a key reason that Pacer president larry Bird kept a bail bondsman on speed dial.



I hate to say it, but the San Antonio Spurs are getting old before our eyes. At this stage, there is no way I could see them competing athletically in a playoff series with the Lakers or the Nuggets.

Doc Rivers is doing a very nice job of rationing his veteran starters' minutes, especially Kevin Garnett. If the Celtics do not enter the playoffs healthy, they will not have much of a chance to get back to the finals.

Cleveland Cavalier coach Mike Brown is not exactly making friends and influencing people when it comes to his own players. His choice of giving Zydrunas Ilgauskas a Did Not Play-Coaches Decision for the first time in Ilgauskas' career on the night Ilgauskas was to break the Cavliers games played record was foolish and needless. Furthermore, the Cavs are a much better team with Anderson Varejao and Ilgauskas on the court as oppossed to J.J. Hickson and Shaquille O'Neal. Brown needs to be careful about genuflecting to Shaq too much. Shaq has torn down much better coaches than him. Just ask Stan Van Gundy and Mike D'Antoni.......

Before anyone gets too excited over the better than usual start for the Charlotte Bobcats, remember that the Bobcats have not traveled West yet and they're not exactly world beaters on the road. Stephen Jackson helps, but he's really just a band aid on a bullet wound.

So much for last year's draft being a weak one. It actually is spawning a point guard revolution. Brandon Jennings is leading the Bucks to respectability. Ty Lawson is a key bench player on a championship contender in Denver. Darren Collison led New Orleans to a 5-4 record in Chris Paul's absence. And a few of the point guards who started slow are starting to look better. Jonny Flynn has been struggling to learn the triangle offense for Minnesota and has started to improve as they've ran more pick and roll. Eric Maynor is ably backing up Deron Williams for Utah. Jrue Holiday has started a few games for the Sixers and been effective, although he's going back to the bench next week when Allen Iverson arrives. And thats not even including future star Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, who is really a two guard, but dabbles at some point. The only one of this group that is really struggling is Stephen Curry. He's having tremendous difficulty on the defensive end.

Back next week with players I can't wait to watch and the players I'm sick of. Giddyap. Y'all be cool.