By now, we've all had a healthy dose of Jeremy Lin coverage. Some of us may have had our fill by now, but admitting thatpublicly would hurt your chances at running for The Presidency in 2028. Enjoy the Jeremy Lin train because it seems like it is just getting started. We've watched the media look at him with a raised eyebrow from his 25-point game against the Nets, to his play-for-play match against John Wall, to his 38-point game against the Lakers, to a teeth-gritting win against the T-Wolves. Now he's sitting at 5-0 while he has been a major contributor in the rotation, and 4-0 as a starter. There are no questions about Amare and Linbeing able to co-exist on the same court, but Melo's return poses the biggest threat to Lin's run. Luckily, Melo will be the whipping boy for the media and the NYK fans if Lin starts to cool off. When was the last time that a superstar would be the castaway for an NBA after-thought? That is something everyone is going to be paying close attention to. Lin has the support of the organization, fans, and team.
2/12/12
Drilling Down: Why We Love Jeremy Lin
12/23/11
Top 5 Story Lines of this NBA Season
With the NBA season right around the corner, there is definitely something to be said about every single team in the league, but I've managed to narrow it down to the top 5 in my mind. Here are the most intriguing story lines of this NBA season.
Top 5 Story Lines of this NBA Season
With the NBA season right around the corner, there is definitely something to be said about every single team in the league, but I've managed to narrow it down to the top 5 in my mind. Here are the most intriguing story lines of this NBA season.
12/14/11
Chris Paul to the Clippers Analysis
The saga is finally over, and Chris Paul is actually moving to LA this time, except he'll be in a Clippers uniform. Here are my quick thoughts on the trade.
12/9/11
NBA Chaos and Chris Paul Trade Veto Reactions
I've contemplated bringing back the blog for a while now. The recent NBA developments have shown me that I have too many opinions to vent to too many different people, that it's easier to put it all on this forum. With that said, DishingDimes is back!
7/17/10
Grading the Recent Moves
There are a few recent moves that have caught my eye. The Heat are trying to put players around their dream trio, the Bucks are quietly making moves, the Rockets added some "Yao Insurance", and the Warriors made a move for David Lee. Lets grade these recent moves and do some quick analysis on the impact it is going to have on the teams.
Zydrunas Ilguaskas to Heat: That will complete the Heat starting 5. I'm still not sold that Z is good enough to be an impact player. He will provide a great inside presence, and having Bosh alongside him at PF will be a formidable lineup. Z is one of the best shot blockers in the league, but his offensive production has fallen off. He averaged only 7.4ppg and 5.4 rebs last season. Down from his career averages of 17.8ppg and 7.7 rebs. Just like every other player on the Heat not named Bosh, Wade, or Lebron, the pressure will not be on Z to score. He will be asked to provide defensive presence and to rebound the ball. Any way you look at it, it will be tough for teams to deal with this front-line.Zydrunas Ilgauskas to Heat: Following your superstar is never a bad idea. Big Z was fiercely loyal to Cleveland, but just like everyone else, he realized thatCleveland is in big trouble. He is the big man that the Heat needed. His presence is going to be huge for the Heat. It will be an uphill battle for Z to keep up with the Big 3 up and down the court, but in half court sets, he will fit right in.
7/8/10
Lebron to Miami: Quick Thoughts and Reactions
The wait is finally over. Lebron is going to become a part of the Miami Heat. I wrote yesterday about the different scenarios for the Heat. As of now, there are a few reactions I have to this news.
The first, I feel awful for the fans in Cleveland. I have a few friends from Cleveland and I know that this is heart-wrenching for them. This has to be one of the most devastating blows, if not THE most devastating blow in Cleveland sports history. I feel for them.
Second, Pat Riley and the rest of the front office can celebrate, but not for long. The key to a championship lies beyond Bosh, Wade, and Lebron, it lies in the role players around the team. They do NOT have a mid-level exception (different than what I wrote yesterday). Riley will have to fill 9 roster spots with veteran-minimum exceptions, and their 3 rookies. Check out my analysis on my post from yesterday's "With Lebron" scenario for further breakdown.
Lastly, chemistry between the 3 players is going to be the most fascinating aspect of the season. 3 superstars only have 1 basketball to go around. It will definitely be an interesting transition with the 3. Lebron is going to have to give up a lot of offense which will be tough because he has been the go-to guy his entire career. Wade and Bosh will benefit from Lebron's presence. Bosh will most likely see more isolations in the post. Wade will be able to roam free and do what he does best, create shots. I think that life will be much easier for both Bosh and Wade, and getting to the basket will come easy. I wouldn't be surprised if Lebron's ppg went down drastically and apg went up drastically. As of now, based on pure talent, they are good enough to make it to the Finals. Can they put it together to beat the defending champion Lakers? That is the real test. May not happen this year, but it will almost certainly happen in the next few years.
Couldn't be a better offseason for the NBA this season.