This will be a blog I will maintain for anybody looking for a homebrewed opinion on Utah Jazz basketball. I'll touch on all topics concerning the Jazz at the moment, and give an insightful view to Jazz issues and happenings.

CJ Miles Signed... with the Jazz?

http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_9998251

That's right, CJ Miles' offer sheet with OKC was matched today by the Jazz, for 4 years, $15 Million, thus keeping him in SLC.

The reaction of Jazz fans? Hard to say. This Jazz fan is very excited because CJ has the tools to become a very good player in this league. Is it a risk? I wouldn't go that far. Seems more like an investment to me. Even if he turns into nothing special, the most he'll be getting per year will hover around $4 million, and nobody can complain about a $4 million contract when there's guys like Raef and Marbury owed a huge amount of dollars for absolutely nothing. Although, even right now my wife is quite upset at the signing because it leans even more toward losing Boozer this offseason barring some drastic cap space clearance during the season.

What this also could indicate is that Andrei Kirilenko's days in Utah may numbered, or perhaps the Jazz are planning on packaging Harpring, Brewer or Korver for a shot-blocking big. At this point, this coming offseason or regular season may be one of the biggest in Jazz history in completing their borderline championship-calibur team. I think what I'm trying to get at is that if you pay the kid, you gotta play the kid, too. Also nevermind that Brewer is due to come off his contract soon, too, and the team and he have some options over the next couple of years.

The plot thickens...

Jazz dump Hart

Heh, the title of this section may be far more relevant than the fact that the Jazz also received Brevin Knight in exchange for getting rid of Hart.

It's definitely a move that puts the Jazz slightly forward. The reasoning for it is that Knight has been known to be a good decision-maker and a veteran - somebody that the Jazz have sort of been searching for even while Derek Fisher was here. It'll also be good to have a choice between a pace-changing energy ball in Ronnie Price, or a consistent veteran in Knight playing backup minutes.

I think the move also says that if Williams goes down for a few games, not all is lost. Knight's assist to turnover ratio is still amazing (around 4.6 to 1), second only to Jose Calderon. That's pretty much what the Jazz have been looking for: a guy that can come in and command the offense while Deron sits for a few minutes. I think in this stage of his career, the more Williams can rest and the Jazz can win, the better it will be for him. We don't want another burn-out like Stephon Marbury on our hands, and more rest and consistent backup play can only help.

By Request: Millsap

I had a request to talk about my thoughts on Millsap's development. So, here it is.

I think Millsap is a bargain... and what's funny about that is that Millsap is the lowest-paid Jazz player at just below $800K/year, and yet one of the most effective guys on the roster. But, the point of it was to talk about development.

If Boozer left, Millsap would fall into the starting role and I say fall into it because offensively he's just not ready. I think what Millsap could use is a guy that's seriously dedicated to teaching Millsap some very smooth post moves and putting more of a finesse game into him. Right now Millsap is a ton of raw power but actually does have a half-decent jumpshot. Even Boozer pulling him aside and teaching him about tempo in the post or knowing how to gain an advantage while in the post would be very helpful for him.

Defensively, I think he gets himself into trouble a bit and fouls his way back to the bench more than he should. If he were getting starters minutes he'd be considered an above-average defender, an above-average rebounder, but his offensive game is still lacking substance.

It also doesn't help that the Jazz don't have a real backup at the center position, or for that matter a center at all. So, Millsap winds up picking up center minutes and I think it makes him look worse than he really is. Other teams see the potential and the workhorse type of guy in him, so that may prove a problem for the Jazz when it comes time for Millsap's pay raise.

The guy is definitely a surprise to see him succeed on this level considering the low success rate of late 2nd-rounders. I think he can definitely turn into a serious force in the post given some true, dedicated tutoring. But, at this point he's purely an energy guy who gets his points off hustling and running the floor. He's got ability and seemingly the ability to learn, so let's just hope that he doesn't develop it until after this season, when the Jazz can re-sign him for cheap... :D

Any comments are appreciated. Like in this article, I will answer any requests regarding Jazz basketball. Thanks for reading!

Jazz Editorial: Summer League by unluckyseventeen

Wozniack, Parmentier Win Titles in Stanford, Bad Gastein! By D . ~{X}~ . K

My Ultimate Chelsea XI: Goalkeepers by gr8-1

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WWE Backlash 2007 Review by Edgehead2000

WWE Night of Champions 2008 Review by Edgehead2000

WWE Survivor Series 2007 Review by Edgehead2000

Great American Bash 2008 Review by CERB3RUS

Great American Bash 2008 Review by Heat

Great American Apathy by -Sambo Italiano-

This will be a blog I will maintain for anybody looking for a homebrewed opinion on Utah Jazz basketball. I'll touch on all topics concerning the Jazz at the moment, and give an insightful view to Jazz issues and happenings.

Deron Williams' Extension

Recently Deron Williams was signed to a 3-year extension worth somewhere around $50 million, and an option for a fourth year which will push it up to around $70 million.

This is a guy you absolutely have to show the money to. The thing that concerns me is the length of the contract. Deron says it's because the franchise is pretty much unknown with so many players able to opt our or will be owed more money in the near future. Smart move by Williams, but it puts a lot of pressure on the management to keep good players around Williams. This also means that if the Jazz can't get some good draft picks over the next few years or if they don't show money to big names, it may mean Williams will want to play somewhere else. Williams stated on a Rocky Mountain Review broadcast that it's geared much more toward winning and keeping a good team around for a run at a championship. It seemed genuine enough.

On the topic of keeping talent, Brewer and Millsap will be coming off rookie contracts very soon so they are adding to the pile of Jazz players that will be looking for some money in the near future.

One other note to this before I move on: The Jazz still own a first-round NYK draft pick, so if you're a Jazz fan keep hoping that the Knicks suck. The Knicks have to give us the pick by 2010 but if they do well this season they may give it up, giving the Jazz a worse pick. This may do well for getting some good help for cheap in the future.

What kind of ramifications will Williams' contract have?

At this point, I've come to a conclusion that might be tough for Jazz fans to handle: In the next 2 years either Boozer or Okur will not be on the Jazz roster barring one or both of them taking significantly less money.

It's true. The tough thing about it is that Boozer and Okur can opt out of their contracts after next season, the same year Williams' contract kicks in. The Jazz won't have anywhere near the money to put up if Boozer opts out, and won't have the money to put up for both of them if they both opt out.

My inkling on the issue is that Boozer knows he'll get max money if he opts out, and it'll be a good 5-year contract if you ask me. So, if he opts out, he's gone unless the Jazz can find some major cap relief. I think if it comes down to it and they both opt out, they'll show the money to Boozer and Okur will walk. If Okur is smart and wants to stay here, he'll see what Boozer does and only opt out if Boozer doesn't. Still, though, barring something dramatic like AK getting traded to a team with a ton of cap space, either Okur or Boozer will not be on the Jazz roster within 2 years. It's worth it, if it comes down to signing Williams, anyway.

CJ Miles

I knew this would happen. It was only a matter of time that another franchise listened to their scouts and finally found the cheap gem that is CJ Miles. CJ never gets minutes with the Jazz and I'm kind of confused why. He's a very good passer, OK good defender and a very good spot-up shooter. I think with this kid you might see another Michael Redd situation, except CJ is a little more rounded in his game.

I fully do not expect the Jazz to match CJ's offer sheet mainly because the franchise all but pissed away the talent this kid has. That, and the Jazz already have a big logjam at the 2 and 3 positions after acquiring Korver and still having Harpring, Brewer and AK demanding big minutes. It's a tough situation, but the Jazz had to see this coming. They didn't show enough of a committment to keep this kid around.

In the unlikely event that the Jazz do match, they better be ready to show CJ Miles that they're serious about him. The Jazz owner, Larry H Miller said that CJ Miles was an absolute steal in the position they drafted him in, and he's right. Larry Miller has a very good basketball instinct if you ask me, and he was right about Millsap as well as I think he's right about CJ Miles.

Miles will be put on a team with not very many offensive choices and he'll be great for them. By the time his contract is up he'll be far out-earning it unless he turns into the next Darius Miles or something. A second-round draft pick sticking around this long has to say something. It will be a great aquisition for Oklahoma City if the Jazz decide not to match.

Summer League

Heh, interesting that the title of the blog is Summer League when the transactions have been getting far more news.

Honestly, this year's summer league is not anything interesting if you're a Jazz fan. You've got a new draft pick in Koufos, and a couple of bottom-of-the-roster guys from last year in Fesenko and Almond. I don't believe any of the 3 will see anything more than a rare minute or two on an NBA floor, and you'll probably see 2 out of the 3 (pick any 2) playing heavy minutes with a D-League team.

In the first two games the Jazz have been all but pathetic. Koufos is going to take a while to be what the Jazz want him to be (which it looks as if he's Okur's replacement). Fesenko is still very young and very raw, and I'll be surprised if he sticks in the league for much longer. Almond, however, seems to be the most NBA-ready of the guys. He still needs to work on a LOT of things before the Jazz take him into consideration because whenever he's on the floor he commands a lot of offense. He'll definitely drive Sloan nuts with how many shots he forces up unnecessarily, but Almond is an exceptionally talented offensive player. Before the Jazz take him seriously, though, he needs to learn when he's playing beyond his bounds, so I'm curious if he'll learn that by the time his rookie contract is up.

Summer League basketball is still fun, though. It's better than no basketball at all, and some good stuff still happens (sometimes). It's still definitely taking a major back seat to the other issues going on with the Jazz right now due to a lack of interesting names at the revue.

One last note on Summer League - Britton Johnson, a former University of Utah player, looks excellent. I would not be surprised to see him signed on as a 14th/15th man to an NBA franchise looking for a little hustle and hard work.


Thanks for reading. If you'd like me to touch on any topics for my next update, please post a comment and I'll address it!

2009 NBA Draft - Mock Draft! - Lottery And More....... by lanigan34

Marcus Camby traded to the Clippers by stupendous

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In a signing that came as somewhat as a surprise, journeyman James Posey has agreed to a 4-year deal with the New Orleans Hornets worth an estimated $25 million. Posey was largely heralded as a key component to the NBA Champion Boston Celtics this past season as he demonstrated his tenacious perimeter defense and a habit of making big shots when it mattered most. He also has gained a bit of a reputation of being a player who will do whatever it takes to help his team win, whether that be diving on the floor or getting in the opposition's head with physical play (even after the whistle some times).

Posey will be a great fit on this up and coming Hornets squad. With Chris Paul's ability to create and penetrate, having sharpshooters to spread the floor always helps. Posey certainly provides this, and also gives them a go-to perimeter defender that they can put on the premiere wings of the league...which you couldn't exactly say about Peja Stojakovic. Posey also brings championship experience with two titles (one with the Heat and last year with the Celtics), so he will be able to give some serious experience to a team fighting for championship contention.

Losing Posey is a major blow for the Celtics, who will have to find someone to fill his void. But don't feel too sorry for the reigning champs with three returning All-Stars.

As the player carousel countinues to spin round an' round, Marcus Camby was shipped to the Los Angeles Clippers last night. Typically in such a sentence, I would tell you who he was traded for, because surely a player who is only two seasons removed from the leagues Defensive POY and last season's blocks leader (3.6 bpg) would generate some intriguing offers of talent. But alas, that is irrelevant in this case.

I wish it was a juicy swap, but it just isn't. Camby was traded for...wait for it... a future 2nd round draft pick. AKA nothing, except for maybe adding a sleeper, but more likely a player to add to their NBDL stable. Well, I cant say that the Nuggets don't get anything in return, because they will get some cap relief. Camby is slated to make $8 million this upcoming season, which the Nuggets will be relieved of. Essentially, it is a business decision. And the Nuggets brass likely have a plan in place that makes perfect sense. However from the fan perspective, this is nothing short of a horrific mugging. As Camby was the only real defensive force for a run and gun Nuggets team last season, it will be interesting to see how they adapt to life after Camby. They will have to rely on their offensive prowess to win their games. Honestly, if no other changes happen for the Nuggets, I don't see them making the playoffs with the squad they have. But who knows, maybe this is a prelude to a bigger deal?

From the Clippers perspective, it's good. Not great, but good. In the absence of Elton Brand, the Clippers were in serious need of some frontcourt help. I had hopes for them of landing Emeka Okafor or Josh Smith. Camby is no slouch however. He is a career double-double guy with a nack for coming up with some eyepopping boxscores. It isn't that surprising to see the near 20 rebound or 5+ blocks game from Camby. What will be interesting is how he coexists with Chris Kaman, as one of them will be playing slightly out of position at the 4, as I consider them both to be legitimate centers. I would expect Camby's offensive production to increase on the Clippers now that he doesn't play with Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, who never met a shot they didn't like. This move makes the Clips competitive and capable of winning on any given night, but I don't think this makes them a playoff team or probably much better than a .500 team.

2009 NBA DRAFT - MOCK DRAFT! - LOTTERY AND MORE.......
Here is a quick glance at some of the top NBA prospects that are returning or will hit the college game in '09.(With the exception of Spain G Ricky Rubio.) The theme of this draft will be the amount of quality sophomores that will be drafted. Although, similar to this season there will be plenty of one and done freshman. The general consensus is this will be a weaker draft than 2008. Just a quick note, I've never been a quantity blogger and the delay in posts was not planned but my interest in hoops has not faded and I will continue to deliver the best unbiased NBA Draft info. Thanks for all the emails and concerns.

1. BJ Mullens C - Freshman Ohio St : Legit seven foot centers simply do not last long when it comes to the NBA draft. Mullens has been on scouts radar for a long time and his one year at Ohio St will more than likely solidify his standing as one of the top 3 picks in the draft. Should be one of the best rebounders in the nation and put up 12-14 pts a game as well.

2.Ricky Rubio PG - Spain : Think of Manu Ginobli as a PG. Has the same fearless, slashing type of game and is an all around pest on defense. Is one of the best players in the top Euro league, will contend for the # 1 pick in the draft. Does not possess great size or strength,may have problems defending the bigger guards in the NBA. Here are a couple YouTube vids for those who havent had a chance to see him play

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqLGzkhRHN8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueL90...eature=related

3. Blake Griffin F - Sophomore Oklahoma : Strong, multi dimensional F who if healthy will be a first team All American for Oklahoma. Will be in the mix for the top 3 pick in the '09 draft. Good inside/outside player, does not force shots, can play within an established offensive system and put up consistent numbers. His recovery from the MCL will be a key. More effort on the defensive end is expected of Griffin this season.

4. Earl Clark F - Junior Louisville : Should be the first Junior considered (unless Thabeet jumps ahead,) # 4 may be high for Clark who really has not had a consistent full NCAA season. I see Clark improving his offensive game this season while playing on one of the top teams in the country. Clark is an absolute beast on the boards and at the very least is ready for defense and rebounding at the NBA level. As a focal point for Pitino this season expect an array of double doubles and plenty of drooling scouts courtside.

5. James Harden SG - Sophomore Arizona St : Expect a big second season from Harden in the PAC-10. Had a well rounded freshman season and showed his accurate 3 pt shooting and ability to rebound at the G position. Not the best athlete but finds ways to get er done.

6. Demar DeRozan SG - Freshman USC : USC fans may be mourning the loss of OJ Mayo after only one year but the mourning will stop the night of Midnight Madness when many will get there first look at Demar. Quite frankly the best athlete that will be in the '09 draft. If any of you saw Bill Walker play in high school you can get a good mental picture of the athleticism here. Great in transistion, will score on aggresive drives to the hole has good size and NBA ready body right now. Can he consistently hit the three and be an effective ball handler within an NCAA offense?

7. Haseem Thabeet F/C - Junior UCONN : Defense, Defense, Defense. I don't know how Calhoun convinced Haseem to come back for his Junior season but its going to help him immensely in his transition to the NBA. He came into UCONN as raw as sushi and still is, but you can see how much he has improved each season that makes you think of how good this guy can be. His range offensively is still limited but thats not what will get him drafted this high. He is the best big man defender coming out in '09 and if his rebounding improves he will be top ten pick. Any scoring is a bonus but 8-10 points a game is not out of the question in the NBA for Haseem

8. Patrick Patterson F - Sophomore Kentucky : Had a good first season in Lexington. Was one of the top prospects coming into 2008 but needs to improve his outside play to get drafted this high. Can score from the post with ease at the NCAA level, in the NBA not so much. He will need to add muscle to continue with the current skill set he has now or work hard to improve his outside shot. I think he will do both and be one of the top players in the country next season.

9.Ty Lawson PG - Sophomore North Carolina : Ok, so we know he likes to get his booze on and probably blew his chance to get drafted at # 20 to the Nuggets but another year(and probable NCAA championship) will not hurt Lawson. NBA execs love speed from the PG position and Lawson gives you that and more. Can score but needs to improve consistency from 3 and his defense is OK not great.

10. Austin Freeman SG - Sophomore Georgetown : Highly touted recruit out of the Greater DC area. Will have more responsibilty next season to show his game. Great scorer, can finish around the hoop as well as step out for the three ball. More minutes will result in NBA teams coming around on him. Needs to measure at least 6-4.

11. Darren Collison PG - Senior UCLA : Floor general for one of the top programs in the country. Expect a huge season from him, really had a chance to get drafted high in '08 but will be back for another run. Look for first team All American honors and an improvement in outside shooting.

12. Brandon Jennings PG - Freshman Arizona : Look for Jennings to help fill the departure of Bayless. Will not start right away but will contribute to a more steady Wildcat team from day one. Can distribute the ball to key scorers and can play the transition game. I'm not expecting big numbers though as from what I have seen he looks to be a little undersized and may not be ready right away offensively. He will declare and be one of those players who should return for a second season. We will see.

13. JaJuan Johnson F/C - Sophomore Purdue : Should be a double double machine in the Big Ten in his second season. Was a project coming into Purdue but has increased muscle and has been coached to have more of an impact on the defensive end. Very raw but his potential is what gets him drafted in this spot.

14.Nick Calathes G - Sophomore Florida : Very Active guard who is one of the more versatile players in the NCAA. Closer to 6-4 not the 6-6 listed on the Gator web site. Has good ball handling, can play PG for stretches but more of a 2 guard. Is a slasher, will be extremely effective at driving and dishing and running the pick and roll in the NBA.


That is the lottery as I see it right now. Now here are a few more names for you to research and tell me I'm crazy for not putting in the top 14!

Austin Dave F - Sophomore Gonzaga - Has really improved since he arrived on the Gonzaga campus. I think what you'll see this season is 18 points and 8 boards on a consistent basis. His size is really intriguing, if he can bulk up I would move him up a couple of spots.

Chase Budinger SF - Junior Arizona : Smooth forward with good size (height, not weight). Will float around in an offense and takes his looks when available. Not a dominant player. Great athlete, not a white stiff although he looks like one. HAs a chance to be the man in Zona next season, keep an eye out for him to move up a bit.

Stephen Curry G - Sophomore Davidson : Looks 12 years old and does not have ideal size by any means but is the best player in the NCAA. Many big time coaches are killing themselves over not taking a chance on this kid. NBA scouts are not yet sold on Curry because of the size/strength issue but he has heart, is a winner, and is the best pure shooter in the '09 draft. Good genes from long time NBA veteran Dell Curry doesn't hurt. Can he play the PG? If JJ Redick can get himself drafted (After a DUI, never less) Curry can and will also. Look for him to go in the 18-24 range.

Jrue Holiday PG - Freshman UCLA : One of the nations most sought after recruits stays close to his roots and lands at powerhouse UCLA. I'm not sure at this point what to expect in terms of minutes and what his role will be since Collison returned for his senior year. He can play the 2 guard well but what I think will get him in the lottery will be his ability to be a top PG. 2 years at UCLA will get him there.

Kyle Singler F - Sophomore Duke : Had an uneven first season at Duke. Admittedly needs to improve both on the offensive end and defensive end. Not a game changer but quietly fills the stat sheet. Plays like a Euro. May be a rotation player in the NBA if he can show ability to defend in the post and expand his game. Expect him to stay at Duke post '09, if not he should go in the 15-18 range.

Tyler Hansbrough PF - Senior North Carolina : Psycho T will be one of the few seniors taken which does not fare well for the senior class as a whole. We have all seen what he can do at this point so I wont bore you with the details. Will be a late first round pick to a top playoff team.

Tyrese Rice G - Junior Boston College - Scoring combo guard can heat up and take over a game offensively. How effective will he be in the NBA is the question? His size is an issue and is not a PG by any means. Will be a late first rounder.

Tyreke Evans SG - Memphis
Jerome Jordan C - Tulsa
Al-Farouq Aminu SF - Wake Forest
Nayal Koshwal PF - Depaul
Damion James SF - Sophomore Texas
Gerald Henderson G - Junior Duke
Jordan Hill PF - Arizona
Jeremy Pargo PG - Gonzaga
Omri Casspi F - Israel

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This Elton Brand fiasco is quickly becoming one of the more interesting ****-shows that NBA free-agency has to offer. And while we've heard comments now from both Brand and Dunleavy, it is difficult to take sides in a he-said/she-said situation like this. What is abundantly clear, though, is that Brand was heavily motivated by the almighty dollar. As Baron Davis told him via text "Go get your money". I have to throw up in my mouth a little bit when loyalty and trust get thrown out the window and basketball gets relegated down to dollar amounts. Yes, this truly is a business. It is a sad truth that often gets lost in the eyes of the fans. But after your contract is in the mid $70-millions, does it really make that much of a difference at that point? To Elton's credit, he did turn down the biggest money offer from Golden State. But really, opting out of your contract so your team can bring in another all-star (Davis) and then bounce for more money seems downright shady.

Today Dunleavy spoke out on on Mason & Ireland's radio show on 710 ESPN Los Angeles and had this to say:

"I don't know why they're trying to spin this out of control," Dunleavy said on the Mason & Ireland show. "It's a non-binding agreement. You gave your word, you don't have to keep your word. Just say I changed my mind for whatever the reason."

An agreement supposedly was marked up by Brand's agent David Falk, who allegedly commented that if Baron was in they were in. Dunleavy also noted that he had received text messages from Brand about coming back to the Clippers, and had seen text messages from other players on the Clippers from brand saying "Dude we're in...me, you and BD".

I can't wait to see the homecoming reception that Brand receives the first time his Sixers visit the Clippers next season. Fortunately for the Clippers, Brands absence frees up a lot of money to go after other players to bolster their roster. Don't be surprised if Josh Smith eventually finds his way into a Clippers uni before this is all said and done.

Coming off a successful 52 win season, the Nets were poised for another run to the Finals in 03. During the previous years Final the Nets seemed happy just to be there. Where in 02/03 the Nets had legitamate claim to possibly becoming champions. In the offseason the Nets drafted Nenad Krstic and kept him overseas for the time being. In an attempt to provide an interior pressence the Nets traded Keith Van Horn and Todd McCulloh(sp) to the Sixers for Dikembe Mutombo. They also signed Rodney Rogers to provide "toughness" and "three point shooting". They also signed Chris Childs to "backup" Jason Kidd. So with all the pieces in place the team seems ready to go.

Free agent signee Chris Childs missed the first month and a half gettting back into shape and rehabing a knee injury. However he would be released because Rod felt he wasn't dedicated enough. Another set back was Mutombo breaking his wrist, and in that very same game Kerry Kittles missed time with a knee injury. Besides that the Nets started off the season 23-9, during that span Lucsious(sp) Harris won player of the week. The Nets dominated the majority of their opponents. However the Nets still weren't taken seriously as teams like the Pacers and Pistons were considered the "teams to beat" that season. To make matters worse the Nets struggled down the stretch, which should have been a 55+ season ended up being a 49 win season and the number 2 seed in the east.

In the first round the Nets faced a Milwaukee team that gave the Nets fits. Sam Cassell and Gary Payton possed as threats but despite that the Nets were able to defeat the Bucks in 6 hard fought games. In the second round it would be a rematch of the previous years ECF, with them facing the Celtics. After a thrilling game 1 which could have gone either way, the Nets dominated games 2 and 3 and taking a 3-0 lead. In game 4 the Celtics and Nets battled to two OT's in a somewhat forgotten classic.
In the conference finals the Nets faced the favored Detroit Pistons, the Nets would steal game 1 thanks to a Jason Kidd jump shot from the baseline. In game 2 the Nets and Pistons would play another close game with the Nets once again coming out on top. With the Nets leading 2-0 the Pistons would be destroyed in games 3 and 4 sealing the Nets trip back to the finals.

In the NBA Finals they would face the Spurs the teams split the first four games but SA would take control of games 5 and 6 winning their second championship in their franchise history. As for the Nets they were faced with question marks, as to whether Kidd will return to the Nets or go sign with the Spurs. During that Final only Kidd played at a consistant level throughout. Martin held his own against Duncan for the first four games but the flu limited him in game 5 and he was plain awful in game 6. RJ struggled for the first four games but came on strong in the final two. Also Byron Scott had to take some of the blame as well, for his refusal to play Mutombo despite him doing a good job on Duncan whenever he actually played. If things had all went accordingly we could have beaten the Spurs. It also doesn't help that guys like Rogers and Harris came up small at times in that series. However looking back at the 03 Nets I realise that they were a special team and I applaud their efforts in that series.

Here are a few pics from the 02-03 season






Up next 2003-2004

I've been a Nets fan since the 97-98 season. Back then we were a pretty decent team we had Sam Cassell, Kerry Kittles, Kendall Gill, Jason Williams, Keith Van Horn, Ronny Seikly etc. We made the playoffs and lost in the first round to the eventual NBA champions Chicago Bulls in the first round. After that playoff run we had nothing to be ashamed of. We lost to the greatest team of our generation, which had the greatest of all time Michael Jordan. heading into the summer we were regarded as one of the teams that could make the jump and become a contender. Then injuries began to hurt the team. We made a trade for Stephon Marbury even though the season was lost we were optimistic about the 99-00 season.

Once again injuries killed our season, we ended up with one of the worst records in the league. After the season was through we fired John Calipari and hired Rod Thorn to become our new president, and hired Byron Scott to coach the team. In the draft we took Kenyon Martin with the number one overall pick. On paper we looked like we could make a playoff run, but once again injuries hurt our team and we made another trip to the lottery. In the draft we took Eddie Griffin then immediatly traded him to Houston for Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong. The next day we traded Stephon Marbury to the Suns for Jason Kidd.

Coming into the season I was luke warm about Kidd because I really liked Marbury despite his whining and complaining and writing "all alone" on his sneakers. Coming into the 01-02 season no one picked us to make the playoffs or make any noise in the east. The favorites going into that season were the Sixers (who won the east in 01) the Bucks (picked to make the Finals in 02) the Raptors, the Heat, and the Knicks. Plus before the season began Michael Jordan returned to the NBA to play for the Wizards. So no one were even thinking about the Nets.

That season we started off 20-10 with some impressive wins over the Knicks, Pacers, Hornets, Jazz, Suns, Timberwolves. Still no one took notice we continued to quietly win. Byron Scott was the coach for east all star team that year during the all star break. Jason Kidd represented the Nets, while K Mart represented the Nets in the rookie/Sophmore challenge. we continued to roll except for a stretch where we lost 4 in a row on our west coast trip. We had some pretty impressive wins over teams like the Spurs, Kings, and the defending NBA champions Lakers. We ended up winning the division and becoming the 1# seed in the east. Still we did not get the respect we deserved. Come playoff time we faced an experienced Pacer team led by Reggie Miller, Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest. After losing the first game we won the next two to take a 2-1 lead. The Pacers won game 4 to force game 5. In what would be one of the greatest games in NBA history this was a double overtime thriller. Reggie Miller hit a half court three pointer to force ot, after Richard Jefferson missed two free throws. Miller forced a second ot by driving the ball and dunking over Aaron Williams. In the end we were able to take control and knock off the Pacers and advance to the second round.

In round two we had to face a young Hornet team who had eliminated the Magic in the first round. Before the series started Baron Davis stated that the Nets were overrated and they were gonna knock them out. In game one Kidd was sensational as we cruised to a six point win. In game two we were able to cruise to a easy win. However in game three a scary incident took place as Kidd collided with David Wesley giving him a busted eye. Dispite the loss we made it personal and in game four the Nets defeated the Hornets to take a 3-1 lead. In game five the game was close throughout but in the fourth quarter the Nets went on a big run to break the game open and it was capped off by a alley oop pass from Kidd to Martin. It was great to see Baron Davis eat his words.

In the conference finals we faced another upstart team in the Celtics a team that beat us in the regular season 3-1. We won game one in a close game. Then in game two we lost to the Celtics after Pierce and Walker took turns burning us. In game three we had that game in control for the first three quaters. Then one of the greatest collapses in NBA history took place leading by 20 heading into the fourth the Celtics got back in the game and ended up beating us by four points. At this point this could have killed the team but we were able to rally and win the next two games to advance to our first NBA Finals. I distinctivley remember Mike Breen calling the game for NBC saying "maybe the world is flat afterall. The New Jersey Nets are going to the NBA Finals" and to this day for some reason that stuck out to me.

In the NBA Finals we faced the two NBA champions who came off beating the Kings in one of the greatest NBA playoff series in history. In the first two games the Nets were clearly outmatched as we would get blown out by twenty points only to make a run and fall short down the stretch. In game three it was more of the same as we would fall behind. In the third quarter we made a run and took our first lead in the series . Leading by ten heading into the fourth we were optimistic that we would win and get back in the series. However the Lakers made a run and beat us. Down 3-0 in game four the Nets played inspired throughout the game, the most memorable moment from that series to me was Jefferson dunking on Kobe. However the Lakers prevailed by sweeping us and winning their third straight.

The Aftermath: This was the best season in Nets NBA history. No one was ashamed of the outcome of the finals. We were a young team who were outmatched. Most of the blame fell on the shoulders of Keith Van Horn who made the scapegoat. he indeed struggled but the whole team did not play well.

part two the 2002-2003 is next.

here are some pics from the 2001-2002 season.

College Hoops Stories (6/28)

College Hoops Stories (7/2)

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Venus, Serena Victorious, Will Meet Zheng, Dementieva in Wimbledon Semi's! By D . ~{X}~ . K

All Williams Final Set For The Third Time At Wimbledon! ! By D . ~{X}~ . K

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Maryland's slide down the ladder toward irrelevancy appears to have hit its most critical step. The Terps have made one NCAA tournament appearance in four years and have become the sort of once-in-a-season highlight team (see: upset of North Carolina, 2008; win at Duke, 2007) that feeds at the bottom of the ACC. (ESPN.com)

It's more than just the players who are leaving. That can be explained to an extent. It's also the players who aren't coming at all that raises eyebrows... What about Ty Lawson (North Carolina) and Nolan Smith (Duke)? Chris Wright (Georgetown) and Donte Greene (Syracuse)? Dante Cunningham (Villanova) and Jeff Allen (Virginia Tech)? Or the 25 DC Assault alums who, according to its Web site, played college ball last season? None played for Maryland. (ESPN.com)

Nevada will host North Carolina in a nationally televised basketball game on New Year's Eve. (SportingNews.com)

West Virginia's 18-game Big East men's basketball schedule next season includes playing Louisville, Pittsburgh and South Florida twice. (SportingNews.com)

The University of Alaska Fairbanks has canceled its BP Top of the World college basketball tournament. University officials said Wednesday they weren't able to attract teams in the competitive landscape that followed an NCAA rule change. (SportingNews.com)

North Carolina point guard Bobby Frasor says he will never feel 100 percent normal again. Not with a new anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. "What I've really missed is the team aspect of basketball ... five-on-five, playing defense, making an assist, playing in games, telling the other team in pick-up games to just get off the court,'' the rising senior said Tuesday. "That will be the most fun for me." (Newsandobserver.com)

Indiana University will give up two basketball scholarships for the upcoming season in anticipation of penalties related to the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate, assistant athletic director Frank Cuervo confirmed Wednesday. (SportingNews.com)

Kyle Taber was literally The Last Man Standing [at Indiana]... "Every day we didn't know what to expect," Taber said. "Coming into the season, we had such high expectations and then at the beginning of February, it all started to fall apart and we never knew what the day held for us." (FoxSports.com)

"Some of those kids, to be quite frank, don't need to be students," [Mike] Krzyzewski said. "That's why I'm against the rule [that prevents going straight to the NBA]. LeBron and Kobe are the two best players in the NBA. They're articulate and brilliant, and they didn't need to go to college. ... I don't know why that opportunity would be denied. ... We should respect the individuals' right to have that chance and the school's right to have students." (Newsandobserver.com)

Krzyzewski didn't seem worried during an interview on Wednesday that Duke was in danger of missing out. "In high school right now, there is not a Lebron James or a Kobe Bryant. There just isn't," Krzyzewski said. (Newsandobserver.com)

"This whole (Olympic) thing has been good for everything that I'm associated with, including Duke basketball, which I'm primarily associated with," [Mike] Krzyzewski said. "Obviously, am I out on the road recruiting as much? Does that hurt our recruiting? There's no way that that hurts our recruiting. What hurts our recruiting is if I can't make decisions on kids and start relationships with them early. This has all been good." (CNNSI.com)

The disconnect starts with the notion there would be a huge market in Europe for a player in [Brandon] Jennings' circumstance. His stated intention is to be drafted in 2009. So why would a European team want to make any sort of investment in him? An agent with extensive experience dealing with European professional teams wouldn't rule out the possibility some rogue owner might take a flier, but he considers it highly unlikely. He explained the money is not as loose for American players. (Lcsun-news.com)

Kansas head coach Bill Self and guard Mario Chalmers from the 2008 NCAA men’s basketball national championship team will represent KU at the ESPYs as the nominations for the 16th annual awards were announced Tuesday. The ESPYs will air on July 20. (Wibw.com)

Prep News

Last Friday, the final day of the Steve Nash camp, [John] Wall stood out in the crowd of 24 point guards, along with top recruit Lance Stephenson. Bigger and stronger at 6-5, 195 pounds, the well-built Stephenson matched wits with the stringy Wall and was able to bull his way into the lane. Still learning to control his speed and employ it in measured bursts, Wall showed what he could do in the open floor. (CNNSI.com)

On Saturday, Wall will ride into his next stage along the summer circuit wearing the yellow jersey of the nation's top recruit, according to Rivals.com, at the LeBron James Academy. "Nobody made John Wall," the older Clifton says. "He was what he was and we made efforts to clean him up and guide him toward positive things. This kid has been a ballplayer for sometime." (CNNSI.com)

The USA Basketball U18 Trials included a 30 minute inter-squad scrimmage during session two. The inside-outside punch of Kemba Walker and Kenny Hall controlled the scrimmage... Walker simply has been the most dominant player on the court during the first two sessions. He is certainly the engine that will make this team run. Defensively, he puts extreme pressure on the ball, and offensively, he gets a piece of the paint at will... [Mason] Plumlee was the scrimmage's most dominant interior defender. Take away a couple questionable calls and he has even more than five blocks. He will certainly be a welcomed addition to Duke's interior play.(Rivals.com)

As the trials for the United States U-18 national team had commenced just minutes earlier, it was too early for coach Bob McKillop to start handing out attaboys. So he opted instead to give [Dominic] Cheek the business. "That's a high school play!" McKillop shouted, and you could almost hear the smirk in his rant. "You won't get that call in international basketball." (SportingNews.com)

It took Lance Stephenson a little while to get untracked at the USA Basketball U18 National Team Trials, but by the third session Stephenson found his stride... "I'm trying to get used to not getting the ball like I'm used to getting it," said Stephenson. "Now when I get the ball I'm trying to finish the play quicker." (Rivlas.com)

When Josh Hairston received a scholarship offer from Duke University last week, many assumed an oral commitment to the Blue Devils... Hairston said on Tuesday that Duke is among his top five choices, but he hasn't declared a front-runner. (Fredericksburg.com)

"That's no knock on Duke. I loved going down to Duke," he said. "It was a great experience. I had a chance to sit down and talk to Coach K and he basically let me know what Duke could do for me. But I'm not saying that puts Duke out in front of anybody because all five schools are right there." (Fredericksburg.com)

When Dwayne Polee Jr. smiled Friday, he revealed a mouthful of braces, each adorned with a USC-gold rubber band. Two years ago, when the now 6-foot-6 wing forward from Los Angeles committed to the Trojans before he started ninth grade, plenty of people told him he'd be sporting another school's colors by now. But with a little more than 16 months to go before he can officially sign with USC, Polee doesn't expect a change of heart. (CNNSI.com)

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Coming off one of the best seasons in school history, Davidson coach Bob McKillop was given a contract extension through 2016 on Saturday. "We are absolutely thrilled to have reached an agreement with coach McKillop that will enable him to remain at Davidson for at least eight more years," Davidson president Tom Ross said. "After 19 years at Davidson, it is clear to everyone that Coach McKillop is one of the nation's premier basketball coaches. [Hoopsworld.com]

The Kansas State men's basketball team has filled its final scholarship for the upcoming season as Curtis Kelly has transferred to K-State from Connecticut. [Ksallink.com]

Florida guard Nick Calathes is in Athens this week. No, he's not considering a transfer to Georgia. Instead, the rising sophomore is in Athens, Greece, attempting to make the Greek National Team. If he does, and word is he has a strong chance, he'll compete for his great-grandparents' native country in an upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament in the hopes of making it through to the Olympics in Beijing that begin Aug. 8. [Florida.rivals.com]

The University of Massachusetts men's basketball program is in the process of accepting Carter's transfer from Oregon State, according to reports from Oregon and sources close to UMass. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward averaged 3.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 15.4 minutes per game as a freshman last season, with 15 blocks and 16 steals. [Masslive.com]

After visiting Duke earlier this week, Boo Williams Summer League's Andre Dawkins gave the Blue Devils their first 2010 commitment Friday. Dawkins, a 6-foot-4 guard who plays at Atlantic Shores Christian School, chose Duke over Virginia Tech, Maryland, Georgetown and a host of others. (Dailypress.com)

"I felt comfortable with them," Dawkins said. "I felt like that's where I wanted to go. I didn't feel like there was a need to drag out the process if I already knew where I wanted to be. It's a dream come true. I'm very excited." [Journalnow.com]

The [Siena] Saints announced that they will travel to play national champion Kansas at Allen Field House in Lawrence, Kan., on Jan. 6. “I felt that it was important to challenge this team with the most competitive schedule in our school’s history,” said Siena head coach Fran McCaffery, who took his team on the road to play Memphis last season. “Obviously, with the addition of Kansas, we are well on our way to achieving that goal. [dailygazette.com]

Both Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks are on the mend for the [Kentucky] Wildcats and expected to make full recoveries after injuries took a toll on both of their seasons. Patterson is expected to have his boot removed from his surgically repaired ankle today and should be completely healed up in time for the season. Meeks had surgery in March for a sports hernia. While he’s still experiencing soreness, he’s also expected to be ready for the season. [Kentucky.scout.com]

The National Association of Basketball Coaches said Thursday it strongly opposes accepting commitments from students who have not yet completed their sophomore season in high school. The decision comes a little more than a month after the 15-year-old Avery said he would attend Kentucky, and cites NCAA rules that prohibit coaches from contacting athletes before mid-June following th