Agent Zero MIA, D-Harris to the Rescue and College B-Ball Insight

So much basketball on today. I feel like my brain is about to explode, and I'm using this blog as a rag.

I'll start with the big news of the day. Gilbert Arenas, arguably the second best basketball blogger in the world, will go under the knife and miss the next three months. Funny thing is, two nights ago I actually sent a comment to my buddy Colin, an avid Wizards' fan, about how despite the slow start things were starting to even out, and that once they got a healthy Arenas back things would really start to click together like laminate flooring. So much for that.

Actually, in all seriousness, I still think the Wizards will be okay. As long as they hover around .500 until Agent Zero snaps back into action, they'll still make the playoffs, and I think with the team that they have and especially being in the Least (despite Stephen A. Smith's cute commercial with Carmelo Anthony I still think the East is the JV league) .500 is a realistic goal. The big thing for them is they cannot lose another one of the big three. Losing Arenas last year hurt, but losing Caron Butler really compounded things. He's not going to drop 39 every night(great win by the way), but him and Antawn Jamison are good enough to split Arenas' scoring production.

Plus, even if they do fade, Arenas' blog will be enough to keep Wizards' fans content.

I told myself before the beginning of the season I wouldn't get too excited about the Dallas Mavericks in the regular season, but... damn. They're off to a 9-2 start, and aside from two inexplicable losses to Atlanta and Portland, they're starting to establish themselves as the team to beat in the West. I know it's early, but come on: almost every NBA pundit out there admits that in one way, shape or form the championship is going to go through Texas, and the Mavs are 3-0 against they're brethren from that region, including a gutsy win tonight against the Rockets. In consecutive nights they have overcome huge deficits to seal wins. The craziest part about it is that Dirk Nowitzki still hasn't found his touch. Of course, he hasn't had to thanks to stellar play from Josh Howard , JasonTerry , and a break-out year thus far for Devin Harris . I know it's too early to talk title with this team, but if they can sustain this effort throughout the season and avoid a match-up with Golden State, that elusive championship could be theirs. And I could die a happy man.


I can already tell this is going to be a special college basketball season. When David Stern first dropped the "at least one year out of high school rule", I thought it was dumb. I mean, how can you make someone go to school who doesn't want to? Shit, make Michelle Wie go to school before turning pro.

But, while I still don't agree with the rule fully, this legislation has definitely benefitted the college game. I've been a basketball fan for a long time; hell, who remembers Bulls vs. Lakers? I'm telling you: I have never seen such a deep class of freshman. It's ridiculous.

Michael Beasley . Derrick Rose. O.J.Mayo. Eric Gordon(whom I think is the best of the bunch). Kevin Love(no disrespect intended yesterday, buddy). Those guys are game changers, guys who would probably have been starters or at least rotation players in the NBA this year. Having these guys in college uniforms, albeit probably for only one year, drastically alters the landscape of college ball.

The Sonics should honestly tank this year, and even if they don't do it intentionally, they probably will have one of the three worst records in the NBA. That means that even if they miss out in the lottery like the Celtics and Grizzlies did last season, they'll end up with one of those guys. Could you imagine Rose or Mayo throwing oops to Kevin Durant for the next ten years, wherever the hell the Sonics end up!? Jesus.

But, enough peddling around with the future. I did get a chance to watch some basketball today. Even though Marquette lost to Duke today, I walked away with a good impression from them. They'll definitely be a team to watch come March, and although they're overshadowed by Georgetown and Louisville in the Big East, it wouldn't surprise me to see them in the Sweet Sixteen.

Much to my dismay, the Duke Blue Devils also left a positive impression. To me they seem more athletic than last year, and having a player like Kyle Singler who creates match-up problems will really help them. If Greg Paulus (too lazy to find a link) reminds people why he was the number one point guard in his class, then they may have a surprise in store for North Carolina (that, and maybe it'll inspire me to link him).

Maryland could be in for a looooooooooong season. Against UCLA and Missouri, they went a combined 1/25 from the three-point line. Oh, and they also turned the ball over close to 50 times (not hyperbole). Maybe all is not lost, however, because despite those two insane stats, the Terps were actually in both of those ball games. Interesting.

And, if you attend the University of Maryland and happen to run into Eric Hayes (whom I will refuse to link until he takes more than 10 shots in a game, I don't care if he's a senior by the time that happens), please inform him that he's the best shooter on a team that has not proven that it can make perimeter shots. Girls, if you see this man at a party, make him take you back to the Courtyards (or wherever the hell these guys are staying now), and hook-up with him. Afterwards, leave a comment on my blog telling me if or if not he has a pair.

Uh-oh, I may get in trouble for that one...

Impressions From The NBA and... Maryland

Okay, so I missed an NBA preview this year. I'm fallin' off, I know.

Truth be told, between working 40 hour shifts at Jimmie Johnson's and doing my best Michael Vick impression every weekend, I have been a busy Bee Movie. But, in short, here's what I think will happen this year:

*a team from the West will win it

*Dirk Nowitzki will not win the MVP.

*Kevin Durant will give Oklahoma City something exciting to look forward to for years to come.

*T-Mac will hurt himself again (oh, wait, did that already happen?).

*The Boston Celtics will have the biggest turnaround in NBA history.

That's pretty much all you missed from what would have been my NBA Preview (aside from the most astute insight in the industry, contract or no contract).


But, here's some stuff I've been intrigued by this season:

* I mentioned above about the Celts. You know, I really thought KG and co. were gonna pull a Patriots' Act for a second (God I'm slick with the puns, huh?), but, alas, the Magic ended all that nonsense last night. Seriously though, the real Big Three are good enough to bring Boston back to the finals. I hate to say it, but (had I actually published an NBA Preview) I (would have) told you so.

*A lot of people talk about the Houston Rockets' rise to the upper echelon of the West. As a matter of fact, if I'm not mistaken John Hollinger annointed them as the best team in the NBA by the numbers in the pre-season (a ranking system I'm still not sure I, or that matter, anybody gets). Sure, Rick Adelman's presence injects some life into a boring offensive philosophy from the Jeff Van Gundy regime, but creativity doesn't totally make up for the fact that only three players on that entire team can create their own shot (sorry, Steve Francis, at press time you're not one of them). Add to the fact that one of them, the aforementioned McGrady, is constantly in a cast, wheel chair or sauna. Don't get me wrong, I like Houston; I almost have to since my screen name has been Rafer11 since 1998 (due to my ability to handle the virtual rock, take that however you like). However, are they really better than San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, or even Utah at this point? Time will tell, but my early answer is no.

*The Chicago Bulls have got to be kicking themselves. Michael Jordan must be rolling over in his grave... wait, he's still alive? Oh yeah, the J-Rich trade... anyway, yeah, the Bulls, and specifically John Paxson, are insane. I don't care what it takes: when you have a chance to get Kobe F. Bryant in his prime--and yes the man has at least four more really good years left--you pull the trigger. Nobody on that team is untouchable to the point where I wouldn't include him to get Kobe, including Luol Deng, who will be a solid borderline star player for years in this league but would never on his luckiest day have the privilege of holding Bryant's jock strap ("Yo, he brought out the jock strap reference, yo, and made me say 'yo' multiple times in a sentence, yo!).

So, instead of easily being the best team bar none in the East, they were stubborn and didn't change anything because they thought they could ride the wave of last season's second round appearance. And where are they now? 2-7.

Despite all that, don't write them off. They always start off slow, but a classic symphonic piece, they gradually progress until you almost didn't even notice the crescendo in measure 500. Shout to the AHS Wind Ensemble.

So, those are some early impressions from the beginning of the NBA. I promise I'll try to update you more than twice a year.


Oh, but I'm not done. Maryland had a game against UCLA tonight.

They lost.

Not that I expected a win. I'm approaching this Maryland season a little bit different from years past. I can't get mad at this team because they're so cute and young. Aside from James Gist, this team is so wet behind the ears. Even Bambale Osby, the only other senior of consequence on this team (sorry James), is rawer than my skin in the winter time (Shanta, my girlfriend, just said my skin is dry, not raw, but you get the point).



It'll be interesting watching these guys grow up throughout the course of a 35 game or so season. No longer do I have to pin unrealistic expectations on a talent-laden Maryland squad. Yes, this team has talent, but it's very young talent. I'll be happy with a 20 win seasons and an appearance in the NCAAs.

And, the funny thing is, despite an awful game in the turnover department, despite getting next to nothing from Gist (aside from an amazing dunk where I don't have footage), despite not making a three-pointer until the last minute... they only lost by 12 against the co-number one team in the nation.

They won't be world-beaters, but they won't suck.

On a side-note... I actually like Kevin Love. I hate to sound overly white here, but he plays the game the way it's supposed to be played. He's more fundamentally sound than 99% of the fours in the NBA.

And yet... listening to Dick Vitale gush about him makes me fall out of Love very easily.

I hope UCLA eventually fades, otherwise we're going to here about how superhuman he is for the next four and a half months. I don't know if I can take it. I'm probably going to get fined by David Stern or Myles Brand for saying this, but I love it how the white media gets so fired up when one of their own is successful on the basketball court. Yes, Kevin Love is a superb college player already, but in the NBA, he'll be another Michael Bradley clone.

Let the criticism pour in.

(Note: Kanye West was my guest editor in the last portion)