Source: charityline
Marbury and Me
Last week I suffered a great loss. There’s no real good way to put it: Stephon Marbury blocked me on twitter. This means that I can no longer follow, mention, or retweet him–three things that I previously loved to do. All sarcasm aside, I do honestly feel like this is a personal loss. I enjoyed his twitter for the same reasons that I enjoyed him in the NBA: the complete unpredictability, the unintentional comedy, and the moments of absolute insanity. I would no longer be able to enjoy these things as I once did. It was truly a somber moment.
But while this was a personal tragedy of my own, Stephon Marbury had much greater things to worry about. In fact, Marbury was in the midst of arguably (and hilariously) some of the most important basketball games of his life. He and his Beijing Ducks were in a deep playoff run. It was Game 5 in a best-of-5 series, and his team was on the cusp of reaching the Finals for the first time in franchise history. This was the scene in the waning moments of the deciding semi-final game as the Beijing Ducks secured their berth in the CBA championship round. For the first time in his professional career, Stephon Marbury would be competing for a championship.
With this potentially being the greatest accomplishment of Stephon Marbury’s professional basketball career, the question must be raised: What the hell happened to this guy? And more importantly: Why did he block me on Twitter?
Stephon Marbury is perhaps one of the most confusing characters that professional basketball has ever seen. His transgressions are well documented, but he was once upon a time touted to be the future of New York point guards. As a 16 year old, many NBA scouts believed that at his age he was the most talented and fundamentally sound player they had ever seen. Stephon was able to hold opposing defenses hostage just as well as he was his own locker rooms. He served twelve seasons in the NBA–all of them controversial. He constantly butted heads with coaches, teammates, and front offices—all while managing to be one of the premier talents in the league. But when his insanity began to outweigh his contributions on the floor, the patience of those who once tolerated him began to wane. The last straw was his very famous feud with Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni that was prolonged over the course of multiple seasons. Eventually Marbury wore out his welcome, and the NBA cast him to the wayside.
With his life in tatters, Stephon Marbury sought a change. He needed a new place to ply his trade. His search yielded the Chinese Basketball Association. For Stephon, not only did China represent the opportunity for a fresh start, but it also represented an entry point into one of the biggest basketball markets in the world. Since there was seemingly no place for him in the United States, the decision was easy. China would be his new home. And the Chinese fans quickly embraced him as their own.
Stephon had moved from a Country in which he felt he was misunderstood to a Country that literally did not understand him–from one form of confusion to another. The transition was understandably a lonely one, but from his loneliness Marbury began to discover the joys of social media—most notably Youtube. This would be an incredible development for both fans and curious onlookers alike. His thirst for attention and our desire for more of his bizarre antics would be satisfied over and over and over again. Starbury quickly became the internet freak-show that we all needed to watch.
On twitter Marbury is candid almost to a fault. But to his credit, he is very active with his fans regardless of what they have to say. And never being short for words, Marbury took full advantage of what was to be a low point in Mike D’Antoni’s career.
It was the night that Mike D’Antoni had stepped down as Knicks head coach. Having just heard the news, Marbury went on one of his classic no-holds-barred rips. Stephon has repeatedly blasted Mike D’Antoni both personally and for his merits (or lack thereof) as a coach. He often takes joy in the failures of coach D’Antoni, and actually predicted that he would be fired at some point this season. Marbury had this to say about his resignation:
Coward’s Step down men knock walls down that men like him post up. I told you’ll about that dude but you’ll didn’t listen. #DANPHONY
So, instinctively, I wanted to alert all who would listen that my man Stephon was in the midst of a Marbury Moment. (Please bare in mind that the 140 character limit that twitter imposes often requires grammatical sacrifice.) I tweeted out, and to my surprise the man himself responded:
@Aliyaho [D’Antoni] did that to himself by pulling a move like that. He has no fight in him as a man.
I’m not going to lie, this was exciting. Sure it was just twitter, and sure he interacts with many fans. But in that moment it felt like Stephon Marbury was telling ME that Mike D’Antoni was a coward. I was flattered like a schoolgirl who had just been asked to the prom. However, in the interest of being professional and potentially pulling out a story of some kind, I composed myself. Referencing his sketchy track record with coaches, I asked if he would like to change anything about his career. Marbury responded with this:
@Aliyaho no I have a history of going to teams where its a mess before I get there and I’m made the bad guy and I didn’t mind. 1st and 15th
1st and 15th. Ain’t it the truth. That’s the Marbury that I know and love.
Unfortunately that would be the end of our conversation. I asked him for an interview since he had been so forthcoming with his opinions to that point, but I can only guess that Marbury was offended by the request. He had blocked me. It was later brought to my attention that Stephon Marbury doesn’t do anything less than a cover story. His paranoia with North American media is rightfully justified, given his past.
For the record, I would have given Starbury the cover story.
So that was it for Marbury and Me, but that wasn’t it for Marbury. He was about to embark on his first championship conquest. I read about how he reacted when he earned the right to play for theMou Zuoyun Cup, and despite his harsh dealings with me, I couldn’t help but feel proud for Stephon. He seemed genuinely happy. And so was I.
The truth is that despite his acts of social media insanity, Stephon Marbury has experienced a major personality change in China. Parts of the old Marbury still make an appearance here and there, but it seems as though Stephon recognises the gravity of the opportunity he has in front of him. He has a shot at re-writing a part of his history and changing his personal perception. This is his chance to right some wrongs. In his column for a Chinese newspaper, he extols the virtues of love, meditation, and understanding of others. Does that sound like the Stephon Marbury that you know? Maybe he’s finally starting to get it. He seems to have found peace in China.
In the CBA Finals Stephon Marbury and his historically bad Beijing Ducks were set to play Aaron Brooks and his historically great Guandong Southern Tigers. It would be a classic 1-seed vs. 2-seed, best-of-seven game series. The first game started off chippy, with Marbury going straight after Brooks with a knee to the face. And it stayed chippy when the Southern Tigers retaliated by body-checking Marbury in the middle of a jump shot. The Chinese guy (who happens to be a member of the National Team) can be seen calling Stephon a bitch, as Marbury nervously adjusts his elbow brace.
Ultimately the Ducks went on to win the first two games of the series, but dropped the third. Marbury is a mere two wins away from proving to the world that he is a champion. And more importantly, he is a mere two wins away from proving to himself that he is a champion. The changes he has experienced personally in China are now translating onto the basketball court.
I hate to say it, but I think Stephon Marbury has found his home. China is a country filled with people who cannot understand a word that he says, yet they love him unconditionally. In China, the only language Stephon can speak is basketball, and fortunately for him, basketball is his first and most fluent language.
Stephon Marbury has somehow warded off the evils in his life and has found solace in the orient. It may seem odd, but I now feel more invested in Stephon Marbury than I ever have before. I wear the fact that I was blocked by him as a badge of honor. I have to be honest, it is oddly flattering. I wont even try to pretend to love Marbury for his merits as a basketball player—that ship sailed a long time ago. But as a human being and all of the flaws that come with being one, Stephon Marbury deserves his shot.
Marbury has found his place in China, and I have found myself a Hero. Unfortunately it’s not a mutual respect, but that’s just Marbury and Me.
Source: 6thmanblog.com
Trade Bonanza: Ménage à trois
One of the last trades to push through the deadline was also one of the most unexpected. The Denver Nuggets unloaded their recently signed star Nene to the Washington Wizards in exchange for noted on-court clown JaVale McGee. The Clippers also wanted a piece of the action, acquiring Nick Young for Brian Cook and a draft pick.
Here is a breakdown of who receives what:
Wizards
Nene
Nene does not block 3 shots a game. Nor does he have a 7’6” wingspan. He doesn’t even have a first and a last name. What he does have, however, is a professional approach to the game of basketball. And for a team like the Wizards, that’s exactly what is needed. Luckily, along with his professionalism, Nene also brings a unique combination of size, power and speed to the table that is really unlike any other player in the League (except potentially Kenneth Faried). While the Wizards are giving up a freak, they are receiving a different kind of freak in return.
Injuries have hampered Nene for a significant portion of this season and this should be a concern for Washington looking forward. However, when healthy, Nene has amazing physical abilities for someone of his size. He is able to keep up with guards in transition, while still being an authority in the paint. His footwork is a superb complement to his explosive athleticism. He is an excellent building block for a team hoping to change its culture.
Brian Cook, Clippers 2015 2nd round pick
Well. That’s good. A Laker throwback and 2nd round pick. Moving on…
Nuggets
JaVale McGee
JaVale’s physical gifts are almost unparalleled. He is tall, he is long, he jumps out of the gym, but he just can’t seem to put it all together. The main caveat when it comes to Mr. McGee is his head—or at least what’s in it. With the kind of length and athleticism that he possesses, you know there has to be some kind of Darwinist equalizer. To be fair, JaVale McGee has been surrounded by chaos his entire NBA career. The Wizards have been a mess, and the players around him could quite possibly be some of the worst in the History of the League.
There is the other issue of JaVale becoming a restricted free agent this off-season, and the reports of him expecting $14 million per year. The Nuggets are hoping for the remainder of this season to be an extended try-out for McGee. George Karl runs a very fast paced, open system that lends itself to athletic play makers. If JaVale can catch a bit of the winning bug, he may just be able to turn his colorful career around and make an impact on this already exciting team.
The Nuggets are rolling the dice a bit (as Dwight Howard would say) with this move, but they seem to know something that the Wizards don’t. Perhaps it has something to do with the emergence of a young Kenneth Faried, who seems to possess many of the unique and exciting skills that Nene does. Now the Nuggets have a legitimate shot blocking presence at center as well as an exciting dunking machine at power forward in Faried. Whether it all fits together will remain to be seen.
Ronny Turiaf
This is mostly a non-issue. Turiaf has been one of those energy guys his entire career. I don’t see a lot of time for him on the Nuggets with Mosgov and Faried claiming most of the minutes real estate. Nice to have some depth, though.
Clippers
Nick Young
Well the Clippers needed a scoring punch from the wing, so they got this guy. Pretty boy Nick once cried real tears after Gilbert Arenas broke his Louis Vuitton specs. He also would never give up his skinny jeans. So take from that what you will.
On a serious note, Nick Young can straight up score the basketball. His jumper is smooth and his isolation game is nice. At times he is seemingly allergic to passing the basketball, but with a distributor like Chris Paul on the team, his role is solely to score. There are moments when you watch Nick Young and you can’t believe what you are seeing; he has bursts of absolute brilliance on the offensive end. His moves are graceful and elusive when he wants them to be. The Clippers are a young team, and his personality will fit in quite well. Hopefully his game does too.
As a side note, Nick Young was the focus of the documentary Second Chance Season during his high school years, and it is actually quite telling as to who he is as a person. Definitely changes your perspective on the guy.
The Winner?
You have to imagine that the Wizards are the biggest winner of this deal. They ditch a couple ofcancerous players (the two remaining pieces from the Gilbert Arenas era), and acquire a near All-Star caliber forward/center in Nene. It’s true that Nene had some issues with his contract, but he also has a reputation for being a professional in the locker room and will do wonders for the culture in Washington. Perhaps in the near future the Wizards will be on Sportscenter for the right reasons, instead of the wrong reasons.
This is a classic case of addition by subtraction, as the sports cliché goes.
The fact is that everybody kind of wins in this deal. The Wizards are making positive strides towards establishing a new culture in Washington. Denver has a bit of buyers remorse with Nene and exchanges it for a legitimate center. And the Clippers moderately address their wing scoring problem for almost no cost at all.
Source: 6thmanblog.com
Trade Bonanza: Lakers/Rockets & Cavaliers
Much like College Basketball, the bulk of the trade deadline excitement occurred as the clock winded down towards zero. After Dwight Howard reluctantly made his intentions for next year clear, most teams began initiating Plan B. For the Lakers, that meant addressing some glaring roster holes and shedding some dead weight.
The Lakers made multiple moves today, and here is a quick break down of the major parts of each trade.
Lakers and Cavaliers
Lakers Receive: Ramon Sessions
Sessions has been speculated as the Laker savior for months now. While that is probably an unrealistic assessment, Ramon Sessions does offer the Laker backcourt a defensive punch that Old Man Fisher could not. As he played behind rookie Kyrie Irving, Sessions was posting 10 points and 5 assists in about 25 minutes per game. He seems to have a very high ceiling and is a creative offensive player. With an increase in minutes and a more clearly defined role with the Lakers, his numbers should flourish. He can score, he can distribute, he has some experience in the League—great acquisition for the Lakeshow.
Lakers Receive: Christian Eyenga
These Congo guys are slowly finding their way into the league. Christian Eyenga is an athletic small forward with limited offensive skills and basically an afterthought in this trade. He could offer some defensive help in small spurts, but that’s about it. It’s hard to say who Eyenga is as a player because he hasn’t played much in the NBA. My guess is that we don’t find out who he is any time soon.
Cavaliers Receive: Luke Walton, Jason Kapono, 2012 Draft Pick
In return for Sessions and Eyenga, the Cavs received an expiring contract in Jason Kapono, and a guy who had the romantic attention of Britney Spears in Luke Walton. They also got a protected first round draft pick in the upcoming draft. Sessions provided them with some nice depth, but it was reported that he planned to opt-out of his contract at the end of the season. In a sense, the Cavaliers got as much value as they could out of a guy who intended to leave the team for nothing.
Lakers and Rockets
Once they secured Ramon Sessions, the Lakers did the unthinkable: They traded Derek Fisher. Sacrilege aside, this was the right basketball move. As much of a leader, and a big shot maker that Fisher is, he has been done for a while. If the Lakers wanted to make a deep playoff run, they needed to shed the dead weight and fortify their bench. And that’s exactly what they did with this trade.
Lakers Receive: Jordan Hill
Jordan Hill was highly touted in the 2009 draft and was selected 8th overall. Coming out of college he was likened to Chris Bosh because of his size, length, and athletic ability. He is an explosive player that likes to attack the rim but has experienced limited success in the NBA. What the Lakers need from this kid is productivity off the bench. In fact, that’s what the Lakers need in general.
If Jordan Hill can live up to half of what scouts expected out of him coming out of the draft, the Lakers will be better for it. He likes to run the floor and finishes well in transition. Ideally he will offer some energy during moments of stagnation. This is not by any means an answer for the Lakers, but added depth and athleticism is surely welcomed.
Rockets Receive: Derek Fisher, 2012 Draft Pick
Unfortunately this had to happen. The fact that Derek Fisher has been the Lakers starting point guard for this long is surprising in itself. The Lakeshow has had to cover for his defensive inadequacies for long enough, and it was time to part ways. Fisher will always be a Laker in my eyes, but sometimes you have to send an old horse to the glue factory.
With Kyle Lowry down for an extended period of time, Derek Fisher adds a bit of depth to the Rockets’ backcourt. He also brings 16 years of experience to the table and will mentor Huston’s two young and promising point guards.
It’s no secret that Huston loves draft picks, so they acquired the first round pick that the Lakers got from Dallas in the Odom deal. The Rockets are constantly taking on project players based on their complex statistical analysis.
The Winner?
Not only are the Lakers the winners of these particular deals, but they are the winners of the trade deadline bonanza. They shed themselves of a bad contract and supplemented some of their deficiencies as best they could. By fortifying the bench they are now at least a little better suited for a deep playoff run. More importantly, by acquiring a young, serviceable point guard, they are now able to match up defensively with teams who play an athletic point guard.
Source: 6thmanblog.com
Bracket Madness
The field is set. It’s only a matter of time before the hysteria of the first weekend sets in. The game winners, the blow-outs, the upsets, and the Dick Vitale. Awesome. It’s a spectacle that is even greater than the product that they put out on the floor.
Like most people, I don’t know a damn thing about College Basketball. Other than the big programs and the top recruits, I am really rather clueless. Every year I spend the week leading up to the Tournament catching up with everything I’m supposed to know. That is the extent of my College Basketball investment. And I think many people are the same.
In fact, the beauty of this tournament is that we don’t need a lot of personal investment. The first weekend is just 4 days dedicated strictly to basketball. It may be an inferior brand of basketball, but it’s worth a watch. With 34 games in the first two rounds, some great games are guaranteed.
So join me in the yearly bracket ritual and make picks of schools you don’t know anything about (or have even heard of).
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Source: 6thmanblog.com
