NBA History: Dallas Mavericks Expansion Team

I started out as an NBA fan in 1985.  At that time, the newest expansion team was the Dallas Mavericks.  While in hindsight the franchise has never won a title, they were viewed as a model for expansion franchises in terms of how to build a competitive team.  What was considered then as the "right way" of building a contender from expansion was to avoid quick fixes through signing veterans nearing the end of their careers and invest in youth.  This of course, will then require that the team also take its lumps in the process since a young team will have to endure its share of tough losses and low win seasons.  They would invest in absorbing a few years of losing as they built up through the draft.

In the case of the early 80s Mavericks, it was also a big help that there was an idiot to take advantage of.  This was in the person of then Cleveland Cavaliers owner Ted Stepien, who gave away what ended up as high draft picks for marginal players.  This is how the Mavs amassed nearly an entire team-full of draft picks:

>  Mavs first ever draft pick, Kiki Vandeweghe, refused to play for the expansion team.  He was then traded to Denver for a 1981 # 1 pick that ended up as the 9th overall pick.

>  Dallas traded expansion players Richard Washington, who played another 1.5 years after the trade, and Jerome Whitehead, a back-up center, to Cleveland for first round picks in 1983 (9th overall) and 1986 (7th overall).

>  They traded another expansion draftee with minimal talent, Mike Bratz, who averaged in double figures once in his entire career, to Cleveland for a 1984 first round pick (4th overall).

>  Yet another expansion draftee, Geoff Huston, was traded also to Cleveland for a 1985 first round pick (8th overall).

Having completed the first part, which was to amass draft picks, the Mavs then proceeded by drafting generally successfully as the drafts came about:

1981:  After "taking their lumps" in their first season, they ended up with the first overall pick and drafted Mark Aguirre.  They also had another first round pick, 9th overall from the Vandeweghe deal, which they used to draft Rolando Blackman.  With the first pick of the second round (24th overall), they got the steal of the 1981 draft, forward Jay Vincent.  Their final pick, using a second rounder from Phoenix, was defensive minded off guard Elston Turner.

1982:  This was perhaps their worst draft of all.  With their own pick at 4th overall, they drafted Bill Garnett.

1983:  Using their own pick at 9th overall, they drafted Dale Ellis.  In addition, they also had Cleveland's pick (they managed to trade for Cleveland's first rounders in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986).  Using the 11th overall pick, they took Derek Harper.

1984:  With another Cavalier pick, they drafted Sam Perkins at #4, and with their own pick, they drafted Terence Stansbury, perhaps the second failed draft pick so far in the Mavs draft history.

1985:  Yet another Cavalier pick was used to draft Detlef Schrempf at #8.  They also had a couple of failed choices in this draft, taking Bill Wennington at 16th with a pick acquired from New Jersey for Kelvin Ransey.

1986:  Using the last of the Cavalier giveaways, they took Roy Tarpley with the 7th overall pick.

And while these players did not all end up playing together, they were not traded for each other and could potentially have been kept together as a team.  That would have given them the following lineup:

Starters:

C     Roy Tarpley

PF   Sam Perkins

SF   Mark Aguirre

PG  Derek Harper

OG  Rolando Blackman

Bench:

F     Detlef Schrempf

GF  Dale Ellis

F     Jay Vincent

C     Bill Wennington

G     Elston Turner (primarily an off guard but can play point in a pinch)

G     Terence Stansbury

PF    Bill Garnett

Tarpley would have been a dominant big man if he did not fall victim to drug and alcohol abuse.  Together with Perkins and Wennington, plus power forward minutes from Schrempf (during his Indiana days) and Vincent, they would have been a strong power rotation.  Schrempf and Ellis may also have had better careers than Aguirre, albeit not with Dallas.  That would have given the team two starter-quality players coming off the bench to provide firepower.  The only real gap in the team is back-up point guard, but Elston Turner served as an emergency point guard in his career.  Schrempf also played some point forward.

As they say, hindsight is 20-20.  From that perspective, this could have been a championship contender presuming the egos meshed.  Of course we will never know, but it could end up being a big what-if.

2010 UAAP: Ateneo Upsets FEU For Three-Peat

After a one-sided game 1, I felt that FEU had to also find a way to blow out Ateneo to have a chance at winning the title.  It seemed a possibility at first, when FEU took a 22-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.  But when halftime ended with only one point separating the teams, I felt it was Ateneo's game to lose.  In fairness to FEU, they did try to make a game out of it despite the humiliation they suffered in game 1, but this FEU team just doesn't have the heart to be a champion team.

For Ateneo, the seem to have peaked at the right time and also displayed the championship character when it mattered.  During the elimination round, the biggest shortcoming of this year's team was the lack of a killer instinct, and the inability to demoralize the opponents to the point that they don't even try to make a comeback.  This was most evident when they lost a 9 point lead in the last 3 minutes to lose to, of all teams, arch-rival La Salle.  This was something that set last year's back-to-back titlists apart...when they took the lead, you didn't even try to mount a comeback because you just knew you couldn't.  This year's team failed to send that message all throughout the elimination round.  They did step up their game a bit in the Final Four, convincingly beating Adamson.  But in that game, they also allowed the Falcons to have hope for victory until the closing minutes.  In game 1 of the finals, however, the long-awaited killer instinct finally came out.  Ateneo sustained its intensity all game long and totally destroyed the favored Tamaraws.  And in game 2, they recovered from a shaky start and played like they were the favorites...that it was, as Kirk Long said, their championship which FEU had to take away.  While the game's big star, Ryan Buenafe, may have been a surprise, the outcome wasn't.  FEU didn't seem to have the heart needed to be a champion team, and was merely a collection of good/talented players, while Ateneo showed the heart that more than made up for whatever talent advantage FEU had.

Last year I felt relief when Ateneo won the championship...as the runaway number 1 team, anything less than a title would have been a disappointment, any loss would have been an upset.  This year I felt pride when they won, and particularly how they won.  They erased all doubts that may have come up during the season and proved that they were as deserving (if not more deserving) than the previous two champion teams.

FEU on the other hand, with last year's and this year's team, would probably be a strong candidate to be the most talented team to not win a championship.  Unfortunately this team just didn't seem to have the heart to match their talent.  They won the regular season on talent alone, and when the championship series came, they didn't have the heart needed to complement the talent.

2010 UAAP: 3-Peat?

After a dominant Game 1 of the 2010 UAAP Finals, Ateneo is one game away from its third straight UAAP championship. While this was always a possibility, it did not seem probable early on...losing a winnable game to FEU on opening day...collapsing in the end game to lose to DLSU of all teams after erecting a 9 point lead with about 3 minutes left...close and unconvincing victories in their other games...losing to UE...at risk of dropping from 2nd (with a twice to beat advantage) to 3rd (and having to beat the opponent twice)...losing the season finale to FEU again to be swept by the Tamaraws in the season series. All of these pointed to a struggling team which was good enough to make it to the finals but did not seem like a champion team. And even after a strong Final Four elimination game to finally beat Adamson convincingly (after two 3-point squeakers in the eliminations), the odds were still stacked against Ateneo.

Then came Game 1 of the Finals.

That game was, in my opinion, Ateneo's single best game this season. It was the only game where I saw them dominate from start to finish, where they did not give their opponents any hope of even trying to mount a comeback. That team flashed a glimpse of the dominant 2009 title team. They routed FEU by 23 points, and made the Tamaraws look like they didn't belong in the Final Four, let alone the championship series. They dominated FEU, and made it look easy. After posting an 18 point lead in the first quarter, and taking the half by 21, the lead was never threatened, going only as low as 16 points before ending up at 23.

That game erased any doubts about Ateneo's ability to win this year. Yes, FEU still leads the head to head matchup 2-1. Yes, they still need to win at least one more game. Yes, FEU has beaten them twice in a row during the elims. But after Game 1, I think all the questions are directed at FEU.

Can they bounce back from the Game 1 thrashing or did that game rip their hearts out? Is Capacio good enough as a coach to come back and win two straight games? Does this FEU team have the heart of a champion? Or are they good or even great individual players who can't come together when they have to?

I think FEU has too much talent to just give up game 2. Then again, I thought they had too much talent to be thrashed the way they were in game 1...

UNC Basketball History

The North Carolina Tar Heels had some powerhouse teams in the early 80s. The 1981-82 championship team featured Sam Perkins, James Worthy, and Michael Jordan.

I did some research checking the line-ups year by year, and it turns out that the 1983-84 team featured five future NBA first round draft picks:

Michael Jordan, OG (3rd pick, 1984)

Sam Perkins, PF (4th pick, 1984)

Brad Daugherty, C (1st pick, 1986)

Kenny Smith, PG (6th pick, 1986)

Joe Wolf, PF (13th pick, 1987)

Using 1985-86 as a reference, and using the 1985-86 statistics, an all UNC team would be composed of the following:

POSSIBLE STARTERS:

CF Sam Perkins (1984, 4th pick): 15.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg

F James Worthy (1982, 1st pick): 20.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg

FG Walter Davis (1977, 5th pick): 21.8 ppg, 5.2 apg

GF Michael Jordan (1984, 3rd pick): 22.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg

GF Al Wood (1981, 4th pick): 11.6 ppg in 22.4 mpg

KEY RESERVES:

CF Mitch Kupchak (1976, 13th pick): 6.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg after serious injury in 1981

CF Bob McAdoo (1972, 2nd pick): 10.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg

F Bobby Jones (1974, 5th pick): 7.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg

F Mike O'Koren (1980, 6th pick): 5.2 ppg

G Dudley Bradley (1979, 13th pick): 2.8 ppg, 1.2 spg

G Phil Ford (1978, 2nd pick): 7.1 ppg, 5.1 apg in 1983-84, retired in 1984-85 at age 28, would have been 29 in 1985-86.

Repeating this scenario, but moving forward in time to 1992-93, Michael Jordan's last season before his first retirement, the line-up would now look like this:

POSSIBLE STARTERS:

C Brad Daugherty (1986, 1st pick): 20.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 4.4 apg

FC Sam Perkins (1984, 4th pick): 13.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg

F James Worthy (1982, 1st pick): 14.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.4 apg

G Kenny Smith (1986, 6th pick): 13.0 ppg, 5.4 apg
G Michael Jordan (1984, 3rd pick): 32.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.8 spg

KEY RESERVES:

CF Pete Chilcutt (1991, 27th pick): 6.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg

FC JR Reid (1989, 5th pick): 9.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg

FC Scott Williams (Undrafted): 5.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg

FG Rick Fox (1991, 24th pick): 6.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg

G Hubert Davis (1992, 20th pick): 5.4 ppg, 1.7 apg

Lastly, let's take a look at the modern version of an All-UNC team based on 2009-10 statistics:

STARTERS:

C Brendan Haywood (2001, 20th pick): 9.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.1 bpg

F Antawn Jamison (1998, 4th pick): 18.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg

F Marvin Williams (2005, 2nd pick): 10.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg

G Raymond Felton (2005, 5th pick): 12.1 ppg, 5.6 apg, 1.5 spg

GF Vince Carter (1998, 5th pick): 16.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.1 apg

KEY RESERVES:

CF Rasheed Wallace (1995, 4th pick): 9.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg

FC Jawad Williams (Undrafted): 4.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg

F Brandan Wright (2007, 8th pick): 8.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg

F Tyler Hansbrough (2009, 13th pick): 8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg

GF Jerry Stackhouse (1995, 3rd pick): 8.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg

G Wayne Ellington (2009, 28th pick): 6.6 ppg

G Ty Lawson (2009, 18th pick): 8.3 ppg, 3.1 apg

INACTIVE LIST

FC Sean May (2005, 13th pick): 3.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg

GF Rashad McCants (2005, 14th pick): 9.6 ppg in 2008-09

2010 UAAP: Final Four Scenarios

With about 3 games per team left in the UAAP's current season, the Final Four scenarios are taking shape. At this point, the Final Four cast is almost certain: FEU, Ateneo, Adamson, and DLSU, with NU having an unlikely, albeit still mathematically possible chance of dislodging DLSU for the fourth slot. Presuming nothing supernatural happens and that the top four teams do not lose unexpectedly to the lower four teams for the balance of the year, there are still a number of variations to the scenarios.

Adamson and DLSU, currently tied for third, will part ways since they will still face each other. The loser of that match will most likely end up as the 4th seeded team. That is the only thing that is set right now as far as the Final Four. Possible scenarios are:

1. Ateneo beats FEU, creates a tie for 1st place. Given the parity of teams this year, and given that both 1 & 2 will have the twice to beat advantage, the only real relevance of this scenario is whether it will result in an Ateneo-LaSalle matchup. If Adamson wins against DLSU, Ateneo will have to beat FEU in the eliminations, then beat them again in the knock out match to land the first seed. That would set up a 1 vs 4 matchup with DLSU.

2. FEU beats Ateneo, secures 1st place. Ateneo falls into a tie with the winner of the DLSU-Adamson game for second. This will force a knock out match between the two teams for second, and then they will face each other again in a twice to beat scenario. Again, if DLSU beats Adamson, this will create an Atene-LaSalle matchup at the 2 vs 3 slot.

For FEU, they can't finish worse than second, so its a sure twice to beat advantage for them against either Adamson or DLSU.

Ateneo has the biggest upside and downside. They are the only other team that can rise as high as 1st (by beating FEU twice), but can also fall to 3rd if they lose to FEU, and then lose again to the winner of the Adamson-DLSU match-up. Offhand though, they have the edge over Adamson, having beaten them both games, and while tied 1-1 with DLSU, they were did post a more impressive victory.

DLSU and Adamson have the same upside and downside. Both can fall as low as 4, and go up as high as 2.

At this point though, the only thing that I find excitement is waiting for the possibility of another Ateneo-DLSU matchup in the semis. That would make things more exciting, and of course, bring in the money for the UAAP.

2010 UAAP: Basketball Outlook

The UAAP season is roughly one fourth done, with all teams having played 4-5 games each including an Ateneo-LaSalle game. I haven't seen all the teams play extensively, but I feel I have a relatively good understanding of how the season is unfolding.

At this point, FEU seems to be the only team that is a sure thing for the final four, while UP and UE are the only teams that can be written off. The other five teams (Ateneo, LaSalle, UST, Adamson, NU) are all fighting for the remaining 3 final four slots.

While their 4-0 record could easily have been 2-2 if Ateneo and LaSalle got a few more breaks their way, FEU still has the deepest roster with reserves that could easily be starters on other teams. Their problem though, as has been the case the previous years, is that this is a team that doesn't measure up to the sum of the parts. On raw talent alone, they should have been a dominant 4-0, blowing away opponents that have no business making a close game of things. Unfortunately, their two national team players, Ramos and Cawaling, are too much of team players and don't have the meanness to dominate. They have the individual talent to dominate their opponents, but choose to play team ball and stay within the system making them less effective than they could be. As a result, the players carrying the team are Garcia and Cervantes. Garcia is as good as advertised and is arguably even better than Barroca, whose shoes he filled in. He is as talented, if not more talented, than Ramos and Cawaling. Cervantes, on the other hand, has the mean streak that Ramos lacks, but does not dominate because he doesn't have the basketball brains to go along with his talent and mean streak. He is, unfortunately, a "dumb" player, prone to making the wrong decision or taking the bad shot at the wrong time. Noundou provides them with an alternative to Ramos and Cervantes at 4/5, while Sanga could start at 2/3 for other teams. Knuttel, Exciminiano, and Romero are solid in the backcourt, while Bringas and today's revelation Cruz provide additional depth up front.

LaSalle could have tied FEU at 3-1 with a victory today but fell short in double overtime. The advantage of LaSalle's defense oriented game is that this allows them to withstand their offensive ups and downs. They have yet to find their groove as a team on offense, but their defense will make sure they remain in the game. I personally am intrigued by their defensive potential with shotblockers Paredes and Andrada anchoring a press and acting as sweepers to allow their smaller players to gamble. That should be interesting with an athletic Webb leading the pressure by the little guys.

Despite the loss to LaSalle, Ateneo is still a strong contender for the Final Four. Chua and Escueta, with spot minutes from Erram provide a solid center rotation. At the forward line, Salva and Buenafe are the best scoring pair, but either one can team up with Golla and one of the centers to provide a strong rebounding lineup. Dela Cruz may end up being the odd man out since he doesn't score as well as Salva or Buenafe, and doesn't rebound as well as Golla. The backcourt is the weak link, and heavily dependent on Salamat, Long, and Monfort. While that trio is shaky at best as your backcourt reliables, there is not much else behind them. Austria, despite his veteran status, seems to actually hurt the team more than helping them. Tiongson still seems too raw, while Gonzaga just doesn't have much talent to begin with.

Adamson is one of this year's darkhorse candidates. The graduation of Leo Canuday improves their team, sort of addition by subtraction. Colina, Nuyles, Alvarez, and Canada form a solid nucleus to be competitive and have a shot at the final four slot. Their weak link is center Galinato, and if one of the newcomers can take over his slot and be productive, the team will be better for it.

NU is another darkhorse. While their players may not be as good individually as Adamson's nucleus, they do have a more complete lineup. With the arrival of Mbe and Khobuntin at the big man slots, erratic and inconsistent Jewel Ponferrada's use can now be managed. Last year, the team had to live and die with his flashes of brilliance bookended by spells of ineptitude. With less minutes, he may actually be able to improve his productivity. The perimeter slots also are solid, with Baloran at forward, and Terso and Hermosisima as the primary guards. Tungcul, Singh, Ludovice, and Magat will be counted upon to be reliable in relief roles.

UST is the sixth candidate for the four slots. This team is the reverse of Ateneo, heavily dependent on their guards and on outside shooting to make up for the weakness in the big man slots. UST's strategy seems to be to try to control their opponents' big men with their own, and then try to get the win with their wingmen. Teng is growing to be this team's star, and his slashing game is complemented by their primary 3-point shooters Fortuna and Bautista. Wingmen Mariano and Daquioag provide additional scoring. Camus is the team's best big man, whether it be scoring, rebounding or defense, while Afuang provides a little of everything. Rookie Pe does not score much but provides bulk and rebounding to complement the other two. Mamaril functions as the fourth big man when necessary, playing the left over minutes but not contributing much.

UE may have the UAAP's best individual player in Paul Lee and may have found their go to guy for next year in Acibar but don't offer much. Despite a rotation composed of seemingly solid players in Sison, Co, Martin and Mikee Reyes, Silungan, Padilla, and Lopez, the team still finds new ways to lose.

2010 UAAP: DLSU Beats Ateneo

In the first Ateneo-LaSalle showdown this season, the Green Archers showed end game poise as well as playing with more heart to break a 6-game losing streak to the Blue Eagles. ADMU actually struck first in the fourth quarter, and appeared to put the game away taking a 9 point lead with only about 3 minutes left. But instead of finishing off DLSU, ADMU played defensive ball which allowed DLSU to come back and pull off the victory in the end.

What DLSU Did Right

• LaSalle played good defense for 40 minutes. They played with maximum effort and energy even on plays that went wrong. They seemed to be the team that was committed to win with defense. They kept the game close mainly through their defense, not with their offense.
• They did not give up at the end. Despite Ateneo erecting a 9 point lead with 3 minutes left, DLSU called time, settled down, and buckled down to work. They did not immediately erase the lead, but rather chipped away at it one basket and one defensive stop at a time. While they forced some turnovers, Ateneo actually managed to get shots up during DLSU's run but the good defense played by the Archers made Ateneo miss.
• The team does not have any star player. The players seemed to be aware of this, and appeared more conscious of working hard and playing together. For most of the game, they stayed within the system and rarely tried to do anything not dictated by the system.
• Joseph Marata. He is a key scorer in DLSU's scheme of things. He played well today, and shone in the end game.
  

What DLSU Did Wrong

• Admittedly not much. One of them was Andrada's attempt at a breakaway dunk which he missed and turned the momentum against DLSU.
• A near fatal move, which led to ADMU's erecting a 9 point lead, was the unfathomable decision to go to Ferdinand in the post two plays in a row. This led to two failed offensive possessions and two Ateneo baskets.

What Ateneo Did Right

• In fairness to the team, Ateneo played decent ball for 37 out of 40 minutes of the game. They took their runs when they could and tried to stop DLSU from putting together any extended runs of their own. They actually managed to do this with the exception of DLSU's 13-1 finishing kick.
• Justin Chua proved that the UST game was not a fluke. I am glad to note that I was wrong in saying that he has not improved in 3 years. If he continues to play at this level, ADMU will have a chance.
• Kirk Long has been playing with aggressiveness this season, and this game as well. If he can recover his long range shooting, that combined with his newly displayed aggressiveness attacking the hoop and his steady defense makes him Ateneo's x-factor.
• ADMU rebounded well as a team, particularly in the first half. Even when they were not able to convert, their offensive rebounding took its toll on DLSU.

What Ateneo Did Wrong

• Ending the game on the short end of a 13-1 run.
• Playing defensive ball after taking a 9 point lead. The team's offense suddenly lost direction as they passed the ball around for most of the shotclock and took bad shots with the clock running down.
• Playing Bacon Austria in the endgame. Granted Long fouled out, they at least should have ensured that he would not end up with the shot. They played into the hands of DLSU's defense, which appeared to be designed to let Bacon end up open and take the shot. He just might be ADMU's version of Bader Malabes, a player more valuable to the opponent than to his own team.
  
• No one stepped up as the go-to guy, particularly during DLSU's end game run. Nico Salva lost his confidence after getting a shot blocked early in the game and was hesitant to shoot after that.

Team Outlook: DLSU
I like how the DLSU team is shaping up. At this point, I think they have a solid defensive unit, with the presence of two shotblockers in Paredes and Andrada to anchor the press. I am actually intrigued at the thought of using them together as twin defensive anchors and utilizing Webb's athleticism with Atkins and Tolentino to form the front end of the pressure defense. Villanueva can replace either Paredes or Andrada, and Marata provides firepower off the bench behind both Webb and Atkins. Ferdinand and Mendoza are best off competing for the fourth big man role sharing leftover minutes behind Paredes, Andrada, and Villanueva. Dela Paz and Tampus should complete the rotation at small forward/off guard role, while Elorde and Vosotros cover the back-up minutes at the point. They should compete for the Final Four this year, though any accomplishment beyond that would be gravy.

What the team still needs is a low post scoring big man. That would have been Bringas, who would be the perfect complement to Andrada and Paredes, providing the offense they don't have while also having them cover for his defensive shortcomings. Next year's highly touted rookie Torres may provide that and more (i.e. if he can score AND play defense).

Team Outlook: Ateneo
Despite losing one of the two most important games of the year, Ateneo still remains a contender given their showing against FEU. The team's rotation though still needs to be cleaned up. Unlike previous years when the team's best players would be the best lineup, this year's Blue Eagles require a bit more mixing and matching. With back to back double solid games, Chua has probably solidified his status as the team's number 1 center ahead of Escueta and Erram. At forward though, the team has a lot of options, perhaps even a bit too much. Salva and Buenafe provide them with the best offense, while Golla and Salva the best rebounding and defense. They also need to find time for Art Dela Cruz, who is not as good a rebounder as Golla, nor as good a scorer as Salva or Buenafe. In the backcourt, their best pair is composed of Salamat and Long, who between them can share the point guard duties. In terms of true point guards though, only Monfort has been productive, and he has too many liabilities to play more than back-up minutes. As for the other guards in the rotation, Tiongson seems to raw, while Austria has limited skills and should be best used as a situational defender similar to how they use Gonzaga.

They do seem to have enough to win a lot of elimination games and make the Final Four. Given the balance of the teams though, they are not assured and are susceptible to an upset by almost any other team. Even if they survive the first pairing of the Final Four, they probably do not have enough to beat FEU for the title. Should FEU fall before the finals though, then they have as good a chance as any other team.

2010 UAAP: Ateneo's Title Chances

Ateneo and FEU faced off in their respective first games in what could be a preview of the championship matchup. While this year's Ateneo team is significantly weaker than last year, with role playing rookies coming in to replace ex-MVP Rabeh Al-Husseini, Defensive Player of the Year Nonoy Baclao, and Finals MVP Jai Reyes, a case could be made that the relative team strengths has also gone down. FEU for one still has its main men from last year in RR Garcia, Aldrich Ramos, JR Cawaling, and Paul Sanga, and while they ended the year without Andy Barroca, he was part of the team at the start of last year's tourney.


Unlike last year when Ateneo won the matchup of the pre-tournament favorites, FEU came up big in the endgame this time, and Ateneo faltered missing two potential opportunities to tie or take the lead at the end of the game. The defeat notwithstanding, if FEU is indeed the overwhelming favorite to win this year, then today's game would indicate that the team is still a contender despite the loss of Al Husseini, Baclao, and Reyes. As I have not seen the team play before today, my assessment of the team is based purely on what I saw today and what I know of the players from past years.


Point Guard: This looks like the team's problem position. Eric Salamat started in this position, though Kirk Long shared the playmaking duties from the off guard spot. While the combination was adequate for today's game, Salamat seemed less effective in this role than in his more comfortable off guard role. With Eman Monfort as the only back-up (Juami Tiongson was not used and appears to not be part of the rotation), this position has to be considered weak.


Off Guard: Kirk Long performed better today as the 2-guard than Salamat did at the point. Salamat's ability to swing over should stabilize the position, but given the lack of depth at the point, and presuming that Salamat will end up playing extensive minutes there, that leaves only Bacon Austria and Tonino Gonzaga as the rotation players here. That's not much.


Small Forward: Nico Salva started at the position, but was largely ineffective in the minutes spent at this position. Their best small forward appears to be Ryan Buenafe. Given the team's lack of creators on offense, Buenafe will have to play consistently and take control of this position for the team to perform well. His play was a major reason in Ateneo's being able to keep up with FEU. Buenafe will have to play consistently and score well at the small forward slot for Ateneo to have a good season.


Power Forward: This should be the most stable position for the Blue Eagles, with Nico Salva seeing most of his minutes here alongside Ryan Buenafe at the 3-spot. Salva is most effective when he takes the bigger players outside to the perimeter and forces them to have to guard his jumpshot, which opens up the lane for penetration. Rookie Arthur Dela Cruz surprised everyone in the first half and shows potential to be a good scorer off the bench. The problem with both Salva and Dela Cruz is they are both lean and may not be able to stop the more physical forwards such as FEU's Pippo Noundou and Reil Cervantes. Ateneo did start Frank Golla, but while he does have bulk and a banger's mindset, he also has limited skills and does not seem to have much potential to get better.

Center: Expected to be the team's weakest position with the departure of starter Al Husseini and power forward Baclao who doubled as the back-up center, they were surprisingly stable at this position primarily due to Jason Escueta, whose physical play and enforcer mindset served him well against the more athletic FEU frontline. He was able to hold his position inside, grab offensive rebounds, and also box out the FEU big men. He was by far the most effective Ateneo center. Rookie JP Erram had his moments, particularly on defense but is way too raw on offense to be much of a factor. Junior Justin Chua has not developed much since his first year, and it seems that he won't be a Black miracle in the mold of Doug Kramer, Ford Arao, and Al Husseini.

2010 Offseason: Quick Thoughts Post LeBron Announcement

A couple of hours back, LeBron James made the announcement that he will be leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat for a chance to win titles with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. While I have been critical of James and I agree that he quit on his team in the playoffs, I have to say that I do like this decision. Most important thing is he did not go to New York. Apologies to Knicks fans but I don't agree with the team's efforts in trying to get LeBron, which is basically throw away a few seasons and try to buy the best team available. At least Miami competed last year, and only gutted their team this offseason.

NEW YORK: According to the news reports, LeBron is now more hated in New York than Reggie Miller. Knicks fans need to get their brains straightened out. You expected to get LeBron by sending Isaiah Thomas as a last minute emissary? You actually think Amare Stoudamire can deliver more wins than Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh? All you've got is money, and apparently it ain't good enough.

CLEVELAND: I read the letter of the Cavs owner guaranteeing Cleveland will win a title before LeBron does. From what I know about Dan Gilbert, he does not issue idle threats. I'm curious to see what moves he has planned for this offseason and how he plans to rebuild the team. I am sure he will definitely try and that alone is worth monitoring.

MIAMI: With all their money tied up in Wade, Bosh, and James, and only Mario Chalmers left (Michael Beasley is rumored to be traded to Minnesota for draft picks), that leaves them with 8 roster spots that are for the league minimum. Unless there are that many veterans willing to sign for the minimum for a chance to win a title, they might have to unretire Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, and John Stockton to fill in the remaining roster slots.

JIM LITKE's ARTICLE IN USA TODAY: "LeBron is now the king of what, exactly?" In one part of the article, Litke calls LeBron a "bigger, badder version of Scottie Pippen, another prince who collected a fistful of rings yet was never really cut out to be a king." He closed the article saying that the Cavs fans may have felt hurt by James' decision because LeBron "is one of their own, maybe the best athlete most of them will ever see, and now he doesn't want to be there. Some king he turned out to be."

2010 Offseason: Wade-Bosh Tandem

The latest breaking news in the NBA free agent market is that Chris Bosh has agreed to come to Miami and team up with Dwyane Wade in an effort to bring another title (or a dynasty as Pat Riley claims) to add to the franchise's first championship brought in by Wade and Shaquille O'Neal.

My first impression is that this is a good deal for both players. Wade is a franchise maker of a superstar but he can't win it alone. He won his first title with a team build around his youthful energy, athleticism, and explosiveness and backstopped by an age-ing yet then capable Shaq bringing size, strength, and experience. Wade knows he can carry a team, but also realizes that he cannot carry a team to a title on his own.

As for Chris Bosh, despite all the hype, he is actually more of a support player and definitely not a franchise player. At his best, he would have been similar to a Paul Pierce prior to the formation of Boston's Big 3...a talented player who would be a perennial all-star but not someone to carry a team to a title without a strong supporting cast.

That said, this deal allows both players to fill roles that they fit best. Wade will be the franchise player as well as the team's heart and soul. Bosh, on the other hand, would be among the best, if not the best, second fiddle in the league. He will be there to step up during the times Wade will struggle, and also provide leadership for the supporting cast. The only question now though is how good a supporting cast can the Heat put together, given that they have little else other than Wade and Bosh. With this as a foundation, however, they should have no difficulty attracting free agents who are about to enter the latter stages of their careers, and whose focus is more on winning a title than on personal earnings (i.e. contracts). Players like Heat free agent Jermaine O'Neal, who perhaps has another 1-2 years left as a productive player may sign for less than their market value in exchange for the opportunity to win a title.

Note: Interesting how Lebron has a one hour special as a venue to announce the decision he will make. Perhaps they should also have additional one hour specials to allow him to explain (1) How he gave up on the Boston series and caused the collapse of last year's Cavs, and (2) Why he failed to shake hands with Dwight Howard after yet another early exit two years ago.

2010 Playoffs: Post Game 5 Thoughts

1. Paul Pierce: Can he quit the act and stop pretending to be hurt by every bump? He's trying too hard to be Larry Bird and looking more like Bill Laimbeer. Pierce's act is only believable when the hit comes from Dwight Howard or Ron Artest. It's as if he actually expects people to believe that scrawny Kobe can hurt his broad shouldered ass. I know Derek Fisher does it but he's no star so nobody cares.

2. Pau Gasol: It's time to stop complaining about the physical game and start playing physical also. A finesse game won't be enough to win the title. With Bynum injured, he needs to plant himself in the paint and force Boston to move him out. Doesn't he realize that's why the Phoenix Suns have not been champions yet?

3. Ray Allen: I can't believe he took on Derek Fisher. Allen doesn't seem to realize that he's worth much more to Boston than Fisher is to LA. A double ejection works in LA's favor.

4. Andrew Bynum: Lakers are feeling the need for Bynum now. Among their 3 bigs (Gasol, Odom), Bynum is the only banger and physical player. With him ineffective due to injury, Celtics bigs are dominant inside while Gasol and Odom seem out of sync when the banging starts.

5. Celtics Bigs (Perkins, Garnett, Davis, Wallace): Celtics have the lead because they have managed to neutralize what was or should be a Lakers advantage. What should have been a mismatch in the Lakers favor has been turned into a Celtic strength with the injury to Bynum and Gasol and Odom unable to play physical. Meanwhile, Celtic bigs thrive in a physical game and were more active and quicker to the ball than their Laker counterparts.

2010 Playoffs: LeBron-Is He A Winner?

With the elimination of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the LeBron sweepstakes are on. Despite his talent, LeBron hasn't shown he has what it takes to be a winner. At this point, he looks like the biggest star to join the ranks of Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, and the other NBA greats who never won a title.

Based on what I saw in the playoffs this year, James doesn't seem to have what they call the heart of a champion, particularly in Games 5 and 6 of the Cavs-Celtics series. LeBron never seemed to have that sense of desperation that they were going to lose. He continued to play in his usual manner. This gives me the impression that he doesn't want to go all out and lose...perhaps he'd rather say he quit rather than he got beat. Kobe Bryant's Game 5 performance in the Finals is the perfect contrast to LeBron. In the last minute or so of the game, Kobe started getting desperate. He was nearly reckless in attacking the rim, and as the game wound down, he took desperate shots in a gamble to try and go for the win. For those who watched LeBron, he never did this in their losses. It seemed as if he didn't want people to know he really tried and just lost.

If LeBron really wants to prove he is a winner, I would suggest he start off by staying in Cleveland and building a contender there. I think Cleveland has done enough to show that they are willing to do this for him and with him. I'd go so far as saying that Cleveland management has done its part in showing their commitment to building a champion, it is actually LeBron (through his heart-less play) who actually needs to show he is on the same page. With the firing of Mike Brown and departure of Danny Ferry, Cleveland pretty much offers LeBron a blank check in building a contending team.

Aside from a new management team, Cleveland also appears to be in a good position in terms of their line-up and the salary cap. The key decisions in my opinion are as follows:

1. Can Mo Williams be James' Number 2? Williams has come up short the past 2 playoffs, coming up short when the Cavs are eliminated. If Williams is just a role player, the Cavs may be better off trading him for a cheaper player for the same role.

2. Is Antawn Jamison's salary slot commensurate to his role? Jamison is, at best, a third scorer on a contending team. If Williams does not pan out as James' sidekick, that leaves Cleveland with about 20 million tied to a couple of role players. As an expiring contract in 2010-11, he may have value for a team that plans to rebuild by next season, but he may be a bit overpriced as a 12 million third scorer. For that role, they would be better served to replace him with someone that costs half as much.

3. Re-sign Shaq and Ilgauskas to minimum contracts as role players. If these two big men are serious about winning being their only goal at this point in their careers, the Cavs should be able to convince them to sign for one year contracts at the veteran's minimum. Even if they cost the Cavs the mid-level exception, I'd say 5 million is a good investment to solidify your middle. They can also re-sign Shaq for the minimum and go for a younger center to team up with him.

4. With the additional money freed up, sign a worthy wingman to LeBron. Ideally this would be a power forward or center, to complement LeBron on the perimeter. I'd go for a sign and trade, offering Jamison (expiring contract next year) and Varejao (also in a sign and trade) for Chris Bosh. This gives them a worthy number 2 for LeBron, and places Mo Williams in a less critical role as the third scorer. For Toronto, this allows them to be a player in next year's free agent market and get something back for Bosh.

These are just some options that are ahead for them, but the key is LeBron's decision to stay. That will greatly impact their ability to convince players to sign for less than their value. As for LeBron, I think staying will do more for him proving he is a winner.

2010 Playoffs: Lakers-Celtics 2K Version

Despite the current NBA Finals being yet another championship to be settled by the Boston and LA franchises, I have to say that I don't get much of a feeling of rivalry between the modern version of these two teams. Having witnessed, or perhaps more appropriately, enjoyed, the 80s rivalry between Larry Bird's Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson's LA Lakers, I don't feel anything special for these two teams. My impression is the impact is no different than if it were an Orlando-LA series or a Boston-Phoenix matchup. I have to say that, except for the fans of Boston and LA, there is just nothing special about this championship matchup that would differentiate it from any other championship matchup in the last decade. There just isn't any "rivalry" between KG's Celtics (or Pierce's/Allen's/Rondo's Celtics) and Kobe's Lakers (or Gasol's/Artest's/Phil Jackson's Lakers). They just happen to be two teams who happen to face each other for the championship. There just doesn't seem to be the same "flavor" in the current version of teh matchup (or even the 08 version for that matter).

Looking back at the 80s version, it was Boston's bet for the all-time greatest player Larry Bird against LA's version of the all-time greatest player Magic Johsnson. It was LA's showtime, fastbreaking game against Boston's fundamentally sound, grind it out game. The key players of the teams also remained mostly constant. Boston featured Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis "DJ" Johnson, and Danny Ainge. LA backed-up Johnson with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, and Kurt Rambis. Aside from the main rivalry, there were numerous subplots: Cooper on Bird, McHale on Worthy, DJ on Magic, Parish's rebounding against Abdul-Jabbar's scoring.

So while this finals may end up being a classic in terms of how the teams and individual players perform, it just doesn't strike me the same way a Lakers-Celtics game did in the 80s. This is simply a match-up between the two best teams in the league this year, and it just happened that one was Boston and the other was LA. It's a matchup, but not much of a rivalry.

2010 Playoffs: Cleveland Chokaliers

The 2009-10 NBA season for the Cleveland Cavaliers ends without a championship. Again.

Despite a concerted effort to build a championship team during the offseason (Shaq, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon) and in the middle of the season (Jamison, re signing Ilgauskas), LeBron James and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers will again watch the NBA finals from their homes after being whipped in 6 games by the geriatric Boston Celtics.

Before joining the other speculators on where James will play next year, let me first say that I think James should stay in Cleveland, if he really wants to prove he is a winner. Late in Game 6, one of the announcers, Mark Jackson I believe it was, mentioned that it was time for James to take charge. It was not the time for James to play pick and roll or dish off and expect his teammates to step up, rather, it was time for him to lead by example and take charge. An assessment of Cleveland's play in Game 5 & 6 led to the conclusion that the Cavaliers as a team simply quit, led by none other than their superstar LeBron. Cleveland management did their part...they assembled the best team they could to try and win the title this year. Unfortunately, the players both individually and collectively just didn't get the job done. As they enter the offseason, the team needs to assess and answer the following questions:

1. Does LeBron have what it takes to be a winner? In Games 5 & 6, my honest assessment is that LeBron gave up on the game before his teammates did. Shaq showed more intensity and desire to win in games 5 & 6 than their supposed leader LeBron did. There just didn't seem to be any fight in him after the Cavs fell behind.

2. Is Mike Brown really any good as a coach? Despite his coach of the year award last year and his impressive regular season winning numbers, all I see in Brown is a coach who wins because he has a team stronger than every other team. He has not shown any indicator that he can coach a team to play at a higher level than simply matching the sum of the parts. And for the past two years, his team has lost to a weaker team, all the more indicative that his coaching does not add to the overall capability of the Cavs.

During the past two seasons, the Cavs have been the league's strongest team on paper. And yet, their on-court performance has not been able to even match up to the level of their talent. In fact, as their playoff flameouts have shown, they end up playing below their talent level. When that happens, and in the absence of any major personality issues within the team, that just means that the team's leaders have not been able to rally the team behind them and to get the team to perform as more than the sum of the parts. Simply put, Cleveland has failed to win the title the past few years because of a failure of leadership, both on the court (LeBron) and on the bench (Brown). And if LeBron really wants to show he is a winner, and that he can LEAD a team to a title (rather than just being a player on a championship team), he should stay with Cleveland and build on the core of this team for another run at the title. This year he learned how to congratulate his opponents after losing (after snubbing the Magic last year). Maybe this offseason he'll learn how to lead a team to a championship.

2010 Playoffs: Nowitzki, Kidd = Malone, Stockton?

The latest attempt by the Dallas Mavericks to win a championship has failed yet again, this time as early as the first round of the playoffs. Despite a line-up that is one of the strongest on paper: Caron Butler, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry at the wing positions, a two-headed center rotation of Erick Dampier and Brendan Haywood, plus role players in point guards JJ Barea and rookie Rodrigue Beaubois and veteran shooting guard Deshawn Stevenson, the Mavs were unceremoniously bounced by the San Antonio Spurs in 6 games.

With Nowitzki turning 32 in June, and Kidd having turned 37 in March, these two are running out of time and opportunities to win a title. While they haven't played much together, and have not gone to the Finals together, they may be the best point guard-power forward tandem of this decade to not win a title. Both actually have had their chances, albeit separately. Kidd led the Nets to back to back Finals appearances alongside Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. Nowitzki led the Mavs to the championship round the year before Kidd's return to Dallas, supported by Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Devin Harris, and Jerry Stackhouse.

It's too early to say who among the active players will never win a title...they may always be part of the next championship team. Nonetheless, let's see those who are on the road to being the title-less legends of this generation of players as compared to those who played in the 80s-90s:

ALL 80s/90s TEAM

C: Patrick Ewing

F: Karl Malone

F: Charles Barkley

G: John Stockton

G: Sidney Moncrief

C: Kevin Willis

F: Terry Cummings

F: Dominique Wilkins

G: Derek Harper

G: Rolando Blackman

F: Tom Chambers

G: Jeff Hornacek

ACTIVE PLAYERS (excludes those below 30 years old)

C: Jermaine O'Neal

F: Dirk Nowitzki

F: Tracy McGrady

G: Jason Kidd

G: Vince Carter

C: Brad Miller

F: Chris Webber

F: Peja Stojakovic

G: Steve Nash

G: Allen Iverson

C: Marcus Camby

F: Antawn Jamison

F: Ron Artest

F: Hedo Turkoglu

G: Mike Bibby

G: Baron Davis

I added a few more players to the current team, since one or more of them may still end up winning a title before finally hanging it up, particularly Antawn Jamison or Ron Artest this year. And while its too early to write off anyone below 30, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh seem to be the strongest candidates to follow the lead of those above.

NOTE: I just realized that Kevin Willis won a championship with the Spurs as a benchwarmer at age 40. Meanwhile, I missed out including Reggie Miller on that same team.

2010 NBA: Rookie DeJuan Blair

One of the more interesting rookies in the 2009 draft was DeJuan Blair. This was because opinions about him varied greatly. In the pre-draft discussions, his name was all over the first round, from being a mid lottery pick in some drafts as the best or second best power forward candidate, all the way to a late first round pick because he was an undersized rebounder with a history of knee problems. His supporters looked at his rebounding skills and wingspan, as well as a successful college career in a big time program (Pitt). His detractors, on the other hand, call attention to his being undersized for an inside player (6-7 and too bulky to develop into a wing player), as well as previous injuries to both knees. Despite all the flip flopping, however, he was still projected to go late in the first round at worst.

During the actual draft, he suffered the greatest fall. He was not drafted in the first round, and dropped all the way to the 37th pick where the San Antonio Spurs took a chance on him. It was a safe pick for the Spurs, a contending team with a solid, albeit ageing, lineup. They drafted a potential lottery talent with a second round pick. Considering the varying opinions about him, Blair would have been a safe pick anytime after the 20th pick, particularly for the stronger teams in the league. Portland, for one, drafted 2 power forwards (Victor Claver at 22 and Dante Cunningham at 33) ahead of Blair. There were a total of 9 power forwards drafted ahead of him.

A few games after the halfway point of the season, Blair has proven to be a steal of a second round pick. While he is no franchise saving pick, he has established himself as a solid rotation player and part time starter. While San Antonio has struggled, they are still ranked 5th in the Western Conference, and Blair has been a key member of the team. So far this year, he started 20 of his first 44 games, playing 18 minutes per game and contributing 7.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He had his career highs in the same game, a 28-point, 21-rebound performance making him the first rookie to get a 20-20 since his now veteran teammate Tim Duncan did it in 1998. Not to get ahead of ourselves, he is no candidate for rookie of the year, but is a legitimate candidate to make the all rookie second team.

Looking at the other power forwards drafted ahead of him, this is how Blair compares:

1. Blake Griffin: Despite missing the entire season due to injury, he is still the best power forward in the draft. He may not end up being the best player, but he should still develop into the best at his position in the draft.

8. Jordan Hill: Blair is having a more productive season than Hill, but Hill may end up with a better long term career. Hill was drafted for his potential, so his current skills and productivity should not be the basis for assessing this pick.

13. Tyler Hansbrough: The UNC alum is actually one of the few forwards with statistically comparable numbers to Blair (17.6 mpg, 8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg). He is a better scorer, but not as good a rebounder. As a 4-year collegian, Hansbrough is also pretty much as good as he will get. That said, I would say its a toss up between Hansbrough and Blair. Blair gives you a power game and strong rebounding, while Hansbrough offers better scoring and mobility.

16. James Johnson: The higher of two rookie power forwards for the Bulls, Johnson has turned out to be the less productive one. At this point in the season, he is a bench player who has not contributed much. Unless his career improves significantly, he should be considered a bust even as a late first round pick. Of course its too soon to tell, as most rookies need 2-3 years, but at this point, I'd say Blair would have been a better pick at this slot.

22. Victor Claver: One of 2 Blazer power forward picks ahead of Blair, Claver has not played in the NBA this year. He could turn out to be a productive player ala Marc Gasol, or end up being a bust. Given the Blazers' big man problems this year though, they could have used another big man to fill in for the injuries. Blair would have also been a good fit at this pick and would have logged extensive playing time for Portland due to the season ending injuries of their 2 centers, Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla. They are actually starting 39-year old Juwan Howard in the middle.

26. Taj Gibson: The lower and more productive of the Bulls' 2 first rounders, he does save the draft for Chicago since he would have been a worthwhile pick at 16 in place of Johnson. So far this year, he is perhaps the top power forward performer (with Griffin logging zero games), averaging 24.8 minutes, 8.4 points, and 6.5 rebounds. If we move Gibson up to Johnson's slot at 16, then Blair would also have been a good pick at 26.

27. DeMarre Carroll: Carroll has been a spot player for the Grizzlies, playing 12.8 minutes per game, with 3.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg. He could develop into a rotation player, but he probably won't become much better than Blair. I would also have taken Blair at this slot over Carroll as well.

31. Jeff Pendergraph: Drafted by Sacramento but traded to Portland, he started the season slow because of an injury, Pendergraph rejoined Portland just in time - after the back-to-back injuries to their centers. This has given him a slot in the rotation, playing more than 15 minutes a game. He has not been as productive as Blair in nearly similar minutes, however, scoring only 3.4 ppg and grabbing 3.7 rpg. I would also have gone with Blair here.

33. Dante Cunningham: Another Portland rookie with extensive playing time because of the center injuries, he may actually be playing more than he should. He is averaging a respectable 3.2 ppg and 2.4 rpg in nearly 10 minutes per game, but he would most likely have been playing less signficant minutes than he has so far. Again, Blair would probably have been more productive in this slot.

In hindsight, Blair would have been a decent pick at 13 (Hansbrough) and 16 (Johnson). Swapping Gibson for Johnson would have landed him no later than 26th. That is, of course, just considering teams drafting power forwards. If we consider teams drafting for talent and who may have taken him in hindsight, the right prediction would probably have been late lottery or mid first round pick. He is definitely better than the 37th player in the draft.

NBA Books

Over the past few years, I've managed to accumulate a number of books on the NBA. A significant number of them have been annuals, while others have featured players or teams. I have also probably lost some over the years, so now may be a good time to do an inventory of what I have.

ANNUALS/SEASON REPORTS
The Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball by Zander Hollander (1986 to the last known published edition in 1998)
Street & Smith's Guide to Pro Basketball (1994-95 to 1997-98)
Basketball Almanac (1994-95 to 1996-97)
Rick Barry's Pro Basketball Bible (1995-96 and 1996-97)
Stats Pro Basketball Handbook (1996-97)
Sporting News NBA Guide (87-88, 88-89, 90-91, 95-96, 96-97, 99-00, 03-04, 05-06)
Sporting News NBA Register (87-88, 88-89, 96-97, 99-00, 00-01, 03-04)
Martin Manley's Basketball Heaven 1990
Pro Basketball Prospectus 2003-04
2006-07 Kentucky Basketball Yearbook
2000-01 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook

FEATURES
Total Basketball Encyclopedia
The Official NBA Encyclopedia (3rd Edition)
NCAA Men's Basketball's Finest
Lute (Arizona University Head Coach Lute Olsen)
Bob Knight: His Own Man
Blue Blood (Duke-North Carolina rivalry)
Three Paths to Glory (one season following UNC, Duke, and NC State basketball)
Mindgame (Phil Jackson)
07 Seconds Or Less (Phoenix Suns)
The Basketball Book (Assorted facts on basketball)
The Art Of A Beautiful Game (various players)
Who's Better, Who's Best in Basketball
Only The Strong Survive (Allen Iverson)
Doc: The Rise & Rise of Julius Erving
Tip Off (1984 Draftees)
Phil Jackson - The Last Season
Can I Keep My Jersey (Paul Shirley)
Let Me Tell You A Story (Red Auerbach)
Magical Spartans (Michigan State University during Magic years)
Wake Forest (Wake Forest basketball history)
March To Madness (NCAA)
Top Of The World (Boston's 2008 championship run)
Williams - Hard Work (UNC Coach Roy Williams)
Loose Balls (ABA)
Keepin It Real (1997-98 following 5 NBA players: Charles Barkley, Chris Webber, Matt Maloney, Jerry Stackhouse, Vernon Maxwell)
Loose Balls (Jayson Williams)
Resilience (Alonzo Mourning)
The Perfect Team (choosing the 12 best players to form a team from the best in basketball history)
Nothing But Net (Bill Walton)
Kareem
Longshot (Lance Allred)
Mad Game (LA Lakers)
Just Ballin (New York Knicks)
To The Brink (Utah Jazz)
Blood On The Horns (Chicago Bulls)
Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac
NBA Rookie Experience (1997-98 NBA Draftees; Tim Duncan draft)
Watch Out For The Little Guys (Spud Webb, John Stockton, Isaiah Thomas)
Big Hoops (Big East season)
Magic & The Bird
Golden Boys (1992 Dream Team)
One Last Shot (Michael Jordan comeback with Washington)
Shaq Talks Back
Kobe
The Force (David Robinson)
Money Players (NBA players with possible gambling links)
Bird Watching
Drive (Vince Carter)
Drive (Larry Bird)
This Game's The Best (George Karl)
The Jordan Rules
Michael Jordan
Taking To The Air (Michael Jordan)
Grant Hill
When The Game Was Ours (Magic Johnson & Larry Bird)
Character Drive (Derek Fisher)

The titles in italics are those that I have not yet read, or am currently reading (Rise & Rise of Julius Erving and Top Of The World). I hope to be able to read all by end of the year.

Doctor J

One of the books I am reading now is about Julius "Dr. J" Erving. He was one of the stars of the NBA during the time that I first started to follow the NBA. That would have been around the 1984-85 playoffs. At that time, Erving was already on his last legs and would play two more full seasons, 1985-86 and 1986-87, before calling it quits.

While Erving does have impressive basketball credentials, including being named to the basketball hall of fame and one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, he is even better known for his character. While he does not seriously figure in debates about the greatest player of all time, he seems undisputed insofar as having been the best "person" among the stars of the sport. He seems to have been the only league star who was genuinely liked as a person by his opponents, and even to a significant extent, by opposing fans. Ultimately, while he does not figure significantly in the discussions about the greatest player of all time, and may not have been in the same class as Wilt, Russell, Bird, Magic, and Jordan as players, he seems to be head and shoulders above them as well as the rest of the NBA's greatest players when it comes to being a class act. Greater players have come and gone both before and after his time, but no one has come close as far as character is concerned.

2009 UAAP: Postscript

While the UAAP has been over and done with months ago, I actually only got to watch the deciding game of the championship this past weekend. There wasn't much to note about the game, as the superior line-up of the Ateneo just proved too much for the underdog UE squad. It did give me some more insights to close the year with.

Lawrence Chongson: I really didn't give this guy too much respect throughout the year. He didn't look like much of a coach, and in the game I watched, most of the coaching seemed to be done by the assistant coaches. He did earn my respect in Game 2 for the gutsy coaching gamble he took, which paid off. More than the coaching gamble, he also earned my respect as someone who respects the game's etiquette. While he displayed his class in Game 2 in a winning scenario, he showed in Game 3 that he had the same class and respect for the game even in defeat. He went over to the Ateneo side with still some seconds left in the game to congratulate not only the winning coach but also the players on the bench. Again, he asked his players not to shoot on the last possession anymore with the game's result beyond doubt. For me, he's a class act - respectful of opponents and also of the game's subtler etiquette.

Jai Reyes: Jai improved tremendously over last year, and improved consistently throughout the year. From an inconsistent gunner, shaky ballhandler, and insignificant playmaker, he took control of the team this year. His shooting improved throughout the year, and perhaps was at its best when he led a depleted Ateneo 5 to the PCCL championship. In the UAAP finals, he showed he could be the team's primary playmaker and ran the offense smoothly. He was Ateneo's primary playmaker this year, unlike last year where this was the job of Ateneo's wing players Chris Tiu and Ryan Buenafe. He also was no longer an easy turnover for opponents, having significantly improved his ballhandling. He did step up in the end, finishing the season as, arguably, Ateneo's third most important player behind fellow seniors, big men Rabeh Al Husseini and Nonoy Baclao.

Nonoy Baclao: While he was not the finals MVP this year, watching the game gives you an idea of his value beyond statistics. I still believe that the biggest challenge for Ateneo will be replacing Baclao, more than Al Husseini or Jai. It will be harder to find replacements for his intangibles and on-court instincts than for the developed skills of the other 2 seniors.

FEU & Game Fixing: If Pari Llagas played for FEU, he would probably have been accused of throwing Game 3 and gotten kicked off the team after a sub-par performance. Personally I think the guy just had a bad game. FEU though can't give their players this benefit of the doubt. That's the problem when your team official, Anton Montinola, is the biggest goon and gambler around. I still find it plausible that he was the one who ordered the hit on Mac Baracael, and would not be surprised if there were games when he bet against his own team.