E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Vimu Subscription

NBA Loud - by Arnold

Player News New York Knicks - NBA Loud

The 2008 NBA Draft

July 1st 2008 03:49

I’d like to post about the previously finished NBA Draft. A lot of trades were completed/proposed making this years draft exciting and noteworthy. In this first post I will be going through the top five picks and thereafter with updates and all you need to know up to the minute stats and transactions.

Let’s get this post draft analysis going with the first overall pick for the Chicago Bulls DERRICK ROSE. Rose out of Memphis has a solid NBA body and can take the punishment as a player in the paint. He will mold himself into whatever type of player his team needs him to be as evident by the video below. He is one of the most ready-type players to enter the league. A truly solid addition to any team, kind of makes me think of the miss of Jay Williams. In which whom the Bulls took as the savior type PG years ago before he had his motorcycle accident stifling his promising career. With this pick Chicago puts themselves back into contention for a playoff spot in the East.

This video shows how Rose can affect the game as he will become a solid NBA-PG.

# 2

Undoubtedly the Miami Heat selected MICHAEL BEASLEY out of Kansas State. This PF needs no introduction to basketball fans as his huge wingspan makes up for any negativity about his height at the four spot. One of the perfect teams for Beasley to go to, I think his character issues would only become apparent if he were to have to battle with a solid proven veteran for his starting spot. He will be going in battling Udonis Haslem who has seen his stock drop as he needs to create more of his own offence. The heat I am sure are not finished in tweaking their team for the 08/09 season. Marion though will alleviate any concerns of the rookie being overmatched down-low as he is almost like an extra PF out there sometimes with his rebounding efforts and hustle in trying to make the right plays.

# 3

Minnesota at the third spot went with OJ MAYO, who I have seen and been hearing about for a good number of years. Mayo will be a solid two as at 6’4” 200lbs he is limited in selected positions, but this guy is just a born scorer and if he ends up in Grizz-town, look for him to team up with Rudy Gay as Mike Miller was moved with Memphis making the choice to let him go after he admittedly carried the Grizzlies last season at times. In return Minnesota looks to get #5 Kevin Love. I am in love with this deal as the T-Wolves send Antoine Walker also to MEM. Minnesota gets the scoring they desperately need and character guys, to build around. I know what fans may be thinking and no this isn’t the second coming of Wally World, Mike Miller is a gamer playing all three spots from 1-3 for the Grizz and did whatever was asked, as he became a versatile and proven scorer, unlike streaky Szczerbiak.

# 4

Russell Westbrook a surprise at number four as the top three had virtually been decided weeks beforehand. Westbrook though an unexpected pick is an explosive guard that will do well in this league especially when Seattle gets all the parts and can continuously run up and down with Durant and Green. The Sonics clearly want a guard that can break down the D and get up and down the court at breakneck speeds. They have found that guy with Westbrook. People want to compare him to NBA champion Rajon Rondo and maybe Monta Ellis, he is long and skinny and extremely athletic, time will tell if he can make the right passes for a long career with Durant by his side.

# 5

Care of NBADraft.net

Memphis picks Kevin Love at the number five spot and in turn will be sending him to Minnesota in the deal outlined in the third pick paragraph. Love is solid, not an athlete like the Grizz love at the four spot, but the T-Wolves just need ballers in which Kevin is for sure. Down-low he will be helped by Al Jefferson for sure on defense. Also he will have a great passer in Mike Miller to get the ball to him in good spots. I like Kevin Love on a solid team a rebuilding team he may flourish or sink as he’ll need to create his own offence and may struggle with the speed of the NBA at first.

Vote

Shared on

NBA Loud

Travis Friends

Add Comments

Email this Post to a Friend

Stephon Marbury, Isiah Thomas and the Knicks Come to Metaphoric and Literal Blows.

November 15th 2007 10:14

Dwayne Wade is back for the Miami Heat, Boston keep on winning, Kevin Durant and his Sonics win their first game, but you know what? We here are ashamed to admit this, but we aren’t going to cover any of these much, more, worthier stories. What we are going to do here at NBALOUD is going down the gutter with the New York Knicks and Stephon Marbury.

It hasn’t been a great summer for the Knicks, coach Isiah Thomas, and Stephon Marbury, with all of the aforementioned entities having their reputations dragged through mud. Thomas and the Knicks with their sexual harassment suit, and the revelation that Starbury engaged in sexual intercourse with an intern on the back of a truck. Oh, Marbury is married too, and the

Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury shake hands.

Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury: two peas in a pod. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

person he was getting jiggy with wasn’t his wife.

So, what is the latest saga to befall the team from Gotham? Well, it seems that a couple days ago, Isiah Thomas decided to get tough with his point guard and bench him for one game due to his poor play. Stephon, apparently didn’t like this news and followed Olivia Newton-John’s advice and got physical with his coach. After the altercation, Marbury left the team without a valid reason.

Now, this is all speculation and hearsay because according to Marbury he was granted permission to leave the team. Thomas, whose reputation since retiring from playing has been, how can we say it, less than stellar, said otherwise. According to the Knicks coach, Steph just got up and bailed on the team.

Isiah Thomas must be having flashbacks to his time in court because it has turned out to be a battle of he, said, er, he said. Although, it must be said, both parties in this instance are about as low as you can get in terms of carrying any sort of substance with their ‘immaculate’ reputations.

It is both unexpected, and not so surprising that the Thomas/Marbury relationship has come to this. Isiah has enabled his point guard to behave in such an obscenely selfish manner for so long, Marbury, was going to go Starbury on him one day.

Not only did, Thomas exercise tough love, but more or less hung, Steph to dry at the most inappropriate moment. Well, it must be said that, Marbury didn’t cover himself in glory either by threatening to go the press with all of the dirty secrets that Isiah harbours.

Ah, well now that you all have been briefed on the going-ons in this sordid drama. The natural question is: What happened? Marbury returned to the fold and got significant playing time, whilst being $195, 000 lighter in the hip pocket.

Essentially, the Knicks once again proved in terms of wasting exceedingly precious energy on things that don’t matter, they are the best in the league. You can label New York, the ‘Bizarro Spurs’.

Oh, do you know what else my dear readers? The Knicks, Thomas and Marbury all deserve each other, and what is transpiring between them right now is because the karmic gods deem it to be so.

Today’s video displays Steph at his most strangest. He is either high or drunk in this interview. Car crash television at its best.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: Team News, Player News, New York Knicks

Email this Post to a Friend

Willis Reed: A Giant Amongst Giants.

September 26th 2007 23:19

(Image from nba.com)

When we’re talking about NBA greats that don’t get enough recognition from modern day fans, Willis Reed would be one of those on top of the list. Continuing with our New York Knicks theme of recent days, Reed is arguably the greatest Knick of all-time.

Patrick Ewing may have been more talented but Willis was the ultimate Knick.

Date of Birth: 25 June, 1942.
Height: 6’10”
College: Grambling State
Draft: Drafted by the New York Knicks, 1964. (10th overall)
Points per Game: 18.7
Rebounds per Game: 12.9
Honours: Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1982); NBA champion (1970, '73); NBA MVP (1970); All-NBA First Team (1970); All-NBA Second Team (1967, '68, '69, '71); NBA All-Defensive Team (1970); Rookie of the Year (1965); One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996).

Before Reed came onto the scene at Madison Square Garden, the New York franchise was woeful. Actually, the Knicks were an insult to the term ‘woeful’. They were something else that was unimaginable. New York only managed one winning season between 1955-56 to 1966-67, and for anyone counting that is 11 out of 12 seasons of ineptitude. And to really drive the point home of how, shall we say it? Turd-like the Knicks were, they finished last, nine times during the same 12 year period. Ugh.

In saying all of this, those Knicks teams probably would still lay a beat down on the current squad.

Gotham’s Batman would come to save the day via the 1964 Draft, where he would make an immediate impact from the very outset. Willis would score 46 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, the second highest point total in one game for a Knicks rookie. He would go on to finish as the seventh highest scorer in the league, fifth in rebounding, named to his first All-Star game, and become the first Knick named as rookie of the year. In a classic bit of understatement, not a bad season there.

Reed was not only big and strong, but he was a lefty that used his basketball skills to great effect. If you locked him down low, he’d take you outside with his sweet shooting touch. Or, he’d just bully you in the paint with his bulk and that would be all she wrote. Off the ball, he

(Image from nba.com)

would do the yeomen work – setting brutal picks freeing up his teammates, or taking pride in his rebounding efforts.

Although, the Knicks were infinitely better with Reed on board, they continued to struggle, whilst making the necessary personnel changes to develop a winning unit. From top-to-bottom the organisation began to flush out the dead weight and adding winners.

New York’s savvy personnel moves culminated in the dramatic 1970 Final against the storied Los Angeles Lakers. The series that would immortalise Reed in the annals of legendary Finals performers.

It was the seventh and final game of the championship, and Willis Reed had not played in Game 6 after tearing his thigh muscle in the prior game. This enabled Wilt Chamberlain to go on a rampage, scoring 45 points and grabbing 27 rebounds!!! The series was now tied 3-3.

The prospects of Reed playing in this game were dim – the injury was bad and when his teammates were warming up, he wasn’t even courtside.

“I wanted to play," Reed recalls. "That was for the championship, the one great moment you play for all your life. I didn't want to have to look at myself in the mirror 20 years later and say I wished I had tried to play.” (NBA.com)

Willis would take a painkilling injection and moments before tip-off would limp through the tunnel where a delirious New York crowd began cheering him on, realising what was happening – the big fella was playing. The captain and leader was back, and the Lakers were shook: “I saw the whole Laker team standing around staring at this man," said Knicks guard Walt Frazier. "When I saw that, when they stopped warming up, something told me we might have these guys!” (NBA.com)

On the opening tip, Reed lined up against Chamberlain and scored the first two baskets for his team. Those would be his only points for the game but the inspiration his teammates drew from his efforts resulted in a comprehensive win and a championship. Willis would win the Finals MVP, capping off an extraordinary season where he also took out the regular season MVP and All-Star game MVP as well.

Today’s video is of Reed’s legendary 1970 Finals performance.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: Player News, New York Knicks

Email this Post to a Friend

Walt Frazier: One Supafly Guy!

September 24th 2007 11:36

Let’s state an obvious fact – having the flu sucks! Not to mention being

(Image from NBA.com)

sick, whilst being on holidays and back home. So, lame.

Anyway, this space is all about basketball, rather than my whinging, so let’s get it on!

Anyone who has been visiting this space, or has a working knowledge of the current going-ons in the NBA universe, would be familiar with how badly the New York Knicks are faring right now. It would be fair to say, that they are at their lowest ebb right now, with numerous major figures in the organisation, and the franchise itself, under siege from negative publicity.

Believe it or not, the Knicks weren’t always associated with bad basketball and shady, overpaid players. New York is the spiritual home of basketball and in the 70s the Knicks were the most fly team in the league, led by the ever so cool, Walt “Clyde” Frazier. He brought the funk to basketball, and his dress sense was the talk of the town. Clyde, was a hip cat and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.

From 1967 to 1977, Frazier ruled the Knicks, leaving such an impression on the franchise that when his time was up, he left the team with the most points, assists and games played for the organisation. Walt was the ultimate supafly guy.

Date of Birth: 29 March, 1945.
Height: 6’4”
College: Southern Illinois University
Draft: 1967. Fifth overall pick by the Knicks.
Average Points per Game: 18.9
Average Assists per Game: 6.1
Average Rebounds per Game: 5.9
Honours: Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1987); NBA champion (1970, '73); All-NBA First Team (1970, '72, '74, '75); All-NBA Second Team (1971, '73); Seven-time All-Defensive First Team (1969-75); Seven-time NBA All-Star (1970-76); All-Star MVP (1975); One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996).

Nicknamed “Clyde” from Bonnie and Clyde fame, Frazier was as bad as they would come on the basketball court – bad, in the ‘good’ sense if you know what we mean.

Frazier, excelled in not only basketball, but baseball, and most notably football as well. Clyde was one of those kids in which sport came naturally to them. In fact, Frazier learnt the game of basketball on a crappy, dirt playground, which was the only venue where there was some semblance of a basketball court in an all-black school in the racially charged atmosphere of 1950s America.

As an excellent quarterback, Clyde was offered numerous scholarships for his football playing prowess, but had more of an eye towards the NBA because, well, let the man give

(Image from NBA.com)

the reasoning as to why he chose to follow the path to the hardwood: “I was looking hopefully to the day when I could play pro ball, and there were no black quarterbacks on the pro scene then.” (NBA.com)

Black quarterbacks still have a hard time, just ask, Donovan McNabb.

Starring in college, Frazier would fulfil his ambition of playing pro-basketball and would become the Knicks fifth pick in 1967. The rookie started off slowly, but when Red Holzman took over midway through the season, Clyde would flourish and was on his way towards becoming a Knicks icon. By the end of the season, Clyde would be named on the All-Rookie Team, along with his teammate – a certain player by the name of Phil Jackson.

Clyde had exceptional vision, speed and hands, becoming one of the first players in the NBA to really utilise the steal as an offensive weapon.

Unlike the Knicks of the modern era, the 70s version was a well balanced and smart team that was picked with an eye towards chemistry. This is a far cry from today, where there is no eye towards any semblance of building a team, but rather a hodge-podge of overpaid parts with little basketball IQ.

New York were such an exceptionally gifted defensive team that in the 1969-70 season, the legendary Willis Reed, who was the team’s top scorer, was only the 15th leading points man in the NBA.

The 1970 Final saw Los Angeles, with Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, match-up with Clyde’s Knicks and it was a battle to savour. This dream Finals reached a crescendo in the legendary Game 7 performance of Willis Reed who after injury would come back and lead his team to the title on one foot.

After helping the Knicks breakthrough with their first title, here is what Walt had to say about winning a championship: “I felt as pumped up as I ever have on a basketball court…I always tried to hit the open man when I played, but that night I was the open man. There's no doubt that '69-70 championship team was the highlight of my career. I think of that team every day.” (NBA.com)

Two seasons later, teamed up with Earl “the Pearl” Monroe, Frazier would reach the dizzying heights again of an NBA title, earning the esteem of the New York public, forever more.

Today’s video features, Clyde. Coolness.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: Player News, New York Knicks

Email this Post to a Friend

Everybody Loves Kevin!

July 2nd 2007 11:13

The Kevin Garnett sweepstakes just keeps getting more interesting with KG having more suitors than Jessica Alba on a navy ship that has been at sea for 10 years.

First, Boston was the initial team linked to the Big Ticket, next it was Phoenix, now it is Dallas and Golden State bringing the roses and the champagne to Minnesota.

G-State has become a big player in this year’s free agency market due to the $10 million exception from the Jason Richardson trade with Charlotte. The Warriors have admitted to the press that they have held talks with the Wolves and are busily trying to hammer out an agreement.

On offer from the Warriors in trying to entice Minnesota to take the trade bait are the newly acquired Brandan Wright, Monta Ellis and Patrick O’Bryant. Minnesota has asked for Andris Biedrins, but the Bay Area boys are offering Al Harrington instead.

Wow, the NBA resembles a bargain basement bazaar in a lot of ways – the only thing missing is some knock off Burberry and Louis Vuitton gear to make the market vibe complete.

Now onto the sordid world of the New York Knicks which is starting to resemble a bad

Maybe the Knicks need a visit from Sexual Harassment Panda. (Image from wikipedia)

daytime soap opera. Former executive Anucha Browne Sanders is suing coach Isiah Thomas and the Knicks organisation for sexual harassment.

Sanders alleges in court papers filed that Thomas asked a dance choreographer to flirt with officials before a game in 2004 and make “them happy”. (AP, 2007)

Anucha has accused the Knicks of sacking her due to the fact that she was attempting to stop the sexual harassment that was allegedly permeating through the franchise, while New York has countered that she was canned due to failure to fulfil her professional duties.

Interesting times in Gotham.

Finally, China’s top draft prospect Yi Jianlian had his first hit out after being picked up by the Milwaukee Bucks as the sixth pick. Yi in the under 19 world championships suited up against the US team and scored 15 points, while grabbing eight boards in China’s 91-75 loss.

Jianlian had just one practice session with his fellow teammates and struggled coming off the bench. Yi finally got his game on in the final quarter scoring 11 points but the game was already out of reach.

When asked if he had any contact with the Bucks organisation he replied: “I don’t want to talk about that.” (AP, 2007)

Today’s video is of number one draft pick Greg Oden working out with the Blazers.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: Player News, New York Knicks

Email this Post to a Friend

[ NBA Loud Home ] [ Create A New Post ]

Moderated by Arnold

Orble

Orble Homepage

Start an Orble Blog

Subscribe to DailyOrble

Receive a daily e-mail of Orble's most popular posts