FreeDarko's Book! Pre-order it!

I may not be the hugest FreeDarko fan on the planet, but it is always cool to see a fellow sports blog become successful enough to actually take a book to print.

FreeDarko is definitely known for writing some of the more creative and thought provoking (hilarious too) material in the NBA world and it has obviously been good enough to take it to that next step.

Their first book is titled FreeDarko presents: The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac and looks to contain tons of their signature art along with some amazing material on their favorite ballers. You can pre-order this now in it's hard cover form.

Make sure to always support your fellow sports bloggers!

Introducing: The Sports Dollar Job Board

Just wanted to let everyone know that our partner site, The Sports Dollar has just gone forward with a new idea in a sports blogging related job board! This job board's basic premise is to allow sports sites to post jobs that their site or blog may need and to also give bloggers, freelance writers, graphic designers or whatever else you can think of, a chance to find work in this wonderful world of sports blogging.

Please stop by The Sports Dollar to check it out if you are looking for work! For you needy sports sites out there, you should be able to find promotions going on all over the place to allow cheap postings to get the ball really rolling with this thing. If you head over to our partner, you will find a 75% off coupon code that will allow you to post a job for a whoppin' $2.50 which is quite the deal.

Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions about this new venture. This is just another step in the growth of the online sports world and we are taking what we think are the correct measures to make everyone realize this.

10 Ways to get Ray Allen Back on Track

It's time for my boy Ray Ray to get out of that damn slump. I may not be the biggest Celtics fan, in fact I can't stand 'em, but I do love Ray Allen. So smooth, so silky, and so sexy! Woo! I hate seeing him struggle like this and I thought I could help out with a nice list of ideas to jump him right out of this nasty little slide.


11. Remind him that he was once Jesus which allowed him to sleep with a young and sassy Rosario Dawson.

10. Remind him to read the Celtics Blog!

9. Remind him that he was #4 on our Pretty Boy List, which is a damn honor.

8. Remind him that just 2 years ago, he hit 269 threes! Wow.

7. Remind him that a skinny #32 with a face mask on the other team actually WON a championship with UConn.

6. Remind him that the owner of that shoe company that sponsors him managed to win 3 titles after the age of 33, so age should not be an excuse.

5. Remind him that shooting jumpers before the game with his shirt off will not help. (Did anyone else see that?)

4. Remind him that the "luck of the irish" can happen by rubbing Doc Rivers belly.

3. Remind him of that some people confuse Allen Ray for him. That should irritate the hell out of him.

2. Remind him that 54 points in a game was just a few years ago.

1. Oh lord...and remind him that he made this video for TNT...about the fundamentals of jump shooting.

Let's get it together Ray! Your boys squeaked one out tonight, but they'll need you the rest of the way damnit!

What's Awesome in the NBA: Episode 1

• The Jay-z & LeBron talk is everywhere! Jigga/Hova/Sean Carter was even at the NBA Draft Lottery tonight in New York. How awesome is that?

• The Chicago Bulls and their 2% chance of winning the #1 pick in the draft...actually did it! (Blog A Bull too!) You go Bennie the Bull and beat up another cop! Flat out awesome.

• Maurice Cheeks of the Sixers is campaigning for Zach "Z-bo" Randolph? Hah! So awesome. Wait, is this true Dannie?

• Did Charles Barkley actually say that he would quit gambling? Yes he did! Do we believe him? No! Just imagine he and Jordan on the golf course or in a casino. Do you really think MJ is going to let off of Sir Charles? Hah...awesome. Another link. And again. One more.

• Refs that cheat, gamble and get arrested! So awesome that...nevermind. Go away already story.
  

East vs. West - We're Finally Here!

With the first and second rounds out of the way, I feel almost refreshed to the NBA. The top 4 teams in the NBA have finally been set aside and I’m not sure that anyone should really be surprised. The “Final Four” of the NBA should bring out the best basketball in the world from the 4 best teams in the world. Not only have they been tested, (some more than others) but they have all won major battles or overcome injuries to key players in order to get to this place. These teams reached this point without excuses, but by playing their asses off against other top teams in rowdy road arenas yet, still persevering.


The Boston Celtics vs. The Detroit Pistons

As the supposed “top” team in the NBA, the Celtics have struggled mightily through the first 2 rounds and have yet to win a game on the road. They may have had the best record during the regular season, but it is obvious that this team is playing at a lower level now. They’ve managed to squeak through against weaker opponents, but will now face the “Beast of the East” in the Detroit Pistons. They’ll need to bind back together as they once did during the regular season and certain key players will need to find the greatness we’re accustomed to (cough…Ray).

Can they pull together once again and find a way to advance? The battles with Detroit during the regular season were noteworthy and I assure you these Playoff match-ups will be no different.

What about Detroit? Detroit is entering their 6th straight Eastern Conference Final and will obviously have a good feel for the pressure and atmosphere that this series will bring. They’ve done this many times by playing their “blue collar” style and the Celtics better come ready. The physicality of the series could weigh too heavy on the Celtics who have played 14 Playoff games in less than a month. I’m expecting the Pistons (if Chauncey plays) to move past the Celtics with ease. It may go 6 games, but we all know that the Pistons will take a game off here or there to finish up at home. I’d love to see a Celtics vs. Lakers Finals, but the early Playoff showings of Boston have been a complete disappointment.


The Los Angeles Lakers vs. The San Antonio Spurs

I never thought these words would come out of my mouth but, GO LAKERS! After watching the Spurs’ poise and experience dismantle the young Hornets last night, my hatred for them has grown to Edward Norton as the Incredible Hulk ridiculousness proportions. There has been bantering that if the Spurs allow Kobe to drop 40 a game and contain the rest of the team that they will roll through the series. Maybe, but something in my mind is telling me that Kobe will laugh at any strategy the Spurs throw at him and will do something incredible this series; something that we will remember for years to come.

Are the Spurs just too damn good though? Possibly. But are they also old as hell? Yes. Many believe that this could be the last year for the Spurs “dynasty” with many of their players hitting their peak long ago. Expect one last push from the “Big 3” and also expect to be annoyed by 25 Longoria camera shots per game. (The state of the series)

You may have reason to believe the Spurs are a dirty team, but those reasons will come full circle once this series has been completed. This series will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the greats of all time. Kobe vs. Duncan. Phil vs. Pop. Scrappy, chippy and gritty play from both teams will leave us all breathless after each game; strap on those Playoff seat belts and cheer with me as the Spurs dynasty comes to an end.

Sorry...

I'm apologizing for the lack of activity here at Le Basketbawl over the last few weeks. We've really been struggling with the playoffs for whatever reason. This being our first year in the basketball blog world, we've found a lack of topics now that the playoffs have started.

That may sound a little crazy since the playoffs have been so damn good this year, but we also don't find it all that meaningful to write the same recap post that everyone else has written after each game. Also with there being just 1 to 2 games per night, it really becomes difficult to not beat that damn horse over and over.

Our goal has always been to dig up the unheard of story or basketball blurb, and right now there just aren't many of those. We definitely aren't leaving or shutting down the site as we have enjoyed the hell out of our first year in the biz, so please bare with us!

Quote of the Year: NBA on the Billups Shot

"We determined that the play that concluded with Chauncey Billups' three-point field goal at the end of the third quarter took approximately 5.7 seconds. Because there were only 5.1 seconds remaining in the quarter when the play began, the shot would not have counted had the clock continued to run."

"But under NBA rules, the referees had to make their own decision as to whether or not the shot was launched in time due to the clock malfunction without using video review or another timing device to aid a split-second call. The referees followed proper procedure in addressing the clock malfunction by estimating the elapsed time and using their judgement as to whether the shot was taken in time."

-Joel Litvin, President of Basketball Operations for the NBA

My response: Estimating elapsed time using judgement? Umm...what? They estimated that the play took place in 4.8 seconds or something when in actuality the play was 5.7 seconds long? Very nice estimation guys.

Referees aren't paid to tell time. That is why we have a clock and a replay. Change the damn rules NBA.

Quick Rant: The Pistons are just better.

Can we stop complaining about Chauncey’s 3rd quarter buzzer beater? If you really think this shot was the reason the Magic lost then you are an absolute fool. Games aren’t won or lost on 3rd quarter controversial buzzer beaters people.

Yeah, yeah…argue that it changed the momentum or something weak like that. Well if that’s your argument, then explain to me how the refs and announcers and everyone else in the world, discussing the situation for 10+ minutes during the game, builds on that momentum. Everyone in the place knew that the call was botched and realizing you just got a freebie doesn’t necessarily mean, “Weehee! It’s momentum time!”

I keep hearing that the Magic were “screwed” and with the “technology the league has, they should have been able to get it right.” Well first off, the Magic lost that game plain and simple. “Live and die by the 3” sound familiar to anyone? Secondly, the league may have the technology but the RULES do not allow them to replay the call. What they should have done was re-do the entire play and I’m actually still wondering why they didn’t.

I guess if that would have happened the Magic would have won though, right? You know, because the team that has been to 5-6 straight Eastern Conference Championships is just a push-over.

Wade starts working that damn knee!

According to the Miami Herald, Dwyane Wade will start his off season rehab program in Chicago with Michael Jordan’s former trainer, Tim Grover. It sounds like the goal is for Wade to be ready enough to convince Team USA to allow him to play in this summer’s Olympic Games. Wait…what?

The guy has missed almost 2 seasons with an ailing knee and shoulder and just checked out the final 15 or so games of the regular season to prepare for the next. So how does taking time off for a few months and then crash coursing it during the summer for the Olympics make any sense to the Heat? The guy hasn’t finished a season for 2 straight years and you are going to let him tear his body up right before the NBA season starts? Oh, and new coach Erik Spoelstra wants to play an uptempo, slashing, dunking offense? How on Earth does this make sense to anyone?

I’m afraid we’ve seen the best D-Wade will ever be unless Grover works some miracle or unless Wade really does adapt his game like MJ did to prolong his career.

Billups wins NBA's Citizenship Award

Don’t ask me why, but I was surprised to hear that Chauncey had won the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. When I think of him, his on court play doesn’t scream “Hey, I do all kinds of crazy stuff for charity!” However, after reading this article I feel like an idiot, plain and simple.

The past winners like KG, Nash, Reggie Miller, Dikembe, and David Robinson all seemed like obvious choices during the years they had won. When you read this article, it brings to light a whole other side of Billups that you wish you had known beforehand. The article lists at least 4 different organizations he deals with and each organization is different and is not strictly focused on basketball. Many of them involve bringing kids to games as part of the program, but the focus is not on athletics. Many of the organizations focus on academics, rather than making the next NBA superstar which I greatly admire.

Another interesting highlight from the article was the acknowledgement of Ron Artest as one of the five finalists for the award. We all know of the trouble Ron gets into on and sometimes even off the court, so to see his name as a finalist is a pretty big deal. He may lead a whacko personal life, but he still manages to find time to give back to his communities and to children. (Maybe he’s so busy with charities that he forgot to feed those dogs? Cheap shot! Not necessary I know!)

The point is that articles like these should happen more often. I think many of us get caught up in the game itself and the personalities we see from players on the court, when off the court they are completely different people. Obviously, you’d be a fool not to realize that, but I just feel at times we get so caught up in a hard foul or ejection that switches our mind completely into “He’s a horrible guy!” mode.

Congrats Chauncey!

How are the Hornets "Feeling" to You?

I think it’s pretty clear that we operate on the “feel” test here at Le Basketbawl, so we’re wondering how everyone is “feeling” about the Hornets at this point?

They have definitely put on quite the show this year and even though I wasn’t sure if they were for real, they continue to prove me wrong. I’m still not getting the “feeling” that they can win it all though.

They almost “feel” a little bit like the Mavericks of 2 years ago. You know, the team that surprisingly rolled to the Finals to face the big dog Miami Heat only to fall short somehow with the series in hand. They have this young core group of players that have gotten really hot lately and everything is flowing so nicely, but in the East we have those cagey veteran Celtics that would love to abuse their lack of experience in an NBA Finals setting.

Now, in no way am I comparing Chris Paul to Dirk because I would expect a fat double slap to the face from every one of you, but I do “feel” like something is missing. I think it has to be experience…oh and they’ll have to go through a certain Laker player.

Let me have your thoughts!

Sick of "1 Year in College" Whining yet?

I sure as hell am.

How many articles can one write about college basketball now being a “minor league” program? ZZZZZZZZZZ…and put me to bed.

I’m not sure I really care if a player is forced to go to a college of choice for one year and then run off to the NBA. To me the rule is genius, so let’s break it down.

The situation: High school basketball prospects are forced to play one year of college basketball or be 19 years of age before they can become eligible to enter the NBA draft or sign with an NBA team.

• The college benefits by having a superstar NBA prospect for one year…

• The NBA benefits by not having an 18 year old flop…

• The college benefits by having a chance to run straight to an NCAA Chip just like Ohio State almost did with Greg Oden…

• The NBA just saved itself $3+ million by not drafting Jonathan Bender…

• The college just created more buzz for next year’s recruits…

• The NBA just landed itself a more mature and well rounded basketball player…

• The college just landed on TV more and made itself a ton more revenue…

• The NBA now had a chance to evaluate a kid they were looking at for a full year…

• College now has 51* more superstar matchups…

• The NBA is no longer a pre-school…

• College kids that stay for 4 years** have never proven to be better NBA players…

Wow, that is quite a few benefits to both the NBA and NCAA. Here is one negative just to make the NCAA whiners happy:

• There are now, way to many hungry scouts looking to make a buck, so we are stuck with morons from UTEP thinking they are legitimate NBA first rounders.

*51 = the number of underclassmen that entered this year’s draft.
**See Mark Madsen, Ed O’Bannon, and Tyler Hansbrough..

What's the deal with the Wizards?

Someone explain to me why the Washington Wizards decided it was OK to talk trash and bully up LeBron? And when are they going to quit this nonsense?

First of all, as a #5 seed, you have no right to talk trash on anyone. Wait, wait…as a #5 seed in the EAST, you have even less credibility and should never be allowed to open your mouth on ANYTHING. “ToolBox” Stevenson (Yes I coined that.) and Haywood seem to feel the need to open their mouth after every single game or every single lone bucket made during game. We get hand waves and shimmies from “ToolBox” and “Stop Whining!” comments from that big sloppy Haywood character.

Haywood insists that LeBron just “shut up and play” but yet he keeps opening his mouth about LeBron every chance he gets. Is this some secret man-crush or love affair? A little jealousy? When are you going to figure out that talking trash to one of the top players in the entire world is not a good thing? Especially when you are a NOBODY.

And enough with this hacking, pushing, thugging bullsh!t that you tools keep forcing in each of these games. This is basketball not f-ing football. That old excuse of “We are just playing tough ball because it’s the Playoffs” is the most absurd BS I think I’ve ever heard. When the game turns into an almost brawl at every foul, it is no longer considered basketball.

At least Caron Butler finally shut these two morons up and is trying to focus them on actually playing ball the rest of the series. And finally the NBA realized the Wizards pathetic tactic against LeBron and suspended Songalia for his cheap shot. Haywood should have been suspended games ago after the countless shots he took at LeBron and “ToolBox” should have been kicked just for inviting Soulja Boy and giving him 5 more minutes in the spotlight. That tells you all you need to know about “ToolBox” Stevenson; anyone that is actually a fan of a YouTube star and invites him to sit courtside is a complete waste of breath.

GG Jay-Z.

More Testicular Cancer in Basketball?

ESPN.com just reported that senior guard for the Tennessee Volunteers, Chris Lofton, had testicular cancer in 2007. The cancer was found when Lofton was randomly picked for a drug test following a Sweet 16 loss to Ohio State. Talk about the only time you've heard a random drug test being a positive thing, huh?

This is the second time this year we've heard of basketball players coming up with testicular cancer at such an early age. Nene of the Nuggets was diagnosed with the same thing and had a tumor removed just this past season. Fortunately the surgery went fine and he even returned to play some minutes down the stretch as the Nuggets made their late season push into the playoffs.

Should we start to worry about this as a recurring issue with young basketball players? I really hope that isn't the case but if this trend keeps up, someone may want to start doing some research.

Dennis Rodman Arrested...oh boy.

Is Rodman getting arresting again all that surprising? Probably not but it's still worth writing about!

According to this report, Rodman "struck" a woman causing injuries to her arms at a hotel. Bail was set after his arrest for $50,000 which I'm sure he had no problem paying seeing as the NBA loves feeding maniacs like this millions of dollars.

I will say though that I expected to hear about Rodman going broke before someone like Sprewell...or at least at the same time. Maybe he still puts on that nice wedding dress from time to time to sign and sell a few more Bad As I Wanna Be books.

Supposedly since his last divorce he has been suffering drug and alcochol problems. Somehow I find myself not feeling all that sorry for him. Do you? Wait, isn't this the guy that only months ago tried to coach a WNBA team? Wow, whoever canceled that idea was thinking ahead!