11/19/2004
2004-05 NBA Appreciation list (first of three parts)
1 Indiana Pacers
As they say in local parlance, “Kelangan pa bang i-memorize ‘yan?”
Ron, Artest not Mercer, O’Neal, Jermaine not Shaquille, Miller, Reggie not Mike, 2002-03 NBA Coach of the Year Carlisle, Rick not Belinda, and a player named Eddie Gill, how could I go wrong?
Where have you seen a brat like Artest whine like a kid and still deliver 20+ points every night? Well, there was Dennis Rodman, but he had a Michael Jordan and a Scottie Pippen to back him up.
Although I don’t generally agree with higher management’s decisions (throwing away Antonio Davis at his peak, trading away All-Star Brad Miller for so-so poster boy Scott Pollard, and sending Al Harrington to Atlanta for Stephen Jackson), I believe I have found the future of the Pacers after Miller Time.
Props: Miller, O’Neal, Artest, Austin Croshere, Jonathan Bender, 2003 Slam Dunk King Fred Jones, Pollard, Carlisle, Gill… because of his name.
Rants: Jackson… he would remain here until I find the good in him.
2 Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash returns to where he started his NBA career. They said that his performance has been declining and has saturated. I still say, “So what?”
In an offense-oriented team like Dallas, a point guard like Nash prospered because he could dish those assists and could still get his points. In the first ten games of Phoenix, look what he have done so far. A double-double average. Mythical Five, I say.
Other than that, they have the first Japanese in the NBA.
Props: Nash, Yuta Tabuse, Joe Johnson, The Matrix, Q-Rich, Amare Stoudemire, Jake Voskuhl
3 Houston Rockets
One word: Yao Ming. Just because Jeff Van Gundy concentrates on defense doesn’t mean that the Rockets are a bore to watch. As you’ve noticed, Asians in the NBA get precedence in my list. Duh!
Props: Yao, Juwan Howard, Jim Jackson, Tyronn Lue, Bostjan Nachbar, T-Mac
Rants: T-Mac… I still hate this guy. Patrick Ewing… Van Gundy, I believe, made a bad call with this one. He brought in Ewing to train Yao to become a ‘power’ center. I say, no, let the kid play his strengths.
4 Sacramento Kings
Down two slots from last year, releasing Vlade Divac for a clunk like Greg Ostertag left a bad taste in the mouth. Other than that, they let a gem in Gerald Wallace rot on the bench. Rick Adelman could have found a way for him and Peja Stojakovic to co-exist since they play in the same position.
I wasn’t surprised that gossip came out that Stojakovic was dissatisfied with where the Kings are going. Just because they are non-Americans, it doesn’t mean that foreigners like Yao and Peja may not have an attitude.
What’s up with the poor start? They were expected to dominate the Pacific Division after Shaq went down south to Disneyland.
Props: Stojakovic, Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, Brad Miller, Bobby Jackson, C-Webb, Adelman
Rants: C-Webb… he’s just so injury-prone and inconsistent. I think this guy is the jinx. Jun Limpot, eh? Greg Ostertag
5 Miami Heat
Speaking of Disneyland, the Heat shot up to number five after O’Neal jumped ship like a Cuban refugee to Miami. It’s not that I had a change of heart and started loving that big guy. My respect for him just increased a notch after leaving the hot air in LA.
Plus the fact that he is playing alongside fellow Laker-hater Eddie Jones (don’t they just love Kobe?) and young sensation Dwayne Wade. Unfortunately, they had to let go of good guys Lamar Odom and Brian Grant in exchange for the Big Aristotle (who is actually as dumb as a pillar in the Parthenon).
Props: Jones, Wade, O’Neal, Udonis Haslem, Wesley Person, Keyon Dooling, Wang Zhizhi
Rants: O’Neal, Christian Laettner… what is this underachiever doing in the Heat’s injury list? Stan Van Gundy… elder brother and I’ll-hold-on-to-your-legs Jeff has more appeal to me.
6 Boston Celtics
I do admit I’m a closet Celtics fan, what with a family that grew up on green. 16 NBA crowns and counting. Who would argue with that?
And yes, I do believe that Celtic legends are better than their Laker counterparts. Bird, Russell, Cousy, Auerbach, Parish, McHale, Lewis. Or you could call them with their first names: Larry, Bill, Bob, Red.
Time-warping to the present, there’s Paul Pierce. There’s a reason why he is wearing jersey #34. And I thought they were going places after disposing Antoine Walker to the dumps. But they have to pick up Hall of Fame trash Gary Payton along the way.
Props: Pierce, Jiri Welsch, Mark Blount, Marcus Banks, Raef LaFrentz, Walter McCarty, Doc Rivers… I do hope that they already solved their head coach woes.
Rants: Payton, Ricky Davis
7 San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs should have been higher in my list if only they stopped Derick Fisher from making that .4 second miracle.
Manu Ginobili is a close third behind Reggie and Peja as the best shooters in the league after Bird. Tim Duncan, although I don’t agree with his MVPs, still deserves to be called one of the best players right now. By the way, he is not American.
Slam dunk king Brent Barry (a diamond in the free agent market), defensive specialist Bruce Bowen, and Tony Parker can’t lose make up the rest of my props list.
Props: Ginobili, Parker, Bowen, Gregg Popovich, Barry, Duncan, Malik Rose, Rasho Nesterovic, Robert Horry, PJ Carlesimo… what is an assistant coach doing here? Go figure.
Rants: Horry… loved him as a Rocket and love him as a Spur, but not as a former Laker. Plus the fact that he made a buzzer-beater against the Pacers in the 2000 NBA Finals.
8 Minnesota Timberwolves
KG is the man! If we compare the Wolves with the Sta. Lucia Realtors of the PBA, Garnett is like Limpot, the first ever marquee player of his squad, and unfortunately, just as luckless.
What could go wrong with that lineup? Except probably for crybaby and coach-beater Latrell Sprewell, who's asking for a contract extension otherwise he wouldn't suit up this season. Trading him for someone who's a lesser headcase and they can move on pretty well.
Besides, they have a cool manager/owner in McHale (beating out Magic Johnson in forming an expansion team) and a cooler governor in Jessie “The Body” Ventura.
Props: Garnett, Wally Szczerbiak, Kandi Man, Flip Saunders, Fred Hoiberg
Rants: Sprewell
9 Detroit Pistons
I just couldn’t associate myself with the Pistons. Even if they won the championship against the Lakers. Even if their team right now resembled the Bad Boys of Isaiah Thomas and company that won their first NBA title a millennium ago.
Must be because Tayshaun Prince blocked Reggie Miller’s open layup in last year’s Conference Finals. Or that Larry Brown didn’t do the same thing when he was with the Pacers, win a championship.
Nevertheless, I still bow down to them for making Chip Hamilton convert clutch shots and Chauncey Billups pass the ball. And for giving has-beens Elden Campbell, Derrick Coleman, and Antonio McDyess another lease of NBA life. And for giving Sheed something he didn’t get back in Oregon, an NBA ring.
Props: Big Ben, Sheed, Prince, Hamilton, Brown
Rants: Prince… for blocking Miller. I’m a sore loser, so what? Brown… Yes, I am a sore loser.
10 Memphis Grizzlies
A team whose coach gets acclaim from me more than their players. They looked so different from the loser Vancouver crew they had eons ago.
Consider this. How can Hubie Brown make a Spanish, a Greek, a Jason Williams who plays a game all his own, and a bunch of underrated role-players speak one language on the court? Beats me.
Props: Brown... the better Brown. Pau Gasol, Stromile Swift, Shane Battier
Rants: Williams… White Chocolate no more.
As they say in local parlance, “Kelangan pa bang i-memorize ‘yan?”
Ron, Artest not Mercer, O’Neal, Jermaine not Shaquille, Miller, Reggie not Mike, 2002-03 NBA Coach of the Year Carlisle, Rick not Belinda, and a player named Eddie Gill, how could I go wrong?
Where have you seen a brat like Artest whine like a kid and still deliver 20+ points every night? Well, there was Dennis Rodman, but he had a Michael Jordan and a Scottie Pippen to back him up.
Although I don’t generally agree with higher management’s decisions (throwing away Antonio Davis at his peak, trading away All-Star Brad Miller for so-so poster boy Scott Pollard, and sending Al Harrington to Atlanta for Stephen Jackson), I believe I have found the future of the Pacers after Miller Time.
Props: Miller, O’Neal, Artest, Austin Croshere, Jonathan Bender, 2003 Slam Dunk King Fred Jones, Pollard, Carlisle, Gill… because of his name.
Rants: Jackson… he would remain here until I find the good in him.
2 Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash returns to where he started his NBA career. They said that his performance has been declining and has saturated. I still say, “So what?”
In an offense-oriented team like Dallas, a point guard like Nash prospered because he could dish those assists and could still get his points. In the first ten games of Phoenix, look what he have done so far. A double-double average. Mythical Five, I say.
Other than that, they have the first Japanese in the NBA.
Props: Nash, Yuta Tabuse, Joe Johnson, The Matrix, Q-Rich, Amare Stoudemire, Jake Voskuhl
3 Houston Rockets
One word: Yao Ming. Just because Jeff Van Gundy concentrates on defense doesn’t mean that the Rockets are a bore to watch. As you’ve noticed, Asians in the NBA get precedence in my list. Duh!
Props: Yao, Juwan Howard, Jim Jackson, Tyronn Lue, Bostjan Nachbar, T-Mac
Rants: T-Mac… I still hate this guy. Patrick Ewing… Van Gundy, I believe, made a bad call with this one. He brought in Ewing to train Yao to become a ‘power’ center. I say, no, let the kid play his strengths.
4 Sacramento Kings
Down two slots from last year, releasing Vlade Divac for a clunk like Greg Ostertag left a bad taste in the mouth. Other than that, they let a gem in Gerald Wallace rot on the bench. Rick Adelman could have found a way for him and Peja Stojakovic to co-exist since they play in the same position.
I wasn’t surprised that gossip came out that Stojakovic was dissatisfied with where the Kings are going. Just because they are non-Americans, it doesn’t mean that foreigners like Yao and Peja may not have an attitude.
What’s up with the poor start? They were expected to dominate the Pacific Division after Shaq went down south to Disneyland.
Props: Stojakovic, Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, Brad Miller, Bobby Jackson, C-Webb, Adelman
Rants: C-Webb… he’s just so injury-prone and inconsistent. I think this guy is the jinx. Jun Limpot, eh? Greg Ostertag
5 Miami Heat
Speaking of Disneyland, the Heat shot up to number five after O’Neal jumped ship like a Cuban refugee to Miami. It’s not that I had a change of heart and started loving that big guy. My respect for him just increased a notch after leaving the hot air in LA.
Plus the fact that he is playing alongside fellow Laker-hater Eddie Jones (don’t they just love Kobe?) and young sensation Dwayne Wade. Unfortunately, they had to let go of good guys Lamar Odom and Brian Grant in exchange for the Big Aristotle (who is actually as dumb as a pillar in the Parthenon).
Props: Jones, Wade, O’Neal, Udonis Haslem, Wesley Person, Keyon Dooling, Wang Zhizhi
Rants: O’Neal, Christian Laettner… what is this underachiever doing in the Heat’s injury list? Stan Van Gundy… elder brother and I’ll-hold-on-to-your-legs Jeff has more appeal to me.
6 Boston Celtics
I do admit I’m a closet Celtics fan, what with a family that grew up on green. 16 NBA crowns and counting. Who would argue with that?
And yes, I do believe that Celtic legends are better than their Laker counterparts. Bird, Russell, Cousy, Auerbach, Parish, McHale, Lewis. Or you could call them with their first names: Larry, Bill, Bob, Red.
Time-warping to the present, there’s Paul Pierce. There’s a reason why he is wearing jersey #34. And I thought they were going places after disposing Antoine Walker to the dumps. But they have to pick up Hall of Fame trash Gary Payton along the way.
Props: Pierce, Jiri Welsch, Mark Blount, Marcus Banks, Raef LaFrentz, Walter McCarty, Doc Rivers… I do hope that they already solved their head coach woes.
Rants: Payton, Ricky Davis
7 San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs should have been higher in my list if only they stopped Derick Fisher from making that .4 second miracle.
Manu Ginobili is a close third behind Reggie and Peja as the best shooters in the league after Bird. Tim Duncan, although I don’t agree with his MVPs, still deserves to be called one of the best players right now. By the way, he is not American.
Slam dunk king Brent Barry (a diamond in the free agent market), defensive specialist Bruce Bowen, and Tony Parker can’t lose make up the rest of my props list.
Props: Ginobili, Parker, Bowen, Gregg Popovich, Barry, Duncan, Malik Rose, Rasho Nesterovic, Robert Horry, PJ Carlesimo… what is an assistant coach doing here? Go figure.
Rants: Horry… loved him as a Rocket and love him as a Spur, but not as a former Laker. Plus the fact that he made a buzzer-beater against the Pacers in the 2000 NBA Finals.
8 Minnesota Timberwolves
KG is the man! If we compare the Wolves with the Sta. Lucia Realtors of the PBA, Garnett is like Limpot, the first ever marquee player of his squad, and unfortunately, just as luckless.
What could go wrong with that lineup? Except probably for crybaby and coach-beater Latrell Sprewell, who's asking for a contract extension otherwise he wouldn't suit up this season. Trading him for someone who's a lesser headcase and they can move on pretty well.
Besides, they have a cool manager/owner in McHale (beating out Magic Johnson in forming an expansion team) and a cooler governor in Jessie “The Body” Ventura.
Props: Garnett, Wally Szczerbiak, Kandi Man, Flip Saunders, Fred Hoiberg
Rants: Sprewell
9 Detroit Pistons
I just couldn’t associate myself with the Pistons. Even if they won the championship against the Lakers. Even if their team right now resembled the Bad Boys of Isaiah Thomas and company that won their first NBA title a millennium ago.
Must be because Tayshaun Prince blocked Reggie Miller’s open layup in last year’s Conference Finals. Or that Larry Brown didn’t do the same thing when he was with the Pacers, win a championship.
Nevertheless, I still bow down to them for making Chip Hamilton convert clutch shots and Chauncey Billups pass the ball. And for giving has-beens Elden Campbell, Derrick Coleman, and Antonio McDyess another lease of NBA life. And for giving Sheed something he didn’t get back in Oregon, an NBA ring.
Props: Big Ben, Sheed, Prince, Hamilton, Brown
Rants: Prince… for blocking Miller. I’m a sore loser, so what? Brown… Yes, I am a sore loser.
10 Memphis Grizzlies
A team whose coach gets acclaim from me more than their players. They looked so different from the loser Vancouver crew they had eons ago.
Consider this. How can Hubie Brown make a Spanish, a Greek, a Jason Williams who plays a game all his own, and a bunch of underrated role-players speak one language on the court? Beats me.
Props: Brown... the better Brown. Pau Gasol, Stromile Swift, Shane Battier
Rants: Williams… White Chocolate no more.
// posted by Unknown @ 21:10 
