The Fundamentals

Janis Carr of The Orange County Register:  “After receiving an honorary doctor of letters degree from his alma mater, University of North Dakota, Lakers coach Phil Jackson touched upon a range of subjects from the school’s nickname to the greatest athlete he has ever coached. And it wasn’t Michael Jordan. Or Kobe Bryant. Or Shaquille O’Neal. Not Karl Malone, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, Bill Cartwright or Smush Parker (OK, so he might not belong). No, the player Jackson called the greatest that he has coached is that wedding dress aficionado and Newport Beach police’s favorite basketball bad boy, Dennis Rodman.”

CelticsBlog:  “For one thing, the 30-something stars are going to need some fresh young legs to spell them.  Also, we’ll need to keep up with the younger, more athletic teams like Atlanta that gave us problems in the playoffs last year.  Finally, there are the economic forces driving the roster younger.  When the payroll is tied up with three max contracts, you can only fill the roster veterans looking for one last shot at glory, broken down players looking for another shot, and young players on rookie contracts.  Ainge went with the latter two this offseason. Clearly every team has bench players with question marks.  If they were free from doubt, they’d more than likely be starters somewhere.  However, this squad just seems a little more stacked with doubt than in the past.  All have the potential to do great things, but all have a good chance at failure too.”

Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle:  ““It’s only August. When we start winning a whole bunch of games, I can imagine how it’s going to be.” Others could not wait to see it to believe it. Television play-by-play man Bill Worrell, hosting the event, repeatedly spoke of the Rockets competing for a championship. General manager Daryl Morey spoke of “a deep playoff run.” Fans have purchased tickets in championship-era numbers. The team would not release sales figures yet, but club CEO Tad Brown said new season-ticket sales and renewals are their best for late August since the Rockets’ two championship seasons. Sales in July, before news of the trade that brought Artest from Sacramento, were four times greater than in recent seasons. Artest was happy to play along.”

Patrick McManamon of The Akron Beacon Journal:  “It’s time to change our thinking about the future of LeBron James, time to turn the viewpoint that James will leave Cleveland on its ear — for good reason. Because the Cavs seem to have something very slick and important up their sleeve. And that is to keep James and give him a superstar-caliber cohort as a teammate. The vision — and it’s not a pipe dream — has James staying and playing on the same team as Dwyane Wade. Or Chris Bosh. Or Josh Howard. Or Amare Stoudamire. Or any of the other big-name NBA guys who can become a free agent in the summer of 2010. Don’t laugh. There is only one NBA team positioned to sign two superstars in 2010, and that’s the Cavaliers. That’s because there’s only one team with a superstar and the cap room to sign another.”

The Wages of Wins Journal:  Take a look at Darius Miles’ potential impact in Boston

Free Darko:  A video documentary of the life and times of the American Basketball Association

Hardwood Paroxysm:  Graydon Gordian of HP proposes the NBA add a one-on-one contest to the All-Star festivities.  If you agree, sign Graydon’s petition.

Indy Cornrows:  Danny Granger Spreads Hoops Hope To Indonesian Orphans

Chris Littmann of The Sporting News:  “It’s been a big NBA offseason for players turning down mediocre paychecks and no playing time in the U.S. and going overseas where opportunities are more prevalent. Is Jason Kidd next? OK, he’ll still play for the Dallas Mavericks this season, but the footwear he’ll sport no longer will have the Swoosh. Before making his trip back to the U.S. after the Beijing Games, Kidd announced he will wear shoes made by Peak, a Chinese company, and ditch Nike. The timing on Kidd’s departure is interesting, because the market in the U.S. has been flooded recently with many of his old retro classics. Kidd also spent a brief time sporting Jordans in his career.”

Dave Barron of The Houston Chronicle:  “It was a much different feeling than Wednesday, when China was eliminated and Yao no longer had the tangible, significant role of putting on the Team China uniform. “After (the) Lithuania game, I come back to my room and I feel my energy just go away,” Yao said. “My body is empty. I have a couple minutes lying on the bed when I cannot even move. Not because I’m tired, but because mentally I feel really, really sad. These games I’ve prepared for almost my whole life and now they’re over.””

Greg Stoda of The Palm Beach Post:  “Wade rehabilitated his reputation (and proved himself whole and healthy as well) while helping lead the United States on an eight-game march to the Olympic gold, but knows he still has to prove himself over the long haul. “You quiet people, but you don’t shut them up,” Wade said. He therefore insisted that incentive won’t be a problem through the slog of an 82-game NBA schedule lacking the glitter of the Olympics. “Not at all,” Wade said. “We’re trying to make a statement. Trying to make a stand.” It’s a task that figures to be much more difficult, though hugely less pressurized, than Wade’s undertaking at the Summer Games. James and Bryant will be opponents, not teammates, and Wade routinely will be asked to play more than 40 minutes a game by new Heat coach Erik Spoelstra rather than the fewer than 20 minutes per game U.S. boss Mike Krzyzewski regularly required of him.”

The Peninsula is Mightier:  “What Wade gave us over the past few weeks was either a reminder, a statement or a tease. Maybe all three. He reminded us of the vintage unstoppable guard we fell in love with, and that delivered an unexpected title. He made the statement that he is no Anferenee Hardaway, a flash-in-the-pan phenom destined for injury-induced obscurity. And he teased us, because the Wade we watched this summer is not the Wade we’ll see in fall. This summer, Wade played in staccato bursts, picking his spots offensively, deferring to equal talents when necessary and playing with the unabashed recklessness of a man with something to prove and a limited amount of time to do it in. This fall, Wade will play in grueling slogs, carrying an offense, jostling his way to the free-throw line and playing with the burden of a man with the hopes of a franchise resting completely on his back. The Olympics was a joy; the NBA is work.”

Scott Howard-Cooper of The Sacramento Bee:  “Managing director — The man who sets the tone and has the strongest voice in choosing a coach and players. Colangelo has been noncommittal about whether he wants to sign up for another tour. If he does, the job is his. He’s earned it. And if not? Two words. Jerry. West. The Logo is a perfect fit in so many ways. Great presence, respected within the NBA offices, and this is an NBA operation, unemployed and therefore able to devote the time. Coach — Same as Colangelo: let Krzyzewski come back if he wants to come back. But it won’t happen. It never happens with Olympic coaches. Gregg Popovich of the Spurs, an assistant at the 2004 Olympics, and Mike D’Antoni of the Knicks, an assistant this time, are the favorites. Both have extensive international experience, both are players’ coaches who could properly balance driving a team with the understanding it’s a summer job. Players — This is where it gets tricky.”

Mike Monroe of The San Antonio Express-News:  “After more than an hour on a runway in Beijing, another 12 in the air, an hour clearing customs at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and three more waiting for a connecting flight, Spurs star Manu Ginobili arrived at San Antonio International Airport late Monday night and discovered the truth about heroes. When it comes to lost luggage, Olympic medalists get no special favors. Missing were three of the four bags he and his wife had checked in Beijing, where Ginobili collected a bronze medal as the leading scorer for the Argentine Olympic team. “I actually got 25 percent — three out of four (were missing),” Ginobili said. Ginobili’s value to the Spurs was reinforced. There to retrieve him was coach Gregg Popovich, who planted a kiss on his cheek as he spirited him away from a brief interview session.”

Howard Beck of The New York Times:  “Geometry has never been a major concern for Americans. The trapezoid lane has been part of the international game since the 1950s and did not stop United States men’s teams from winning gold medals in nearly every Olympics since then. Nor was it the primary reason the team stumbled to a bronze in 2004. But the adoption of a rectangular lane and a deeper 3-point arc will give the international game a decidedly American look and could change the way the world plays the game. The N.B.A., with a 16-foot-wide lane, has long been dominated by burly 7-footers who play with their back to the basket and score from the low blocks. FIBA’s trapezoidal lane, which spans 19 feet 8 inches along the baseline, keeps those players far from the basket, diminishing their size advantage. The short 3-point arc also makes it easy for guards to double-team the post and still recover to the perimeter.”