Tom Ziller of NBA FanHouse: “Two versions of Mac have circulated over the past decade: best scorer alive, and most versatile dude ever. Sadly, McGrady’s neither, and hasn’t been a shade of either for a time. McGrady remains a hugely valuable player, as someone who rebounds well for his position, plays solid defense, sets up his teammates, limits turnovers, and can get a clean look at the basket against any defender in the league with a wide assortment of ball skills. Despite this versatility, supremely flexible talents like LeBron and Wade have basically made a mockery of the stars of years past. McGrady is no longer an elite scorer, nor is he the coda for a generation of multi-talented stars.”
HOOPSWORLD: Has the Eastern Conference caught up with the West?
Anthony Macri of Basketball Prospectus: “Players looking to make the jump from one level to the next, whether it is high school to college or college to the professional ranks, all notice one universal constant: the game gets faster. Much faster. As the level of talent increases, play on the floor appears more frenetic, more fast-paced, even to those playing the game. One would think that it is the ability of the player to increase their own speed that would bring success. However, that is not the case. In fact, the players most able to make a successful jump up in level are the ones who are able to slow down. Slowing down doesn’t mean their movements are really any slower or more deliberate, but instead it means they are able to take stock of each experience on the floor, categorize it, decide a best course of action and act in an appropriate way. For many young players moving up a level, this process can take quite some time.”
John Krolik of SLAMOnline: The six types of role players every team wants
BleacherReport: Erick Blasco ranks the top 30 NBA power forwards
Detroit Bad Boys: Proflies the highest-scoring game in league history [Video]
Jay-Z as reported by Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post: “”I had no intention to talk about the DeShawn Stevenson thing. I seen him beatin’ the [expletive] out of LeBron, and he really couldn’t do nothing. I really wanted to inspire [LeBron]. I sent him the ["Blow The Whistle (freestyle)"]. The song wasn’t to be released. I sent him the song to get him amped up. I do [expletive] like that. I hit him on the BlackBerry all the way through the playoffs. There’s a big trail of e-mails that we have where I’m almost like a coach on the sidelines for him ’cause…that’s my little brother! I’m giving him advice, even outside of “Take the ball to the elbow and shoot.” The psychology of what’s going on: That’s my role in his life.”"
Mike Kahn of FoxSports: Ranks the top ten point guards in the NBA
Bright Side of the Sun: “The Suns management has decided, after four years of key playoff injuries and suspension-induced short rotations that the NBA season is actually a marathon and not really a sprint after all. As a result, the Suns have traded flash for depth, albeit depth at fire-sale prices because the team is over the luxury tax. That additional depth is only on paper, however. It depends how you feel about swapping Gordan Giricek for Matt Barnes, Brian Skinner for rookie Robin Lopez and whether you believe rookie Goran Dragic can earn time ahead of Leandro Barbosa in backing up Steve Nash. While that additional depth could prove illusory, at least management and incoming Head Coach Terry Porter appear committed to a developing a bench. So even if the actual depth isn’t as good as last year, the utilized depth will be better than last year.”
Jerry Brown of The East Valley Tribune: “Now retirement might not be something you want him to be focused on, but in this case it’s pretty much a matter of fact. (And let’s be honest, if O’Neal weren’t ready to retire in two years, a 38-year-old Shaq might have trouble finding someone to agree with him.) The important news to Suns fans is that O’Neal has been, according to a Suns insider, “fairly diligent” with his off-season conditioning, and as of late August was only 8-10 pounds heavier that what the team would like to see him at by the Oct. 30 season opener in San Antonio. That might go a long way toward cutting down the number of games he might miss during the regular season, although Phoenix is heading into training camp figuring he could miss up to a third of the games if his recent track record is any indication.”
Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo! Sports: “He probably shouldn’t have to retire in 2010. Shaq in 2008 isn’t all that great, he’s certainly not an All-Star, but he can play. The guy has defensive issues, but it’s nothing that can’t be overcome by a sound team defensive scheme (O’Neal was a mitigating factor defending the screen and roll even during his peak, so this is nothing new). He’ll be worse in 2010, but the guy should still be able to play. Really, the only reason Shaq is a millstone now is because of his contract. He’s not worth 20 million a year, probably not 12 million a year, and he takes up far too much of the salary cap considering his production. But even in 2010, when the man will be 38, he’ll be able to play. He still has those hands. He still has that butt. He would still be an NBA-level player. Maybe not a starter, but definitely worth a contract.”
Upside and Motor: “The Pistons are ECF staples. They make the trip every year. But they’ve only made the Finals two times out of six attempts, with most of their losses coming after taking a series lead. This season, they have a new coach, and the same problems. Yes, Stuckey and Maxiell are awesome. Yes, as a team they are still very, very good. And yes, they will still do well in the playoffs. But supposing they make it to the ECF (which is no stretch of the imagination), who do they beat? The Sixers, who put up a tough fight last season with no outside shooting and no consistent scorer? The Celtics, who, provided they’re still focused, have to be considered the favorite in almsot any series? Or the Cavaliers, who not only have the best player in the world, but now a bonafide sidekick in Mo Williams (not to mention the fact that LeBron single-handedly beat them in ‘07)? I think you’re beginning to see the problem.”
