Five Reasons Boston Should Keep Rondo

Trader's remorse much, Mr. Ainge? How else do you explain what we've heard in the past 72 hours? ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported last night that after the playoffs last season, the Celtics offered Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green for Kendrick Perkins and Russell Westbrook, a clear concession from Boston GM Danny Ainge that the Jeff Green for Kendrick Perkins deadline swap was a major misfire. Ainge got played. Badly. The trade offer was quickly rebuffed by Sam Presti.

Now Ainge is looking to upgrade once again, this time offering up Rondo to the Hornets for Chris Paul. Ainge is also reportedly looking for a third trading partner to sweeten the deal for New Orleans.

Big Easy bound?

In 2007, Ainge's friend and former Celtics teammate, Kevin McHale handed Kevin Garnett in a cute little red bow agreeing to trade Al Jefferson, four bums and two low first-round picks for the future hall-of-famer. The lopsided deal resulted in a world championship in 2008 for Boston, the Celtics' first NBA Finals win since 1985-86. Since then, Ainge has fancied himself as a GM mastermind. When my mom gives me 50 bucks for gas money, I don't walk around like I'm an oil tycoon.

Ainge is looking for another blockbuster to offset last year's deadline debacle. But without the safety net of a friend as a trading partner, he simply comes off as desperate, overcompensating and overreaching for a superstar to win some PR points.

Trading for Chris Paul when the Celtics have so many other needs is a major mistake. Number one, financially Rondo is a bargain. He will make $10 million this year, and is signed through the 2014-2015 season, when he will make a reasonable $13 million. This season, Chris Paul will make $16.3 million. Ray Allen, KG and Jermaine O'Neal come off the books next season. I would rather build around Rondo for less.

Two, sources indicate that CP3 is unwilling to sign an extension if he is indeed traded to Boston. Why? Well, he probably sees what everyone sees — an aging team with no center and lack of an identity. Plus, he is being courted by his superstar friends in New York, LA and South Beach.

Will Stern let CP3 go?

Three, if the trade does go down AND he is willing to sign an extension, the new CBA established harsher restrictions on extend and trade deals. Paul would only be allowed to sign a one-year extension to his current contract (valued at $18.5 million). That would put him right back on the free-agent market in the summer of 2014. Are the Celtics willing to deal for Paul knowing he could bolt so quickly? Zach Lowe of SI.com delves deeper into the CBA and extend and trade deals, specifically regarding CP3 and Dwight Howard. I recommend it. Paul loses a significant amount of cash by agreeing to an extend and trade deal.

Four, the NBA currently owns the New Orleans Hornets. This is the same NBA that preached NBA parity throughout the NBA lockout. Would David Stern really trade New Orleans' ambassador to the game just as the season gets under way? I just don't see it happening.

Five, thanks to Ainge trading away their defensively minded 7 foot center, the Celtics have a glaring need for young big men. Ainge tried to piecemeal the center position with Jermaine and Shaquille O'Neal. This failed miserably. Shaq played in 37 games last season, Jermaine just 32. Trading Rondo is the lazy way out of this. Ainge found a quick fix in the Garnett deal. He won't get that when dealing Rondo. Basketball players can become better shooters. Rondo is 25. Strap him to the gym and force him to become a better all around player.

Look, Rondo can't shoot. I get that. Your point guard must shoot better than 56% from the line. According to Hoopdata.com, he only shot 27.6% on shots from 3-9 feet, a crime in some states. He averaged 10.6 points and 11.2 asts, last season and he raises his game to top five point guard status in the playoffs, averaging 13.8 pts., 8.5 asts., 5.8 rbs., a game. Is Chris Paul an upgrade? Yes, slightly. But not for a second do I believe a point guard swap gets the Celtics any closer to any NBA championship.

We Got a Deal

The NBA and Players Association have a tentative deal in place to begin the season on Christmas day, according to an ESPN report. Both sides provided little in the way of details, but did stress that they were optimistic everything will be ironed out in time to begin the season on Dec. 25.

The league is readying to play a 66-game season with training camps set to open Dec. 9. Free agency is set to begin on Dec. 9 as well.

Struggling Franchises on Different Paths

On April 11, New Jersey Nets shooting guard Sasha Vujacic drained a 23-foot three pointer with 10 seconds left, tying the game at 103 in front of a paid attendance of 13,853 (more like 8,000) at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Following a timeout, Bobcats point guard, D.J. Augustin dribbled up the court with little resistance, used a Boris Diaw pick to create just enough space for a game-winning 18-foot fadeaway jumper with 1.1 seconds left. Nets lose 105-103. It was their last home game of the season.

That same night, former All-star point guard and current Sacramento mayor, Kevin Johnson attended the  Sacramento Kings' penultimate home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Kings fell to the Thunder 120-112 behind Kevin Durant's 32 points. Days later, Johnson flew to New York City to meet with the NBA Board of Governors with the hopes of keeping the Kings in Sacramento.

The clock is ticking for Kevin Johnson

Tasked with staving off relocation, Johnson worked tirelessly throughout the summer, gathering support and funding for the Kings' 2011-2012 season. He quickly secured $10 million in corporate sponsorship money, financial proof that the Kings still had support from their city. Johnson's efforts paid off as the Maloofs agreed to give the city of Sacramento one more year to come up with a plan for a new arena and entertainment complex. The Maloofs demanded Johnson solidify plans and funding for a new arena in Sacramento or the team moves to another city, presumably Anaheim.

"The mayor of Sacramento has told the NBA relocation committee that he will have a plan for a new arena within a year," Joe Maloof told the Associated Press. "If not, the team will be relocated to another city."


As we approach day 150 of the NBA lockout, Johnson continues to push forward with plans for a new sports and entertainment center in the capital of California. In an issued statement, Johnson reiterated that the arena would be more than just a basketball stadium, but a job-creating entertainment complex.

"While like many others we hope that the NBA and the players are able to come to an agreement, our focus has always been that this facility is more than just a professional basketball arena but rather, similar to what has taken place in Kansas City, an entertainment and sports complex that will generate economic activity and create jobs." via the Sacramento Bee.

Still, a canceled season will kill any momentum gathered by Johnson's best efforts. NBA columnist Scott Howard-Cooper on Grant Napeer's podcast admired the daily pep-rallies by Kings fans as the Maloof's threats to move their team grew louder and louder in the media near the end of last season. 

"The team almost left and the people said wait a minute, we like them again, we want them to stay," Cooper said. "All the rallies around town and all the excitement of the team staying, it energized people in the city."

Johnson hopes to have a architectural and financial plans lined up by January, but the lack of a season will temper the fans' support for the Kings. The timing could not have been worse. NBA greed, fan frustration and America's overall apathy toward the lockout could potentially derail Johnson's efforts.

Brooklyn awaits the Barclays Center

Speaking of apathy, the lockout threatens to prematurely end the Nets "reign" in north Jersey. Somebody should probably inform north Jersey. The Nets are scheduled to move to Brooklyn — with prized point guard Deron Williams leading the charge — and play in the Barclays Center, the centerpiece of the proposed $2.5 billion commercial and residential development project, starting in the 2012-2013 season. But unlike the Kings, who desperately want the lockout to end for the sake of their city, Nets ownership would probably not mind if the lockout lingers just a little bit longer.


According to Forbes.com, the Nets are just one of five NBA teams that would actually lose LESS money by having a locked out season. Couple that with the Nets marketing team already working on creating a new Brooklyn fanbase, ("Jersey Strong, Brooklyn Ready" is their team slogan), and it becomes abundantly clear the team has mentally moved on.


As Mayor Johnson fights for additional funds for a new arena in the midst of a lockout with no end in sight, in city with a 12.4% unemployment rate, the Nets simply sit and back and watch as the NBA calendar to turns. A palace awaiting their arrival.

No Deal

I think Anthony Marrow said it best via his Twitter account: BlackBoiPachino: "We're not gonna be Strong-Armed"

Stern's Full Court Press

Below is a quick video provided by NBA.com that summarizes the NBA's latest CBA proposal. Again, this is provided by the NBA so you are only hearing one side of the story. A few of my posts from earlier this weekend detailed the player's contention with the NBA's latest offer.

If you would like to read the entire proposal, USA Today obtained a copy and can be read here. Also, Stern sent a memo to the players on Sunday, which can be found here.

According to ESPN.com's Ric Bucher, the players are not satisfied with the details of the proposal, including the new unlimited escrow system which I know nothing about, but is explained  in Bucher's column. To understand the many decisions the player's face today check out Larry Coon's breakdown here.

Stern is really pushing the NBA's latest offer, trying to gather support from fans for a resolution via the media i.e. supplying the press with memos, videos and the actual document. Not sure it will work.

NY Times Obtains Copy of NBA's Latest Proposal

The New York Times has obtained a copy of the NBA's latest proposal. According to Howard Beck, most of the details that were rumored to be inside Stern's latest proposal on Friday were either overexaggerated or simply false. In fact, after comparing both proposals, Beck wrote in his Sunday column that the league improved their offer "albeit modestly."

On Friday, sportswriters and columnists sparked rumors of owners expanding their right to send down players and cut their pay. But according to Beck, the D-League is not mentioned in the seven-page proposal.

Public perception is driving Stern

Rumors swirled that "Bird" rights (the team's ability to exceed the salary cap to resign their own players who have been with the team for at least three years) would be threatened, as well as team's ability to use the mid-level exception (MLE). Again, according to Beck, these rumors proved to unfounded. The league actually increased the annual raise for Bird Rights players. The NBA also increased the level of the MLE for luxury tax paying teams — from $2.5 million every other year in an older proposal, to $3 million every year in the league's latest offer. (This is still a cut from last year's $5 million MLE).

Other details in the NBA's latest offer that have emerged via Beck's column:

• The 10-year labor deal could be terminated after the sixth year;
• an elimination of the full MLE and sign and trade deals for luxury tax playing teams
• a raise in team's salary to 90% of team's salary cap by the 2013-2014 season
• a 12% cut in rookie salary and minimum scale contracts

The cut in rookie's salary was new addition to owners proposal. This allows the NBA's so-called "middle-class" to shoulder less of the burden of the many cuts and decreases the owners are offering/demanding. While Beck does state that the large framework of the deal would be a win for the owners, their latest offer is slightly better than the previous one and probably as good as its going to get.

From a PR perspective, what do the owners gain by leaking their latest proposal to the Times and what does it ultimately mean? Were writers simply spouting out false detail after false detail on ESPN and Twitter and the League wanted to get the facts straight? Is the NBA nervous that the players (as rumored) are unlikely to sign the new deal and want to get public perception on their side? I think Stern is profoundly concerned with  public perception. I also fear that this is Stern getting ahead of Monday's story, which could very well be that the players are rejecting the offer and negotiations have collapsed. 

Stay tuned.

Report: Players Unlikely to Accept Deal

The players are unlikely to accept David Stern and the NBA's latest offer, according to ESPN.com's Ric Bucher. According to the report, the players were quite unhappy after diving into the details of the proposal. Among those details that the players were likely to dismiss include: via Bucher

• The D-League Clause - This would give teams more power to send players with five years or less experience down to the D-League with drastically reduced pay.
• Luxury Tax Deals - Teams above the luxury tax would be prohibited from sign and trade deals after two-year phase in period. Non luxury tax teams would also be prohibited from signing a player with the MLE if causes that team to then go over the cap.
• Drug testing - The NBA also proposed offseason drug testing and raising the age limit to 20 years of age.

Financially, the newly proposed and adjusted deal ultimately disappointed the players, according to Bucher. 

We wait and see. Perhaps the players will have a change of heart over the weekend.

Possibility of 72 Game Season, Stern Says

After adjusting last night's proposal, David Stern suggested the NBA would play a 72-game season beginning December 15, should the union accept their latest and most likely best offer. The playoffs and NBA finals would likely each be pushed back a week, according to Adam Silver

If the players reject the new offer, Stern's proposal will revert back to the 47% BRI.

"If we don't get a positive response, the revised offer starting at 47% and flex cap will be our revised position," Stern was quoted as saying in tonight's press conference.

Player representatives will meet early next week to read over the proposal.

"We have made our revised proposal and we're not planning on making another one," Stern said.

My take: This is great PR by NBA and Stern. He not only gave the public a timeline and a roadmap to a 72 game season, but he makes the players look like dicks if they don't sign their proposal.

More to come...

Make or Break Day for the NBA, Union

After a 12-hour plus negotiating session that bled into early Thursday morning, the NBA and players union are back at the bargaining table this afternoon in what is being billed as a make or break meeting.

David Stern acknowledged that both sides went well past his own 5 p.m. wednesday deadline for the player's union to accept the NBA's latest offer. However, in what could be considered a good sign, both sides continued negotiating and only ended their session due to the late hours of the night. Today's meeting is an extension of last night's negotiations.

The players feel as though they have already conceded 4.5% of their BRI and it is unlikely they are willing to move past 52.5% (from 57%). Meanwhile, the NBA offered a take it or leave it 49 to 51 BRI split along with contracts not lasting longer for 5 years if the player stays with his current team and four years for free agents, as well as a soft salary cap, according to ESPN.com

If a deal does not get made today there is a good possibility that the player's union will decertify. I encourage anyone who is interested in learning about decertification and its impact to read Larry Coon's Nov. 5 column. I would also recommend to follow him on Twitter (@larrycoon) for the latest information and explanations of that complicated info.

Here's a rather large snippet from Coon's column:

Once the union decertifies, the collective bargaining process would be over -- there literally would be no union with which the owners could negotiate. Billy Hunter, Derek Fisher and the other players on the executive committee would no longer be in charge -- as a practical matter, control would pass to attorneys. The players also could not reassemble the union for one year without the league's consent. However, such consent obviously would be granted if the two sides eventually cut a deal.
Once the union decertifies, the owners could pursue one of three strategies:

• They can end the lockout, open the doors to the players and start doing business without a salary cap or any of the other mechanisms that existed in the CBA. They would be abandoning the very protections for which they are locking out the players, and which they have enjoyed for decades.
• They can end the lockout, open the doors to the players and unilaterally impose a new set of work rules without collective bargaining. This strategy would surely result in an antitrust challenge by the players. It would also implement an economic system the owners don't want, as the new rules would be designed to withstand such a challenge.
• They can continue the lockout, hoping to wear down the players. This strategy would also be met with an antitrust suit, and the owners would be hoping that the players wear down before the hammer falls. This is the most likely of the three scenarios.

I hope it does not come to decertification. From what I can gather, decertification puts the NBA season in the court's hands. The lockout has been in effect for 133 days now, longer than the NFL lockout, which also had its union decertify.

Not exactly the look of a leader

I know some see last night's session as progress. I would have to disagree. Cynically, both two sides sat across the table from each other for 12 plus hours, with a deadline and the possibility of decertification looming over them, and could not deliver any evidence of significant progress. I have little faith that today's negotiations would yield different results. Hopefully, I am dead wrong.

While decertifying the union would give the players much needed leverage against the owners, it will also increase the likelihood that more regular season games and possibly the entire 2011-2012 season will be canceled.

Being Average Sucks: 2003-04 Portland Trail Blazers

The 2003-04 Portland Trail Blazers were a sociological experiment gone horribly wrong. This was the final year of the "Jail Blazers" era. A well-earned moniker given to the team by the local media that quickly spread nationally. Ruben Patterson (sexual assault), Rasheed Wallace (weed), Qyntel Woods (weed/dogfighting...yes, dogfighting), Damon Stoudemire (weed), Darius Miles (weed), Zach Randolph (you name it), all played for the Blazers in 2003-04 and all had issues with the law.

The 03-04 Blazers will also be remembered for their Feb. 9 trade that sent Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person to the Hawks for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau. In December, the Blazers traded Bonzi Wells for Person and a first rounder.

Let's see how they perform...my take: not enough white guys (that sounds bad).

Inserting Willie Green into your starting lineup would be a major upgrade.
Their starting five following the Sheed trade for the rest of the season was Mighty Mouse, PG, Derek Anderson, SG, Darius Miles, SF, Zach Randolph, PF and Theo Ratliff, C. This starting five went 15-13. Not bad. The aforementioned Ruben Patterson and Dale Davis came off the bench for the Blazers. WG would not be an upgrade. I'm not sure if fast Willie would ever be an upgrade actually.

Poor attendance
15th. Right in the meat of mediocre. This is good. Plus fans in the pacific northwest were tiring of the Jail Blazers' tomfoolery. So the attendance numbers were probably falling rapidly.

Win less than three games in the playoffs
Okay, this is my bad. The Blazers did not make the playoffs in 2003-04 season. Major oversight on my part. That being said, it was fun looking up half the roster's mugshot photos.

At least two white guys in their regular rotation:
Aryvdas Sabonis left the team after the 02-03 season.Vladamir Stepania played in 42 games and the pride of Hatboro-Horsham, Matt Carroll played in 20, but no, the Blazers lacked the needed two white guy minimum to maintain mediocre status.

Wow! that's Mediocre! Factor
Blazers were only one game below .500 (24-25) before trading Wallace and managed to finish their remaining 33 games at one game above .500 (17-16). Unfortunately, I think the 2003-04 Blazers were just caught in a downward spiral. Like when Dorney Park takes a picture of your screaming face in the middle of a roller coaster. The year before the Blazers won 50 games. The next season, the Blazers only won 27 and fired coach Maurice Cheeks mid-season. They were a talented group, led by Wallace, but in the end, they were just a bunch of screaming faces. Fun to research, but probably not the most mediocre team since 2000.

Check back for the 2010-11 Philadelphia 76ers.

Not Good.

Looks as though the NBA is losing the attendance battle to...soccer? Somehow Major League Soccer (MLS) games have averaged a little over 17,000 a game this season. That's a 6.6% bump from last season, according to the news site examiner.com.


That bump also pushed the soccer league into third in attendance among America's major league sports. The NBA is now fourth and likely falling.

I don't know, maybe someone is cooking the books here (bigger stadiums, less games in MLS etc...) but the message is clear: basketball is on the verge of destroying itself.

What would you rather watch?

OR

Being Average Sucks

Late last night I started looking over my posts from last season, reminiscing about simpler times. During a gap between good, solid cries, I came across a post I wrote in February, imploring the Sixers to make a trade at the deadline in order to, you know get people actually excited about the team. They stood pat, finished 41-41 and no one cared.

I started thinking about last year's Sixers squad and how obvious it was that they were going to finish .500. That got me thinking some more...let's figure out the most mediocre team since 2000!

Here are the 16 teams that finished 41-41 since 2000.

Ugh.

00-01 Pacers
01-02 Bucks
02-03 none
03-04 Bucks, Hornets, Blazers
04-05 none
05-06 Pacers, Bulls, Jazz
06-07 Nets, Wizards
07-08 Raptors, Blazers
08-09 Sixers, Bulls
09-10 Bulls
10-11 Sixers

In order to find the MOST mediocre team since 2000, I had to make some cuts. I decided to eliminate a team if...

• the team had any all-stars (makes your team somewhat relevant)
• the team had any future Hall of Famers (Hall of Famer makes your team relevant)
• the team ranked in the top10 in attendance (not as mediocre if people still like seeing you play)
• the team did not make playoffs (weirdly, only 14 out of 30 teams miss the playoffs in the NBA, we're looking for number 15 here people)
• the team won a playoff series (too good to be mediocre)

Eliminated

2000-01 Pacers (Reggie Miller was an all-star/future hall of famer)

2001-02 Bucks (Ray Allen/Glenn Robinson were an all-stars/didn't make playoffs)

2003-04 Hornets (Baron Davis was an all star)

2005-06 Pacers (Jermaine O'Neal was an all star), Bulls (2nd in attendance), Jazz (9th attendance/did not make playoffs)

2006-07 Nets (Kidd future hall of famer/won playoff series), Wizards (Gilbert Arenas was an all star)

2007-08 Raptors (Bosh was an all star), Blazers (7th in attendance)

2008-09 Bulls (2nd in attendance)

2009-2010 Bulls (Derrick Rose all star/1st in attendance)

This leaves us with the 2003-04 Bucks, 2003-04 Blazers and the 2010-2011 Sixers.

The criteria for Most Mediocre since 2000:
The addition of Willie Green into your starting lineup would be a major upgrade
Poor attendance
Win less than three games in the playoffs
At least two white guys in the regular rotation
Wow that's mediocre factor

2003-04 Bucks

Headcases require multiple headbands.

The Milwaukee Bucks were a mediocre juggernaut for the first half of the 2000s. From 2000 to the end of the 2005-2006 season, the Milwaukee Bucks were 246 and...you guessed it 246. Right in the heart of this lame era of basketball in the land of beer sits the 2003-2004 season.

The Bucks jettisoned Sam Cassell and Ray Allen the year before, ending the Big 3 era. The 03-04 Bucks lined up a starting five of Michael Redd, T.J. Ford, Tim Thomas, Joe Smith, Brian Skinner along with sixth man Toni Kukoc coming off the bench for the bulk of the season.

For the year, six guys averaged double figures with Michael Redd pacing the Bucks with 21.5 points a contest. The Deer were 14th in attendance and managed to make the playoffs in Terry Porter's first year as head coach, losing 4-1 to the Detroit Pistons in the opening round.

Let's put the 2003-04 Milwaukee Bucks to the test...

Inserting Willie Green into your starting lineup would be a major upgrade
T.J. Ford was a rookie with upside and Michael Redd was the heir apparent to Ray Allen, so no help there. But when you account for the remaining 3/5 of the lineup and you find Brian Skinner, Tim Thomas and Joe Smith...you got yourself mediocrity. That being said, Michael Redd holds it down at the SG spot. WG would not be an upgrade here.

White. Average.

Poor attendance

14th. That's pretty good considering the sheer lack of excitement in that starting five. But I bet Desmond Mason made a few Sportscenter Top 10 plays.

Win less than three games in the playoffs

went out in 5.

At least two white guys in the regular rotation
Toni Kukoc was their sixth man and the oft-injured Keith Van Horn was a starter when he was healthy.

Wow! that's mediocre! factor
246-246 in six years is the definition of mediocre. Not sure anyone can beat that.

Tomorrow: 2003-04 Portland Trail Blazers

Facts and Noise: Lockout Edition

Much talk, little progress

This isn't breaking news or anything but I hate the lockout. I stopped blogging because I didn't want to write about it. My sister works for a fledgling school district in Langhorne, Pa., I worry about her. I'm far less concerned about the players bringing down their percentage of BRI (basketball-related income).

The lockout began on July 1, 201l. Since then, there's been a lot of noise coming from the players, owners, agents and talking heads. Although thanks to the baseball playoffs, hockey, college and pro football, no one really seems to notice/care. (Don't blame you). I told you my opinion and I'm sure yours falls within the confines of mine —  these rich bastards better stop arguing and get back to the game before they lose me or screw these rich bastards, I'm out.

Below are quick facts to get you caught up on the lockout and some links for opinions. If you want a more detailed history of the lockout (although why would you?) click here.

The facts:

• All games from Nov.1-Nov. 14 have been cancelled, costing players approximately $170 million in salaries, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.
• The main sticking points since July: division of revenues and restructured salary cap system. 
• David Stern and Billy Hunter brought in Federal mediator, George Cohen (worked on NFL lockout) to mediate sessions.
• In the last 32 hours, the two sides have met for approximately 24 of them. Little progress was made in that time, though both sides are reportedly inching closer to an agreeable revenue split
• Owners upped their offer of a $3.4mil/yr mid-level exception (MLE) to $5 mil/yr. This is down from the former MLE, $5.8/yr in the CBA from 2005.
• Owners proposed a strong luxury tax, punishing teams for going over the salary cap. The players oppose this, saying the luxury tax would act as a de facto hard-salary cap, which of course the players refuse to accept.

The noise:

• Bill Simmons has turned to hockey
• John Wall isn't thrilled with David Stern
• Trust is still an issue, says Chad Ford
• Superstars may barnstorm/tour, according to sources
• No news is bad news for Henry Abbott
• Shaun Powell writes that Bryant Gumbel should have known better

Check back tomorrow for more facts/noise.

Public Relations War Begins During NBA Lockout

The NBA officially locked out its players at midnight on Thursday, June 30, a move that has threatened the entire 2011-2012 season. The unofficial public relations war began at 10:45 am, Tuesday, July 5.

Yesterday, Nate Silver of the New York Times questioned the NBA's claim of financial distress. (The NBA's rebuttal is at the end of my summary of Silver's piece).

The NBA claims that 22 out of the 30 NBA teams are operating in the red. Silver pointed to independent estimates from Forbes that show a more financially stable and most importantly, healthy business in which the NBA has grown at a "tepid rate" since 1989-90 compared to other sports. Forbes estimated that 17 out of 30 teams lost money last season, but the major market teams (Knicks, Bulls, Lakers) profited close to $150 million combined and made up for most of those losses. Silver suggests this information lends itself to increased revenue sharing like the MLB.

Below is the NBA Financial Performance from 1989-2010, adjusted for inflation. The chart was cited in Silver's article from Forbes and Financial World.

The Forbes data suggests that the NBA's ticket revenues are down 6.1% compared to five years ago. Players salaries have increased 5.4% from five years ago, but according to Silver, salaries have followed a similar trajectory to league revenues. Player salaries are strictly tied to league revenue. This is the crux of the labor dispute. As of right now, the players are receiving approximately 57% of league revenues. The league wants that number reduced to 45% or even as low as 40%. But Silver points out that the portion of revenues earned by NBA players are similar to other major sports leagues.

The data indicates growth in non-player expenses has outpaced that of salaries — 13% over five years. Silver explains this by pointing out digital media ventures and overseas investments. Still, these investments have had a major impact on the NBAs bottom line, according to Silver.

The Forbes numbers suggest that the league made approximately $183 million last season, despite player salaries and large operating expenses. The league cites their own numbers which claim a $340 million loss. Silver called into question the league's claims, citing "unusual accounting treatments" and suggested that roughly $250 million were "paper losses that would have no impact on a team's cash flow."

Silver also cited the sale prices of NBA teams including the Golden State Warriors ($450 million), Detroit Pistons ($420 million) and Washington Wizards (551 million), as signs that the market for NBA franchises is healthy and above Forbes estimations of their respective worth. Silver also suggested that the Forbes estimated worth of the New Orleans Hornets matched their own financials, proving Forbes' accuracy.

Still, the NFL made more than a billion last season and the MLB made $500 million. Silver suggested that the NBA is more comparable to the NHL. In the NHL, player salaries makes up 54% of league revenues. So why do NBA owners want to cut player salaries to 45%? Well, according to Silver, owners think they can. Cutting salaries would save owners approximately $500 million per year. This is the issue. Owners have the luxury of knowing they can wait an entire year for the players to blink, get what they want and make up the losses in three years, like the NHL.

Today, the NBA countered with statistics of their own. Their rebuttal is below and in its entirety via RealGM.

The information from Forbes that serves as the basis for this article is inaccurate and we do not know how they do their calculations. Forbes does not have the financial data for our teams and the magazine's estimates do not reflect reality.

Precisely to avoid this issue, the NBA and its teams shared their complete league and team audited financials as well as our state and Federal tax returns with the Players Union. Those financials demonstrate the substantial and indisputable losses the league has incurred over the past several years.

The analysis that was posted this afternoon has several significant factual inaccuracies, including:

"(The NBA) is a fundamentally healthy and profitable business" 
• The league lost money every year of the just expiring CBA. During these years, the league has never had positive Net Income, EBITDA or Operating Income.

"Many of the purported losses result from an unusual accounting treatment related to depreciation and amortization when a team is sold." 

• We use the conventional and generally accepted accounting (GAAP) approach and include in our financial reporting the depreciation of the capital expenditures made in the normal course of business by the teams as they are a substantial and necessary cost of doing business.

We do not include purchase price amortization from when a team is sold or under any circumstances in any of our reported losses. Put simply, none of the league losses are related to team purchase or sale accounting.

"Another trick...moving income from the team's balance sheet to that of a related business like a cable network..." 

• All revenues included in Basketball Related Income ("BRI") and reported in our financial statements have been audited by an accounting firm jointly engaged by the players' union and the league. They include basketball revenues reported on related entities' books.

"Ticket revenues... are up 22% compared to 1999-2000 season"

• Ticket revenues have increased 12% over the 10 year period, not the 22% reported.

"17 teams lost money according to Forbes ... Most of these losses were small..."

• Forbes' claim is inaccurate. In 2009-10, 23 teams had net income losses. The losses were in no way "small" as 11 teams lost more than $20M each on a net income basis.

"The profits made by the Knicks, Bulls and Lakers alone would be enough to cover the losses of all 17 unprofitable teams." 

• The Knicks, Bulls and Lakers combined net income for 2009-10 does not cover the losses of the 23 unprofitable teams. Our net loss for that year, including the gains from the seven profitable teams, was -$340 million.

"Forbes's estimates -- a $183 million profit for the NBA in 2009-10, and those issued by the league, which claim a $370M loss..." 

• Forbes's data is inaccurate. Our losses for 2009-10 were -$340 million, not -$370 million as the article states.

"The leaked financial statements for one team, the New Orleans Hornets, closely matched the Forbes data..." 

• This is not an accurate statement as operating income in the latest Forbes data (2009-10) is $5M greater than what is reported in the Hornets audited financials.

UPDATE: Via Boston Globe: Union spokesman Dan Wasserman said the NBA projected a decline in revenues during the 09-10 season but they actually rose, so the final losses should have been much less than the league said. "So yes, we feel there is more than adequate basis for questioning their projections and financials," Wasserman said Wednesday.

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214593/Union_Adequate_Basis_Exists_To_Question_NBAs_Financials#ixzz1RLEm8VjY

Father's Day

My mom told me it was a gift that keeps on giving. For some reason, I instantly pictured a gum ball machine with a giant bow. My parents insisted my birthday present was NOT a gum ball machine. At 11 years-old, my mouth was already filled with metal: braces, expanders and a retainer on the way. Adding six cavities to the list was not an option.

I was somewhat disappointed when the big day came and my mom and dad handed me a manila folder with big smiles on their faces. What kid gets a manila folder for his birthday? Was I getting a present or quarterly reports here? Perplexed, I opened it. Inside was a calendar from October to April that my mom created by hand.

"Flip through it," she said.

One day of each month was marked with a little star that read "Sixers vs Knicks" or "Sixers vs. Sonics," and finally the big one: Friday, March 12: "Sixers vs. BULLS!!!

"I'm gonna see Michael Jordan!?" I screamed, asking as if it weren't true.

My family got me an eight-game partial season ticket plan for my eleventh birthday. Not only that, I was going to be in the same building as my idol M.J. Twelve posters. I had 12 posters of Jordan scattered throughout my wall in my room. I never took them down, even during his sabbatical from the game. I knew he'd be back. I just never thought I would see him in person. I remember sitting in social studies bragging to my friends that I was going to see the Sixers play and eventually Jordan. They were never as impressed as I was.

Before he was a cultural icon

My first Sixers game was November 1, 1996 against the Milwaukee Bucks. I still have the ticket featuring Jerry Stackhouse, Clearance Weatherspoon and a young rookie named Allen Iverson. (Philly's version of the Big 3, I suppose). My NBA career happened to coincide with Iverson’s. This gave my dad and I a special connection to number three. This was before the tattoos, cornrows or shooting sleeves. Hell, this was before Larry Brown. Johnny Davis roamed the sidelines for A.I. his rookie year. Back in 1996, ask my dad who his favorite basketball player was and he'll tell you Dave DeBusschere. Guaranteed.

We were still learning, trying to wrap our minds around this little point guard who shoots far too much and sulked way too often when taken out of a game. Who was he? We were transfixed, like the rest of the country. But with each game, each dive to the basket risking his frail 160 pound frame from severe injury, he won us all over. Game by game. DeBusscere to Iverson in five months time.

My father has no real basketball skills, not many 5 foot 8 inch Italian guys do. Baseball was his game, but basketball was our outlet – a time for me to practice my game on the driveway and a chance for my dad to goof off and perhaps vent about my mom for a couple minutes. That was the unspoken agreement. What is said on the driveway, stays on the driveway.

“Crossover!” he would yell in his bright red Sixers sweater and jeans, inevitably dribbling the ball off his orthopedic New Balance shoes and into my mother’s garden. “Just like A.I,” I’d tease.

What my dad lacked in skill, he made up for in the appreciation of the artistry and athletic ability of the Game. “When it is done right, it is the most beautiful game on earth,” he would tell me.

Allen Iverson’s talents were far from beautiful. No one questions his God-given basketball abilities, but ask any scout or coach and they would tell you, please do not imitate Allen Iverson. His shot, often off-balance, is far from textbook. His media guide height is six feet, but a closer examination concludes he is an inch or three less. Due to his opponent’s considerable size advantage, Iverson is forced to fade away as he shoots, allowing for the proper arc of the ball to graze over the defender’s fingertips. He’ll collide with the hardwood floor, he’ll get picked up by his teammates and he’ll make the free throw. “He is all heart,” my dad would say. “Play like him.”

“Play like him.” This was code for “Never take a shortcut. Start from the ground. Build your way up.” My dad told me to watch Iverson when I was in fact watching my dad. He paid his own way through college, working three jobs. His dedication to his family and downright unwillingness to spend time on the golf course and schmooze with co-workers has been ingrained in me to this day. Calabros do the work and go home to our families. I think he saw that in A.I. too. Did Iverson always go home to his family? No. But Lord knows he did the work. No one played harder and no one was more exciting with the basketball.

The Crossover

To be perfectly honest, I don't really remember seeing it. I remember seeing it, but I don't remember recognizing it. Like looking up at the Sistine Chapel during a sneeze. You know you witnessed something, but you know you didn't see it all. You have that “wait, what just happened?” look on your face. You missed the intricacies of it. The beauty of it. The balls of it. I strived to be Like Mike in every way. From the tongue sticking out, to his strut on the court, to the way he would always call basketball "The Game of Basketball." I knew it all. But by March '97, Iverson was our guy. Our guy took down MJ. For one moment. One play. Our guy had won. That was the Crossover.

Fearless.

Sure we lost the game, but that didn't matter. The Sixers lost a lot of games that year. Sixty to be exact. In what became a tradition, during halftime, my dad and I would let out our frustrations by dissecting the first half and the adjustments that needed to be made as walked the mezzanine level concourse. There were plenty of adjustments. We would debate substitution patterns, whether they needed to execute more pick and rolls or play better defense. We would inevitably settle on my dad's favorite play. The play that would define the Sixers during their lowest points, their playoff runs and their clash with the Lakers in the NBA Finals. My dad's favorite play, “Just Give Iverson the Damn Ball and Get the Hell Outta the Way” always endured.

The 2003-2004 season turned out to be our final year getting season tickets. The team consistently increased prices on us which was especially cruel considering we were loyal customers for a mediocre Sixers team destined for the lottery or an early round playoff exit. Plus, after going to so many games year after year, they simply lost their sense of excitement – for me, anyway. Fast forward a few years and I was now a senior in high school and was more concerned about meeting my friends after the game than discussing the Sixers halftime adjustments with my dad. I would excuse myself to call my girlfriend or friends during halftime. Yes, the game is almost over. My dad and I were beginning to grow apart. There were no fights or anything dramatic, just a teenage son suddenly bored of the childish routines of the past and a father perhaps not quite ready to let them go. When we played one on one in the driveway, my dad created a rule that he wouldn’t raise his hands above his shoulders because he was always blocking my shot. Now, the rules were reversed. I was older. He was older. The game changed.

I keep a basketball in the backseat of my car. Whenever I make a turn, the ball slides across the seat and bangs into the inside of my door. The slight bump reminds me of basketball, of Iverson, of Sixers games with my dad. It reminds me to call him, ask him about the NBA Finals, or when I will see him again. It reminds me to tell him thank you.

Fatigue a Factor for 'Bron?

LeBron James almost had us. He suffocated NBA MVP, Derrick Rose and nailed backbreaking fourth quarter threes against the number one seeded Chicago Bulls. He made shots we swore he didn't have the capacity to make back in December. He broke through nearly every barricade that separated himself from the ultimate prize. In turn, we began warming to the idea that LeBron James did the right thing. He was going to win a championship...and he was going to win it his way.

Stats indicate fatigue could be a factor

James had columnists across the country backpedaling, claiming they never had a problem with LeBron leaving, but only "the way in which he left." As if those same columnists never spoke in their daily rants of "loyalty to a city" or questioned James' heart because "Michael Jordan wouldn't dare join forces with another superstar." Scottie Pippen questioned aloud whether he was an overall better basketball player than the one and only Jordan.

But something changed. The final act turns once more. A complete reversal by James has us back to the beginning. We have replaced the phrase "not clutch" with "shrinking." Back to the Decision-level hatred, this time for leaving so many of us unsatisfied and genuinely confused. Why is he not driving to the basket? Why is he flatfooted on defense? Why is he jogging down the court?

Jeff Fogle in an excellent piece on Hoopdata.com, asks these very questions and delves deep into his statistics in search of answers.

Fogle wondered, like many in the media, if James has simply logged too many minutes? He breaks down his average minutes played in all four playoff series:

Philly: 42.4
Boston: 44.6
Chicago: 45.2
Dallas: 44.4

He then compared these numbers to the playoff per game averages of Jordan during his championship years. According to Fogle, Jordan averaged close to 41 minutes a night. James is closer to 44. Are three playoff minutes a big difference? That's for you to decide.

Next, Fogle searches for a way to statistically recognize energy. He (and I do as well) believes usage rate, the number of possessions a player uses, and free throw attempts are pretty good indicators of a player's energy in a game.

Bron's Usage Rate by Series:

Philly: 28.3
Boston: 33.9
Chicago: 30.5
Dallas: 24.7

Less minutes, more aggression from James

Bron's Total Free Throw Attempts by Series:

Philly: 50
Boston: 42
Chicago: 44
Dallas: 16

I should mention that these stats are quite comparable considering that every series has been five games. The usage rate is down because Bron has been unable to get to the line. Credit Dallas' defense here as well. Bron has committed 18 turnovers in the Finals, by far his most turnovers in any series this playoffs.

There is also the possibility that Bron has accepted his role as facilitator, allowing Wade to be the go to scorer. But there is a fundamental difference between willing passer and deferring. Dallas has done an excellent job closing down the lanes and dictating James' offense, forcing him to take jumpers, which has been inconsistent to say the least. For his part, James has been unwilling to put his head down and get to the line regardless of Tyson Chandler's defensive prowess.

Bron is averaging a little more than five shot attempts at the rim in the Finals, shooting 69% (18-26). So when he does get to the rim, he has a solid chance of converting. The problem is James is shooting terribly from three. Since game one when he shot 4-5 from deep, Bron is shooting just 16% (3-18).

Coach Spo is a statistics nut having come from the Miami Heat's film room (basement) as far back as 1995. Odds are he is aware of all of this. Theoretically, Spo should cut down Bron's minutes to around 40, preach aggressiveness and limit the number of threes he takes. Imagine being down 5 in the middle of the third quarter. Would coach Spo be willing to take Bron out for a three minute breather down five in an elimination game? Will Bron make the proper adjustments and save some energy for the all important fourth quarter? We'll find out Sunday night.

Mavs One Win Away From NBA Championship

Jet flies in Game 5

Dirk Nowitzki loves to call Jason Terry a "confident young man." That confidence was on full display in the fourth quarter tonight against the Miami Heat. The man they call "Jet" poured in eight of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Mavs to a 112-103 win in game 5 of the NBA Finals. The win leaves Dallas just one victory away from an NBA championship.

"In the fourth quarter I know I am depended on to come through," Terry said at his post game press conference.

Like Terry, LeBron James knows he is depended on to come through in fourth. In this NBA Finals, it's all about the fourth quarter. But for the fifth straight Finals game, James failed to make an impact in the final frame, scoring only two points (1-4 fg). In five Finals games, James has scored a total of 11 points. To put James' disappearance in its proper perspective, James has scored at least 11 points in the fourth quarter five times in this year's playoffs. Despite scoring only two points in the fourth, LeBron managed to record a triple double (17 pts, 10 boards, 10 asts). Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 23 points, but a hip injury caused him to miss the start of the second half. He did return midway through the third.

But the night belonged to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. The resilient Mavs vowed to help Dirk with the scoring load prior to game 5 and they delivered. Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and J.J. Barea all discovered their jumpers in game 5, combining for 51 points on 62% shooting (18-29 FG).

The series heads back to Miami for game 6 on Sunday night.

Carlisle Relies on Mr. Fifty in the Fourth

Let's get this out of the way. Yes, LeBron James had a bad game. In 90 career playoff games, James has scored less than 15 points only four times. His team lost all four times. Last night, James was held to a career playoff low 8 points. He took 11 shots and only one in the fourth quarter despite playing all 12 minutes.

Take that paragraph and do with it what you wish. Get on James. Tell him he "shrunk" in the fourth quarter once again. Be that guy. Say he is not "clutch." Use that cliched word again. I'm sure you've used it all year, why stop now? Just know I'm going to ignore you. Because James can miss 100 shots in a row and he's still the best player on the floor. Period. And yes, I am aware Dwyane Wade is the likely Finals MVP should the Heat win it all. The Heat beat the Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals despite Wade's statistically poor series. If James continues to put up pedestrian-type numbers in the Finals, the Heat lose. If Miami manages to win the championship, it will only be because James elevated his game.

In his post-game press conference, James admitted he needed to be more aggressive. He will be. The Heat as a team learned from their game 2, fourth quarter collapse and took care of business in game 3 by getting to the basket at all costs, distributing the basketball and not relying on long, contested jump shots. James will use that formula in game 5. Be aggressive, drive to the basket, get fouled or find the open man. It's a simple game when the minor adjustment is made.

Just ask Rick Carlisle.

Carlise's tightened rotation and subtle lineup changes in the fourth quarter of game four helped secure the victory for the Mavs. His reliance on zone defense made it difficult for LeBron to penetrate, forcing James to defer, either out of frustration or because the shot simply wasn't there.

Stevenson opened up the floor for Dirk on
the Mavs final possession.

Carlisle started J.J. Barea alongside Jason Kidd, bringing DeShawn Stevenson off the bench. Say what you will about Stevenson, but in game 4, Carlisle's strategy was predicated on his all-around play.

Coming into the Finals, the Mavs advantage over the Heat was in their depth. But prior to game 4, the Mavs bench was non-existent and the team was suddenly relying heavily on Dirk's fourth quarter heroics. Peja Stojakovic has been a complete no-show in this series, not surprising considering the Heat's quickness and athletic ability. But his ability to spread the floor on offense, allows additional airspace for Dirk. If Peja isn't hitting open shots, that airspace evaporates and he becomes a huge liability for Dallas.

Instead of digging deeper into his bench in search of a playmaker, Carlisle chucked it. He used a seven-man rotation, plus a quick run for Brian Cardinal to spell Shawn Marion and play the 5 when Haywood couldn't go. In fact, only six Mavs scored in the entire game and the bench played a total of 71 minutes.

Confidence in the plan.

Enter Stevenson a.k.a Mr. Fifty (a nickname he gave himself for shooting 50% from the field in like 2006). In a game where each team failed to reach 90 points, a hard-nosed defender that can hit an open shot is paramount. Stevenson is a competent defender and has shown he can make teams pay for doubling down on Dirk...at times. Game 4 needed to be one of those times.

Stevenson went 3 for 7 from deep, forcing Heat defenders to stick with him just long enough for Dirk, who was battling flu-like symptoms, to do his thing. In 26 minutes of action, Stevenson was +6. Huge for the Mavs. This is highlighted by Dirk's running layup in the closing seconds of the 4th quarter. Up one with 30 seconds remaining, the Mavs stuck with Stevenson, placing him in the corner along with Jason Kidd, Dirk, Jason Terry and Tyson Chandler, opening up the floor with four knockdown shooters. As Dirk drove to the basket, Miami's weak side help was a split second late, allowing space for Dirk's layup off glass. An amazing shot by Dirk, but conventional wisdom would have Marion in the game at that crucial moment simply because he is a better player than Stevenson. But Marion, who has hounded Bron defensivley  the entire series, is not a reliable shooter outside of 10 feet. His defender would come down and help as soon as Dirk made his move to the basket.

Stevenson played the final 14 minutes of the game. Carlisle stuck with the plan. He trusted the adjustments. Not an easy thing to do with the game and the series on the line.

This is Sportscenter

I'm reading Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales. I'm currently in the middle of this massive 700+ page behemoth, reading about how the ad guys came up with the hilarious "This is Sportscenter" campaign. Pure genius. Below is my personal favorite. Charley Steiner just kills me. There are also links to other classics in no particular order. If you have a favorite that I missed, comment below and I'll post it. Enjoy!

"Follow me to freedom!"

Shue for Steiner

"Charley come on out and get your whoopin!"

Derek Jeter's razor feat the Phanatic

Grant Hill at the piano

Makeup Buddies

The Perfect Show

Van Pelt's PEDs

Shaz Bagl

Donnie Walsh Out as Knicks GM

According to Howard Beck via his Twitter account, Donnie Walsh is out as Knicks general manager. Whether this is a health issue or the two sides could not come up with a contract agreement remains unclear. Still, from where I sit, this seems like questionable move. Mark Warkentian could take over. Just speculating but maybe Isiah gets a call? Ugh.

@HowardBeckNYT: Knicks announce that Donnie Walsh is leaving, by mutual agreement Glen Grunwald named interim GM. More to come.

UPDATE: Looks as though he will be stepping down as GM at the end of June, but will remain a consultant, according to Jalen Rose of ESPN. (via twitter)

The Comeback: As Told By Six Columnists

The Mavs pulled off another stunner last night, this time in South Beach. You all know what happened. Wade hits a corner 3 in front of the Mavs bench to go up 15 with 7 minutes to go. Celebrations ensue. Mavs finish game with a 22-5 run highlighted by suffocating defense, horrid offensive possessions for Miami and Dirk Nowitzki's left handed layup on Chris Bosh with three seconds remaining. Mavs win. Here are some links with blurbs from various columnists that tell the whole story:

Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo!Sports.com: Nowitzki doesn’t rely on emotion to galvanize and inspire his game, but the steely detachment that comes with tens of thousands of hours of shooting, the muscle memory of the biggest shots in the biggest moments. All his life, Nowitzki was the nice guy, the big lug that would forever come close and forever be remembered as one of the Hall of Fame players without the ultimate validation of victory. Now, he had absorbed every blow from Wade and James, and he was still standing, still swinging in the final minutes. There were 24.5 seconds on the clock out of the timeout, and it ticked down until the ball found its way to Nowitzki. He was going to the rim, and going with absolute audacity.

Jeff Caplan, ESPNDallas.com: Nowitzki's left hand gave the basketball a couple of dribbles as he galloped into the lane and homed in on his target. He outstretched his left arm and the basketball gently rolled off his fingertips with Bosh desperately flailing at him from behind and Udonis Haslem coming to help, but helpless to make a play. With 3.6 seconds left in yet another wild Mavs fourth-quarter comeback, the ball kissed glass and dropped in for his ninth consecutive point in the final 2:44. Otherwise, Nowitzki was having a forgettable night. His shot wasn't falling again after going 7-of-18 in Game 1. He had three baskets on 10 attempts at halftime Thursday. With 7:41 left in the game he threw the ball away to Dwyane Wade, who was punishing Dallas all game, for his fifth turnover. It gave Wade two free throws and the Heat an 85-73 lead. Then Wade's 3-pointer for an 88-73 lead with 7:14 left launched a premature Miami conga line celebration.

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: The Miami Heat were at it again, celebrating before they had accomplished anything. There were no fireworks or smoke machines or hydraulic lifts this time. This was a much simpler, two-man production. It consisted of Dwyane Wade extending his right hand up like a swan's neck, pausing to savor the 3-pointer he made in front of the Dallas Mavericks' bench that put Miami ahead by 15 points with 7:44 left in Thursday's Game 2 of the NBA Finals.When the Mavericks called timeout and Wade finally started heading toward his own bench LeBron James joined him, the two rejoicing in the moment. Jason Terry wasn't going to have that. He stomped forward, but he never quite reached them and, according to Terry, no words were exchanged before they all returned to their respective huddles. "I know what I wanted to say," Terry said. Which was ... ?"It's not over."

Ian Thomsen, CNNSI.com: I will bet you all of the money in my pocket -- not much, I admit, but it's all I've got -- that Pat Riley felt the same acidic, clammy, bass-drum-beating-in-his-skull feelings that he felt in 1984. This is something he would rather not recall, but here it was in front of him Thursday.

The better team lost. His team was beaten. Again. In 1984, it was Larry Bird's Celtics upsetting the Riley-coached Lakers at the end of Game 2 in Boston on a James Worthy turnover that led to an overtime-forcing layup with 18 seconds remaining, followed by the unfortunate memory of Magic Johnson dribbling out the clock in regulation. The Lakers should have been up 2-0 and they should have won the title. Instead they were positioning themselves to eventually lose Game 7 in Boston.

Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com: In the fourth quarter when the Heat were in dire trouble, James stopped orchestrating the offense on several possessions. He didn’t run the plays he and Wade had honed for months and made them so difficult to guard under pressure. He didn’t drive, as the Mavs had started to double-team him as he came off screens. James has attempted only six free throws in the two games. The fewest he’d previously had in any two-game stretch in the playoffs was 11. The performance dangerously resembled some of James’ poor finishes in Cleveland, when he stopped relying on teammates and tried to play a one-on-five game. It rarely worked then, and that old habit came back to bite him and the Heat. Pile it together with what Dallas was doing offensively, making nine of its last 11 shots, and it helped undo everything Wade had accomplished to put the Heat in such a commanding position. That’s something the Heat frankly aren’t used to. “It hurts,” James said. “It’s a ballgame now.”

Joseph Goodman,Miami Herald: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban lingered on the court for 10 minutes just to cherish the moment. He high-fived Mavericks fans. He smiled. He said things like “Whoa!” and “Wow!” over and over again to friends and to himself. Like everyone else on Thursday at AmericanAirlines Arena, Cuban was still trying to wrap his head around what happened. Unlike most everyone else, Cuban’s state of disbelief was laced with euphoria. On the opposite end of the emotional spectrum was Heat forward Chris Bosh. When asked to explain how the Heat’s lead evaporated so fantastically on Thursday, ending in a 95-93 loss, Bosh simply said, “I don’t really know what happened.”

Shaq By Numbers

Shaq announced his retirement yesterday on Twitter: Take a look:

I can't wait to see which network he ends up with. Shaq in a studio or next to Mike Breen calling a game seems too confining. What do you guys think he should do next? Comment below or on @9450blog or my Facebook page 9450blog.

Shaq By Numbers:

• 28,596 career points (5th all-time)
• 23.7 points and 10.9 boards for his career
• 24.3 points, 11.6 boards and 56.3% shooting (playoff averages)
• 26.7 points, 12 boards (averages from 1992-2005)
• 4 Rings, 1 MVP, 15 All-Star game appearances
• 2001 NBA Finals averages: 33 points, 15.8 boards, 4.8 assists, 3.4 blocks (Finals MVP):
• 12th all time in rebounds (13,099)
• 17th all time in free throws made (5,935)
• made a total of $292,198,327, according to basketball reference.com

Now that he's retired, Shaq's most important numbers (to TV executives):

• @shaq: 3,854,628 Twitter followers
• 4.33 million viewers: (Series debut of Shaq VS)
• 5.44 million viewed (most viewed episode)

Bill Simmons is All Blown Up

Every year in college I would boycott Bill Simmons for about three months. Just couldn't read him. Why? Pure unadulterated jealousy. Plain and simple.

He simply wouldn't die. I don't mean that in literal terms - more of a comedic sense. I was waiting for Bill to blow the punchline. Stumble. Miss a beat. Come back down to earth. Something. Never happened. His readership climbed. His books were bestsellers. He was killing.

The comedian Jim Norton on the radio show Opie and Anthony said, "comedians hate seeing other comedians do well." Same can be said for writers. When one of my friends gets published I get legitimately mad at them. Not to their face, but certainly to the side of their face.

I wanted to see him suffer a little. I hated how I was an English major toiling through Shakespeare and Irish Lit classes at Saint Joseph's University in West Philly while he sat on his ass and wrote 5,000 words on an NBA Finals preview using Anchorman quotes in LA. Apparently, I wasn't the only one.

Detractors routinely come out of the wordwork to bash Simmons for his clinging to the "everyman fan" persona as he sits courtside at Lakers games, behind home plate at Chavez Ravine or hangs out with his celebrity friends. Oh and the pop culture references. A lot of people aren't fans of the constant Karate Kid and Teen Wolf shoutouts in his columns or his sudden fascination with The Wire or international soccer. 

Stop doing well!

Are they wrong? Not really. Simmons has his faults. He's no Halberstam or Hunter S. Thompson, and I don't appreciate his use of footnotes a la David Foster Wallace, but to his credit he pretty much ditched the "I'm just a regular guy" gimmick in his columns. He had to. I don't know many people with 1.4 million Twitter followers or a podcast that gets downloaded nearly 700,000 times a pop. The truth is, he doesn't even write that much anymore, sticking to the popular podcast. He's pretentious, rarely admits when he's wrong and is quick to point out when he's right.

But why would I beat up a guy who A) wouldn't read what I'm writing anyway or B) care? I let the jealousy fade.

Until today.

Until I clicked on NYTimes.com and found myself glancing at their Sunday Magazine and seeing a magazine preview featuring the one and only Sports Guy.

Initial reaction: You gotta be fucking kidding me? A thumbnail photo of Simmons in a tie getting showered in Gatorade accompanies the article. I loathe it.

I fire up my blog and unload. I pepper the post with words like "sellout," "hack," and "David Foster Wallace ripoff." My diatribe continues for more than 1,500 words but pales in comparison to Charles S. Peirce's review of Simmons' The Book of Basketball.

But what purpose am I serving? Why am I so angry about a guy I regularly read actually succeeding? There are approximately eight writers in the world who make a decent living at this thing and seven of them write about vampires and/or wizards. When did I become so cynical, crossing my fingers that the people I read on a daily basis fail? Pretty soon I'll be the guy on Twitter who thinks he's making witty comments when all he has shown is his prowess at being a complete douche.

Stop projecting.

I deleted the post. I should be glad that the guy who made me think I can get into this game is doing well and breaking out into new endeavours. But I think it's time for another three month sabbatical. I deleted the post. Basically, I wrote what amounts to an angry letter during a hissy fit. Who's the hack now?