NBAtipoff

Shoe of The Week: Nike Trainer 1 Manny Pacquiao Part III

2009-11-08T21:31:00.002-05:00

I've been a fan of this series of shoes from Nike. Past versions have been featured here in the past and this version's lovely also. Don't know much about Pacquiao honestly, but damn does Nike know how to make his shoes.

These are expected to be released around the time of Pacquiao's next match. Kix and the City predicts that they'll be a limited edition, which is too bad. I'd like them to be a full on release. They are that nice.

Keep your eyes out for these and tell me what shoes have recently caught your eyes in the comments.

The Hawks Took It To The Nuggets Last Night

2009-11-08T11:33:00.002-05:00

The Atlanta Hawks played like they should for the most part in last nights impressive 125-100 win over the Nuggets. They hustled on defense, didn't get too stagnant in their offensive sets and played a close to perfect first quarter. It was very refreshing. It's hard to come up with excuses for the poor performance when you're Denver, both teams were in the 2nd night of a back-to-back, they just didn't have any strong flow on either end of the floor.

If Mike Woodson can get Josh Smith to play the way he did last night, I could become all right with him as a coach. Smith was not settling last night and he filled up the stat sheet, as usual. The important thing was that he took only one jump shot, which was wide open and he made it. He should only take at most three in a game. That's not his strong suit, he showed what is: taking slower guys off the dribble and scoring at the basket or getting to the free throw line (where he was solid, 6-8). To sum that up, play like that all the time Josh Smith!

Atlanta always gets on my nerves because there's no continuity (Clyde Fraizer voice) in their offense. It's usually just a clear out for whoever happens to get the ball. Last night there was clearly more movement and the only people who seemed to get isolation plays were Johnson and Crawford. Those are the only two who should ever get clear outs on offense. When the Hawks play together, they've got the personnel to perform like they did here on a consistent basis.

Please save this game tape Woodson. When the Hawks take a game and make it ugly again, show them this and tell them to get back to it. That should be Atlanta Hawks basketball!

Talk Around the Hardwood

2009-11-04T13:15:00.002-05:00

Wednesday means it's link time!

Deadspin. Who knew people would want Tyler Hansbrough for a car ad? WOW.
How To Watch Sports. Is LeBron a spitting image of KG?
North Station Sports. Post game analysis of last nights Celtics-Sixers game written by yours truly.
Slam Online. Are the new rims causing an increase in scoring this season?
Peachtree Hoops. I'm amazed that the Hawks beat the Blazers in Portland, but this shows how they did it.
Dueling Couches. Warning: don't click that link if you're a Clipper fan. If you're not, click and laugh your ass off!
The No-Look Pass. The TNLP crew look at the Donaghy book excerpts and give their thoughts on them.
Boston Hearld. Some more insights on that little Rondo-Paul argument.

Pacific Division Previews Recap

2009-11-01T10:48:00.000-05:00

Golden State Warriors: Golden State of Mind

Los Angeles Clippers: Clips Nation

Los Angeles Lakers: Silver Screen & Roll | With Malice | NBAtipoff | Hoops Addict | Forum Blue & Gold

Phoenix Suns: Bright Side of the Sun | Binary Basketball

Sacramento Kings: Sactown Royalty | Basketball Fiend | Cowbell Kingdom

Bonus Links: See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

Talk Around the Hardwood

2009-10-28T13:08:00.002-04:00

The NBA is back and man am I excited! Let's link!

Into Mobile. NBA Live 10 is out for the iPhone, with the price tag of $9.99. NBA 2k10 is the better console game, but this is the only option for iPhone users, pretty solid looking also.
Larry Brown Sports. The story behind Ron Artest's nice new hair design (picture also).
Busted Coverage. Bill Simmons and swimsuit models? Lucky man.
YouTube. Here's a quick video of the important scenes from the Lakers championship ring ceremony.
Fear The Sword. In case you forgot over the summer, LeBron can block shots.
Bullets Forever. People are taking notice that the Wizards are going to make some noise this year. They've got a chance for homecourt in the playoffs, for sure.
Fox Sports. Things aren't sounding great for Glen "Big Baby" Davis.

Southeast Divison Previews Recap

2009-10-28T12:57:00.000-04:00

Atlanta Hawks: Peachtree Hoops

Charlotte Bobcats: Rufus on Fire | QueenCityHoops

Miami Heat: Peninsula Is Mightier | SportsAgentBlog.com

Orlando Magic: Third Quarter Collapse

Washington Wizards: Bullets Forever | Hoops Addict | Truth About It

Bonus Links: See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

2009/10 Los Angeles Lakers Season Preview

2009-10-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

Our thanks to Celtics Blog for working us into this huge season preview bonanza.

Team Name: Los Angeles Lakers

Last Year’s Record: 65-17

Key Losses: Trevor Ariza

Key Additions: Ron Artest

1. What Significant Moves were made during the off-season?

The only real significant move was Ariza out, Artest in. Retaining LO and Shannon Brown was important, but I predicted that would happen. I think the Lakers front office is being bold. They had a nice, relatively young core and decided to take a risk and bring in Artest. They tweaked what was already very solid.

2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?

Starting Five. Whoever they decide to start, the Lakers have one of the best starting units in the league. Kobe as the leader, Gasol as a great guy to throw down to in the post, defensive-minded Artest and Odom or Bynum.
Length. The Lakers are a tall team. Bynum, Gasol, Odom, don't forget that Kobe is 6-6. They've got seven guys that are 6-8 or taller. Tell me that won't cause teams with slim front lines problems.
Best closer in the game. Kobe Bryant is still the best closer in the game. I still strongly believe that and of course, when LA needs a basket, he's the guy to go to make it happen. I have a feeling that this year someone else besides Kobe will be the one to make an important shot. The defenses will be more prepared than ever for late game heroics from Kobe, so expect more clutch shots from Derek Fisher and others.
Young Bench that isn't too young. I love the age of the Lakers' bench. You've got semi-young backup PG's in Farmar or Brown, a 25-year-old Adam Morrison who needs to prove himself, and a great triangle guy who's in his prime, Luke Walton. They're not so young that they'll be inconsistent, but aged enough to contribute throughout the entire year.

3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

Bynum's Health. As healthy as Bynum may say he is now, his health will always be in question. Can he maintain a full healthy year? If so, then bring it on, Drew. If not, then the Lakers are a little slim up front. That won't be good enough to win the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Stars have lots of mileage. Kobe and Pau have racked up tons of mileage over the last two years. Kobe had a summer to recover, which was much needed, but he's still logged a ton of minutes and he's 31. Pau played in Eurobasket with Spain this summer and played in the Olympics two summers ago, not to mention trips to the finals the last two seasons. A big part of Phil Jackson's early season duties will be to make sure Kobe and Pau get their rest. Save them a bit for the playoffs.
Not as many vets as Celtics. The Celtics have done a great job of assembling a group of experienced players. The Lakers are close to that level, but aren't at that spot. Their talent levels are very comparable and the Lakers can still beat them, but the C's are a deeper team overall.

4. What are the goals for this team?

The goals are to win the title, or the season will be a failure. Nothing less will suffice. The Lakers are a team that should contend for a title and my mentality is similar to Kobe's, if we win it, let's live it up, if not, it's back to the drawing board real soon.

5. Who do you feel happier for, Sasha for his new hair, or Odom's marriage to Khloe Kardashian?

While I'm very happy for Lamar, I gotta say, Sasha got a much needed new look. It's cleaner, different and he better hit more jumpers because of it. If so, I will begin to advocate shorter hair for all inconsistent jump shooters.

Projected Finish: 67-15

A note on this projection: this is assuming the Lakers are as close to 100% health-wise as possible. If Kobe, Bynum, Gasol, or Odom miss lots of games, they won't win 67 games.

(Photo By: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images North America, from here)

Video: NBA Anticipation Ad

2009-10-25T14:39:00.002-04:00

I am so ready for this season and the NBA really out did themselves with this ad that makes me even more ready:

Are you ready?

Video: Top 10 Plays of the Pre-Season

2009-10-25T14:37:00.002-04:00

The pre-season was exciting, but now it's time for the real season.

Here's what to remember from the pre-season though:

Very nice (Borat voice)!

Talk Around the Hardwood

2009-10-25T13:40:00.002-04:00

We're getting back in a linking mood! It's almost Tuesday!

Darren Collison's Blog. I don't care if this is old, I'm enjoying him singing single ladies! Funny stuff.
NY Post. Good look at the Nets expectations for this year and why they are so bright for the future.
Denver Stiffs. Looking for Nuggets previews? There's a ton here.
Silver Screen and Roll. Laker stat trends to watch.
Ball in Europe. Maccabi Tel Aviv players get some money stolen when they came to LA to play the Clippers.
North Station Sports. I'm sure you've seen Eddie House impersonate Ray Allen.
FanHouse. 50 fantasy basketball tips that were tweeted (follow me)!

Poll: Who Has Worst Facial Hair In The NBA?

2009-10-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

Birdman, Davis and Stevenson... could it get worse? Vote!

Sorry about the Stevenson pic. He's not bald! I will get my Photoshop skills better next time..

Leave a comment on why you chose who! I'm picking Davis, because even though he may be focused only on basketball, he could give us all some relief by shaving that mess!

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Northwest Previews Recap

2009-10-22T21:05:00.001-04:00

Denver Nuggets - Denver Stiffs | The Nugg Doctor

Minnesota Timberwolves - Canis Hoopus | Empty the Bench | TWolvesBlog

Oklahoma City Thunder - Blue Blitz | Daily Thunder

Utah Jazz - SLC Dunk | True Blue Jazz

Bonus Links: See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

Shoe of The Week: Nike Zoom Skyposite Yi Jianlian PE

2009-10-18T21:31:00.004-04:00

For the most part, I haven't been impressed with the Nike Zoom Skyposite PE's. The ugly Amar'e version comes to mind, but Nike got it right with this colorway. Though I might question whether Yi has come into his own enough to get his own shoes, I gotta say these are nice.

Some info on the avaliability of these from Kix and the City:

No specific release date yet but, expect them to hit select retailers, like the House of Hoops, in time for the upcoming 2009/2010 NBA season.

That's kind of a bummer, but hey, if you really wanna go out and get these now you know. Got a message to Yi from Nets fans: now that you've got your own personalized Nike's, play like you should get a signature shoe!

Central Division Previews Recap

2009-10-16T12:46:00.001-04:00

Chicago Bulls

BlogABull.com | Give Me The Rock

Cleveland Cavaliers

Fear The Sword | WaitingForNextYear | Cavalier Attitude

Detroit Pistons

Motown String Music | Empty the Bench | Pistons Nation | Need4Sheed.com

Indiana Pacers

Indy Cornrows

Milwaukee Bucks

BrewHoop

Bonus Links:

See full schedule here | Also see SBNation Central Division Storystream

Also, in a totally non Central Division note, check out my latest post on Lake Show Life.

Talking About a Young Italian Knickerbocker

2009-10-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

Danilo Gallinari is going into an important sophomore season. The Rooster's (his nickname, if you didn't know) got to show New York that he's got game enough to make things bearable for them this season. He's got some talent and some tools and I'm eager to see how he does. Hopefully he'll actually play the whole year.

He didn't really get his feet wet last season. Playing only 28 games, he showed a very nice shooting touch (Mike D'Antoni called him the best shooter he's seen), solid one on one moves and he still wasn't 100%. He's closer now, though D'Antoni says he's still not in NBA shape. I'd bet that he'll be up to coach's standards a quarter of the way through the season. The issue is probably more about his endurance not measuring up to the demands of D'Antoni's run and gun system yet.

I haven't seen much of him in the pre-season yet, but looking at his stats, he's been solid, yet inefficient (seven PPG, on 26% shooting and about four boards a game). I would expect his numbers in the regular season to be a little higher, but it might be tough getting him solid minutes with Wilson Chandler being the one who I presume will start. Gallinari produced somewhat well in a bench role last year, but I want to see him begin to challenge Chandler for his spot. Make the coach think twice about who's starting at least.

To sum it up, watch out for that Italian dude in a Knicks jersey. If he stays healthy, he should have a real solid year.

(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler)

Southwest Division Previews Recap

2009-10-12T21:49:00.001-04:00

Here's the full list of the Southwest Division previews.

Dallas Mavericks
 Mavs Moneyball | The Two Man Game | NBA Mate
 Houston Rockets
 The Dream Shake | Ballerblogger
 Memphis Grizzlies
 3 Shades of Blue
 New Orleans Hornets
 At The Hive | Hornets Hype
 San Antonio Spurs
 Pounding The Rock | Project Spurs
 Bonus Links
 See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

Can The Season Start Before We Think of 70+ Wins?

2009-10-11T21:35:00.002-04:00

The NBA season is now just 15 days away. It's pre-season and while I love speculating about how teams will do, can't we just show a little constraint and not mention the Bulls historic 72 win season (or 70 wins period)?

It's not like I don't want players to be confident, it's just the simple fact that you haven't even play a single game yet that mattered. 70 wins is plausible only with an almost perfect season by a very well constructed team these days. There are really only two, maybe three teams I'd even think about saying that about.

Rasheed Wallace said the Celtics could do it and TNT broadcaster and former player Reggie Miller said the Lakers could do it. Is it possible that LA and Boston could have injury free seasons? Yes, but I seriously doubt it. Additionally, the new additions on these teams look good on paper, but haven't meshed completely yet.

Some teams that look great or better on paper could actually end up being worse. Allow some time for evaluation before you make such a bold prediction.

Does a great regular season mean anything? Besides homecourt in the playoffs and maybe something for commentators to point out? It doesn't put a championship ring on your finger and it doesn't raise a banner to the rafters. Set goals for the second season before you set goals for the first season.

I Can Feel Excitement in Toronto Again

2009-10-11T17:40:00.003-04:00

Demar Derozan sticks a nasty put back dunk, Amir Johnson blocks a Nick Young dunk attempt and it's only October. I got my first taste of the 2009-10 Raptors squad in a game against the Wizards and I have to say I'm excited for their season. While I have some serious questions about the team, I know that they're going to be very fun to watch and will score the ball with ease.

Even without Hedo playing yet, I can tell this team is back to playoff contention. Bosh put on weight, Derozan will be an impact player this year and additions like Jarrett Jack and Johnson will help off the bench.

Remembering back to last year, it seemed like the Raps tanked a little. They were a team that fired it's coach early in the season, made trades that would give them salary relief in the off-season and weren't exactly putting winning first.

Now they're back. You can question the signing of 30 year old Hedo Turkoglu and the defensive abilities of this squad. But you cannot question whether they are moving in the right direction. They're closer to a title now than they were last year.

If you can go to a game, kick back with friends and jump out of your seat once or twice, it's not a bad thing. I'm glad you're getting your dignity back, Raptors fans. Also, here's a great preview of the Raptors season on Ball Don't Lie.

Here's some of that excitement I was talking about (via @jeskeets):

Brandon Jennings Gets His Own Shoes

2009-10-10T12:11:00.003-04:00

Under Armour really must believe in Brandon Jennings. He's already got a rocky reputation, mostly based on this, but now he is getting his own shoe.

Here is what the Under Armour BB Proto 3 “Young Buck” look like:

They are OK shoes. Nothing much is going on with them, but they are probably not very expensive and look good enough.

Is anyone else surprised at Under Armour's willingness to make Jennings a big entity in their basketball department? It should work out in the long run, but it's a huge risk-reward situation. Jennings will either captivate fans with his offense first mentality or fall on his face because of his inability to be mature and play solid defense.

Should be fun to see how Jennings does.

Bulls vs. Jazz: Very Solid Pre-Season Basketball

2009-10-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Bulls and the Jazz played a pre-season game in London yesterday. Going in, I was expecting a solid, but sloppy game. When the game started and I found out that Derrick Rose was out, my expectations lowered. But, for a pre-season game, the execution on both sides was better than I thought it would be. The Bulls young big men caught my eye and the game was pretty close from start to finish.

The finish of the game was action packed: Bulls rookie James Johnson was denied an inbounds pass by Andrei Kirilenko, but got the offensive rebound off a missed shot by Derrick Byars and quickly hit a jumper to win the game. It was a great way for Johnson to start his NBA career. The Bulls were of course going nuts and rightfully so.

I was pretty impressed with Johnson, Byars and Taj Gibson. They are all solid rookies for the Bulls. They will all provide energy off the bench. The frontline in Chicago has so much promise, I just wonder if the starter, Tyrus Thomas can live up the that potential. I'd predict the Bulls frontline to be known as active, but sometimes so active that it's a detriment.

Luol Deng shined and looks to have recovered from a season where injury severely derailed him. I'm sure he was trying to impress his British fans (he grew up in London), but he did it efficiently, shooting 8-12 from the field. Expect him to be the guy that fills in most of Ben Gordon's scoring.

The Jazz are still suffering from injuries. CJ Miles is out for likely a third of the season (ruptured left thumb) and Kyle Korver was out with an inflamed left knee, which I haven't the severity of yet. Right now the Jazz are depleted at the wing position. They should be healthy come playoff time, but that will be a concern in the early part of the season.

Sloan did use his big guns a lot less than usual, the starters were out in crunch time and didn't get too much burn anyway. I liked how he juggled the minutes.

Video of the end of this game:

It's so great to have NBA basketball back!

Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life

2009-10-01T15:36:00.002-04:00

Today is the first day of official 2009-10 action. Sure it's the pre-season and it's not on TV, but hell, it's something. Two pretty damn good teams too. The Jazz, with D Will, Boozer and crew battling Denver with Melo and Chauncey. Just feels good to be talking about two teams facing each other again!

I hope Sloan doesn't push his team too hard. The Jazz had way too many injuries last year and I want to see how good they can be at full strength. At full strength, the Jazz are going to have much more firepower to work with. Even though the pre-season rotation will differ from the regular season rotation, I want to see how the minutes will be toggled between Boozer and Millsap. Also, just want to point out that JR Smith, who is suspended for the first seven games of the season, will be in action in the pre-season. Thanks, @TheMileHighFan, check their blog too.

Rejoice NBA fans, it's October. We no longer have to deal with Aaron Grey headlines as the top story of the day!

Video: Gilbert Arenas and Dwayne Wade Workouts

2009-09-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

NBA.com has been producing some great videos lately. I've always loved seeing how NBA players workout and they're giving us some good workout footage. I picked the two players in the title because they work with Tim Grover at Attack Athletics. He's doing great work with guys like Arenas, Wade and Tracy McGrady. From what I've heard, he's really amazing.

So here are the videos:

With some real stuff to talk about soon, I promise we'll have more real content. Trust me!

Delonte West: To Play or Not To Play?

2009-09-27T22:05:00.002-04:00

Delonte West was charged with gun possession recently, but reports say he'll be in camp for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This surprised me. I thought the Cavs organization might not want him in camp yet, that they'd allow him to work on his personal issues.

When I thought about it some more, I found some sense in it. If you think back to when Kobe Bryant dealt with his sexual assault trial, he was still as great if not a better basketball asset. If West can get out on the court and forget the rest of the world, it will help him focus on the hardwood and calm his feelings toward his past mistakes.

The Cavs are probably doing some thinking about West though. He had some depression issues two seasons ago and now has gun possession charges. Teams are always obsessed about how they look from a community standpoint. West has shown he doesn't represent obeying the law very well. That's something that factors in when trade offers come in.

This is the final straw for West. He'll start to get it now. When he looks at what he's done, he'll get his act together enough to stay in line. I know he's crazy, but dude loves his basketball.

Two Random NBA Photoshops

2009-09-24T22:00:00.000-04:00

I'm just beginning to learn Photoshop. Gotta say, it's a fun program that I really wanna get a grasp of. Tell me what you think of these!

Stay tuned to NBAtipoff, we'll be churning up the postage soon!

Check Out the New North Station Sports

2009-09-24T12:22:00.003-04:00

My buddy Nick Gelso is running a new and improved North Station Sports. Just wanted to point you all to it, especially Celtics fans.

This site is lookin good, but it's still not done! Keep your eyes on it!