The Crab Dribble Episode 64, New Beginnings
The Crab Dribble is back to dissect a slow start for the Lakers, James Harden’s impact on the league and comment on those players receiving contract extensions in the hours leading up to the deadline. It’s a fast, fun-filled show, so enjoy it responsibly, and leave your comments below.
Team USA still golden
For all the talk of how the 2012 version of Team USA lacked size, they sure stood tall when it counted the most.
No, Sunday’s gold medal thriller against Spain won’t go down as one of the greatest games ever. With 54 personal fouls being whistled, including four each on LeBron James, Marc Gasol, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love, not to mention Rudy Fernandez fouling out, the game lacked any real consistent rhythm. But as they did in 2008, Team USA picked up their play at the right time, pushing a three-point lead out to nine with just under two minutes remaining to seal their second consecutive gold medal. Clutch plays by LeBron, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul helped offset a brilliant effort by Pau Gasol, and set off a raucous celebration following the final horn, with players dancing, hugging and even dousing Coach Mike Krzyzewski with bottles of water. For Team USA, it was the culmination of another long journey, and it’s safe to say their celebration was born not only of joy, but also of a little relief. (more…)
End of the Bench, Summer Edition
Remember the NBA lockout? You know, that pesky, 161-day period in which NBA owners whined about their diminishing returns, based entirely on circumstances out of their control? Good. Because Landry Fields just signed a $20 million contract. Somehow, these two items may be related…
Yes, a crazy NBA season has been followed by an even crazier NBA offseason. The free-agency period has seen nearly every team wheeling and dealing to transform their roster, with some of the biggest chips yet to fall. Throw in the NBA Draft, the upcoming Olympic Games and the daily Dwight Howard trade updates, and the NBA has managed to stay in the headlines during the summer months. If you’ve missed anything, don’t worry. EOTB has you covered. Pull up a chair and let’s see what it looks like from the best seat in the house. (more…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.19, The King’s Crowned
The Crab Dribble puts a bow on the 2011-2012 season by praising The Chosen One for finally reaching the top of the mountain. Not everyone on the podcast is pleased with the outcome, but we also dissect the lottery picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. The season may be over, but TCD lives on.
“It’s about damn time”
Silence.
That’s the sound dominating the NBA landscape today, just three days after the Miami Heat, led by LeBron James, took home the 2012 NBA title. No more chirping about how LeBron can’t win the big one, or how he and Dwyane Wade couldn’t work together, or how the team didn’t have the quality of depth to win a championship. No more outlandish statement, venom-filled tirades or tired jokes (I asked LeBron for change for a dollar, but he only gave me three quarters! Hardy har har!). The LeBron detractors, which have numbered many in the last two years, are busy finding a new target to relentlessly hassle (here’s guessing they land on Russell Westbrook, Alex Rodriguez. Tiger Woods or Tim Tebow – the cynical are very predictable). Finally, LeBron has his ring, and at only 27 years old, a realistic chance to take home a few more before he hangs it up. (more…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.18, Taking the Heat
The Crab Dribble is back with another Finals update, and we break down the other headlines appearing around the league. Note: The episode was recorded during Game 4, so there are no comments on Russell Westbrook’s outstanding game, or his horrific brain fart late in the game that sealed this series game for the Heat.
Check it out, then hit us back and let us know what you think.
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.17, Time to Deliver
The Crab Dribble returns from just its fourth vacation in this lockout-shortened season to get you caught up on the conference finals and preview the Finals finals. Will Lebron ever get the respect he deserves? Can Durant keep delivering in the clutch? Will Kendrick Perkins ever admit to committing a single foul? These questions and more are answered in this week’s TCD…
What’s the Story?
Outside of fans located in San Antonio and Oklahoma City, most people don’t have a strong rooting interest in the Western Conference Finals, other than to see an entertaining series between two great teams. Well, few things are more entertaining than witnessing the rush to bury guard Russell Westbrook when the Thunder lose. In fact, judging by the commentary that has followed the first two games, you’d think Westbrook, when he’s not kicking puppies and stealing purses from old ladies, was deliberately sabotaging the series. After all, he’s…wait for it… taken more shots than Kevin Durant. That has to the reason Oklahoma City finds itself in a deep hole as they head home for Game 3, right? (more…)
End of the Bench, Volume 2.23
All those who had the 76ers outlasting the Bulls, Lakers, Mavericks and Grizzlies in the playoffs, raise your hands. Anybody? Hello?
A truncated season full of twists and turns has – not surprisingly - led to a crazy, turbulent postseason. The defending champs were sent packing before winning a game while the odds-on favorite to win this year’s title didn’t even sniff the second round last year. Last year’s young upstart (Grizzlies) was dispatched by this year’s young upstart (Clippers). The Bulls/Heat rematch in the Eastern Conference Finals was derailed by injuries, and at the time of this writing, it’s not farfetched to think a LeBron James/Derrick Rose showdown will be replaced by a Roy Hibbert/Lavoy Allen matchup. It’s been a wild ride, and it doesn’t look to be slowing down. Let’s see if we can figure it all out from the best seat in the house. (more…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.15, Sure thing
The Crab Dribble is back with more playoff talk than you can shake a stick at. A big stick. The Spurs are a runaway train, the Sixers won’t go away and the Thunder have struck the Lakers. We cover it all, and revise those picks that went horribly wrong.
End of the Bench, Volume 2.22
Hmm…where to start? LeBron James and Miami coming up short in another fourth quarter? Kevin Garnett finding the fountain of youth for the postseason? Kobe Bryant (yes, you read that correctly), making crucial mistakes at the end of a game? Tim Duncan getting a Sports Illustrated feature? There’s so much to cover, and so little time, so let’s not waste it. Pull up a chair and let’s see what it looks like from the best seat in the house. (more…)
End of the Bench, Volume 2.21
Before we get started, EOTB regrets to inform everyone that we are all out of the Knicks’ “2012 NBA PLayoffs First Round Game 4 Championship” shirts. However, there are rumors that pieces of the Madison Square Garden floor will be available, as the club tries to help fans memorialize the historic occasion when they went from being down 3-0 to being down 3-1 in their matchup with Miami. Stay tuned for more details.
In the meantime, the playoffs are still rolling. Gone are Utah, Orlando, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and New York, having won a whopping six games between them. The Thunder and Spurs aren’t looking ahead, but we are, and their matchup in the Western Conference Finals could be epic. The East was a jumbled mess, with injuries, inconsistency and just all-around ugly play pervading in the opening weeks, but Miami looks to be coming on at the right time. Let’s see if we can get a handle on it all. Grab a seat and we’ll take it in from the best seat in the house. (more…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.12, The Beginning of the End
The Crab Dribble returns just one week prior to the start of the NBA playoffs with a special show dedicated to Dwight’s (temporary) exit from Orlando, the start of the playoffs (April 28!) and the regular season awards. It’s a lot, so listen real slow in case in miss anything. We’ll be back next week with playoff talk in other assorted bits sure to make you squeal with delight.
End of the Bench, Volume 2.18
We’ve reached the apocalypse in the NBA. The Lakers are winning without Kobe Bryant. The Heat are winning without Dwyane Wade. The Bulls are winning without Derrick Rose. Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony – neither of whom exactly conjures up images of John Stockton – are putting up double-digit assist games. Chaos has officially ensued. Forget everything you thought you knew about the NBA.
Okay, that’s perhaps a tad strong. Delonte West is still behaving bizarrely, to put it mildly. Kevin Garnett is still setting blatantly illegal screens all over the court. LeBron James is still filling out a stat sheet like few can. And the Bobcats are still embarrassing themselves. There’s so much to cover, and so little time, what with the playoffs right around the corner. But let’s get started, shall we? Pull up a chair and let’s see what it looks like from the best seat in the house. (more…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.11, Playoff positioning
The Crab Dribble returns with Episode 2.11. This episode finds the guys discussing possible playoff matchups that have likely changed since the discussion. They’ve probably changed again as you read this. The guys also ask “Is he the Answer?” and take part in perhaps the worst game of “Jason Vs.” in the history of man. It’s fun, so listen however you listen and let us know what you think.
End of the Bench, Volume 2.16
Nothing like a little Gregg Williams pep talk to get EOTB going… now I just need to finish this so I can go punch someone in the head and take out some unfortunate soul’s ACL.
Aside from crazy (and slightly scary) NFL talk, the action in the NBA is heating up. The Miami/Oklahoma City game on Wednesday might be the best regular season game all year, while the Lakers have proven that Los Angeles is their turf until further notice, and the question in Orlando has switched from “Will Dwight get traded” to “Will Stan get fired?” Additionally, in circumstances we never could have predicted, the Rockets are looking forward to the postseason while the Knicks’ playoff chances look tenuous at best. Whew – it’s a lot a wrap your mind around. But have no fear – that’s why we’re here. Let’s see what it looks like from the best seat in the house. (more…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.10, Rolling Thunder
The Crab Dribble talks “Best in the West,” with OKC looking like world-beaters, the Spurs defying their advanced age and the Lakers still struggling with substitution patterns. All that, plus a draft re-draft and a confusing, confusing Tweet of the Week. Check it out, then hit us back in the replies section.
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.9, Heated Seats
We’re back, again! The Crab Dribble returns from hiatus this week to bring you the flaming hot seat Vinny Del Negro sits in as Clippers coach, March Madness difference-makers, and the recent personnel decisions of several playoff teams. It’s a full show and totally worth the next 39 minutes.
The Power 5
Every Tuesday, The Crab Dribble will bring you “The Power 5,” a ranking of the best five teams in the NBA for the previous week. Here at TCD, we don’t use a complicated mathematical formula or complex statistical analysis to determine the best teams – we just call them like we see them. Don’t agree? Let us hear about it in the comments section.
1). Chicago Bulls (37-10)
Ready for a suprising stat? The Bulls are 9-4 this year when Derrick Rose doesn’t play. Want another one? In those 13 games, CJ Watson and John Lucas have combined to average 19.7 points and 5.9 assists…number that aren’t a far cry from Rose’s season averages. Does this mean the Bulls don’t miss Rose? Not at all. But this is far from a one-man team, and they’ve got the NBA’s best record to prove it. They have a deep rotation, and a roster full of guys who know their roles and fill them to perfection, such as the aforementioned guards, but also guys like Ronnie Brewer, Taj Gibson and Kyle Korver. They’ll need Rose to be 100% once they get to the playoffs, but until then, they’re not missing a beat without him. (more…)
End of the Bench, Volume 2.12
Tick tock….tick tock…tick tock. The trade deadline is drawing ever closer, and the rumor mill is loaded with “inside sources” dropping hints of what is, and isn’t, likely to happen over the next week. Will Pau Gasol remain in Los Angeles? Can the Celtics get even value for Rajon Rondo? Will Lamar Odom-Kardashian be moved? Can the Sixers bring in a big name? Will the Magic try to cash in on Dwight Howard before they lose him for nothing?
It’s a confusing time, to be sure, but have no fear. We’re here for you. So pull up a chair and let’s take a look at it all from the best seat in the house.
– Just when people are starting to hop back on the Lakers’ bandwagon, they somehow manage to blow a 21-point lead to Washington, despite the Wizards playing like…well…the Wizards. How do you lose to a team that does this? (more…)
The Power 5
Every Tuesday, The Crab Dribble will bring you “The Power 5,” a ranking of the best five teams in the NBA for the previous week. Here at TCD, we don’t use a complicated mathematical formula or complex statistical analysis to determine the best teams – we just call them like we see them. Don’t agree? Let us hear about it in the comments section.
1). Chicago Bulls (31-8)
Regardless of the schedule, injuries or the spotlight, the Bulls just continue rolling along. Road wins over the Spurs and Sixers showed Chicago’s toughness, and they’re approaching a six-game homestand that should allow them to pad their lead in the East. Derrick Rose continues to be, well, Derrick Rose, but perhaps the biggest key has been chemistry of their core players. Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, Kyle Korver, Taj Gibson and Ronnie Brewer play well together, and Rip Hamilton, when healthy, has proved to be a nice addition. The Bulls remain one of the league’s stingiest teams on defense, and they carry a business-like approach into each game. The only question that remains is how they’ll fare against Miami in the playoffs, who has had their number recently. (more…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.8, The Return
The hiatus is back off, again. The Crab Dribble returns after a brief break to get you caught up on All-Star Weekend festivities, and what they mean for the second half of the season. We also answer some fan mail, and it’s not too kind. Join us, won’t you?
All Star Recap: West 152, East 149
I understand how hard it must be to stay in front of Chris Paul, box out Dwight Howard or shut down Kobe Bryant. But none of that compares to the challenge at hand right now…how do you recap a game that featured 301 total points, 26 three-pointers, 73 assists, 22 steals and approximately 14,000 dunks? We could start by mentioning that the game’s MVP, Kevin Durant, poured in 36 points on 56 percent shooting. Or that Kobe chipped in with 27 of his own to become the leading scorer in All-Star game history. We could chuckle about the statline of Blake Griffin, whose nine field goals were comprised of eight dunks and a three-pointer, or marvel at his backup, Kevin Love, who threw in a couple three-pointers of his own on his way to 17 points of the bench. We could even point out that Love wasn’t even the highest-scoring reserve among former UCLA players, as Russell Westbrook sped around the court on his way to 21 points. And that’s just the West. Moving East, it’s hard to overlook LeBron James’ 36-point effort, which included 23 in the second half. But we also don’t want to do a disservice to Dwyane Wade, who put up a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists (and also provided possibly the most physical play in an All-Star game since Pete Rose broke Ray Fosse’s thumb in 1970 ). Plus, we can’t forget about Rajon Rondo, who dished out eight assists off the bench, or Deron Williams, who came off the pine to put up 20 points. We would also be remiss to leave out the fact that the Amway Center rims survived not one, not two, not three, but four three-point attempts from Dwight Howard, who not surprisingly, came up empty.
Clearly, there’s no good way to try to cram this all into one article. So we’ll let the fine folks at NBA.com do it for us…in the form of a video. Here’s the top 10 plays from last night’s game. Enjoy.
All-Star Saturday Diary
Is there anything better than spending a Saturday night inside watching television? Sure, some people go on dates, hit the bars or go to a party, but here at The Crab Dribble, we’re all about basketball, even at the expense of our social lives. So for those of you unfortunate enough to miss the All-Star Saturday Night festivities, have no fear. We kept a running diary of the events – just for you – so you can relive all the excitement. Enjoy!
8:32: Welcome to All-Star Saturday Night, which for some reason, has its own pregame show. But we decided to skip to the good stuff, which means we’re opening with the required camera scan of the celebrities and players in attendance. Am I the only one who doesn’t get the black-framed glasses fad?
8:34: It’s time to meet the teams for the Haier Shooting Stars Challenge! Can you feel the excitement? (more…)
What they’re saying