The Crab Dribble Episode 67, Get Real
The Crab Dribble returns to break down Kevin Love’s hate-hate relationship with the Timberwolves, the Golden State Warriors’ fast start and Rob plays general manager with smashing results. Check out the show at www.thecrabdribble.com or on iTunes and don’t forget to write reviews and leave comments for the show.
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…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.14, the plot thickens
The Crab Dribble, unlike defending MVP Derrick Rose, is back in action this week, breaking down each bracket with the precision and accuracy of three fans who watch a lot of ball. We not only look back on what’s taken place, but we also look ahead to second round (and occasionally third round) match-ups. There’s a lot, so get comfy and hit play.
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 2.15
Let’s just get it out of the way now – LeBron James has a dislocated ring finger. Yes, I know – he’s not using it anyway, good thing there’s nothing on it, why he does he need that finger, etc etc. The wittiness of NBA fans is truly a marvel.
But beyond the tired commentary, the NBA is gearing up for an interesting stretch run. Mike Brown seems determined to turn the Lakers against him, while Vinny Del Negro is apparently oblivious to the fact that he’s soon to be out of a job. Kevin Love continues to post video game numbers, the Bulls march on without Derrick Rose, and the Wizards continue to be..well..the Wizards. There’s so much to cover, but so little time! Let’s just see what we can done from the best seat in the house.
– Despite the hailstorm of criticism he endured in the playoffs, turns out that Russell Westbrook guy can play a little ball. In fact, EOTB thinks Westbrook is in line to be 1st Team All-NBA this season, beating out the likes of Rose, Chris Paul, Steve Nash and Rajon Rondo. Before the outcry begins, keep in mind that this guy averages nearly 25 points and six assists a game, while playing 36 minutes per game for a team with the second-best record in the league. #thunderup (more…)
End of the Bench, Volume 2.14
The NBA is really heating up these…wait. What? Yes, of course the NBA is still around! I know it’s easy to overlook it these days, what with the NCAA Tournament, spring training and hourly updates about Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow and the Saints, but the world’s best basketball players are still forging ahead through the shortened season. The playoff race is tightening, and it’s the time of year when teams band together to make a run…or watch as their owners frantically sell off parts to begin the dreaded “rebuilding process” (ask Golden State fans how they feel about this).The time of year when coaches’ seats start to get very hot, players’ tempers run very short, and Raptors officials begin their annual “next year will be better” campaign.
But no matter how chaotic it might seem, we’ll be here to guide you through it all. So pull up a chair and let’s see what it all looks like from the best seat in the house. (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…)
K-Dogg’s Fantasy Island, The B-Team
33 percent factual tweets from actual readers…
“When is @TCDKDogg going to write another stellar blog on fantasy bball? My team is slipping…” – @average_smo
“I’m lost in the fantasy world without direction from the fantasy island and @TCDKDogg’s advice” – @MathewBerryTMR
“I was living the fantasy, but apparently my ex-wife wants me back. So much for the fun single life.” – @Kobe24
Back by popular demand, it’s the Fantasy Island!
We have a lot on the plate today so let’s get to it.
End of the Bench, Volume 2.9
Pretty boring week in the NBA, no? Sure, Jeremy Lin buried a game-winner, the Heat pulled off a feat not done in nearly 30 years, the Spurs are forcing their way into the contenders circle, the Blazers lost their best player, Rajon Rondo had a monster triple-double and Carmelo Anthony’s impending return has sparked endless debates about his worthiness as a player. But other than that, nothing to see here, right?
We are officially at the halfway point of the season (more or less anyway), and it’s safe to say we’ve had more than a few surprises. Sure, we knew the Heat, Thunder and Bulls would be good…but the Sixers over the Celtics? We figured the All-Star Game would feature the usual contingency of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Paul Pierce…but did anyone thing they’d be sharing the stage with Roy Hibbert? And we suspected the Knicks would be an interesting storyline, but did we think it would happen when both Carmelo and Amare Stoudemire were sitting out? If you’re overwhelmed by it all – don’t worry. Just relax, grab a seat and we’ll explain it all from the best seat in the house. (more…)
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.7, Insert Lin pun here
The Crab Dribble gets swept up in Linsanity, along with the rest of the league. We share our take on the Knicks’ Linning ways, along with All-Star reserves and snubs. We answer some fans around the league in search of some good advice, and share the Tweet of the Week, which had everyone shaking their heads. It’s almost too much show for one week, but you’ve been good and deserve a treat.
End of the Bench, Volume 2.8
The Bulls are winning. The Bobcats are losing. Stephen Jackson is not happy. The Knicks are thriving with a point guard from Harvard. Yes, everything is going pretty much the way we expected at the ….wait! What? Harvard??
Yes, the condensed season and plethora of injuries has created some interesting situations around the league as we approach the All-Star break. In fact, it’s so crazy that Erick Dampier just landed a 10-day contract, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan will have to buy a ticket to watch Roy Hibbert in the All-Star game, and the Clippers are hoping to land JR Smith to keep their title hopes alive. It’s a lot to take it, but don’t worry. Just pull up a chair and we’ll explain it all from the best seat in the house. (more…)
Wednesday linkage: Feb. 8, 2012
We have a new star point guard in New York; we have the Timberwolves stomping over the .500 mark into respectability; we have so much news, let’s get right to the linkage.
* Tough news out of Los Angeles where Chauncey Billups’ season (career?) is done in by a torn Achilles. Where do the Clippers turn next? Perhaps the door is now wide open for J.R. Smith.
* Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. Case in point: Stomp Gate and our friends at T’Wolves Blog.
* Paul Pierce officially passed Larry Bird on the Celtics’ all-time scoring list. So it must be time to start assessing PP’s place in the green legacy. I might be biased, but I think he’s top five.
*As I passionately argued on last week’s episode of The Crab Dribble podcast, Steve Nash is putting up all-star numbers this year. Still. At age 38. For a very bad Phoenix team. It’s really pretty remarkable how systematically excellent a job the Suns organization has done in making sure this team has screwed up every personnel move during Nash’s entire time there. Seriously, they have to be a top-5 worst-run franchise in the NBA during the last five years.
Anyway, point is it’s time to trade Steve Nash! Whether he likes it or not. It’s good for everyone at this point. My idea? The Indiana Pacers. I know they have Darren Collison, who has been nothing but solid this year. But wow, Nash could take that offense to the next level – even if it was just for the rest of the season. Collison and Nash could play on the floor at the same time. And I know the Pacers have $14 mill under the cap just waiting to be used.
* We’ll close with one of the feel-good stories of the year. Mr. Jeremy Lin.
Ben Walpole is a blogger and podcast producer for The Crab Dribble. Readers can email him at thecrabdribble@thecrabdribble.com and follow him on Twitter @TCDBen.
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.6, Buy low, sell high
The Crab Dribble returns this week with thoughts on All-Star snubs, teams that need to push players to the trading block, and those teams needing to pick discarded players no one else wanted. Also, Kenyon Martin is back. It’s a full show, so stay until the end, and then write us at thecrabdribble@thecrabdribble.com.
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.5, Love it or leave it
The Crab Dribble has entered The Lockout Zone, and lived to tell about it. This week’s episode breaks down Kevin Love’s new contract, players not receiving contract offers and the Orlando Magic’s disappearing act. It’s all there, you just have to listen. Please leave comments at www.thecrabdribble.com or on iTunes.
Wednesday linkage: Jan. 25, 2012
It’s my dad’s 60th birthday. Let’s celebrate with some links.
* Kevin Love has a thicker beard, longer hair and a new contract. The Minnesota Timberwolves will not post a more important victory all season.
* Jason and I each picked Kawhi Leonard as our preseason Rookie of the Year in the Western Conference. A little overstated, perhaps. Leonard clearly won’t win the Rookie of the Year award – in either conference. But that’s not to say he isn’t making major contributions for the Spurs.
* Flip Saunders got fired yesterday. But look at this. The problem was there two months ago. And it’s still there today.
* I’ve about had it with the Deron Williams drama, haven’t you? It’s getting to be a little bit like the Carmelo Anthony situation of last year in that we’re spending so much time wondering which team will get him that we’ve forgotten to notice that teams might be better off just avoiding him altogether.
* This might be the most important story of the year in terms of playoff impact.
Ben Walpole is a blogger and podcast producer for The Crab Dribble. Follow him on Twitter @TCDBen.
The Crab Dribble Episode 2.4, Surprising disappointments
The Crab Dribble is back for a weekly dose of NBA discussion and argument. This week’s show discusses the inevitable end of the Big Three in Boston, New York’s struggles with their own “Big Three,” and we also break down the various surprises and disappointments of the early season. Stop reading and play the podcast already….
Roster announced
Team USA has officially released a 19-player roster that will ultimately be whittled to 12 before the 2012 Olympics in London. As expected, the roster is largely a mix of the 2008 gold medal team and the 2010 World Championship team, although newcomers Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge are likely to be heard from as the team reports for training camp this summer. (more…)
Team USA…on the way
Sure, the NBA regular season is barely two weeks old, and we’re not even halfway through January, but I’m already excited about this summer. No, not for the NBA Finals, although I am anxiously hoping that June brings a championship to Miami. But even more important than that is the 2012 Olympics, where Team USA will defend not only their gold medal from the 2008 Olympics, but also their title from the 2010 World Championships.
Team USA Chairman Jerry Colangelo has announced that an 18-player pool will be released this month, from which the final 12-man roster will ultimately be selected. Sources are reporting that, as expected, the final roster will be a mixture of the 2008 and 2010 teams, with Blake Griffin the only newcomer likely to be considered. So now the question is simple – who makes the final cut? (more…)
All you need is Love
Kevin Love is apparently now just another victim of our “what have you done for me lately” society.
Love, the Timberwolves’ rebounding machine, has reached the rarified air that is typically only occupied by superstars, that level where greatness is expected and people don’t bat an eye at otherwise spectacular accomplishments. While Love is an All-Star, it’s probably a bit much to call him a superstar…and yet he’s now reached that superstar level where his play is taken for granted. Here’s how I know that.
“Kevin Love led the Wolves with 31 points and 20 boards last night as they fell to the Bucks.”
Those words greeted me as I turned on the radio this morning, and yet I wasn’t even moved in the slightest. There was a time, even just five or six years ago, when a 30/20 game would have me calling my friends to see if they saw it. But monster games like this have become so commonplace for Love, it’s hard to get too excited. But let’s look a little deeper at how rare these types of games are. (more…)
The Crab Dribble 2.2: Westward bound!
As promised, The Crab Dribble is back with its Western Conference preview. We go team-by-team until we hit the top, and then we give out preseason awards. It sounds pretty simple, but you’ll really have to hear it for yourself. Check it out, then hit us back at thecrabdribble@thecrabdribble.com.
The Crab Dribble Episode 40, European vacation
The NBA players may be locked out, but The Crab Dribble is back this week to break down the lockout (sorry, we don’t know when it’s going to end) and the new “cool thing to do,” which is taking your talents to Turkey, China or anywhere but ‘Merica.
This is the first of several shorter, more pointed summer episodes. If you’ve got an episode idea during the lockout, hit us up at thecrabdribble@thecrabdribble.com or leave a comment below. You could also befriend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. It’s totally up to you.
What they’re saying