FanHouse

Chris Mullin Is Cool as a Cucumber, but Looking at Options After Ellis' Injury

Matt Moore — 2008-08-27T22:38:00 00:00

Filed under: Warriors, Western, NBA Injuries

Chris Mullin is a rock. He is an island.

He is incredibly chill about losing his $66 million point-guard for 4 months.

As reported by the irreplaceable Tim Kawakami, Mullin told local reporters that though disheartened by the loss of Monta Ellis for the start of the season, he is not in panic mode. Kawakami reports that Mullin and Don Nelson are looking at their options, including inserting Marcus Williams as starter, or going to a bigger lineup with Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggette. Mullin also said he will be going to a long-scheduled meeting in Chicago with former Clipper Shaun Livingston. Livingston, as you may know, kind of has his own injury issues to work out, but Mullin says he's not in any rush because he "has enough ball-handlers, even without Ellis."

While the Warriors are archetypically comprised of big men that can run and score, they still need a central point guard, and preferably one with speed, to execute Don Nelson's offense. The idea of a Stephen Jackson-Corey Maggette-Brandon Wright/Anthony Randolph-Al Harrington- Andris Biedrins lineup is fascinating, though. It would be like a fleet of giraffes. Not going to frighten you in any respect, but you will stop and watch it for a while, just because it's so bizarre. My first thought when I heard about the Ellis injury, other than "Fate is cruel" was "They should look at Livingston." Livingston had a ton of talent and potential before his knee exploded like the Fourth of July, and he's worth taking a look at.

Hey, at least you can see the worst case coming in that scenario.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Did the Warriors Lose a Bet With God? Monta Ellis Out 3-4 Months

Matt Moore — 2008-08-27T15:39:00 00:00

Filed under: Warriors, Western, NBA Injuries

And the hits just keep on coming.

Less than two months after losing Baron Davis in free agency to the Los Angeles Clippers and anointing Monta Ellis as their point guard of the future (a risky proposition in and of itself), the Golden State Warriors have now lost Ellis to an ankle and shoudler injury for 3-4 months, keeping him out until near the beginning of the year at least.

ESPN reports that Ellis was scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn deltoid ligament, and also has sustained a severe ankle sprain that will require his leg to be immobilized for six weeks. That would be when training camp starts, for those keeping score. The injury occured when Ellis was working out at home in Jackson, Mississippi.

So just to review, the Dubs lost their star player to free agency, signed Corey Maggette who's not really considered elite by anyone's standards, almost lost Kelenna Azubuike to an offer from the Clippers before matching, traded for the Nets' Marcus Williams, and then started to hear Stephen Jackson grumbling about his contract. Now they are face to face with the reality that their $66 million dollar investment is down and out for the first two months of the regular season at least. So if you know a diehard Warriors fan, you might want to give them a call, send them a candygram, possibly talk them off the ledge. The sky may not be falling, but it sure looks closer than it did three months ago.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Jay Feely Walks Into Arrowhead Stadium on Monday, Gets Thrown Out on Tuesday

Matt Moore — 2008-08-27T14:19:00 00:00

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Free Agency

Jay Feely is a veteran kicker with a solid percentage looking for a job. The Kansas Chiefs boast one of the worst special teams units in the NFL, which is especially limited in kickoffs and field goals. So this seems like a pretty good fit? Right? Well, that's what the Chiefs thought, so they brought in Feely on Monday to compete with Nick Novak and Colin Barth, both of whom have been severely underwhelming in the preseason. Novak missed the only field goal attempt the Chiefs had in their 24-0 beatdown by the Dolphins last Saturday, and neither of them look good in general.

So it may have surprised Feely a bit, and certainly did surprise his agent, when he got dumped by the Chiefs the following day. On Tuesday, the Chiefs had all three kickers kick 30 field goals. Feely, who had just come in, only hit 24, the least of the crew, and was summarily released. Let me put this in perspective. Brett Favre was in camp at Green Bay this season for longer than Jay Feely was with the Chiefs. He probably didn't even have time to get barbecue. I'm not even sure if his hotel had time to clean his room.

Head coach Herm Edwards is having a rough go of it with field goal kickers. Last year he released Lawrence Tynes, which is fine, because it's not like he ended up doing anything important. But then, kickers shouldn't be that big of a deal, right? I mean, it's not like Edwards is the kind of coach that relies on field position and field goals to win a game, preferring to slug it out and not let your opponent have good field position, right? Wait. That's exactly what Edwards is. So even if you subscribe to the theory of punting over scoring, Edwards doesn't have the personnel to actually implement that kind of strategy. This should end well.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Phoenix Prosecutor Would Like a Gander at the Donaghy Files

Matt Moore — 2008-08-26T13:21:00 00:00

Filed under: Suns, Western

Today's reminder that the Tim Donaghy scandal will not go quietly into that dark night comes from Arizona. A prosecutor in Arizona is following up on an earlier request for the documents pertaining to Donaghy's case. The prosecutor was told to wait till after Donaghy's federal trial concluded before processing his request. Donaghy's been sentenced, and now the prosecutor, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, wants his shot.

The claim is that he wants to explore whether Donaghy broke any state laws during his happy go funtime dancing with betting on games he worked. But in reality, we know the real reason behind the inquiry.

There's no doubt that the real reason behind the inquiry is to discover if Donaghy admitted to shenannigans during the Suns notoriously questionable playoffs series against the Spurs in 2007. It's likely that the investigation has very little to do with actually pursuing Donaghy, seeing as how he's, you know, already in the clink. But ever since people started pointing out that Donaghy was involved in that, um ... interesting series, there have been blood cries from the desert.

As someone that was as outraged by that series as anyone, I'll still say someone should tell Phoenix that this won't put Steve Nash's nose back together in Game 1, nor will it keep Amare Stoudemire on the bench after Robert Horry cheapshot 1.0. It's done.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Chiefs Fans Get Started Early On Carl Peterson Revolt

Matt Moore — 2008-08-25T13:35:00 00:00

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Rumors

The vast majority of football fans know a certain number of tenets. Defense wins championship. You have to run the ball. Never buy into the Cardinals. And, the preseason doesn't matter. There's nothing real about it, it's not a predictor of success, it's an exhibition that proves positively nothing.

That said, after last Sunday's debacle/car crash/unmitigated disaster for the Chiefs in Miami, the fanbase has flipped open the case on the panic button and are staring at it intently. No one's pushing, considering the abysmally low expectations for this season ,but their finger is so tight on it, you can feel the indentation of the letters. That tends to happen after you get blanked 24-0 by Chad Pennington, I repeat, Chad freaking Pennington while only creating 189 total yards of offense against a team that went 1-15 last year. There's going to be a little anxiety. And, as is always the case in Kansas City, the big target moves immediately to General Manager Carl Peterson.

The Kansas City Star today takes its annual "Is This The End Of King Carl" column to a whole new level, with a bevy of quotes indicating a rift between Carl and head coach Herm Edwards on how to best rebuild. The argument essentially comes down to Edwards supporting drafting and Peterson supporting free agency. With the passing of Lamar Hunt, the article suggests Peterson could be on his way out as new owner Clark Hunt moves in support of Edwards.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Olympic 5 Things: Spain Versus Lithuania

Matt Moore — 2008-08-22T00:48:00 00:00

Filed under: FIBA, USA Basketball

During the remainder of the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will give you 5 Things to watch for in each game.

Whither El Calderon?: Jose Calderon was injured in Spain's last game against Croatia with a strained adducter, according to Sportsnet.ca and his status for the game against Lithuania is in doubt. Calderon's a pretty huge loss for the Spanish, as he is, you know, their most experienced point guard. While everyone can rave about Ricky Rubio's flashes of brilliance, I doubt Spain's fans feel comfortable going into a game against a very solid Lithuania team with the 17 year old at the helm. If Calderon's not 100%, or out completely, the pressure will be on Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, and Rudy Fernandez to make up the difference.

True Kleiza: Linas Kleiza continues to fly under the radar, he's just knocking down everything in his way while he does it. Kleiza's in a perfect position in international play, able to play between the 2 and 4 spots. He's got the necessary skills. But Spain's got the elder Gasol and a flurry of offensive weapons. Kleiza needs to be downright spectacular to keep up with their firepower.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Bucks Fans Can Come Down Now: Bogut's Ankle MRI 'Looks Good'

Matt Moore — 2008-08-21T16:40:00 00:00

Filed under: Bucks, FIBA, NBA Injuries

Good news today out of Australia, as Andrew Bogut's ankle MRI came up with no indications of ligament damage or any other serious problem. "It looks (like) nothing more than a sprain" said Australian Olympic coach Brian Goorjian, in an interview with The West Australian.

So now need to freak out over the dreaded "give gigantic contract extension and watch superstar go down in flames" nightmare. Bogut should be okay. Which is good, because the Bucks need to find out in a hurry how he's going to fit with the retooled Milwaukee squad as John Hammond continues the rebuilding process. And with Richard Jefferson, a (hopefully) healthy Michael Redd, Bogut, and super-stud Joe Alexander, the Bucks might be able to make some noise this year. But starting off with an injury sustained in what was ultimately a fruitless Olympic effort would have been a poor way to show that he's worth the money. So good save here.

A final interesting note from the article says that the Coach Goorjian didn't expect a call from the Bucks front office. Really? They hadn't given one yet? Because if I'd just handed over possibly $70 million plus to a guy and he comes up limping and needing an MRI playing for your club? I'd have called, sent emails, faxes, carrier pigeons and sent up smoke signals to try and find out everything I could about the situation. But that's just me. I tend to put a lot of value into $70 million.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Four Words Bucks Fans Don't Want to Hear: Bogut. Injury. Ligaments. Damage.

Matt Moore — 2008-08-20T23:23:00 00:00

Filed under: Bucks, Eastern, FIBA, NBA Injuries, USA Basketball

It was bound to happen. When you put players on the floor and have them going full speed, injuries are going to amass, the same as any other sport. When it's players fighting for the pride of their countries, it's even more likely. But man, Bucks fans have to be asking "Yeah, but why did it have to happen to us?"

Less than a month after inking a five year,$60 million contract extension, Andrew Bogut was bravely trying to fight off the American horde pounding at his country's Olympic basketball doorstep. And in the process, he ended up twisting his ankle while trying to stop Kobe Bryant from getting to the basket (not an enviable task in its own right), and the result was him hobbling off the floor. No big deal, these things happen all the time. But a report out of the Salt Lake Tribune indicates that Bogut said he suspects the two words you don't want to hear after the game.

Ligament damage.

He's scheduled for an MRI tomorrow, and we hope everything works out well. And hey, maybe it will. After all, this is the Bucks, and they always seem to catch the breaks, right? Right? Aw, man ...

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Agent Zero Television? Arenas Contemplating Reality Series

Matt Moore — 2008-08-20T16:36:00 00:00

Filed under: Wizards, Eastern, NBA Gossip, NBA Rumors

Oh, Zero. How you manage to always keep our attention.

Gilbert Arenas has come to be known as one of the most entertaining NBA players in media. He's always got something to say, and most of the time, it's interesting, even if it's a little played out from time to time. He's a character, and in a league that needs them, especially ones that stay out of trouble, he's a blessing of sorts. So it should come as no surprise that there has been discussion of a Gilbert Arenas reality show. In fact, Arenas was kind enough to talk about the idea that been broached with him on a recent appearance on the Big O and Dukes Show (via RealClearSports). Here's what Gil had to say:

"Ya know, it's funny. I got a -- you ever seen the show, 'Rob and Big?' The producers want to do a reality show on me -- the first NBA player to do a reality show. But then I thought about it -- I was like, my life is really not that exciting. Ya know, so, I'm thinking about it, because, ya know, I have players like Nick [Young], who's goofy, so we can do paintball shooting and see who can get hurt on the grotto jumping into the pool..."

So it definitely sounds like there's been some serious talk. And for all of Arenas' wishy-washiness about blogs and attention and whatnot, he loves being in the spotlight. And I'm the first to admit. If he's got a reality show, I'm setting the DVR. Maybe he can take Kwame Brown cake shopping. Or take DeShawn Stevenson to figure out he's not as good as LeBron James. What am I saying? I'd watch it just to see Caron Butler be Caron Butler.

(HT: Awful Announcing)

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Olympic 5 Things: Greece vs Argentina

Matt Moore — 2008-08-20T00:05:00 00:00

Filed under: FIBA, USA Basketball

During the remainder of the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will give you 5 Things to watch for in each game.

It's Always Manu, Manu, Manu!: Yes, that's right. Your favorite Argentinian is here to join us. Manu Ginobili has been his usual spectacular self in Olympic play, leading all players in scoring at 19.6 points per game, and second in assists at 5 per game. Ginobili's likely to face a tougher defense tonight/tomorrow though, with the Greek swarming defense and tight zone. Still, Ginobili's been on quite the tear, and if you're looking for fireworks, look no further.

Welcome To The Danger Zone: Greece's zone has been very effective, holding opponents to 45% shooting (in the Olympics where everyone's percentage is high) and that's after the USA drubbing. Argentina is tied for the second best offense in the Olympics, so Greece will want to do everything they can to make it a knock down, drag-out affair. Even with Argentina's #2 defensive ranking, the Greeks have a much better shot if they can slow the game down and make it a physical scrap. Let the Argentinians get rolling, and this could get out of hand, fast.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Olympic 5 Things: Spain vs Croatia

Matt Moore — 2008-08-19T18:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Trail Blazers, FIBA, USA Basketball

During the remainder of the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will give you 5 Things to watch for in each game.

Perimeter Breach: Both teams are guard heavy. Even with Spain's Pau Gasol as an inside presence, both teams live and die by their guard play. Croatia doesn't shoot a lot of threes, but they shoot them well. They lead the Olympics in three point field goal percentage, shooting over 47% from the arc. Spain has struggled in that department, shooting only 30% from downtown (or, under FIBA rules, the warehouse district; not quite downtown, but near there). But the Spanish guards have a lot more to offer in terms of talent, as you probably know. Croatia's going to need to play it's best game overall, but especially against the guards, to survive and advance.

The Glass Battle: Both teams are playing terrific on the boards. Both Croatia and Spain enjoy a higher rebounding margin than any of the other teams. Spain is the best of the crew, with a +9.6 rebounding margin. Croatia's close behind at +6.6 . Even more impressive may be the fact that neither team boasts a top 5 rebounder. Gasol clocks in at number 6, and Croatia's Kresimir Loncar comes in at number 11. So both teams swarm to the ball. Whoever's limits the other team's offensive rebounding may be the one that advances.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

FanHouse NFL Season Preview: Kansas City Chiefs - Dreaming to Be Mediocre

Matt Moore — 2008-08-18T13:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is right around the corner, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterbacks: Oh, holy God. Do we have to start here? Can't we start at defensive line? Or even offensive line? No? Okay. So last season, Damon Huard was such the pinnacle of mediocrity, he may have redefined the word for decades. It wasn't so much that Huard was spectacularly terrible, throwing constant interceptions as he heaved them down the field, Rex-Grossman-style, it was that he looked singularly incapable of actually getting the ball downfield to begin with. So, after far too many games watching the offense set new franchise lows, Brodie Croyle who had been waiting in the wings, finally took the reins. The results were less than spectacular. Chiefs fans support Croyle because the kid has shown flashes of leadership and a pretty solid arm. The trouble is, the protection was so bad last year, no one knows whether to pin the offense's disastrous play on an inability by Brodie to produce, or a result of the fact that Croyle spent so much time on the run it's a wonder he's not dead in the cold, cold ground. So with a retooled and slightly upgraded offensive line, he should be better? Right? Right? Oh, Jesus, where's the bottle? Wait, what? Huard's still on the team? Must get bigger bottle. Heat Index: 2

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Is Kobe's Pinkie Finally A Problem?

Matt Moore — 2008-08-17T19:39:00 00:00

Filed under: Lakers, Western, NBA Injuries, USA Basketball

It's easy to take the fact that Kobe Bryant has done everything he has over the last 6 months with a torn ligament on his right pinkie. He's not wearing a significant brace, he doesn't clutch it in pain, he's not talking about it in interviews.

But with his performance in the Olympics being described somewhere between "disappointing" and "borderline-sucking," you have to wonder if that injury is starting to finally catch up with him. Bryant's started to improve over the last couple of games, but his shot still doesn't look s silky smooth as it has. To be fair, Kobe's still shooting 42% and averaging 12.5 points per game. But even the staunchest Kobe supporters will admit that he hasn't looked like the Mamba we're used to seeing, even if he's more than made up for it with leadership and defense.

Bryant had several weeks for the finger to stiffen when he was in-between the Finals and Team USA practice. He's played more basketball than anyone in the last year, and the injury's required surgery from the get-go. That Bryant has continued to play is a testament to his commitment both to the Lakers and Team USA, but considering the marked differential in his play, it's at least reasonable to wonder if the pinkie is causing an issue, rather than just an extended "slump" (in Kobe-terms. If half the players played like he does in a slump it would be a breakout.) And the discussion of it reminds us of just how incredible he was last season, all with a bum pinkie.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Kobe, General Manager That He Is, Thinks the Lakers Could Have Kept Marc Gasol

Matt Moore — 2008-08-17T15:50:00 00:00

Filed under: Grizzlies, Lakers, Western

Marc Gasol hasn't been dominant in Beijing, but it's pretty clear the Grizzlies may have gotten themselves a valuable asset in Pau Gasol's little brother. The younger Gasol is bigger, meatier, and shows a very un-Pau-like penchant for diving after loose balls and playing physical basketball, while displaying a very Pau-like touch offensively. So much so that the Memphis Commercial Appeal points out that he's getting praise from all sorts of members of Team USA.

The most interesting may have come from Kobe Bryant, though. In the article, Kobe drops this delicious little insight into the mind of a superstar with the authority to have impact on personnel decisions:

"In hindsight, we probably didn't have to give him up to get Pau," Bryant said. "We should have kept Marc, too."

Okay, Kobes. Didn't realize you had so much experience in negotiating trades. I kid, I kid. Kobe's obviously just trying to complement the guy. But if we were to take a closer look at it, there are two ways you can take the statement from Mamba. It's either A. an admission that the Lakers may not have ripped off the Grizzlies quite as bad as initially thought (a paradigm that's becoming more and more popular with each Grizzlies move), or B. the exact opposite, an even further condemnation of how little the Grizzlies' front office are to be thought of. As in, they probably didn't have to give up Marc to get Pau, since the Grizzlies will let pretty much anything go.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

If You Want to Win in Beijing, You Better Bring a Sixth Guy

Matt Moore — 2008-08-16T20:41:00 00:00

Filed under: Nuggets, Western, USA Basketball

There are two undefeated teams left in Olympic Basketball pool play, Lithuania and the United States. FanHouse, along with every other basketball site on the planet, have talked in detail about the secrets to USA's dominance, and the talent advantage they hold over everyone else. There's one aspect in which the two pool leaders are alike, and it's also become a key component for the teams competing.

The first guy off the pine.

By now you're probably aware of Dwyane Wade 2.0, the upgraded version of the Miami small guard. So far in Beijing he has displayed the speed, quickness, and slashing ability of Dwyane Wade 1.0, but with a larger frame, an increased ability to absorb contact, and a downright frightening dedication to proving everyone who questioned 1.0's ability to recover horribly , horribly wrong. We don't know what 2.0 did with 1.0, but please, don't bring him back. It's like Wade's wearing body armor at this point.

For Lithuania, it's also been an NBA star, but their own. Denver's Linas Kleiza has been downright brilliant for his home country, averaging 14.3 points per game, along with 6 rebounds and shooting 58% from the arc. Yeah. 58%. Kleiza's kept coming off the bench, and it's been a formidable counterpunch for the Lithuanian squad, including his 18 point, 4 rebound game today against Croatia.

Meanwhile, Spain had been bowling over it's competition, but has suffered without a true presence off the bench. Ricky Rubio has shown why he's a potential first round pick, but after all, the kid's still 17. Today when Spain's first line had held USA to at least within reason, they were simply overwhelmed by Team USA's second line and Wade, much like Greece before them.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Spurs Are Big On Maturity, Re-sign Michael Finley

Matt Moore — 2008-08-16T18:45:00 00:00

Filed under: Spurs, Western

Though members of the fanbase may think drastic upgrades are needed, it would seem that the Spurs are prepared to primarily hold the course going into next season. The Spurs re-signed veteran guard Michael Finley on Friday, according to MySA.com. Terms of the deal were not available, but his agentreported tht the deal was for more than the league minimum. Considering that Finely is 35, I wouldn't imagine it's a very long deal, either.

Finley rejected offers from the Celtics and from overseas to take another year with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and the rest of Greg Popovich's crew. The signing is another indication that the Spurs are more willing to go with an aging version of their championship squads than to pursue what they see as more risky options (*cough* Jannero Pargo).

Finley played sparingly last season, getting his usual share of big shots in the playoffs, but it's clear that the dropoff is increasing. The Spurs lost Brent Barry, who was the most productive of the older crew, while re-signing Kurt Thomas and taking their sweet time with Robert Horry. They did add Roger Mason earlier in the offseason, but one man does not a youth upgrade make. The key to the 2008-2009 season for the Spurs will not only be the health of the big three (Duncan, Parker, and Manu Ginobili), but the ability of the bench's remarkably ancient contingent to provide meaningful minutes.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

USA Beats Down Spain 119-82

Matt Moore — 2008-08-16T13:23:00 00:00

Filed under: USA Basketball

Team USA is making a habit out of blowing out teams that are supposed to challenge them. This time it was Spain, who many considered the second best team in the Basketball Olympiad, featuring Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, and Jose Calderon, along with 17 year old sensation Ricky Rubio. With speed, athleticism, and that vaunted European style of play, surely this would be the team that would challenge USA and expose their weaknesses.

And then they stepped on the floor. 119-82, USA.

Where do you want to start? How about three point shooting? That's been a weakness for Team USA. They shot 48% from the arc, with Carmelo Anthony as the spark plug with 16 points. Or defense? They held Spain to 39% shooting, creating 28 turnovers.

LeBron James was out of his mind today, obviously amped up and mouthing off. He finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 steals. Yikes. Dwyane Wade 2.0 was again spectacular, with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals (and a few more that weren't attributed because they ended up in someone else's hands). USA had 8 players in double figures.

Felipe Reyes had 19 points and 8 rebounds for Spain, and Pau Gasol chipped in 13 points, but also had 5 turnovers, as Team USA swarmed him the block. Spain's NBA-experienced guards, Juan Carlos Navarro and Jose Calderon, along with future first round pick Ricky Rubio combined to shoot 4 of 23 from the field, with 7 turnovers and 4 assists.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Jannero Pargo Is a Star, I Tell You! A Star! ... In Russia.

Matt Moore — 2008-08-16T00:37:00 00:00

Filed under: Hornets, Western, Euroleague

We've got a NBA Overseas Defection Watch List Update for you, and we swear, we're running out of them. Former Hornets guard Jannero Pargo is headed to Moscow Dynamo, according to Woj over at Yahoo!. He'll be joining Bostjan Nachbar on the club.

Pargo is pretty much the epitome of feast or famine. He shot 39% last year, with a PER of 11.9. He also scored 30 points in a Western Conference playoff game against the Mavericks, and went down with his guns drawn versus the Spurs.

Pargo's a competent backup guard that was in a league that is short on competent backup guards. On one hand, for no team to have convinced him to stick around is kind of ridiculous. On the other, the fact that he's going to be pulling in $4 million in Russia guaranteed for a year is also kind of ridiculous. Pargo's likely to be back in the league next season, but he might want to learn some reservation. Maybe Moscow's a good place to pick that up.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Team USA LiveChat Today Live Now!

Matt Moore — 2008-08-14T12:57:00 00:00

Filed under: USA Basketball

Well, by the grace of God, Team USA somehow ~~survived against~~ beat down Greece. We'll be around to talk about Team USA's chances going forward, including the huge game with Spain on Saturday, and what this team's doing right, and how it needs to improve. Join us, won't you? LiveChat is redeeming after the jump.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Blazers Not Completely in the Favor of the Gods: Roy to Have Minor Knee Surgery

Matt Moore — 2008-08-14T01:46:00 00:00

Filed under: Trail Blazers, Western, NBA Injuries

My brother has a saying. "Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant." Recently, the Portland Trailblazers' fans have felt like every day they're the dog. Today is one of the few days they take on hydrant-like qualities, and even then, it's only a slight sluggishness and a bloated water feeling.

Brandon Roy is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery tomorrow to repair a torn meniscus that was revealed in an MRI on Tuesday. The Portland Tribune is reporting he'll miss time right up until training camp but be back when camp starts. BlazersEdge is getting everyone together to climb off the ledge.

Given all the good things that have happened to the Blazers lately, from getting Rudy Fernandez stateside to Greg Oden's impressive practices coming off of injury, something bad was bound to pop up. If this is the worst thing that happens to them until the season starts, the fanbase is still blessed in the Gods' eyes. If you're not sure of that, ask your local Clippers fan. You should be able to find them next to you on the ledge.

That's assuming of course, the knee heals fine. Best wishes to Brandon in his recovery.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments