SportsNation Blog Archives
Dwight Howard
We don't wish ill on anyone. Actually, that's not true, but we don't wish ill on anyone relevant to this discussion. Nevertheless, injuries happen, and as we've seen time and again -- Tom Brady last season, Alex Rodriguez early in the MLB season and Alex Ovechkin in recent weeks, to name just a few -- they sometimes happen to the biggest of stars.
And so it was that the populace of Cleveland found itself holding its breath after LeBron James injured his wrist on a dunk against the Wizards. There's little reason at the moment to think it's a long-term issue, but it makes us wonder. Which team would take the biggest hit if it lost its star for an extended period?
- Your Rankings: Which superstar would be the biggest loss for his team?
“That's what you get for dunking the ball so hard down by 17 to the Wizards. Why was he dunking like that? You're down 17 lay the ball up dont dunk where many of things can go wrong on a fast break where the nearest wizard player was on the bench.
” -- ravenisthebest7
“Lebron's MRI showed positive for having won zero championships.
” -- treelocX
Emeka Okafor played three college seasons; Tyson Chandler didn't play any. Both were selected second overall in their respective NBA drafts; neither has had an abundance of luck staying healthy as a professional. Both looked good for stretches when they were on the court. The lesson here? Heck if we know.
Apparently the Bobcats and Hornets are also at a bit of a loss when it comes to two talented big men with physical baggage. The two teams swapped players Tuesday, with Okafor heading to play with Chris Paul in New Orleans and Chandler ... well, we hear Charlotte has some wonderful golf courses that should keep him busy during May.
When the Bulls picked Chandler No. 2 in 2001, both Pau Gasol and Tony Parker were still on the board (although in Parker's case, that was true for most teams in the first round). At least the Bobcats got some service out of Okafor after picking him No. 2 (and in a draft that saw Shaun Livingston and Rafael Araujo go in the top eight picks, it could have been worse), but imagine how things might look if the lottery had given them the No. 1 pick that went to the Magic.
- Chandler didn't fare well when SportsNation picked its own Team USA | Pick your own
- Does the trade change your NBA Power Rankings?
- Groups: Charlotte Bobcats | Carolina SportsNation | The Hornet Hive
“This is a decent trade for Charlotte(only if Chandler stays healthy). Charlotte was the lowest scoring team in the league and Okafor has the offensive skills of a high school player. The team needs to score and win now. If they dont make the playoffs then at least fans will have more highlights. Charlotte is now a young and athletic team.
” -- gilesjk84
“I love Michael Jordan, but he's a complete failure as a front office guy. Just sit back and stay out of business deals Mike, you suck at it.
” -- brianm23
“I live in Charlotte and all you see for the Bobcats is Emeka Okafor, what are the Bobcats going to do without him? Really? This is one of the most stupid trades I've ever seen the Bobcats make in their small history. I hope this trade doesn't work or Tyson Chandler doesn't pass the physical or something please. Jeez!!!!!!!
” -- swimmerchildren
As far as Twitter goes, it's certainly less memorable than breaking the news of your coach's departure, but Kevin Love is once again proving wily in his use of new technology and living up to his nickname as "The Big Twitter." If he figures out how to get himself a raise in 140 characters or less, we'll be even more impressed.
ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan wrote about the chance Mike Krzyzewski is taking by staying on with USA Basketball through the 2010 World Championship and 2012 Olympics, rather than riding comfortably into the sunset after winning gold last year. Once done reading all about it, SportsNation had a chance to put together the Team USA it would take through the next three years.
One of the options was, you guessed it, Kevin Love, a big man with passing and rebounding skills ideal for the international game. And once Love caught wind of his virtual candidacy, he took to the tweet to rally supporters to the cause (granted, a cause that doesn't include an actual seat on the flights to Turkey and England, respectively).
For everyone else, here are SportsNation's top 12 for Team USA.
G: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Brandon Roy
F: Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett
C: Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire
- Voters wouldn't even trade Coach K for Phil Jackson on Team USA.
- Check out who SportsNation wanted for the Redeem Team last year.
- SportsNation Groups: Team USA!!! | Minnesota Sports Fans | UCLA Bruins
“Kobe had the leadership role on the team and from what I remember, he was taking the shots when the game was on the line (only happened in the finals). Wade played the role of the most incredible 6th man in the history of the sport. Lebron played more of a Magic Johnson role as a distributer with some great defense added in. Dwight had a bunch of good games early in the tournament and i seem to remember Bosh coming off the bench and having a big impact. ... I still like Melo over Durant cause he is just made for international ball. But I would like to see Blake Griffin make the squad as the 12th man cause he is Definitely gonna be a part of the future of USA basketball.
” -- iv3rson003
“I know PG spots are bogging up, but you cant forget Jameer Nelson. A high, high percentage All Star shooter/PG from FT, FG, AND 3PT RANGE. How does he not fit with a Team USA that will have its primary offense in SG, Forwards who can kick out to him for a easy jumper. He's good at reading which passes and passes from penetrations will lead to a good offensive series, and then when to be able to lift a shot in any traffic or sets at 50% clip. No brainer.
” -- dsg1319
Fan Prizzle23 calls Colin Cowherd his favorite ESPN personality. Many of you commenting about the show express similar sentiment for co-host Michelle Beadle.
Share the love and your thoughts on the biggest stories of the day with "SportsNation" TV.
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Should Nike release the tapes of LeBron getting dunked on?
One fan suggests the footage will magically reappear on the scoreboard when LeBron's shooting free throws at Boston and Orlando this season.
Have the fans at the new Yankee Stadium gone soft?
The new Yankee Stadium only looks small because we used a tiny picture. But Kevin Millar says the volume of fan invective has definitely decreased.
Do you wish someone had taught you to throw a knuckleball growing up?
Tim Wakefield is an All-Star pitcher with 11 wins at age 42. His secret? The knuckleball, a pitch not emphasized in developmental stages of baseball.
Should "SportsNation" show more UFC?
The sport's as violent as the argument between MMA fans and boxing. Does it deserve a more time on the show? We're asking you, not Brock Lesnar.
Another sign of dysfunction by the Cowboys?
It's not as touching as the Brian Piccolo-Gayle Sayers story, but Greg Ellis says DeMarcus Ware helped him get playing time in Dallas by hiding from the coaches.
And our final question ...
The addition of Vince Carter gives the Magic a pair of high-flying dunkers. Does Vinsanity need to add a cape to top teammate Dwight Howard?
What is "SportsNation" TV and how do you make your voice heard on the broadcast? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.
By the time the Lakers wrapped up their NBA title against the Magic, handing Phil Jackson championship No. 10 in his coaching career, we had all more or less agreed he was the greatest coach in the history of the known universe. Or something like that; we have been known to dabble in revisionist hyperbole.
But as it turns out, the best coach in the world isn't the coach SportsNation wants leading Team USA against the best the rest of the globe has to offer. Mike Krzyzewski is signing on for another run at international glory, including the 2010 World Championship in Turkey and the 2012 Olympics in London. Who should he take with him?
- More international titles for Coach K? Sure. More NCAA titles? Not so much.
- Kentucky thinks Coach K would be below-average NBA coach. Bitter much?
“Good move. the guys seemed to love playing for him and with each other, esp LBJ, Wade, Kobe, Melo, Bosh, Paul, DWill, Dwight. If those 8 come back, u can fill the rest of the roster with young guys and give them a chance to develop into our future national team. guys like Roy, Durant, Rose, Mayo, Griffin, Bynum, Aldridge.
” -- eyerah7
“Its good Coach K is sticking around, hopefully we take the World Championships seriously next year, we haven't won Gold in the World Championships since 1994.
” -- steel_reserve29
Another game, another big stat line from Dwight Howard and another round of questions about just how well he played. The real Superman never dealt with stuff like this. ("Sure, you cleared the tall building in a single bound, but couldn't you have just gone around?")
Then again, the real Superman never missed two late free throws to set up late-game heroics from super villain stand-in Derek Fisher.
Chris from Pittsford N.Y. wanted to know what someone thought of Howard's performance in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, and Magic Johnson was ready and willing to offer his response.
- Ask Countdown: Ask Jon Barry, Magic Johnson, Michael Wilbon or Stuart Scott
- Fan groups: Lakers | Orlando Magic Hoops | NBA Where amazing happens
Derek Fisher is not impressed by your speed and quickness. He's not impressed by your youth, spryness and hairs of hues other than gray. He's not impressed by the fact that you didn't live through most of the Ford administration. Fisher has been here before. Thanks to a pair of clutch 3-pointers from the veteran guard, one to tie the game late in regulation and one to stake the Lakers to an overtime lead, the Lakers are a win from a title.
Not surprisingly, only a hardy few fans expect the Magic to rally from a 3-1 deficit. But consider how the tide of popular opinion has turned since the NBA Finals began.
- Before the series, 41 percent picked the Magic.
- After a blowout win for the Lakers in Game 1, support for the Magic shrank to 23 percent.
- A narrow escape for the Lakers in Game 2 only moved the Magic needle to 20 percent.
- Even after the Magic's Game 3 win, only 29 percent picked them to win it all.
“Tonight was a consummate choke by the Magic for the second time in this series. First, Courtney Lee misses a chance to steal one in L.A. It was a tough shot--I'll give him that. Tonight there was no excuse. Jameer Nelson and our inability to make crucial free throws blew the series open. Add to that a possibility of Pietrus getting suspended and the Magic will soon have all offseason for those few plays to haunt them.
” -- seanhipworth
“Why would you let Nick Anderson in the building during a Finals game?
” -- ikejenkins21
SportsNation loves a good underdog. Game 4 of the NBA Finals will reveal whether we like a bad one, too. By this point in the season, most fans aren't casual observers -- only one in five voters claims impartiality, with no rooting interest between the Magic and Lakers.
For the partial among us, it's no contest; we're rooting for the Magic by a 49-31 margin.
“Look, the bottom line is this- the Magic shot the best percentage in the history of the Finals, Kobe got cold in the 4th quarter, and the Lakers still only lost by 4. The Magic played the absolute best that they could, and still only won by 4, so what happens when they play less than their absolute best basketball? Lakers gonna win.
” -- stems21
“Still may be another close game, but difference is that not likely the Magic will shoot lights-out like they did in Game 3; Alston won't have an unobstructed path to the hoop, Lakers won't miss so many FT's, esp. Kobe, they'll get to the boards more and won't have crucial turnovers like they did in Game 3, ESPECIALLY at the end of the game and the Black Mamba will be ready.
” -- lakerlady888
Rick Fox knows something about versatility. Forget splitting a basketball career between the Lakers and Celtics, the guy made repeat appearances on both "One Tree Hill" and "Oz" (just imagine the possible crossover episode between those two). So there are worse people to ask about what both teams in the NBA Finals need, beyond star performances from Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard, respectively.
For their part, voters are split as to whether Pau Gasol or Rashard Lewis is the best sidekick in the series. Surprisingly, Lamar Odom fares equally poorly in both California and Florida (although he does better than most places in Pennsylvania, home of Hershey's).
Roland (Orlando)
Other than players named Kobe and Dwight, what player has had the most impact on this series for either team?
Rick Fox
I thought, quite frankly, for the Lakers, Odom had to be the presence he was in the first two wins. I thought his presence was the X-factor. For the Magic, I thought the point guard position was one of challenge for the Lakers. It's always been the pick and roll. You saw early on in the series, [the Magic] had to see what Jameer Nelson could give them and it could be a distraction, and it was. They seemed to return to what worked, and Alston played well, leading them to a win. Full chat transcript.
Speaking of stars, SportsNation blogger dgd007 is going contrarian on us, but at least he brings some numbers to back up his claim that Kobe Bryant isn't nearly as clutch in the playoffs as we all think he is. Next up: Mario Batali can't really cook Italian food.
Dwight Howard puts up 21 points and 14 rebounds in Game 3 of the NBA Finals and still hears the whispers that he's not playing like a go-to star against the Lakers. Tough crowd.
But for the second time in three games, Howard attempted just six shots against a Lakers defense more interested in letting him shoot unmolested from the free throw line than from in the paint. So how are the Lakers slowing the big man? Jon Barry of "NBA Countdown" tackled that question from Alex in Roswell, Ga., after Tuesday's game.
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