Checkin' In

So, I see Kaman has played 13 minutes in the 1st half against the Cavs tonight. He has no points. Well, at least he's playing.

I also see that Jeff Green is having a big night in Oklahoma. Benny offered me Green for Marvin Williams before Christmas. I turned him down. I'm not sure why. It was the classic 'safe' play for the 'great unknown' guy. Marvin is pretty much good for 14 and 6. Green was off to a great start and I wasn't sure if he could keep it up. Well, he has. He's 17 and 7 on the year with good %'s, some steals and blocks. Meanwhile, Marvin hit the crapper and could now be out for the season. I would have been waaaay better off with Green. But I played it safe. I think there is some merit to the age old saying 'the best trades you make are the one's you don't make'. In this case, that's BS.

Dallas is beating Phoenix by 5 in the 3rd quarter right now. I think this is the end of the Phoenix dream of reaching the playoffs in '09. They're a good team - but there are 8 better ones ahead of them. Even with Amare, I'm not sure they would make it. So now what do they do?? They were trying to trade Amare a month ago and apparently they were ready to move Shaq. So now what? Shaq will be 37/38 next season. Nash is my age - so he's 35/36. Grant Hill has got to be 38+. They have no size (although I still think Robin Lopez/Louis Admundson can be better than Scot Pollard's). I just heard tonight that Phoenix and Portland talked about Shaq at the trade deadline. The Blazers wanted Shaq to come in and mentor Oden - apparently the Shazaam wanted no part of this mentorship program. So, Phoenix needs to rebuild. If "Seven Seconds or Less" has any truth in it - Amare needs to be the #1 guy or he pouts. So, either they move Shaq and make Amare the #1 guy or 2009/10 will be the same as this season.

Halftime. Clippers 48, Cavaliers 34. No type-o on my part. Before the season started, I predicted (to Timbo) that the Clips would be in the playoff mix. As it turns out, I was horribly wrong - but their season has been wiped out by injury. I don't like a lot of their talent (Baron drives me crazy; Zach is a disaster; Ricky Davis has been on 14 teams or something like that), but I thought as a group it may work. I had no idea Eric Gordon would be this good. I know Bill Simmons loves the guy and says he's the only reason to go to a Clips game. I know my Fantasy squad will enjoy his services for $10 bucks next year. Thanks French Lick. I had to give up Al Horford to get Gordon - which I thought was a good deal as I was looking for a cheap keeper for 09/10. Horford has been 14 and 10 over his last 10 games so it wasn't like I 'stole' him outta French. Besides, French could only protect 2 players and maybe Gordon was on the outside looking in (I predict Rondo and Mayo are back in French for 09/10).

I see Idaho has 15 steals tonight (5 from Ronnie Brewer). This guy is a severely under-rated player in my books (especially from a Fantasy perspective). He had 104 steals coming into tonight. He shoots 50.5% from the field. His tendex is 14.8. He gets 14ppg. His ATO is good. And Idaho has him for cheap next season. The only thing he doesn't do well is shoot 3's. Oh well. Is Brewer the best 2-guard in Utah since Jeff Hornacek?

And finally tonight, a quick comment on Thabo Sefolosha and the Oklahoma City squad again. First of all, I thought getting Thabo was a great move for the Thunder (should be Sonics). They needed an athletic 2-guard and they got one in this guy (another Ronnie Brewer type?). They have their own big-3 now with KD, Green, and Westbrook - so now they need to add pieces. I like Krstic and Collison as 2 bigs - but they need 1 more good one. I don't mind Earl Watson as a backup. But they are pretty thin after that. Kyle Weaver plays a lot - but I don't know if that's a good thing. At most, they have 7-8 guys who can play in the NBA.

Robert Swift is done. What a bad pick that was!!! Seattle took him 12th in the 2004 draft. Let's see, who was picked behind him???

15. Boston - Al Jefferson
17. Atlanta - Josh Smith
20. Orlando - Jameer Nelson
24. Boston - Delonte West
26. Sacramento - Kevin Martin

Even in the 2nd round there were better players taken (Varejao, Duhon, and Ariza).

Ugh, what a bad pick for the Sonics.

well, I'm still in 3rd with 896 points. Benny has 899. And Woo is at 959 as I sign off...it's gonna be a fight to the finish! Go Golden Go.