Kid Fighting Father Time and Heat

 He's been there, but Jason Kidd hasn't done that, meaning get a title.

All the years and the assists. All the trades and the troubles. Jason Kidd has endured and achieved. What he hasn't done is play for an NBA Champion.
Twice his team, then the New Jersey Nets, made it to the Finals and lost. Now it's a third time, with the Dallas Mavericks, against the Miami Heat. A series featuring LeBron, of course, and Dirk. But do not forget Jason Kidd, the survivor.

Kidd and the Mavs were the second best team Tuesday night as the last series of the season of a sport created for winter started on the final day in May. Kidd had 6 assists, sharing the game high with the Heat's Dwyane Wade, and three 3-pointers, but Miami won, 92-84.

Kidd is 38, ancient for his profession, perfect for his profession, a point guard able to get points. Nobody older has started at the position in an NBA Finals.

Perhaps nobody more significant, although it didn't look like it in the opener. Still he had that big basket against Oklahoma City in the conference final. Were you surprised? No one out here on the shores of San Francisco Bay was.

Those who make it to the top, to the majors, to the NFL, to the NBA, to the tennis and golf tours, are identified early. At 8 or 9 or 10 years of age, they are playing with the big boys, outplaying the big boys. So it was with Kidd who when it came to sports never was a kid.

He was born an athlete and merely worked at becoming a star.

Soccer came first, and whether he might have been another Lionel Messi is anyone's guess, but once he found basketball, there was no guessing, only certainty. His games for St. Joseph's High in Alameda, across the Estuary from Oakland, were legend. A replica of his Jersey, "Pilots'' on the front, still is being sold.

He filled little gyms in the East Bay. Watching Kidd drive the floor was like hearing Mozart compose. You understood you were in the presence of greatness.

"Everybody knew,'' the late Frank LaPorte, Kidd's coach agreed. "As an eighth-grader, Jason Kidd was the talk of the town.''

St. Joe's won two California championships. More accurately, even though he had excellent teammates, Kidd won two championships. Kidd was national player of the year as a senior.

He was going to enroll at Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio State ... one of the basketball schools. Instead, in a surprise, Jason Kidd went to Cal, seven miles from his home in the Oakland Hills, maybe 10 miles, at most, from St. Joe's.

Royalty had arrived. Interviews were restricted. Look but don't communicate. He was special. He knew it. Cal knew it. Under coach Lou Campanelli he also was unhappy.

Did Kidd lead the rebellion? He didn't oppose it. Campanelli was removed and replaced by assistant Todd Bozeman, who had recruited Kidd.

It worked. The Golden Bears beat LSU and Duke - Duke, the two-time defending champion - the first two rounds of the 1993 NCAAs in Kidd's freshman season. They got a spread in Sports Illustrated. They got Cal to renovate and rename Harmon Gym, now Haas Pavilion.

Another year and he was gone. The Mavericks made him the second overall pick in the '94 draft, behind Glenn Robinson of Purdue. Fantastic. Except there was a freeway accident, from which Kidd had fled the scene. The image was tarnished, if only slightly.

The franchise player kept going from one franchise to another, Dallas to Phoenix, Phoenix to New Jersey in what New Jersey general manager Rod Thorn called the greatest deal of his career, the Nets back to Dallas when Kidd wanted out. And got out.

"Over the course of time,'' said Thorn when Kidd was sent to the Mavs in 2008, "it became evident his heart wasn't in it. With him, the kind of player he is, if his heart's not in it, then he's not the same type of player.''

His heart's in it this season of 2010-2011. The question is how much longer will Kidd be in it? This is his 17th NBA season. He's had thousands of baskets and passes, maybe almost as many comments about his longevity.

"What part of your career do you think was best,'' Charles Barkley asked Kidd recently, "the Bush One years, the Bush Two Years, the Clinton years or the Obama years?''

Quick with a response and a smile, Kidd answered, "You left out the Carter years.''

Nowitzki, who is 32, called Kidd a "fossil.'' Is that better than listing him as a dinosaur? He's beaten the odds. The issue is whether he can beat the Miami Heat.

Marion and Butler have history in South Beach

It would be a bit of poetic justice, NBA style, if Dallas forwards Caron Butler and Shawn Marion won their first championship by beating the Heat.

Butler and Marion have history in Miami. They were with the Heat during some tough times, the rebuilding periods that bracketed the Shaquille O’Neal years. In fact, both were traded for O’Neal — Butler was in the deal when Shaq joined the Heat in 2004, and Marion was in the deal when Shaq left the Heat in 2008.

Marion, a four-time All-Star, will have a direct impact on this year’s NBA Finals against Miami as the Mavericks’ starting small forward. He took over the starting job when Butler sustained a knee injury on New Year’s Day. A defensive specialist, Marion has already defended Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and Thunder forward Kevin Durant in the playoffs. Now he gets perhaps the toughest job of all, Heat forward LeBron James.

"It is what it is," Marion said of the tough defensive assignments.

Butler, drafted No. 10 by the Heat in 2002, hasn’t played since sustaining that knee injury five months ago. Although he hasn’t been medically cleared, he contends he’s healthy enough to play even though Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said it’s "unlikely."

"It’s frustrating not being able to participate from the jump," Butler said, "but I will have some type of effect on the series."

Butler has deeper ties to Miami than Marion. Guard Dwyane Wade is Butler’s good friend as well as godfather to Butler’s daughter, Ava.

"I consider him family," Butler said of Wade.

And Butler considers the Heat family. Before Monday’s practice Butler exchanged pleasantries with Heat owner Micky Arison. He regularly keeps in touch with Wade via text messages. But no part of him wants the Heat to win the title.

"It’s tough," Butler said. "You want Dwyane to do well, but I still want him to lose."

Butler, who averaged 15.4 points a game during a 25-67 rookie season in Miami, was once part of an exciting young Heat foundation. In his second season in Miami he teamed with Wade, a rookie, and forward Lamar Odom, and together this dynamic trio finished 42-40, earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the second round of the 2004 playoffs.

Their energy and excitement re-energized a franchise struggling to recover from the glory days of Pat Riley, Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway.

But Butler and Odom were packaged and shipped to the Lakers in exchange for O’Neal in the summer of 2004. The Heat won the title in 2006.

But things went south soon afterward. When Marion arrived in Miami in February 2008 from Phoenix — Marion and guard Marcus Banks were included in a package that shipped O’Neal from the Heat to the Suns — he asked why everyone was so down. It was because the Heat were losing.

Losing was foreign to Marion, but it was becoming familiar to that 2007-08 Heat team. Wade was out with shoulder and knee injuries, and forward Udonis Haslem went down with an ankle injury. A collection of other injuries meant Marion spent much of that season playing alongside D-League callups Stephane Lasme, Blake Ahearn and Kasib Powell as Miami limped to a 15-67 finish.

The Heat did OK the following season, earning a playoff berth, but in February 2009, Marion and Banks were shipped to Toronto in exchange for Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon. Marion missed the postseason appearance.

"When I came it was on a trade to one of the worst seasons the franchise ever had," Marion said, "but when I left we were in playoff contention. The guys were cool. The organization was great. Everything was cool. It was just bad timing."

That was true for both Marion and Butler during their days with the Heat.

 A championship would make it all better.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Which Players Can Make an Impact in Rookie Season?

 http://espn.go.com/
The 2011 NBA Draft will showcase players who have such a developed game that they could immediately contribute to some NBA teams. Top lottery picks are often taken by teams with such dire needs that they are usually willing to chance starting the untested rookie over their other options.

We have seen players such as Kevin Durant and John Wall have instant results for the franchises that took them early in the draft.

Kyrie Irving looks to be a sure thing, and will be battling with veteran Baron Davis for the starting PG spot on the Cleveland Cavaliers. If he does not start, look for him to log big minutes coming off the bench and gaining experience in the Cavs system.

Derrick Williams, if he lands somewhere besides Minnesota or they make a trade, has the potential to be an immediate impact player as well. The man can simply score, rebound, and make basketball plays that will help whoever takes him win.

Besides the consensus top two overall picks, other players should be able to help their teams come the start of the regular season.
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Jimmer Fredette has a transcendent offensive skill set, and if he lands with the right team and system, he should be able to get a quick start in the league.

Klay Thompson is probably the most gifted three-ball shooter in the draft, and if a team looking for a long-range gunner selects him, he should log minutes early and often.

Alec Burks also has the potential to see minutes at the beginning of his rookie campaign, who has size and production capability that matches any 2 guard in the league today.

These are just a few of the players who have the experience and skill sets necessary to potentially help their teams right away.

No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving

No. 2 Minnesota Timberwolves: Derrick Williams

No. 3 Utah Jazz: Brandon Knight

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers: Enes Kanter

No. 5 Toronto Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas

No. 6 Washington Wizards: Kawhi Leonard

No. 7 Sacramento Kings: Kemba Walker

No. 8 Detroit Pistons: Jan Vesely

No. 9 Charlotte Bobcats: Tristan Thompson

No. 10 Milwaukee Bucks: Alec Burks

No. 11 Golden State Warriors: Bismack Biyombo

No. 12 Utah Jazz: Marcus Morris
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No. 13 Phoenix Suns: Jimmer Fredette

No. 14 Houston Rockets: Chris Singleton

No. 15 Indiana Pacers: Klay Thompson

No. 16 Philadelphia 76ers: Markieff Morris

No. 17 New York Knicks: Josh Selby

No. 18 Washington Wizards: Marshon Brooks

No. 19 Charlotte Bobcats: Donatas Montiejunas

No. 20 Minnesota Timberwolves: Davis Bertans

No. 21 Portland Trail Blazers: Jordan Hamilton

No. 22 Denver Nuggets: Tobias Harris

No. 23 Houston Rockets: Darius Morris

No. 24 Oklahoma City Thunder: Kenneth Faried

No. 25 Boston Celtics: Nikola Mirotic

No. 26 Dallas Mavericks: Trey Thompkins

No. 27 New Jersey Nets: Justin Harper

No. 28 Chicago Bulls: Tyler Honeycutt

No. 29 San Antonio Spurs: Jeremy Tyler

Why Kyrie Irving should be top pick

http://www.sports.com/
As you might have heard, the Cleveland Cavaliers – still recovering from being caught in a tidal wave called LeBron’s ego and washed up on the island of futility – landed the 1st and 4th overall picks in the 2011 NBA draft. The possibility of drafting two All-Star caliber players is a decent consolation prize for losing arguably the best player in the NBA.
Kyrie Irving, a scoring freshman point guard from Duke, and Derrick Williams, a scoring hybrid forward from Arizona, seem to be the only two viable options for the first overall pick. Even though many experts and fans consider this draft to be lacking in elite talent, the Cavs are still under a lot of pressure to make the right pick; and whoever they select will be under a lot of pressure to help fill the shoes of Cleveland’s last No. 1 pick.

Due to a right toe injury, Irving only played in 11 games for Duke last year. However, in his abbreviated season, he averaged 17 points, four assists and three rebounds per game, and shot 46 percent from downtown.

His two most memorable performances were a 31-point outing against Michigan State (including 13 of 16 from the free-throw line), and a 28-point outing in an NCAA tournament loss to Derrick Williams and Arizona. Perhaps what was most impressive about his stats was his 1.75 assist/turnover ratio – highly impressive for an up-tempo freshman point guard.

Williams, on the other hand, had a .43 assist/turnover ratio. To cut him some slack, Williams is a forward who had to carry the offensive load for the Wildcats, but it doesn’t bode well for his projected court vision, or lack thereof. In comparison to similar former draft picks, Michael Beasley had a .40 assist/turnover ratio in his lone season at Kansas State, and Antawn Jamison had a .49 assist/turnover ratio in his last season at North Carolina.
Beasley and Jamison aren’t known for their ball-handling ability, and neither has ever averaged more than two assists per game for their career. Beasley may be quite young, but I doubt his assist numbers will ever be above three assists per game at any point in his career. Many have noticed Irving measuring in at 10 percent body fat, but Williams, who played all year, also measured in at 10 percent body fat. Enough with the numbers. Let’s compare their actual games.

Irving has the end-to-end speed NBA bigwigs drool over. He can catch the ball under one basket and dribble to the other like a young Jason Kidd or that Derrick Rose guy. He combines that incredible speed with excellent ball-handling, “amphibious” (yes, I mean ambidextrous) finishing ability, a tremendous first step and a respectable jumper. He also has great size at 6-3 in shoes.

Aside from some obvious durability concerns, the only noticeable weakness in his game is his strength. Having strength isn’t what separates good NBA point guards from elite ones, and it’s illogical to expect a 19-year-old point guard to have an NBA body from day one – even if he is the first overall pick.
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Williams was a dominant scorer and rebounder at the college level. He has terrific size for the small forward position at 6-8, 250 with a 7-1 wingspan. But that’s where the dilemma begins: Williams doesn’t have the ball-handling ability or mid-range game to be a full-time small forward. He’s not a shot-blocker, and he never displayed the lateral quickness to guard contemporary small forwards.
While he did draw a lot of fouls, the refs did tend to be a little loose with their whistles while earning their paychecks at Arizona games. Williams also displayed some trouble competing against length. He only shot 4 of 14 against Texas, and 5 of 13 against the national champion UConn Huskies.

Irving would be drafted into a bit of a logjam in Cleveland, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Cavs would have a much easier time trading Ramon Sessions, with the possibility of getting an upgrade at the 2 and/or 3 spot.

Irving could learn a lot from former All-Star Baron Davis, and Sessions – if he’s still on Cleveland’s roster at the end of the draft – would provide good competition for the second spot on the depth chart. If Irving is able to start over Davis, then he’ll have the proverbial “baptism by fire,” as he’ll have the opportunity to learn the rigors of the NBA game early and often. It would do nothing but help him later on in his career.

When you think about every dynasty in recent memory, they all have two things in common: An emphasis on defense, and a dominant wing/ big man. “Wait a minute. Isn’t this supposed to be why the Cavs should take Irving instead of Williams?” Just keep reading.
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Williams, more than likely, will never be a dominant forward. Even though this draft lacks star power, the Cavs shouldn’t use a No. 1 pick on the next Antawn Jamison. While they may not regularly compete for championships, elite point guards such as Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Derrick Rose have been able to lead their teams to perennial playoff appearances. To be honest, Irving won’t lead this team back to the playoffs in his first year.

With an incredible amount of elite wings and big men projected in next year’s draft (Harrison Barnes, Perry Jones, Anthony Davis, James McAdoo, Jared Sullinger, etc), the Cavs would be better off waiting a year and grabbing the potential dominant wing/big man that nearly every championship contender possesses.

Sure, some of the names I mentioned may not seem like they’re head and shoulders above Williams as a prospect right now, but players improve the most between their freshman and sophomore seasons. Pairing Irving with one of next year’s wings would give the Cavs a very talented and exciting foundation.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: How Will Jimmer Fredette Be Forced out of the Lottery?

http://sports.espn.go.com/
The similarities between Jimmer Fredette and Tim Tebow really are staggering. In the one hand, you have the absolute dominance of their given sport at the collegiate level and their general likability, and in the other you have their questionable draft value.

Unlike Tebow in the 2010 NFL Draft, Fredette is all but assured to go in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft. But exactly where he's going to go varies depending on who you ask.

For the most part, it is generally agreed that Fredette will be a lottery pick, but that's not exactly set in stone. And depending on which players go where, he may be forced out of the lottery.

Fredette's ultimate landing place will depend on which teams are in the market for a combo guard that can shoot. I think this starts with the Milwaukee Bucks at No. 10, but the Utah Jazz (12), Phoenix Suns (13) and Houston Rockets (14) could also look to nab Fredette.


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MUST READ: NBA Draft 2011: Comparing Top 25 Prospects to Historical NBA Figures



Personally, I'd rule out the Bucks. They need a traditional two, and they're going to have their pick of the litter. They will take Alec Burks or Klay Thompson before they take Fredette.

The Jazz are a very intriguing option, but their need for a combo guard will be filled if they take Brandon Knight with the No. 3 pick.
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As for the Suns, they could take Fredette as a possible heir apparent for Steve Nash, but they are in serious need of a rebounder. If they're thinking short term, that's the angle they'll take on draft night.

Then there's the Rockets. They could use Fredette as a backup for Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin, but they are in serious need of a small forward. They'll only take Fredette if they think he provides more value than a player who will fill their SF need.

After that, it's non-lottery territory. If Fredette makes it that far, he won't last long.

Former NBA player John ‘Hot Rod’ Williams arrested after gunshots fired at his La. home

http://www.nfl.com/
Police in Louisiana have arrested former NBA player John “Hot Rod” Williams on a misdemeanor count related to gunshots fired during a party at his home.

Gonzales police tell The Advocate of Baton Rouge that Williams and his relatives told officers about eight shots were fired by an unknown person attending Saturday’s party put on for members of Williams’ family.
The 48-year-old Williams was booked Tuesday with letting a disorderly place and was given a court date.
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If convicted, Williams faces a fine of up to $500, six months in prison or both.

Police say no one was injured and no property was harmed in Saturday’s shooting.

Williams was in the NBA for 13 years and played forward and center for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns.

___

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Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ABC is a time bomb for the Jazz forward, the rest of the NBA

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Tick, tick, tick up to 1 July, when the current agreement runs out of NBA collective bargaining.

Only a few months ago was a terrible time to be a fan of the Utah Jazz. Away Jerry Sloan was fired Deron Williams and the promising 2010-11 season was like a bag full of stinking garbage thrown.
However, the franchise and the fans given a dose of good news last week for the annual lottery project. By chance the Jazz beat the odds and took the No. 3 place in the draft next month.

Finally, after such a long and painful season of the franchise has something to celebrate Utah proud. On the night of the lottery, had the chief Kevin O'Connor Jazz, a green tie and fortune smiled shyly as his team fell in the first three.
Meanwhile, officials Utah Jazz held a role of the press in the EnergySolutions Arena, where several local runners and a portable microphone collected dogs to the lottery on television. It was intended to adapt to the working media behave as members of the press. And they did.


As someone who is there that night, I smiled to myself when he heard muffled screams and officials were for a fist pump and still-high five each other, and everyone suddenly realized the happiness of the Jazz.

It was hard not to feel happy for her.
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It was not difficult to hear the tick-tock, tick-tock of the clock.

See, here's the thing: these days, is a good time to be a fan of jazz. They have a good core of young players there and they now have two top-12 draft picks.

Jazz fans have every reason to be excited for next season.

And yet the threat of strike is looming around the corner, probably boring and undermines those who can not wait to see the Jazz in 2011-12 campaign.

Such feelings. come on one side to the excitement of the project and a fresh new season. Secondly, the overwhelming feeling that the blockade will be extended in order to destroy everything.



All of this is the Countdown to 1 July. After that, who knows what will happen?

Until then, jazz and two new selection from the list function and the fans will be excited to see them. Also be very happy to see that the players free agency could bring the team next year.
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Unfortunately, unless an agreement between the league and its players have at the beginning, there is not much of an offseason. And when that happens, chances are that the block is cut in the regular season as well.

This means that the activities of the Summer League, no signatures of the free agent, no training camp and the preseason schedule. Beyond? Is unknown.

Some teams in the league can probably get along very well without the extra season. But jazz is certainly not one of them.

The new coach must commit to Tyrone Corbin of time with his players and implement their way of doing things. Young players already on the list of time required to develop their games and the two new rookies need time to learn ... ALL.

What a shame.

If the Jazz never really need a full season, he is now. Instead, all we hear that annoying  60 Minutes  Clock.