Eddy Curry, the Orlando Magic, El Chapu and other stuff

Eddy Curry is a great low-post scorer and gets a few 'bounds. But he thinks pass is something that gets you into the player's parking area and defense is something you yell at football games. Yeah, he's scoring over twenty points every night but his team is still losing. I'd attack the Knicks right down the middle whenever possible, he isn't a shot blocker and is a terrible helpside defender. A smart team will get him in foul trouble.

I still say Balkman is going to be just another Jerome Williams when he grows up. Hey, Zeke, better enroll Nate Robinson in a course of NBA defense for dummies. He really gets lost out there sometimes. Guess the Knicks are dedicated to giving the Bulls another lottery pick, eh?

Dwight Howard is blowing up. Why in the world Orlando doesn't dedicate themselves to feeding him in the post, I don't know. He'll go through long stretches without the ball while Hedo or Jameer or Grant take the shots. Howard is shooting almost 58% from the field, people! It is criminal he isn't scoring over 20 points a game! Criminal and dumb. Yes, I know the Magic are tearing up the East right now anyway. But shouldn't good try to be better?

Shots per game and FG%, Orlando Magic top five:
Dwight Howard 9.9 58.6
Grant Hill 10.2 53.6
Jameer Nelson 10.7 51.1
Carlos Arroyo 7.9 47.6
Hedo Turkoglu 10.4 36.2

Okay, YOU TELL ME who should be taking the most shots on this team, huh? (hint, the answer isn't Turkoglu).

Andres Nocioni is the real thing. El Chapu!!! Chicago rolls nicely when Luol Deng and Nocioni are both on the floor and they pretty well have to have at least one of them out there at all times. Too bad they both play the same position, really.

The Bulls can still be factors in the East. Michael Sweetney provides a nice low-post presence on the Bulls, but his defense is weak and he fouls too much. He also still needs to get in better game shape. It will be nice to see Tyrus Thomas begin to adjust to the pro game, the kid has the tools to be a real star. I hate seeing guys like Malik Allen on the court for the Bulls, or Adrian Griffin. Play guys who can give you something on both ends!!! Letting Thomas and Sweetney develop is necessary if a trade isn't going to be made for a good low-post scorer. The Chicago offense works very nicely with an inside threat, but without it they work their butts off to get a decent jumpshot out of their sets.

Kevin Martin is rapidly becoming a Ray Allen-ish player. I'm not kidding. Getting Brad Miller healthy will only make Martin and Bibby more productive. Martin has a sweet, albeit weird, stroke and he really does like to let the game come to him...only now he realizes he needs to assert himself more often for the sake of the team. Now if only Ron Artest would shoot a little less and concentrate on defense and rebounding, the Kings would make the playoffs. I think KMart would do more for them in the playoffs than Peja ever did.

White Chocolate is back, in case you didn't notice. He might be worth picking up right now in deeper leagues if you have someone who isn't carrying their share of the burden. Can't Pat Riley just bite the bullet and give Dorrell Wright a fulltime starting role? Or is there some kind of AARP discount available from playing mostly old guys? Just asking...Next year, I'll be bugging him about Earl Barron.

What ever happened to Michael Finley? You don't have him on your fantasy team, do you? Heck, even in a 16-team league he should be on the waiver wire! I also think that Horry is now a lot less "Big" and a lot more "Shot" than one would like. Good thing other guys are stepping up for the Spurs.

Sam Mitchell is getting a lot of heat, but his team is playing hard for him and winning a game now and again. You have to wonder how long this whole muscle injury thingy with Mo Pete is going to go on. Are the Raps quietly looking to trade Mr. Unnamed Player? Peterson is the primary reason the Raptors had such a long streak of games with at least one three point basket. Now that he is benched, the streak could end at any time. Last look, it was at 631 games!

Speaking of Raptors, have you noticed how Jorge Garbajosa and top pick Andrea Bargnani are adjusting to the NBA game? I guess Toronto really did figure out how to bring Europe to North America. I can see how this team has the pieces in place to become a power in the East, and soon. If they simply had a SF/SG type like a RayRay or a KMart or a Pierce or even a Redd who could take help spread the defense and be a consistent point producer, this team would be kickin'. Anthony Parker is an NBA player now, but no star. TJ Ford is a nice distributor. I do like Garbajosa and Bargnani as mobile bigs, like the Bosher, but Graham and Jones aren't real consistent shooters and Mo Pete has been consigned to Siberia.

What the heck is wrong with Chris Kaman and the Clips? How come Livingston isn't stepping up? Brand often starts slow, no worries there, and Mobley just tends to fill in the low places, but I expected Livingston and Kaman to be better this year rather than regress...and so did, I am sure, Clipper management.

I have to acknowledge that Kobe Bryant is better than he was last year, because he is getting teammates more involved. I cannot stand him and don't have him in any fantasy leagues. Still, he can drag the Lakers into the playoffs and they will be dangerous there. Ever notice that if you block Kobe or embarrass him, he plays "D" as good as Michael or Scottie did...for about two minutes? Nice to see that the younger Walton is beginning to make up for his father's awful announcing. Luke knows basketball and is so good in the triangle offense his sometimes lacking athleticism doesn't matter much.

That being said, Texas is home to the best teams in the NBA and I don't mean the Rockets. It's Spurs and Mavs who should be playing for the right to represent the West...with a caveat that the Suns, with a healthier Amare and Marion and Nash and terrific complementary players, they can beat anyone when they are rolling.

Notice how Denver and Golden State have jumped on the "7 seconds and shoot" gang? Really, few teams are as intertaining as Golden State right now. They have exciting young players, some star veterans, and they run it Donnyball style all night long. Too bad Mike Dunleavy is still as consistent as Indiana weather in November. Too bad that Baron can't stay healthy. Not certain they'll even make the playoffs, just sure they'll be worth the price of admission on the way to find out.

Denver really should make the playoffs, though. Carmelo, as I said before, has really upped his game and it seems George Karl is doing a good job of rotations with his squad. J R Smith might actually be getting a clue, and when role players like Najera and Evans are able to be who they are, no more, no less, and let the big dogs eat, then you have got a dangerous team.

Charlotte is hard to figure out, but Emeka is turning into a star and I like Adam Morrison far more than I thought I would. He has guts and the mind and heart of a star, a star who fits into the team concept...but he seriously has to tune up that free throw stroke. No way he's going to be what they need shooting 60-some percent from the foul line!

I have noticed that Rashard Lewis is playing his best ball ever this year and the Sonics will sometimes forget to pass him the ball, too. Me, if I have a guy who is on fire from outside or unstoppable inside, I keep giving him the ball. Lewis is scoring from deep and posting nicely, too. Right now Ray Allen takes 20 shots a game and Lewis gets 16. Give Lewis more shots and put the safety on errant gunners Earl Watson and Damien Wilkins. Speaking of which, remember back in October when reports had Watson putting Ridnour on the bench? Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!