No Redemption

Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images

Orlando is just flat out better than Atlanta, its as simple as that. When Orlando is hitting shots, it is tough for any team in the league to hang with them, of course that is as long as Howard is on the court.

Magic Kingdom

Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images

For what its worth, we were right about the Hawks. They were beyond awful last night. Granted, as Charles Barkley said, it only counts for one game. But that is all the Hawks have going for them.

Farewell and Return Soon

I would say Brandon Jennings being eliminated is a shame, but not in the grand scheme of things. Besides, Milwaukee may have been able to push Atlanta, but Orlando would feast on the lack of size that the Hawks refused to acknowledge. The Bucks without Bogut shouldn’t have even made this a series, but they did.

What?

Champ’s Power Rankings: Week 5

give it time Brandon Jennings.

  

1. Los Angeles Lakers: The Champ is sure that the Lakers are glad that Pau Gasol’s injury hasn’t kept him out until Christmas. Sure the Suns have more road wins, but a 19 point rout  by the Lakers earns them the top spot this week, again. A good early home schedule and wins against teams like the pathetic Nets leave LA looking good early.

2. Phoenix Suns: The Pacific Division certainly looks good this year. First team to 14 wins? Impressive. With Steve Nash dishing out double digit assist nights and the team scoring in triple figures, the Suns are winning ball games.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Lights out shooting against the Top-10 Dallas Mavericks cancels out the ugly loss despite a late comeback against the Charlotte Bobcats. Undefeated when the team scores 100, the Cavaliers are slowly clicking.

Champ’s Power Rankings: Week 4

Playoffs?

1. Los Angeles Lakers: OK, an early home schedule is good and all, and Pau Gasol is back and doing work, and everythings clicking. But, there is no but, the Lakers are the number one team in the league. However, I’m not sure Kobe’s increased scoring is a good sign or not.

2. Atlanta Hawks: Disclaimer: Yes I am writing this after watching their cold effort in their falling to the Orlando Magic, at home. But coming into Monday this team was still on fire, yes they deserve to be here now. Next week? watch out.

3. Denver Nuggets: Coming into the season I was concerned about Denver. Yes, drafting Ty Lawson is a HUGE plus, but they made no offseason moves to improve the team. But then, Carmello Anthony stepped up, he finally is dishing out points and rebounds like a true superstar. Tracking Anthony’s development at a recent trip to the pool really sold me on the Nuggets, they’ve come a long way. They had Allen Iverson around this time last year.

Observations on the Orlando/Atlanta Game

Yeah, we’re back.

The Champ sits here in his home writing this in anticipation of tonight’s game. The Octagon is now here, good to see him. We’re still waiting on the arrival of The Franchise, and The Custodian is MIA.

Champ’s Power Rankings: Week 3

the kid can play

1. Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets keep winning, in the West. Carmelo looks like he’s playing with more determination than ever, second in the league in scoring, the team is winning on the road, and J.R. Smith has had a hot return off of his seven game suspension, possibly due to his desire to be called by his real first name: Earl. The Nuggets’ ascent is surely helped by the Lakers’ current slump, but for now the Nuggets are enjoying their time as the Western Conference’s best team.

2. Atlanta Hawks: The Ivy Leaguer is a prophet, the Hawks have raced to an early 8-2 record. They have beaten both the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic, does a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers earn them a spot in the Eastern Conference elite?

3. Phoenix Suns: The Suns sit at the three position this week. With a very respectable record of 9-2, with losses coming to the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers (last year’s NBA Finals) both played on the second game of back-to-back series, the Suns still impress the Champ.

Champ’s Power Rankings: Week 2

 

 

Week Two showed the Beast in Chris Paul, however the Hornets still struggled.

 

1. Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers played without Bynum and Gasol last night and still resulted in victory. The Lakers are the top dogs in the league right now. No questions about it. Lamar Odum also translated well into his role on Keeping up with the Kardashians.

2. Boston Celtics: A slip up against the now formidable Phoenix Suns lost some credibility as well as the near win over the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves cost the C’s to slip to #2 in my rankings. However, they still head their own conference and very well could earn homecourt advantage, minus any major injuries.

3. Phoenix Suns: Surprised? Maybe a little but the Suns are the hot team in the league for now. You forget this team has Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire, and Jason Richardson. As well as a rejuivenated Grant Hill and an up-and-coming Channing Frye. Will they stay at three? Probably not, but this is Week Two.

Champ’s Power Rankings: Week One

The 2009-2010 season has been one of immense scoring, and tremendous excitement.

1. Boston Celtics: I am no fool. The Celtics are legit, at this point in time the C’s are  the best team in the league. Their offense is clicking, Rasheed Wallace looks more like a contestant for the All Star Weekend NBA 3 Point Contest, rather than the Sixth Man of the Year. Rondo got his extension, a safe move to protect young talent on an aging team. Things are working out in Boston, and as of week one, no team can touch them.

2. Orlando Magic: Just ask The Octagon, the Magic are very potent. The depth of this Magic Team is simply incredible. Their scoring recalls the glory days of the Phoenix Suns under Mike D’Antoni. Just think with J.J. (Get me a record deal!) Reddick scoring 27 points in the absence of Vince Carter, as well as Rashard Lewis’ suspension and Pietrus’ injury the Orlando Magic offense firing on all cylinders is truly scary.

3. Los Angeles Lakers: I can’t bring myself to rank the Lakers any lower than third, they are: 1. still the best team substantially in the Western Conference 2. temporarily lacking the frontcourt depth that Pau Gasol brings and 3. they are the Los Angeles Lakers, the same Lakers that have won 15 NBA titles, brought in guys like Gasol and Ron Artest, and will continue to do anything to win Kobe another ring.

Season Preview: Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have a rich history with the NBA and the NBL. In 1946, as a member of the National Basketball League, the franchise began. However, at this point in time they were known as the Buffalo Bisons. This name only lasted a short while; it was changed to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks within their first season. The franchise has continued with the ornithological naming scheme ever since. In 1951 they became the Milwaukee Hawks. In 1955 they moved to St. Louis. It seems that the Hawks attempted to emulate their mascot with such frequent migrations, and they found their home in 1968 when they were relocated to Atlanta.

Joe Beast Lands in the ATL

We at Paints in the Point are reporting that veteran Joe Smith has agreed to sign a one year deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

The deal is being speculated at the league minimum for veteran players.

It has also been said that Smith signed with Atlanta after his previous team the Cleveland Cavaliers, offered the same deal.

There is speculation that a possible rap related conflict may have influenced Joe Beast’s decision to offer his services to the Hawks.

Inside the Name Part 4

When it comes to naming a team in the National Basketball Association, in my opinion, the name can fall in any one of five categories. Unbeknownst to many so-called “fans” of basketball, there is an unspoken hierarchy among the various team names. Well, unspoken until now. In a “Paints in the Point” exclusive, we go…

INSIDE THE NAME

In Part One of “Inside the Name,” we looked at animal team mascots in the Association.

In Part Two of “Inside the Name,” we looked at the assorted alliterative team names found within the Association.

In Part Three of “Inside the Name,” we looked at team names in the Association that actually make sense, given their geographic location.

Another week has passed, and now we move on to…

Part 4: Laziness

Relocation has been a part of the Association since its founding: in the first fifteen years as a league, five teams of the eight that were left in the Association’s smallest configuration relocated to larger cities and one franchise relocated twice.

Upon relocation, some teams opt for new names, but most owners decide to keep the old team name. Perhaps they do so in a foolhardy effort to retain some fans from the place they just wrenched a team from, but I call it by its true name – “laziness.”*

There are two types of laziness when relocating a team: “creative laziness,” and what I like to call “unemployed-uncle-who-can’t-be-bothered-to-even-pry-his-fat-butt-off-of-his-couch-to-defecate laziness.”

The first type is relatively harmless and perhaps not the fault of the owner. Maybe all the good ferocious animals have been taken. Maybe the dictionary required to find a classic alliteration is hard-to-find or too heavy for the feeble hands of an elderly owner to lift. Maybe the new city is not noted for anything that is a suitable basketball team name. These owners merely take the team name and try to make it work in the new city, replete with a new logo.

The second type is the epitome of laziness. It looks something like this:

The Tin Man

Joe Johnson may be one of the most frustrating employees of the Association. Blessed with superstar talent, Johnson has never quite filled out the superstar suit. He always seems to be missing something, and that something is the heart to be the best.

The Calm before the Storm

With all of the focus on the 2010 free agent class, this upcoming class is being overlooked. Not without substantial talent, the free agent class of 2009 has the ability to change the direction of a team or hinder their development.