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February 7, 2008
Hoops salvation
I’m trying to get over my Super Bowl letdown … it was a hell of a game. But moving on, it’s most clearly basketball season now.
With that in mind …
* I’m not quite sure what to make of the Shaquille O’Neal trade to Phoenix. I guess his defense could help against half-court teams, but what about when the Suns run the ball, which they try to do all the time? Shaq’s already past his prime, and I see Shawn Marion slipping into mediocrity with the Heat.
* It’s a shame the Wizards’ Caron Butler is having trouble with a strained hip flexor, because he was having a special season. UConn fans can hope he comes back strong the second half of the season.
By the way, does any school have an alumni NBA lineup like Marcus Williams and Kevin Ollie at the point; Ray Allen, Ben Gordon and Richard Hamilton at shooting guard; Butler and Rudy Gay at small forward; Charlie Villanueva, Josh Boone, Donyell Marshall and Hilton Armstrong at power forward; and Emeka Okafor and Jake Voskuhl at center? I think not.
* Spent some time watching Duke-North Carolina and the Tar Heels didn’t look much like a No. 3 team. Clearly they need injured point guard Ty Lawson back, because this team is awfully frenetic without him. The fact that No. 2 Duke had six players score in double figures didn’t make Roy Williams too happy, either.
Both teams — especially North Carolina, with Lawson — have great potential. They’re clearly on a level or two above the J.R. Reid-King Rice-Jeff Lebo Tar Heels I covered as a green reporter about 20 years ago. (Someone misread that crop of talent.)
* How about Jim Calhoun’s Huskies? This team, as far as I can tell, doesn’t seem to be enormously talented, but A.J. Price is steady, and they rebound and block shots extremely well. Have you noticed that Hasheem Thabeet has a hungry look this year contrasted with a slightly dazed look last year when he was a freshman? If nothing more, things seem back to normal, with the UConn women No. 1 (at least until next week) and the UConn men creeping up the ladder toward the top 10.
Posted by Dave on 12:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
