NBA Talking Points is a weekly series that runs down some of the top stories in basketball, and some that aren’t being talked about enough. Click any of the links below to jump to one of this week’s talking points, and click here for last week’s edition.
Orlando: Not Ready For Prime Time Players
Want to see a weird stat? Orlando is 2-5 on National TV, and 20-2 elsewhere. That statistic comes courtesy of our excellent Orlando Magic blogger, Ben Q. Rock. And I’m sure it’s a coincidence--last year’s playoffs were on National TV, too, and they did pretty well. But this year in prime time, it’s been quite a struggle. Today’s been worse than most. Will they crack 50 points before the fourth quarter?
And besides, it’s not all bad. The original “Not Ready For Prime Time Players” went to on to form one of the most successful shows in television history. Saturday Night Live.
Read Article >Magic Johnson Speaks For America
It’s not that the Celtics and Magic are “bad”, necessarily; but man, when Orlando’s not hitting from the perimeter, they sure are tough to watch. And Boston, for all the marvels of Rajon Rondo and his steadfast defiance of point guard conventions, is just as bad. Because even when the Celtics are hitting on all cylinders, it all starts with playing suffocating defense.
And even for the greatest NBA lovers, watching a quarter like the second quarter in Orlando is like watching snow melt. Boston held Orlando to just 8 points and scored just 20 points themselves. That’s not fun.
Read Article >Magic And Celtics: Are These Teams Drunk?
Now, to be fair, I just got done with presents and Christmas brunch, so I missed the first few minutes. Maybe something happened on the court that turned everyone on the Celtics and Magic into members of the Charlotte Bobcats. But if not that, then what’s going on here? These guys are good on defense, but not that good. Look at the numbers:
Oof. Boston’s numbers are inflated by two lay-ups in the past minute, by the way. The teams have also combined for 25 turnovers. COME ON! Stan and Doc, do you guys know this is the first time millions of Americans are watching NBA basketball this year? You do, right? Let’s loosen the reins a little bit!
Read Article >NBA Talking Points: Live Blogging Some Christmas Hoops
There are those who say that the NBA season doesn’t really get under way until Christmas day. Those people are idiots. The NBA’s been in full swing for a while, and it’s been a pretty fantastic two months so far. But to general sports fans, this is probably the first time the NBA becomes a realistic alternative. At least until the NFL crashes the party in a few hours, hoops has center stage.
And with that in mind, we’re going to do a live version of NBA Talking Points this week. Some of it centered on the games now, some about the league in general, and some of it having very little to do with anything.
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