Tag: New York Knicks

BREAKING NEWS: PHIL JACKSON HAS BEEN FIRED!!!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 5 Comments

phil

IT’S CHRISTMAS IN JUNE!!!! ESPN’S Ramona Shelburne reported the New York Knicks and Phil Jackson are parting ways. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!! This story (the best story of the year) broke at 2:59 A.M. Who needs sleep huh?? According to Shelburne, the Knicks and Phil Jackson will officially announce the break-up early Wednesday morning.

I haven’t been this happy since Christmas morning, 1995, when I finally got that basketball hoop I’d always wanted. I haven’t been this happy since McDonald’s announced they’d be serving breakfast all day. I haven’t been this happy since the Backstreet Boys got back together. I haven’t been….Dave, we get it, you’re happy. Now shut up, and tell the rest of the story. Okay….

Soooooo, Knicks’ owner James Dolan did a radio interview in February where he vehemently expressed that he would honor the entirety of Phil Jackson’s 5-year contract. Despite having an opt-out clause written into the deal, both Jackson and the Knicks, in April, picked up the option on the remaining 2 years of the contract. “This did not make the Ribosomes happy.” No Mr. Chloro-Phyll, this did not make anyone happy.

Phil proceeded to do everything possible to try to get fired. It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where George Costanza is trying to get fired by the New York Yankees, so he can become the Head Scout for the New York Mets. No matter what Costanza did, the Yankees wouldn’t fire him. Body suit man!! Well it looks like Phil Jackson figured it out. Jackson’s actions over the past 3 years were egregious, but this past week was the straw that broke the camel’s back. In a ridiculous interview on MSG, the night before the NBA Draft, Phil Jackson spent 5 of the craziest minutes television has ever seen taking public shots at Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis (the Knicks’ 2 best players).

This caused James Dolan, albeit 7 days too late, to put an end to the Phil Jackson era. In other words, it became Phil Jackson vs. Kristaps Porzingis. Hmmmmmm..71-year old, senile, arrogant General Manager, or 21-year old building block for the future???? Even James Dolan can see clearly enough through his piles of money to make the right choice there. Speaking of money, Jackson will now collect the remaining $24 million on his contract to sit at home and be smug in his empty mansion.

Phil Jackson got strong-armed out of a job by a player who has only been in the NBA for 2 years.

Which begs the question, was Phil Jackson the worst General Manager in NBA history??

Yes.

But more importantly, is James Dolan the worst owner in the NBA??

Yes.

Obviously I’m happy Dolan FINALLY grew some balls, but by not firing Jackson a week ago, he allowed Jackson to use the 2017 NBA Draft as his own personal litter box. Which leaves us here. Today is a great day for Knicks’ fans, but upon coming down from this high, they will realize the Knicks are still in disarray. Free Agency is just 3 days away (July 1st), and the Knicks remain the least desirable franchise to play for in the NBA. Knicks’ General Manager, Steve Mills, will be making personnel decisions going forward. Good luck Steve.

I’ll break down the Knicks’ salary cap and free agent options later in the week. For now, we celebrate!!

 

Are you happy Phil Jackson has been fired?? Please tell me everything you’ve ever wanted to say in the comment section.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

 

 

My 1st Ever Sports Talk Radio Show

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

By clicking below, you will be entering my YouTube Channel; DaveTalksSports. This audio is from my 1st ever Sports Talk Radio Show. This audition was recorded and submitted to the radio station at SUNY Old Westbury on Monday, June 26th, 2017. Assuming my professor approves my audition, I will be on OWWR, Old Westbury Web Radio, via the TuneIn Radio App. The date and time of my show is TBD (to be determined), so check back to find out when I will be on the air. Click below to listen and enjoy!! Feel free to comment or leave constructive criticism in the comment section. Thank you!!

The Knicks’ International Affairs Are In Order

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

NBA: Draft

Bonjour! Comment-vas tu? Bon.

“Oh, this isn’t France. Is this France? This isn’t France, is it? I didn’t think so.”

The New York Knicks selected 18 year old Frank Ntilikina of France with the 8th overall selection in last night’s NBA Draft. Now, I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I’ve watched his whole career and can fairly predict his future, but I AM going to tell you about the last time the Knicks selected a player from France. Anyone older than 25 should remember this one. Ah yesssss, the 15th pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, Frederic Weis. Let’s just say that one didn’t work out so well.

I know, I know. It’s unfair to compare this kid to a player who was drafted 18 years ago just because they’re from the same country. It is fair, however, to point out that France hasn’t exactly produced a plethora of NBA talent. Tony Parker is the best French player of all-time, but he’s technically not even French. He grew up in France, so apparently that counts. It is also fair to be skeptical of any draft pick the Knicks make. I mean, they are ALL-TIME BAD at drafting. Don’t believe me?? Click here to see this list of mediocrity. But they drafted Kristaps Porzingis, and he’s a good international player. Yes, they did, but 1 pick doesn’t change 69 years of poor drafting.

Everyone who has seen this kid play has said he’s the real deal. He’s 18. He’s 6’5″. And he actually likes playing defense. Did you hear that Derrick Rose?? We found a player who likes playing defense. The ‘machine’ is also telling us he’s been playing professionally since the age of 15, so he’s an experienced 18 year old. Well, someone is going to have to define playing for me. At the age of 16, he played in 3 games (8 mpg). At 17, he played in 26 games, but only averaged 9.2 mpg. And at 18, he has finally received regular playing time of 18.2 mpg. The only problem is he’s averaging just 5.2 points and 1.4 assists per game. While he’s 18, with room to grow, and scouts universally projected him as a top-10 draft pick, it concerns me that this is the sample size they are using. 5.2 points and 1.4 assists????

I really hope I’m wrong about this kid.

If I were running the Knicks (a man can dream), I would have gone with Malik Monk out of Kentucky. Today’s NBA is filled with long-range shooters, and Monk was, without question, the best shooter in this year’s draft.

The Knicks also had 2 picks in the 2nd round. They selected Damyean Dotson (44th), a 6’6″ shooting guard out of the University of Houston. Dotson is an athletic guard who can shoot baby shoot. He averaged 44.3% shooting from 3-point range last season. And with the 58th pick, they selected Ognjen Jaramaz out of Serbia. At 21 years old, Jaramaz is a 6’4″ point guard.

Back to Ntilikina. Did you know his team is in the midst of a playoff run in Europe?? Immediately following the draft, he had to fly back to France to reunite with his team. ESPN reported he was scheduled to arrive at the game just in time for warm-ups. That’s nuts, but good for him! My only concern is, what if Ntilikina gets hurt playing overseas?? I know anyone can get hurt walking down the stairs, but the majority of last night’s draft picks are currently nursing hangovers in a New York City hotel room, not traveling halfway across the world to play for someone else.

Let’s collectively knock on wood.

Are you happy with the Knicks draft?? Give them a grade in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

 

“I Think We Know What We’re Doing”

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 7 Comments

Phil-Jackson

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Phil Jackson is craz….AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Sorry. I’m having a hard time controlling myself after RE-watching Phil Jackson’s interview from last night with Al Trautwig. It is hard to sit through 4:59 of non-stop insanity. Try it..I dare you. You can click here to see the entire interview. I do not know where to start, but I’m going to try….

With any good story, you must establish the setting. Ya know, that word you learned back in elementary school. So it’s June, and we are leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft (which is tonight). Trades are happening, rumors are flying around, and teams are doing their final evaluations of the talent in the draft. We are in New York, and the Knicks are in complete rebuild mode. That means working toward the future. Which leads me to the craziest thing Phil Jackson said last night.

Phil was asked why he would consider trading Kristaps Porzingis. His response was a 1-word answer; FUTURE. As in, trading Porzingis (who is 21 years old) would somehow help us build toward the future. PORZINGIS IS THE DEFINITION OF FUTURE!! What else could you possibly want in building toward the future than a 21-year old with so much potential they need to raise the ceiling in Madison Square Garden?? Now let’s rewind to Al Trautwig’s first Porzingis question. Trautwig asked if the trade rumors were true surrounding Porzingis. Phil took that as an opportunity to stress how upset he was over Porzingis skipping an exit meeting last season. Phil continued by misremembering his own history as a coach. Phil said, “I’ve never had a player skip an exit meeting in my 30 years of coaching. Nope. It’s never happened to me. It happens to other people but not me.”

Enter Shaquille O’ Neal, ummm, twice PHIL!! Shaq skipped not 1, but 2 exit meetings with Phil Jackson (in 2003 and 2004) when he was with the Lakers. I love the part where he says it happens to others but not me. As if he’s special. Oh he’s special alright.

Maybe Phil is legitimately going senile.

Phil was also asked if he planned to re-sign Derrick Rose. His answer should have been a knee-jerk reaction NO. Instead, he hit Trautwig with an “it depends”. It depends on what Phil?! If you are wearing depends by the time Rose blows out his knee for the 14th time?! Give me a freakin’ break!!

And this last one takes the cake….

Al Trautwig appropriately pointed out that Knicks fans are “uneasy” with what’s going on with the Knicks. There’s the understatement of the century. He then asked Phil what he would say to fans who feel this way?? His unbelievably smug response was, “I think we know what we’re doing.”

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING?!?!

Did you know what you were doing when you gave Joakim Noah the worst contract in NBA history? Did you know what you were doing when you hired and fired Derek Fisher after YOU put the team in tank-mode? Did you know what you were doing when you ripped Carmelo Anthony publicly and THEN tried to trade him?

So why the hell should we think you know what you’re doing as you try to trade the Knicks’ best draft pick since Patrick Ewing???? It only took 30 years by the way, of occasionally drafting in the 1st round, to find Porzingis. Yeah, we should trade him for a bag of peanuts.

Hey Phil, stop trying to get fired, and just quit already. You have enough money, and you’re driving me insane.

What did you think of Phil Jackson?? Is he the worst General Manager of all-time??

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Let The Trades Begin!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

kristaps

The NBA offseason is more entertaining than the ACTUAL NBA season. The NBA Finals ended 9 days ago, and I ‘ve already had more fun discussing possible trades and the upcoming draft than I did watching the Golden State Warriors embarrass the league. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers kicked off the fun Monday with their trade of picks, but that was just the snowball at the top of the mountain. Tuesday had us wondering if that snowball would turn into an avalanche.

Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Lakers traded D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in Thursday’s draft. This trade makes sense for both teams, however, the Lakers got the better end of the deal. Yes, they lose Russell, who was the 2nd overall pick just 2 short years ago, but his time in L.A. has been rocky to say the least. More importantly, the Lakers rid themselves of an atrocious Mozgov contract. His original 4-year, $64 million contract has 3 years left, so the Nets will eat the remaining $48 million. The Lakers receive the expiring contract of Brook Lopez, which will create oodles of cap-space come this time next year (aka the push for Lebron James). And they receive a draft pick. It’s always good to receive draft picks rather than give them (ahem, Brooklyn, ahem New York, ahem). Lastly, this leads to the assumption that the Lakers will select the walking distraction, Lonzo Ball, with the 2nd overall pick on Thursday.

In their own version of a salary dump, the Atlanta Hawks sent the albatross contract (3 years, $70.5 million) of Dwight Howard and the 31st pick to the Charlotte Bobcats for Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli, and the 41st pick in the draft. There’s not much of a story here, as Dwight Howard is a shell of himself. Charlotte shouldn’t expect Howard to bring any Defensive Player of the Year trophies to Charlotte anytime soon.

And then there’s the New York Knicks. My beloved Knicks. Just when you think they’ve hit rock-bottom, they whip out the sledgehammer and drill through the floor. How is it possible that Phil Jackson is shopping Kristaps Porzingis?!

Kristaps Porzingis should be virtually untradeable.

The Knicks are in total rebuild mode. I’m sorry, let me try that again. The Knicks SHOULD be in total rebuild mode. It’s hard to rebuild when you don’t (or can’t) trade Carmelo Anthony. And it would be impossible if you trade the 21-year old, building block that is Kristaps Porzingis. IF, Phil Jackson wants to entertain trade offers for Porzingis, his price should be so obnoxiously high it causes rival general managers to throw up in their mouths. I’m serious.

For example, if Celtics’ General Manager Danny Ainge calls, Phil Jackson should ask for the 3rd pick in this draft, next year’s 1st round pick, and Jaylen Brown. Oh and they’d have to take on Joakim Noah’s contract (quite possibly the worst contract in NBA history). I know exactly what you’re thinking, “that’s crazy, that’s way too much!!” EXACTLY!! Because you SHOULDN’T trade Porzingis!!

Here’s a point I haven’t heard anyone suggest. We all know Phil Jackson is doing a horrible job as the President of the Knicks. All I keep hearing is, “when Phil Jackson is gone, and in 2 years when we aren’t being force fed the Triangle.” Yeah, well why do we assume James Dolan won’t extend Phil Jackson’s contract???? Maybe Dolan thinks Phil is doing a great job. You and I, and anyone who knows anything about sports, would think that’s insane, but our opinion doesn’t matter.

James Dolan’s opinion is the only one that matters.

SOOOOOOOO, imagine a world where James Dolan extends Phil Jackson’s contract 3 more years. That may cause fans to jump ship and root for a new team………..

 

What would it take for you to trade Kristaps Porzingis?? Who got the better deal in the Lakers/Nets trade?? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

2017 NBA Pre-Draft Fireworks

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

markelle fultz

Two teams couldn’t wait for draft-day to make some noise. The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers got the ball rollin’ today, finalizing a trade. A high-profile pick swap if you will. The Celtics will trade the 1st overall pick to the 76ers for the 3rd overall pick and their 1st-round pick for 2018. The 76ers pick is actually courtesy of the Los Angeles Lakers (but is protected). Meaning, if this pick falls outside of the top-5 in 2018, the Celtics will receive a 1st-round pick in 2019. Either way, the Celtics are moving in the right direction, yet again, days before the draft.

The 2017 NBA Draft, aka The Right to Draft Markelle Fultz, is on Thursday, June 22nd. Barclays Center in Brooklyn will play host for the draft this year. The 76ers will pick #1 overall for the 2nd consecutive year and will mark the 5th time they’ll select in the top-10 in the last 3 years. Which begs so many head-scratching questions:

  • How inept is the 76ers organization?!
  • How many years can you tank in a row?!
  • How is it that the entire front office hasn’t been fired by now?!
  • At what point does the owner throw in the towel and sell the team?!

I could keep going, but my head is starting to hurt. All I keep hearing out of Philadelphia is “Trust the Process”, “Trust the Process”. Yeah, well how about you trust me when I say, “fire everyone”. It is time to start fresh in Philadelphia. If you don’t know who to hire, give me a call. I’ll have you in the playoffs in 2 years, and I’ll win you a championship within 5 years. I guarantee it!!

Anyway, enough of the stupidity, let’s talk about the genius that is Danny Ainge. See, I can be positive. I’m not always negative and critical all the time..just most of the time.

Danny Ainge is the General Manager and President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics. He continues to make all the right moves. Granted, he took advantage of the Brooklyn Nets in ways I can’t describe here, but I guess it’s true what they say, ‘there’s a sucker born everyday’. Danny Ainge’s Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals this past year. At the same time, they still owned the #1 overall pick in the draft. I’d say Ainge deserves a raise.

The question now is: Who will Ainge draft at #3?? My guess is they’ve liked Josh Jackson of Kansas this whole time. And since they don’t ‘need’ a point guard like Fultz, they’ll get ‘their’ man anyway. This is exactly the same as what John Lynch and the 49ers did to the Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft. They traded down for extra picks and got the guy they wanted anyway. As the old Guinness Beer commercials used to say, “Brilliant!!”

As for my team, the Knicks, they don’t often collide with the word brilliant very often. I imagine they will draft the best point guard available at #8, but at this point, who knows what the hell that egomaniac Phil Jackson will do. Man, I can’t wait to see him pack his bags. Hey Danny Ainge, after you finish bringing an NBA Championship to Boston, you wanna come on down to New York and help us out?? That’d be great, thanks!!

Tune into ESPN on Thursday night @ 7:00 P.M. to see how the draft plays out.

Who do you think the Celtics will take at #3?? Who should the Knicks take at #8?? Share your wisdom in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

Somewhere..Bill Russell Is Doing His Happy Dance

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

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And the winner of the 250 Million Dollar Lottery is……….The Boston Celtics?! Yes, you heard that right. The team set to take on former lottery prize Lebron James in the Eastern Conference Finals was awarded the #1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. And there’s no cash by the way, only the rights to Markelle Fultz out of the University of Washington. Hey Danny Ainge, how’s the view from up there?? Ainge, the President of Basketball Operations for the Celtics, orchestrated a masterful trade with the Brooklyn Nets back in 2013. The Nets received Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett (both were WAY past their prime) for a pile of players and future draft picks. Enter last night’s lottery win by the Celtics. Paul Pierce didn’t wait long to say you’re welcome.

As with any lottery, there must be winners and losers. First, let’s take a look at the lottery results:

1. Celtics (via Nets)

2. Lakers

3. Sixers (via Kings)

4. Suns

5. Kings (via Sixers)

6. Magic

7. Timberwolves

8. Knicks

9. Mavericks

10. Kings (via Pelicans)

11. Hornets

12. Pistons

13. Nuggets

14. Heat

Thanks to this ridiculous system, the winners and losers are self-explanatory. Land above your projected draft spot..you’re a winner, fall below your projected draft spot..you’re a loser. Of course, none of this guarantees you a superstar player. The Knicks can attest to that (I wonder what Frederic Weis is doing right now?).

Sooooooo, why does the NBA select the draft order this way rather than award the best pick to the team with the worst record? The answer is simple; MONEY. Amidst a so far underwhelming NBA playoffs, the NBA machine has people talking about the draft, and the draft lottery, and the draft combine, and that kid with the expensive shoes (no I will not say his name here). Ratings, the all-mighty money grab, ratings, and more ratings. That’s what it’s all about. And once the buzz around the draft lottery ends, the Cavaliers/Warriors saga will commence. And once the NBA Finals is over, the actual draft will happen. And once the draft is over, free agents will be on the move. Hmmmmm..sound familiar? Seems like the NBA is doing their best NFL impersonation. Good for you Adam Silver, good for you.

The biggest winners of the night included the Boston Celtics (obviously) and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers received the #2 overall pick. If the Lakers had fallen outside of the top 3, they would have lost their pick to the (Orlando) Magic, so it’s a good thing Magic (Johnson) is on their side. And now for my favorite part of the program..THE LOSERS!! The biggest loser Tuesday night was the Phoenix Suns, as they dropped 2 spots (from #2 to #4). So much for Tank Mode.  

And last but certainly not le…Oh okay, maybe they are least. Enter my New York Knicks. They can’t win right. They can’t draft right. They can’t tank right. And they certainly can’t get lucky right. The Knicks fell 1 spot from #7 to #8. I know it’s only 1 spot, but it’s just another bump in a long line of bumps in Knicks history. Let’s see how Phil Jackson screws this up. Hey Phil, Danny Ainge is running a General Managers Camp. I heard it’s a great way to improve your people skills. Want me to sign you up?? As for players we can land come draft day, the Knicks should have their choice between French guard Frank Ntilikina and NC State guard Dennis Smith Jr. As long as we don’t draft another big man, I won’t lose my mind.

Did you watch Tuesday night’s NBA Draft Lottery? Who do you want the Knicks to draft? Tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Kelly O Who?!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

celtics-oust-wizards-nba-2017

Do or Die. Sink or Swim. Win or Go Home. I’m runnin’ out of expressions for Game 7 here……..

Tensions were running high Monday night in TD Garden as the Boston Celtics played host to the Washington Wizards for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The nerves were visible right from tip-off, as the first 5 field goal attempts came up empty. Players from both sides quickly settled in, and the points began to pile up. Despite looking like the better team throughout the 1st half, the Celtics trailed 55-53 at halftime. The Celtics were carving up the Wizards defense one backdoor cut at a time, but the Wizards had 4 players in double figures by halftime.

And that was the Wizards’ biggest problem. They ended the game with only those 4 players in double figures. Now, Bradley Beal did all he could, absolutely lighting it up in the 2nd half, finishing with a game-high 38 points. It’s hard to beat the Celtics 1-on-5 though.

Enter John Wall: John Wall did his best James Harden impersonation (minus the ridiculous beard) Monday night. When the game mattered most, Wall was nowhere to be found. Wall went scoreless in the final 19 minutes of the game, missing all 11 of his shots. He also added a turnover and a goaltending violation in there for good measure. Nice work John!

And then there’s Kelly Olynyk. Who?! Yes, Kelly Olynyk, the unlikely hero of Game 7. While Isaiah Thomas played an outstanding Game 7 (29 points and 12 assists), it was Olynyk who put the nail in the coffin. Oh, you want the score?? It’s coming don’t worry. How else can I get you to read this far down on the page?? Olynyk hit one timely shot after another, providing 26 points off the bench. And now, the Celtics have the great pleasure of hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. I guess we’ll finally get to prove the rest vs. play for the #1 seed theory……..

That, or the Cavaliers will win in 6 games. Either way. Either way is fine.

Oh by the way, the Celtics won last night 115-105. Thanks for reading all the way down here!

AND NOW, I’M GOING TO GO OFF ON A DON LAGRECA STYLE RANT:

I always wanted to black-out from rage. Anyway, here goes nothing:

I personally hope Lebron loses in Boston in Game 7 so everyone can blame the Cavaliers resting during the regular season. I CAN’T STAND NBA players resting throughout the regular season!! I understand the season is long, and grueling, and players deal with injuries, but NEWSFLASH: That’s why the league builds rest days into your schedule. Do NBA players ever think about anything other than themselves?? Do they think about the parents who saved up enough money to take their kid to see Lebron James for the first time?? Only to find out Lebron needs to “rest”. “Oh no, Lebron’s not hurt son. He just had a tough week. You know his butler was off this week, so he personally had to carry his millions to the bank. He must be tired from all that heavy lifting.” GIVE ME A BREAK!! NBA players are multi-millionaires because of fans like that. We, the fans, ARE the demand that put millions of dollars in NBA players’ bank accounts. So when your healthy, play. When your team is on the schedule, play. And when you step onto that hardwood every night, remember, there’s a kid in the stands watching you play for the very first time.

Man, I’ve never rooted for Boston before. This is awkward.

Do the Celtics have a chance in the Eastern Conference Finals? How do you feel about the resting epidemic in the NBA? Let me know in the comment section below.

Also, tune into ESPN tonight @ 8:00 P.M. to watch the NBA Draft Lottery show. Let’s see if the Knicks’ luck can get any worse. Immediately following the lottery, you can see Game 2 of the San Antonio Spurs vs. the Golden State Warriors. Should be an ugly one with no Kawhi Leonard. Expect an angry Gregg Popovich..again.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Spurs Win Overtime Thriller!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

manu

Whoever said ‘Father Time’ is unbeaten clearly hasn’t met Manu Ginobili. Or Tom Brady I’m assuming. Or Roy Jones Jr. for that matter. Did you know Jones Jr. is still fighting professionally at the age of 48?! That’s awesome!! Man, how did I get off topic already?! Anyway….Ginobili, the former 6th Man of the Year, turned back the clock Tuesday night, leading his San Antonio Spurs to victory (110 – 107 F/OT). They became his Spurs when Kawhi Leonard tweaked his ankle in the 3rd quarter after stepping on James Harden’s foot. Leonard would return to the game, but the injury forced him to watch the final 5:34 from the sidelines. With the series tied at 2-2, the atmosphere was tense inside AT&T Center. The fans, who seemingly stood the entire game, were rewarded with the best game of the 2017 playoffs. Exciting games have been few and far between in these playoffs, but Game 5 did not disappoint.

James Harden’s stat-line looks fantastic. He posted a triple-double with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. However, numbers only tell part of the story. Harden was BRUTAL when it mattered most. Don’t believe me?? That’s okay, just check out James Harden’s final 5:54 of the game:

  • He went scoreless on 0-2 shooting
  • He had 4 turnovers (9 total for the game)
  • He committed a silly foul on Danny Green on a made basket with :30 left in overtime
  • And last but certainly not least, his 3-point attempt at the buzzer was blocked from behind by Manu Ginobili

Game 5 was not about Harden’s ugly beard, however, it was about the Spurs resilient performance. While their best player was resigned to the bench, the Spurs embodied the motto ‘Next Man Up’. Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, Patty Mills, and Jonathan Simmons put forth memorable performances. Mills played a team high 43 minutes, contributed 20 points, and hit a game high five 3-pointers (none bigger than the one that brought them within 2 with 2:12 left in regulation). Simmons brought the energy. After every big play, Simmons could be seen screaming and pumping his fists passionately. Simmons was also the culprit in 3 out of Harden’s 4 turnovers down the stretch. Danny Green singlehandedly outscored the Houston Rockets in overtime (7-6). He actually scored all 7 of those points in the final :56 of overtime (impressive right?). And then there’s soon-to-be 40, Manu Ginobili. Ginobili posted 12 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and most importantly 1 MONSTER BLOCK (as pictured above)!!

Manu Ginobili has been an essential part of the Spurs last 4 championships. And with Tony Parker already out for the remainder of the playoffs, and Kawhi Leonard now hobbled, Ginobili will need to channel the 2006-2007 version himself if he wants to wear ring number 5. Assuming the Spurs do outlast the Rockets, I can’t see them stealing more than 2 games from the Golden State Warriors. I’ll be rooting for Ginobili and the Spurs (even though I’m a loyal Knicks fan), but I think Curry and company will be too much to handle for old man river.

How far do you think the Spurs will go in the playoffs?? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

 

 

I’m More Of A Rhombus Guy Myself, Phil

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

phil

Well, the New York Knicks lost again on Tuesday. The Knicks lost?? But I thought their season was over?? Oh, they might not be playing games anymore, but that hasn’t kept them from being losers. I bet you didn’t realize Squints from The Sandlot was actually talking about the Knicks….

l7

 

But seriously, the Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves finished tied this season with a record of 31-51 (stellar I know). And two days ago, the Knicks lost a ping pong ball tiebreaker (those are 4 words I didn’t think I was going to say today), leaving them 7th in the draft order, 1 spot behind the Timberwolves. This is assuming neither team lands a top 3 pick when they select the draft lottery on May 16th. But Dave, it’s only 1 spot, why are you making a big deal about it? First, 1 spot can mean the difference between Stephen Curry and Jordan Hill. Second, it represents the Knicks’ culture. The Knicks are, for lack of a better term, ‘stuck in the mud’.

This losing culture starts and ends with Knicks’ Owner, James Dolan. Little Jimmy Dolan, as I like to call him, inherited the Knicks from his daddy, Charles Dolan. And despite biting the hand that feeds him, Little Jimmy is still The Chairman of Madison Square Garden Company. This means he is only in charge of the things he couldn’t screw up if he tried (financially speaking that is). However, he has screwed up the Knicks’ franchise, mightily.

Dolan hired Phil Jackson to be President of the Knicks 3 years ago. Let me start by saying, I don’t care who you are or what you say, no one in the world thought this was a bad hire. But after 3 looooooooong years, there is only 1 header that can rest atop Phil Jacksons’ performance review; DUMPSTER FIRE!! Phil Jackson is regarded as one of the best coaches in NBA history, but unless he plans to scale down the 8,490 foot ladder from his golden pedestal to start coaching again, it’s time for him to pack his bags. Only problem there is, James Dolan refuses to fire him. Dolan, aka Einstein, has repeatedly stated he must honor his contract with Phil for 5 years. Yeah that’s great, but you had an opt-out written into the contract. This gives either side the legal right to part ways after 3 years (which last time I checked is NOW). Sooooooooooooo Jimmy, what are we waiting for? What if Phil literally set fire to the Garden? Would that be a fireable offense? Well, let me run through the things I call fireable offenses:

  • Don’t address the media for 2 and 3/4 years and when you finally do state the obvious that your best player would probably be better off elsewhere
  • Hire “your guy” Derek Fisher, and then unceremoniously fire him a year and a half into a 5-year contract even though you were clearly tanking
  • Everything you have done, said, or thought about saying as it pertains to Carmelo Anthony (Melo’ is who he is – a great scorer who gets rebounds by default because he’s 6’8″ and has no interest in playing defense; whatsoever)
  • Insane stubbornness to run a wildly out of date system known as “the triangle” even though numerous NBA players have publicly stated they have zero interest in playing it
  • Attending Shaq’s statue unveiling (even though I’m a big fan of The Diesel) while he should have been attending the Kentucky/UCLA Sweet Sixteen match-up. I mean, it’s not like there were 11 NBA prospects in that game….
  • And last but not least, signing Joakim Noah to an obscene 4-year, $72 million contract. Need I say more?!

 

 

 

There are way more things Phil Jackson has done wrong in the past 3 years, but I ran out of paper. The solution to this problem is simple: Fire Phil, hire someone competent (like me), collect draft picks rather than give them away, build through the draft, and once you have a base of 2 or 3 solid players attract free agents. Period, end of story.

Have a solution to the Knicks’ problems? Tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!