Around the League: Playoffs

[SDC]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-m ... continues/

The Roger Goodell Award for Biggest Hypocrite

Me. For everything in the previous paragraph. See, I absolutely LOVED the Rondo trade for Dallas and thought he was a semi-shell of himself in Boston only because he was playing possum. I haven’t misfired like that since … oh, wait, I’m wrong all the time.

simmons is more like the biggest PHONY. he's been trying to trade away rondo ever since they signed him to that huge contract.

[Mori Chu]

[youtube][/youtube]

[SDC]

lol, wrong place to be posting crap.

or maybe just shows you how depressing the suns are this season, and in future seasons. #SunDown

[carey]

Dudley with the in bounds assist to Bayless when Rose fell asleep for the game winner. Great job JMZ!

[ShelC]

So....the Mavs had a good thing going pre-trade. They thought Rondo would put them over the top. Do you fault them for making the trade? Another instance of the mavs being greedy and it backfiring? Or was it a calculated move simply gone wrong?

[Mori Chu]

I don't fault them too much for the Rondo trade. They were playing better, and playing pretty well, before that deal. But they were absolutely not going to win a title. So they took a gamble. They figured that with Rondo, they might be able to become a true contender. They didn't, of course; they got worse. But I think you sometimes need to take risks like that.

[SDC]

So....the Mavs had a good thing going pre-trade. They thought Rondo would put them over the top. Do you fault them for making the trade? Another instance of the mavs being greedy and it backfiring? Or was it a calculated move simply gone wrong?

the good news is that this will be a one year thing.

[Superbone]

The story of how Stephen Curry's agent and dad didn't want the Warriors to draft him

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/the-story- ... 17645.html

The day after the draft, Curry, his father and Austin were on their way to Oakland for an introductory news conference with the Warriors. They were worried, however, about rumors that Stephen Curry could be dealt to the Phoenix Suns. Upon arrival, Riley quickly ended that talk.

"When we landed, Dell, Steph and myself were in the San Francisco airport and we get a call from Phoenix saying, 'Don't go to the press conference because we have a trade. We made a trade with Golden State and they're trying to back out of it,' " Austin said.

Said Riley: "I never gave them the word we're going to make a trade. The only way I made that trade is if Steph's gone and I'm looking at a guy named [Jordan] Hill."

[Cap]

These are the ghost stories young players tell each other around campfires. "You're going to get traded to Phoenix... Ooooooooooo....."

[Superbone]

Nice Coro piece on Budenholzer's rise to coach of the year from his humble Holbrook, AZ upbringing:

http://www.azcentral.com/longform/sport ... /26991837/

[Mori Chu]

New Orleans Pelicans fire Monty Williams. The reaction by the talking heads on Twitter seems to be mostly shock and rage. "He improved their record each of the past 4 seasons!" "He took them to the playoffs!" No, Anthony Davis did. Monty Williams is by most accounts a mediocre to poor coach. If your coach gives your team a low ceiling, it's good to cut ties. I think NO did the right thing.

[ShelC]

They're going to wait for Thibs but I might jump on Brooks. Familiar with the Western Conference, has athletic attacking guards in Holiday and Evans...maybe more talent up and down the roster than the Thunder.

[Shabazz]

New Orleans Pelicans fire Monty Williams. The reaction by the talking heads on Twitter seems to be mostly shock and rage. "He improved their record each of the past 4 seasons!" "He took them to the playoffs!" No, Anthony Davis did. Monty Williams is by most accounts a mediocre to poor coach. If your coach gives your team a low ceiling, it's good to cut ties. I think NO did the right thing.

I thought that was strange, too. Monty gets more hate from NBA twitter than any coach not in LA or NY. All of a sudden when he's fired, there's outrage.

He's by all accounts a really good guy and probably very accessible to the media, which may explain some of the reaction.

[carey]

New Orleans Pelicans fire Monty Williams. The reaction by the talking heads on Twitter seems to be mostly shock and rage. "He improved their record each of the past 4 seasons!" "He took them to the playoffs!" No, Anthony Davis did. Monty Williams is by most accounts a mediocre to poor coach. If your coach gives your team a low ceiling, it's good to cut ties. I think NO did the right thing.

I thought that was strange, too. Monty gets more hate from NBA twitter than any coach not in LA or NY. All of a sudden when he's fired, there's outrage.

He's by all accounts a really good guy and probably very accessible to the media, which may explain some of the reaction.

It explains all of it. The players really like him as well. Unfortunately, to get where they want to go they had to move on from Monty. He'd plateaued.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

They're going to wait for Thibs but I might jump on Brooks. Familiar with the Western Conference, has athletic attacking guards in Holiday and Evans...maybe more talent up and down the roster than the Thunder.

Not sure how much of an improvement that would be. You could say pretty much the same critics about Brooks' tenure in OKC.

[carey]

I'm not a Brooks fan. I wanted Karl but Sacramento wisely pulled the trigger mid-season. I'd be watching Chicago very closely if I were Demps.

[Mori Chu]

Scott Brooks is mediocre. No reason to fire Monty and then hire a coach only 10% better.

[LazarusLong]

Mike Malone is available, I believe. Work out an agreement where he gets an offensive-minded assistant coach of his choosing.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Mike Malone is available, I believe. Work out an agreement where he gets an offensive-minded assistant coach of his choosing.

In Phoenix, please.

[SDC]

Mike Malone is available, I believe. Work out an agreement where he gets an offensive-minded assistant coach of his choosing.

alvin gentry's better option.