The weather is hot in the US and so are the NBA topics. After a brief hiatus I'm back and here to give the truth. Lets get down to the get down and talk some NBA!

Larry Brown and The Media

The media has to report things as they come out that is true but the coverage of the Cleveland Cavaliers courting of Larry Brown during the Pistons run to the NBA Finals has been excessive.   Every practice after a game or before game you have Brown-fielding questions other than what his current team is doing and that is a distraction to the coach and the team.   Particular newspapers and websites even had Brown confirmed to move on and this was before game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals against Shaq and the Miami Heat! We all know Brown is a traveling coach so what's the big deal if some team contacts him? Cover the stories don't let it get more press than the games though! Larry Brown is a coaching legend.

Shaq Gets The Money

The Miami Heat will make Shaquille O'Neal the richest man in basketball according to team president Pat Riley and it's hard to argue that he doesn't deserve it although his age is a factor.   O'Neal while older is still a dominate player in the post and his impact was immediate in Miami. Along with Dwyane Wade, Miami is an Eastern Conference elite.   Shaquille struggled with injuries and his footwork wasn't there in the playoffs but even at 50 percent Shaq is better than 95 percent of the centers in the league. In the NBA you can sign your own free agents to what you can and it doesn't go against the cap.   Miami is banking that O'Neal can hold his body together for 4 more years and be the rock to Wade's hammer of a game.

The Coming Of Manu

Manu Ginobili has shown the world that a player under 6-7 from outside the country can come in and dominate in the NBA. Ginobili's ability to penetrate and create opportunities for himself and others is key.   Ginobili's willingness to penetrate and take the contact and make him a free throw monster and he can play above and below the rim. While not a consistent three-point threat he seems to rise to the occasion when someone leaves him open for a three!  

He makes you respect his total game and has no real weakness one on one.   While he can be thwarted by a strong defensive team it will take a lot of effort and the Spurs are usually too good to be beat when you have to focus so much attention to Tim Duncan in the paint. Ginobili will be the star the league wants China born Yao Ming to be.

Phil's Back!

Phil Jackson has returned to the Los Angeles Lakers and this is good for the team and its star Kobe Bryant.   Bryant and Jackson aren't the best of friends but you don't had to be to play and coach the game.   Bryant always struggled to defer to Shaquille O'Neal when he knew he was the more complete player.   Jackson did an excellent job making those two players get on the same page because while Bryant was the more complete player Shaq because of his size and proximity to the basket is always the higher percentage play.   Now it will be Jackson's job to work with Bryant like he did Jordan and surround him with players who complement Bryant's game. Bryant after last season should know that he needs more than him to win and must look to play along someone in order to win.   The Lakers will look to address the teams needs at the power forward and point guard positions through and will need to find players via the draft and free agency.   Jackson's hire will make LA more attractive and I expect the Lakers to make a trade of major significance bringing in a number two or one A to play alongside Kobe.   They still have Lamar Odom and if he doesn't show improvement from last year (which could be helped if they get a power forward to move Odom to the small forward position) they can get something for him and also Caron Butler a young forward who didn't play up to the hype he received in Miami. Forward/Center Brian Grant is coming off the books and the team hopes that young bigs like Chris Mihm, Brian Cook and Luke Walton can continue to improve.  

 
Any comments, questions and/or suggestions give Clayton Ruley an email at clayton@geoclan.com.