• Archives

Tag Archives: Kevin Love

The Works: Midseason Matters

February 17, 2011   Bethlehem Shoals and Eric Freeman   No comments

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Today in The Works: Who will win the awards?

Who Gets The Gold?

Eric Freeman: It seems like the voters often decide on their MVP several months before the season ends, so this is as good a time as any. LeBron James has the Heat riding high after a shaky start, and he could end up the winner. But it seems like Derrick Rose‘s year — he’s stepped his game up and the Bulls are looking like contenders. Sometimes, that’s enough to win this award.

Bethlehem Shoals: It seems like everybody is riding high, the way you talk about it. Look, I’m going to give it to you straight: LeBron James is the best player in the game. And after that shaky start, he’s really made that Heat team his own, or at least found a way to assert himself so that every lesser player — including that dynamo Dwyane Wade — ends up following his rhythms. And that’s not a bad thing. James, contrary to popular belief, isn’t a selfish jerk, he does a lot of things on the court and only really takes over when it’s execution time. Derrick Rose? You’ve lost it. Nice year, nice team, but they aren’t there yet. It’s called Most Valuable, not Most Improved.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

Kevin Love Selected to All-Star Team as Yao Ming’s Replacement

February 04, 2011   Brett Pollakoff   No comments

Filed under: ,

Kevin LoveKevin Love might have been the biggest snub when the reserves were announced for the 2011 NBA All-Star game on Thursday. The league’s leading rebounder, Love is averaging 15.5 boards per game, and has pulled down more than 20 in a single game eight times this season.

It took David Stern to fix the glaring omission, and the commissioner did exactly that by naming Love to the Western Conference squad as Yao Ming‘s replacement.

Love making the team should have been a no-brainer, but the coaches vote for the reserves, and they likely gave Tim Duncan the votes that should have gone to Love — presumably based on Timmy’s body of work, and the fact that the Spurs hold the league’s best record at 41-8. LaMarcus Aldridge and Steve Nash were the other top candidates believed to be in the running for Yao’s spot.

Video of Love receiving the news in the locker room before Friday night’s game can be seen in the clip below.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

Kevin Love Makes All-Star Bid With ‘Numb#rs’

January 28, 2011   FanHouse Newswire   No comments

Filed under: ,

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves hope that the key to the Western Conference coaches’ All-Star vote is through their noses.

Introducing “Numb#rs,” the new fragrance by Kevin Love.

On the same day the NBA announced the starters for the All-Star game next month, the Wolves’ public relations department unveiled its campaign to convince the coaches to vote their star into the game as a reserve.

A box was mailed to all Western Conference coaches that includes a bottle of “Numb#rs” cologne, a DVD with a 30-second commercial for the product that spoofs an ultra-serious fragrance ad, an advertisement that includes Love and a local model dressed to the nines and a list of his accomplishments on the back, and a bottle of face lotion just for good measure.

“It’s all in good fun,” Love said on Thursday after practice. “You never try to take yourself too seriously. If you can have fun with yourself it’s a good part of your life.”

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

2011 NBA All-Star Starters Revealed, What About the Reserves?

January 27, 2011   Chris Tomasson   No comments

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Denver coach George Karl likes to say each All-Star squad should have 15 players, rather than 12.

It’s a great idea for the West this season, with there about to be some serious snubs. As for the East, 10 seems a better number this season in a conference that after the top teams has as much depth as the local park’s kiddie pool.

Perhaps the East should concede two spots to the West. Throw in that Houston’s Yao Ming, named the West starting center, will miss the Feb. 20 Game in Los Angeles, and that would give the West 15 players with All-Star recognition.

The starters were announced Thursday night, and there wasn’t anything to complain about other than how ridiculous it was that fans (hello, China) continued to vote for Yao in bunches even after it was announced Dec. 17 he was out for the season with a foot injury. Even before then, he was averaging 10.2 points in a meager five games.

The East starters will be Orlando’s Dwight Howard at center, Miami’s LeBron James and New York’s Amar’e Stoudemire at forward and Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Chicago’s Derrick Rose at guard. Other than Yao, West starters named were Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Denver’s Carmelo Anthony at forward and the Lakers‘ Kobe Bryant and New Orleans’ Chris Paul at guard.

Now, on to the reserves. After the coaches cast their ballots, here’s who should be announced next Thursday as well as which players might be ticked off:

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

Dwight Howard Not Conceding Rebounding Title to Kevin Love

January 21, 2011   Tim Povtak   No comments

Filed under: ,

ORLANDO, Fla. — Dwight Howard had more rebounds Friday night than the entire starting lineup of the Toronto Raptors. And when it came to points, they were tied.

That’s domination.

Howard had 31 points and 19 rebounds — playing only 30 minutes — in the second most lopsided victory of the season for the Orlando Magic, 112-72, over the lowly and rapidly-sinking Raptors.

“He’s good. We’re not,” summarized Toronto coach Jay Triano. “He’s just too much for us.”

Howard did as he pleased, whenever he pleased, hardly breaking a sweat against a team that clearly was overmatched. While Howard and the Magic (28-15) believe they are contenders in the East, the Raptors (13-30) lost their fifth consecutive game. They play the Heat in Miami Saturday night.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

The Works: LeBron James Does Battle With Himself

January 18, 2011   Bethlehem Shoals and Eric Freeman   No comments

Filed under: , , , , , ,



Today in The Works: rethinking positions and All-Star voting; dream analysis and the Washington Wizards; and we explore the Kevin Love-Blake Griffin rivalry.

But first, LeBron James’ latest Twitter disasters.

Will LeBron James Ever Learn?

LeBron James had himself some interesting Tuesday and Wednesday nights last week. As you’ve likely heard by now, near the end of Tuesday night’s atrocious 112-57 loss by the Cavs against the Lakers, the franchise’s one-time savior tweeted the following: “Crazy. Karma is a b****.. Gets you every time. Its not good to wish bad on anybody. God sees everything!” It seemed, at the time, like a case of someone kicking the team when it was down, rubbing their face in their own failure while at the same time shaming them for ever claiming they could live without LeBron. Never mind that LeBron’s response was at least partially justified by Dan Gilbert’s childish response to his departure. No matter the circumstances, James was just being a little mean.

Of course, according to LeBron, this was all some huge misunderstanding. On Wednesday night, James clarified things by claiming he had no intent to hurt anyone’s feelings with the tweet and was merely passing along some sage words of advice from a friend. If you believe LeBron’s explanation, then he was just being a fount of wisdom rather than a bully. No one could blame you for thinking this was a poorly disguised attempt to save face, but his response is his response.

I honestly don’t care much if LeBron was lying or not, because the tweet itself indicates a bizarre personality trait that’s only really been noticed since the “Decision” mess turned public opinion against him. In short, James is decidedly tone-deaf to the ebbs and flows of public opinion and often doesn’t consider the contexts in which his words operate, even if he doesn’t intend to harm anyone.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

Ranking the NBA’s Most Improved Player Candidates

January 01, 2011   Sam Amick   No comments

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Talent is one thing. Work ethic is another.

It’s a creed that is as true in the NBA as anywhere else, and the Most Improved Player award is often the place to find a young player who has applied both key elements in a most admirable way while becoming a far more relevant member of the league.

Unless you’re Bobby Simmons.

Leave it to a Clipper to mess with a good trend. The 2004-05 MIP award winner has fallen completely off the NBA map since he more than doubled his scoring average from one year to the next (7.8 points per game in 2003-04 to 16.4). Yet aside from that aberration, it’s a quality cast of characters that has earned this trophy.

There’s no shortage of worthy candidates in this year’s race, too, including one who has a chance to right the Simmons wrong. Clippers guard Eric Gordon has seen a Simmons-like spike in his already-impressive production, going from 16.9 points per game and 44.9 percent shooting in his second season to 23.8 points per game on 46 percent shooting while proving a worthy running mate to Rookie of the Year leader Blake Griffin.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

The Works: Here Comes Another Chance

December 29, 2010   Bethlehem Shoals   No comments

Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

Today in The Works: New Year’s Resolutions for players and your two fearless authors. Then, Eric and Shoals take time to celebrate Shoals’s 33rd birthday and talk about age in basketball.

For The Players

This Friday, the year 2010 — remember when that number alone was enough to strike fear into NBA nation? — will come to an end. Things will never be the same, the past is gone by, and it’s time to forge ahead, fearlessly. That is why God invented New Year’s resolutions, lists we make of all the things we wish we would do. They’re a handy reminder, and, at the same time, the next best thing to actually improving ourselves. The first part of recovery is admitting you have a problem.

Here at The Works, we have put together three sets of resolutions: One players should make, one for coaches and general managers, and finally, those that we as fans and writers would do well to heed.

DeMarcus Cousins: As a rookie, Cousins has proven everyone right. His detractors can point to his clashes with coach Paul Westphal and problems with fouls. Those who sang his praises have his remarkable per-minute production, and the direct correlation between Cousins playing well and the Kings winning. Too bad for him, NBA players can’t be ready to play and immature — that’s called “spoiled”, something that’s difficult to shake. In the New Year, Cousins needs to bite the bullet and make sure he’s only noticed for his basketball. After all, Westphal’s lucky if he makes it to the end of this season. (BS)

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

LeBron James Denies Supporting Contraction

December 27, 2010   FanHouse Staff   No comments

Filed under: , ,

After stating last week that the NBA was “watered down” and suggesting “it would be great for the league” if players from losing teams played for winners, LeBron James tried to clarify that in no way was he advocating for contraction.

“That’s crazy, because I had no idea what the word ‘contraction’ meant before I saw it on the Internet,” James told reporters Monday after the Miami Heat‘s practice. “I never even mentioned that. That word never even came out of my mouth. I was just saying how the league was back in the ’80s and how it could be good again. I never said, ‘Let’s take some of the teams out.’ “

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More

Avery Johnson Responds to LeBron’s Pro-Contraction Comments

December 27, 2010   FanHouse Staff   No comments

Filed under: , , ,

Would the NBA be better without the New Jersey Nets? LeBron James seems to think so, telling reporters last week that today’s NBA is “watered down” and that the league would be better served if young stars currently stuck on losing teams such as the Nets instead played for winners.

On Sunday, Nets coach Avery Johnson responded. “I disagree. Maybe the league would be better if we didn’t have three stars on one team. Who knows? I just disagree with that comment.”

James made his comments before his Miami Heat faced the Phoenix Suns Thursday, advocating for contraction while at the same time refusing to use the exact word.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read More
« Older posts
Powered by WordPress | Designed by: suv | Thanks to toyota suv, infiniti suv and lexus suv