First Big Trade Of The Season

It was announced Monday November 3rd that Allen Iverson would once again be on the move for the second time in 2 or 3 years. Joe Dumars said it as loudly as any team executive can say it back in June, memorably warning his own players to brace for a shakeup after the latest in a string of playoff disappointments for the Detroit Pistons. A mere two games into the new season, Dumars gave his roster that shake and with a vigorous hand I might add.

The Pistons and Nuggets on Monday finalized a trade, which was initially discussed during the summer, sources close to the process told ESPN.com that brings guard Allen Iverson to Detroit and sends Pistons mainstays Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver. There's a chance McDyess could return to Detroit after a league-mandated wait of 30 days if he can secure his release or negotiate a contract buyout with the Nuggets. Either way, Detroit's identity has been radically changed by swapping Billups...NBA Finals MVP in 2004 and one of the faces synonymous with the Pistons' ensemble-cast approach for a high-scoring attention grabber like Iverson.



Iverson's expiring contract, furthermore, will afford Detroit significant financial flexibility as soon as July....along with Rasheed Wallace's expiring contract if Dumars decides it's time for a more thorough makeover. Yet it appears that Pistons guard Richard Hamilton remains a key figure in Detroit's future, with ESPN.com's Chad Ford reporting Monday night that Hamilton and the Pistons have agreed on a three-year contract extension worth an estimated $34 million.

Trade at a glance
• Allen Iverson has the third-highest scoring average in NBA history.

• Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess have both been with the Nuggets previously. This would be Billups' second stint in Denver and the third for McDyess. McDyess is expected to be bought out by the Nuggets.

• Iverson's scoring average has decreased significantly since averaging a career-best 33.0 points per game in 2005-06.• Iverson has the most points of any active player who has not won an NBA title.

• Billups ranks fourth in Pistons history in assists behind only Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Dave Bing.



Fun Fact

Most career points, active players, who haven't won NBA title
Points
Allen Iverson
23,044
Dirk Nowitzki
17,047
Tracy McGrady
16,798
Vince Carter
16,633
Stephon Marbury
16,209

"We just felt it was the right time to change our team," Dumars told The Associated Press. "Iverson gives us a dimension that we haven't had here and we really think it's going to help us. In this league, six or seven years is an eternity to have a core together. So when a situation like this presents itself where you can cover yourself on both sides -- the immediate impact player and the long-term flexibility -- you have to push the button."

The Pistons introduced Iverson at a news conference Tuesday Nov 4th at 3:30 p.m. ET. At the time it was not yet known which number Iverson was going to wear, since Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey has been wearing No. 3, but sources close to Iverson said he would probably wear No. 1. "He was very excited about the trade," Iverson's agent, Leon Rose, told the AP.


Sources say McDyess, meanwhile, has no interest in playing for any other team than the Pistons, leading to the widespread expectation that the Nuggets will buy him out. Denver also waived veteran forward Juwan Howard to make roster room for incoming players.

Dumars put the entire Pistons roster on notice after they lost to Boston in the East finals, saying that there "are no sacred cows" on his team and vowing to consider trading anyone in addition to firing coach Flip Saunders and replacing Saunders with the untested Michael Curry.


The Pistons could not find a workable deal over the summer after talking with numerous teams, but it emerged then that Billups was the most likely Piston to be dealt. The 32-year-old is in the second season of a four-year contract worth a guaranteed $46 million, with a $14 million team option in Year 5. With Denver's desire to acquire a dependable point guard growing, Dumars moved quickly to finally consummate this deal with the Nuggets, who acquired Iverson from Philadelphia shortly before Christmas in 2006 but failed in two attempts to get out of the first round with a three-man core of Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby.

The Pistons, meanwhile, will undoubtedly contend that their risks are mitigated by the fact that Iverson, who turned 33 in June and carries a salary of $20.8 million, will be highly motivated in the final year of his contract to prove to his many skeptics that he can blend into a team-based system. "It gives us a different way to attack people," Dumars said, referring to Iverson's ability to create his own shot, something Detroit has clearly lacked when its half-court offense bogs down. "We have been extremely successful for a long time. But I also think what comes with that is a little bit of predictability."

I personally think that both teams wound up getting great players. I'm not sure right now which team got dealt the better hand but time will tell. Can Allen Iverson play good enough in Detroit to match the skilled teams in the East such as the reigning champs, the Boston Celtics. Just the same, can Chauncey Billups play well enough to play against one of the best teams in the West, the all-powerful Los Angeles Lakers? Once again time will tell and we shall see. One thing is for certain this will be a good NBA season, no doubt about that!

Lakers Beat The Nuggets In Denver

This was not the new look that "Melo" as many of his teammates call him was looking for to begin the 2008-2009 season. He may have had a new look without his popular dreads but his play was awful as the Denver Nuggets hosted the 2-0 Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and the Los Angeles Lakers nearly became the first team in three years to hold Anthony to single digits in a 104-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.

Kobe Bryant finally had his first Kobe-like MVP performance this season as he lead the Lakers to a fourth quarter comeback victory over the Denver Nuggets in Denver's home opener. Kobe scored 14 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter to lead his team to a flawless record so far this season. The Lakers are 3-0 and flying high, however, the win over the Nuggets (104-97) was by no means impressive, especially for Andrew Bynum who went 0-1, and had an all-time low 4 points for the night, which may I add all came from the free throw line. It was definitely a good momentum booster as the Lakers will have a tough road ahead with a target on their back as the team to beat in the West. It was a pretty sloppy game for both teams, neither team was all that consistent with very disappointing performance from some of their stars. In Carmelo Anthony's first game of the season, coming off his two game suspension, he was noticeably rusty only hitting 5 of 15 from the floor for 13 points.

The only real bright spots for both teams were Anthony Carter, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant. Denver's point guard Anthony Carter had a great game with 20 points on 8 of 9 from the floor to go along with 6 assists and 6 rebounds. Gasol also had a solid game with 16 points and 12 boards as he continues to be a force making the move to his natural power forward position. Kobe stole the show in classic Kobe fashion in the fourth quarter, as he put the team on his back and went off for 14 points to quiet the Nuggets crowd who thought they'd beaten the best team in the West. Though the Lakers are only three games into the season, I'd have to say that the Lakers look as good as anyone in the league right now. If they can keep this up, the Christmas match up against the Boston Celtics in a Finals re-match should be a battle! I am hoping that the Lakers can get back at the Celtics for winning the NBA finals. Hopefully the Lakers show them how they can play and we'll have a good Christmas showdown!

NEXT MATCH UP: Battle of Los Angeles Part II Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers Weds Nov. 5th 7:30 pm (PST)

Lakers Spoil Clippers Season Opener

Tuesday’s game against the Trail Blazers is the first of a set of back-to-backs with Portland and the LA Clippers. This is the fourth time in the last five seasons (except for the 2007-08 season) that the Lakers have opened the year with back-to-back games. This year, the Lakers will play 19 sets of back-to-back games during the 2008-09 regular season after having played 17 sets of back-to-backs in each of the previous two seasons.

Kobe Bryant had 16 points and eight rebounds, the Lakers center Andrew Bynum added 12 points and nine rebounds, and the Lakers spoiled the Clippers season opener with a 117-79 rout Wednesday night.

The Lakers began their season with a similar blowout one night earlier, breezing to a 96-76 win at home against Portland on Tuesday. As they did against the Trail Blazers, the Lakers got deep and balanced scoring and played scrappy defense. They held the Clippers to 38 percent shooting while shooting 51 percent themselves.





Derek Fisher scored 15 in the victory, including going 3-of-6 as the Lakers finished 10-of-19 from 3-point range. Pau Gasol also added 13 points, Jordan Farmar 15, and Trevor Ariza had 11 points while going up for six strong rebounds.

Bynum's second game was much better than the season opener shooting 4-of-7 from the floor and helped jam up the middle on defense, while blocking three shots.

The new-look Clippers looked essentially like their usual sub .500 selves, no match for the talent and versatility of the defending Western Conference champion Lakers. Baron Davis had 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting in his Clippers' debut, with seven assists. Al Thornton scored 16, and Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas each had 11. The Clippers, who lost longtime mainstay Elton Brand and Corey Maggette among others during the offseason, have nine newcomers who played for other teams last season. Davis played just one preseason game because of a finger injury, and another new addition, Marcus Camby, is out with a bruised right heel.

Baron Davis commented to ESPN on playing his first game with the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night. "They are a championship team. They know what they are trying to accomplish and we are still trying to figure it out. I didn’t think tonight’s game was going to happen like this, but it is a rude awakening for us. The Lakers are a machine, and were still trying to put the pieces together. It is a mountain we have to climb and it is not going to happen overnight."

On the Clippers' chemistry..."We are just new to each other, everything is different. I think we learned a lesson tonight. It just seemed that we hit a brick wall and we didn’t know where to go."

Down 33-32, the Lakers got some spark from the reserves and reeled off a 24-6 string beginning with Farmar's running jumper with 8:18 remaining in the second quarter. Ariza scored eight points during the run and Farmar had five points, three assists and a rebound. That helped the Lakers open a 56-39 lead with 1:06 remaining and they were up 59-44 at halftime. They outscored the Clippers 26-13 in the third quarter and were up 85-57 heading into the final 12 minutes.

Side Note: Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said before the game that he thinks the Lakers may be the best in the league. "Defensively they should be one of the top three teams and then they've got Kobe Bryant at the end of the game to cancel all bets,'' Dunleavy said. "If I'm picking, that's who I'm picking to win it all if they're healthy.'' ... The Clippers finished 23-59 last season while the Lakers kept going until they lost to Boston in the NBA finals. ... The Lakers went 4-0 against the Clippers last season, winning by an average of 26 points.


Fun Fact: Since moving to Los Angeles prior to the 1960-61 season, the Lakers are 32-16 in ROAD OPENERS (first road game of the year) after last season’s November 2 victory at Phoenix. In their last 12 road openers, the Lakers are 10-2 and have won their last three straight overall. This will be the third time the Lakers have opened their road schedule against the Clippers with the previous two meetings resulting in victories: 103-102 win at San Diego(10/12/79) and 114-102 OT win at LA Clippers 11/6/92 (both games were season openers for the Lakers as well).

NEXT MATCH UP: Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets Saturday November 1st 6:00 pm (PST)

Lakers Looking Good In Season Opener

Coming into this season opener against the Portland Trailblazers, there were many story lines filled with very intriguing match ups, power forwards, as well as guards, and high expectations for the defending Western Conference Champions.

There is one thing that needs to be said before anything, fragile big men never last in this league. NEVER! Personally, I like Greg Oden and to me he seems like a great guy. He has a great all around game (at least he did while at Ohio State), a funny big man personality (a lot like Shaq), but after watching his first NBA game he is either not in shape to compete at this level or he is as soft as they come, it's that simple.

Oden looked good early on Tuesday night but after he came down rolling his right ankle on Derek Fisher's foot he came up limping. Many wondered if he would be able to play through what was evident, a great deal of pain! He thought he would be able to go out there and continue to play but it was clear he was injured and just could not play the rest of the game. You could see his long face and feel the frustration coming from him. This guy has either bad luck or just perhaps isn't as healthy as everyone may think including himself.


With only 13 minutes on the floor to start his NBA career, Greg Oden is already injured once again. Ending his night with pitiful numbers: 0 points, 5 rebs, 1 blocked shot, and going only 0-4 for the night. The specifics of Oden's ankle injury hasn't been determined just yet as tests were inconclusive after having x-rays taken. He will be having an MRI on Wednesday to see how serious the ankle injury is. Although my heart goes out to Oden, as getting hurt again has to be extremely frustrating, this game wasn't even close to as competitive as I thought it would be.

Brandon Roy and company were just absolutely dominated by a very good Los Angeles Lakers team. Brandon Roy, Travis Outlaw, and Rudy Fernandez tried to pick up the slack as they combined for 48 points, but it wasn't even close to enough to compete with the Los Angeles Lakers team that will be very tough to beat this 2008-2009 season. Apparently this young Portland Trailblazers team was not ready for the experienced veteran Lakers team.













In the beginning of the game Kobe Bryant was looking for his teammates, but after 5 turnovers to go with 5 assists, Kobe wisely started to take it to the basket. After Kobe started to get comfortable he attacked the basket time and time again just making the Blazers defense look stupid. Not only did the league's reigning MVP put up 23 points, but he also ripped down a game high 11 boards. Perhaps after the Trailblazers center Przybilla committed a hard foul against Kobe not to mention a stare down in the third quarter that was enough to awaken the beast. Kobe had 17 of his 23 points in the third quarter alone.

Andrew Bynum on the other hand still needs to polish up his game on the offensive end. He looked pretty good, don't get me wrong, but 4 of 10 shooting isn't going to cut it if he wants to be a dominate center in this league and play for the Lakers. Bynum did block three shots, but he didn't exactly crash the boards with only three rebounds. As for the other Lakers, Pau Gasol had a solid performance with 15 points on 7 of 10 shooting and 7 rebounds. Trevor Ariza also had a good game off the bench with 11 points, a couple steals and a blocked shot. The Lakers couldn't have started the season off any better, this twenty point victory over the Portland Trailblazers (96-76) will be a good momentum builder as their schedule only gets tougher in the first month of the season. The Lakers will now go up against the revamped Los Angeles Clippers lead by L.A. native Baron Davis. After the Clipps the Lakers face Allen Iverson and then it's back to L.A. again to play the Clipps. Then the Los Angeles Lakers will play a lot tough opponents in a row against the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Hornets, and the Detriot Pistons. One thing I am certain of.....this season the Los Angeles Lakers will give all the other teams in the NBA a stiff competition including the current 2008 champions, the Boston Celtics.

NEXT MATCH UP: Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers 7:30 pm PST

Lakers Host Trailblazers In Season Opener

The Lakers will be tested from the very beginning in game 1 against a very talented and young Blazers team lead by center Greg Oden and their talented guard Brandon Roy. This will not be an easy win for the Los Angeles Lakers by any means.

The Lakers may be favored to win this game in the West but when it's all said and done I think the Blazers will be the surprise team in the NBA this season and could very well give Kobe and company a run for their money in the first game of the season. Not only is Brandon Roy turning into one of the most explosive up and coming guards in the league, but he also has an entire whole roster filled with young players that could easily be NBA all stars like rookie Jared Bayless, LaMarcus Aldridge and let's not forget the talented Greg Oden.

There will be two top key matchups in tonight's competitive game in the west that will be very entertaining to watch. The first head to head matchup to watch will be the reigning NBA MVP Kobe Bryant going up against youngster Brandon Roy. These two guards will be going at each other all night long! Kobe may be a little banged up (knee), but as he has shown in years past, not even injury can stop number 24 from dominating his opponent. Brandon Roy on the other hand will be looking to prove that he is one of the best players in this league by taking it to Bryant in his house at the Staples Center. The next matchup to keep your eye on Tuesday will be one that might turn into the next big man rivalry in the NBA with Greg Oden battling Andrew Bynum in the paint.

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In the past there have been some awesome big men battles like the late great Wilt Chamberlain against Bill Russell and Shaq vs. Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon just to name a couple.

The center position has kind of taken a back seat to guards like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James since Shaq's dominance earlier this decade, but talented big men are starting to make their way back into the lime light with centers like Dwight Howard in Orlando, Yao Ming in Houston, Andrew Bynum in L.A., and Greg Oden in Portland.

Having said that, I think NBA fans will be in for a treat this season as it could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory. The Lakers should teach the youngsters a lesson in their first meeting of the season, but I would not be surprised to see a close game on Tuesday night. Hopefully everyone can stay healthy and play well and may the best team win, GO LAKERS!! Enough said!! ;)