Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 9:02 am  |  44 responses

L.O.N. — Wade Back on B.S.

Gotta love the Chauncey left-hand-behind-the-back.

by Shannon Booher

Line Of The Night:

Dwyane Wade — 33 points, 7 assists, 5 boards, 2 blocks, 1 steal

Now that is the Playoff D-Wade everyone expected. But if hitting a million 3′s and getting Retro J.O. is what it takes for the Heat to win a game, they might be in trouble for the rest of this series.

Worst Of The Night:

Flip Murray — 4-15 for 15 points

This is not necessarily a criticism of Flip. What we are confused about is Marvin Williams only getting 19 minutes while Flip struggles. FREE MARVIN WILLIAMS!!! And where’s Joe Johnson? Did he and Marvin get put in the cage with Spirit the Hawk?

Rookie Of The Night:

Courtney Lee — 24 points, 3 boards, 3 steals, 1 assist

A career-high in your first “must win” Playoff game? Baller. After Derrick Rose struggled just a little in his 2nd game, it could be argued that Lee is now on top of the P.R.O.Y. standings. However, the Magic may need even more out of young fella if they want to take this series. Despite what may look like a comfortable margin of victory, they probably got a little luNice groove right now.cky in this one. They still did not look all that great, and if Philly had any type of 4th scorer (only 3 guys had more than 5 points), the Magic might be in a big hole. Dwight Howard only 4-6 for 11 points? Hmmm.

We May Have A Challenger Of The Night:

Chauncey Billups — 31 points, 4 boards, 4 assists

After a second consecutive dominating performance by the Chauncey-led Nuggets, have we found our Western Conference challenger to the Lakers? As the Playoffs unfold, the Lake Show’s path is looking considerably tougher.

Thanks For The Memories Of The Night:

We love you Dik. Dikembe Mutombo’s distinguished NBA career came to an end during Game 2 of the Houston/Portland series on Wednesday, and he will be missed. Everyone is coming out with their favorite Dik stories and memories and here are a few of ours: one Christmas he sang various Christmas carols with a Santa hat on for the network broadcasting the Christmas Day games… the iconic image of him laying on ground clutching the ball after a first round playoff upset way back in his Denver days… the unmatched humanitarian work…

While we know he’ll have better stuff to do to keep himself busy, we would love it if he were given an honorary bench spot/cheerleader role for one Playoff team each year.

Orange plastic shirt court-side in A-T-L… With Josh Smith’s shove-down of Jamaal Magloire and the general chippiness in the Denver/N’Awlins series, we are getting closer and closer to our first automatic 1-game “leaving the bench” suspension of the ’09 Playoffs… Thaddeus Young is on the verge of Revolutionary status — dude is niiiice… We’d pay to watch Andre Miller and Anthony Johnson fight for rebounds… Wow, Mike Miller won R.O.Y.? Maybe we’ve been around too long if we’re forgetting major awards like that taken down on our watch… Chauncey has the fast-break, left-handed, behind-the-back pass in his arsenal?…

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  • Eboy Posted: Apr.23 at 9:08 am
    The Heat have received play from retro JO about twice since the trade…..if they can advance…..they may see something similar from him about three weeks from now. And Dwyane has been hitting threes for the later part of the season…..it’s just that his misses still make him look like he CAN’T shoot a three.

  • Jukai Posted: Apr.23 at 9:21 am
    You know, I knew Denver would beat out New Orleans… but I never thought Chauncy Billups would so thoroughly outplay Chris Paul. The Nugs are giving him the European treatment and taking him out of his game.
    I also thought Paul was going to punch birdman in the nuts. BBRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRR.

  • nba-jersey-king Posted: Apr.23 at 9:39 am
    Miami will win the series 4-2

  • TADOne Posted: Apr.23 at 9:59 am
    Chauncey’s play is slowly killing my soul.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Apr.23 at 10:14 am
    The Nuggets are no joke. They have SO many weapons and are finally playing some solid D. The Hornets are so badly constructed I almost hope CP3 signs elsewhere, he needs some help. DWade and the Heat shot the lights out last night, but whats the deal with Beasley’s braids? Did he not get the memo? Its 2009…

  • Z Posted: Apr.23 at 10:30 am
    I’d like George Karl to do two things: 1) Play Melo at the 4 some more. 2) Give Carter’s minutes to Kleiza. He’s just terrible, not worthy of 20 a game in the playoffs. I’ve seen JR bring it up some and he really can pass the ball on the move. / The road does look tougher for the Lakers now. Houston or Portland will be competitive and Denver will give them fits. Cleveland on the other hand is just gonna breeze through the Finals. Doesn’t guarantee anything though as Boston played 20 games to get to the Finals.

  • Z Posted: Apr.23 at 10:32 am
    Yeah, Beasley… not a good look. Get a fade or something, your a– is grown.

  • Eboy Posted: Apr.23 at 10:42 am
    Z…..Udonis Haslem would like a word with you.

  • Z Posted: Apr.23 at 10:44 am
    Udonis looks even worse. His braids are so long that he has kind of a mullet thing going on. Look, we’ve all done it in high school or college but it’s 2009 now and we’re not in our teens anymore. lol

  • Eboy Posted: Apr.23 at 10:44 am
    And doesn’t that kid on the Lakers have that too? Powell? Isn’t he young like Beasley? They’re, essentially, kids still.

  • German Reignman Posted: Apr.23 at 10:45 am
    On a more srious note: The picture choice for this article is … well … interesting … what the hell is DWade doing with his off-ball (pun intended) hand ?

  • TADOne Posted: Apr.23 at 10:54 am
    Nice pickup from the pic, GR. I’m guessing Wade is checking to see who belongs on the floor with him by their…ahem…manhood.

  • riggs Posted: Apr.23 at 10:55 am
    u cant really do anything more with the length of his hair, so i can let it slide, plus it looks better than looking like a bum with an afro, and it helps extend your hair anyways. coming from a former “braids wearer”

  • Jukai Posted: Apr.23 at 12:20 pm
    I think Chris Quinn needs some braids.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Apr.23 at 12:24 pm
    “extend your hair”?
    I thought Beasley’s little mini shag fro was kinda tight. I totally get what your saying E, B-EZ is like 20 years old, the braids just look weird on him though. Like, I think Powell’s look better, but that could just be because I’m used to them and seeing Beasley’s rockin em was sort of a surprise.

  • Eboy Posted: Apr.23 at 12:33 pm
    Doesn’t Delonte have them too.

  • Darksaber Posted: Apr.23 at 12:42 pm
    i apologize for stating that Dwight would eat the sixers “frontcourt” for all 3 major meals of the day in this series. I forgot how limited his offensive arsenal is, well arsenal is quite the exaggeration. That was one of his lesser double-doubles of the season. And Chauncey? Daaaang, incredible from downtown so far. Playa president.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Apr.23 at 12:48 pm
    Yup, E. Sometimes ‘Lonte rocks the blowout but usually he’s braided up. I’m not hating on Beasley, I really am a fan of his game and personality (though I’m sort of thankful my team ISN’T relying on his decision making/defense in a tough playoff series) but I just wasn’t feelin the look.
    I’m interested to see whether Beasley will still be sporting em next game? I imagine he will since the Heat won.

  • Anton Posted: Apr.23 at 12:48 pm
    In a related matter, is having no tattoos the new “having tattoos”? I find that players with no tats stand out more to me nowadays than player who do. Maybe it’s because 99.99% of NBA players’ tats are goddawful.

  • Darksaber Posted: Apr.23 at 1:00 pm
    Flash with the grey hexpad kneepads, and the slightly unmatched red on his shoes looked kinda like he was wearing prototypes. Odd.

  • Darksaber Posted: Apr.23 at 1:02 pm
    And “Dik”? Never read Dikembe called that before.

  • MeloMan13 Posted: Apr.23 at 1:03 pm
    agree with Z. Ac should not be playin so many minutes. but i his play during these last few games has been better than i expected seeing as how during the regular season he was the worst in the NBA

  • ciolkstar Posted: Apr.23 at 1:04 pm
    I think its a funny when player get a couple half assed tats before realizing “this is a terrible idea” I’m thinking about guys like Brad Miller and maybe Richard Jefferson (Doesn’t he have a really cheesy looking basketballl going into a hoop?) Really, you gotta go all or nothing.
    This could be a fun question: Who has the “best/worst” tat game? I’ll submit some potential “best” candidates. JR Smith
    Tyrus Thomas
    Matt Barnes
    Trevor Ariza
    Birdman
    Carmelo …and one “worst”. Kobe Bryant

  • Michael Posted: Apr.23 at 1:06 pm
    People have got to stop ignoring the regular season like it doesn’t matter. The only team in the West that will give the Lakers problems is Portland, Thsts it.

  • Z Posted: Apr.23 at 1:44 pm
    eboy: delonte is basically a wealthy homeless dude. serious, i love him to death, but wouldn’t you be clenching your fists and try to see where both of his hands are if you saw him in an alley past midnight?

  • Allenp Posted: Apr.23 at 1:48 pm
    Eboy
    The examples you’re giving are not helping your argument. Just saying.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Apr.23 at 1:54 pm
    Man, I love Delonte. Dude is tough, because you KNOW he took a lot of sh1t for having red hair and that birthmark, but I don’t think of him as a “thug” or whatever. Guy plays his ass off, doesn’t make many mistakes, and reps for his teammates.

  • Z Posted: Apr.23 at 2:45 pm
    totally agree, ciolkstar. that’s why he got ‘redz’ tattoed on his arm. same thing with k-mart who has ‘bad ass yellow boy’ on his chest because they used to tease him about his complexion. kg used to be teased because he was dark too. the lesson? no matter what your complexion is, kids will always be mean.

  • L.O.N. » Blog Archive » Line Of The Night — 04/22/2009 NBA Basketball Posted: Apr.23 at 3:21 pm
    [...] As seen on SLAMOnline: [...]

  • Anton Posted: Apr.23 at 3:36 pm
    Best:
    Anderson Varejao
    23
    JR Smith
    Dennis Rodman
    Allen Iverson
    Matt Barnes
    Worst:
    24
    Joel Pryzbilla
    Chauncey Billups
    Luke Walton
    Steven Jackson
    Ronny Turiaf
    DeShawn Stevenson

  • Shannon Booher Posted: Apr.23 at 3:40 pm
    Where’s K-Mart on the worst list? Isn’t his “lips” tat the single worst in the L?

  • Anton Posted: Apr.23 at 3:48 pm
    not as bad as generic basketballs on the arm. I’m looking at you, rookie of the year!

  • Superman Osman Posted: Apr.23 at 4:36 pm
    That Busta album is insane! Flash is coming to get you Eastern Conference. If they beat the Hawks, does anybody else but me think it’s gonna a 30+ points showdown between Wade and Bron?

  • Superman Osman Posted: Apr.23 at 4:36 pm
    That Busta album is insane! Flash is coming to get you Eastern Conference. If they beat the Hawks, does anybody else but me think it’s gonna a 30+ points showdown between Wade and Bron?

  • KiD KeViN Posted: Apr.23 at 7:02 pm
    There’s only like 6 cats in the league still rockin the rows.
    haslem, beasley, delonte, nene, powell, turiaf? thats about it

  • Hursty Posted: Apr.23 at 11:21 pm
    Yao should rock some braids. That’d make my week.

  • Anton Posted: Apr.24 at 12:48 am
    Add Carlos Boozer to the “worst tattoos” list. Apparently he has a vagina on his right arm.

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: Apr.24 at 2:58 am
    JR Smith’s tattoos look like he let a drunk, retarded, baby draw on him with a tat gun.

  • Manumaniac Posted: Apr.24 at 3:35 am
    Chauncey Billups: 2004 NBA Finals MVP, 2006 All NBA Second Team, 2007 All NBA Third Team, 4-time All Star. And still one of the most underrated players in the recent history of the League. I don’t care what everybody thinks, this guy is a true beast! I would pick him over Allen Iverson every time of the day, every day.

  • Darksaber Posted: Apr.24 at 5:29 am
    Manum: you are killing TAD softly with your song! Have mercy.

  • Manumaniac Posted: Apr.24 at 5:47 am
    That was a good one, Darksaber!

  • Spaceship Jay Posted: Apr.24 at 7:37 am
    Does anybody else think that Delonte looks like the guy from The Watchmen? The overcoat guy…

  • Manumaniac Posted: Apr.24 at 7:50 am
    Spaceship Jay
    Haven’t seen it. But I have checked the Cavs commercial about the playoffs and Delonte is hilarious. This dude can act, that’s for sure. If you haven’t seen it, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4S3X6ZoE8w

  • wayno Posted: Apr.24 at 1:54 pm
    I like Sheed’s tattoo’s alot… CB has been playing out of his mind, he’s eating CP for breakfast. I thought this series was going to be ALOT more competitive. I also thought CP would hold his own against Chauncey.

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