Friday, December 19th, 2008 at 9:25 am  |  84 responses

The Post Up: Brilliant, B-Roy

And, Dwight returns!

by Holly MacKenzie

Friday, Friday. Brandon Roy, Brandon Roy.

And it’s pretty late Thursday night, but I’m not really in the right frame of mind to be writing this, so let’s keep this short.

We will be back to normal (or, as normal as the Post Up ever is), this Monday.

I went out tonight for dinner with some girls I went to high school with, and didn’t get to watch the games, really. I’m back in Nova Scotia where every single bar shows every single hockey game known to man on the televisions and rowdy guys get angry when you ask to turn one TV to basketball. Usually I convince the waiter to change it for me, but I wasn’t in the mood to try and befriend our female server to see if she’d be a champ and do it.

That being said, Chris O’Leary did watch both games this evening and he sent this email about game number one, between the Magic and Spurs:

Stack Mac,
While you were out getting tanked with your friends and neglecting SLAMonline readers, you missed my favorite Dwight Howard moment of the season thus far. *

adidas loving it.There was a story told at the start of the game about how when Dwight was younger, he broke his leg trying to dunk (I may be garbling the order/details of the story, but the gist of it is intact. The closest thing I could find to this story online came from a workout mag/site or something). His friends made fun of his dunks and they were labeled Reggie Miller dunks. This in itself made me laugh. What took it from good to great was that the story was being told from the sidelines by Cheryl Miller.

Reggie might argue in his defense that he wasn’t in the NBA to dunk and that he built a pretty solid reputation on his three-point shooting ability and clutch play late in games. But then he’d have to speak to defend himself and since the sound of his voice is akin to Ping Ping trying to take a Shaq-sized dump, I wouldn’t listen. I heard enough of him already during the Brandon Roy show tonight.

*I will say that the usage of the word “tanked” was a little excessive. There was absolutely no Frank the Tanking going on.

Hopefully some of you caught the game and were able to witness this apparently hilarious moment of the broadcast. I hate sideline reporters, but Cheryl Miller is one of the best if they’ve got to have them.

Chris Bosh talking about the booing in Toronto makes me sad. I don’t like hearing the crowd boo either, but man, the Raptors have been such a tease this year. They’ve got to do something quick and I’m not talking about a coaching change.

Jermaine O’Neal breaks me the most. He’s the oldest guy on the team with the most NBA experience by far and he is laying it out on the court every single game. Sure, his stats may not be amazing offensively each night, but defensively you know he is going to bring it. His intensity and heart is something the rest of the team needs to find fast. I just wanted more for him, because he had such high hopes and expectations coming into this situation and because he has worked so very hard this past offseason to get back onto the court.

I feel lucky I’m able to watch how he conducts himself with his teammates and with the media each night. He’s a good one. A good one stuck in a tough situation.

Sorry for that rant, I was defending J.O. to a friend this evening, if you were wondering.

So, Brandon Roy went OFF in the Portland/Phoenix game and finished with 52 points to lead the Blazers over the Suns. Close fourth quarter, some of which I did see, but other than that, well, fill each other in here because I cannot give many more details other than to say Roy was brilliant.

I like the Blazers, but I was rooting for the Suns. I think it’s their uniforms. I’ve been on a Syracuse kick and I have decided to officially give my heart to ‘Cuse when it comes to NCAA ball, so for now, I’m living in an Orange world.

Dwight was back tonight! Yay! For Dwight, for the fans, for the Magic and for my fantasy team.

Not sure what else happened tonight, besides the news that Brand is out a week. Eek.

I’ve got to rest my head now. It’s been a lonnng night. Have a wonderful weekend everyone. See you Monday a.m.

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  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Matt Barnes is a really solid pro. I’m really considering picking him up in fantasy hoops.

  • Phil B

    let’s see… b-roy takes over the game and wins it. joe johnson loses a game with free throws… i’ll take b-roy everytime.

  • Keith

    I still love how much of the fan comes across in your articles Holly. It’s a rare thing.

  • Mendel

    Dinner with friends on the most important night of the slam week. Comon. get right.

  • http://slamonline.com Tzvi T

    Brandon had 17 in one stretch in the 3rd quarter, but I was more captivated by the play of Outlaw. I expect greatness from Broy; Outlaw though is the biggest X-factor in the L.

  • TheSaint

    The Natural is nasty

  • http://www.ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com Big Man

    So, I’m the only one that would prefer Joe Johnson?
    Interesting.
    Top 5 Shooting guards:
    Kobe
    Dwade
    Joe Johnson
    BRoy
    Iverson

  • http://www.ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com Big Man

    Roy is nice, but like Joe Johnson’s game more. Joe does his thing with fewer wasted dribbles. Roy is more of an iso player, although he creates for others. Joe Johnson absolutely destroyed the Celtics last year during the home playoffs games. He killed them so much, they are giving him zone defense respect, the same respect they gave Kobe in the Finals. I don’t know, I think I would like Joe better. His range is outstanding, his post game is super nice, plus he does everything Roy does already. What can Roy do that Joe Johnson can’t do just as well? And Roy can’t post up like Joe, who punishes smaller guards on the block.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Roy does everything that he has to do for his team to succeed. It’s like nothing is beneath him, which is refreshing. He’ll take that charge, he’ll fill his wing to give space the other guy on the break, he’ll ‘show’ on the pick and roll, etc. He’s just a complete basketball player. The only thing that’s preventing him to reach uberstar status (kob, bron, wade) is that he doesn’t have off the charts athleticism.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Speaking of which, does JJ ever dunk the ball? I’m not saying that he can’t but he just doesn’t seem all that interesed in bending rims. Which is okay.

  • http://www.ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com Big Man

    I’ve seen him dunk, but he’s too smooth for all that wasted energy.
    I’m not trying to be crazy, but what does Brandon Roy really do better than Joe Johnson? I think I previously had Roy a little underrated, but I think some folks are overrating him. Joe Johnson’s game is just so trill.

  • http://twentythreenine.blogspot.com Russ Bengtson

    I absolutely loved Roy holding onto the game ball all through the postgame interview and carrying it back into the locker room. Dude was like a kid on Christmas morning. (I feel kind of like Holly right now.)

  • Anton

    Can someone please get Reggie Miller off the air?
    His voice sounds like a dying cat with explosive diarhhea.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Joe Johnson is listed as 6-7!? Is that true? BRoy listed at 6-6 which seems about right.
    Top 5 SGs:
    DWade
    Kobe
    JJ/BRoy
    Ginobili

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    are you implying that wade is better than kob?!

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Yes. But, again, I hate Kobe and think he’s over the hill. So I’m biased. It actually hurt me to put him ahead of JJ, Roy and Gino.

  • http://www.ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com Big Man

    Z
    I thought Wade was better than Kobe in 2006. I don’t think so anymore, but they are not that far apart.

  • Anton

    Kob hurt his pinky fingering a white girl

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Moose

    Top Five Shooting Guards:

    1. Dwyane Wade
    2. Kobe Bryant
    3. Brandon Roy
    4. Joe Johnson
    5. Jason Richardson

    You guys are forgetting J-Rich in the top five discussion. And Allenp, you changed your name! New layout, new name. I like it. Maybe I should change my name to reindeer. Tis the season! Anyways, no more tangents. I put Wade ahead of Bryant for a reason, I think that he is genuinely better. Maybe there are some personal preferences clouding my view of this, but I do choose Wade over Kobe. I know that Kobe has a great team in LA, but look who he’s playing with–Odom, Bynum, Gasol, Fisher, Radmanovic, Vujacic–He has an awesome supporting cast. But when you go over to Miami, look who Wade’s playing with–Marion, Haslem, Beasley, Chalmers, Blount and Diawara–Barely good for a .500 record, and in my opinion they won’t keep it up. Anyways, let’s go to the stats. Kobe: 25 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks. Wade: 28 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.5 blocks. YES, Kobe has one of the best teams in the league, if not the best. And YES, DWade does not have a great team. But the point is, if Wade had that kind of team, great things would happen. And Dwyane is 26, where Kobe is 30, a substantial age difference. I’m not saying that Wade IS better than the Black Mamba, I just think he is, and there’s my argument.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Moose

    And DAMMIT! J-Rich is number 6, I put AI as number 5.

  • http://twentythreenine.blogspot.com Russ Bengtson

    I believe I mentioned on my Twitter (!!!!) last night that adding Reggie to Marv and the Czar is like adding rat poison to peanut butter and jelly. It’s so bad.

  • http://twentythreenine.blogspot.com Russ Bengtson

    Anyone who thinks Wade is better than Kobe needs professional help. Seriously.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Moose

    Russ, I think that Wade can be better than Kobe. CAN. I know that Kobe’s better.

  • Phil B

    things roy does better than joe johnson… i really just want to say everything, but that seems rude. i’ll say passing and defense (remember roy shutting down johnson at the end of the game last year? i bet joe does). and i’ve seen him post up tons of dudes. and i’ve seen the celtics use the same D they use on kobe and johnson on roy too (and to be honest, it worked a lot better on roy than anyone else – there is a plus for johnson) and like johnson he hardly dunks the ball (especially before this season, this season he’s done it a bit more). johnson is a great player, don’t get me wrong. he’s just no brandon roy.

  • http://shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Eboy

    I guess tonight would have to be acceptable in the Wade/24 debate for the Wade camp, you know, since Wade sucks.

  • melvin ely

    and here I thought Eboy would be the first to gloat after miami>LAL

  • irv

    video of that guy dancing is highly needed. it was hilarious

  • http://Www.bbaxn.com Darksaber

    oh my…. The end of that laker/heat slugfest was turrible. Execution of plays was disastrous. 8(!) missed ft’s in the fourth, way too many shaky decisions ( mostly by miami), BUT i loved watching every sec. Wade vs Kobe? No contest last night. Flash dominated last night, check this sequence in the 4th: fading one handed jumper against three purple boys (damn!). Turnover against greasehead vujacic ( nice trip, Sasha). Second row rejection of a Lamar drive(too bad anthony got the pf.) ‘nother turnover (nice handoff Mario). A jumper on mambiatch (wayyyy too early in the clock, but sweeeettt!). Then outjumping the chosen one(twice) on a critical jumpball & a superb block against whiny pau with 8 secs to go. And so on. All that, and it was nearly for naught, then Kobs rimmed out the game tying shot. Whew!

  • http://Www.bbaxn.com Darksaber

    loving the nba a lot lately, two great games in a row. (suns/roy) then the one where zen master decided that a tech in crunchtime was a great thing to get, while being behind, on the road. Good one. That x-mas meeting with the c’s must be looking enticing to them…

  • http://shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Eboy

    Ig Udonis would have played more like himself than like Sean May…..it would have been a much less pressure packed finish. But wait, he did pin Kobe’s dunk…..but who’s counting?

  • melvin ely

    and the way the lakers are playing the past few games, plus the way the celts are rolling right now, x-mas game looks like a foregone conclusion. It’s as if the C’s intensity level is so high right now that they’re actually intimidating their rival team (not the hawks mind you) on the other coast.

  • http://www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    Wanna bet the lakers are gonna use that game for added motivation? (not that it matters, C’s have the psychological advantage anyway, seeing that the lakers shrunk like they were dipped in an ice lake in game 6)

  • chintao

    Oh, Holly…. You have no idea what you’ve done. What’s the matter? You don’t have enough heartbreak in your life? Being a ‘Cuse fan historically hasn’t been easy. The Cleveland State game was only the most recent bizarre loss in a litany of unfathomable flops. Was that game just a blip? On the other hand, there’s that very high-quality win away at Memphis this weekend. Did the 2003 National Championship excise the ghosts of so many disturbing failures? For the both our sakes, I hope so. I guess we won’t know for another few years yet, when we can look back and identify a pattern….

  • beeepeee

    Re: Brandon Roy vs. Joe Johnson.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jLpd2q9Pwo

    East Coast, keep sleepin.

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