Bill Simmons Page 2

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

If this was already posted my bad...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...s/cowbell/blog

Second-best point I didn't hear one person make all week: Nazr Mohammed has averaged 23.1 minutes per game for the Spurs, putting up eight points and seven rebounds a game ... and none of the other Western Conference playoff teams has protested that Knicks trade from last February yet.

I don't want to jinx it, but I think Sean Marks is becoming the new Jack Haley.

As for the West, it's been fun to watch the Spurs;...; and Ginobili has emerged into a fascinating hybrid where you love to watch him, you'd love to play with him and you love to hate him (at least I do).

And a nice dig on the officiating...

[Guru of Nothing]

I liked this best:

Let me see if I can properly capture the tone of a typical sports journalist these days:



After Round 2 of the NBA playoffs: "OH MY GOD DWYANE WADE MIGHT BE HAVING THE BEST POSTSEASON OF ALL TIME! HE SHOULD BE MVP AHHHHHHHH!!!!"



After the first game of Round 3: "MY GOD THE PISTONS HAVE STOPPED DWYANE WADE!!! IS THERE ANYBODY MORE OVERRATED IN THE HISTORY OF SPORTS THAN DWYANE WADE AHHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!?"



Good lord. Reading some of the NBA columns out there these days is like trying to win an argument with my wife.
– Lucien Eldred, Newport Beach, Calif.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

what does he mean about western conference teams proteseting the trade?

[Solid D]

what does he mean about western conference teams proteseting the trade?

Because the trade seems to have helped the Spurs significantly with taller post player who now starts for the class of the league. It is sarcastic humor that the Spurs were given a gift, or at least an additional advantage.

[Mark in Austin]

as in, the Spurs got such a good deal it should be against the rules.

[LilMissSPURfect]

hmmmmmm

funny how nazr is good .........now...of course the SPURS TEAM concept and TIMMay has nothing to do with it.....

[Mr. Body]

Actually I'd say Nazr is really, really good for a late season addition. And that the Spurs really, really got a steal.

[mavsfan1000]

Actually I'd say Nazr is really, really good for a late season addition. And that the Spurs really, really got a steal.

no kidding. Nazr is more efficient than Rose and an unselfish player who doesn't demand the ball.

[TwoHandJam]

His comments about refs being swayed by the crowd is spot on. The truth hurts.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

I agree, the refs were very bad throughout the playoffs, remember the thugglets series?

There was one game where every single call went to Denver, and they were horrible calls.

[Sense]

I agree, the refs were very bad throughout the playoffs, remember the thugglets series?

There was one game where every single call went to Denver, and they were horrible calls.

Yet there's a mavsfan that thinks detroit and miami have gotten worse oficiating..

[King]

6. Duncan
Nobody ever writes about him, partly because it's all been said, partly because he has just enough Pete Sampras in him that people don't find him interesting enough. Personally, I think he's one of the most compelling athletes in sports – a fierce compe or who also seems like the most thoughtful player in the league. Out of anyone, he's the one star player who I could see coaching 15 years from now.

For instance, there was a Grizzlies-Spurs game near the end of the season when Mike Miller made a game-winning 3, only Memphis' scorekeeper started the clock too early. So Mike Fratello and Gregg Popovich were talking at midcourt while the refs figured it out, and then Duncan came over, and you could see Fratello explaining what happened to Duncan, and then they were debating it back and forth, with Duncan's hand on Fratello's shoulder … it was just a goofy moment. Usually when these things happen, they show one of the benches and all the players have a "C'mon man, hurry this up, I'm supposed to be at the nightclub in 35 minutes" glow about them. But Duncan always seems interested in the little things, one of the qualities that makes him so special. Last night was the definitive Duncan game – he starts out 1-for-14, keeps plugging away, and ends up carrying them down the stretch and making the winning basket.

Here's my point: There's no question at all – absolutely none – that we're watching the greatest power forward of all time. And you never hear anyone mention this.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...archive2&num=0

[mavsfan1000]

Yet there's a mavsfan that thinks detroit and miami have gotten worse oficiating..

That's not what I said. Miami is getting all the calls and is treated similar to how the lakers were last year.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

8. The Bill Russell/Rick Fox debacle on Monday night was almost unparalleled. The thing about Bruce Bowen (25 second pause)... is that he's a good defender (20-second pause)... and the reason he's a good defender (10-second pause)... is that he moves his legs (50-second pause)... and knows how to defend (20-second pause). I can't even believe this stuff still happens. It's the Conference Finals! This isn't like an episode of "CSI" during May Sweeps, where CBS finds 2 or 3 celebrity guest stars for stunt casting purposes and doesn't lose anything out of the actual show. Shouldn't we have people who are comfortable on TV and know what they're talking about? Or am I asking too much here?

THAT, was funny!!

[1Parker1]

THAT, was funny!!

Oh my gosh, I thought I was the only one who was annoyed by that!!! Even I was about to turn the game off! Go figure ratings are low!!

[Sense]

That's not what I said. Miami is getting all the calls and is treated similar to how the lakers were last year.

Se te cayo el saco......



BTW... I never said it was you...

[mavsfan1000]

Which Mavs fan are you talking about

[Solid D]

THAT, was funny!!

Bill Russell has always talked like that. He used to be a color analyst on the TV broadcasts and he lasted at that much longer than I thought he would. He was such a great player and, at times, opinionated and critical, so they stayed with him several years. His laugh resembles a mule braying, visually and audibly.

He's right about Bruce though. The simple things like moving your feet constantly on defense are often easier said than done.