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Can Greg Oden Ever Stay Healthy For An Entire Season?

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Big men in the NBA are truly at a premium, great ones can almost turn the fortunes of teams around by themselves. Coming out of Ohio State, Greg Oden looked poised to dominate at the NBA level thanks to his innate skills at rebounding and interior defense. When healthy, he is extremely intimidating around the basket; few dare to drive to the hoop with him directly in their path.

The operative words of the last sentence are “when healthy”. Greg Oden’s NBA knee injuries are well known, he has even had to undergo the dreaded micro-fracture surgery; a procedure in which the odds of ever coming back close to 100 percent are tenuous at best.Never heard of this before? Get up to speed here. Further studying of his injury history actually shows an even greater occurrence of injuries than initially thought.

All totaled, since the sixth grade Greg Oden has only had one injury free season of basketball. He has suffered an assortment of injuries all relating to his hip, wrist or knees. With this checkered past, the chances of him putting it together and maintaining his health for an entire season appears to be slipping further from possibility with each passing day. Seeing a potentially great big man not live up to expectations is tough, having injuries be the cause of that is even tougher.

Is Dirk Nowitzki One Of the Greatest Of All Time?

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

When you start talking about the greatest basketball players of all-time names like Jordan, Kobe, Bird, Magic come to mind. How many people though would consider Dirk Nowitzki as one of the greatest of all-time? Dirk Nowitzki has an impressive resume if you look at the stats he has compiled in his 13 NBA seasons. He carries a 23-point average along with a great shooting percentage from the line and the floor. Does this make him an all-time great?

The problem with considering Dirk Nowitzki is he has only won one NBA title. Most great players have two or more to their credit.Additional information can be found at http://bleacherreport.com/articles/760673-espn-espy-awards-2011-news-predictions-and-winners-from-the-big-night/entry/107466-espn-espy-awards-2011-dirk-nowitzki-dallas-mavericks-win-big-at-espys. Dirk has been the face of the Dallas Mavericks franchise and does not get the credit that he deserves. When people talk great players now in the NBA, most people do not even think about him. That is a shame, as he is one of the better players in the NBA and in the Top five. Playing in Dallas a market that is not known for its basketball he does not get the credit he deserves.

Until Dirk Nowitzki wins multiple NBA Championships, I do not think he will be considered an all-time great. He is a very good player and that is how people will perceive him until he grabs another NBA ring. Once he because a multiple champion he will be considered one of the all-time greats.

Who Are the NBA’s Five Best All-Time Dunkers?

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The NBA has seen its share of high-flying dunkers over the years, but the cream of the crop resides on this list. These guys dunked with power, grace and a creativity never seen before:

1 — Vince Carter: This man’s dunking exploits began at North Carolina and arrived with him at Toronto in 1999. He had an arsenal of never-seen-before dunks that left people scratching their heads. Then, at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia in 2000, Vince Carter arrived. Vinsanity vaulted over 7 ’2″ French center Frederic Weis — the key word being OVER. Vince cemented his legacy with one dunk.

2 — Michael Jordan: His Airness was also a UNC alum, and helped catapult the dunk into the crowd pleasing move that it is today. MJ, in many ways, laid the foundation for the modern acrobatic dunks you now see performed with regularity. Few can match his combination of artistry and power.

3 — Dominique Wilkins: The Human-Highlight Reel amazed Hawk’s fans for years with his incredible aerial exploits.

4 — Julius Erving: This man brought the dunk into people’s living rooms by winning the first ever NBA Dunk Contest.

5 — Jason Richardson: J-Rich earned multiple dunk contest wins for a reason.Still bored? Click to continue: NBA Slam Dunk Contest: 10 Most Underrated Dunks in Slam Dunk History

Basketball Gossip You Missed

admin — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Whether you use your www.Cannonsatellite.com internet to research your favorite players or you prefer to read about them in Sports Illustrated you probably know a thing or two about the big basketball stars of today. Just in case you missed it, here are the biggest basketball stories of today
Ron Artest Name Change: You’ve heard the rumors but now it’s official: Ron Artest has legally changed his name to Metta World Peace. Yeah, we don’t get it either but he was dead set on it and says he’s going to do more charity work so who are we to judge?
Glen Rice andSarah Palin?: There are new rumors circulating that back in 1987, Sarah Palin had a passionate and steamy affair with basketball pro-baller Glen Rice. We get the heebie jeebies just thinking about it but hey, Glen WAS a pretty big name back then.
Eric Evans Getting Divorced: His wife has been one of the standout stars of this year’s Basketball Wives but now they’re headed to court. Jennifer recently filed for divorce so it looks like splitsville for these two.

John Calipari. Great Coach or Great Used Car Salesman?

admin — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Excitement is back in Lexington, as head coach John Calipari has led the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team to a Final Four appearance and a Regional final in his first two years on the job. But, the experts don’t acknowledge Cal as being a great coach because of his supposed “questionable” recruiting practices that will eventually catch the eye of the NCAA.
But, you’ll never hear him respond to these charges, as Calipari never truly speaks his mind. Instead, he just reiterates what the fans want to hear. Cal has mastered the art of answering your question without really answering your question. This method of promoting his team has worked in previous stops, but does it work in Lexington???
I would think not, as the pressure to win at Kentucky is overwhelming. Wildcat fans expect their team to dominate while positioning themselves in the rankings for another national championship run. And any other outcome is considered a failed season.
His distracters call him a snake that has no integrity or loyalty to a university. They feel Calipari promotes the “one-and-done” culture to all of his recruits. He is running a hybrid AAU/pre-NBA team instead of a major collegiate basketball program.
No apology needed, as Calipari has brought two obscure schools into national prominence. Granted, that he has left both institutions under heavy scrutiny by the NCAA. But, Calipari did breathed life back into a listless program in Lexington, and had five players (four freshmen) selected in last year’s NBA Draft. Only to follow up with three more players drafted this June. He preaches a “team-first” mentality to his players that drives them to success.
Like it or not, Calipari is a great coach.Still bored? Click to continue: John Calipari Invites Former Wildcats Back To Kentucky During NBA Lockout

Who Are the Five Greatest Foreign NBA Players?

admin — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are more international NBA players than most fans realize. Big named players who come from a different and foreign land are becoming more and more popular in the NBA. After looking at the 2011 NBA draft, teams are realizing that there is an immense amount of talent to be found over seas. Finding a mere five international NBA players is tough but these players seem to be making the most impact.

5. Manu Ginobli- The Argentine guard has been a household name for years playing with the Spurs. He started all but one game for the Spurs this past season.

4. Steve Nash- Many people are not aware that Steve Nash was born in South Africa. He is at the end of his career right now but still has the most impressive court vision in the league.

3. Pau Gasol- The Spanish big man has been dominating the Western Conference for the past couple of years. He has multiple championships and continues to impress even with Kobe Bryant on his team.

2. Tim Duncan- Born on the Caribbean Island of St. Croix and has been one of the most technically sound players of this generation. He leads an experienced team in San Antonio and continues to be the biggest threat on the court.

1. Dirk Nowitzki- Dirk has etched his name into history after beating the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Championship. He was far and away the best player on the court in the playoffs and has the ability to take over a game. His jump shot is pure poetry and he will continue to be a fan favorite around the entire NBA.

Is “One and Done” Good/Bad For College Basketball?

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Once the greatest 64 teams are chosen and make the tournament things really start getting excited in College Basketball. When down to 32 it is basically a “one and done” kind of system which is used in the tournament. Basically said, you win you keep playing, you lose, and your out. This has been the system used for at least the last decade in the College basketball tournament.

I personally believe that the way the system is setup is a great thing for college basketball. Only the best teams should make it to the end of the tournament, and if you have a bad day, that in turn shows that you aren’t the best team, and shouldn’t win the tournament. There are too many teams, too many games, and more than enough opportunities to “have a bad game” during the season. If you reach the tournament, you should no longer be having bad games as a team.

The only way to ultimately determine the best, is to be a winning team, every night. If you lose a game, your done. The system has been in place so long because it works, and it should continue to be done this way in college basketball.

What Are the Five Greatest Final Four Upsets In History?

admin — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Playing practically in their backyard and featuring arguably the greatest big man in basketball history, Kansas was a three-point favorite despite their opponent, North Carolina, being undefeated and ranked 1. Kansas took a 53-52 lead in the third overtime, but Joe Quigg sank two charity tosses and Kansas’ last-gasp lob attempt failed, giving Carolina a 54-53 victory.

In the first championship game matchup (1966) between an all-white team (Kentucky) versus an all-African-American team (Texas Western), the Miners, coached by Don Haskins, upset the Wildcats of Adolph Rupp, 72-65.

Jim Valvano’s N.C. State Wolfpack had to win their conference tournament just to get into the NCAA tournament, but after an improbable set of miracle comebacks and lucky bounces, Lorenzo Charles’ slam dunk of Dereck Whittenberg’s last-second airball upset mighty Houston 54-52 in 1983.

Having lost twice previously to Georgetown, few gave Villanova a chance when the two met in the 1985 championship game. But shooting an unbelievable 78.6 from the floor handed the ‘Cats a 66-64 win.

Loaded with future NBA players, as well as tying the NCAA record for victories in a single season, Duke was the consensus favorite to capture the 1999 NCAA championship over Connecticut. But led by Richard Hamilton, the Huskies prevailed 77-74 to give UConn their first-ever championship.