L.A. Lakers, come on down! The Orlando Magic finally found a contestant eager to play a game involving a great that was getting to be grating. The Lakers underbid, yet still succeeded in the showcase showdown, snatching the big prize: the league's best big man. The Magic were content to clear out Howard for a crappy consolation gift - the equivalent of a chinet set or a lifetime supply of off-brand motor oil - in Al Harrington, Aaron Afflalo, Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless and three future draft picks - one each from the trio of other teams included. Two other all-stars were traded - Andrew Bynum and active Olympian Andre Iguodala - but neither are moving to the Magic Kingdom; their final destinations are Philly and Denver, respectively, where Iguodala will run and gun with the nimble Nuggets, while Bynum might be one and done with the speculative Sixers, who hope Bynum will be hooked on his hometown team.
The seismic swap doesn't leave the Magic empty-handed (Afflalo is above-average), but it might mean that they're empty-headed*. They let the Lakers convert their cantankerous center for the superior and slightly less sulky one, which resulted in a restocking of their twin towers of power. Although not the level of larceny at work in landing Gasol, the buy-low scenario made it easy for the Lakers to say "bye" to the bi-polar Bynum. For Orlando, the headache is gone, but the massive migraine will start soon. Better pop some Superman-strength Advil.
*We recommend having the executives spayed and neutered.
Showing posts with label Andre Iguodala. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andre Iguodala. Show all posts
Friday, August 10, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Number One Stunner
The 76ers are now Big Tymers* after grabbing the Bulls by the horns and flinging them out of the playoffs. For only the fifth time in the history of the Association, an eight seed vanquished the supreme seed. Sure, some of the luster is lost since the feat occurred as recently as last year, when the Grizzlies surprised the west's best Spurs in six, and because the Bulls were weakened without Derrick Rose and their ever-running engine, Jokim Noah. Noah, nursing a sprained ankle, dressed for the game, but never checked in. He probably should have, since his substitutes came up short.
Carlos Boozer, the subject of serious scrutiny due to his $80 million-dollar, had said he was on a mission to silence his critics, did nothing to dispel that he's like Beck - a loser^ - as he made one field goal of eleven attempts. Omer Asik from Turkey was a turkey with the game on the line, missing two free throws that could've put the Bulls up by three points with seven seconds remaining and then fouling Andre Iguodala on a drive with two seconds to go.
Iguodala, also an $80-mill. man, who has been damned with faint praise for most of his career - either as "the other AI" or billed as a "third-banana" at best - calmly sunk the pair of foul shots, as the 76ers advanced to the second round for the first time since 2003, the year before Iguodala, the longest-tenured Sixer, was drafted by the team.
There was no guarantee that Iguodala, who wound up with 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting - accompanied by 7 assists - would hit the foul shots. Like Boozer, he had been called-out for folding when the stakes were high. Secondly, he was shooting a career-low percentage from the free throw line (61.7%). The secret to his success, the source of his serenity in those series-settling seconds: teammate Tony Battie told Iguodala to picture something he loved, so Iguoudala said he envisioned his son.
Both Boozer and Iguodala are perceived as being overpaid, but on Thursday one was overwhelmed by the obstacles placed in his path, while the other overcame them. Overpaid? Perhaps. However, in that moment, Iguodala, his teammates and fans, were overjoyed. It was a feeling long overdue, one you can't put a price on.
Yes, this a reference to a defunct rap duo and a tune from a dozen years ago.
^Another dated music mention, this one even older
Carlos Boozer, the subject of serious scrutiny due to his $80 million-dollar, had said he was on a mission to silence his critics, did nothing to dispel that he's like Beck - a loser^ - as he made one field goal of eleven attempts. Omer Asik from Turkey was a turkey with the game on the line, missing two free throws that could've put the Bulls up by three points with seven seconds remaining and then fouling Andre Iguodala on a drive with two seconds to go.
Iguodala, also an $80-mill. man, who has been damned with faint praise for most of his career - either as "the other AI" or billed as a "third-banana" at best - calmly sunk the pair of foul shots, as the 76ers advanced to the second round for the first time since 2003, the year before Iguodala, the longest-tenured Sixer, was drafted by the team.
There was no guarantee that Iguodala, who wound up with 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting - accompanied by 7 assists - would hit the foul shots. Like Boozer, he had been called-out for folding when the stakes were high. Secondly, he was shooting a career-low percentage from the free throw line (61.7%). The secret to his success, the source of his serenity in those series-settling seconds: teammate Tony Battie told Iguodala to picture something he loved, so Iguoudala said he envisioned his son.
Both Boozer and Iguodala are perceived as being overpaid, but on Thursday one was overwhelmed by the obstacles placed in his path, while the other overcame them. Overpaid? Perhaps. However, in that moment, Iguodala, his teammates and fans, were overjoyed. It was a feeling long overdue, one you can't put a price on.
Yes, this a reference to a defunct rap duo and a tune from a dozen years ago.
^Another dated music mention, this one even older
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