'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 26

[nasty daddy]

http://need4sheed.com/2009/02/a-stuckta ... omore.html

A Stucktacular Sophomore: Rodney Stuckey is set to represent the Detroit Pistons in the Rookie - Sophomore game tonight to kick off the All Star Festivities in Phoenix.

Rookie Team Roster
Michael Beasley (Heat) F 6-9 245 Kansas State
Rudy Fernandez (Trail Blazers) G-F 6-6 185 Spain
Marc Gasol (Grizzlies) C 7-1 265 Spain
Eric Gordon (Clippers) G 6-3 222 Indiana
Brook Lopez (Nets) C 7-0 260 Stanford
O.J. Mayo (Grizzlies) G 6-4 210 USC
Greg Oden (Trail Blazers) C 7-0 285 Ohio State
Derrick Rose (Bulls) G 6-3 190 Memphis
Russell Westbrook (Thunder) G 6-3 187 UCLA
Head Coach — TBD
Assistant Coach — Dwyane Wade

Sophomore Team roster
Aaron Brooks (Rockets) G 6-0 161 Oregon
Wilson Chandler (Knicks) F 6-8 220 DePaul
Kevin Durant (Thunder) G-F 6-9 215 Texas
Jeff Green (Thunder) F 6-9 235 Georgetown
Al Horford (Hawks) F-C 6-10 245 Florida
Luis Scola (Rockets) F-C 6-9 245 Argentina
Al Thornton (Clippers) F 6-8 220 Florida State
Rodney Stuckey (Pistons) G 6-5 205 Eastern Washington
Thaddeus Young (Sixers) F 6-8 220 Georgia Tech
Head Coach — TBD
Assistant Coach — Dwight Howard

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40346/1127

3-point shot

Six shooters compete in a two-round competition. The field is comprised of the previous year's champion and the current season's top 3-point shooters. Each participant has one minute to take as many shots as possible.

Mike Bibby, Hawks
Daequan Cook, Heat
Danny Granger, Pacers
Jason Kapono, Raptors
Rashard Lewis, Magic
Roger Mason, Spurs

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40346/1127

Slam Dunk

Dwight Howard, Magic
Rudy Fernandez, Trail Blazers
J.R. Smith, Nuggets
Nate Robinson, Knicks

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40346/1127

All-Star statistics
(x-starter; y-injured, will not play)

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Player, Team G REB AST PPG
x-James, Cle 51 7.5 7.0 28.5
x-Garnett, Bos 52 8.9 2.7 16.4
x-Howard, Orl 49 14.1 1.3 20.5
x-Iverson, Det 49 3.2 5.1 18.2
x-Wade, Mia 52 5.0 7.0 28.3
J.Johnson, Atl 50 4.4 6.1 21.6
Pierce, Bos 55 5.7 3.8 19.9
R.Allen, Bos 55 3.3 2.8 17.9
M.Williams, Cle 51 3.3 4.1 17.6
Granger, Ind 50 5.0 3.2 25.4
Harris, NJ 47 3.2 6.5 21.8
Lewis, Orl 51 5.8 2.7 18.5
y-Nelson, Orl 42 3.5 5.4 16.7
y-Bosh, Tor 51 9.5 2.4 22.7

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Player, Team G REB AST PPG
x-Stdmire,Pho 51 8.1 2.0 21.0
x-Duncan, SA 50 10.5 3.9 20.8
x-Yao, Hou 50 9.6 1.7 19.8
x-Bryant, LAL 52 5.6 5.0 27.7
x-Paul, NO 46 5.3 10.8 21.3
Nowitzki, Dal 51 8.3 2.3 25.9
Billups, Den 50 2.6 6.2 18.0
Gasol, LAL 51 9.4 3.5 18.3
West, NO 44 7.5 2.0 19.5
O'Neal, Pho 44 8.9 1.6 17.3
Roy, Por 48 4.7 5.1 22.7
Parker, SA 41 2.8 6.4 20.4

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40342/1127

Heat get O'Neal, deal away Marion
Trade gives Miami a low-post presence and helps clear some salary cap space for 2010. Shawn Marion's most memorable play with the Miami Heat was his last. Hours after Marion's last-second dunk lifted the Heat past the Chicago Bulls, he was traded Friday to the Toronto Raptors for Jermaine O'Neal. "I developed an unbelievable relationship with Shawn," Heat star guard Dwyane Wade said in Phoenix, where he's part of All-Star weekend. "You're sad to lose a friend on and off the court. At the same time, Shawn and I just had this conversation that it's part of the business and we knew it was a possibility."

Toronto also gets guard Marcus Banks and cash considerations, while Miami will receive forward Jamario Moon and a future first-round draft pick, to come sometime between 2010 and 2015. It's lottery-protected, essentially meaning the first time the Raptors make the playoffs after this season, their first-rounder goes to Miami. If Miami does not get that first-round pick in 2010, it will get an additional second-round pick that year. The Heat also get a $4.2 million trade exception, which would allow Miami to make a future trade even if the salaries involved don't match. "This is a win-win for both Toronto and Miami and we wish J.O. and Jamario the best," said Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, who is familiar with Marion from his time with the Suns. Marion was a key part of Miami's 28-24 start to this season, averaging 12 points (third on the team behind Wade and Michael Beasley) and 8.7 rebounds. "They're getting a great, great player in Shawn," Heat president and coach Pat Riley said.

But Marion wanted a long-term contract, something Miami was not willing to provide.One of Miami's primary areas of concentration, just like every other team in the NBA, is keeping cap space clear for the summer of 2010, when the likes of Wade, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Amar'e Stoudemire and Chris Bosh can become free agents. And this trade clears another $4.8 million in cap room for that summer. "It sweeps the table, clears the table, for 2010," Riley said. Plus, it gets Miami a true center in O'Neal. The 30-year-old averaged 13.5 points and seven rebounds for Toronto, but has been slowed by injuries. He's owed nearly $23 million next season, but that money won't affect Miami's free-agent plans for 2010. "It gives us some power down low, which since Shaq left we've been missing," Wade said.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40342/1127

Rookie Challenge: Kevin Durant scored 46 and Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey 12 as the Sophomores won the Rookie Challenge 122-116 in Phoenix.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40342/1127

Jordan leads 16 Hall finalists: Michael Jordan , John Stockton and David Robinson were among the 16 finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA coaches Don Nelson and Jerry Sloan and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer also made the cut from a field of 164 nominees, as did former NBA stars Dennis Johnson , Chris Mullin and Bernard King , and two-time WNBA MVP Cynthia Cooper . "I'll step out on a limb and speak for all of them and say thank you," Robinson said.

The election announcement will be made on April 6 at the NCAA Final Four in Detroit, with enshrinement in September at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. All 16 finalists may be elected, according to Hall policy.

Other finalists include former Golden State coach Al Attles ; Bob Hurley Sr ., who has more than 900 wins at St. Anthony's High School in New Jersey; Vladimir Kondrashin , who coached the Soviet Union to the 1972 Olympic gold medal, defeating the U.S. in a controversial final; Pereira "Ubiratan" Maciel , a player known as "The King" in his native Brazil; Richie Guerin , a six-time NBA All-Star with the New York Knicks and a former player-coach with the St. Louis and Atlanta Hawks; and Johnny "Red" Kerr , a longtime Chicago Bulls commentator who was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1967 after leading the expansion Bulls into the playoffs in their first season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/ ... ee-agency/

Allen Iverson spoke about his upcoming free agency with my former colleagues at HOOPSWORLD today:

“I love the fact that I have the opportunity to be wherever I want to be,” Iverson said. “At this point, all I want to be is happy. I want to be somewhere where I am happy and somewhere where a team is going to utilize me and get everything out of Allen Iverson.” Now in his 13th season in the league and having been traded twice over, the 33-year-old Iverson will have what any player in the NBA desires: to pick the team of his choosing. And with Iverson often deferring to the likes of Rodney Stuckey, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince, the choice may come to re-locate out of Motown. “I’m just going to concentrate on what makes my family happy and me happy. That’s the biggest thing for me. I want to be somewhere obviously where I can play the style of basketball that I’m accustomed to playing, and help us win basketball games,” Iverson continued.

If you read the whole article, you’ll see he also tosses out the respectful, “I hope I can end up being a Detroit Pistons for the rest of my career.” That’s kind of him, but unless he retires this summer, that’s almost certainly not going to happen. He also confirms that playing overseas is an option, which is a bit strange since he also claims money “won’t be a big issue” when making his decision. I think it’s fair to say his time in Detroit has more or less been a disaster, and while the blame doesn’t fall solely on his shoulders, it’ll still cost him dearly this summer. It’s seems clearer than ever that he needs to have an offense built specifically for his talents (ie, “the style of basketball that I’m accustomed to playing”), but what team would actually do that anymore? Even the worst teams in the league have up-and-coming stars being groomed for leading roles. I don’t even buy the argument that he helps sell tickets — I blame the empty seats at the Palace on Michigan’s economy more than anything else, but the Pistons are 11th in the league in road attendance this year, down from 10th last year. I know I sound like a broken record, but can you see a team giving him the full mid-level? If you can, don’t (just) call me names in the comments — tell me what teams you could see him playing for next year. I’m curious what the glass-half-full crowd thinks, because there’s a big part of me that won’t be surprised if he gets insulted at the offers that do trickle in and decides to simply call it a career.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40370/1127

Pistons are failing to show promise
N-G-E. That's what the Pistons are at the All-Star break -- N-G-E. Not Good Enough. They aren't good enough to sustain runs or stop them. They aren't good enough to close games. They aren't good enough to sustain winning streaks. They aren't good enough to establish dominance in their own building.

At this point the Pistons are as likely to fall out of playoff contention as they are of landing home court for the first round. The Pistons have given away games to some of the worst teams in the NBA (Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Bobcats, Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves). They've lost nine in which they led in the fourth quarter, and that doesn't include the game in Charlotte where they hung on after blowing a 29-point lead.

• Against the L.A. Clippers, they hung on after blowing an eight-point lead
• In a loss at Washington, they led by eight with 8:29 left in the third and trailed by nine five minutes later. The Pistons are just N-G-E.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40370/1127

Crash on through: One reason the Pistons traded Chauncey Billups was they believed Rodney Stuckey was ready to take over at point guard. Stuckey's had some great moments, but he clearly isn't ready to drive the car. His ability to manage a game, as you would expect from a second-year player, isn't close to what the Pistons need.

Coach Michael Curry has exhorted Stuckey to take charge down the stretch, but that's a hard thing to ask a young player when he's surrounded by veterans such as Allen Iverson and Richard Hamilton . Compounding the problem, Stuckey has hit a wall. He can deny it, but he's never played this much basketball in his life. His body is battered and his mind has to be in a fog.

If the Pistons are going to mount a charge the final 31 games, Stuckey has to fight through all that. If he doesn't, Curry is going to have to reconsider his rotation -- either allowing Tayshaun Prince to initiate the offense or use Iverson and Hamilton in the backcourt for longer stretches.

[nasty daddy]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-3 ... -Blog.html

]

Not sure Stuckey is a pull-up jump shooter.

Stuckey knows how to deliver the ball to his bigs...now if only they can get him some in Detroit.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40370/1127

Do or die: The Pistons have banked on the potential of Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson since they drafted them. It's time for them to start rewarding the team for its faith.

Johnson was handed the starting power forward spot and has produced little. He continues to have critical lapses defensively and has no presence offensively. And, he continues to commit silly fouls. Maxiell seemed to get on the wrong side of coach Michael Curry early and hasn't recovered. He was a key factor last year. This season, he hasn't played well enough to earn a consistent role. All Maxiell has to do is rebound. He's managed 3.6 per game. Allen Iverson , a 6-foot guard, is averaging 3.2 rebounds.

 But the lack of production from Maxiell and Johnson has another effect: Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace have played too many minutes

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40370/1127

The riddle of Iverson: Maybe it can't be done. Maybe Allen Iverson 's unique talents will never fully mesh with a team as set in their methodic, half-court ways as the Pistons. But to be 51 games into a season and still not have any kind of identity is alarming. The Pistons are schizophrenic -- they play one way with Iverson, another way without him. Michael Curry is trying to extract the best from both worlds, but it isn't working.

There are no easy answers. If Iverson were performing like his younger self, we wouldn't be talking about this. But he isn't. He's been erratic on offense and, no matter how hard he tries, a liability on defense. Does Curry give up on the future Hall of Famer? Hard to imagine that, but at the same time, it's hard to imagine putting the ball in his hands and saying, "Lead us."

For Iverson to be most effective, the Pistons have to run. Curry could use Iverson and Richard Hamilton with Amir Johnson , Arron Afflalo and Jason Maxiell and play more up-tempo. The problem is, that unit wouldn't get enough stops to facilitate a running game. It's a heck of a dilemma, and the only person who can bail the Pistons out is Iverson. If he truly is, as he says, the same player he's always been, he needs to show it quickly. If not, Curry might have to de-emphasize him and ride it out with Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey , Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince .

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 40370/1127

Rough road: The Pistons failed to take advantage of the soft part of their schedule. They will pay a price for that.

Of their final 31 games, 17 are on the road and 16 are against teams with winning records.

Between Feb. 22 and April 4, the Pistons will play 14 of 23 on the road. Of course, as bad as they've been at The Palace, that may be a blessing.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090214/S ... apped+fans

Detroit teams doing their best to entice cash-strapped fans
Signs of the recession can be seen in the seats and even hanging on the walls at sports arenas in Michigan, where the economy is stuck in a long and brutal losing streak. The Pistons failed to sell out a game this month for the first time in more than five years. A banner reading “Thanks, Fans!” now hangs inside the Palace of Auburn Hills in place of one that updated the sellout streak, snapped at a franchise-record 259 games.

Michigan, hammered by the loss of thousands of auto-related jobs, has had the nation’s highest jobless rate for much of the past three years. Unemployment reached 10.6% in December, the state’s highest rate since late 1984. “We were resigned to the fact we would never make it through the end of the season with the sellout streak because of the economy,” said Tom Wilson, Pistons chief executive. “It started when gas went to $4 a gallon.”

The Pistons’ sellout streak, which began Jan. 19, 2004, ended when roughly 350 seats at the 22,076-seat Palace remained unsold against Miami on Feb. 4. Signs of declining attendance popped up before the streak ended. Some fans who bought tickets for low-profile games have stayed home and watched on TV rather than spend more money on gas, parking and concessions. It hasn’t helped that the Pistons have stumbled to a 27-24 record, well below their recent standards.The Pistons had kept the sellout going this season by offering ticket specials and marketing deals. Some promotions tied gas and grocery-store gift cards to ticket purchases; another during last year’s playoffs offered four seats, four hot dogs and four sodas for $99. “I don’t think you can do enough right now,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to do all you can to add value.”

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http://www.freep.com/article/20090214/S ... more+blues

Stuckey feeling sophomore blues
Don't get Rodney Stuckey wrong, he's glad to be taking a small part in the All-Star weekend. He's ecstatic, actually. But he would have been content to spend the four-day All-Star break at home with his daughter and family than manning point guard for the sophomore team at the rookie-sophomore game Friday night at US Airways Center, where he had 12 points and nine points in the sophs' 122-116 victory. Kevin Durant's 46 points topped the sophomores. "I could take a couple of days off," the Pistons' rising star said with a laugh after Friday morning's shoot-around. "I wouldn't have taken it personally. ... I wouldn't have minded." Stuckey is going through the rigors of his first full season, and it appears he has hit a wall. This is his second season in the league after leaving Eastern Washington following his sophomore season, but a broken left hand limited him to 57 games last season.

He surged when he was first inserted into the starting lineup in December with 40- and 38-point games, but he has tailed off recently. After getting his scoring average to more than 14 points and five assists, he is now at 13.7 and 4.9. As he has faltered, his minutes have fallen. Coach Michael Curry has turned to Allen Iverson at times down the stretch. And the team's fortunes have fallen as well. The Pistons lost 12 of their last 17 games before the break, including six of their last seven home games. The Pistons (27-24) are three games ahead of the No. 8 Milwaukee Bucks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. "It's frustrating just losing," Stuckey said. "When you are frustrated losing, you think it's your fault, so I really don't try to think about it. I just try to stay positive." Stuckey said he realizes he's struggling and willing to take his share of the blame. But he said he can fix his recent struggles through hard work. One of his teammates on the sophomore team said most young players go through trying periods that they have to work through. "When you start to build a reputation, people are going to focus on you more," said Wilson Chandler, a Knicks small forward and Benton Harbor native. "You just got to have counter moves to work on different parts of your game.

As far as players like us, we got a long time to learn and the sky's the limit with us."Stuckey said the Pistons are struggling to find their identity. "If we're going to be a running team, that's what we got to stick to," Stuckey said. "That's the type of team that we have right now; we have a lot of guys that can get up and down the court." But the second half can wait for now. He said he would be leaving Phoenix this morning to fly to Washington to be with his family. And the task of trying to right the Pistons' ship begins at practice Monday. "I'm up for any challenge," Stuckey said. "I got the keys in my hand, but it's a learning process as well."I just get on the court and try to do what I do. We've been struggling lately, but hopefully we can turn it around by the end of the season."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090214/S ... den+oldie+

Iverson picks a golden oldie
Allen Iverson, a 10-time All-Star starter, has experience fielding a wide range of questions during All-Star weekend. So he wasn't surprised by one of the first questions asked during Friday's media sessions.

He was asked what musicians he admired. He quickly said: "Michael Jackson." Then, after thinking for a moment, he said, "Big and Pac," in reference to slain rappers Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. It might be a little surprising that Iverson went old-school, but it proves the 33-year-old is an old soul.

As for his All-Star selection, Iverson was glad to still be considered among the game's best. "It's a great feeling that the fans still love me and respect what I do out there on the basketball court," said Iverson, who is averaging a career-low 18.2 points this season. "The fans make us. Without the fans there's no NBA. "They want to see me play. That's a blessing."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090214/S ... den+oldie+

Pride on the line: Team Detroit leader Katie Smith had a few choice words for the other teams competing in tonight's Shooting Stars competition. "We're going to make the 'D' proud," the Shock guard said.

The competition is a shooting contest among teams composed of a current NBA player, a WNBA player and a former NBA player. It has become an All-Star staple in recent years.

It turns out Smith is confident in one teammate: Pistons guard Arron Afflalo. She's a little worried about Shock coach and former Pistons Bad Boy Bill Laimbeer, and with good reason. "I'm old and I can't shoot," Laimbeer said. "I'm 50 years old now. I've lost my eyesight." Maybe Team San Antonio, Team L.A. and Team Phoenix don't have to worry about the "D" after all.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090214/S ... den+oldie+

HALL OF FAME: Michael Jordan, John Stockton and David Robinson are among 16 finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The election announcement will be April 6 at the NCAA Final Four in Detroit, with enshrinement in September at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

NBA coaches Don Nelson (Muskegon) and Jerry Sloan and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer also made the cut from a field of 164 nominees, as did former NBA stars Dennis Johnson, Chris Mullin and Bernard King, and two-time WNBA MVP Cynthia Cooper.

Other finalists include former Golden State coach Al Attles, who was nominated as a contributor; Bob Hurley Sr., who has more than 900 wins at St. Anthony's High School in New Jersey; Vladimir Kondrashin, who coached the Soviet Union to the 1972 Olympic gold medal, defeating the U.S. in a controversial final; Pereira (Ubiratan) Maciel, a player known as "The King" in his native Brazil; Richie Guerin, a six-time NBA All-Star with the New York Knicks and a former player-coach with the St. Louis and Atlanta Hawks; and Johnny (Red) Kerr, a longtime Chicago Bulls commentator who was named NBA coach of the year in 1967 after leading the expansion Bulls into the playoffs in their first season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090214/S ... den+oldie+

D-LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME
When: 4 p.m. today.

Red: G Blake Ahearn, G Maurice Baker, G Derrick Byars, G Trey Johnson, G/F Othyus Jeffers, F Richard Hendrix, F Luke Jackson, F Brent Petway (U-M), C Lance Allred, C Courtney Sims (U-M).

Blue: G Will Conroy, G Cedric Bozeman, G Walker Russell Jr. (Rochester native), G James White, F Erik Daniels, F Josh Davis, F Ronald Dupree (former Piston), F Antonio Meeking, F Marcus Williams, C Chris Hunter (U-M).