Sad Photo of the Day

I happened to be looking for random images for research purposes and stumbled upon this. I guess Dallas was eliminated again? Does the NBA care? Does anyone care?

From this photo it looks like Cuban cares... or perhaps he is thinking about bonehead point guard moves his team has acted upon in the past few years: NOT Locking up Nash who won 2 MVPS after signing with the Suns? Trading away an up and coming point guard for an overrated Jason Kidd?

Oh yes... Cuban cares.

-J

Drive and Diss Quick Hit: Why the Pistons are Doomed

Welcome to a new feature here at Drive and Diss: Quick Hits. These are the kinds of observations Drive and Diss talk about over the course of the day, so it's kind of like bringing you behind the scenes at the Drive and Diss worldwide headquarters. In today's inaugural edition, we examine why the Pistons are doomed. Even if they get past the pesky Sixers and their legion of Andres, the Pistons are going nowhere. And it all has to do with the playoff rotation (or should we say lack thereof) of Coach Flip Saunders.

Flip has decided to shrink his bench for the playoff run. And in the process his offense has abandoned him. When Detroit traded for Juan Dixon about a month ago, we thought it was a stroke of genius. It's always been our opinion that Juan has the ability to be a new age Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson - instant offense off the bench for about 15- 20 minutes a night. So it seemed like destiny when Juan went to Johnson's old team. However, not only is Juan not playing, he was left off the playoff roster! Nice work Pistons. Enjoy your soon to be early vacation. -E

Tale of two cities: Philadelphia vs. Denver

As I sleepily watched the Denver Nuggets vs. the Los Angeles Lakers game it was obvious from the start what the eventual outcome would be. Every year there are a few playoff series where a seasoned nba fan can predict which teams phone in their appearance, and which teams relish the role of playing upstart.

In this case, the Denver Nuggets are using their rollover minutes.. and it is only game one.

Realizing the need to be more productive, I decided to take a nap rather than see the hapless Nuggets inflate the already bloated ego that is the Los Angeles Lakers. A few hours later I woke up to see how the Philadelphia 76ers would handle their gift of a second season. Needless to say, I'm happy I took my nap during the Nuggets game. The Sixers were impressive - The exact type of team that nba fans are hungrily looking for to play the role of upstart.

This isn't to say the Piston's are rattled or their season is over. But it was refreshing to see a young team play fearless against a championship caliber team. As an nba fan, I want to watch an actual series. I do not want to watch a team who celebrates the fact they enter the playoffs as an eighth seed, and have their all star over-celebrate with a DUI charge.

As I watched the Sixers from afar on my couch, I started to think about the storylines that led both of these teams to the situation they are in today. The biggest storyline that links these two teams is the trade of Andre Miller for Allen Iverson.

When this trade went down I was never a fan of it. I did not understand the need to trade a point guard with solid leadership ability for a lone maverick hall of fame shooter. Of course, I'm in the minority when it comes to this trade. Friends have asked: “How can a team pass up on the acquisition of one of the greatest players of all time?” I found the answer simple: Andre Miller is a quiet leader, which I think would have benefited the Nuggets in the long run. Allen Iverson is a flashy superstar with incredible talent and zero leadership ability. The Nuggets did not need another scorer; they needed a leadership guy that could defer to Carmelo Anthony and his talents without burdening him with the actual role of leading. They needed a player that could lead by example, possibly teaching Anthony how to be a leader for the future.

Allen Iverson was lucky when he had his championship run in Philly. He had one of the best coaches in the nba to discipline him (somewhat), and surrounded him with quality leadership guys in Eric Snow and Aaron McKie. Fast forward a few years later and Denver was duped into thinking that matching two shooter mentality superstars would translate to victories. If anything, the team has floundered and is possibly getting worse. The problem is perception in the fact Denver brass equated Philly's past championship potential success to one single person in Iverson. All this trade has done has made it that much more clearer who was clearly responsible for Philly’s success. Larry Brown.

The mess in Denver is ugly. They have no leadership, they are poorly coached, and look listless as they play. This problem isn't going away unless one of their superstars steps into leadership void or the Nuggets trade for an actual leader.

Scorers are only one piece of the puzzle.

Just ask Mo Cheeks as he coached from the sidelines watching Andre Miller run a simple floor game maximizing the talents of the young players around him. Or ask George Karl as his veteran superstar got two technicals in the fourth and left for the locker room early. For the Nuggets, Iverson ejected to the locker room with time to play is a foreshadowing of things to come - an early playoff exit.

Philly? Their future is bright and is guaranteed to bring a couple of quality home games to the legendary raucousness of a Philly crowd.

-J

Drive and Diss Poll Madness! Alert: What Has Carmelo Learned from his Arrest?

Hey kids, it's time for another Drive and Diss Poll Madness! alert. Now is your time to let us know what you think Carmelo Anthony has learned from his DUI arrest. Good luck! And while most blogs would post a picture of 'Melo's mugshot, Drive and Diss is taking another route and posting a picture of 'Melo and his fiancee, former MTV VJay Lala. Did you know there were reports she refused to pick him up at the police station after his arrest? She denies it, but it's more fun to believe otherwise. Oh, and check out that shirt. Jordan must be so proud. We have one just like it, but with a picture of former NBA center Jim McIlvaine. (Currently sold out.)

Drive and Diss Eastern Conference Playoff Preview: The Atlanta Hawks Love Small Forwards

Welcome back to Drive and Diss' Eastern Conference Playoff Preview. In today's edition, we take a look at the eight seed Atlanta Hawks. This marks the Hawks first postseason appearance since 1999. A trade deadline deal for Sacramento point guard has brought veteran leadership and playoff experience into the fold. There are just a couple of problems. First of all, the GM has made repeated attempts to fire the coach (as recently as February!). And secondly, the entire roster is comprised almost entirely of small forwards. It's hard to win in the NBA when you have players at only one position. Sure you have Bibby and rookie of the year candidate, center/power forward Al Horford. But look at the rest of the roster:

• Marvin Williams - Small Forward



• Josh Childress - Small Forward



• Joe Johnson - Small Forward (He's listed as a guard on the roster, but he's 6-7, 235. According to the Drive and Diss NBA height/weight ratio chart, these measurables fit squarely in the range of small forward.)



• Josh Smith - Small Forward (He's listed as a power forward, but he's 6-8, 235. See reference above to the Drive and Diss NBA height/weight ratio chart.)



• Zaza Pachulia - Small Forward (He's listed as a center, but he's got the game of a mediocre small forward. Trust us.)



• Jeremy Richardson - Small Forward (Drive and Diss admits that we had no idea who this guy was until about 5 minutes ago, but he is indeed a small forward.)



• Dominique Wilkins - Small Forward

So unless the Hawks are competing in a contest to see which team has the most small forwards, it looks like the Human Highlight Reel will miss out on a championship ring for the 25th consecutive year. Sorry 'Nique.

-E

New Drive and Diss Innovation for Western Conference Analysis: The Heart Meter

Trying to make sense of this year's Western Conference NBA playoffs? We hear you. From the labs of Drive and Diss we would like to introduce another innovation to clarify this year's Wild West Playoff picture.

Everyone that hates reading books and dating is well versed in the language of the Legend of Zelda. I have always found a parallel with Shigeru Miyamoto's video game masterpiece and a quest for an nba championship. What exactly is this similarity?

The heart meter.


This heart meter is the perfect gauge in determining which team has what it takes to win it all. In the Legend of Zelda, the hero "Link" must complete a series of quests to attain the final goal of rescuing Zelda and restoring order to the land. During each character building quest Link aquires hearts for his heart meter to sustain the rigors of the daunting digital campaign and weather the storm for the final, ultimate prize. The nba playoffs are similar in that way. Teams that have aquired the most "heart" during the regular season prove to have the best chance of furthering their quest for a championship run. Often times, some teams are even escorted by a princess during past playoff runs. Refer back to the Suns years with Kevin "The Desert Princess" Johnson for clarification.

In our analysis today the following teams can aquire up to four maximum hearts. Each heart represents a potential round success.


Los Angeles Lakers : 3.5 hearts


Kobe Bryant alone hogs all the heart of this team... sometimes unselfishly. Nonetheless, with the squad he has around him this year (once healthy) the Lakers have a decent shot at returning the luster to those yellow banners in the rafters. However... there is a lingering problem. That is of course the laker curse.


New Orleans Hornets: 2 hearts


What can be said of MVP candidate Chris Paul? He has carried this team the entire year while making his teamates look like all stars. However, the playoffs are a different animal and the jury is still out whether experience points even warrant the Hornets current heart meter. Heart tends to disappear in the playoffs and/or championship rounds for MVP candidates... Just ask Karl Malone and Dirk Nowitzki. Also refer to Peja's famed airball during the Kings upstart attempts to dethroning that Laker championship team.


Houston Rockets: 1/2 heart


Tracy McGrady has not made it out of the first round. The same could be said during the regular season when Mcgrady sometimes does not make it out of the first quarter. Does anyone remember how he phoned it in when his team needed him most during that historical streak?

Utah Jazz: 1.5 hearts


The Smooth Jazz laid down and cried in their last outing vs. the Lakers. The Jazz were a beacon of hope against their last outing against the Spurs. The Jazz are too indecisive to be a champion and Sloan carries 4 hearts by himself. Was their participation in the Western Conference Finals last year a fluke? This particualar Jazz fan thinks so.

Phoenix Suns: 2 hearts


Nash has no one. He carries those 2 hearts on his sleeve. A valiant MVP player that is surrounded by aging stars and a coach whose offensive genius has been rendered useless. This is all thanks to a knee jerk reaction to obtaining the Big Shaqtus. Everyone knows cacti are prickly and retain water. Interesting note: The Suns were in first place in the west before aquiring Shaq. Now they are in 5th place. How can this be regarded as a successful trade? The suns were known as an elite squad the past three years. Now they are playing the role of underdog against the nba elite, and losing. Boston and Detroit enjoyed the free wins. If the Suns adopt "Bully Basketball" from Shaq they will be fine. Can they adapt in time?

San Antonio Robots: 4 mechanical hearts


It does not matter where the Spurs are seeded this year. They are programmed to fear no one. They also cheat and flop better than anyone. As they age they are perfecting old man basketball each and every play. They are robots and are progammed to do one thing: Win ugly. How unfortunate that no one outside of San Antonio considers this team watchable.

Golden State: 2 hearts


With Captain Jack and Baron Davis anything is a possibility. They are impervious to being bullied and shoot without conscience. The only team that can beat the Warriors is actually... themselves. With their hapless, "devil may care" nature they can shoot another team out of the game... and then brick that exact team back in. Will they make this years playoffs? It really depends on Denver's Heart meter...

Denver Nuggets: 2 hearts


These hearts belong to Iverson. Iverson has been in this scenario before and has performed admirably. If he decides to "rent" the leadership role from Carmelo Anthony and take the team on his back, they are guaranteed a playoff spot. Relying on 'Melo will not get it done.

UPDATE: Want more proof? Read here.



Rudy Tomjanovich once put it eloquently after his Hall of Fame center travelled his way to a championship with the "Dream Shake":

"Never Underestimate the heart of a champion"....

We hear you Rudy, and would love to elaborate and rip you off.

"Never underestimate the heart meter of a champion."



-J

Drive and Diss Eastern Conference Playoff Preview: The Philadelphia 76ers and a Whole Lotta Andres

As the playoffs approach, Drive and Diss will be breaking down all of the teams that will be appearing the most exciting postseason in the last 15 years. In today's stop, we take a look at the resurgent Philadelphia 76ers. After a 5 - 13 start, the Sixers are on a roll, including a big win tonight over Easter Conference titan Detroit Pistons. Currently in the sixth spot, the Sixers look to make some noise behind the steady hand of Andre Miller at the point and the explosive Andre Iguodala on the wing. Now that's a whole lotta Andres.


Unfortunately, it would take Andre the Giant rising from the dead to get these guys going anywhere. They are too young, too small, and too thin on the bench to do anything. In fact, that could be said of the entire Eastern Conference with the exception of the Celtics. However, the Sixers do have a wild card and his name is Calvin Booth. That's right, old friend Calvin Booth has found a home in Philly. Cal has averaged a robust .8 points a game this year. If he can somehow get that over the one point mark, then the Sixers may be able to steal a game or two. But the second round appears to be out of reach.