wolf stansson

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-spt-0524-bulls-rose-offense--20110523,0,5350740.story They need to start taking some outside shots. To me, that's the key to the game and its really simple. If Miami wants to plant 5 guys in the paint, don't try and force it inside. They have shot like low 40% this series. If Luol, Boozer, Taj, DRose, etc get an open jumper 14 footer, then shoot the damn ball. Should be able to do better than the 41% you make by driving into 3 guys and getting swatted and not getting a foul call. I feel like they have been taking a lot of outside jumpers. Miami will let us do that all day because we arent a good jump shooting team. Sure we might get hot randomly (like game 1) and win because of it, but I don't think that's the solution that's gonna win us this series. Yeah with their ridiculous length and closing speed on perimeter defense, I don't think outside shooting is the key. Obviously take it if it's there.

I don't know if I see anything more than you, I just have no interest in Robbie Rogers. Plus, he's been on great form for his club.' I miss Holden.

Ok, I'm a little mad about this. First off, I can't help but be paranoid that Chandler/Nurnberg holding Chandler out is them hedging their bets on a Germany call up. The friendlies don't cap tie him, the Gold Cup does. Secondly, Chris Wondolowski blows. Jozy doesn't play. Teal Bunbury and Charlie Davies a) do not blow and b) play. Freddy Adu? Screw him. Robbie Rogers? No. Ale Bedoya is lighting it up in Sweden. Rogers underwhelms in MLS.

Uh, this is a joke, right? Wondolowski? FREDDY ADU? Robbie Rogers? NO TIM CHANDLER? No Bedoya? No Bunbury? Wtf, Bob?

What's most interesting is that, you're right, Wade has been huge helping contain Derrick and it's shown up in his offense. He's really sacrificing his energy on offense to go so hard on defense. The only way they've gotten away with not relying on his scoring is Chris Bosh showing up like I never anticipated. I really think he should able to compensate by either hitting pull up jumpers or maybe having the bigs do something differently to create more space for him to work with. They're really funneling him to bad spots, but since it's the only spot they're giving him he has to work with it and it hasn't gone well. This is really, gasp, fantastic coaching from Spo.

This Miami perimeter defense is an absolute bitch. The way they force Derrick to the outside allows their bigs an extra second to get in position not to contest the shot so much as they are filling the spaces that Derrick prefers to take off from. His timing on those attacks at the rim are so precise and practiced that by altering where he takes off from, it throws his timing off just enough that he's missing bunnies and runners that are usually his money shots. It's obviously good video scouting but it highlights two huge things for me, 1)LeBron and Wade can do a good impression of Jordan and Pippen guarding the perimeter and 2) this is why size matters in the NBA and it's unheard of for someone Derrick's height to lead a team to a championship as it's only star. They can force Derrick to the outside. The book on LeBron has always been force him left. Luol Deng is as good a perimeter defender in the league as you'll find. Just watch him and see how little success even he has forcing LeBron left.

yes

He's the favorite for Roma. His past interest interest in LD is noteworthy.

http://www.noshortcorners.com/2011/05/re-last-post-title-never-mind.html

That's the Carlos Boozer flowchart, this is the Carlos Boozer flow. http://www.fakeshoredrive.com/2011/05/twista-feat-mario-winans-winning-streak-bulls-anthem.html/

With the reasonable assumption that this season is an expected standard of play going forward for at least the next 7 or so years, yes he is.

Dwight Howard is close, depending on how you view defense, what metric you pick I don't think Howard is remotely close to James. I think he's second, but if there was an NBA-wide draft, I'm certain James would be on the top of all 30 draft boards. Metrics are nice and all, and I'm no Luddite, but this isn't baseball. Not remotely close? It's very, very close. Based on what? Howard is a physical speciman, but James is a once-in-a-generation, transcendent talent. For his career, James is averaging 27.7 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.8 blocks; Howard 18.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals. Points aren't everything, but his was the first year that Howard, in his career, averaged more points than James did his rookie year as a 19-year-old fresh out of high school. For his career James is at 26.91 PER (second all-time behind Michael Jordan), while Howard is at 22.31 (26th all time, behind Amare Stoudemire, and just ahead of Pau Gasol). Since his rookie year, James worst PER is 24.5; Howard has topped that mark only twice. Howard had a career best 14.4 win shares this year, a mark James has eclipsed four straight years and five of the eight of his career (and one year was at 14.3). Not. Remotely. Close. I'm not saying I disagree with you. I'm just saying I hear people on various podcasts and in various publications (Ryen Russillo, Steve Kerr, David Thorpe), including GM's, make the argument that they'd take Dwight Howard #1 based on nonsense like a two inch height difference and the fact that one plays center which is harder to find an adequate replacement to fill the position. I'm unquestionably taking Bron #1 in an all-NBA redraft. I just think you're assuming there are way more people who like LeBron more to build a team around than there actually are.

Haha, the negotiation begins: @RichardMotzkin Appreciate the interest, but why would @landondonovan leave MLS for the same salary? Richard Motzkin is his agent.

Dwight Howard is close, depending on how you view defense, what metric you pick I don't think Howard is remotely close to James. I think he's second, but if there was an NBA-wide draft, I'm certain James would be on the top of all 30 draft boards. Metrics are nice and all, and I'm no Luddite, but this isn't baseball. Not remotely close? It's very, very close.

Yeah that's ludicrous. Also, Agudelo needs more seasoning before he goes abroad. Even then, I'd prefer it be somewhere more open and less tactical. Edit - to clarify, ludircrous that they would consider Kljestan Roma standard. Not ludicrous that you don't think he's ready. That is totally correct.

I'd think maybe the closest recent example would be the 2006 Heat, and even then Wade had a past prime Shaq, Mourning and GP who were at least serviceable. I think that's as good an example as I can think of. Especially the way D Wade did it, drawing fouls whenever he wanted to. Walton had some solid teammates too like Lionel Hollins and Mo Lucas. So LeBron winning a title with Mo Williams as his #2 would be unprecedented.

Also, it's been confirmed, Roma have $14 set aside for LD. That'd be enough, but damn, that's a ton of cash for someone his age.

With the exception of maybe Bill Walton, I defy anyone to name an NBA star who ever won a title where for all intents and purposes, they were the only good player on the team.

I know Guzan has an Italian passport and Chandler has a German passport.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/05/17/could-us-stars-bradley-donovan-be-headed-roma

As far as my perception of Serie A is concerned, Bradley makes more sense than Donovan. No doubt. That's his style. Landon is ridiculously overpriced too. I think it's an American owner who wants to make a splash in the American market, doesn't make a ton of sense on the pitch for more than a year or two. Don't get me wrong, MLS is rough and Landon is a very smart, tactical player. He'd fit. He's just overpriced.

More US AMERICAN AS Roma stuff: http://www.noshortcorners.com/2011/05/i-feel-like-fat-hen.html Mikey to Roma would be inspired for him.

Yes. His ability to be on a team with better players improved a lot. Edit - Also his ability to have Magic, Bird and Isiah get older and worse.

Oh snap, Seth! http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/69/transfer-zone/2011/05/16/2489966/reports-from-italy-say-that-as-roma-is-interested-in-los-angeles-

That's a strong statement. He's 2 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier. Speed, quickness and jumping are similar, Jordan more graceful and nimble. Ridiculously strong in his own right. LeBron is faster and quicker than Jordan ever was. And Jordan didn't come in the NBA ridiculously strong like LBJ did. Since there's no measurables on this, I'm just going to continue to disagree based on how they look relative to other players when you watch on film.