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With the FIBA championships ending and the transaction wire grinding to a halt, the only show in the NBA is happening in downtown Manhattan, where Isiah Thomas and the Knicks are in a dogfight with former employee Anucha Browne Sanders over an employment discrimination claim.  Usually, any trial will grab interest because of the potentially all-or-nothing nature of the proceeding.  In this case, the matter takes on added dimensions because Isiah and the Knicks both are being very … [Read more...] about Knicks Lit

1.    Finals Preview: On paper, Cavs-Spurs seems like a mismatch.  Yes, the Cavs are playing very well.  Yes, the Cavs are 2-0 against the Spurs.  But the Spurs are playing at a really high level and the Cavs are weaker at almost every position.  Can we really gleam the winning formula the Cavs two wins against the Spurs?  In fact, the first game was the second game of the season and the later meeting right after New Years (January 2nd).  Here is the recap of those two … [Read more...] about Playoffthoughts

Since I last posted here, I’ve rebuilt my spreadsheet from scratch. Now there are adjustments for the percentage of a players minutes which are versus starters and subs. As all stats are supposed to reflect a player’s 36-minute production in a historically average situation, we now hope to see rates as though they were produced vs the typical 2-to-1 ratio of starters-subs. Players are ranked by Equivalent Wins Added – eWins, for short. These, too, are equivalent for any team a player finds … [Read more...] about Top 100 Players (Through 1/20/07)

1.    Some Random Musings:   It's been pretty clear that the Eastern Conference is weak and plenty has been written about this fact.  Here are a couple more facts that you might not have noticed:   -There are only five teams in the east that have outscored their opponents for the season.  The last time that happened was the Eastern Conference in 2003-04 (when the Pistons actually won it all).   -The worst scoring team in the NBA, so far, is the Hornets.  They average 89.8 … [Read more...] about Quick Thoughts

Overview Generally when we evaluate GMs, there is a concrete body of work to evaluate.  In the case of Jeff Bower, there is really only the 2005-06 season to review.  A review of Bower's rise to GM, does reveal how one might rise up the ladder to an executive position on an NBA team.  Bower started his career in the early 1980s as an assistant coach at Penn State (1983-1986) and then over as an assistant at Marist (1986-1995).  The Hornets hired Bower as a scout in 1995, a … [Read more...] about GM Report: Jeff Bower

When Red Auerbach passed away a week ago, it marked the loss of one of the true giants of the NBA.  Most people know the story of Auerbach, the man who had the major hand in creating three Celtic dynasties and was a dominant personality in the NBA up until the day he died.  Much has been written about Auerbach over the years and since his death that it's tough to really tell you something you don't really know already.  Still, an overview of Auerbach's career is always helpful, … [Read more...] about The Red Auerbach FAQ