NBA Where Debut-tiful Happens

After Mike Bibby's debut last night, as well as Shaquille O'neal and Jason Kidd putting sweat on those new unifroms tonight, it should be an interesting couple of days. Mike Bibby's performance against the Lakers was certainly not what he was hoping for. You can't jump to conclusions after one game. That will also be the theme after Shaq's debut tonight. Kidd on the other hand, might "be who we thought he was"(Thanks Denny Green)

Mike Bibby and the Atlanta Hawks were in LA for the Lakers Home return from a 9 game road trip. The Hawks played like they were the ones that were road weary. Through a series of turnovers and poor shot selection the Hawks gave the Lakers a 73-37 edge at the half. Mike Bibby certainly wasn't an exception to the Hawks poor play. Managing 5 points 3 assists to 2 turnovers. I'd blame this on him only logging 16 minutes, but he seemed plenty capable of racking up 4 fouls in that short time.

It is just one game. Without even seeing Shaq's performace tonight I know it will produce the same mantra. It is just one game. Shaq will come out like gang busters; showing the pride and passion he has been missing all season. He is old though, that body can't give him that game-in and game-out. The new team has always brought out the pride and passion in Shaq. Tonight he will have that as well as the revenge motivation. Shaq wants nothing more than to prove that Kobe and the Lakers were wrong to send him packing.

Jason Kidd is the likely exception tot he just one game rule. He still has the body. He has played unmotivated basketball all season and still managed quite a few triple doubles. He is right now getting a whiff of the ring that Dallas fell short of last season. He will step up his effort and intensity--which is a scary thought--and be best fitting missing piece out of all three of these deals.

Kidd can't help but be motivated when he hears team owner Mark Cuban saying things like "..He is the reason I bought season tickets and started watching the Mavs". The unspoken end of this statement is "...and then I bought the team"

Jason Kidd Trade: Update or Devean George's New Found Importance

The ongoing saga that is the Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks trade continues. The Rumor mill started when Kidd asked demanded to be traded. The first real substantial rumor was a completely unrealistic 3-way deal involving the Trailblazers. Then we got a little more realistic with the Maverick's making the deal on their own.

Now all of a sudden Devean "0-for-11" George, went from a 2 to 10 on the NBA importance scale. For some unimaginable reason Devean George has a veto clause in his contract. Upon hearing that he would be descending to near the bottom of the NBA talent pool, by joining the Nets in return for Jason Kidd. George vetoed the trade that was on the table, shortly before he went out and went 0-for-11 against the Trailblazers. Apparently under the impression that he is now untradeable he fired up four of those gems from behind the arc.

While I don't blame George for shutting down a trade to the Nets. I also can't be to upset about the 0-for that he put up, it happens. But man talk about bad timing.

Here is the YouTube of Devean George's postgame explanation.

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Kidd to Dallas "imminent": Why The East Just Won the Finals

According to ESPN the rumors that the Kidd-to-Dallas deal was imminent, which beacme the rumor that the Kidd-to-Dallas talks have stalled, are now back to the rumors that the deal is about to happen.

I would love to see this move happen. It would take a team that has been on the cusp of great, and push them over the hump. I also love how competitive that the West has become, though it is certainly at the expense of the talent in the East. This may however help the Eastern Conference Champ more than it helps any team in the West. We are back to the point where you almost know that the NBA Finals will be anti-climactic. Who ever wins the West will likely be beat up over consecutive 6 or 7 game series. While the winner of the East will probably have coasted to a finals meeting between Boston and Detroit. Which ever one wins will probably have a lot more rest than the winner out of the West.

In the proposed deal in return for Kidd, Dallas would send 24-year-old point guard Devin Harris, veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse, and a bunch of expiring contracts to make the money work.

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Kidd Three-Way Deal Isn't Gonna Happen

Ok so there is a lot going on with this deal but here is the short version of the ESPN Breakdown
Portland Gets: Mav's guard Devin Harris and forward Brandon Bass
New Jersey Gets: Draft picks, Cash, Mavs' Jerry Stackhouse, and Portlands' Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye and Jarrett Jack
Dallas Gets: Kidd

You have got to be kidding me. Portland is not in a rebuiling mode, they do not need to cut salary, in the way that the Nets do. So why would the Trailblazers trade away Outlaw, Frye, and Jack for Harris and Bass. This just doesn't make sense for Portland, don't expect to see this deal happen the way it looks right now.

Outside Shot
Just have to relay a Trailblazers bit I heard recently. When Trailblazers assistant coach, and Trailblazers legend, Maurice Lucas was asked why there was some much trash talking back and forth on the court today. Lucas calmly threw back, "because in my time it was only a $50 fine if you socked a guy in the face"

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