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Hollinger archives: Columns | Chats

John Hollinger: Greetings everyone. For those who haven't heard, Yao Ming is out for the season. Between that and a busy trade deadline, I'm sure we can come up with some things to discuss.

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Jake (Palo Alto, Ca): Does Yao's injury mean the Rockets will make a run at P.J. Brown or Chris Andersen?

John Hollinger: Great question. Houston cleared enough room at the trade deadline to sign a veteran for the minimum and still avoid the tax -- because of the Kirk Snyder-Gerald Greene trade. Gotta tip your hat to Daryl Morey for having that foresight. Incidentally, I think they might rethink their Brent Barry pursuit too -- he was the original target for that money.

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Will (Denver): Does Yao's injury Make Houston the last team out of the playoffs in the West?

John Hollinger: I don't think so. They can go 12-14 the rest of the way and end up with 48, which is what it will probably take. Their schedule has enough creampuffs that they should be able to do that.

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Doc (AZ): Looks like the Rockets win streak will come to a end tonight. What are your thoughts?

John Hollinger: Don't be so sure. Wizards are on a back-to-back and have no Butler or Arenas. Streak could get as high as 16 even without Yao.

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Michael, Albany,NY: I can't figure it out; can the Spurs sign Barry and have him available for post season or not? Do they have to wait 30 days to sign him, or sign him now and wait 30 days for him to play?

John Hollinger: Barry will be eligible. The rule is a player has to be waived by March 1 in order to be eligible to play in the postseason for another team. That's why Sam Cassell is trying to get his buyout done in the next 48 hours.

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Tom: South Burlington, VT: With Yao Ming out for the rest of the season - what are your thoughts on how they will be able to compete with teams such as the Lakers and Spurs?

John Hollinger: They won't. But they can at least avoid the lottery.

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rj houston: who will benifit most due to this injury? from a fantasy standpoint?

John Hollinger: Carl Landry. He's quietly leading all rookies in PER; actually, his numbers are huge. He's done them in very limited minutes so temper your expectations, but he should be the main beneficiary.

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Chris (Toronto): How do you justify Toronto being 5th in your power rankings? Not that I'm complaing, it just seems odd with all these superior teams out west.

John Hollinger: Victory margin victory margin victory margin. Toronto's 8-5 record in its past 13 games doesn't seem very impressive, until you see that four of the losses were by five or less, and seven of the wins were by *17* or more. They're a much, much better team than people think.

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Ben (Fayetteville, AR): Avoid the lottery? I'd sprint towards it now that Yao has a potential problem foot the rest of his career.

John Hollinger: Not so fast. Look at Zydrunas Ilgauskas -- he had a problem foot, but over the past half decade he's been the most durable big man in the game.

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Ray (San Antonio): Do you think Barry will go back to SA? Seems like he has a better chance at a ring there than anywhere else except maybe LA.

John Hollinger: I think it's either Phoenix or San Antonio. But the chance at being reunited with Sean Marks is probably too great a lure to pass up.

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Chris: (Blacksburg, VA): How does this affect Yao for the Olympics? As the poster boy for the Chinese Team, I would think this would be a huge story in that country.

John Hollinger: Great question. It takes four months to heal, so he could conceivably be back on the court for the Olympics, and will be under a ton of pressure to play given how much of China's identity seems to be caught up in these Olympics.

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Joe (Atlanta, Ga.): John, how do you explain something like the Hawks terrible loss last night at San Antonio, allowing just 5 points in the first quarter and losing? How much more leash is the team going to give Woodson?

John Hollinger: Same problem all year for Atlanta -- they've played really well on defense, and not so well on offense. It doesn't help that their new catch shot 1-for-11. But let's see how the Hawks do with some easier games this month -- judging them on a Lakers-Warriors-Kings-Jazz-Spurs road trip hardly seems fair.

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Ellie (Compton): So if the Rockets are in, who is your last team out in the west?

John Hollinger: Still don't know. Denver is better when fully healthy, but GST is healthier.

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A.J. (Chicago): You say Houston could avoid the lottery like that's a good thing. What does losing in the first round accomplish that trumps a chance, however small, of rapid improvement through the draft?

John Hollinger: Because being in the lottery and *winning* the lottery are two very different things. If Houston made the lottery it would almost certainly pick 14th -- the odds of the No. 14 team winning the ping-pong derby are miniscule. And No. 14 isn't much different from the No. 19 or so pick they'd hold by making it.

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CD (Austin): Marc Stein reported Jamaal Magloire is going to sign with the Mavs. Will that make you feel better about the Kidd trade now that Diop's minutes will be filled?

John Hollinger: Let me put it to you this way -- the Nets have been desperate for a center all season and found Magloire so unsatisfying that on several nights they didn't even dress him. But he'll be a solution against Duncan in the playoffs? Uh, don't think so. At least the Mavs can send out their "Mavs sign All-Star center Magloire" press release, just like the Nets did this summer.

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Milo (Rochester): Is it fair to say that Yao is now an extremely injury-prone player? He's played 57, 48, and 55 games the last three years. Is he the next Camby?

John Hollinger: At this point, I think it's fair to just pencil him for 55-60 games. I wrote this a few years ago but it's fair to mention again -- for players taller than 7-0, the biggest obstacle to career length is not a decline in skills but an inability to stay healthy.

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Carlos (Reno, NV): A close loss to a good Lakers team, a win against a Celtics team that's not 100%, and a blow out loss against the Pistons, what do you think about the Shaq trade three games in?

John Hollinger: Hasn't shifted my opinion any, but I think everyone can agree that this trade will be evaluated on success in May and June, not success in February. Same goes for the Mavs and Kidd, by the way.

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Adam (PHX): I know Barry and Marks won a chip together in SA, but I can't tell if you're being sarcastic about their reuniting. Are they really friends? Do you see Barry making much of an impact in PHX?

John Hollinger: A little of both ... they are actually friends, but I was being sarcastic too. Barry would make an impact in Phoenix because their bench is a bit short, and his ability to handle, pass and shoot 3s fits their system so well.

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Matt (DC): What's your explanation for the Wizards not making a move at the deadline? They can't be completely happy with their current squad, even when Arenas comes back. Who would you have gone after if you were their GM?

John Hollinger: Takes two to tango. Who were the Wizards going to offer that would bring back an impact player? The only real chip they had to play with was Jamison's expiring deal.

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Greg(NY): What do you have to say about the Kidd situation in Dallas...are they contenders?

John Hollinger: Of course they're contenders -- the Kidd trade didn't change that. I don't think they helped their odds any with this deal, but they didn't Phoenix themselves either.

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Jack (Chicago): Can Houston prevent Yao from playing in the Olympics? If I owned the Rockets no way does Yao even sniff playing in the Olympics if I can do anything about it. Could ruin next year as well.

John Hollinger: I have a feeling there will be "discussions" about this. But at the end of the day, I suspect he'll be playing.

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Sachin (Chicago): John, wouldn't have it been better for the Spurs to get Ben Wallace rather than Kurt Thomas? Thomas is a minute eater, but Wallace is the more promising KEY player they needed in the West. Agree?

John Hollinger: First of all, from a cap perspective getting Wallace would have been completely unrealistic. Second, Thomas is a better fit for how they play -- if Ben Wallace is out there with Duncan, his man will just go double Tim every time. Thomas can hit the J from the top of the key and burn that double-team.

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Reggie (Cedar Rapids, IA): For teams who didn't make a trade at the deadline, do they have options trying to upgrade their team now?

John Hollinger: Only option now is to sign players out of the D-League or those who were waived by an NBA team before March 1. That's why Barry and Sam Cassell are generating so much interest from contenders.

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Cesar (Tempe): So you really thought the suns had a legitimate chance to win the title with marion and banks on the team? Not even suns fans truly believed that.

John Hollinger: Really? Because I could have sworn I was deluged by Suns fans claiming that the NBA screwed them out of a title they had rightfully earned because of the suspensions last year. But maybe I just dreamed that.

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Greg (Broomfield, CO): No Knicks talk?

John Hollinger: I knew there was a reason I was enjoying this.

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Josh(Las Cruces): Manu has been on a tear of late do you think he is a top 5 player in the nba?

John Hollinger: Manu is currently fourth in the NBA in PER. People try to diminish this by saying he gets his number against backups, but actually if you look at his splits he's played far better as a starter (as do most players). I've been trying to convince people for two years that he's a superstar, but nobody believes me because they see a per-game scoring average in the teens. Maybe now that he's climbed over 20 they'll listen.

John Hollinger: By the way, can we all agree that putting Brandon Roy on the All-Star team ahead of Manu was an example of folks getting a little too giddy about the Blazers' turnaround? I don't mean this as a knock on Roy, but for Ginobili not to be there was absurd.

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Jeff, Philadelphia, PA: John: who do you see as emerging from the high-powered Western Conference when it is all said and done?

John Hollinger: Honestly, my answer changes daily. But L.A. sure looks good right now, don't they?

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Jimmy (Chicago): John, what was the bigger mistake ... leaving Manu off the West or Calderon off the East?

John Hollinger: I can't decide. Calderon was a bit more of a slap because they took two injury replacements and still didn't pick him -- I mean seriously, putting Ray Allen on the team ahead of Calderon was just shameful. At least the guys that beat out Manu were having All-Star caliber seasons.

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Amare S. (Phoenix): Will I be able to make another basket or grab another rebound this year without every announcer giving credit to Shaq for "opening" things up?

John Hollinger: No. Nor will anyone on the Mavs be able to make a good pass without being cited as an example of Jason Kidd rubbing off on them.

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Dave (NZ): Don't be picking on Sean Marks. I hope to make as good a living as he has off being a friendly Kiwi guys and an A-class high fiver.

John Hollinger: Good point. There are worse ways to make a living.

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Jonny (Summersville, WV): Is there anything about this year's Pistons team that makes you think they can succeed in the playoffs where they failed the last few years?

John Hollinger: One hopes that using their bench more will reduce fatigue, which one hopes would prevent the May malaise that's hit them the past two years. But we won't really know until May.

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Ryan, Detroit, MI: And Kobe will never be able to smile without Gasol getting credit for changing his attitude.

John Hollinger: Good one. And if the Hawks ever win a game again, I'm sure they'll say similar things about Mike Bibby.

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Granville Waiters (Chicago): Now John, have you hated the Suns the last few years because you are a Hawks fan, or is it because you like boring basketball? You seem to be enjoying this Suns trade a little too much.

John Hollinger: Enjoy it? No, I HATE it, that's the problem. They took this incredible system and mixture and ruined it for no reason. It was the basketball equivalent of pouring sugar water into the gas tank of a Maserati.

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Alex BISHOPS U: first off i want you to know i am failing my calculus mid term tomorrow thanks to this chat(which means i can get drunk tonite so thats good at least). ..but i just want to know if you think the Raps being 5 on your power rankings is legit?? they were pretty accurate last year as i recall??

John Hollinger: That's why they call it Calcuseless. As for the Raps, I implore you, don't sleep on them people. They are far better than most folks realize, because their victory margin suggests they're of much higher quality than their win-loss record would lead use to believe. Now go do an integral or two before the bar opens.

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Keir (fort collins, CO): So Magloire can't play on the same level as Diop? Really? I mean Diop has been lighting it up since the trade and all, averaging a triple double or something...

John Hollinger: Believe it or not, Magloire is a major downgrade. He might be the slowest 7-footer in the league right now.

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Fred (Dtown): Kidd...turnover machine. Thoughts?

John Hollinger: Two 6-TO games in four tries with Dallas. so it looks like the worrying trend line from Jersey made the trip.

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Chris (Broadview Heights, OH): Magloire is slower than Jason Collins?

John Hollinger: He is not demonstrably faster, let's put it that way.

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Rocke (LA): What happened to Magloire anyway? He used to be an all star.

John Hollinger: really? He made the All-Star team? It's funny you say that, because I never see that mentioned anywhere. You would think all his new teams would send out press releases mentioned that he made the All-Star team once. That way they could make it sound like they got somebody really good instead of a guy who's practically finished.

John Hollinger: I guess if they gave me a sarcasm font this would work better.

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Greg (Los Angeles): Good afternoon John, Maybe its just because I am a die hard, but does anybody really give the Lakers a match-up problem? Seems like we can adapt to anybody.

John Hollinger: The one question is what happens if they don't have Bynum and face somebody like Duncan in the playoffs. Not a good matchup for Pau, and Turiaf will foul out in 10 minutes. Otherwise, I pretty much agree.

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Chad (Sacramento): Is there any way a guy can be stripped of his title as an all-star:)?

John Hollinger: I love that idea. We could pretend that whole James Donaldson over Byron Scott thing never happened.

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Jeff (Atlanta): I have heard Dale Davis mentioned recently as an option for some teams, have you heard anything about the other half of the "Davis Brothers"...it seems that Antonio Davis has fallen off the face of the earth.

John Hollinger: I saw Antonio at a Hawks game recently -- he's doing something with the player's association, I forget exactly what. But I get the impression he's moved on.

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Eddie (Toronto): With the possibility of a 50 win team in the West not making the playoffs, and a 35 win team in the East making it, what exactly can the NBA do to make the East more competitive, and the West..um..less competitive?

John Hollinger: Stern won't consider playoff reseeding, but he may need to if we have a situation like the one we're heading toward -- especially if somebody like Portland or Denver goes on to win the lottery. I feel a blog post coming on...

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Shawn (plattsburgh, NY): At the current trend, by the end of the 2009-2010 season, every team in the western conference will boast at the very least a .500 record.

John Hollinger: Now that would be fun .. we'd have the Pistons winning the East with the only above-.500 mark and getting a 12-game warm-up for the Finals while they awaited the West winner.

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T Cell (Whitehorse, Yukon): So who are the Raptors going to beat in the playoffs? Cavs? Magic? Doubt it. They still need another *great* starter. The reason their margin is high is their bench is so much better than anyone else's bench.

John Hollinger: Check out Bosh's numbers -- he's a legit MVP candidate. They have two top-notch PGs in Calderon and Ford, and their role guys are all decent. I would have no problem whatsoever picking them over Orlando. I want to see how Cleveland looks with the new guys, but pre-trade I'd have taken them over the Cavs too.

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Geraud ( San Antonio): I am praying we get Barry back , seeing as he always won us a few playoff games with his clutch threes,..but i mostly care about his hilarious post game interviews... But how is this not the same as what happened with the Mavs and stackhouse?

John Hollinger: If he ends up with San Antonio, questions will be asked. That said, Seattle didn't decide to waive him until they needed to clear a roster spot when the Cleveland trade happened -- I don't think this was preordained.

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SB(MI): Considering that an MVP is chosen from one of the best record-wise teams, who is your MVP of the season so far? And if Bynum comes back right around the end of March, can anyone stop the lakeshow?

John Hollinger: If Bynum comes back healthy, L.A.'s the team to beat -- I think everyone agrees on that. As far as MVP, right now I put LeBron first, and Chris Paul second; several guys have a plausible case for No. 3, but there's a bit of separation at the top in my mind.

John Hollinger: Of course, we've still got a third of a season left, so plenty can change.

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Vincent (Chicago): Hey man, how about a C's question? Cassell would be a good addition, but I am more worried about Perkins/Pollard - both seem to be a step too slow and lack athleticism. Am I crazy to think the center position could be Boston's downfall in May?

John Hollinger: No, I think there are other options there with guys like Powe and Big Baby -- actually, Powe is the East version of Carl Landry this year, an unheralded second-round PF putting up monster numbers in limited minutes. If Boston falters it will be because the offense runs dry, like it did in the Phoenix game.

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Stewart-Phila. PA: John Who do you think the 7th and 8th seeds in the East wii be?,

John Hollinger: I'll go Atlanta and Chicago because I think their deals made them a tad better than the rest of the Eastern riffraff, but I wouldn't want to bet anything important on this.

John Hollinger: Folks, that's all the time I have but we'll do this again at the same time next week. In the meantime, check out my blog on Houston's playoff chances ...

[ATLSmith]

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John Hollinger: I'll go Atlanta and Chicago because I think their deals made them a tad better than the rest of the Eastern riffraff, but I wouldn't want to bet anything important on this.

Those games against Chicago are going to be pretty important for the Hawks. I think they can do it though.

[skyhawk]

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John Hollinger: I'll go Atlanta and Chicago because I think their deals made them a tad better than the rest of the Eastern riffraff, but I wouldn't want to bet anything important on this.

Those games against Chicago are going to be pretty important for the Hawks. I think they can do it though.

We just don't seem to match up well with Chicago and Washington for some reason. I defintely think that the Bulls are a much better team without Wallace as Thomas and Noah are getting more playing time which makes them much more athletic and gives them more offense..