Diss Guy: J.R. Smith
It’s been a busy week in the real world, and I haven’t had much time to watch much ball (save the Warriors). But I did manage to catch a little bit of the Knicks-Spurs matchup on TNT last night, and was just so impressed with J.R. Smith. He scored his points, but he also played hawkish, determined defense; locking down his offender on the perimeter, and jumping out into the passing lanes inside the three point line to stop the Spurs bigs from getting buckets down low. He was loud and vocal, clearly working hard on team defense, and not making too many gambles. Both of the Knicks’ best offensive and defensive 5-man units feature Smith. Simply put, he’s doing his part in the cause of winning.
Much is made of a good team’s second scorer; the guy you can count on to score double digits and provide necessary support to the teams’ best offensive player. Luckily, the Knicks have a bullpen of second scorers in addition to J.R., who’s averaging nearly 17 points a game off the bench. Ray Felton, Jason Kidd, Chris Copeland, and when he’s healthy, Amar’e Stoudemire can all provide buckets. But not much is made of the team’s second defensive stopper, the guy who can travel all over the floor, sticking with perimeter scorers, while contributing necessary support to bigs who have their hands full with double teams and switches. J.R. has been that guy; assisting Tyson Chandler with his defensive duties, and guarding a whole litany of players. Both of the Knicks’ best offensive and defensive 5-man units feature Smith. It’s weird, J.R. has had as many show-stopping blocks as he has had dunks and game winners this year. He’s having a career year, for sure.
Unsurprisingly, I’m firmly in the “Jarrett Jack for Sixth Man” camp. But if J.R. got it, I’d be down, for sure.
Miss Guys: Los Angeles Clippers
Takes deep swig from steaming hot mug of haterade.
You know what? Fuck the Clippers.
Takes another swig of delicious haterade.
No really. Eff those guys. They’re not so tough.
Yeah, a lot was made of the Clippers 17 game winning streak, and for good reason, I suppose. It does mean a lot when you’re beating teams by 15 points a game, and doing so in a Sportscenter Top 10 fashion.
But I’ll tell you what, I’m less impressed when I learn that, of those 17 teams you beat, only six of them were playoff clubs. And I’m even less impressed that, when you drop two in a row after that, you drop them to playoff teams. Of your eight losses, six have come from playoff teams. And I’m even-even less impressed when I see the way you act when you lose; that mopey-faced, grumpy, shouting, nose-in-the-air stuff that has become all-too-common with the CP3 and Blake show, feat. M-Barnes and DeAndre J.
Sure, I know that you’ve got the second best record in the West, and that only the Spurs have more wins than you. I understand that Kobe called you guys contenders, and that Blake and CP3 have some of the top-selling jerseys in the NBA. I get that you guys are “back”.
One last big draw from that haterade.
But if you want to prove to me that you’re something more than the 2007 Dallas Mavericks (67 wins), or the 2009 Cavaliers (66 wins), or the 2005 Phoenix Suns (62 wins), and be more than a club that wins against bad teams, but can’t do it in the playoffs…well, keep playing the games, guys. Lakers tonight. Warriors tomorrow.
Smacks lips lustily.