Sheridan Live Team USA Chat from Barcelona

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Hola from Barcelona, where Team USA defeated Spain last night by 22 points. Their Olympic opener is Sunday against France. I have been with the team for their past four games, and will be doing a live chat today at 3 p.m. EDT. You can submit your questions now.
3:00
Good evening from Barcelona, where it is 9 p.m. Let’s get right to it. Gonna go 90 minutes, then have an early dinner, 10:30 p.m.
3:00
Comment From DK

What does Kevin Love have to do to get more run?

3:03
He needs to be a boards beast in his limited minutes like he was in 2002 in Turkey. He had nine of ‘em last night in 13 minutes against Spain, and Ibaka stopped hurting them when Love came off the bench and began guarding him. That was a turning point. Coach K have Kevin a shout-out in the press conference, which is a rarity. Krzyzewski has always underutilized him, IMO. I wrote a column addressing the Love situation two days ago. Here is the link:http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/07/23/diary-of-the-uncredentialed-edition-ii/
3:04
Comment From vandal

do you agree that when Westbrook checks in, the flow of the offense of team USA takes a hit, at worst, it stops?

3:07
Absolutely not, Vandal. He has been the best attacker among the the point guards, and he is third in the pecking order. Deron has been shooting the ball well, CP3 has been rather ordinary. Remember something about Westbrook: Coack K absolutely loves him because he can play both guard spots. In 2010, Westbrook went from No. 3 PG when team arrived in Europe for friendlies to the No. 1 PG by the time USA beat Turkey for the gold. Consider him a 7th man who will be just as important as sixth man Carmelo Anthony, last night’s star:http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/07/24/melo-doesnt-like-fiba-best-anymore-but-he-was-best-for-team-usa-vs-spain/
3:09
Comment From wade

lebron will have to do, for team usa, an abundance of the same things he does for the heat.

3:11
Yes, but he difference here is that he’ll get enough offensive support from around him to compensate for the off-night he is bound to have. He was shaky at the line last night, missing 5 of 8. Other than that, he has been a beast and the team’s most consistent player. He’s at the same level he was at during the playoffs. They are starting to call the FIBA travel on him, so watch for more of that. If refs pick on the USA, they’ll do 2 things: Call the FIBA travel multiple times, and foul out Chandler.
3:20
Comment From Joe

Chris, what good nba podcasts are out there other than tbj, simmons, and the eson nba today thing?

3:21
Ours are pretty good. There is a tab on the front page where you can view all of them. Next season we will have a daily radio show.
3:28
This software is malfunctioning with now and giving folks an overcapacity message. We are working to fix it. While my Webby does that, I will give you this brief story: Bought a six-pack of disposable razors today at a bodega in the quaint neighborhood where I am staying, and they threw me a free fox of Frosted Flakes.
3:41
Gotta end this chat. Software is not working, I think because of Spanish IP address. Will fix the problem and schedule another one ASAP.Bottom line, since we’re being brief: These guys look ready to roll past everyone, but they could get a game from Spain or Brazil in the single-elimination round. Brazil is really a good team to keep an eye on. They are worthy of making it to gold medal game. French are playing poorly, Parker shooting below 30 percent, Batum has played only 2 of their 10 games. Does that transfer over to their opener against Team USA? We’ll see. I’ll be viewing from Paris for the Diary of the Uncredentialed.

 

Sheridan chat wrap: May 24

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Chris Sheridan chatted online with readers today about Team USA, the NBA playoffs, Jerry Sloan, Pau Gasol, Jim Dolan, Phil Jackson and a host of other topics.
He will be hosting another live chat Friday to discuss the results of Game 6 of the Miami-Indiana series and Game 7 of the Celtics-Sixers series.
Here is a transcript of Thursday’s chat.
10:35
Good morning, all. I will be live chatting NBA and anything else you want to talk about beginning at noon, EDT. You can submit questions now. Nothing is off limits.

12:03
Hello, y’all. Just filed a video to the site, have to mess with the software for a second, then will be right back.

12:06
Ok, sorry for the delay. Off we go …

12:06
Comment From Hannah W.

If Wade passes on the Olympics, who is the better fit to replace him? Eric Gordon or James Harden?

12:10
Since Harden is not on the 22-man roster, I’d have to say Gordon, who the Team USA hierarchy fell in love with in Turkey. They love dead-eye 3-point shooters, and Gordon already earned his stripes by playing on the team that went to the 2010 Worlds. That stuff carries a lot of weight with Colangelo and Krzyzewski.

12:10
Sorry for the delayed answer. Heisler called.

12:11
Comment From George

I think the Lakers fan base should be more reasonable when considering what they could/should get for Gasol. How about you Chris? I think they should talk to Iniana bout this swap: Granger and West for Gasol. Granger is a better offensive player than some desired wings (Iguodala and Josh Smith) and West would allow Bynum more freedom in the post. Indy would benefit by having an offensive-defensive twin tower pairing. Paul George would benefit by playing his natural position and being allowed to flourish in the offense. I think this deal is more what Laker fans should expect. Gasols declining value and contract will not get you a super star in return.

12:13
Granger and West is waaaay too much. You’re talking about their two best players for a guy who is 31 and just came of a soft season and is not about to run himself ragged with the Spanish National Team. I think the Pacers would consider West for Gasol straight up, but even that is a somewhat risky proposition.

12:13
Comment From Melvin

If you’re Steve Nash and are looking for a perfect fit for your talents, and a chance at a championship, where do you sign? I’d start with Memphis or Miami. What do you think?

12:16
I think he is going to sign with the Knicks for three years at the mid-level. He lives in NY in the summertime, he loves the city, and he is exactly what the ‘Bockers need. Moke Hamilton wrote a column last Friday (you can find it on the homepage or in his columnist archive on the right sidebar) saying if the Knicks were forced to choose between Nash and Jeremy Lin they should choose Nash, because they are trying to win now. They’re already an oldish team with Chandler, Stoudemire and ‘Melo, and Nash is a proven commodity wheras Lin is a flash in the pan. I totally agre with Moke.

12:16
Comment From Jon

Any idea if Orlando would have any interest in Amare?

12:19
I think if the Knicks wanted to get Dwight Howard, they’d be willing to offer ‘Melo and Chandler, but they’d want Glen Davis back instead of Turkoglu. And if I am Orlando, I want no part of Stoudemire’s uninsured contract and would demand Carmelo Anthony and Chandler. I wrote about this here:http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/05/23/dwight-howard-wants-out-of-orlando-and-nets-or-knicks-could-get-him/

12:20
Comment From Evan

When do you think D12 will be traded and is Brooklyn still a possibility to happen this summer or do they have to wait because of CBA rules for sign and trades?

12:20
Comment From Jahrell

Do the Nets , have to get a top 3 pick to get Dwight or is there still a chance even without it , also could you see a sign and trade involving Deron Williams and Andrew Bynum ?

12:23
If the Magic are trying to include another player with Dwight (Turkoglu, for instance), then they need to wait until after July 1 to give the Nets the flexibility to send them back some assets via sign-and-trade (Lopez, perhaps Wallace). The best thing that can happen for Brooklyn’s chances to get stronger is for them to win one of the top three spots in the draft at the lottery next week. If they don’t land in the top 3, they have to send the pick to Portland as payment for Wallace. But it they win, it could put them over the top in the Howard Sweepstakes because they will have the draft rights to a very, very good player.

12:23
Comment From WyattBurp

Afternoon, Chris. I’m a Detroit Tigers fan. David Schoenfeld ofESPN.com says my team is over-rated. I think they’re not playing good baseball, but they’ve got too much talent to stay bad. What do you say?

12:24
Oops. I have no opinion on the Tigers. Hit the wrong button.

12:25
Comment From WyattBurp

NBA playoffs. I’ve been hoping that the old teams – Lakers, Spurs, and Celtics – drop out of the picture, so the remaining teams can rise to the top. Is this the year that youth takes over in the NBA?

12:28
Hit the right button that time, Wyatt. To answer your question, I think that is all going to depend on the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they are the only true young up-and-comer that has a legitimate shot at the title. But you have to remember, young tams rarely win titles. And look what the experienced Mavs did to these same Thunder last season in the WCF. This Spurs team that the Thunder is about to play is better, IMO, than last year’s Mavs team by a lot. Quite honestly, I don’t see them getting past San Antonio with the way the Spurs have been able to operate with such amazing offensive efficiency. But we shall see.

12:29
Jan Hubbard wrote about this on this site a couple months back. Give it a read. It addresses the age and experience issue.http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/02/06/hubbard-not-sold-on-oklahoma-city/

12:30
Comment From JErome

Chances we see Eddy Curry get some burn tonight?

12:31
I think we just might. The only two bigs the Heat have are Joel Anthony and Juwan Howard. I imagine they will activate Curry and deactivate James Jones or Norris Cole, probably Jones.

12:32
Comment From Kingv99

Who do u think will be coaching the Magic next year? GM? Also what chance percentage wise do the Magic have keeping D12 in Orlando?

12:35
When Jerry Sloan says he would be interested in taking a job with you, you HAVE to bring him in and talk with him. And why wouldn’t they hire him? About the only reason I can guess they wouldn’t get him is if Sloan and Michael Jordan come to an agreement in the next couple days, which would pre-empt whatever the Magic want to do. And Jordan and Sloan have spoken already (Hat tip to Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune for breaking that story). Here is the link:http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/54163647-87/sloan-coach-jazz-nba.html.csp

12:36
Oh, you asked about percentage. As I said in my CineSport video two days ago, 1 percent. Like Larry Bird, I’ll spell it out. O-N-E.

12:36
Comment From Daniel

Your opinion on the knicks chances at winning the arbitration hearing for Lin/Novaks bird rights…??

12:40
It is always tricky when there is legal language that can be read two different ways. Some documents have language regarding these ambiguities, and some do not. I am unsure what the new CBA says in regard to ambiguities. It has not been published online yet. But the union obviously felt that it had a strong enough case to bring it before an arbitrator.

12:41
Comment From Tyler

Who would be the best fit for the Orlando Magic coach and GM positions? Who do you think they will actually get?

12:42
Jerry Sloan and Donnie Walsh. Who will they get? Too soon in the process to know. Their next order of business needs to be a sit-down with Howard, and you can bet your bottom dollar that meeting is coming soon.

12:42
Comment From James

The Toronto Raptors made some strides this season, but clearly they need a major upgrade at the 3. Am I the only one who sees a guy like Andrei Kirilenko as the perfect fit?

12:44
I think AK will play for Prokhorov in Brooklyn if the Nets are able to land Howard and keep Deron Williams. AK already had a max contract, so it’s not about the money for him. He was passionate enough about not letting down his teammates that he decided to stay with CSKA when the lockout ended rather than returning to the NBA. So money will not be the determining factor for him, IMO.

12:45
Comment From Ron

Where do you think D-12 ends up when it’s all said and done?

12:45
Very, very hard to say at this point, but gun-to-my-head answer is Lakers.

12:45
Comment From Jus Biz

I know you said Nash would probably sign with the Knicks. But, do you think the Raptors have a shot at Nash? He just signed to be GM of Canada basketball, He has chosen loyalty over a ring past 2 years, and they could offer him 2-3 year deal at 10 plus mil.

12:46
I don;t think it will be about the money for him.

12:47
Back in 5 mins.

12:53
Sorry, phone call from libel lawyer who represented me recently.

12:55
Comment From Daniel

Can anyone confirm that the Knicks even tried to contact Phil Jackson before signing Mike Woodson??

12:58
No one has reported that. But from being around the Knicks corporate culture the past dozen-plus years, and seeing how it has evolved since Dolan became captain of the ship, I don’t think Jimmy would want to bring in a guy who speaks his mind. He had that when Larry Brown was here, and Dolan cringed whenever Larry spoke. I think Woodson is a good hire, but I also believe the Knicks owe it to their fans to at least reach out to Jackson and gauge his interest. I also think it was a brutal move on their part to make Woodson fire his agent because of the agent’s family ties to Larry Brown’s agent. Very petty.

12:59
Comment From David

Forget Sloan and the others, any chance Phil Jackson lands anywhere?

1:00
At this point, I would have to say no. I think the only job hat would interest him would be the Knicks.

1:00
Comment From Darren

Can you give us a prediction about where you think Deron Williams is playing next season?

1:02
Brooklyn. But it is a shaky prediction, because the Nets are on very shaky ground if they can’t get Dwight and they lose Wallace as a free agent if he opts out, because Deron would then leave, too, presumably for Dallas. And if that is the case, the Nets will have surrendered Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and three No. 1 picks for bupkus.

1:04
Thanks for joining the chat today, folks. Sorry I couldn’t get to everyone’s questions. We shall do this again tomorrow.

Live Chat with Chris Sheridan

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Chris Sheridan will be chatting live today from 1 p.m. EDT until 2 p.m. You can submit your questions now.

Sheridan Chat Wrap: April 27

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Just like the old days, I conducted a live chat with my readers Friday afternoon to preview the upcoming NBA playoffs — and to defend my vote of Chris Paul for MVP. For more on that you can read this column.

We will have more chats throughout the course of the playoffs, which I will alert you to through Twitter and Facebook.

Thanks to all those who have been visiting the site, please check back every day, and much gratitude for your support of independent, non-corporate journalism. We will be striving in the weeks, months and years ahead to make this the best basketball commentary Web site anywhere. -CS

 

Chat wrap from Friday April 27, 2012
2:12
Good afternoon from New York. Will start this baby in 5 minutes.

2:15
Comment From Adam From Queens

You said that the Knicks are going to take it in 7…Why are you so confident about this?

2:19
I thought someone might ask, Adam. Ever hear that expression “‘I’ve seen this movie before?” Crazy things happened when these teams face each other in the playoffs, and I expect this year to be no different. The Heat have been a bad road team given the amount of talent they have on their team, and even if they win one at MSG, I can still see the Knicks winning two down in Miami. The pressure is all on the Heat. Nobody is giving the Knicks a shot (except colleague Jim Park). The Knicks have the 3-point weaponry to win four times. They have been a different team under Woodson, and J.R. Smith and Novak are going to be the keys for them. Carmelo has been playing out of his mind, too. I could go on and on, but when Game 7 arrives, the Heat are going to feel the pressure more than the Knicks will, and the Heat will wilt.

2:19
Comment From WhiteMamba

Who do you as NBA champ this year ??

2:21
My pick is the San Antonio Spurs, and I have become convinced that they are going to do so with ease. That team is loaded deep, they’re scoring like I’ve never seen a Spurs team score before, and they’re scoring with ease. We always see the Spurs roll into the playoffs with a head of steam, but never quite like this year’s version. I have them defeating the Bulls for the title in 5 games.

2:22
Comment From Mario

The regular season and the playoffs are two different things. It’s easy for a young team to win in the season, but in the post season, it’s veteran, slower teams that tend to win. Can the Thunder win the championship even though they’re so young?

2:24
Mario, when it comes down to them playing the Spurs in the conference finals, they are going to find themselves outsmarted by a very savvy team and a very savvy coaching staff — sort of like last year against Dallas. It’s going to be a good series, but homecourt means a lot for both of those teams, probably moreso for the Thunder, and San Antonio has 4 games at its place. Check out that series preview (accessible off homepage) to find the one writer on our staff who thinks the Thunder are getting offed in the first round.

2:25
Comment From Tony M.

It didn’t look like you voted for All-Defensive Teams. Did the NBA do away with that? What gives?

2:26
The coaches pick All-Defensive teams, and the GMs pick the Executive of the Year. If there was a media vote for the latter, it would be R.C. Buford for getting Jaz, Diaw and Mills.

2:28
I knew Dragic always had it in him (first covered him at EuroBasket 2009), and he may have gotten my vote if the Rockets hadn’t fallen apart like a house of cards. What Dragic needed was an opportunity, and he was a studly player after Lowry went down. But Novak went from marginal 15th man to a guy who LED THE LEAGUE in 3-point accuracy while taking a ton of them (see column for further explanation). He was a huge part of Knicks’ late surge.

2:29
Comment From BullsFan

Do you see Rose using the Philly series to brush up and get ready for the second round? It just seems as though his floaters and difficult shots that he usually takes aren’t falling. If he gets hurt in the Philly series, can Bulls still advance to the Eastern Finals?

2:30
Truthfully, I see Thibs easing him back in a little more than many might expect. He still has some rust from missing all those games, and Watson can get plenty of burn to make the transition back easier for Derrick. No need to burn Rose for 38 minutes against that joke of an opponent. I have the Bulls sweeping.

2:31
Comment From Jacob Noble -
I don’t think his Chris Paul MVP is that far fetched, but thanks for Moke for directing me here to chat hoops for a while!
2:34
The CP3 vote is not farfetched at all. Look what he has done for that team, and look how strongly he has finished the season. LeBron’s team is a better team, talent-wise, and their 18-15 road record worked against him in my book. But I still put him second. His numbers speak for themselves and are phenomenal. But his value to his team (operative word in this award is “valuable”)? CP3 was worth more to the Clips.

2:35
Comment From Tyrone

I’m from Memphis and I honestly think that the Grizzlies are the best team in the entire West even though nobody thinks that they are. How far do u think they can go and can they beat the thunder and spurs?

2:36
I have them getting past Clippers in first round, but then they will go against my pick for the title, and that’s where they’ll get beat. Their front line will be a load for the Spurs to deal with, but their lack of 3-point shooting will be a big part of their undoing. And as I said before, the Spurs are clicking on all cylinders so well offensively right now, it is a bit scary to see.

2:37
Comment From Kobe Bryant

Were you surprised that I didn’t play in the final game of the season to try to win the scoring title? I could have scored 38 points against the Kings in my sleep. Don’t you agree?

2:39
Mr. Plashcke at the LA Times was more offended than I was. The Kobester said the scoring title means nothing to him, and I believe him. Methinks Mr. Plaschke is going to be getting the cold shoulder treatment from Mamba for the forseeable future. Kobe even told Broderick Turner of the LA Times that he was an enemy when the paper shifted Turner from the Lakers beat to the Clippers beat.

2:40
Comment From Jim

How much less of a factor is depth come playoff time compared to the regular season when you see the bench play the first few minutes of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters?

2:42
The TV timeouts are so long during the playoffs, it gives an advantage to the teams that do not have quite as much depth. But that being said, coaches tend to stick with their rotations in the playoffs until they are FORCED to adjust them, and the best coaches make the best adjustments sooner rather than later. Bigger question for me adjustment-wise is whether OKC goes with what worked in their last game against Dallas, taking Ibaka off Dirk and letting him dominate the boards and the paint. Blv Serge had 10 blocks in that game.

2:42
Comment From G.T.

It seems like everybody forgot about the dwightmare. do you think he is going to get traded this offseason? can the nets trade for him before july 1? i heard some people say they think that might happen.

2:44
No that Dwight has a contract for next season, he can be traded at any time up until next season’s trade deadline. I think the Nets’ chances of getting him might hinge on whether they keep their pick in the lottery (needs to be Top 3, or it goes to Portland). I do know that Brooklyn is where Dwight wants to be. Can’t blame him either.

2:44
Comment From John B

I know you are talking playoffs, but what is your take on the potential Players Union scandal? Obviously it’s not Bernie Madoff level, but kind of seems like a ponzi scheme to me.

2:46
I don’t think Billy Hunter will survive this. It’d be one thing if he still had Derek Fisher on his side, but their rift combined with the revelations about family hiring (and the amount of money spent on those hires) is going to be too much for him to overcome.

2:47
Comment From Jon

Blocks are great. But, Ibaka gets ALL his blocks on the weak side. And they’re always spikes. Not always the best.

2:48
Agreed about the spikes. He needs to learn to control that. But not all of them come off weak side. Dude defends guys straight up quite well. And he has an astounding number of blocks for a PF.

2:48
Comment From Rachel

Who do you think is the hardest working player in the NBA?

2:49
It’s Kobe, Rachel. Guy is in the gym every morning before sunrise.

2:49
Comment From DannyG_NYC

No love for Knicks Grunwald as exec of year? (Chandler, Novak, Shump, J.R.)

2:51
He did very well (although Shump was Donnie Walsh’s pick), but if Dolan hadn’t pulled the plug on D’Antoni I don’t think we would have seen Novak become such a key contributor. The smith signing was his best move, IMO, because JR is going to be a very, very dangerous weapon in the playoffs. Not many guys in the league can reel off 7, 8 or 9 straight 3s like he can.

2:51
Comment From Daniel

How big on an impact will the suspension of Metta World Peace have in the Lakers-Nuggets series?

2:53
Major. That’s the Lakers’ lockdown guy. But I have L.A. winning that one in 7, and I believe Metta is going to be a big reason why. That Nuggets team is very explosive offensively. They’re going to have all sorts of trouble with Bynum, but I believe Manimal can neutralize Pau on the glass and match him on the scoresheet.

2:54
Comment From Anthony

Wow you think Philly is a joke of an opponent for the Bulls. We will see.

2:55
They have been a horrid team for six weeks now. They are way outclassed by the Bulls. That is a sweep. (If I need to mea cupla in the next chat, Anthony, I will personlly mention you.

2:55
Comment From Eduardo

Who is your favorite to win in London?

2:57
I’m going with the US over Spain in a game every bit as good as the gold medal game in Beijing, which will be hard to top. Ibaka adds a measure of athleticism that they’ve never had before, and Americans are going to have a hard time on the boards is Spain goes big. Also, after seeing Navarro come through so big-time in final three games of Eurobasket in Lithuania (I was the only American journalist there), I have mad respect for his game and think he can get at least 20 against the US.

3:00
Thank for stopping by to chat, and please check out all the playoff previews (with predictions) on the home page ofsheridanhoops.com. We shall continue chatting throughout the playoffs, and I promise to give better notice through Twitter and via the home page. Still learning some of the technical aspects of this gig, still need to learn more. :) Be sure to follow us on Facebook (facebook/sheridanhoops) and subscribe to our newsletter (sheridanhoops.com/subscribe). Over and out.