Much was made this offseason of how Elton Brand convinced Baron Davis to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Brand supposedly sold the All-Star point guard by pointing out how he would be playing with a legitimate low post threat. Problem is, the Sixers then sold Brand on Philly and the former Duke star left his buddy high and dry.
The rest is history and the Clippers are off to a woeful 2-11 start but Mike Dunleavy shook things up Friday and finally got Davis his low post option by sending veterans Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley to the Big Apple in exchange for daily double-double threat Zach Randolph along with guard Mardy Collins.
Randolph was leading the Knicks in both scoring at 20.5 points per game and rebounding with 12.5 rpg.
With those types of numbers, it's hard to understand why New York would want to jettison Randolph but the Michigan State product just doesn't fit in with Mike D'Antoni's high-octane offense.
With Davis on hand in Los Angles, Randolph should be able to settle in more of a conventional offense. Meanwhile, when you add Randolph's rebounding prowess to Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman, the Clippers should quickly become one of the league's top rebounding teams.
Chemistry will be an issue and you can't forget two teams have already given up on Randolph despite his gaudy numbers, but the trade certainly gives what was a moribund franchise, a nice shot in the arm.
LAKERS DOMINATING THE WEST
The Los Angles Lakers Lakers have been so good this season you really have to invent ways to look for competition.
When the Denver Nuggets went on quite the run after acquiring Chauncey Billups, some convinced themselves that the Nuggets might be a team that could go deep in the playoffs and challenge the ultra-talented Lakers.
After all, Billups is championship tested and not called "Mr. Big Shot" for nothing. But, if Friday's game is any indication, you can cross the Nuggets off the competition list.
The Lakers strolled into the Pepsi Center and handled Denver with ease when Kobe Bryant scored 29 points to pace the Lakers to their 10th win in 11 games this season, a 104-90 triumph.
Bryant, who ended 12-of-18 from the field, had 11 points in the third quarter and didn't play in the fourth with the outcome in hand.
Andrew Bynum contributed 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers, while . Lamar Odom also scored 13, Pau Gasol had 12 and Trevor Ariza 11 as Phil Jackson showed off his balanced offense.
"It's a good start,"
said Bryant of the team's 10-1 record, "But it's not what we play for at all. But it means we're on the right track and the important thing is to stay there."
WARRIORS ADD ANOTHER PIECE
Much like the Clippers, the Golden State Warriors took advantage of a New York Knicks fire sale to add another piece to the mix. The Warriors sent disgruntled forward Al Harrington back east in exchange for high-scoring guard Jamal Crawford on Friday.
"We are elated to add a player of Jamals ability to our team,"
executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin said. "We think he is an excellent fit for our style and the fact that he can play multiple positions as a combo guard is a big plus. Additionally, he is a player who can help us immediately due to some of our injuries and, looking down the road, would have the ability to play with any combination of players in the backcourt."
Golden State coach Don Nelson is now overflowing with wing players that can score the basketball. Crawford joins Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Kelenna Azubuike and undrafted rookie Anthony Morrow as players that can fill it up. And remember star guard star Monta Ellis will likely return sometime after January 1 following off-season ankle surgery.
Clearly Nelson is attempting to put together an up-tempo offense that will simply outscore opponents on a daily basis and Crawford is exited to fit in.
"I am really excited and energized about this opportunity,"
Crawford said after the trade. "The Warriors have been one of the most entertaining and fun teams in the league the last few years and I think my abilities are very conducive with their style and their needs."
It remains to be seen if Nelson has enough defense to get key stops late in a close game but the Warriors should be fun to watch for the rest of the season.
O'NEAL HAVING FUN AGAIN
Whether it was injuries, age or just being part of a bad team, Shaquille O'Neal looked like he was on his last legs in South Beach last season.
Since arriving in Phoenix, the big man has gotten a second wind and has looked especially spry early this season.
"The Big Aristotle"
has made sure to credit the Suns training staff and a bit of yoga for his resurgence and, whatever it is, O'Neal schooled his presumptive replacement as the game's most dominating big man on Saturday.
O'Neal rung up 19-points and 17 rebounds in Phoenix' 102-92 win over Portland, while Greg Oden could manage just five points and one rebound in 14 largely ineffective minutes.
"I'm the Shogun, and before you get to the Shogun, you've got to go through a lot of ninjas,"
the always entertaining O'Neal said of his matchup with Oden. "He has to go through Dwight Howard, Yao Ming and by that time, I'll be gone."
Terry Porter will still have to watch O'Neal's minutes closely to have him ready for the playoffs but the big man certainly looks ready to be quite the force again.
THEUS PREDICTS LETDOWN
If Reggie Theus ever decides to get out of the coaching profession, I suppose he could recreate the role of coach Bill Fuller in "Hang Time."
But, maybe the sharp-dressed one should become a seuth-sayer.
After the Kings stunned the Hornets in New Orleans on Wednesday, Theus predicted his inexperience team would suffer a letdown.
Sure enough, Portland waxed Sacramento 117-96 in Arco Arena on Friday as the Kings played awful perimeter defense, allowing the blazers to knock down 14- of-26 three pointers.
Without veterans Kevin Martin and Mikki Moore, who have both been sidelined with injuries, the Kings young talent just hasn't shown the consistency you need on a daily basis.
