NBA Live 2008’s Dynasty Mode (Part III) - Trade and Triple-Double

This is the third of a series of articles on my first ever Dynasty Mode Season.

Finally had a chance to sit down and check out the latest NBA Live 2008 Dynasty GM features. Here are some highlights:

• Free agency – Josh Smith, Anderson Varejao, and Jose Manuel Calderon all have one-year pacts. Looking ahead, I’m sure they are expecting big paydays and I just know I can’t keep all of them, especially since I am over the salary cap. This early, I foresee Anderson Varejao holding out (the real one has, why not his NBA Live counterpart).
• Team Chemistry – A majority of my players don’t think too highly of Anderson Varejao. Is he my team’s albatross?
• Free Agents – Charlie Bell and Matt Carroll are available.

Game 7: Suns @ Magic (139-118)

Looking at my schedule so far (6 wins – 1 loss), I’ve only had two home games to this point but all things being equal, I would most probably have a slew of consecutive home games :) Now down to business.

Best player: Dwight Howard (30 points and 3 steals); Chris Bosh (my team’s Shawn Marion) comes up with 23 points and 9 caroms. While Luke Ridnour is a steady force with 11 assists and David Lee has his second straight productive game finishing with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals off the pine.

The Magic were led by point guard Kirk Hinrich (41 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists), Manu Ginobili (29 points), and Haiti-born center Samuel Dalambert (16 points and 15 rebounds).

Game 8: Knicks @ Suns (133-170)

Before I get to the game, I came to the conclusion that I don’t want to deal with free agency. I know that it sounds premature but it is still something that needs to be considered. With this in mind, I proposed a trade (Josh Smith, Mike Miller, and Jose Manuel Calderon) to the Sacramento Kings for Dwyane Wade.

It looks promising, but I worry about my team’s chemistry as in NBA Live 2008, it seems to have repercussions – I haven’t seen it yet but I hope I don’t rue the day I pulled the trigger on this one.

Now to the game. Despite Kobe Bryant’s Herculean scoring effort (Judged the best player in this contest after finishing with 89 points and little from everyone else) and all-around game of rookie PG Morris Almond (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists), the Knicks fell to the Suns 170-133.

For the Suns, Chris Bosh topped all Suns scorers with 28 points and 4 blocks. Dwight Howard contributed 18 points (9-9 FG) and 10 caroms in this effort. While guard J.J. Redick broke out of a slump a finished with 20 points (2-11 3-point FG).

Mike Miller (25 points and 5 steals) and Josh Smith (20 points; 10-10 FG) also gave a good account for themselves despite rumors of a blockbuster trade swirling around the two players.

November 14, 2007

• Sacramento Kings approve the deal of Josh Smith, Mike Miller, and Jose Manuel Calderon for Dwyane Wade. The Kings added that they believe that this trade “would benefit both teams.”

I hope so…

• Charlie Bell signs with Suns

November 15, 2007

• Matt Carroll joins the Suns.


Game 9: Bulls @ Suns (134-184)

After the Chicago Bulls took one point lead at the end of the first quarter (44-43), the Phoenix Suns never looked back as they scored a blistering 65 points in the next period on their way to their best performance in a half (108 points). Inspired by Luke Ridnour’s 1st triple-double of the season (20 points, 18 assists, 12 steals, and 14 TO; Best Player), the Suns survived the dominating post presence of the Bulls Twin Towers: Paul Gasol (70 points and 6 rebounds) and Yao Ming (32 points and 9 rebounds).

When the smoke cleared, all but three of the eleven Suns that suited up for this contest scored in double figures with Wade (37 points), Varejao (25 points, 6 steals), and Bosh (20 points) leading the way.

Team Chemistry: I really don’t know…the feel of the team was different. Right now, I have a ton of two-guard shooters who are playing out of position at shooting forward (either Jason Kapono or Kyle Korver). I need a slasher…this is where I really miss Josh Smith.

Oh well…adjust…adjust…adjust…

Move over Bill Walton and Ron Mercer...Boston’s New Employee Number 5 is Kevin Garnett

Longtime Minnesota Timberwolves insider Steve Aschburner brings up a very good point in his article (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/steve_aschburner/10/08/garnett.london/index.html) on newly acquired power-forward Kevin Garnett.

In the 12-years that KG has been with the T-Wolves, how many teammates has he played with?

“… someone call the Elias Sports Bureau -- that Garnett had more teammates come and go, during his 12 seasons in Minnesota, than any other one-, two- or even three-team star in the NBA in that span. From Terry Porter, Sam Mitchell, Doug West and Stephon Marbury near the start, through Tom Gugliotta, Terrell Brandon, Malik Sealy and Wally Szczerbiak in the middle, to Sam Cassell, Latrell Sprewell, Ricky Davis and Randy Foye near the end, Garnett stayed, giving the franchise its face through three or four Wolves generations. Actually, mutations might be a better word, given the often grisly results.”

Now that would be a noteworthy stat or just the work of someone who has too much time on their hands.

But interesting nonetheless…

I wonder if the Elias Sports Bureau does keep such a statistic. Hmmm….

When Nothing Else Matters (Hardcover)

Category: Books
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Author: Michael Leahy

Published in 2004, author Michael Leahy shares his experiences during Michael Jordan's last comeback to the National Basketball Association.

Leahy's potrayal of Jordan showed a different side of the basketball legend which is not normally seen in the eyes of the public. Jordan, the "the most marketed player in the history of the NBA," was finally..."mortal" and did go through the same trials and tribulations (from a heightened perspective) that we all go through at some point in our lives. Leahy accounts the days wherein Jordan was at his best and would score 35 points over the span of several games to the days wherein he wasn't unstoppable and hit his career lows of 8 and 2 points respectively.

What stood out for me was Jordan's lambasting of players who didn't play up to his standards. Leahy quotes Jordan on numerous occasions wherein he would lambast teammates. Coach Fred "Tex" Winter, an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers and former assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls summed it up best, "you either work hard or Michael has no use for you."

But the one paragraph in Leahy's entire book which rocked my very foundation of emulating Michael Jordan was the following:

"His people had held him up as a man to be emulated, making Jordan more than a half-billion in endorsement dollars in the process...he had raised the bar on his behavior during 17 years of unremitting self-promotion, in campaigns approved by the Jordan camp and coordinated by Nike and other corporate sponsors that elevated him from great athlete to hero and, finally, to moral symbol.

...when you present yourself as virtuous in years of ad campaigns and TV commercials, you will be fairly held in time to that standard. Fairly held because uou have sold your basketball shoes to people plunking down in excess of $100 not merely for a chance at better Ups but for a way to rub up against your aura, to feel a tiny sense of you in that admittedly silly way people feel when they wish to emulate anybody, to be inspired by your class and elegance, your morality and grace, as they've heard it told. And if some of that was artifice, then so, too, was everything you sold with your likeness on it."

Disturbing but quite true, personally, I have seen myself on many occasions wanting to "be like Mike." I've bought the shoes, worn the clothes, gotten the cards, read the books...and it is only now I realized. What about me? Leahy's book showed me that. In the years that I have been collecting "Jordan" in order to be inspired, all I needed to do in the end was look in the mirror in order to be inspired.

This is a great book that puts any not only Michael Jordan's life in perspective but also that of your own, especially if you are a Jordan fan who has collected his paraphernalia over the years.

Back to the Mint

When I first heard that Miami Heat coach Pat Riley was considering giving 36-year old Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway another chance at the big leagues after almost two years of shelf time – I was ecstatic! Ecstatic because I grew up watching the duo of Shaq and Penny strut their stuff for the Orlando Magic in the early 90’s. Now, more than a decade later, I’d get to see them again…

But based on the observations of Miami Heat insider Ira Winderman (http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_basketball_heat/), it looks like it may not happen.

Winderman wrote:

"Hardaway, though, is different. He is not assured a spot and still must play his way onto the 15-man regular-season roster. His quadriceps soreness not only opens more playing time for the likes of Jeremy Richardson, Devin Green and even Marcus Slaughter, but makes one wonder how much longer Riley can justify the comeback bid by the 36-year-old who has been out of the league for nearly two years."

And to think I was looking forward to a picture with Shaq, Penny, and D.Wade.

NBA Live 2008 - And The Season Continues...

Given my recent success after my loss to the Seattle Supersonics on opening night, I immediately set my game preferences to “Superstar” level in order to give me more of a challenge. Here is how my next three games went.

Game 4: Suns @ Bobcats (137-135)

Have you every watched a blowout game wherein the winning team already rested its starters, but had to bring them back in because the other opposing team made a game out of it? That’s what happened here. If it were not for a Robert Swift missed bank shot as time expired, I think the outcome may have been a lot different.

Best player: Chris Bosh (44 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 steals); Dwight Howard chips in 26 points and 9 rebounds and Josh Smith calls it a night after filling out the stat sheet with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals.

The Bobcats were lead by rookie (what is it with NBA Live 2008 rookies? They all seem to have Superstar Stats!!!) Alando Tucker (41 points), Stevie Franchise (37 points), and Mike James (29 points).

Game 5: Suns @ Hawks (169-90)

Not an error folks, it was simply a drubbing. Despite an early 14 point lead, the Hawks relied too much on the jump shooting trio of Earl Boykins, Larry Hughes, and Ron Artest without deferring to their inside game. Then again, this team simply didn’t run down on defense, so I guess they got what they deserved. In hindsight, I think this development may have been caused by NBA Live 2008’s “role playing” function. Not sure how that works, but it is the only plausible explanation that I could come up with after they lost by 79.

Bosh, the best player (again) lead the Suns to four forty point quarters with 56 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 steals. Dwight Howard scores 32 and grabs 15. While Luke Ridnour dishes out 30 dimes and Josh Smith goes (14 of 14 FG) and finishes with 28.

As for the Hawks, well, I don’t think they would survive the season if Ron Artest (20 points) keeps on jacking up fall away jumpers and three pointers from the corners. Larry Hughes shot selection was also non-existent despite finishing with 20 points as well. Boykins, at 5’5’’ was the high man for the Hawks with 37 points. (It does pay to hold the ball in every possession…hehehe)

Game 6: Suns @ Miami (145-123)

Prior to the start of the game, I learned some nifty moves (drive and hop back; drive and step back) using the training segment of NBA Live 2008. Now all I need to learn is how to convert a three pointer with some consistency as I have had players go 1/10, 1/5, and 2/9 – all in the same game!

Highlights: Dwight Howard gets top honors with 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 steals (most, if not all from inbounds passes). David Lee makes a case for more playing time with 20 points and 4 steals. While J-Smooth (23 points) and Chris Bosh (27 points and 3 steals) are their usual silky smooth selves.

As for the Heat, Vincent Lamar Carter drives and twists his way to 49 points; Carlos Boozer provided an inside presence with 18 and 10 caroms. While ROOKIE (these rookies again) Javaris Crittenton (who is this guy!) finishes with 33 points and 13 feeds.

Oh man, I’ve really got to get back to work now. Hope you guys found this interesting. Have a great week ahead everyone!

The New Big Three Loves Rondo

From what the Celtics veterans: Kevin Garnett, Walter Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce have been saying, the sky's the limit for sophomore point guard Rajon Rondo.

Here is an except of Garnett's comments from Steve Bulpett's article in bostonherald.com (http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1036344):

"I didn't know how good of a defender he was. I just thought of him as an average defender, knowing what little I did from last year."

"He's come in and he's a very, very hard worker. You know I respect that right off the bat. He comes in and gets his nose dirty. He plays really, really hard. I love him. He's unselfish. I'm trying to get him acclimated with Ray and Paul and myself."

"If Rondo's not good, it'd only be because he doesn't want to be good. The sky's the limit for that kid."

Pierce added:

"You can tell he really worked on a lot of aspects of his game this summer. His confidence is a lot higher. There's times where he's taking his shot. We encouraged him to take it last year, and now he's stepping up and taking the shots that are there. He just seems more comfortable. I think he's really building on the end of the season and what he did last year."

Wow huh? And to think that Ray Allen has even taken Rondo under his wing. I forsee an increase in points, rebounds, assists, and steals for the 21-year old Yarbarker Blogger!

Have a great season Rajon!

NBA Live 2008 - Introducing the New Phoenix Suns

Just got my copy of NBA Live 08' today. And to be honest, the game play is still similar to how it was in past NBA Live editions (So what was Shawn Marion and Co. so excited about?) with the exception of the power hop (which they brought back) and player "hot spots" (which are areas in the basketball court wherein a player shows some proficiency to convert shots).

I also decided to finally play a Dynasty Mode after more than a decade of playing every version of NBA Live. I really haven’t gotten around to doing it, so I guess this version is the best time to do it.

Here is what I ended up with after drafting 30th with the Phoenix Suns (I just dig their Orange alternate road jersey). In alphabetical order: Chris Bosh, Jose Manuel Calderon, Dwight Howard, Jason Kapono, Kyle Korver, David Lee, Mike Miller, J.J. Redick , Luke Ridnour, Josh Smith, Anderson Varejao, and Earl Watson.

As for my preferences, I set them at “Superstar” level for the first 10-15 games of the season in order to acclimate myself to the intricacies of Live 08’. 8 minutes quarters (Any more and the final scores would be simply atrocious)

Game 1: Suns @ Sonics (125-157)

What is it with rookies? Sonics’ Josh McRoberts lights me up for 75 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 blocks; while his frontcourt partner, Amare Stoudemire finishes with 42 points and 14 rebounds. It was really ugly, as I couldn’t stop Damon Stoudamire’s penetration (36 assists).

My bright spots were a Chris Bosh triple-double (45 points, 12 steals, and 13 rebounds) and Dwight Howard’s 27 points. Despite how it looks, I forced a ton a threes with my designated gunner J.J. Redick shooting a horrendous 22% (5-23) from downtown.

This doesn’t look too promising…

Game 2: Lakers @ Suns (100-145)

Redemption! Now that’s more like it! I made some lineup changes and started Josh Smith in lieu of J.J. Redick and just kept on pounding the ball inside. J.Smith was the player of the game with a 35 point, 6 rebound, and 4 steals effort. While Bosh was again spectacular with 36 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Aside from this new appreciation for Chris Bosh, I also played Andy Varejao and to my surprise, he was effective defensively (3 blocks and a steal). As for Redick, I don’t even want to go there (2/12 from downtown).

The Lakers were lead by Steve Nash (36 points and 9 assists) and Marcus Camby (21 points and 12 rebounds).

Game 3: Cavaliers @ Suns (115-146)

Home sweet home! Another win! I also discovered that back-to-back games lower the stamina of players. Basically, their stamina is not 100% at the start of new games. I guess, this puts a premium on putting teams away and letting the bench play in lieu of the starters.

Highlights: Bosh gets his second triple-double in three games (50 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 steals); Dwight Howard scores 31 and grabs 9 caroms; Ridnour finishes with 11 assists.

Redick finishes 1-5 from three-point land. I really need to stop taking all these threes, especially in transition, as they never really go in with any decent consistency.

I’m stopping here for today. I’ve burned enough time in front of the PS2.