Video: Greg Ostertag, the Retired Life

Remember Greg Ostertag? The big dude that used to play for the Jazz. Well, he was recently profiled in a local news story. He's now a playing hockey. At 7 feet, he's one hell of a tall hockey player.

Anyway, check this out:

Talk Around the Hardwood

You wanna do some linkage? I do!

• TwinCities. According El Periodico, Ricky Rubio will stay in Spain not one, but two years.
• Talk Hoops. Zach tackles the signings of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. What are the Pistons doing?
• With Leather. I'm sure you saw this yesterday, but this is one crazy LeBron fan/collector.
• The Hoop Doctors. So Ricky Rubio gets a second in a Gillette spot. Catch the video and some of their thoughts on it.
• Hardwood Paroxysm. Let's just say that Matt Moore "doesn't like" that the Grizz traded for Zach Randolph.
• Bob's Blitz. That hilarioius pic that Shaq showed today at his Cavs introduction presser. lol

Not a lot going on today. We'll see if anything comes about later today.

Twitter: Where Ron Artest Updates His Free Agency Status

With all the NBA players on Twitter, some of them let you know more than others. Ron Artest pretty much said to all of his followers that he will not be returning to the Houston Rockets next season.

Check out this tweet from 96TruWarierQB (Ron Artest's name on Twitter):

How scared are you, Rockets fans?

Remembering Great Moments in NBA History: The 0.4 Shot

Since the world hates me, there currently is no NBA action for me to sink my teeth into. Because of that, I think we all might as well remember great shots and great moments from this glorious game.

The Derek Fisher shot with 0.4 left. As a Lakers fan, I get some goosebumps watching this again. One of the best game winners I have ever seen. Will we see more shots like this? All I can do is hope so. That's what makes you smile and say, I just watched one hell of a game. It's what NBA fans live for.

Let me shut up and roll the video:

What moments do you want remembered here? Post them in the comments!

NBA Talk: What Can Houston Do with the Great Wall of China?

Josh Dhani is a weekly writer for NBATipoff.com.
With Yao Ming's injury, he may stay with Houston and the injury will heal so he can start playing again...or the injury will take a huge impact on his NBA career which would force him to leave and there'll never be a taller basketball player that's actually pretty good like Ming himself ever again.

Is it possible that the Rockets can survive with the Great Wall of China gone for good? Possibly. With some plans I have seen from John Hollinger of ESPN and some plans I have come up with, there is a bright light of hope that can make the Rockets a hungry-playoff team coming into next season.

This is the talk, the NBA Talk that is.

The Rockets have battled with injuries many times. Mostly with their two superstars in Ming and Tracy McGrady. When T-Mac and Ming were out in the 2006-2007 season but they made the playoffs, eventually losing in the first round.

In the 2007-2008 season, the Rockets looked like an NBA Finals team even with Yao Ming out. Houston managed to jabber out 22 straight games that were victories, almost breaking a league record. As they headed into the playoffs, the 22-game winning streak was just a waste of energy as they lost in the first round of the Playoffs.

How can this be happening?

As Houston came into the 2008-2009 season, they managed to get into the second round of the Playoffs, with NBA experts believing that the Los Angeles Lakers will sweep Houston right out of their socks. It turned out to be a great match-up, even with T-Mac out and Ming out for a couple of games in that series.

All we know, the Rockets played the best against the Lakers in the Playoffs than any other NBA team. It surely better than what the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic imagined as Houston pushed the Lakers to seven games, in which nobody thought it was possible.

It was for sure that Houston would win the series after killing the Lakers when Ming was out as Aaron Brooks rised from the underworld, showing skills which led to stomping victory. It was probably the second-best series in this year's NBA Playoffs, behind the Bulls-Celtics battle.

Even though Houston lost, it showed signs of hope that the Rockets could be a dangerous team next year. And then this happened. The Great Wall of China's injury that broke the Rockets apart now.

But wait, the Rockets have some plans, and I think they can use them well.

With starting roster probably looking like this coming into next year with Ming out:
PG: Aaron Brooks

SG: Tracy McGrady

SF: Shane Battier

PF: Ron Artest

C: Luis Scola
(Don't go hatin' if my lineup is really screwed up)

It probably doesn't look good without a tall rebounder to get every single one. But you see the power forward spot? Artest might not be here either so the PF spot is exceedingly questionable. Also with the shooting guard spot as T-Mac may have to miss some of the 2009-2010 season.

So here is one plan:

The Rockets do have some quality backups who stepped it up a HUGE notch in the NBA Playoffs, and those guys were these people after this colon symbol: Aaron Brooks, Carl Landry, Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, Von Wafer, and Chuck Hayes.

They can consider using these fellow players a lot coming into next season as it may be a big help towards the team.

Another plan may be is wait for T-Mac to heal so he can tear it up on the court doing what he does best, and maybe having a possibly chance of doing this. But the plan above and this one may combine into one which may be a whole lot better.

McGrady is amazing all-around the court but the thing that bothers me, and probably a lot of you NBA hooligans out there, is the mind-boggling injuries which actually is mind-boggling for a some strange reason.

Another plan is to re-sign Ron Artest. The Rockets are nothing without this pantsing freak. He is just good all-around, he can shoot and get some good-quality rebounds, but he can't do everything by himself.

That's where free agency kicks in. With guys like Anthony Parker, Shawn Marion, and Josh Childress and much more, the Rockets can sign one of these guys and they probably look ready to go.

The Rockets can also go after Marquis Daniels, who was extremely a heavily-great contributor towards the Indiana Pacers in his three-year stint. I think the Rockets can go after a player like him, especially because of the fact that he accepts low salaries.

The Rockets can also go after Hedo Turkoglu, who declined a $35M contract from Orlando. There is also Ben Gordon. But the Rockets also may be paying very close attention to guys like Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap, and Marvin Williams.

Also keep an eye out for Allen Iverson as he and Brooks can make a dangerous one-two punch at the point guard position.

With these plans of Yao out and if they are all combined into one big plan, I think the Rockets are good to go. But that's if they follow them. And who knows, maybe Yao may come back! We'll see.

Time will tell.

And the clock is ticking.

Eddy Curry's Mansion in Foreclosure

Can things get any worse for Eddy Curry? He's been bound and robbed, had important people in his life die and has been an utter failure on the professional basketball circuit.

I can't help but feel sorry for him and Knicks fans. Maybe he'll come in next year and be in half way decent shape? That's all you can really hope for.

Here are some numbers on the whole debacle from ESPN:

Documents show that Curry was more than $217,000 behind on his $3.7 million mortgage as of Friday. Records reviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times show that Curry and his wife, Patrice, took the 30-year mortgage out in July 2003 to buy the home. A court filing says the Currys' initial interest rate on the home loan was 9.25 percent with a monthly payment of $28,675.

Ouch. Help a Knick out, people!

Michael Curry Fired

Yahoo! is reporting that Michael Curry was fired as head coach of the Detroit Pistons. My quick analysis: AMEN!

I did like him going into the season, but as the season progressed, I didn't like how he handled the team. So I am happy with the move, but I want to see where the go from here. That's all I need to say at this point.

Who do you guys think is going to be the next Pistons coach? Pistons fans, how happy are you about this??

Talking Off-Season With Jeff of Project Spurs

We are talking to lots of team bloggers and getting their takes on what their squads will be doing in the off-season. Now we have Jeff of the great Spurs blog, Project Spurs. Make sure to check them out and stay up to date on everything Spurs.

1. Let's first talk about the Spurs big trade. Getting Richard Jefferson for Obricio and some other old guys, how happy did that make you feel? How close were to you writing that the Spurs front office really wasn't doing their job?

So happy I packed Oberto's bag, got him a 1-way ticket to Milwaukee and lied to the Dept. of Homeland Security that he is illegally in the USA and needs to be deported immediately to Argentina. Said to Bowen thanks for everything, see you at your jersey retirement party in SA and asked Thomas "Can we get you back instead of Oberto and Bowen?" That's how happy I was. Seriously the Spurs lacked that athletic small forward. It was very apparent in the Mavs series when Howard was having his way with the Spurs. This was a missing piece the Spurs needed to address and they sure did! Four guys (Jefferson, Duncan, Parker and Ginobilli) who can score over 20 a night has to be something other West teams are nervous about. As for me writing on the Spurs front office, I was taking a "wait and see" approach. So far I like what I see and will wait to see if they address the Spurs other weakness. . . center position.

2. You have been a guy that has wanted to get rid of Manu Ginobili for a while. In talking to you when we meet in New York, I know you don't trust how healthy his ankle is anymore. All that being said, what pieces would you like to get for him? I know you would want young, athletic talent, but who would be at the top of your list?

Well seeing how everyone knows Manu's health is questionable, I shouldn't expect a lot in return. I like what Washington offered for Manu, but I would want to get high draft picks for him and a legit big man. With Duncan's NBA career is closing to an end and it would be time for the Spurs to start rebuilding around Parker and trading Manu might just help.

3. The big time guy the Spurs picked up in the draft was DeJuan Blair. Talk about how happy you were to get him and also talk about the craziness of the draft since you got to go.

The Draft was so much fun. Just being with people who enjoy the NBA was good enough for me. It didn't matter if you were a Spurs fan, Bulls fan, Knicks fan, etc just all of us there hoping the best for our teams was the common bond. I even found myself yelling and booing teams picks for no reason. Also getting drunk and twittering live was a bad idea. Nonetheless it is something every NBA fan has to do once in their life. As for Blair what can I say, the Spurs had a glaring weakness in the paint and Blair fits that need. I often wonder if it's the Spurs organization who does their "homework" or are the rest of the NBA teams that stupid. If Blair pans out he would be added to the list of gems the Spurs found late in drafts (Parker, Manu, Hill, Blair). This guy is as rugged as they come. Physical, a beast on the boards, passionate on the court, and can grab offensive boards. Plus he annihilated Thabeet when they met head-to-head during their college days. Still, the thought of Duncan, Gooden and Blair in the paint for the Spurs just brings to me a smile.

4. Tim Duncan is no young guy (in NBA years) at 33. Predict how many more good years he has in him and what his legacy will be with the Spurs.

He has 2 more years. His knees are a concern, and he lost a lot of lift in the post. However it was awesome while it lasted. His legacy is cemented to this franchise. He was cool on the court, almost unstoppable on the court, never became a "diva", put team first above himself, allowed others to blossom, and led by example. The memories he gave Spurs fans are endless but I say his performance against the Nets in the 03 Finals, his 3 against the Suns in the playoffs, and seeing him play side-by-side with David Robinson are etched in my mind. He was never boring and when he is gone, then we will see people give him the credit he deserves which is a shame.

5. This question comes from the Fan House twitter: Are you concerned about DeJuan Blair-is he an injury risk/not a smart pick?

A bit. There has to be something to his knees if a bunch of teams passed on him. I heard doctors red-flagged Blair causing numerous teams to pass on him. However the Spurs get a guy who is not getting a guaranteed contract, low risk (financially), and if he does work out then the Spurs win as well. I say smart pick, low risk. Besides he did play a full season at Pitt and showed no signs of knee trouble.

6. This is from Howlin' T-Wolf (also check their blog): Besides obviously health what's the biggest key for the Spurs to win it all?

I say "rest". The core guys (Duncan, Parker, Finley, Manu) play deep into the playoff year after year. Any amount of rest will pay dividends for the Spurs long-term. My concern right now is how Parker will feel heading into the season. He is playing for the French National Team this summer and hope he isn't tired come opening night. Another key is how quick the new guys can gell with the Spurs system. Young guys like Blair, McClinton, Mahinimi, and Hill and the newest Spurs Richard Jefferson will need to take advantage of any practice time. As the saying goes, it takes about 1 full season to understand the Spurs system.

7. Getting RJ was clearly a step towards more contention for the Spurs. With every great team, there are down years and growing pains that ensue at some point. When does that point come for the Spurs and do you as a fan think you are prepared to cheer during tough times?

That point comes when Duncan retires. Sure Parker is there but gone is the low post threat TD provides that helps Parker to get to the lane easily. As a Spurs fan I know we won't abandon ship. Sure I am very critical about the team but I never stop defending them, reminding others they have 4 titles, etc. Spurs fans around the world will continue to cheer for them even when times are tough.

8. Another Twitter question from thattalldude (he does some writing for Jeff, at Project Spurs) Who are the top three centers to target in free agency? And will we see another trade before the season?

Top 3 centers to target: Zaza Pachulia, Andy Varejao, and Rasheed Wallace. Pachulia provides more toughness in the paint, Varejao will do the dirty work, and Wallace gives the Spurs another low post threat, scoring and shot blocking. As for another trade I sure hope so if it involves dumping Bonner. However I don't see another huge trade like the RJ trade but I can see them signing another free agent like Rasheed Wallace.

9. Lots of people interested in the Spurs, this question is from nmiko: Do you think the spurs are still interested in Sheed after they got Blair?

Oh yes. Blair is a nice, young big man but there is nothing like the experience Wallace brings to the table and his ability to block shots, board and score. He is an established vet but I hope Blair spends more time learning from TD and not Sheed should he come to SA for obvious reasons.

10. If you had to take Fabricio Oberto to dinner to give him his late celebration as a now former Spur, where would you take him and what would you say to him? How much crap would you give him?

I would take him to the Wendy's dollar menu and say to him "The Spurs couldn't sign Scola but got you? You can't board, play volleyball on the court and posted a pic of yourself on Twitter shirtless, eating ice-cream. Seeing you on the court actually made me miss Rasho Nesterovic. Have fun in Detroit!" I might give him some thanks for his play in the 07 Finals but he never was the right type of center the Spurs needed to play along side Duncan.

11. Hot seat question: how far do the Spurs get next year?

If they stay healthy and address the center position I say WCF vs the Lakers. Again if they don't address the center position then Spurs are in for one hell of a fight going up against Gasol, Odom, and Bynum. Right now all we got is Bonner, Blair and Duncan. Doesn't reassure me.

Thanks again to Jeff. Remember to check out Project Spurs!

Talking Off-Season With: A Royal Pain

We got a chance to talk with Bryan of A Royal Pain. He writes a tremendous Kings blog, so make sure you check it out. Also check out his other site, Kings Forum.


1. Looking at your draft review, I see you were one of the guys that wanted the Kings to select Ricky Rubio. Tell us what you do and don't like about what you got and if you'd still deal Kevin Martin for Rubio.

I think a lot of people were more shocked than upset at the selection of Tyreke Evans, including myself. I watched Evans at Memphis quite a bit and thought he'd be a really nice player in the league, but, I still think we made a mistake passing on Rubio. The way the Kings roster is built, guys like Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, and Kevin Martin all need to be set up for shots and that's something Rubio could have done with ease. Despite what a lot of people are saying, I really don't view Evans as a point guard even with his great ball handling skills but his ability to break down defenders one on one is a welcome addition to a team that had no ability to do that. With all of that said, I would personally walk Kevin Martin to Minnesota in exchange for Rubio. With Rubio, Evans, Greene, Thompson, and Hawes the Kings would have one of if not the youngest team in the league with such promise.


2. From a cap standpoint, the Kings only have a guaranteed payroll of about $47 million. Do you expect any activity in free agency, or do you think this team will stay young going into next season?

I actually made a mistake in my numbers and forgot to add in Mikki Moore's guaranteed 2 million dollar buyout situation the Kings are stuck with, so after playing with the numbers it looks like the Kings will have around 7 million in cap space to play with assuming the NBA salary cap drops this season as expected. With only 7 million dollars available, Bobby Jackson still unsigned, and Rashad McCants and Ike Diogu on qualifying offers, the Kings might not have any cap space if they bring back those three players. So, I don't expect anything large action in free agency this season. I do however expect them to look into trading Andres Nocioni and Kenny Thomas' 8 million dollar expiring contract.


3. Let's assume that the Kings don't change anything about their current point guard situation. Since this team is in a rebuilding stage, is it okay having Beno Udrih, Sergio Rodriguez and a combo guard in Tyreke Evans? While I know you'd like to have Rubio, I'm sure you could deal with that as the team develops.

In all honesty, we don't have much of a choice this season. Hopefully Evans will surprise us all and be more a point guard and floor general than we think, but I highly doubt it at this time. One thing with Beno - he did NOT get along with with Kenny Natt so it'll be interesting to see how well he and Paul Westphal get along and if it improves his game. Beno did play pretty well when Reggie Theus was coaching (as evidenced by that horrible contract he got) so we're crossing our fingers; it was more of a issue between player and coaching style than Beno playing over his head for 25-30 games during the Mike Bibby injury.


4. In the limited time that I saw the Kings last season, one of the guys I really liked was Spencer Hawes (if you haven't seen him play, watch this incredible mix). He's only 21 and a solid, young big man. I see a young Gasol, but a more athletic version and an even better shooter. Where does he need to improve and could he become an All-Star at some point in his career?

Spencer has spent a great deal of time working with specialists and at the University of Washington this off-season on his post moves, which is the one area he really needs to improve on. Like most young players, his footwork in the post needs help. Despite getting the "goofy white stiff" reputation in the media, he's actually far from that. He's not the most mobile guy but he can run the court extremely well and he has a great ability to recover and block shots from behind. He's still 21, so, his confidence can be a bit shaky at times but there is no denying the talent is there to be an all around big man in the league. If he ever does add a legit post game, he'll become a serious threat in the league when combined with his outside game.


5. Where do you see this team in five years? You think they still be in Sac Town then and how good will the team be?

With California having the financial issues they're having, keeping the Kings in Sacramento is going to be one tough process. The Kings do need a new arena in the worst way and getting the state and/or city to pay for it has been like pulling teeth. I'm not sure why the Maloofs (with all of the business ventures and contacts they have) haven't been able to strike their own deal and pay for it themselves (much like the San Francisco Giants did with real estate investments). The Kings do have a very preliminary agreement with the state that was passed a few months ago that gives them one year to fine a developer for the Cal Expo arena plan, but with California's budget woes - it's not looking good. As far as the actual talent on this team, it really is going to depend on the progress the players make. Tyreke Evans looks like a sure thing, Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes both did well this past season, and the Kings really improved their coaching staff. They're going to need to develop a bench in due time and hope Donte Greene emerges as a good player but the Kings do have some talent in the making. Let's not forget Kevin Martin did miss a good portion of the season this past year (and the time he did play he was never himself) so the Kings really weren't a 17 win ballclub. By no stretch were they a playoff contender but 25-28 wins would not have been out of the question. If the expectations from the youth pull through, the Kings should be back in the playoff picture year in, year out in 5 years.


6. Since the Kings had the worst record in the league last year, do you find it hard to be a Kings fan? Do you ever take heat from people about being a Kings fan?

It seems like it's a constant disappointment to be a Kings fan...so it can be hard, but I've been rooting for them since I was a kid and they were lucky to win 25 games a year. Most people assume since one is a Kings fan, they've only rooted for them since the Webber era but I've been a diehard since I was about 6 years old. I think I've started to bleed purple.


7. I've seen a couple funny prank videos come from the Kings in the past. Which one is your favorite and talk about how much and fun and chemistry this team has amassed.

The chemistry this team has off the court is great - I wish they'd be able to copy it onto the court though. lol. But they're definitely a funny bunch off the court. The most popular videos were the popcorn in the car videos, which were hilarious as well as the videos from the Donte' Greene show but I think the best moment was Jason Thompson's brand new Escalade was filled with popcorn. Everybody knew what went down other than JT, and Spencer Hawes comes out of the practice facility on the phone to the car dealership (pretending to be Jason Thompson) going "Oh dang, popcorn is the S'Calade...popcorn in the S'Calade...I got loads of popcorn is the whip son".


8. Do you know where Kevin Martin got that crazy shot of his and have you ever tried to emulate it? Being a pretty good three point shooter myself, I find it funny how these crazy looking shots are so consistent

As ugly as that shot is, it's actually got a near perfect release. How he ever gets the shot off though without it being blocked is one of the great mysteries of man.


9. Since the Kings fans are so great, how many down years do you think they can endure?

You know, we can deal with the losing for a while...we understand it takes time to rebuild. All we ask is that the players on the court go out there every night and play with heart and passion. In the past few seasons, other than Ron Artest and Mikki Moore, the Kings really lacked guys that would lay it all on the line...but the new collection of talent really has shown a different desire for the game and it's a nice change. I think Jason Thompson spent more time on the floor going for loose balls last season than Brad Miller did during his entire Sacramento career. Give us a reason to pull for you, and we will. Sacramento is one of the most loyal fan bases in sports.

10. Give your expectations for next season in one sentence.

It's going to be a season full of growing pains, but I think we'll start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Remember to check out A Royal Pain! Thanks again, Bryan!

Talk Around The Hardwood

Link time baby!

• The Scores Report. The top restricted free agents for this summer.
• Dime Mag. Episode six of Johnny Flynn's draft diary, he takes you through most of draft day.
• Waiting For Next Year. New Shaq Cavs jerseys, anyone?
• Examiner. Great little look at the upcoming LeBron movie, More Than a Game. It's coming out October 2nd.
• Bullets Forever. A little talk about the potential of Andray Blatche.
• Rockin' Steady. The last chapter of Stephen A. Smith draft heckling. Have your tissues prepared!
• The Hoop Doctors. Kobe Bryant talks to MTV about how Michael Jackson influenced his life (his time stops at 2:30 in the video).
• Yahoo! Sports. Things don't sound great for Yao Ming and Rockets fans.
• Basketball Fiend. Looking for a basketball fix? Check this out, the Fiend talks about Gunnin' For That #1 Spot, a basketball documentary you can watch free on Hulu.