Toluu

ESPN.com - True Hoop - Blog

ESPN.com presents True Hoop by Henry Abbott

You Don't See That Very OftenYesterday

This afternoon, the Clippers traded a conditional second-round pick to Toronto for Hassan Adams and cash.

About two hours later, they announced that Adams had been waived.

What?

So they traded a pick for ... cash? And they take on however many dollars Adams was guaranteed?

Toronto wanted to do this because it got them under the luxury tax threshold, which is worth more than $3 million. But what, exactly, was in it for the Clippers? My best guess: The cash.

And, one other thing. That second-round pick could be very conditional. Teams will occasionally protect a pick for something like picks 31-55, which means they only give it up if they're one of the best teams in the NBA.

If that's what the Clippers did, then of course they didn't give up anything. So it's some paper shuffling for some money. It's all pretty harmless stuff. Unless ... you're Hassan Adams.

When Fans Go SourJanuary 7

Man oh man, I was spoiled, growing up watching games in Portland's Memorial Coliseum. When the team started to get good, every fan seemed to believe they would win every home game. It was just always believable that the team of Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Buck Williams, Jerome Kersey, Kevin Duckworth and the like would somehow pull it out.

Which meant that there were a lot of times when the other team would make a big run, and things were starting to look bleak -- and the fans would stand up and deliver a rousing ovation.

No kidding.

I can especially remember it out of timeouts. Rick Adelman would call a timeout to stop the run, and coming back out on the court, the fans would stand up clapping, and lift up the players. Give them a big emotional shot in the arm, saying, essentially, we believe in you.

Now granted, I'm a guy who can barely remember what I had for lunch today, let alone things that happened decades ago. But it sure seemed like when they got that kind of treatment from the fans, the team frequently responded with a victory. (And those teams had great home records.)

Can't remember seeing that in any arena in a long time.

By college, I lived on the East Coast, where I'd go to Knick, Net, and Six

Kobe Bryant: "Video Fiend"December 31 2008

Posted by Kevin Arnovitz

Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner have a piece in today's Los Angeles Times on Kobe Bryant's attachment to his portable DVD player, and his meticulous preparation:

"Hands down, he's the biggest video fiend we've ever had," said Chris Bodaken, the Lakers' director of video services. "I didn't know if it was possible to be more competitive than Magic was, but I think he might be. It carries over into his preparation, and this is part of that."

Bodaken, 40, began working in the Lakers' editing room in 1989 as an intern and is now one of two full-time staffers who use eight digital video recorders, five laptop computers and 18 DVD burners to record, edit and copy footage for Lakers coaches and players.

NBA teams are inundated with video, part of an effort to keep up with the competition in the digital age. The Lakers' video staff has been even busier this season because Bryant, 30, has dialed up his requests after winning his first NBA most-valuable-player award.

Bryant previously studied clips from entire games, watching them at his home or on the way to home games in his car (he is typically driven by one of his bodyguards). Now his pregame routine also includes clips of individua

LaMarcus Aldridge: Handle With CareDecember 31 2008

Posted by Kevin Arnovitz

LaMarcus Aldridge's mid-range jumper is among the most indefensible shots in the game. His length and quick release make it infallible when he's on, whether he's facing up, leaning into his defender -- something he's become more comfortable doing lately -- or fading away. This month, Aldridge has averaged 19.8 ppg on 50% shooting from the field, up from his November totals of 15.9 ppg and 46%. Despite the steady progress, Aldridge still hears the whispers: "soft," "mercurial," "finesse player." Some of these characterizations are disputable. But, as Ric Bucher reports in the upcoming issue of ESPN the Magazine, Aldridge is well aware of his confidence issues, as are the Blazers, and their origins:

"I'm not normal," Aldridge says. "The only person I really trust is myself."

When those are the words you live by, your tendency is to examine everything you encounter with a microscope, looking for signs of deception or dishonesty, for any speck of someone trying to get over. Even something as simple as changing a pregame routine-say, replacing [Blazers video coordinator/assistant coach Kaleb] Canales-requires deliberation and execution, lest Aldridge peer into his scope and find something not quite right.

Of course, Aldridge's lack of faith in his fellow man isn't the first t

Did Spoelstra Pull a...Spoelstra?December 30 2008

Posted by Kevin Arnovitz

The Eric Spoelstra story is one of my favorites -- meritocracy as its best. Thirteen years ago, Spoelstra was the video coordinator for the Heat. He gradually worked his way up in the organization. "Assistant Coach" was added to his title in 1997. Then, in 1999, "video coordinator" was exchanged for "advance scout." Two years later, he graduated from advance scout to Director of Scouting. Today, he's presiding over one of the league's most improved teams. Triumph of the Basketball Dork! [intended as a compliment].

But whatever their pedigrees, rookie coaches -- no different than rookie players -- are subject to growing pains. Basketball.org noticed one such mistake during last Friday's Heat/Bulls game:

The game was nothing of significance, just a regular season game between the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls, but what happened at the end of the game is worth noting.

With 30 seconds remaining and up over 10 points, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra called a timeout to let his subs in the game. When it occurred, we all looked at each other saying "what the #$#@?

Apparently, the Chicago Bulls were irate as well at the Heat,