In episode 002 of The 300s Podcast we talk about the Baseball Hall of Fame; Who got in? Who got screwed? Tales of painfully strong margaritas in Milwaukee, how the Patriots killed Fireman Ed and why the ESPN app is the bane of our existence.
How About Jimmer Fredette Averaging 38 Points a Game in China?!
To be honest, I did not read the majority of this article because I’m not a member of the exclusive ESPN Insider Club. But, how about my boy Jimmer Fredette averaging 38 points a game in China. 38! Now I know the CBA isn’t exactly the NBA, but putting up nearly 40 a game is impressive nonetheless. I still hold out hope he’ll be able to work himself into a solid NBA player like his 3-point specialist brethren JJ Reddick did.
Either way, these guys compiled one of the most dangerous basketball teams to ever step on the court in my old NBA2k franchise. I basically assembled the deadliest 3 point shooting team ever and completely bailed on any rebounding or post play. The ball touches your hands? You’re jacking up a 3. Jimmer Fredette. JJ Reddick. Ray Allen. I believe I had old man Mike Miller playing center just so he could step out and drain 3’s. And of course to top it all off I had Dougie McBuckets McDermott. It was like an And1 team and it was glorious. You ain’t got nothing on my team, Golden State.
God Bless the Internet: Original NBA Jam Updated with 2017 Rosters
Kotaku – “If you want to play the original 1993 version of NBA Jam, but use LeBron James and Steph Curry instead of Shawn Kemp and John Stockton, then Hogs With A Blog have done you a great service and modded today’s superstars into yesteryear’s classic game.”
I’ve never been a hug ROM emulator guy, mainly because I’m afraid of my laptop exploding. Except for Pokemon Red/Blue. I played the shit out of that on my old Dell back in college. But, seriously God bless the internet. The original NBA Jam is one of my all-time top 5 sports games. It’s one of the most re-playable games to this day, 20+ years later. And thats with bums like Rick Smitts running the post.
I still remember scoring 70 points in a game with Reggie Miller, shooting 3 pointers exclusively. Nothing like a Best-of-7-Game series with your brother in your parent’s basement. So many smashed clickers. The most.
Now you can just wait for the 8-point hot spot and drain it from half court with Steph Curry? Yes please. I will say big time post and iso players are useless though. Sorry LeBron, you will be used exclusively to open up 3 pointers for JR Smith.
PS – How about Isaiah getting roasted in his Dunk and Power ratings? Jesus, I know the man is the same height as me but that’s savage.
LeBron James Gets Popped by Draymond Green, Nearly Dies On Court
I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that wasn’t a pretty solid hit for an NBA game. LeBron’s a big guy, but so is Draymond Green. Did LeBron embellish it a wee bit? 100%
Draymond Green after the foul 👀 https://t.co/n3KBF2kruR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 17, 2017
But thats besides the point. What I’m hear to talk about is LeBron’s quote after the game. He said he’ll be fine because “I’m a football player.” No, sir you are not. You’re actually one of the preeminent floppers in the floppiest league in the world outside of the Premier League. So no, you’re a basketball player.
Can we at the very least use this video as a reply to any talking head that throws out the lazy take “LeBron could play tight end in the NFL.” No he could not. He could absolutely play tight end in the Pro Bowl. But in a real NFL game, when he gets smoked coming over the middle by that human steroid James Harrison, LeBron would take his ball and go home. Or he’d be dead. Either way, kid ain’t playing in the NFL.
Red Auerbach Got Tossed from an ALL-STAR Game?!
I don’t know how I never knew this, its just such a sweet piece of bar trivia. And of course Auerbach is the only guy to ever do it because he’s an innovator. Put this Snapple fact in your memory bank and never let it go.
What a glorious Red Auerbach tidbit I never knew. #Celtics #NBA pic.twitter.com/PA1j4wY5kp
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) January 12, 2017
LeBron “I’m Not the GM” James Now Openly Discussing Moves the Cavaliers Need to Make in the Media
ESPN – “As the Cleveland Cavaliers finalize a deal to acquire sharpshooter Kyle Korver from the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, LeBron James declared that the work is not done for the defending champions.”
LeBron has it so, so good. The guy is 1,000% calling all the shots in Cleveland. He’s assembled the team he wants. He made the Cavs trade the No. 1 overall pick in Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love (who he won’t even let in team Insta’s) and singlehandedly got the coach fired last year. Hell he probably even picks the Gatorade flavors in the lockerroom.
But if any moves go sour, if any acquisitions or trades flop, hey man I’m not the GM. YES YOU ARE. Well, now LeBron (I mean the Cavs GM David Griffin) has made another great move in trading (reported) for Kyle Korver. That’s just what this team needs to make life even more unfair for the rest of the East. But put all that aside, before Korver even lands in Believeland, LBJ is already dropping quotes like this to the media:
“We still got a couple more things we need to do,” James said at Cavs shootaround Friday morning in preparation for their game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. “We got to get a point guard.” It was a continuation of the point guard drum James was beating after the Cavs lost to Chicago on Wednesday. “Yeah, it’s my last time saying it,” James said. “We need a point guard.”
Man life is good when you’re LeBron. You’ve got an entire franchise by the balls on continuous 1-Year deals with the threat of opting out always looming. You get to be the de facto GM except for when shit hits the fan. And now he’s just publicly demanding additional moves to the press.
I still LOVE Tyronn Lue though:
“With the trade for Korver still not official, Lue was initially coy about what his addition could mean. “What shooter?” Lue said. “Like me? Well, shit, if you add me, man, butt-naked shots, nobody around, I’d probably shoot 54 percent.”
Cry Baby Grayson Allen Back After One Game Suspension: Is Going to Get MUGGED in the NBA
Yahoo Sports – Grayson Allen’s indefinite suspension didn’t last long. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski reinstated his preseason All-American on Wednesday night after just a one-game absence. Allen started Wednesday’s 110-57 rout of Georgia Tech and helped spearhead the onslaught. The junior guard scored 15 points and dished out seven assists, providing the creativity and distribution off the dribble that Duke lacked with Allen unavailable for last Saturday’s loss at Virginia Tech.
You wanna talk about a guy that is going to get RAGDOLLED in the NBA? Grayson Allen is your guy. Now I’m not an NBA draft geek so maybe he won’t even get drafted, I don’t know (Draft Express has him ranked as their No. 38 prospect). I just assume every good player on top NCAA teams get there. And this kid is going to be the poster child for rude awakenings. Imagine if he’s tripping gigantic men in the NBA? He’s going to get snuffed. And before you throw Draymond Green out there saying he pulls the same stuff, Draymond Green can get away with this shit because he’s 6’7″ 230 lbs and looks like this:
Just for comparisons sake, Grayson Allen looks like this:
And what a puss Coack K is. I honestly don’t even care that he only had a 1 game suspension. But when you throw your balls down on the table and say your best player is going to be suspended for an “indefinite” period of time, you look pretty weak when after 1 game you relent. Come on K, you got Carmelo to play D-E-F-E-N-S-E in the Olympics for Christ’s sake. I think you can handle one little rich kid.
P.S. – Still the best white yuppy who just jacks up shots to come out of Duke and actually make it in the NBA was and always will be JJ Reddick. That guy looked like he was gonna play himself out of the league, but he developed his game and most importantly got a sleeve tattoo and bang: legit NBA player.
Milwaukee Bucks Are Crushing Marketing: Now Selling 10 WIN Plans
ESPN – For years, NBA teams have sold 10-game plans for fans that don’t want to commit to buying a whole season worth of games. On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Bucks will announce that they’re offering a 10-win plan. That’s right, guaranteed wins. In a package that will go on sale Tuesday through Jan. 11, the Bucks will sell fans a ticket pass for $149 that will begin on Jan. 13 against the Miami Heat and will be active until the Bucks win 10 home games.
What an absolutely genius move by the Bucks here. This team is on the up, but fans in Milwaukee do not give a shit. A pretty decent team that is developing one of the best young players in the NBA in Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they still rank 27th in attendance.
So the Bucks are guaranteeing every fan who buys this ticket pack for $149 sees 10 wins, not 10 games, 10 wins, which is absurd. I was a partial season ticket holder for the Bruins last year, when they just happened to be awful at home, and I think they lost something like 8 of 12 games I was at. So I totally get the uncertainty of re-upping for another ticket plan. Milwaukee fans would be stupid to not take the Bucks up on this offer. I can’t even go to ONE Celtics game with a buddy for that price. The cheeseheads could get 20 games for the same price.
Sometimes I wish I lived in a flyover state. Tickets are cheaper. Beers are cheaper. Just a simple life really.
Demarcus Cousins Would Be the CT of the NBA in Boston
Pro Basketball Talk – [Cousins] scoring 55 points on 17-of-28 shooting, leading the Kings to 126-121 win over the team they are chasing for a playoff slot. Near the end of the game, Cousins got ejected after barking at the Trail Blazers bench and his mouthpiece coming out — one referee thought he either spit it or threw it at the Blazers bench and gave him a technical, Cousins’ second. He sprinted to the locker room to avoid doing anything stupid. Then the officials talked, decided the mouthpiece coming out was accidental, and rescinded the technical.
People love CT from the Challenge because he is a Masshole through and through, for better or for worse. Guy is an animal, dominates the game, is a total asshole and disregards what anybody tells him, but is also loyal to his guys and hates losing with a fiery passion. Sound like a certain mercurial someone in the NBA?
Demarcus Cousins would be worshipped here in Boston because of those qualities, not in spite of them. Don’t let the morally righteous sports writers of this city tell you otherwise. Do I agree with Cousins spitting his mouthguard out at an opposing assistant coach? No. But in the midst of a MONSTER 55 point game against a team your fighting for a playoff spot, all while on a winning team in Boston?? Fans around here would be FIRED UP about that and be tripping all over themselves to say how uber competitive he is, like a young KG. And so would I.
Don’t get caught up on a guy being a miserable prick when he’s on a team thats been in the basement of the league every year of his career. You gotta take some chances to win in the NBA if you don’t have a LeBron fall into your lap like Cleveland. So I’ll take a chance that this guy would thrive in Boston and be embraced by this city.
People used to point to the Pacers in the early part of this decade as a team that did it right and built through the draft without any real superstars. They did it on depth, good coaching and some pretty good players in Paul George (who has grown into a star), Roy Hibbert and David West. They were a fun team to watch and root for. But what happened? They never won shit and they got beat every time by bigger, badder teams like the super team the Heat had a few years ago. They slowly got worse and the team hasn’t gotten close since.
Take a chance on a super talent. Or don’t and be the Pacers for the next decade.
Jerry Colangelo and USA Basketball Tell the Rest of the World to Get Their Shit Together
Courtesy of Bleacher Report
Yahoo – “I’m all for raising the bar for global basketball,” Colangelo said. “The more interest in basketball on all levels, I’m for. I’m a lifer of the game. Basketball is the No.2 sport in the world. We just need to see these other countries get their acts together and become more competitive. I’m not going to be making any excuses.
Love it. The cockiest thing I’ve heard from a pro sports executive in a long time. Listen, did the USA Basketball team have a few tight games that reminded people of the disastrous Athens team? Sure. But did they take care of business and then absolutely dismantle Serbia in the GOLD MEDAL game? 100% So Colangelo has every right to tell the rest of the world to get their shit together.
“One of the officials said to me, ‘You oughta play with four.’ I said, ‘No, maybe the other teams oughta get their act together and compete.’ We’ve been helping in basketball around the world for 50 years. We’ve taught the world the game. We’ve taught their coaches.”
Basically telling everyone, hey we taught you the game 50 years ago, time to figure it out or we will continue to bash your brains in. Your choice.
It’s definitely awesome to wreck other countries on the court for years, hell the USA team hasn’t lost a game since 2006, but at some point it’s like playing Madden on Easy Mode. Sure it’s great to win, but it’s the challenge that makes it the most satisfying. Remember trading blows with the Gasols and Spain in 2012? That was a helluva game that made the Gold seem like we really earned it. This year it kind of seemed like the rest of the world just sucked and we showed up to the medal ceremony by default. But hey a win is a win is a win.
The 300s 