Have you ever heard people say, ‘they brought their A game’? Or a coach will demand, ‘you need to bring your A game’? Better yet, someone in the losing locker-room explaining to a reporter, ‘we just didn’t bring our A game’.

To me, that’s all wrong.  You need to bring something stronger. Something much better. Something that gives you a better chance of winning.  How about your A+ game!

In big games, your A game will not cut it. In any game, your A game may help you stay close, but in order to win the big games, you need to bring your A+ game.

Every possession matters.  Every shot, every pass and every rebound…matters! Each time you step between the lines, play with energy, defend and take care of the ball.

Step up your game and bring your A+ game!

Observations:

I watched the Denver Nuggets go into LA to play the Clippers Friday night. Bad news for the Nuggets. LA decided to play.  Play hard that is.  Carmelo Anthony started off the game scoring 17 points helping Denver to a 12 point lead early.  He was scoring from all angles.  But Chris Kaman, by way of Central Michigan University took it upon himself to dominate the low post.

The Clippers bench also did a great job led by Sebastian Telfair who thought he was back in Coney Island pushing the ball in transition and dribbling like he was auditioning for the latest And 1 Mix Tour.  Rasul Butler chipped in with 27. Clipper came out on top 106-99.  Do you think Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy and Telfair sit down and talk Brooklyn Hoops? Dunleavy played at Nazareth High School, Telfair at Lincoln.  Would love to hear those two debate which is better, the CHSAA or PSAL?

“We have to somehow realize that we are everybody’s big game,” said Denver guard Chauncey Billups. “It’s not like a few years ago where you play the Clippers or somebody and it is just another game.”

That’s right CB, you guys are being hunted now!

Speaking of another ‘CB’, Charlie Bell of the Milwaukee Bucks (formerly of Flint Southwestern High School) has filled in for Michael Redd at the shooting guard position and has done a solid job. Last night he scored 19 points on 7-15 shooting including 5-11 from way downtown in leading the Bucks to a 103-98 win over Memphis. Milwaukee is now 8-3.

The New Jersey Nets are now 0-13 after losing to the Knicks on Saturday 98-91. Bring back Foots Walker, Mike Newlin and Mike Gminski!

Rasheed Wallace of the Boston Celtics is shooting 22 of 70 on the season from way downtown. Including 0-8 Friday night against the Orlando Magic.  What, him worry?

“I ain’t worried about it, honestly,’’ said Wallace, after he missed all eight 3-point attempts. “I probably rushed about two or three of them. Other than that, it’s good looks, they’re just not going for me. I’m not worried about my offense now. It’s still early in the season, I know I won’t be shooting like this for the duration of the season.

New York Times on the pick- and- roll.  It’s been around for many years, it’s something that will never go away. I wish the officials would watch it carefully, they tend to call moving screens on bigs when the defender smashes into the screen and falls down.

“When it comes down to it, that’s what we’re going to be in when the game’s on the line,” Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy said of basketball’s most reliable play. “I say it all the time: I don’t care how good you are, you can’t take away everything.”

So all the talk in the basketball world today is Allen Iverson.  Will he sign with the Knicks or not? I’m on the fence about this (which I wasn’t on the Grizzlies signing Iverson, I knew that wasn’t going to work). Iverson may be able to help the Knicks-but he needs to play hard, share the ball and listen to the coaching staff.  He has a chance to help New York; and you know if he does, he’ll be on billboards in Times Square (shoot, a poster on a bus stop by West 4th street may be possible) I would love to sit down with him and explain to him how important it is to play the right way.

Peter Vecsey of the New York Post on Iverson.

Sad to say, in actuality, Iverson quit his last two pit stops. The same stubborn snag — an unbecoming, uncompromising repudiation to accept reservist duty — has served to reinforce the popular perception he’s a bad guy.

I know different, as in completely the opposite. During his 10 years as a 76er, never once wasn’t Iverson straight up with me, never once did he lead me astray, as so many other NBA people are inclined to do, never once was he remotely disrespectful to my wife and children, who were often around the team on and off the court.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports on Tracy McGrady.

After months of growing discord and mistrust between the Houston Rockets and their once-franchise player,Tracy McGrady(notes) and coach Rick Adelman engaged in an emotional and sometimes loud closed-door confrontation about the star’s uncertain status on Wednesday night, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Do you see anything in-common with Iverson and McGrady? Come on, tell me…try and figure it out, I dare you!

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

Watched the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs last night on ESPN and was able to catch the end of the Blazers-Pistons game on Fox Detroit live from Portland; this after doing some advance scouting at Lansing Community College (The Stars played the Mott Bears) two tough teams that we have to play against twice this year.

Dirk Nowitzki went off for 41 points last night in leading the Mavs to a 99-94 overtime win. (Dirk dropped 11 of the Mavs 15 points in the extra session)  The one area that caught my eye after reading the boxscore was in 44 minutes of burn, Dirk didn’t record a single assist.  Maybe it was because Jason Terry and Jason Kidd shot a combined 5-25. Upon further review, when you can score like that, who needs to share the ball.  Dirk likes to catch the ball on the high post, face up to the basket and score on his man.  At times he will take the ball to the basket and finish with either hand. I’ve never been a big Nowitzki fan in the past but after watching him the past few nights, I’m starting to warm up to him.  It boggles my mind as to why the Spurs didn’t double team him more often? Make someone else beat you.  If the Mavs only had a decent center, they would make a run at the Western conference championship.

(Courtesy of NBA.Com)

Dallas only turned the ball over five times in the game; as opposed to Richard Jefferson of the Spurs who committed five himself.  Spurs coach Greg Popovich was calling for more ball movement and people movement in the huddle.  That makes sense.  You get the defense moving and possibly breaking down.

Is the Mavs shooting coach on vacation? They shot 3-17 from distance last night. Time to get some extra shots up…

ESPN’s Mark Jackson made a good point during the telecast, ‘You’re the fastest player on the floor, act like it.” Not really sure who is was talking about though.  Speaking of Action Jackson, the former Loughlin Lion CHSAA all-star, seems out of place without his buddy Jeff Van Gundy.

I noticed Monte Mathis behind Mavs bench, clipboard in hand.  Mathis used to be a college assistant and one day we were sitting together at the Nike camp watching high school players go through drills in Indy. While Herb Livsey (NBA scout and basketball trainer) was lecturing the kids on footwork, Monte was a bit too loud for Herb, who proceeded to yell at us…Sorry Herb.

This has nothing to do with the game but why must ESPN show Mark Cuban after every single play? Does he really make a difference? He’s got some entourage huh? Does he get his t-shirts at baby Gap?

Brandon Roy had a great comment last night after Portland’s win over Detroit.  He was asked about his team, “Our defense is better, we’re making the effort on defense.”

Interesting question asked during Pistons telecast on Fox last night during game about Blazers center Greg Oden’s future. 12% of Pistons fans said he is going to the Hall of Fame. Huh?

Pistons assistant coach Darryl Walker was a good defensive player in his day-Quick hands, got down in a stance and was a tough son-of-a-bitch. Did you know he was one of Hubie Brown’s favorite players in New York when Hubie was the coach?

Memo to NBA Marketing people; If there happen to be open seats courtside, and by half-time those ‘rich’ folks have not arrived, teams should send their interns up (or even Dance squads) top and bring down the real fans to fill them at half-time. Can you imagine how a father of two kids would feel sitting way up top in the nose bleed seats to be asked to come down to courtside and get a close up look of their favorite players? Which takes me back to the 80’s when I would buy a ticket at Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks for $4 only to sneak way down to courtside and listen to Hubie Brown coach his team. “POWER RIGHT, POWER RIGHT!”, was the usual call coming from the Knicks bench.

For what it’s worth, Lebron James WOULD make a very good NFL player despite what Jeremy Shockey thinks/says…James has strength, speed and most of all, courage.  If Antonio Gates can be a success in the NFL after playing college basketball, James would be all-pro.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

Have you ever heard the saying, “Talk is cheap?” Well that may be true for some things in sports like self-promoting but when you’re on the basketball court, talk is worth a lot!

I’m not ‘talking’ trash talk either-I’m talking about solid, useful communication. Too many players play this wonderful game with their mouths wired shut; unless of course they happen to dunk on someone or block a shot.  It takes a special player to display intelligent communication amongst his teammates and coach; especially on the defensive end of the floor.

“SCREEN RIGHT, SCREEN RIGHT!”

“SWITCH IT, SWITCH IT!”

“BY YOURSELF, BY YOURSELF.”

“I GOT BALL, I GOT BALL!”

Just a few of commands you should hear when a team is playing defense.

I love when guys talk on defense.  It shows they have an understanding of the game and it usually means they are a good defensive team. It also proves they are active and alert. Action speaks louder than words…Get into action, talk on defense!

**********

I watched the Dallas Mavericks beat the Detroit Pistons this past weekend and one player stood out to me.  Rodrigue Beaubois of the Mavericks.  Yes, I said Rodrigue Beaubois. This kid was tough.  He’s a six-foot guard from Pointe-A-Pitre Guadeloupe. He lit the Pistons up on the offensive end of the floor by scoring 14 points on 6 for 6 shooting (including two three’s). He also added 4 assists in only 19 minutes of action.  I could’ve sworn I saw Pistons head coach John Kuester turn to his assistant coach after Beaubois made a bucket and ask, ‘How come this guy wasn’t in the scouting report’?

(Courtesy of Draft Express)

Here’s Tim MacMahon, blogging for ESPN/Dallas Mavericks (Hey, wonder if I can get one of these gigs?)

Beaubois is one of a handful of players in the league who can match Jennings’ quickness. That, along with his 6-10 wingspan, made the Mavs believe that Beaubois could develop into a lockdown defender. We got a glimpse of that against Jennings, who had only one field goal in Beaubois’ 24 minutes, a transition 3-pointer in the first quarter. The Mavs outscored the Bucks by 13 with Beaubois on the floor.

I like this dude…He was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 25th pick in this year’s draft but quickly traded to the Mavs in exchange for B.J. Mullens.  Against the Pistons he started in place of the injured Josh Howard and took a back seat to Jason Terry late in the game.  The first 13 minutes of the game he had 11 points! I like the way he pushes the ball in transition and looks to give it up to the open man.  Keep an eye on this cat, you’ll be hearing a lot from him.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

This past Saturday night Milwaukee Bucks rookie guard Brandon Jennings went for 55 points against the Golden State Warriors. This cat is unreal! Can he go or what? (Let’s not forget he dropped 32 on the Denver Nuggets)

I’m so mad at myself for not taking Bucks veteran guard Charlie Bell up on his offer of inviting me to come out to Milwaukee to observe pre-season workouts!  Here’s Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports with a solid piece on Jennings.

When Under Armour hired Stone to get into the basketball endorsement game, all he did was bank his career, his credibility, on a skinny lefty kid who everyone feared would be broken overseas and an afterthought in the 2009 draft. Only, Stone always believed he had a deeper understanding of Jennings.

To Stone, there’s one story that tells it all. There’s a reference to which he always returns. Three years ago, Jennings had come to New York as a high school junior to play in the Elite 24 all-star game that Stone had started, and he won the MVP over players like Michael Beasley(notes) andKevin Love(notes). The next morning, it was Stone’s job to drive over to the Westin Hotel in Times Square and make sure the kids were awake by 8 a.m. on the way to LaGuardia for flights home. So, Stone walked into the hotel lobby at 6, the elevator doors opened and there was a vision that brought him back to his days growing up in the Bay Area.

“And here comes Brandon walking out with a basketball under his arm, a T-shirt and shorts,” Stone said. “He had just achieved his greatest accomplishment as a high school player, and he’s running out the door to go work out with Ben Gordon(notes). That always stuck with me.”

I’m learning more and more about Jennings, and I like what I am hearing especially the things he says about his performance. This guy “gets it.”

“The shots kept going in, and after a while the rim kept getting bigger and bigger and I just felt like I couldn’t miss,” Jennings said. “I guess I was in that zone, you know? But that doesn’t happen without [Andrew] Bogut down low, scoring in the post and opening things up for me. I’m not doing this alone here.”

Teammates giving each other credit-that’s playing the right way. I’ve seen players put up big numbers and not give anyone credit; “I could’ve had more if coach put me in earlier.” is what I once heard a player say at the press conference. Jennings has a new follower in this blogger/coach. I will follow his progress a lot closer.

How about his comments on the Knicks passing on him in the draft. This quote is for Herb Welling…

“I feel like I understand why teams like the Knicks passed on me, because I didn’t put up big numbers in Italy last year,” he said. “But you needed to see me in the practices, and the workouts, to see how I was coming along there. Hey, I’m a gym rat. You had to know that about me.”

A gym rat! I love it…End of story!

P.S.

If any of the Under Armour people read this entry, I would love to have my team endorse their basketball product!

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

I was never a fan of pre-season rankings, predictions and so on.  I threw up some capsules on all the NBA teams a couple of weeks back just for the sake of it.  I purchased a couple of magazines and have checked out a few internet websites to see what others thought; and of course to absorb the knowledge on the greatest league in all of sports.

In the East, everyone raves about the Celtics and Cavaliers. A few mentioned the Magic. The West, all the talk was about the Lakers and Spurs.

If you checked the standings this morning, the Atlanta Hawks, after two weeks have the best record in the East (8-2) and the Phoenix Suns sit atop the West, also at 8-2.  I know it’s early and all but both clubs seem to be playing well and have let others around the league know they will be a major player come the Spring. By the way, both the Suns and the Hawks have defeated the Celtics in Boston this season.

I observed the Hawks go into Beantown Friday night and handle Doc Rivers’ club 97-86 behind Joe Johnson’s 24 points.

Best thing about settling in for a game like this was that Hubie Brown was the analyst.  Any chance you get to listen to him is a clinic in itself.

How come when players tip in an offensive rebound they always raise their hand high in the air?  I once saw Edgar Jones do that-guess they want to make sure the scorekeeper marks the deuce down for them.

All young kids watching the Celtics should keep an eye on Ray Allen and how he ’sprints’ to get open. I said sprint, not jog. Allen doesn’t just sit out on the perimeter and hoist up jumpers. He will put the ball on the floor for a two dribble pull-up to get a closer look.

Why does Kevin Garnett seem so angry after he scores?

All young point guards should also watch Rajon Rondo and keep an eye on how he runs right to the guy who grabs the defensive rebound to push the ball down the floor.

Celtics were terrible from deep during this game (1-15).

The Hawks pounded the offensive glass for 16 caroms.

Al Horford finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds. I recall someone once telling me Horford was just “average’ while Al was a senior at Grand Ledge HS.

Peter Vecsey of the NY Post and one of my favorite basketball writers on the New York Knicks.

To me, this season was over the moment it became business as usual: giving the bulk of the time to rising free agents David Lee, Al Harrington, Larry Hughes, Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson — all but factored out of the Knicks’ future.

For what purpose? What’s the upside? Makes no sense whatsoever, it says here, to invest any additional minutes than compelled by circumstances beyond a coach’s control in retreads rejects and those ultimately scheduled to be renounced come July 1, 2010.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m now on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

Kraftwerk, an electronic musical group by way of Germany rocked a jam back in the 80’s titled, ‘Numbers’. Last night Lebron James talked about changing his jersey number from 23 to 6.  In honor of Michael Jordan.  Are you serious?

“I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon,” James told The Cleveland Plains Dealer. “I feel like no N.B.A. player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the N.B.A. to sign it.”

Sure Jordan has done a lot for the league, but a team retiring a jersey number is more than enough.  Many players like to wear number 23 because of MJ so how can you tell someone they can’t wear it anymore.  Wearing 23 is a tribute to MJ in itself. Young kids, high school and college players snatch up 23 when uniform numbers are handed out before the season mostly because of Jordan. I think if NBA players stop wearing 23, it will be an insult to all players who are wearing it to honor MJ.

By the way, someone tell Lebron many players before Jordan have done a lot for the league.  Like #6, #32 and #33…

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

How about rookie point guard Brandon Jennings going off for 32 points and leading the Bucks over the Nuggets last night? I can recall reading so much garabge about this kid going over to Europe to play ball instead of staying here in America and attending school.  ”I just go out there and play with a chip on my shoulder.” said Jennings. The Bucks are in first place in the Eastern Conference Central division. Scott Skiles does a terrific job, regardless of what you think of him.

The Cavaliers put it on the Magic last night.  I loved listening to Hubie Brown and Jeff Van Gundy do the game.  Tonight Cleveland plays the Heat on TNT. Do not ask LBJ about free-agency.  Did you see his kicks last night?

I’ve been watching Orlando Magic guard Vince Carter for a few years and yes he is a great athlete and he puts a lot of points in the book.  But imagine if this guy, at 6′8″ went into the post and looked to score instead of hoisting up long, rainbow, Purvis Short-like jumpers?

Everyone tried to hype up the Hornets-Suns game last night mainly by using Steve Nash vs Chris Paul.  Well the bottom line is the Suns won by 20 and have a record of 8-1; which is all that matters. Tonight the Suns take on the Lakers in the second of a DH on TNT.  Nash played 22 minutes last night so he should be well rested.

Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports on Isiah Thomas’ mother doing ok after surgery.  Years ago, everytime you read something about Isiah while growing up in Chicago you always heard about how she kept her son away from all the gangs.  Let’s hope she is doing well with recovery.

“Ms. Thomas was deemed an extremely high surgical risk,” Dr. Duane Follman said in a statement. “Because of her age and multiple other health factors, an invasive open heart surgery would have been too high a risk for survival and recovery. This minimally invasive procedure was a better course of treatment.”

The Nets lost another one last night, they are now 0-8 on the season.

Earl Boykins is back in the league with the Washington Wizards.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

Watched the Nuggets-Bulls last night on NBA TV.  The game came down to the final play.  Bulls were down one point with three-tenths of a second remaining; (I always have flashbacks to Trent Tucker in 1990 vs the Chicago Bulls in these types of situations) side out for the Bulls.  Somehow Brad Miller got open at the top of the key and caught a pass, flung it to the goal and made it. (You have to communicate on defense; switch all screens!)  After instant replay, the refs declared the shot, “No Good”.  It was very close but the ball was clearly in Miller’s hands as the backboard lit up.  It took the refs close to 5 minutes to decide if the shot was good or not; we watched it on replay over and over from every angle and it was still tough to tell. Next time you want to scream at an official, just think how hard of a job they have because the play happens so fast; and to me they get it right most of the time.

Earl Smith is back with the Nuggets after serving a 7 game suspension…Oops, I mean J.R. Smith is back in the line-up. He better get on that early bus to the arena and get some shots up with Coach Grg; he shot 1-9 last night. But on the bright side he had 5 assists.

USA Today on former NBA player Tim James serving his country. This is courage! This is a guy fighting for his country and most people probably don’t even remember him as a player.

“I could understand him playing with the All-Army basketball team,” Capt. Curtis Byron said via e-mail. “But a situation like this is somewhat unheard of. He’s set a great example as a former NBA player representing those in his former profession through his transition to a soldier and leader of others. We’re all very proud of him as well as every single one of our soldiers for their personal and family sacrifices.”

More from USA Today, today on new Virginia Men’s head basketball coach Tony Bennett and his task of building the Cavs program.

“Right now, I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know if I’ll be able to say that in January and February,” he says. “But that is one of the reasons that drew me to Viginia. An opportunity to coach in a league like this, among coaches in this (conference), where nothing but your best will give you a chance. I am realistic where our program is at, but also hopeful and optimistic about the opportunity that’s in front of us if we can get things going.”

Bennett is a good dude; I recall meeting him 10 years ago when he was a student-assistant for his father at Wisconsin and I worked at Michigan State. I can still see the left-handed point guard back in the early 90’s pushing the ball up the floor for the Charlotte Hornets and getting them into their offense.

Kevin Ding of the Orange Country Register on Kobe Bryant, the Plumber. This guy’s work ethic is incredible.  He’s got so much gas in his tank.

Bryant compared himself to a plumber with a track record of fixing the toilet – a laborer who will get the job done again and again, one way or another, even if no one outside the business can truly grasp all that goes into him doing it.

“If my toilet is jammed up and this guy has a track record of fixing the toilet, I’m not going to come in and say, ‘He can’t do it,’ because I don’t know how he’s going to do it,” Bryant said. “I just know he does it. The (stuff) is gonna get done.”

Even more from USA Today: Seems like Ron Artest, former LaSalle Cardinal and former NBA player Charles Barkley have had an exchange of words as of late. Barkley stated on air that Artest should concentrate on basketball rather than pursuits such as doing rap music. Ron-Ron shot back on Twitter, “What’s worse: Rapping or driving drunk?” Come on Charles, Artest has a following, he needs to stay in touch with the people!

Isn’t it weird to see the Suns at 7-1 and the Knicks 1-7? No you say, well Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni used to coach the Suns. Steve Nash is doing a great job.  Who said he was washed up?

I’m juiced for the Cavaliers-Magic game tonight. I hope they ‘mic’ up Stan Van Gundy…

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter @CoachFinamore

I went to scout two opponents last night, Mott and Kellogg Community College; I came away with a few observations:

Both teams played hard.

Both teams defended very well.

Both teams played with passion.

Both teams played with energy.

As we all know, both teams can’t win the game.

But half the battle in coaching is to get your team to display the above mentioned traits. Why can’t all players come to play like this every time they step on the floor? It makes for a much more enjoyable game.

I watched the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors sunday night and I was very impressed with rookie Tyreke Evans. Kings high scorer Kevin Martin is out a few weeks so Evans stepped up his game.

The Record Pub.com on why Lebron James is not leaving Cleveland.  I say he is…Speaking of the Cavs, they take on the Orlando Magic Wednesday night and Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy says,”We’re not a very good basketball team right now,” Van Gundy told reporters after his team got smashed 102-74 Sunday night in Oklahoma City. “I’ve been saying that, but nobody is listening.”

Hang in there Stan, I feel the same away about my Jackson Community College Jets!

The Denver Nuggets visit Chicago tonight to take on the Bulls; should be a very good game. I didn’t like the way Denver played this past Saturdy night in Atlanta where they fell to the Hawks.

You know what kind of talk I hate; “Tale of two-teams” or, “Tale of two-halves”.

I hope my New York Knicks can turn it around, the hot dog vendor on 33rd and 7th is ticked off; sales are down, conversation is negative.  The Knicks fell to the Utah Jazz Monday night at MSG.  The Daily News on the game and how they tend to break out of the early season slump.

“Whatever reason, psychologically, we’re just having a hard time getting going,” D’Antoni said. “Until somebody breaks through and hopefully this will be it. We keep searching and hoping.”

How about Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings showing everyone he CAN play! Where are all the pundits who were against his move to Italy for one year instead of playing college or Prep School ball.  Heck Brandon, we would’ve taken you at Jackson Community College!

The New Jersey Nets are 0-7, the only club in the NBA wihtout a victory thus far. They play the Sixers Wednesday night in Jersey, I can feel the first ‘W’ for L-Frank and his troops.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore