Joe D's At It Again?: With Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince missing his second straight game after playing 496 in a row, it was only a matter of time before trade talks started to swirl. Detroit is pretty much capped out after signing Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Ben Wallace in the offseason. As everyone knows, there is a deep 2010 class that Detroit (and every other team) would like to take a run at. Not to mention that that the salary cap will likely shrink last year and teams will need to drop salary in preparation for that (See: Milwaukee).
Prince's contract (five years, $47 million signed in 2005) is one that could be moved for an expiring deal, most likely for another front court player, someone like Amare Stoudamire (who was rumored to be traded to Detroit last year) and Chris Bosh (the player the Pistons should have drafted instead of Darko).
Dumars has denied these rumors, but as always, you never know what to expect. With the Pistons lack of a solid big man, I wouldn't be shocked to see a Prince/Jason Maxiell package heading to another squad.
The USS Stan Van Is Sounding The Alarm: Following the Magic's 122-100 win over undefeated Phoenix last night, Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy decided he's had enough of the refs calling fouls on Dwight Howard.
Howard picked up another five fouls against the Suns the night after fouling out against Detroit and Van Gundy believes Howard is being unfairly penalized for his size and strength.
"He gets penalized for being so strong. We give guys an advantage in this league for being quick, but we penalize them for being strong like Dwight,'' Van Gundy said. "If you hit a perimeter guy on a drive the way they are allowed to hit Dwight all the time around the basket, it would be a flagrant foul.''
Yep. That's it. It's his strength and his size. Because that's what happened with Shaq his entire career. That's why I watched Shaq bully his way through the paint for years and years. Just ask Dikembe Mutombo what happens when you try to guard Shaq on the block. You get your face smashed in with an elbow. That's what you get.
Maybe Van Gundy should stop whining about the refs, as he's done his entire career and focus on not costing his team a championship with his boneheaded rotations and poor coaching decisions. Remember Stan, if you have a foul to give, USE IT! Otherwise, this happens.
The Memphis Grizzlies have Canswer: Well this didn't take long. After Allen Iverson's outburst following his first game, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins spoke out after being asked about Iverson for probably the million time this season.
"My frustration is I have to talk about Allen Iverson in every press setting," Hollins said. "I want to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies, and even when Allen was out, I was having to talk about Allen. That's my frustration. I want to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies."
Oh Allen, how many teams must you kill? I know how everyone likes to talk about Kobe Bryant being a selfish player, but isn't Iverson the textbook definition? He skipped a practice in Detroit on Thanksgiving last year specifically called because they wanted to work him into a rhythm with his new teammates. Then he quit on them with a phantom back injury. Now he's already whining in Memphis. I just wanted to know what he expected. Did he expect to win? Did he expect to compete? Did he expect to be anything more than something to put butts in the seats? If he did, he's sorely mistaken. Your days as a superstar are over Allen. I know it, everyone else knows it, why don't you?
Performance of the Night: Kobe Bryant - 41 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals. I would have given this to Dwayne Wade for his heroic 40 point effort, but since Kobe's came in a one point win over the scrappy Rockets, I sided with Bryant. Can't go wrong with either one in my opinion.
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