a stealer of hearts

basketball!

more specifically, jazz basketball!

my life can start again in ten days (and counting!)


(went to a preseason game on tuesday though. jazz won. i sat in the 7th row, for part of the game at least.)

kyle 2.0 and deron williams, doin work. i know he's only shooting free throws, but it is the only action shot i got

for your reading pleasure, here is a survey done by all the gm's (dream job! and they all have crushes on steve nash, i think.)

General managers were not permitted to vote for their own team or personnel. Percentages are based on the pool of respondents to each question of the survey, rather than all 30 GMs.

Which team is the most fun to watch?
1. Oklahoma City 51.8%
2. Phoenix 23.2%
3. Dallas; L.A. Lakers; Miami 7.1%
6. Golden State 3.6%
- Last year: L.A. Lakers 30.8%

Which team has the best home-court advantage?
1. Utah 46.4% (word)
2. L.A. Lakers 21.4%
3. Oklahoma City 7.1%
Also receiving votes:
Boston, Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Miami, Portland, San Antonio
- Last year: Cleveland 37.9%

Which player is most athletic?
1. LeBron James, Miami 50.0%
2. Josh Smith, Atlanta; Dwyane Wade, Miami 10.7%
4. Dwight Howard, Orlando;
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City 7.1%
Also receiving votes:
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers; JaVale McGee, Washington; Derrick Rose, Chicago; John Wall, Washington
- Last year: LeBron James 69.6%

Which player is the best pure shooter?
1. Ray Allen, Boston 53.6%
1. Kyle Korver, Chicago 21.4%
3. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City 14.3%
Also receiving votes:
Also receiving votes: Stephen Curry, Golden State; Jason Kapono, Philadelphia; Steve Nash, Phoenix
- Last year: Ray Allen 57.1%

Which player is fastest with the ball?
1. Derrick Rose, Chicago 21.4%
2. Chris Paul, New Orleans;
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City 17.9%
4. Rajon Rondo, Boston; John Wall, Washington 10.7%
Also receiving votes:Gilbert Arenas, Washington; Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix; Aaron Brooks, Houston;Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee;
Ty Lawson, Denver
- Last year: Chris Paul 42.9%

Which player is best at moving without the ball?
1. Ray Allen, Boston 40.7%
2. Richard Hamilton, Detroit 37.0%
Also receiving votes:
Caron Butler, Dallas; Stephen Curry, Golden State; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio; Paul Pierce, Boston; Luis Scola, Houston; Anderson Varejao, Cleveland
- Last year: Richard Hamilton 67.9%

Which player is the best at getting his own shot?
1. Kobe Bryant 70.4%
2. Dwyane Wade 11.1%
3. Carmelo Anthony 7.4%
Also receiving votes:
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City; LeBron James, Miami; Brandon Roy, Portland
- Last year: Kobe Bryant 69.0%

Which player is the best offensive rebounder?
1. Dwight Howard, Orlando 37.0%
2. Kevin Love, Minnesota 11.1%
3. Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers; Brendan Haywood, Dallas;
Zach Randolph, Memphis; Josh Smith, Atlanta 7.4%
Also receiving votes:
Al Jefferson, Utah; David Lee, Golden State; Paul Millsap, Utah; Greg Oden, Portland; Luis Scola, Houston; Anderson Varejao, Cleveland
- Last year: Dwight Howard 74.1%

Which player is the best passer?
1. Steve Nash, Phoenix 75.0%
2. Chris Paul, New Orleans 14.3%
3. Jason Kidd, Dallas 7.1%
4. LeBron James, MIami 3.6%
- Last year: Steve Nash 58.6%

Which player is most dangerous in the open floor?
1. LeBron James, Miami 67.9%
2. Chris Paul, New Orleans 10.7%
3. Dwyane Wade, Miami 7.1%
Also receiving votes:
Jason Kidd, Dallas; Tony Parker, San Antonio; Derrick Rose, Chicago; Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
- Last year: LeBron James 62.1%

Which player is the best finisher?
1. LeBron James, Miami 60.7%
2. Dwyane Wade, Miami 17.9%
3. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 7.1%
Also receiving votes:
Carlos Boozer, Chicago; Dwight Howard, Orlando;
Josh Smith, Atlanta; Amar?e Stoudemire, New York
- Last year: LeBron James 55.2%

Which player does the most with the least?
1. Luis Scola, Houston 14.3%
2. Steve Nash, Phoenix 10.7%
3. Shane Battier, Houston;
Marc Gasol, Memphis; J.J. Redick, Orlando 7.1%
Also receiving votes:
Carmelo Anthony, Denver; Matt Bonner, San Antonio; Glen Davis, Boston; Kirk Hinrich, Washington; Dwight Howard, Orlando; Chris Kaman, L.A. Clippers; Kyle Korver, Chicago; Brook Lopez, New Jersey; Kevin Love, Minnesota; Kevin Martin, Houston; Paul Millsap, Utah; Joakim Noah, Chicago; Mehmet Okur, Utah; Kendrick Perkins, Boston; Rajon Rondo, Boston
- Last year: Mehmet Okur 14.3%

Who is the toughest player in the NBA?
1. Ron Artest, L.A. Lakers 37.0%
2. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 18.5%
3. Dwight Howard, Orlando 7.4%
Also receiving votes:
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City; Reggie Evans, Toronto; Kevin Garnett, Boston; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio; Chuck Hayes, Houston; Stephen Jackson, Charlotte; Shaquille O?Neal, Boston; Kendrick Perkins, Boston; Luis Scola, Houston; Ben Wallace, Detroit
- Last year: Ron Artest 42.9%

Which player is the best leader?
1. Steve Nash, Phoenix 32.1%
2. Chauncey Billups, Denver 17.9
3. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers; Chris Paul, New Orleans 14.3%
5. Tim Duncan, San Antonio; Derek Fisher, L.A. Lakers;
Jason Kidd, Dallas 7.1
- Last year: Chauncey Billups 28.6%

Which player has the best basketball IQ?
1. Steve Nash, Phoenix 46.3%
2. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 22.2%
3. Jason Kidd, Dallas 14.8%
Also receiving votes:
Shane Battier, Houston; Chauncey Billups, Denver; Andre Miller, Portland; Chris Paul, New Orleans; Tayshaun Prince, Detroit
- Last year: Steve Nash 36.5%

Which player would you want taking the game-winning shot?
1. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 78.6%
2. Carmelo Anthony, Denver; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City 7.1%
Also receiving votes:
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas; Dwyane Wade, Miami
- Last year: Kobe Bryant 89.7%
(here's the link, if you're interested. it has pictures.)

some questions - why oh why are the jazz in the same division as portland, oklahoma city, and denver? toughest division in the league, do you think? and where is the love for d. will? also, who else misses the good ol' days - hand checks, pasty gangstas, the mailman, leapfrog jumping, bleeding on the court... i miss it. players these days are sissies. (m.j.'s claim is pretty legit.)

also, i really like reading bill simmons. i think i remember reading that he doesn't like girls, or at least girl sports fans. don't ask me why - it's weird. but i enjoy him nonetheless. (and i definitely could be making that up...)

next on my agenda? golf trip to albuquerque next weekend! i realize the irony - that i am leaving warm arizona to go to cold new mexico to golf, but i have to pick up my new golf clubs sometime.