The Big Svelte

The Smack Zone returneth!  Now ANYONE can post in the live chat window.  Scroll down just below the Daily Wager zone and make your presence known.  You can also see if anyone else is on the site, ready to return your Smack ten-fold.

The fantasy NBA playoffs are rocking along at full tilt, but the only thing I cared about tonight was finding a live stream of the Suns-Nuggets game online.  I was able to eventually stumble onto a decent webcast (all things equal, my budget of $0 means any webcast would do) at the following link:

http://linksadoor.com/showtime/index.php?params=game/495/KNICKS

I'm not positive if readers of this blog can access future games at that site, but TODAY at least, it was instant access to some generous fellow's subscription to NBA League Pass.  Probably not on the level, but it beats the hell out of paying the $200 annual rate.  Give the page a try (it's not an ad, I don't get a dime for it), see if it works, and maybe we'll all be much happier for it.

Back to the task at hand, though, and that is celebrating the suddenly-re-relevant Phoenix Suns.  I can't help it; despite their inability to make one stinking free throw (and make a winner out of our daily wager), the Suns, maybe more than most other teams, deserve good things.  Year after year the San Antonio Spurs either broke their hearts (or sterna -- dictionary.com claims "sternums" is also acceptable, but that seems like the cheap way out), or goaded the Suns into unbelievable suspensions.  

Tangent - doesn't it seem like it's time the "players off the bench" rule was amended for certain situations?  Maybe have the league review the tape, as they do when players decide teeth need to be extracted, and players rushing off the bench can be doled out a range of punishments, rather than a blanket suspension.

Back to topic -- it's high time Steve Nash led the Suns into the playoffs, met the Spurs, and served a double helping of face-bash.  This is the year to beat the Spurs, too.  They're beginning to look old, and you know they'll find a way to score some young talent soon.  As we speak, Gregg Popovich is selling his beard for some additional salary cap space and a bottle of Proactiv.

Playoff pick-up time -- because anything less would be uncivilized.  A simple theme, so as not to confuse during a very important time of year.

Eagle (two under par; quite impressive, old bean):

• Steve Blake - I've been touting Blake for a few days straight, and, for what it's worth, Rotoworld just finally got around to mentioning him as a potential pick-up.  That's unacceptable, and frankly I think they're spreading themselves too thin.  Still, for up-to-the-minute news on injuries, that's your place.  Blake is jacking up 3's at a remarkable rate, and even though he made only 3-of-12 tonight, anybody shooting TWELVE 3-pointers in one game (albeit one overtime period) is ready to lift your team to victory.  He is also quite adept at taking care of the ball, and has top-5 assist-to-turnover ratio upside.

Birdie (nice approach):

• Grant Hill - The only reason Grant's not in the "Eagle zone" is because he doesn't shoot the 3-ball.  Posting double-digit points nightly, and handles the ball when Nash is resting.
• Wilson Chandler - Duhon's minutes are ramping back up, but Larry Hughes is out now.  Chandler is a rather odd combination of points, rebounds, and 3's from the SF position.
• J.R. Smith - Dropped one rank out of the top tier, but still starting and will get his fair share of shots nightly.  Lackluster defensive effort tonight, though, against a Suns team that is already prone to the turnover.
• Kendrick Perkins - People still aren't listening to me on this one.  Kevin Garnett's return may actually help Perkins, since he can go back to enforcing and leave the lateral movement to KG.

Bogey (be careful when you launch your 6-iron):

• Flip Murray - Atlanta had this game in hand by halftime, and Flip got a few "gar-bazhe" minutes.