Scoring At 30

If, like me, your #1 reason for watching the NBA playoffs this year is to root against Kobe Bryant, then you'll appreciate reading Mike Kurylo's piece at KnickerBlogger about Kobe vs MJ (via TrueHoop), if only because it gave me some validation for your hatred for #24.

Mike's points are valid - even a Kobe-lover would concede that - and they got me to wondering: How does Bryant stack up on a year-to-year basis with some of the other top scorers in NBA history?

Bryant is currently 30 years old, so, to be fair, we should only count stats for players in the same time frame. Shown below is a chart listing what I believe to be the top nine scorers at age 30, plus two youngsters who merit mentioning:



A few quick notes to take away from this graphic:

1. Michael Jordan gave Bryant a three season head start, took off two seasons (one for injury, one for baseball), and still ranks within a half-season of scoring of Kobe. Amazing.

2. Wilt Chamberlain gave Bryant a five-year head start, and managed to catch Bryant by age 30. And that's in spite of having a tired groin.

3. As far as I can tell, only one player has outscored Bryant through age 25. That player? Tracy McGrady.

4. Both LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are ahead of Bryant at their respective ages, Melo by a small margin and LBJ by a significant one (12,993 to 10,658, a difference of 21%).

If you found that first graphic a little too cluttered, you might want to view this one instead, which just includes the three greatest scorers in league history to date: Bryant, Jordan and Chamberlain. Yes, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone are 1-2 in scoring, but they never dominated the league to the extent those aforementioned gentlemen did.



What's most interesting to me is that from ages 26 to 29, the three were almost identical in career scoring. Were it not for MJ's decision to give up basketball, that might have continued for the rest of their careers.

Still Pulling Off the Band-Aid

Niki Sullivan of the The Capital Record checks in with word that. Sen. Jeannie Kohl-Welles is looking to keep SB 6116 on the table during a special session of the Washington Legislature in September.

The senator argues that, as the legislature will be in Olympia anyways for "Assembly Days" (no, they don't look like this), there will be no extra money coming out of taxpayer pockets to fund the session.

Chicken salad, anyone?

Forecast Gloomy for KeyArena Bill

Sen. Majority Leader Lisa Brown tells seattlepi.com that SB 6116 will not likely be taken up during the legislature's special session.

According to PI reporter Chris Grygiel, Brown explained that, "there were definitely people who felt that you couldn't go out and cut schools and do anything connected to an arena or stadium."

Of course, Brown is just one member of the legislature, so who knows what her opinion is worth (and, considering the problem the bill had was mainly with the House and not the Senate, it may not be worth all that much).

UPDATE: Nevermind, as there is no special session after all. Clay Bennett, please send thank you cards c/o Ms. Christine Gregoire, Olympia, WA.

Worth a Smile

From Oklahoma City Friday "The Newspaper for Oklahoma's Trendsetters:"
-----
Our energy giants still glow in Fortune 500

By LELAND GOURLEY, Editor

While the rest of America’s economy is struggling, Oklahoma City’s two large energy companies were looking good this week in the annual FORTUNE 500 largest revenue producing corporations in the nation. Devon Energy, headed by CEO Larry Nichols, was No. 163 and Chesapeake Energy, led by CEO Aubrey McClendon, was No. 230.

-----

Value of Chesapeake Energy stock, over the course of the past year.

Oh, yeah, lookin' gooooood.

A Sonic Fan's Guide to the Western Conference

Okay, so we’ve looked at the East and settled on the Magic as our surrogate team, but what of the West? As mentioned before, the Lakers are out, leaving us Dallas, Houston and Denver.

As a bonus, the Western Conference teams offer us a cornucopia of Sonic playoff history – especially these three. For crying out loud, you’ve got Mutombo, Dale Ellis vs Dick Motta, the Derrick McKey Game ... and we're just getting warmed up! So, let’s take a look, shall we?

LOS ANGELES
Positives: None
Negatives: Everything
Kobe, Jackson, Gasol, celebrefans … ugh.
Rootability Level: -12,378

DALLAS
Positives: Assistant Coaches Terry Stotts and Dwayne Casey, Jason Terry, Mark Cuban
Negatives: Mark Cuban, big-haired fans, proximity to Jerry Jones
Cuban is a big X Factor – the joy of seeing him on-stage with David Stern at a championship ceremony is counterbalanced by his annoying tendencies to self-promote. Still, just imagining how he’d tweak Stern as he receives the trophy is a bit tempting, no? Casey should have gotten the job that Bob Hill wound up with; of course, that’s assuming Howard Schultz hadn’t already bailed on his five-year Master Plan to Bring A Championship to Seattle, alienating his incumbent (Nate McMillan) and the most likely successor (Casey) in the span of about three weeks. Thanks, Howie! I hope you suffocate on your store foreclosure notices!

Back to the Mavs, though. Dirk has finally advanced to the stage where he’s almost likable, so they’ve got that going for them now. Plus, if you look at it from a How Much Do We Hate These Guys perspective, the Seattle-Dallas history is pretty Seattle-heavy. Sure, the Mavs knocked off Seattle 25 years ago for the franchise’s first-ever playoff series win, but that was a 4 vs. 5 matchup, and Dallas was the 4. You can’t really compare that to Dale Ellis doing everything but driving the team bus when Seattle knocked off the Mavs in 1987.

Kinda Reminds Me Of: Dirk Nowitzi meet … Tom Chambers
Rootability Level: 7


DENVER
Positives: George Karl, Assistant Coach Tim Grgurich, Johan Petro
Negatives: Well, there is the matter of that series …, Rick Reilly, John Elway

You want to know something? If I could hire anybody in history to coach a team I was on for 3 months, it would be George Karl. You know how Jesse James booted himself off of “The Apprentice” this year because he just didn’t give a crap about promoting himself? That’s George Karl. On the one hand, he can be a complete jerk who has trouble getting along with his best player (see: Payton, Gary; Allen, Ray; Iverson, Allen), to the detriment of his team’s fortunes. On the other, he’s so uninterested in impressing people he doesn’t care about, he’s willing to wear zupaz pants to NBA All-Star Weekend. Sure, he could have done more with his coaching career (the Sonics should have been in at least two more NBA Finals and Ray Allen would still be living in Milwaukee), but he could have also done a whole lot less.

Plus, you’ve got Grgurich, one of the greatest Assistant Coaches in Sonic history, right there with Les Habegger and Bernie Bickerstaff (who, sadly, saw his chance at advancing die with Chicago’s loss in Game 7). Grg and Bob Kloppenburg were the unsung heroes of the great 90s Seattle teams, so I’d love to see him get his chance for a title this year.

Of course, George and Tim winning a title would also mean rewarding the franchise that drove a stake into my heart 15 years ago. I already admitted I’m willing to forgive Mutombo, but am I willing to forgive the rest of Denver? Sadly, no – I’m that petty. Screw Denver.

Kinda Reminds Me Of: J.R. Smith meet … Fred Brown
Rootability Level: 7


HOUSTON
Positives: Brent Barry, Carl Landry (long story), Assistant Coach Jack Sikma
Negatives: Herr Adelman, Ghost of Tracy McGrady

Funny story – Back in the mid-90s, Gary Payton, Gerald Paddio and somebody else (Kevin Williams?) put together a rap song with Sir Mix-A-Lot (206 in the house!) called “Not In Our House.” Everyone in Seattle who 1) rooted for the Sonics and 2) was alive in 1994 knows the words to that song by heart, but only the people who bought the single (on tape!) know that the flip side had some assorted attempts at humor by the fellas. One in particular scored, though: there were a selection of about 3 or 4 recordings the listener could use for his answering machine. (Sadly, GP’s idea of, “Sorry, your boy can’t come to the phone right now. He’s sitting on the porch while I nail his girlfriend in the shower.” did not make the cut). The best of the surviving choices was Gary Payton intoning, “Hey, the person you’re calling’s not home right now. He’s out worshipping a poster of Jack Sikma. (cue cackling from all involved).”

It was a great – and cutting – moment. In two sentences, GP managed to insult all the white wannabees (like me), who thought Jack Sikma was all that, while letting us all know that even though we knew that he knew, we were still such big fans of his (GP) that we would put the message on our machines. It was really no different than the way he treated opposing point guards – you’re going to hate me, but you’re going to respect me, too.

I thought about that recording while I watched Sikma lumber off the bench Monday night during a timeout in the LA-Houston game. Sikma, too, could have been a head coach in Seattle, assuming, of course, that Satan’s minions hadn’t taken over the team three years ago. It’s amazing to think that – in the span of two years – he’s gone from trying to convince Johan Petro to put at least one foot in the paint during a rebounding opportunity to working with the most talented giant in NBA history, Yao Ming.

Call me crazy, and I wish I had brought this up before the Portland series, but I have an odd feeling that this is going to turn into the Summer of Yao. I’m with Doug Collins on this – Yao just exudes positivity, and I can’t help but root for the guy. I don’t want to make too much out of one game, but if I have to pick any team to beat LA this year, I’m picking Houston.

Kinds Reminds Me Of: Aaron Brooks meet … Dana Barros
Rootability Level: 8

So there you go: Houston vs. Orlando. If you, like me, love the Sonics, you're pulling for one of these two teams. Personally, I'm going with Houston to run the table. Think of it this way: Not only will you get to see Jack Sikma holding up the O'Brien Trophy, but you'll get to see Tracy McGrady at his most uncomfortablest.

An Orphaned Sonic Fan’s Guide to the NBA Playoffs

Admit it – that Game 7 on Saturday night between Boston and Chicago sucked you in, didn’t it?

Oh, sure, you like to play it cool … “I don’t need the NBA,” you tell your friends, “I’m fine watching soccer, or the Mariners. Really, I don’t need it. The NBA is dead to me.”

But like a 16-year-old loser with a ridiculous crush, you know you’re lying to yourself. You were fine all winter while the games didn’t matter, but now that the league has essentially worn cut-off denim shorts and a tank top, you can’t keep your eyes off it. Right about now, you're probably re-watching the 1996 playoffs, trying to convince yourself that you're watching it in real time.

So, Former Sonic Fan, for whom should you cheer? The Lakers, naturally, are out; only a pathetic bandwagoneer of the lowest level would abandon the Sonics for L.A., right? Well, you’ve got seven choices left, each of them with a peculiar brand of Sonicinity (?) with which to lure you. Here goes:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

ATLANTA
Positives: Former Sonic Flip Murray and former GM Rick Sund
Negatives: Former Sonic Flip Murray and former GM Rick Sund
It’s pretty tough to make a case for the Hawks, unless you’re one of those “I love to root for the underdog” type guys. Yeah, that always works out well. In this case, having two former Sonics on the roster isn’t a positive, unless you’re a big fan of GMs who opt for underachieving big men in not one, not two, but three consecutive first rounds. Of course, there’s always a chance Sund will make a deal sending Joe Johnson away for Calvin Booth and a first-rounder …

Kinda Reminds Me Of: Joe Johnson, meet … Dale Ellis
Rootability Level: 5 (out of 10)

BOSTON
Positives: Ray Allen, Mikki Moore, Glen Davis
Negatives: It’s the Celtics, people
You can’t help but root for Ray Allen and Big Baby is transforming into a non-underachieving Stanley Roberts – what’s not to like, right? Well, how about the fact the Celtics have 78 titles already, that the typical Boston fan has partied more in the past five years than anyone outside of Paris Hilton, and that, in general, New Englanders have become increasingly insufferable? Fine, I’m still bitter about the fact Dennis Johnson is known more as a Celtic than he is as a Sonic. Hey, anyone want to buy my collection of Paul Westphal cards?

Kinda Reminds Me Of: Glen Davis, meet … Lonnie Shelton
Rootability Level: 3

CLEVELAND
Positives: Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West
Negatives: LBJ hysteria is drawing closer and closer to overkill
Thankfully, it’s not there yet, though. Everybody rags on the Cavs’ non-LBJ lineup, but, really, how many centers are better than Ilgauskas (when healthy; which, admittedly, is not often)? Granted, the playoffs are chock-full of talented big men, but Big Z isn’t horrible, Mo Williams is a borderline all-star, Delonte is above average, and Wally’s teeth are better than ever.

Kinda Reminds Me Of: Mo Williams, meet … Gus Williams
Rootability Level: 8

ORLANDO
Positives: Rashard Lewis, Assistant Coach Patrick Ewing
Negatives: Stan Van Gundy, non-s ending team name
Personally, I’m pulling really hard for Rashard, if only because it will somewhat redeem the criticism the Magic received for doling out all that money for him two summers ago. With Courtney Lee sidelined, a difficult task got even tougher for Orlando, but if Lewis pours in 25+ a night as he is capable, it might help.
Kinda Reminds Me Of: Adonal Foyle, meet … Clemon Johnson
Rootability Level: 9

Consensus Eastern Conference Sonic Fan Choice: Orlando Magic

NEXT:
Western Conference

So Close, And Yet So Far Away

Photo courtesy of The Seattle Times.

Governor Doubts KeyArena Bill Will Surface

Jim Brunner at the Seattle Times reports that Gov. Gregoire does not expect to see SB 6116 to be passed during the upcoming special session. According to Brunner, Gregoire said, "I decided it wasn't a fight I was ready to fight for. I had other things I had to fight for."

This may seem to be a death knell for the bill - and for the Sonics in the near future - but as Lyndon Johnson famously said, "In politics you've got to learn that overnight chicken s*** can turn to chicken salad."

Heckuva Night for Former Sonics

From last night's action:

Donyell Marshall, Philadelphia: 0 points, 2 boards
Carl Landry, Houston: 6 points, 7 boards, WINS SERIES
Glen Davis, Boston: 23 points, 6 offensive boards, 10/18 FGs, 53 minutes
Rashard Lewis, Orlando: 29 points, 7 boards, 5 assists, WINS SERIES

And, of course,

Ray Allen, Boston: 51 points, 27 3's (well, it seemed like it), 59 minutes

Not to mention, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West, just chillin' at home waiting to get it on in the 2nd round. It's crazy how the players involved in that Ray Allen/Jeff Green trade have gone on to such stellar playoff success this year (West/Wally S. in Cleveland, Davis/Allen in Boston). Except, of course, the guy the Sonics got (Jeff Green), who is likely mowing his lawn today.

Long-term, the Sonix will be fine, and all those draft picks (and their relatively cheap salaries) will be fine, but, man, doesn't a team made up of Kevin Durant, Ray Allen, and Rashard Lewis sound kind of exciting? Sure, they'd give up 120 points a night, but exciting nonetheless ...

Spencer Haywood Chat

It may be over by the time you get there, but Spencer Haywood is now chatting at ESPN. Bonus points if you can get Haywood to talk about how he feels about today's young players compared to the players of his day.

Great Moments in Sonic Playoff History: April 30th

1978 – Portland pulls to 3-2 in the Western Conference Semifinals with a 113-89 win in the Rose City. The Sonics take the next game in Seattle to win the series.

1980 – A year removed from winning the title, the Sonics lose 111-105 to Los Angeles as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores 38.

1982 – Seattle falls 97-99 loss to San Antonio as George Gervin hits 15 of 31 shots.

1987 – A 129-98 triumph over the Mavericks caps a miraculous first-round upset of 2nd-seeded Dallas.

1989 – 109-97 win over the Rockets gives the Sonics a 2-0 lead in the Derrick McKey series.

1991 – Benoit Benjamin makes 14 free throws and Sedale Threatt pours in 29 (!) points as Sonics narrow series to 2-1 with a 102-99 win against Portland. Pete celebrates in Eugene by forcing all Blazer fans in Carson Hall to buy him a beer.

1992 – Kemp dunks on Lister, grabs 20 boards, Eddie Johnson scores 26 off the bench, and the Sonics beat the Warriors 119-116 to clinch a first-round win.

1993 – Kemp grabs 11 offensive boards, a Sonic playoff record, to go with 29 points and 17 total rebounds and Sonics upend Utah 99-85 to open their first-round series.

1994 – Seattle’s 97-87 win over Denver puts Sonics up 2-0 in first-round series. Things go sideways after …

1996 – After losing at home to Sacramento in Game 2, Sonic fans are anxious about falling behind in the series in Game 3, but Sam Perkins comes off the bench to score 17 and the Sonics capture a 96-89 win and begin their drive to the NBA Finals.

More McClendon

BusinessWeek, Muckety, and NASDAQ.com check in with more withering criticism of Aubrey McClendon. You know, if ol' Aubrey wasn't such a greedy, self-aggrandizing con artist, I'd almost feel badly for him.

Well, maybe not.

If you're too busy to graze the articles, allow me to pull out some of the choicer quotes:

Karen Finerman, in reply to the statement that McClendon received such a massive bonus last year because he created unique opportunities for Chesapeake Energy: "That's his job. What else is he supposed to do?"

Chesapeake investor Jeffrey Bronchick (his firm holds 1.18 million shares), in a letter to the CHK board: "I have never seen a more shameful document than the Chesapeake proxy statement. If I could reduce it to one page, I would frame and hang it on my office wall as a near perfect illustration of the complete collapse of appropriate corporate governance.”

Aubrey McClendon, Shmuck: "Our [SEC filing] speaks for itself we believe."

Attorney Marc Gross, on CHK's purchase of $12 million worth of art from Aubrey: "There's no purpose served by an oil company buying art. It's not a museum."