Posted: Monday February 25, 2002 4:52 PM
Updated: Wednesday February 27, 2002 6:36 PM
CNNSI.com's Marty Burns surveys the NBA landscape every week with his Roundball Roundup. Check back during the week for Marty's columns, power rankings and NBA mailbag. To send a question to Marty's mailbag, click here.
Don't look now, but those old fogeys the Jazz are back. The NBA's version of a '57 Chevy (as Turner Sports' Kenny Smith calls them) have won nine of 11 and are creeping up in the rearview mirror of the Western leaders, turn signal blinking the whole way. Not even an Olympics-induced nine-game road trip has slowed these geriatric road warriors.
According to Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, Karl Malone has led the way by playing "the best defense of his career." During the team's current six-game win streak, Utah has held foes to 87.5 points per game on 42.0 percent shooting. While the improved play of rookies Andrei Kirilenko and Jarron Collins has been a big part, it has been the 38-year-old Malone who has set the tone.
"He's stepping into passing lanes, helping and recovering, chasing loose balls," longtime Jazz assistant Gordon Chiesa says. "He's always done it, but he's taken it to a new level because he knows the team plays off his energy. He wants to set a tone."
Can the Mailman deliver one more long playoff run from his bag of tricks? Only time will tell. But with forward Donyell Marshall, set to come off the disabled list this week, the Jazz have reason to be feeling spry again.
Bucks getting back on the beam
After losing nine of 12 to fall out of first place in the Central Division, the Bucks have regained their footing with three consecutive victories, including Sunday's 89-82 win over the Pistons. GM Ernie Grunfeld admits he got a slew of calls before the trade deadline from teams seeking to pry Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, Sam Cassell or Tim Thomas, but he never seriously considered making a move. Considering that Milwaukee is just now getting everybody healthy after a series of nagging injuries, and that power forward Anthony Mason is finally in shape, Grunfeld's reluctance to break up his Big Three makes sense. If Milwaukee bombs out in the playoffs, however, look for some changes in Brew Town.
Kemp suspension ill-timed for Warriors
Blazers forward Shawn Kemp's indefinite suspension for violating the league's drug policy came just a few days too late for Warriors GM Garry St. Jean. Had Kemp's situation been known earlier, then-Warriors forward Marc Jackson might have agreed to a proposed trade to the Blazers. The deal, according to sources, would have fetched Golden State a first-round pick, $3 million cash and retired player Detlef Schrempf (thrown in for salary cap purposes). Fearful of not getting enough playing time, however, Jackson vetoed the deal to Rip City. St. Jean wound up giving him away to the Timberwolves for Dean Garrett (who might as well be retired like Schrempf) and a second-round draft pick in 2007.
No Bull, hot air in Windy City
How hungry are Chicago fans for any sign of progress in the Bulls' long rebuilding project? After Saturday's victory over the Warriors raised Chicago's record to 3-0 since the Jalen Rose trade, some callers to the city's sports talk radio stations were actually talking about the team making the playoffs next year. Never mind the fact that the Bulls' three wins came over struggling clubs New York, Phoenix and Golden State. Rookies Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry are beginning to play well, but they still have a long way to go. Besides, Bulls fans should be careful what they wish for. Chicago might be playing itself right out of a chance to draft Jason Williams or Yao Ming.
An opposing team's assistant coach gives his scouting report on veteran power forward Rodney Rogers, recently traded from the Suns to the Celtics.
"He's a power forward who presents problems because he can score inside and out. He can really shoot the 3. Most big guys hate two things on defense: getting dunked on and having to chase guys out to the 3-point line. Rogers makes you go out after him. He's also surprisingly good one-on-one for a man his size. He likes to go right even though he's left-handed, so can throw some defenders off.
"The way Boston plays, he fits perfectly because they encourage 3-point shooting. He's going to get a lot of open looks because you have to double Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. He's going to stretch the defense out. If they play Walker at the five, now both of your big guys will have to be chasers. I think he'll really help them."
This week's theme: Midseason trades
1. Which of the following players was not involved in the then-record nine-player swap between the Mavericks and Nets just before the 1997 trade deadline?
a. Shawn Bradley
b. Lucious Harris
c. Sam Cassell
2. Which player did the Bulls acquire along with John Starks in the three-way trade that sent Toni Kukoc to the 76ers just before the 2000 deadline?
a. Kevin Ollie
b. Bruce Bowen
c. Chris Carr
3. Which of the following players did the Blazers acquire from the Rockets as part of the Clyde Drexler deal before the 1995 deadline?
a. Tracy Murray
b. Mark Bryant
c. Otis Thorpe
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