Injury Binge: The Hurt Locker Edition

A quick rundown of league injuries...painstakingly Oscar themed.

JASON TERRY, INJURY BINGE RATING: AN EDUCATION
For reasons beyond comprehension Terry was left on the court during a 20 point rout of the T'Wolves and with four minutes left sustained an orbital fracture that should keep him out for the next 10-14 days. Dear Rick Carlisle, when you're up by 20 late in the 4th bring in the deeeeeep reserves for god's sake!! Your killing my fantasy team!!

RODNEY STUCKEY, INJURY BINGE RATING: THE BLIND SIDE
If you were watching the Pistons/Cavs game like I was you saw a pretty haunting scene. Anytime a basketball player collapses on court it conjures up imagery of Len Bias and Hank Gathers. Stuckey has been the only consistent developing contributor on a confused Pistons team bizarrely ravaged by both inexperience and old age simultaneously. Stuckey was released from the hospital earlier today and appears to have cleared all initial medical tests. Our best to him and his family. Come back soon.

TONY PARKER, INJURY BINGE RATING: UP IN THE AIR
Unfortunately for Parker and the rest of the tread-water Spurs it looks like the bone he broke during a scrap for the ball versus Memphis was in fact in his right hand. Parker without his shooting hand isn't much use to a team in desperate need of firepower. It looks like he'll be out around 6 weeks. And even if he can return will their be any games left to play for a Spurs team destined to face either Dallas or L.A. in the first round?

JOAKIM NOAH, INJURY BINGE RATING: A SERIOUS MAN
Dude wants to play... he reeeeally wants to play. But plantar fasciitis is no joke, see: Yao Ming and Zydrunas Ilgauskus' nasty bouts with the chronic and painful ailment. If anything heals heels it's time, but between Chicago trying to both hold off the Bobcats, and make a move on Miami's 7th seed I suspect we might see Noah prematurely rushed back to the court. Not smart in the long run... as longstanding cases of plantar fasciitis can often become increasingly degenerative and inflammatory. But what can you do when the biggest cheerleader of this plan is most likely Noah himself! Shut him down and keep working on the development of Taj Gibson who could greatly benefit from extended playing time and a veteran mentor in Brad Miller.

KENYON MARTIN, INJURY BINGE RATING: PRECIOUS
Martin has a partial tear of his left patella tendon and surgery is among the treatment options being considered. With Denver's fragile championship ecosystem in jeopardy, the loss of K-Mart would be a huge blow to the Nuggets hopes for a deep playoff run this year.

CHRIS PAUL, INJURY BINGE RATING: AVATAR
He's almost back on the court and who can't use an MVP caliber point gaurd, but who saw Darren Collison coming?! The rookie PG who over the last month has averaged 22.1 points on 55% shooting, shot 88% from the stripe, and averaged over 8 assists and 2 steals per game is playing like a man possessed, or perhaps controlled remotely by the mind of a crippled teamate in hopes of infiltrating a mysterious and noble culture from within?!

THE ENTIRE ROSTER OF THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS, INJURY BINGE RATING: INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

Golden State is dealing with a roster featuring 8 injured players...RIDICULOUS!!

03/05/2010 Monta Ellis (G) Back (Day-to-Day)
03/01/2010 Andris Biedrins (C) Groin (Day-to-Day)
02/27/2010 Raja Bell (G) Wrist (Out Indefinitely)
02/07/2010 Vladimir Radmanovic (C) Achilles (Out Indefinitely)
02/05/2010 Anthony Randolph (F) Ankle (Mid-March)
12/16/2009 Mikki Moore (F) Heel (Out Indefinitely)
11/17/2009 Kelenna Azubuike (G) Knee (Out for the Season)
10/15/2009 Brandan Wright (F) Shoulder (Mid-March)

Although they might not have been able to handle killing Hitler, their is no doubt in my mind that the Warriors All-Injured team could easily handle the Nets, the Timberwolves, and most likely Golden State's own active roster. Because the Warriors my friends, are f****** terrible.

BONUS: Topical former Oscar Nods

The Ides of Ostertag: Honoring a Legend

March 6th marks the birthday of one of the most dominant centers in NBA history. A man who in college was a two-time All-American, two-time SEC player of the year, and received the Adolph Rupp Trophy as NCAA men's basketball player of the year in 1991. He also holds the NCAA record for blocked shots in a game with 17 blocks. A 4 time NBA champion, 3 time Olympic Gold Medalist, and even an NBA MVP.

Unfortunately for Greg Ostertag, he happens to share this mans birthday... HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAQ!!

But dammit how can you not love the high-top crew-cut!! Anyone who lived through the Jordan era was vicariously forced to experience the glory of my favorite lumbering Utah Hill Giant. Now don't get me wrong O had some game. For a big dude he could definitely get up for the shot block and even the occasional thunder dunk ... because that's how we did it in the 90's son!!

Pictured: The Birthday Boys
Not Pictured: Ostertag's Spine!!

But Greg resided in a different era of league athleticism. An era where teams could truly get away with position players. Ostertag was cast with Scorsesian precision on a consistent and frighteningly physical team. One pedigreed with a legacy of unparalleled pick-and-roll-dominated efficiency. He may not have been able to roll, but you can't say the man didn't know how to set a hell of a pick...

But let's get serious. If memories were hilarious pictures of Greg Ostertag then your high school reunion pretty much looked exactly like this:












This brings me to the next reason I insist on memorializing our Gentle Jazz Giant. His KILLER F****** TATTOO!!

Before full body and sleeve work became a near institutional fraternal initiation ritual in college ball and especially the pro game, Greg had the foresight to proudly sport this F****** GEM!!

This Is NOT a Joke. I Am Serious Like Satelite Radio!! The Legit OsterTAG!! Yabba Dabba Do? More Like Yabba Dabba Don't!! etc...


So I hereby proclaim today, March 6th, henceforth to be known as Greg Ostertag Day. May we celebrate a man whose consistently serviceable, yet generally uninspiring play, and propensity for ridiculous photographs provide us with fond rememberances of an age forgotten. An age where mammothian forest creatures the likes of Bryant Reeves, Cherokee Parks, Jim McIlvane, Dino Rada, and of course our beloved Greg Ostertag were free to roam the paint and subsequent hillsides in search of meat, bounty, and contracts inversely proportional to on-court value... because that's how we did it in the 90's son!!



TO GREG OSTERTAG DAY!! HAPPY OSTER TO ALL FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT TRIPPELL DUBBELL!!

Finley Signs With Celtics, Still Irrelevant Old Man...

Only three days after being released by a San Antonio Spurs team FINALLY starting to realize why they are no longer carded at Applebees, Michael Finley has signed with alleged NBA contenders the Boston Celtics. This adds to an already admirable collection of elderly 3-ball jacking statesman, and continues to confuse me as to the direction of this now-or-never success story, turned whimsical island stronghold for disparaged me-first castaways...

The release of Finley shows a dedicated diligence toward the implementation of the Spurs youth movement. In particular the development of George Hill, the lanky do it all combo guard out of IUPUI (Never heard of it? You're not alone...) Popovich is a no nonsense dude and he likes to reward tough guys, hard workers, and smart playmaking so telling the media openly that Hill is his favorite player on the team, even as an offhand comment, is pretty damn meaningful in my book! Although it seems like a no-brainer move to release long time Spurs jump shooting sidekick Finley (If you love something set it free... or at least let it go somewhere it might get some playing time) I think we now have enough evidence to officially call it a trend after Bowen, Thomas, Barry, and now Mikey F have been jettisoned to make way for budding rook's and soph's, I'm looking your way DeJuan Blair!!


And now a link to some NWS George Hill dik-pics ENJOI!!

The 7 foot Lithuanian Elephant In The Room

Yes we all knew it was going to happen but now it's practically confirmed by Ilgauskus Agent: Zydrunas Ilgauskus is once again going to be a Cleveland Cavalier destined to break a couple more all time Cleveland records shortly before Lebron decimates them all for the rest of mans natural existence... But this post is about Z and damn it give the man some love!!

Cleveland's Sweet Release: Dust Settles After Jamison Trade

After Antawn Jamison's 0-12 debut with his new home team Cleveland sports fans, who in their defense have been on the receiving end of an abusive relationship with their professional sports teams for years*, had apathetically given up hope on the former Wizards general. Under the breath comments and offhand grumbles that they still hadn't found their missing piece. Quick to say goodbye to their playoff hopes, goodbye to their championship, and goodbye to Bron Bron. Resigning themselves to be self fulfilling victims in their own vicious cyclical history of dissapointment.

Now seven games into the new look Cavs', Cleveland can give a collective sigh of relief. Jamison is a stud, even though every year i admit I look at his birthday, 6/12/76 if you must know, and think "Well, great season last year. But he's getting up there..." Dude is 34 and coming off a surgery that would have ended a lesser mans tenure as one of the most versatile floor stretching power forwards of the 2000's. Sure Jamison's scoring per is down a couple points in Cleveland (a big throbbing K'DUH) on a team with this many active weapons it was to be expected. Really, my only worry for the Jamison-Cavs experiment, a formula that assures a lock on home court advantage during the playoffs is the very strange phenomenon Jamison's developed of shooting under 68% FT percentage at home this year, as opposed to a near 78% on the road. That being said Jamison is a VERY good look on a new look team. Dear Danny Ferry, it took you twenty years but you've finally made up for that 2nd overall draft pick... (For those of you NOT from Cleveland the Cavs infamously drafted Ferry ahead of Glen Rice, Tim Hardaway, Shawn Kemp, Cliff Robinson, Mookie Blaylock, and of course my boy Vlade "Dadi We Like To Party" Divac in 1989)

So after two games of adjustments and a little time to get back into sync after the roster retooling we are starting to see a Cav's team streaking to the finish line. Also of note is the return of Mo Williams, say what you will but without Mo this team is not a championship contender. What Mo gives this team besides a generally excellent line is a tremendous weapon that you simply cannot ever forget about. Mo Will I repeat WILL always get his... it's a promise. I don't care if Mo comes into the fourth quarter with 3 points on 1-6 shooting he will end that game with 12 points and 3 three's to go with 5 assists.

Shaq Out Until Playoffs

If Cleveland is the "Forest City" They'll be missing their biggest tree for a while longer. Shaq's finger ligament injury did indeed require surgery and sources say he won't be back until the second round of the playoffs, and that may be a best case scenario.

In the mean time Cleveland has reached out to a familiar face and fan favorite (as if we didn't see Z's buyout coming)and are testing the waters in talks with Big Z to see if they can't make it 12 years straight in Ohio for our favorite 7 foot Lithuanian. Mr. Illgauskus I'm convinced would love nothing more than to end his career in Cleveland even if it means eating a little crow and playing Shaq-up back up, maybe even Hickson back up at this point... Rookie J.J. Hickson's play has been phenomenal as of late if you haven't been paying attention (and yes I know it's been coming in blowouts of the Nets and Knicks but come on the kid can play!!) Don't believe me check out his high pressure D against Boston!!



Until next time be well and check back with Trippell Dubbell soon!!

*see: The Browns, The Bengals, The Cavaliers, and The Browns again. I'll let the Indians slide but only because Major League is pretty much the best movie about all heart, balls out, punk rock pitching ever made!!

COSA SALVAJE QUE PIENSO TE AMO!!

Trippell Dubbell Launch 2-24-10

Hi my name is Dylan and I'm a Timberwolves fan...

Now that you have full disclosure... welcome to Trippell Dubbell!! A site that I hope will be a nice outlet for my compulsive and fanatical obsession. I invite you to listen to my observations, ramblings, and complaints about the NBA, its players, fantasy basketball, and basketball relevant pop culture.

I am starting with a very informal format and am hoping that as I gain feedback and experience to evolve the blog into something unique, analytical, and ridiculous.

Your first assignment is to learn these names:

Darren Collison
Omri Casspi
DeJuan Blair
James Harden
Stephen Curry
DeMar DeRozan

If all you're hearing is Jennings and Evans... ROY! ROY! ROY! It's time to plan long term and get familiar with some of the guys destined to be the building blocks of young and changing teams. Also look for these names to come up as untouchables and sticking points in MAJOR off-season trades in the coming years... So check the date. 2.24.10 because I'm calling it right now: WE ARE ENTERING A NEW GOLDEN AGE OF POINT GAURDS IN THE NBA. More on this soon!!

But for now:

I'm askin y'all
Which park, are y'all playin basketball?
Get me on the court and I'm trouble
Last week f***** around and got a TRIPPELL DUBBELL!!
Freakin niggaz everyway like M.J.
I can't believe, today was a good day (s***!)

Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day
by Macmalus