Anyone hear Mike North's interview KC Johnson this morning ?

Talking about the Bulls, and why they couldn't make a trade that was better than Boston's offer that had included Al Jefferson ?

KC Johnson says that the Bulls really didn't have a young big guy as good as Jefferson, and Mike North attempts to argue that Tyrus Thomas is as good as Al Jefferson.

After arguing with KC Johnson about who is better, North finally checks the stats, and realizes that Jefferson is averaging 20 PPG and 12 RPG for Minnesota, and backs off his arguement.

This is somebody that is credible in interviewing Paxson ?????? How can somebody be this ill-informed, and then shoot off his mouth about what the Bulls should have offered for Garnett ?

Wow, wish I had heard that. Unbelievable

Jefferson is really having a break out year. Yeah, he's on Minnesota so he's going to get the bulk of the rebounds and a lot of scoring opportunities, but he's shooting close to 50% and grabbing nearly 4 offensive rebounds a game. Fact is though, he put up pretty similar numbers with Boston last year, he's just getting more FGA this year

However I didn't need to check any stats to know how good he is and how much better than Thomas he is, and why Minnesota would have wanted him in a package for Garnett.

Should have just bumped the "Mike & Fred on the NBA thread"

Total lack of knowledge. Thing is, I'm guessing Murph doesn't know jack shit about basketball, but for the most part he avoids it. sure he has to talk some Bulls, but you don't really hear him talking about other teams or spouting misguided opinions. Mike should just stick to an occasional thought or two about the Bulls which is more than enough

He also admitted that his "Luol Deng - Top 5 NBA player' argument was wrong as well.

I'm not sure Mike is qualified to talk NBA when he believes Deng is a top 5 player, and doens't know who Al Jefferson is.

Well the thing is Jefferson plays on a horrible team and thus is not going to get any national exposure from games on ESPN or TNT. You're also not going to hear a lot about his great numbers or play because of the same reason. Therefore it would actually take some *gasp* investigative work- actually watching a game, following the league in general, etc. to know about him. Hell, you could even just look at the box scores and get a good idea.

I don't know about that. I am more of a casual NBA observer and I knew of Jefferson's quality while he was with the Celtics.

I was listening to that as well as I was waiting for my train and couldn't believe my ears. I wanted to get to the office and post this exact same thing but you beat me to it. Kudos to you. Mike needs to know his shit before he starts to try and make an argument.

I thought Mike had the NBA full-court package?

_________________
President of Blake Shetlon fan club

Good call BD. I was thinking the same thing this morning. And I also liked how KC shut down Mike's dumb ass and quasi-racist remarks about Luol Deng being raised in a "jungle" because he was from Sudan (but only lived there until he was 4.) KC told Mike that while in the Sudan that Deng's family lived pretty well.

_________________

Yeah, heard this too as I sat in the 53 backup this morning. KC also said that Noah had good fundamentals and could be serviceable in the league, which im not sure I agree with.

_________________

Serviceable as in being a role player, I think is what Noah would top out as.

I agree, I could see him being a Anderson varejao type player. Energy & hustle off the bench, that's about it

Could be. The few times I suffered through watching the bulls, noah didnt play much, but when he did he didnt look terrible. I just dont see him being smart enough to be a decent rebounder.

_________________

Why would he start doing that now? Never stopped him before.

"A little bit" is right. Mike either tries ad-libbing (which is a train wreck) or he quickly scans a few numbers and makes that the basis for a wide range of points. It's somewhat like the Telander fiasco. Mike took a couple of paragraphs from the column and fed them to Andre Dawson.

_________________
President of Blake Shetlon fan club

Good analysis of the situation.

How ironic Jefferson dropped a career high 39 points and had 15 rebounds last night in their upset of the Suns

But I'm sure the Bulls have a young low post player capable of doing that

We need to see more of him. He plays very good defense for a rookie big guy. I think he can be an above average starter in this league, and if Ben Wallace is gonna continue to suck we should play Noah. Just look at last night's game. He is very productive when getting 25+ minutes.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I'm going to assume that Mike North had no idea that this happened last night.

I watched most of the 2nd half of this game as I couldn't believe (though I probably shouldn't be surprised at some of the lapses the Suns keep having) the Wolves were kicking the crap out of Phoenix.

It really is truly amazing that Mike North is allowed to talk about the NBA. Cant the FCC fine him just for how dumb he sounds? Al Jefferson is a stud, and like gd said even the casual NBA observer knows his name and how good he is. I feel like North goes out of his way to not know shit about the NBA. I would love to have been in the room with KC after that interview just for a good laugh.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

North has often talked about watching randon NBA Games as well, so you'd think he wouldn't be as inept as he showed there. That was absolutely dumbfounding because he just had no idea who Jefferson was.

Not sure, but is the interview on the website ?

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson is becoming a really big deal
Riding an impressive scoring surge, the powerful 23-year-old is opening eyes around the NBA and fueling a Timberwolves turnaround.
Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson is making a strong last-minute argument to make it to the NBA All-Star Game.
His case is growing stronger by the day.
On Monday, Jefferson was named the NBA's Western Conference player of the week for leading the Wolves to a 3-1 record, the only defeat coming by one point at Boston.
Jefferson averaged 28.8 points and 12.8 rebounds in those four games. He scored 39 points Wednesday in a victory over Phoenix and followed that with a new career high of 40 points Sunday as the Wolves defeated New Jersey.
The Wolves' record (8-35) could hurt Jefferson's chances of going to New Orleans, where all-star weekend will take place Feb. 15-17. Jefferson wasn't voted a starter by the fans, so now he must hope the Western Conference coaches vote him into the game as a reserve. Results will be announced Thursday.
"I feel like the only thing that might keep me from making it is how we only won eight games," Jefferson said Monday. "Making the All-Star Game's a big deal, but if I don't make it, I'll try again next year.
"I heard the coach from Golden State (Don Nelson) said I shouldn't be in the game because of our record. I want to tell him, 'If that's the case, why are you still sending double teams at me every time we play?' "
KEY TO HIS SUCCESS
Wolves coach Randy Wittman said Jefferson's success against double teams and triple teams is the result of the work he does before he ever catches the ball. Down low in the lane, Jefferson can be a monster, especially when teammates are passing the ball to him in good position.
"It's all where he catches it," Wittman said. "If he catches it in the paint, it's hard to get (defenders) to him quick enough without fouling him. That's what he has done a good job of here lately is catching the ball deep. When he gets pushed out, that's when he gets into a little bit of trouble, and they're able to get the ball out of his hands."
THE MATURITY
Jefferson is only 23, but he looks older. He's playing like it, too. He's averaging 21.1 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks a game. He is one of just two NBA players averaging at least 20 points and 12 rebounds, along with Orlando's Dwight Howard.
"Al might be about 31," teammate Sebastian Telfair joked. "I've got to talk to his parents about that. That's why he doesn't carry a driver's license all the time. I think he went to college in Mexico."
Jefferson, who entered the NBA in 2004 out of high school in Mississippi, said he often is mistaken for being older.
"I get that a lot," Jefferson said. "I got that a lot growing up, too. You've got to grow up real fast in this league."
THE NEXT STEP
Wittman said Jefferson has shown great improvement this season, including dealing with all the expectations following the trade from Boston to Minnesota last summer. Jefferson went from being the second or third option with the Celtics to the primary option as a Wolf.
Now Wittman wants to see Jefferson make the same progress on defense.
"He has got to get better defensively," Wittman said. "That's his next step. He can't think total offense because he can be a guy that comes from the weak side and blocks shots and affects shots. That's where he has got to flip it over to that side of the floor and take the same steps he is offensively."

Nice, BD

Fast becoming one of my favorite players, and actually a reason to watch a dreadful Wolves team.

I'm so impressed the way he handles the double & triple teams. Teams are all over this guy because he's really their only threat, yet he still scores. The more I look at the Garnett trade, the more I think the Wolves are actually going to make out good. Once they get Walkers deal off the books they can go after a good free agent or two...I like the direction they're headed, and they still haven't gotten Foye back, that should be a big boost. Hopefully McCants can develop some more too

I really do hope he makes the All-Star team, fuck Don Nelson...if anything their record should BE a reason he makes it, as referenced above. Teams are double and triple teaming him, whereas someone like Duncan has a lot of help around him making things easier for him

And while I'm at it, fuck Mike North....someone should call in with his stats from last week, or do a WYC...

Nice quote there.

_________________
Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

I think Don Nelson just likes to double team someone

Used to drive me crazy that back in the day they'd double team Barkley all the time and leave Ainge, Wesley Person, Marleje, etc. wide open for 3's

I'm actually rooting for Al Jefferson to get into early foul trouble tonight, have 10 points and 4 rebounds and then listen to North tomorrow tell us Jeferson isn't that good. North probably doesn't know that Minnesota plays the Bulls B2B so it would great if North badmouths Jefferson, and then he comes back with a 25 and 15 game.

Even if the Wolves just got Jefferson, it wouldnt be too bad, but Gomes and Telfair have been productive players, and they got the first round pick. I dont really think Green will ever turn out to be a great player, but the rest of the pieces made it worth it for the wolves, since they werent going anywhere the next three years with KG.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Yeah, it is turning out to be a good deal for them. Of course, had they made the deal sooner they could have had the 5th pick (that became Ray Allen) as well...

All this being said, the Wolves still really suck and better not beat the Bulls, but knowing how we've been going lately in chicago sports they will sweep us in the home and home series.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Despite not having the worst record in the East, I think the Bulls are more than capable of losing to any team anywhere. In a 7-game series, the Bulls could probably go 7 with an NCAA team at this point...I'm not even 100% convinced they'd win.

_________________
Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

I'm actually confident the Wolves will at least split

Personally, I hope Big Al goes for 50 and 20