Heard It Through the Grapevine

Posted by Rob Mahoney on October 27, 2009 under The Grapevine |

• First and foremost: IT’S OPENING DAY. YEAHHHHHHHH.
• You know this by now, but Josh Howard will not be playing tonight, and could miss a few weeks.
• It light of the exhaustive season preview, I’ve opted against putting together a game preview for tonight’s affair with the Wiz. But it’ll still get the full recap treatment for tomorrow.
• Also, check back later on tonight for a link to a live chat for those looking for company on opening night. You can shout through your keyboard, chant for Beaubois to get playing time, or ask for Shawn Marion’s address so you can send a fruit basket.
• I made an appearance on The Dagger Report, a new Wizards podcast from Kyle Weidie of Truth About It and Mike Prada of Bullets Forever. It’s worth a listen.
• Don’t be fooled into thinking that Gilbert Arenas isn’t physically capable of playing well against the Mavs. The question is a matter of want: Will Gil be in attack mode? Or will his new basketball philosophy preclude him from going beserk?
• Rick Carlisle, via Eddie Sefko: “I believe in playing a playoff-style of basketball…That’s the consistency and the intensity we strive for, but it’s got to be tailored to your personnel.”
• Marc Stein on Rodrigue Beaubois: “The Mavs quietly believe Beaubois would have been a Rookie of the Year contender — in a race that might prove more open than anticipated in the wake of the fractured kneecap suffered by prohibitive favorite Blake Griffin — had he been drafted by a lottery team. His gifts are obvious: Beaubois has “Tony Parker-like speed and can change games with it,” in the words of one veteran scout; he also has a 6-foot-10 wingspan and a build reminiscent of Boston’s Rajon Rondo.” Stein does indicate that despite his incredible potential, Beaubois could end up spending some time in the NBDL.
• Donnie Nelson on Beaubois, as per the same Stein piece: “We are in the business of winning games…And playing rookies big minutes is not always conducive to winning games…With any young player, you’ve got the instructional component and you’ve got the practical component…You’ve got to be able to use what you’ve learned in the heat of the battle…Roddy has gotten off to a real good start, but you never want to close the door on any playing opportunity. We feel real good about the development he’s getting and being with Jason every day, but you never know. There might come a time or a stretch of games where it makes sense to give him a chance to have the ball in his hands with five seconds to go in the game.”
• Zac Crain and Eric Celeste keep it casual while breaking down the Western Conference.
• I love this picture of Rick Carlisle for some reason.
• An awesome visual breakdown of the homestands/road trips from around the league this season.