This is my first go at my Power Rankings. I hope this will be a weekly segment, even though I realize this first entry is coming almost three weeks into the season. But at least we have a bigger sample to go by. So here we go...
1. Boston Celtics (8-1): Despite the loss of Glen Davis, Sheed's arrival has been a big part of their strong start. C's are outscoring opponents by almost 15 ppg with only loss coming vs. surprising Suns.
2. Los Angeles Lakers (7-1): 7-1 start without Gasol (and minus Bynum for 2) is enough to make you forget about needing OT to beat OKC and Houston.
3. Phoenix Suns (8-2): Leading the NBA in scoring. Nash dishing out a league-best 12 dimes per game. Only two losses coming on the road vs. last year's finals teams. Anyone think they are missing Shaquille O'Neal?
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (6-3): Early season struggles aside, the Cavs had yet to really impress until sweeping a road back-to-back over Orlando and Miami.
5. Miami Heat (6-2): Not a bad start on South Beach. Heat are supporting D-Wade's stellar (as always) play with 5 OTHER guys scoring at least 8 ppg and a stifling defense (91 ppg against).
6. Atlanta Hawks (6-2): Trading for Jamal Crawford (17.5 ppg off the bench) looks even better when the Hawks' investment in resigning Mike Bibby for $18M has produced little results (10 ppg, 4 apg).
7. Denver Nuggets (6-3): I said it in last year's playoffs and I'll say it again now - Carmelo Anthony has made the jump into the elite level of NBA stars. Melo is pouring in over 30 ppg and adding almost 7 rebounds and 2 steals per game.
8. Portland Trail Blazers (6-3): After some uninspired play, Nate McMillan seems to have decided that the offense is better served starting both Steve Blake and free agent signee Andre Miller. Since the move to a 3-guard lineup, the Blazers have won all 4 games by an average of 18 points.
9. Orlando Magic (6-3): Yes, they are 6-3, but there is concern when you're blown out not only by the Cavs (at home), but the Thunder too. Even more so when your coach is questioning the team's effort nightly.
10. San Antonio Spurs (4-3): Slow starts are nothing new to the Spurs in recent years, but injury concerns to Parker and Duncan are. That said, Spurs were able to handle Mavs minus both.
11. Dallas Mavericks (5-3): Dirk is off to a great start and Marion is looking like a good addition but it's important for them to get Josh Howard healthy. Versatile swingman was on the verge but is sidelined again with a setback to his ankle.
12. Houston Rockets (5-3): Are we ever going to see the end of the Rockets exceeding everyone's expectations? Trevor Ariza, Aaron Brooks, and Carl Landry are leading a surprisingly potent offense averaging 104 ppg.
13. Toronto Raptors (4-4): Raptors are leading the NBA in offensive efficiency and 3rd in scoring (108.1 ppg). Unfortunately, they're 27th in scoring defense (108.6). It seems Bryan Colangelo really has brought his Suns brand of basketball to Canada.
14. Detroit Pistons (4-4): Offseason acquisitions Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva lead the team in scoring, but the team still wins off its defense (86 ppg against). It will be interesting to see how new head coach John Kuester balances the backcourt minutes once Rip Hamilton returns from injury.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-4): It took the Thunder 33 games to win 4 a season ago, but this team's improvement can be traced to defense, giving up 13 fewer points a game than a year ago.
16. Chicago Bulls (4-4): This team deserves to be right in the middle. They don't give up a lot of points (92.9), but they don't score many either (88.6) and they've already played 4 games decided by 3 points or fewer (and are 3-1 in those games).
17. Milwaukee Bucks (4-2): If Brandon Jennings continues to play this well (averaging 20-4-5), you can expect to see a few more potential one-and-done high schoolers make the trip to Europe to play for some cash before entering the draft.
18. Indiana Pacers (3-3): Danny Granger (nearly 25 ppg) has been as good as advertised but who would have thought his most offensive support would come from Dahntay Jones?
19. Sacramento Kings (4-4): Kings have responded to losing Kevin Martin and his 30 ppg (out 6-8 weeks) by averaging 108 points in 3-game winning streak.
20. Utah Jazz (3-5): Followed up big win vs. Spurs with home loss to Kings, 2-point win over Knicks, and a blowout loss to Celtics. Deron Williams said the team is dealing with issues of selfishness, despite his 9.9 apg being second in the NBA.
21. Philadelphia 76ers (4-4): Starting big men Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert are combining to average a putrid 15.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game between them. They also will combine to make nearly $27 million this season.
22. Charlotte Bobcats (3-5): Even with two 100-point games (both W's) under their belt, the Bobcats are still averaging a meager 83 ppg and only 77 in their 5 losses.
23. New Orleans Hornets (3-6): Whether you think the timing was right or not, it had become clear that Byron Scott's time on the Hornets bench was circling in on an end. GM Jeff Bower and Tim Floyd have got to act quickly if there's any hopes of a playoff run in the Big Easy.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (3-6): Clippers are in trouble for a long season if they can't string together some W's soon. They've only played 3 teams with winning records so far, none in November.
25. Washington Wizards (2-5): Caron Butler has scored 90 points this season and given out a grand total of FOUR assists. Sure, Arenas has the ball in his hands more but Butler is too good to have such a poor ratio.
26. Golden State Warriors (2-5): Another day, another chapter in the saga of Stephen Jackson vs. the Warriors. On top of expanding his trade demand to include every team short of the Harlem Globetrotters and his agent bashing Don Nelson, the Artist Formerly Known as Captain Jack is blaming the media for making him out to be the "bad guy in all this."
27. New York Knicks (1-8): In a system designed to thrive on PG play, Chris Duhon is doing his best to lose his starting job, shooting just 23% and scoring only 6 ppg despite being 2nd on the team in minutes played.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-8): A scoring margin of -14.4 is going to do nothing to make fans forget that Ricky Rubio won't be walking through that door for at least 2-3 years.
29. Memphis Grizzlies (1-8): As much as Allen Iverson may hope, he's really about the only newsworthy thing going on in Memphis these days. Is his career over? Some say yes and if so, we may have seen the last of the brilliant, albeit rocky, career of The Answer.
30. New Jersey Nets (0-8): In hopes of finding a bright spot in their winless start, Nets' fans can enjoy for a second that the second-year tandem of Brook Lopez and Chris Douglas-Roberts are combining to average 34 points and almost 14 rebounds per game.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Out of Town
I will be in South Carolina attending the Clemson vs. Florida St. football game on Saturday night. I will be back on Monday and when I do, look for a bunch of new posts, including my initial Power Rankings of the season, more News and Notes, maybe a rookie report and some new features.
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Monday, November 2, 2009
News and Notes
So to borrow a segment from Who Lurks, here is a quick hit on some of the buzzworthy headlines and stories from the past week in the NBA:
Rajon Rondo gets PAID
Like, ridiculously paid. Rondo agreed to 5-year, $55 million extension at the deadline to sign one before becoming a restricted free agent next year. That's a lot of loot for a guy the Celtics shopped all winter and said was difficult to handle, especially considering the price tags they have on the Big 3 going forward. BUT, this is a deal that I think had to go down. For all his misgivings, Rondo is the perfect PG for them. He is unselfish (on the court, at least) and doesn't need to worry about putting points on the board to be effective. We saw just how valuable he can be in last year's playoffs and he's an important part in how the Celtics play. It helps that Garnett, Pierce and Allen are unselfish, but Rondo is the guy with the ball in his hands a lot of the time so his unselfishness is just as key. I think they made the right move in locking him up, ending the questions about his future there, and not letting him hit RFA where he would have been a hot commodity.
Ginobilil Swats Bat, Gets Rabies Shot
Yeah, that headline is right. On Halloween night, a bat was flying through the AT&T Center during the Spurs-Kings game and Manu got so fed up, he swatted the bat to the ground with his hand and then carried it off the court. Now, according to Manu's facebook page, he needs to get a rabies shot. The NBA, where rabies happens.
Michael Redd's Knee Already Acting Up
So after missing a good portion of last season and undergoing surgery on his ACL in March, Michael Redd is already experiencing pain and discomfort in the same knee. After averaging 12 ppg on 32% shooting in Milwaukee's first 2 games, Redd is going on the shelf. The Bucks say he should be out about 2 weeks but this is not exactly what you want to see so early in the season for a player coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Eerily reminds you of Gilbert Arenas last year...
Blake Griffin Out with Broken Kneecap
Yes, I realize that if you follow the NBA, you already know about this. But technically, it still happened in the past week so it counts. Anyways, I can say that I was truly looking forward to seeing Blake Griffin play in the opener last week but am still expecting him to make a big impression when he does, in fact, debut with the Clippers. I would say that Griffin is good enough for them to ignore all the cursed talk, but I did find it slighty unnerving that he appeared to suffer the injury on what was a fantastic highlight reel dunk. Almost fitting seeing it's the Clippers. Can't really ignore the fact that he's already been slowed by 3 injuries since the draft, but I'm rooting for him.
Rajon Rondo gets PAID
Like, ridiculously paid. Rondo agreed to 5-year, $55 million extension at the deadline to sign one before becoming a restricted free agent next year. That's a lot of loot for a guy the Celtics shopped all winter and said was difficult to handle, especially considering the price tags they have on the Big 3 going forward. BUT, this is a deal that I think had to go down. For all his misgivings, Rondo is the perfect PG for them. He is unselfish (on the court, at least) and doesn't need to worry about putting points on the board to be effective. We saw just how valuable he can be in last year's playoffs and he's an important part in how the Celtics play. It helps that Garnett, Pierce and Allen are unselfish, but Rondo is the guy with the ball in his hands a lot of the time so his unselfishness is just as key. I think they made the right move in locking him up, ending the questions about his future there, and not letting him hit RFA where he would have been a hot commodity.
Ginobilil Swats Bat, Gets Rabies Shot
Yeah, that headline is right. On Halloween night, a bat was flying through the AT&T Center during the Spurs-Kings game and Manu got so fed up, he swatted the bat to the ground with his hand and then carried it off the court. Now, according to Manu's facebook page, he needs to get a rabies shot. The NBA, where rabies happens.
Michael Redd's Knee Already Acting Up
So after missing a good portion of last season and undergoing surgery on his ACL in March, Michael Redd is already experiencing pain and discomfort in the same knee. After averaging 12 ppg on 32% shooting in Milwaukee's first 2 games, Redd is going on the shelf. The Bucks say he should be out about 2 weeks but this is not exactly what you want to see so early in the season for a player coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Eerily reminds you of Gilbert Arenas last year...
Blake Griffin Out with Broken Kneecap
Yes, I realize that if you follow the NBA, you already know about this. But technically, it still happened in the past week so it counts. Anyways, I can say that I was truly looking forward to seeing Blake Griffin play in the opener last week but am still expecting him to make a big impression when he does, in fact, debut with the Clippers. I would say that Griffin is good enough for them to ignore all the cursed talk, but I did find it slighty unnerving that he appeared to suffer the injury on what was a fantastic highlight reel dunk. Almost fitting seeing it's the Clippers. Can't really ignore the fact that he's already been slowed by 3 injuries since the draft, but I'm rooting for him.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
2009-10 West Preview: Part II
We all know who is expected to finish at the top (Lakers), but will there even really be much more than jockeying for position behind them? As detailed in yesterday's Part I of my Western Conference Preview, there really doesn't seem to be an obvious threat among the lottery teams from the last year that can contend for this year's playoffs. The only real trade out is the Suns benefiting from the Rockets injury woes and taking their spot. Some team from the Clippers/Warriors/Thunder/Rockets group could mount a surprising challenge but I don't seem them sustaining it. Therefore, I present Part II of the West Preview and how I see these 8 teams finishing it up.
8. Phoenix Suns
As I said already, the Suns may be the biggest beneficiaries of Yao Ming's lost season. After finishing 9th in an 8-horse race last year (albeit with 46 wins), they've recommitted to the run-and-gun style of the D'Antoni days, jettisoning Shaq in the offseason for what amounted to a few million bucks in salary relief. Amare is back from the freak eye injury that cost him the end of last season, just as the Suns were rounding into 140-points-is-possible form. So I expect Alvin Gentry to let the team run, run, run and then run some more. However, if this team does falter out of the gate, or looks like it could be passed in the playoff chase again, the talk about shopping free agent-to-be Stoudemire will surpass last season's elevated levels.
7. Dallas Mavericks
Another offseason spent getting older. The Mavericks acquired Shawn Marion (presumably hoping the Phoenix-version of the Matrix is still in there somewhere), but also got played by the Orlando Magic and let Brandon Bass leave thinking they would get Marcin Gortat on an offer sheet. When the Magic matched, the Mavs were left without either. Drew Gooden is a solid add in their place but is a downgrade and while they added some nice pieces in Quinton Ross, Kirk Humphries, and Richie Beaubouis, they are not guys you expect a lot from. The main core of Dirk, Kidd, Terry, and Howard is aging quickly and I just don't see the acquisition of Marion doing enough to vault them into the upper crust of the competitive West.
6. Utah Jazz
The Jazz knew going into the offseason that it could be one of major change for them. Carlos Boozer was expected to opt out of his contract (as was Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver) and Paul Millsap's restricted free agency could mean he'd be getting a big offer sheet elsewhere that the Jazz would have to contemplate matching. In the end, Millsap got his offer sheet (a front-loaded 4-year, $32 million offer from Portland) and the Jazz matched, while all 3 potential opt-outs declined the opportunity to become free agents and returned. Coupled with Deron Williams' max contract extension kicking in this season, this puts the Jazz nearly $14 million over the luxury tax line but without significant improvement over last year's squad. Sure, they still have a talented nucleus, but this team struggled down the stretch right as it got healthy and they were an easy out in the first round. The Jazz can hope for a more consistent effort this year, but that won't be easy given the fact that they are already shopping their All-Star PF in Boozer, just to try and cut the $24 million investment ($12M in salary, plus $12M in luxury tax).
#5 New Orleans Hornets
Yes, the Hornets look like they should get the better end of the Emeka Okafor-for-Tyson Chandler trade. Okafor's upside in comparison to Chandler is that he can actually produce offensively when given the ball in the low post and does not need to rely on strictly dumpoffs and alley-oops to score. However, this move alone isn't likely to make a large impact in terms of wins and losses for the Hornets, and there is little sense in believing anything else they did this summer will either. CP3 will take this team as far as he can, and with him at the helm, they will be a tough opponent, but the lack of quality depth and little production from Mo-Pete and Peja would spell another season in the middle of the pack for the Hornets.
#4 Denver Nuggets
Bill Simmons pointed out in his season preview that George Karl doesn't have a particularly comforting record in seasons coming off big successes. Whether this holds true in Denver goes beyond GK, but the early signs are a mixed bag. On one hand, Carmelo seems like he has really made the jump to star status and Chauncey Billups is the perfect leader for that team. On the other hand, everything seemed to go right last season, including the team staying relatively healthy (surprising on a team including Kenyon Martin and Nene) and the surprising impact of Chris "Birdman" Andersen. But financial concerns prevented the Nuggets from getting involved in free agency. Linas Kleiza signed in Europe, but they Nuggets will try to replace his bench production with Arron Afflalo and James White. I'm a big fan of their move in trading a future 1st rounder for the rights to PG Ty Lawson. I loved Lawson at UNC and thought he was a logical pick for them, even if he had come out a year sooner. I got to see him in a couple preseason games and he looks like the right contrast to Billups more methodical game and should provide a nice spark to their second unit.
#3 Portland Trail Blazers
The ceiling for the Blazers just keeps rising. Already armed with a roster full of young, talented players, the Blazers also were one of the few teams with a chunk of cap space last offseason. Surprisingly, they had some difficulty spending it. After Hedo Turkoglu came to a verbal agreement on a big contract, he came back a day later and said he was signing with the Raptors (in the end, I think better for the Blazers considering how Turkoglu thrived in Orlando with the ball in his hands, something Brandon Roy does in Portland). They signed Paul Millsap to the offer sheet referenced earlier, only to have the Jazz step up and match it. After a last-second attempt to pry Lamar Odom from LA, they settled on Andre Miller. Miller is another "ball in his hands" player, but the fact that the Blazers may bring him off the bench (and his willingness, at least publicly, to do so) should help. Steve Blake is the pass-first distributor the starters need, while Miller can run what will be a very talented second unit along with Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, and Joel Pryzbilla. After a disappointing first round exit last year, I think another season of maturing and expectations will help the Blazers grow into their role as a real title contender. At this point, given their recent tormenting of the Lakers, I think LA would rather see San Antonio in the WCF than the Blazers.
#2 San Antonio Spurs
I still think the Spurs had the best offseason of any team in the West, maybe even the NBA. This is a team that, for a few years now, has heard the talk of getting too old and seeing their championship window with Tim Duncan closing. After making some nice moves to get Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill last offseason, the Spurs upgraded their roster with Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, and DeJuan Blair. The trade for Jefferson was an important move for the franchise as they cemented themselves as being a luxury tax payer with it, trading mostly useless pieces for a talented wing player. Jefferson provides them with a valuable scoring option, one that will provide a huge insurance policy should Manu Ginobili go down again. He's still very athletic, a good defender, and an overlooked shooter (important considering how many open looks teams were willing to give Bruce Bower over the years as the Spurs' starting SF). McDyess provides San Antonio with another big man that is capable enough to keep the opposing teams 2nd big occupied and unable to freely double or triple Duncan on the block. Blair was a steal in the second round and given the Spurs commitment to low maintenance players with a blue-collar work ethic, Blair fits right in. He's a seasoned college player who should be able to provide value in the Spurs second unit right away.
#1 Los Angeles Lakers
Ah yes, the Champs. What do you do when you win 67 games and the NBA title? Well if you're answer was to bring in Ron Artest, then you are the LA Lakers. Outside of Artest, nothing changed. In fact, Artest was the only player sitting out last night's ring ceremony as the other 14 guys on the roster were there a season ago. The only difference is the de facto trade of Artest for Trevor Ariza. I, for one (of the few), approved of the move in the end. Artest is certifiably crazy, but I think that he is starting off his time in LA on his absolute best behavior. The guy may be an idiot at times, but I wouldn't call him stupid. This is the high point of his career and he knows he can't screw it up. He's going to be Kobe's enforcer and Phil's dog. He will attach the other team's best player on D and notbe relied on to make too many offensive plays. In the end, Ron Artest gives the Lakers a better chance at winning a title in the next 3 years than Trevor Ariza does. Ariza is the better long-term solution, but for a team set up to win now and in the next few years, I think Artest is a better play, providing he stays in line. But I think playing for an NBA Championship or three is enough to do just that. Outside of the Artest debate, the Lakers eventually got an important part of last year's puzzle back in Lamar Odom, and you can pretty much write what you expect to get from Bryant and Pau Gasol in permanent ink. If Andrew Bynum can avoid a third straight season of knee injuries and play like he has in the preseason and last night's season opener (26 points, 13 rebounds), then the Lakers will host a repeat parade in downtown LA.
8. Phoenix Suns
As I said already, the Suns may be the biggest beneficiaries of Yao Ming's lost season. After finishing 9th in an 8-horse race last year (albeit with 46 wins), they've recommitted to the run-and-gun style of the D'Antoni days, jettisoning Shaq in the offseason for what amounted to a few million bucks in salary relief. Amare is back from the freak eye injury that cost him the end of last season, just as the Suns were rounding into 140-points-is-possible form. So I expect Alvin Gentry to let the team run, run, run and then run some more. However, if this team does falter out of the gate, or looks like it could be passed in the playoff chase again, the talk about shopping free agent-to-be Stoudemire will surpass last season's elevated levels.
7. Dallas Mavericks
Another offseason spent getting older. The Mavericks acquired Shawn Marion (presumably hoping the Phoenix-version of the Matrix is still in there somewhere), but also got played by the Orlando Magic and let Brandon Bass leave thinking they would get Marcin Gortat on an offer sheet. When the Magic matched, the Mavs were left without either. Drew Gooden is a solid add in their place but is a downgrade and while they added some nice pieces in Quinton Ross, Kirk Humphries, and Richie Beaubouis, they are not guys you expect a lot from. The main core of Dirk, Kidd, Terry, and Howard is aging quickly and I just don't see the acquisition of Marion doing enough to vault them into the upper crust of the competitive West.
6. Utah Jazz
The Jazz knew going into the offseason that it could be one of major change for them. Carlos Boozer was expected to opt out of his contract (as was Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver) and Paul Millsap's restricted free agency could mean he'd be getting a big offer sheet elsewhere that the Jazz would have to contemplate matching. In the end, Millsap got his offer sheet (a front-loaded 4-year, $32 million offer from Portland) and the Jazz matched, while all 3 potential opt-outs declined the opportunity to become free agents and returned. Coupled with Deron Williams' max contract extension kicking in this season, this puts the Jazz nearly $14 million over the luxury tax line but without significant improvement over last year's squad. Sure, they still have a talented nucleus, but this team struggled down the stretch right as it got healthy and they were an easy out in the first round. The Jazz can hope for a more consistent effort this year, but that won't be easy given the fact that they are already shopping their All-Star PF in Boozer, just to try and cut the $24 million investment ($12M in salary, plus $12M in luxury tax).
#5 New Orleans Hornets
Yes, the Hornets look like they should get the better end of the Emeka Okafor-for-Tyson Chandler trade. Okafor's upside in comparison to Chandler is that he can actually produce offensively when given the ball in the low post and does not need to rely on strictly dumpoffs and alley-oops to score. However, this move alone isn't likely to make a large impact in terms of wins and losses for the Hornets, and there is little sense in believing anything else they did this summer will either. CP3 will take this team as far as he can, and with him at the helm, they will be a tough opponent, but the lack of quality depth and little production from Mo-Pete and Peja would spell another season in the middle of the pack for the Hornets.
#4 Denver Nuggets
Bill Simmons pointed out in his season preview that George Karl doesn't have a particularly comforting record in seasons coming off big successes. Whether this holds true in Denver goes beyond GK, but the early signs are a mixed bag. On one hand, Carmelo seems like he has really made the jump to star status and Chauncey Billups is the perfect leader for that team. On the other hand, everything seemed to go right last season, including the team staying relatively healthy (surprising on a team including Kenyon Martin and Nene) and the surprising impact of Chris "Birdman" Andersen. But financial concerns prevented the Nuggets from getting involved in free agency. Linas Kleiza signed in Europe, but they Nuggets will try to replace his bench production with Arron Afflalo and James White. I'm a big fan of their move in trading a future 1st rounder for the rights to PG Ty Lawson. I loved Lawson at UNC and thought he was a logical pick for them, even if he had come out a year sooner. I got to see him in a couple preseason games and he looks like the right contrast to Billups more methodical game and should provide a nice spark to their second unit.
#3 Portland Trail Blazers
The ceiling for the Blazers just keeps rising. Already armed with a roster full of young, talented players, the Blazers also were one of the few teams with a chunk of cap space last offseason. Surprisingly, they had some difficulty spending it. After Hedo Turkoglu came to a verbal agreement on a big contract, he came back a day later and said he was signing with the Raptors (in the end, I think better for the Blazers considering how Turkoglu thrived in Orlando with the ball in his hands, something Brandon Roy does in Portland). They signed Paul Millsap to the offer sheet referenced earlier, only to have the Jazz step up and match it. After a last-second attempt to pry Lamar Odom from LA, they settled on Andre Miller. Miller is another "ball in his hands" player, but the fact that the Blazers may bring him off the bench (and his willingness, at least publicly, to do so) should help. Steve Blake is the pass-first distributor the starters need, while Miller can run what will be a very talented second unit along with Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, and Joel Pryzbilla. After a disappointing first round exit last year, I think another season of maturing and expectations will help the Blazers grow into their role as a real title contender. At this point, given their recent tormenting of the Lakers, I think LA would rather see San Antonio in the WCF than the Blazers.
#2 San Antonio Spurs
I still think the Spurs had the best offseason of any team in the West, maybe even the NBA. This is a team that, for a few years now, has heard the talk of getting too old and seeing their championship window with Tim Duncan closing. After making some nice moves to get Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill last offseason, the Spurs upgraded their roster with Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, and DeJuan Blair. The trade for Jefferson was an important move for the franchise as they cemented themselves as being a luxury tax payer with it, trading mostly useless pieces for a talented wing player. Jefferson provides them with a valuable scoring option, one that will provide a huge insurance policy should Manu Ginobili go down again. He's still very athletic, a good defender, and an overlooked shooter (important considering how many open looks teams were willing to give Bruce Bower over the years as the Spurs' starting SF). McDyess provides San Antonio with another big man that is capable enough to keep the opposing teams 2nd big occupied and unable to freely double or triple Duncan on the block. Blair was a steal in the second round and given the Spurs commitment to low maintenance players with a blue-collar work ethic, Blair fits right in. He's a seasoned college player who should be able to provide value in the Spurs second unit right away.
#1 Los Angeles Lakers
Ah yes, the Champs. What do you do when you win 67 games and the NBA title? Well if you're answer was to bring in Ron Artest, then you are the LA Lakers. Outside of Artest, nothing changed. In fact, Artest was the only player sitting out last night's ring ceremony as the other 14 guys on the roster were there a season ago. The only difference is the de facto trade of Artest for Trevor Ariza. I, for one (of the few), approved of the move in the end. Artest is certifiably crazy, but I think that he is starting off his time in LA on his absolute best behavior. The guy may be an idiot at times, but I wouldn't call him stupid. This is the high point of his career and he knows he can't screw it up. He's going to be Kobe's enforcer and Phil's dog. He will attach the other team's best player on D and notbe relied on to make too many offensive plays. In the end, Ron Artest gives the Lakers a better chance at winning a title in the next 3 years than Trevor Ariza does. Ariza is the better long-term solution, but for a team set up to win now and in the next few years, I think Artest is a better play, providing he stays in line. But I think playing for an NBA Championship or three is enough to do just that. Outside of the Artest debate, the Lakers eventually got an important part of last year's puzzle back in Lamar Odom, and you can pretty much write what you expect to get from Bryant and Pau Gasol in permanent ink. If Andrew Bynum can avoid a third straight season of knee injuries and play like he has in the preseason and last night's season opener (26 points, 13 rebounds), then the Lakers will host a repeat parade in downtown LA.
Monday, October 26, 2009
2009-10 West Preview: Part I
Last week, I gave you Part I and Part II of my Eastern Conference Preview. This week, we move on to the West. The lower third of the West will have some real, honest-to-God cellar dwellers before we move into the 9-10 teams that could conceivably crack the playoffs.
15. Sacramento Kings
With all apologies to my man, the Big CM, the Kings are not going to be very good this year. Early returns are good on rookie Tyreke Evans, considered to be the top threat to the Blake Griffin Rookie of the Year campaign (editor's note: Now the ROY favorite if Blake Griffin is going to miss the first quarter of the season). Fellow rook Omri Casspi is showing the grit and skill that made him the first Israeli-born player to be drafted into the NBA. Other than that, not a whole lot to be excited about on this roster and it will be interesting to see how new coach Paul Westphal can coax more than the 17 wins the team had last year out of this group.
14. Memphis Grizzlies
Chris Wallace, really? You give away Pau Gasol two years ago "to save money" and then acquire Zach Randolph and his equally expensive contract? Oh sure, he'll put up his fair share of 20-10 lines, but he's also just as likely to punch a teammate or eat his way to the bench. Top it off by bringing in Allen Iverson on a one-year, I've gotta show I still got it, deal and you've got the makings of disaster. Keep in mind this team had enough trouble sharing the ball last year with gunners Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo, and now you add in those two. It's like the 2003-04 Lakers with Kobe, Shaq, Malone, and Payton....except with like 1/8th the talent and skill. At the very least the offensive shortcomings of #2 pick Hasheem Thabeet should go unnoticed since he will probably never get the chance to shoot.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
Trading two of your better players (Mike Miller and Randy Foye) for the rights to a guy playing the next few years in Spain does little to help the T'Wolves outlook for this season. But they seem OK with that reality. This is a team that is starting to accrue some good young talent. They get Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer back from injury, Kevin Love (though hurt) had a promising rookie season, Johnny Flynn has the ability to be a dynamic guard, and they made a very underrated move in signing Ramon Sessions to a very reasonable (in NBA starting PG terms) 4-year, $16 million deal. That said, this is a step in the right direction as they try to get out from the weight of the Kevin McHale era, but this team is still a few years away.
12. Los Angeles Clippers
I was poised to make the Clippers a dark-horse playoff contender until news broke about Blake Griffin's broken kneecap (cue the ominous, cursed Clipper talk). This team still has some really talented players but it was really looking to Griffin to be the glue to their puzzle. With him projected to miss 6 weeks (and about 20 games looking at their schedule), that's a sizeable chunk of his rookie season and it may be enough to cost the Clippers the shot of making a run at the #8 spot. However, I think the Clips are heading in the right direction, and with another high draft pick and a load of cap space next offseason (thanks to the aforementioned dumbass Chris Wallace and his taking of Zach Randolph's contract), the "other" LA could be an enticing option for some of the prized free agents of the 2010 class.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
I personally love this quote from the LA Times basketball preview: "If this were a 25-and-under league, you'd have to love their chances." Alas, it is not, but you can't ignore the fact that the Thunder aren't just heading in the right direction, they're writing the book on how to get there. The team has a bevy of young talent, including MVP-in-waiting Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green. They added James Harden to the group, along with a couple of down-the-road rookies that could provide returns in a few years (BJ Mullens, Serge Ibaka). They did what most NBA teams can't help but do and waited on spending their mountains of cap space on an underwhelming free agent class. They head into next season armed with two 1st round picks that could be in the lottery (their own and Phoenix's), plus a high #2 (from Minnesota) and could bring in one of the free agents in next year's bonanza. This team is going to be scary good in two years. As for this year, look for them to still be going through some growing pains and the lack of a reliable inside scoring game to hamper their offense when shots aren't falling. Their young guns are good enough to win them a fair share of games, but this is not the year of OKC (yet). I do have one reservation about this prediction: If KD does make another quantum leap in production (and many say he still has that room for growth), then all bets are off.
10. Golden State Warriors
Ever since famously upsetting the Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs, the Warriors have had a team that, on paper, should be a playoff contender. But little of that playoff magic has managed to carry over and this team always seems to be in flux. This year is no different with the (former) Captain Jack requesting a trade in preseason (after being banished to the locker room by Don Nelson during a game). They have an immensely talented youngin' in Anthony Randolph, but the question is will he get PT. They added another undersized combo guard in Stephen Curry who excels on offense but offers little on D, which isn't bad until you realize his likely backcourt mate is the similar Monta Ellis. As has been the formula for the Warriors and most Don Nelson teams, they will score their points, but will also give them up in astonishing amounts. If things were to break the right way, this team could shoot its way back into the playoff talk, but I see them spending another year in ho-hum land, which is really a travesty since playoff basketball in Oakland is really something to appreciate.
9. Houston Rockets
No Yao Ming, a giant question mark regarding what Tracy McGrady will provide this season, and one player on a 15-man roster listed as taller than 6-9. Sure, this plucky bunch took the Lakers to 7 games last year but I really don't see that carrying over to an 82-game regular season. I as much as anyone love Trevor Ariza, but I do recognize that he is much better as a complimentary player than how I think he will fare in a more prominent role in Houston. That said, he's a good piece for the Rockets if he either develops a reliable offensive game or they get a healthy Yao/T-Mac combo back. Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks are going to be asked to carry a lot of offensive burden this season and that is a lot to ask for. We know the Rockets will defend and play hard to the final whistle, but I think they've just been dealt a bad hand for this season and will struggle to overcome that, hard as they might try.
15. Sacramento Kings
With all apologies to my man, the Big CM, the Kings are not going to be very good this year. Early returns are good on rookie Tyreke Evans, considered to be the top threat to the Blake Griffin Rookie of the Year campaign (editor's note: Now the ROY favorite if Blake Griffin is going to miss the first quarter of the season). Fellow rook Omri Casspi is showing the grit and skill that made him the first Israeli-born player to be drafted into the NBA. Other than that, not a whole lot to be excited about on this roster and it will be interesting to see how new coach Paul Westphal can coax more than the 17 wins the team had last year out of this group.
14. Memphis Grizzlies
Chris Wallace, really? You give away Pau Gasol two years ago "to save money" and then acquire Zach Randolph and his equally expensive contract? Oh sure, he'll put up his fair share of 20-10 lines, but he's also just as likely to punch a teammate or eat his way to the bench. Top it off by bringing in Allen Iverson on a one-year, I've gotta show I still got it, deal and you've got the makings of disaster. Keep in mind this team had enough trouble sharing the ball last year with gunners Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo, and now you add in those two. It's like the 2003-04 Lakers with Kobe, Shaq, Malone, and Payton....except with like 1/8th the talent and skill. At the very least the offensive shortcomings of #2 pick Hasheem Thabeet should go unnoticed since he will probably never get the chance to shoot.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
Trading two of your better players (Mike Miller and Randy Foye) for the rights to a guy playing the next few years in Spain does little to help the T'Wolves outlook for this season. But they seem OK with that reality. This is a team that is starting to accrue some good young talent. They get Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer back from injury, Kevin Love (though hurt) had a promising rookie season, Johnny Flynn has the ability to be a dynamic guard, and they made a very underrated move in signing Ramon Sessions to a very reasonable (in NBA starting PG terms) 4-year, $16 million deal. That said, this is a step in the right direction as they try to get out from the weight of the Kevin McHale era, but this team is still a few years away.
12. Los Angeles Clippers
I was poised to make the Clippers a dark-horse playoff contender until news broke about Blake Griffin's broken kneecap (cue the ominous, cursed Clipper talk). This team still has some really talented players but it was really looking to Griffin to be the glue to their puzzle. With him projected to miss 6 weeks (and about 20 games looking at their schedule), that's a sizeable chunk of his rookie season and it may be enough to cost the Clippers the shot of making a run at the #8 spot. However, I think the Clips are heading in the right direction, and with another high draft pick and a load of cap space next offseason (thanks to the aforementioned dumbass Chris Wallace and his taking of Zach Randolph's contract), the "other" LA could be an enticing option for some of the prized free agents of the 2010 class.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
I personally love this quote from the LA Times basketball preview: "If this were a 25-and-under league, you'd have to love their chances." Alas, it is not, but you can't ignore the fact that the Thunder aren't just heading in the right direction, they're writing the book on how to get there. The team has a bevy of young talent, including MVP-in-waiting Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green. They added James Harden to the group, along with a couple of down-the-road rookies that could provide returns in a few years (BJ Mullens, Serge Ibaka). They did what most NBA teams can't help but do and waited on spending their mountains of cap space on an underwhelming free agent class. They head into next season armed with two 1st round picks that could be in the lottery (their own and Phoenix's), plus a high #2 (from Minnesota) and could bring in one of the free agents in next year's bonanza. This team is going to be scary good in two years. As for this year, look for them to still be going through some growing pains and the lack of a reliable inside scoring game to hamper their offense when shots aren't falling. Their young guns are good enough to win them a fair share of games, but this is not the year of OKC (yet). I do have one reservation about this prediction: If KD does make another quantum leap in production (and many say he still has that room for growth), then all bets are off.
10. Golden State Warriors
Ever since famously upsetting the Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs, the Warriors have had a team that, on paper, should be a playoff contender. But little of that playoff magic has managed to carry over and this team always seems to be in flux. This year is no different with the (former) Captain Jack requesting a trade in preseason (after being banished to the locker room by Don Nelson during a game). They have an immensely talented youngin' in Anthony Randolph, but the question is will he get PT. They added another undersized combo guard in Stephen Curry who excels on offense but offers little on D, which isn't bad until you realize his likely backcourt mate is the similar Monta Ellis. As has been the formula for the Warriors and most Don Nelson teams, they will score their points, but will also give them up in astonishing amounts. If things were to break the right way, this team could shoot its way back into the playoff talk, but I see them spending another year in ho-hum land, which is really a travesty since playoff basketball in Oakland is really something to appreciate.
9. Houston Rockets
No Yao Ming, a giant question mark regarding what Tracy McGrady will provide this season, and one player on a 15-man roster listed as taller than 6-9. Sure, this plucky bunch took the Lakers to 7 games last year but I really don't see that carrying over to an 82-game regular season. I as much as anyone love Trevor Ariza, but I do recognize that he is much better as a complimentary player than how I think he will fare in a more prominent role in Houston. That said, he's a good piece for the Rockets if he either develops a reliable offensive game or they get a healthy Yao/T-Mac combo back. Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks are going to be asked to carry a lot of offensive burden this season and that is a lot to ask for. We know the Rockets will defend and play hard to the final whistle, but I think they've just been dealt a bad hand for this season and will struggle to overcome that, hard as they might try.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
2009-10 East Preview: Part II
In 2008, while everyone knew the Celtics were the champs and the Cavs were the competition, no one really took the Orlando Magic seriously. Not after getting off to a fast start and not after cruising to a Southeast Division title with a cool 59 wins, or even after posting an 8-3 record against the Lakers, Celtics, Cavs, and Spurs. But we all know how that turned out. This season? Not so much. Each of the East's big three have made significant alterations to their roster in an effort to outdo the others. Who does that mean will be coming out on top? Read on to find out...
8. Toronto Raptors
Last season saw the Raptors fail to live up on heightened expectations of a season ago. The offseason saw them bring in an aging, defensively-challenged, Euro-styler in Hedo Turkoglu. Nevermind the signs of regression that Turkoglu showed last season in Orlando, but is he really the piece that's going to keep Chris Bosh around? I doubt it. On paper, the Raptors have enough talent to cobble together about 40-43 wins, squeak into the playoffs in the lower half and be cannon fodder for one of the East's bigwigs in the first round.
7. Miami Heat
The Heat were a feel good story last year, rebounding from 15 wins to the 5th seed in the East. But they basically stood still in the offseason, sitting out free agency due to their salary obligations as a luxury tax team. The result is that virtually no depth was added to an already thinning roster while they watched an underrated Jamario Moon skip off to Cleveland on a relatively reasonable offer sheet because they couldn't match it. Outside of D-Wade, are they really ready to rely on Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Beasley. Let's just say they need two things from last season to happen again: Wade plays like an MVP, and does so for 75+ games.
6. Washington Wizards
A year ago, even if they had a healthy Gilbert Arenas, I would have docked them a couple spots after the news that Antawn Jamison will be missing the season's first month (or more) with a shoulder injury. However, in addition to getting Arenas back (and supposedly healthy), the Wiz also have some much-needed depth for the first time, courtesy of their draft-night trade with Minnesota. In that deal, the Wizards picked up some talented, albeit unspectacular, pieces in Mike Miller and Randy Foye in exchange for the pick that wound up being used on Ricky Rubio, whom you might have heard, is playing at least the next two seasons in Spain. In either case, I see the Wizards returning to the playoffs under Flip Saunders.
5. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls showed a lot in last year's playoffs, taking the Celtics to 7 games in that memorable first round series. While that's cause for optimism in Chicago, don't expect them to make a serious run at the East title just yet. The Bulls have Derrick Rose, yes, but they will also be trying to replace Ben Gordon's off-the-bench production, trying to reincorporate Luol Deng, and hoping that either Joakim Noah or Tyrus Thomas find some consistency and reliability down low. Jannero Pargo should provide some of the spark Gordon did, but the Bulls still lack much of an inside presence. That said, they are primed to be a player in the 2010 free agent bonanza (more for Wade or Bosh than LeBron) so this team could be in a good spot for years to come.
4. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are stuck in a middle ground that no other East team is. They're a playoff lock much more so than the teams 5-9 in this preview, but a far cry from bring considering in the class of the BOS/CLE/ORL triumvirate. They have solid talent, but were OK letting Josh Smith shop around for an offer sheet this offseason, and content at bringing Bibby back. But beyond those moves, where is there opportunity to improve? Johnson, Horford, Williams, and those 2 make a solid starting 5, but it lacks a verifiable star. They added some depth in trading for Jamal Crawford and drafting Jeff Teague, and I see them locking up first-round home court advantage again, but I don't see them posing a real threat at cracking the top 3. The future will be interesting considering the money they've shelled out to keep this current group intact.
3. Orlando Magic
I, for one, believe the Magic got better in the offseason. Trading for Vince Carter is a risk, but a justifiable one in my opinion. They added some depth in Brandon Bass and resigning Marcin Gortat. So why are they still third? Because I believe the moves made by Cleveland and Boston surpassed Orlando, rather than Orlando regressing behind those two. Orlando needs a lot of shots to fall to be competitive and while they got enough last year, its a lot to ask for again. They'll be good, but will they survive another playoffs going through both Boston and Cleveland? My guess is no. Like I said at the top, no one was really ready to take them seriously last year until all of a sudden they had the Cavs on the brink of elimination. That won't happen this year.
2. Boston Celtics
So without KG, this team still took the eventual East champs to 7 games, retained most of its core, brought in the type of rangy big-man needed to counter Rashard Lewis and the Orlando perimeter game, and should be getting Garnett back at near full-strength. Sounds like a pretty good start to the season for Boston. But all of it will come back to KG's knees. Will they hold up through 82 games and the playoffs? Will he have the same effect on defense that allows the Boston perimeter guys to play right up on their marks? These are justifiable questions when a guy like KG has logged so many high-impact games and minutes on his knees. If he is close to the same player and stays healthy, I like their chances of making another trip to the Finals. If not, well the Big 3 in the East just became 2.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Yes, I question the Shaq trade. Will he fit in? WIll he accept his role as LBJ's sidekick? Is Ilgauskas a better player for their offense? I really think Shaq will be more of a bit player than many people think this year. And he's going to have to accept that or face another tumultous departure (which would make 5 in his career). This is LeBron's team and they will play LeBron's game. Plus, it's not like Mike Brown really has much of an offensive gameplan that is ready to incorporate an aging, on the block center. But I still like Cleveland in the East because of their ancillary moves (and Shaq is in that category. He's not a high-impact player. He was brought in to try and combat Dwight Howard). I think Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker and Leon Powe could mean as much to this team as Shaq does. I think it provides them with enough depth to play big or small and counter whatever looks the Celtics and/or Magic throw their way. And in the end, LeBron still wants to bring a title to Cleveland, even if at the very least it means he fulfilled that goal if he does indeed decide to move on next summer.
Next week....the Western Conference.
8. Toronto Raptors
Last season saw the Raptors fail to live up on heightened expectations of a season ago. The offseason saw them bring in an aging, defensively-challenged, Euro-styler in Hedo Turkoglu. Nevermind the signs of regression that Turkoglu showed last season in Orlando, but is he really the piece that's going to keep Chris Bosh around? I doubt it. On paper, the Raptors have enough talent to cobble together about 40-43 wins, squeak into the playoffs in the lower half and be cannon fodder for one of the East's bigwigs in the first round.
7. Miami Heat
The Heat were a feel good story last year, rebounding from 15 wins to the 5th seed in the East. But they basically stood still in the offseason, sitting out free agency due to their salary obligations as a luxury tax team. The result is that virtually no depth was added to an already thinning roster while they watched an underrated Jamario Moon skip off to Cleveland on a relatively reasonable offer sheet because they couldn't match it. Outside of D-Wade, are they really ready to rely on Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Beasley. Let's just say they need two things from last season to happen again: Wade plays like an MVP, and does so for 75+ games.
6. Washington Wizards
A year ago, even if they had a healthy Gilbert Arenas, I would have docked them a couple spots after the news that Antawn Jamison will be missing the season's first month (or more) with a shoulder injury. However, in addition to getting Arenas back (and supposedly healthy), the Wiz also have some much-needed depth for the first time, courtesy of their draft-night trade with Minnesota. In that deal, the Wizards picked up some talented, albeit unspectacular, pieces in Mike Miller and Randy Foye in exchange for the pick that wound up being used on Ricky Rubio, whom you might have heard, is playing at least the next two seasons in Spain. In either case, I see the Wizards returning to the playoffs under Flip Saunders.
5. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls showed a lot in last year's playoffs, taking the Celtics to 7 games in that memorable first round series. While that's cause for optimism in Chicago, don't expect them to make a serious run at the East title just yet. The Bulls have Derrick Rose, yes, but they will also be trying to replace Ben Gordon's off-the-bench production, trying to reincorporate Luol Deng, and hoping that either Joakim Noah or Tyrus Thomas find some consistency and reliability down low. Jannero Pargo should provide some of the spark Gordon did, but the Bulls still lack much of an inside presence. That said, they are primed to be a player in the 2010 free agent bonanza (more for Wade or Bosh than LeBron) so this team could be in a good spot for years to come.
4. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are stuck in a middle ground that no other East team is. They're a playoff lock much more so than the teams 5-9 in this preview, but a far cry from bring considering in the class of the BOS/CLE/ORL triumvirate. They have solid talent, but were OK letting Josh Smith shop around for an offer sheet this offseason, and content at bringing Bibby back. But beyond those moves, where is there opportunity to improve? Johnson, Horford, Williams, and those 2 make a solid starting 5, but it lacks a verifiable star. They added some depth in trading for Jamal Crawford and drafting Jeff Teague, and I see them locking up first-round home court advantage again, but I don't see them posing a real threat at cracking the top 3. The future will be interesting considering the money they've shelled out to keep this current group intact.
3. Orlando Magic
I, for one, believe the Magic got better in the offseason. Trading for Vince Carter is a risk, but a justifiable one in my opinion. They added some depth in Brandon Bass and resigning Marcin Gortat. So why are they still third? Because I believe the moves made by Cleveland and Boston surpassed Orlando, rather than Orlando regressing behind those two. Orlando needs a lot of shots to fall to be competitive and while they got enough last year, its a lot to ask for again. They'll be good, but will they survive another playoffs going through both Boston and Cleveland? My guess is no. Like I said at the top, no one was really ready to take them seriously last year until all of a sudden they had the Cavs on the brink of elimination. That won't happen this year.
2. Boston Celtics
So without KG, this team still took the eventual East champs to 7 games, retained most of its core, brought in the type of rangy big-man needed to counter Rashard Lewis and the Orlando perimeter game, and should be getting Garnett back at near full-strength. Sounds like a pretty good start to the season for Boston. But all of it will come back to KG's knees. Will they hold up through 82 games and the playoffs? Will he have the same effect on defense that allows the Boston perimeter guys to play right up on their marks? These are justifiable questions when a guy like KG has logged so many high-impact games and minutes on his knees. If he is close to the same player and stays healthy, I like their chances of making another trip to the Finals. If not, well the Big 3 in the East just became 2.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Yes, I question the Shaq trade. Will he fit in? WIll he accept his role as LBJ's sidekick? Is Ilgauskas a better player for their offense? I really think Shaq will be more of a bit player than many people think this year. And he's going to have to accept that or face another tumultous departure (which would make 5 in his career). This is LeBron's team and they will play LeBron's game. Plus, it's not like Mike Brown really has much of an offensive gameplan that is ready to incorporate an aging, on the block center. But I still like Cleveland in the East because of their ancillary moves (and Shaq is in that category. He's not a high-impact player. He was brought in to try and combat Dwight Howard). I think Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker and Leon Powe could mean as much to this team as Shaq does. I think it provides them with enough depth to play big or small and counter whatever looks the Celtics and/or Magic throw their way. And in the end, LeBron still wants to bring a title to Cleveland, even if at the very least it means he fulfilled that goal if he does indeed decide to move on next summer.
Next week....the Western Conference.
2009-10 East Preview: Part I
Everyone knows who is at the top of the East, and most will agree on who falls in that second tier of playoff hopefuls, but there's virtually no debate at who will be occupying the bottom part of the East standings for the course of the upcoming season...it's just the order that's up for debate and here's my take in Part I of my Eastern Conference Preview...
15. Milwaukee Bucks
So the Bucks let Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions go without getting compensation, then pretty much sold out on the Richard Jefferson trade for some much-needed salary relief. That leaves them with Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and a litany of young, unproven kids. They have to figure out if Joe Alexander was worthy of his #8 pick in the last year's draft as well as what Brandon Jennings will bring to the table as a PG. But for the 09-10 season, the Bucks are going to experience some tough times.
14. New Jersey Nets
Not much to be excited about as a Nets fan right now. There in limbo right now, trying to hold out hope of being a player in the LeBron sweepstakes this coming offseason with hopes of being a contender when they move to Brooklyn. For now, Courtney Lee isn't going to score the points (or sell the tickets) that Vince Carter did, but at least they have some young talent in him, Devin Harris, and Brook Lopez. As for now, maybe they can be excited about the pub they are getting from being called the New Jersey Nyets.
13. New York Knicks
Another team that would prefer to just fast forward through the upcoming season to get to what all Knockerbocker fans have been waiting for: the 2010 Free Agent Signing period. Will LBJ head to Gotham? Perhaps. As for this season, look for the team to put up some points but also give up a ton. They brought back Lee and Nate-Rob on 1 year deals, so they will still br trying to get theirs. And if they finally unload Curry, they will probably have to throw in some young talent and receive back some garbage so that could further deplete this team's 09-10 outlook. However, no one will really care if LeBron inks a deal to play in Basketball Mecca next summer.
12. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have always had some intriguing talent, but a problem putting it all together. I really don't see that changing this year. Danny Granger is VERY good, but not capable of carrying the load of a playoff run (even in the East) on his shoulders. Getting a healthy Dunleavy back (no guarantee) should help, but there is little difference-making that will come from the rest of their offseason moves.
11. Charlotte Bobcats
What's in store for a team that has yet to make a playoff appearance but managed a franchise record in wins last year? More of the same. Larry Brown teams can defend, but it's scoring the rock that will hold down the Runnin' Jordans this year, a fact not helped by the trade of Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler. When's the last time you saw Chandler contribute offensively on a play not involving a lob from CP3? I doubt DJ Augustin and Ray Felton will provide the same alley-oop ops this year. That said, LB coaching and their reliance on a strong D will help them win a few games and keep them out of the East's cellar, though not by much.
10. Philadelphia 76ers
This is one of the hardest teams to peg. Back-to-back trips to the postseason and the return of Elton Brand should be enough to make another playoff trip, right? Well considering that they lost Andre Miller, a vital cog in the running of their offense, they will be searching for a new identity with new coach Eddie Jordan. Jordan should improve their offensive efficiency, but what gameplan will it be? The team struggled after trying to run the offense through Brand in the low post last season, only to take off after Brand separated his shoulder and they reverted to the up-tempo offense from the year before. So which do they play this year? I don't think it matters. Between Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday at the point, this team is going to struggle when Iguodala has to be the initiator on offense. Aside from trading for Jason Kapono, they made no other moves to rectify the fact that this team has little-to-no perimeter scoring. I see struggles and disagreements over the direction in Philly.
9. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were a mess last season and tried to retool on the fly this offseason. Gone are Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace. In comes Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon. Problem is, Villanueva and Gordon are remarkably similar (albeit, younger) than the guys they lost, and that wasn't exactly a winning combo last year. Villanueva doesn't provide the team with much in the form of a low-post game, and Gordon is another shoot-first guard to go along with Rodney Stuckey and Rip Hamilton, and all 3 lack the size to allow them to start 3 guards. So it will be interesting to see if new coach John Kuester can figure out a rotation that will keep all 3 happy. Overall, I see the lack of defense and a reliable inside game being enough to keep the Pistons out of the playoffs after squeaking in at #8 last season.
Check back tomorrow for Part II of my Eastern Conference Preview. Next week, I tackle the West.
15. Milwaukee Bucks
So the Bucks let Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions go without getting compensation, then pretty much sold out on the Richard Jefferson trade for some much-needed salary relief. That leaves them with Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and a litany of young, unproven kids. They have to figure out if Joe Alexander was worthy of his #8 pick in the last year's draft as well as what Brandon Jennings will bring to the table as a PG. But for the 09-10 season, the Bucks are going to experience some tough times.
14. New Jersey Nets
Not much to be excited about as a Nets fan right now. There in limbo right now, trying to hold out hope of being a player in the LeBron sweepstakes this coming offseason with hopes of being a contender when they move to Brooklyn. For now, Courtney Lee isn't going to score the points (or sell the tickets) that Vince Carter did, but at least they have some young talent in him, Devin Harris, and Brook Lopez. As for now, maybe they can be excited about the pub they are getting from being called the New Jersey Nyets.
13. New York Knicks
Another team that would prefer to just fast forward through the upcoming season to get to what all Knockerbocker fans have been waiting for: the 2010 Free Agent Signing period. Will LBJ head to Gotham? Perhaps. As for this season, look for the team to put up some points but also give up a ton. They brought back Lee and Nate-Rob on 1 year deals, so they will still br trying to get theirs. And if they finally unload Curry, they will probably have to throw in some young talent and receive back some garbage so that could further deplete this team's 09-10 outlook. However, no one will really care if LeBron inks a deal to play in Basketball Mecca next summer.
12. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have always had some intriguing talent, but a problem putting it all together. I really don't see that changing this year. Danny Granger is VERY good, but not capable of carrying the load of a playoff run (even in the East) on his shoulders. Getting a healthy Dunleavy back (no guarantee) should help, but there is little difference-making that will come from the rest of their offseason moves.
11. Charlotte Bobcats
What's in store for a team that has yet to make a playoff appearance but managed a franchise record in wins last year? More of the same. Larry Brown teams can defend, but it's scoring the rock that will hold down the Runnin' Jordans this year, a fact not helped by the trade of Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler. When's the last time you saw Chandler contribute offensively on a play not involving a lob from CP3? I doubt DJ Augustin and Ray Felton will provide the same alley-oop ops this year. That said, LB coaching and their reliance on a strong D will help them win a few games and keep them out of the East's cellar, though not by much.
10. Philadelphia 76ers
This is one of the hardest teams to peg. Back-to-back trips to the postseason and the return of Elton Brand should be enough to make another playoff trip, right? Well considering that they lost Andre Miller, a vital cog in the running of their offense, they will be searching for a new identity with new coach Eddie Jordan. Jordan should improve their offensive efficiency, but what gameplan will it be? The team struggled after trying to run the offense through Brand in the low post last season, only to take off after Brand separated his shoulder and they reverted to the up-tempo offense from the year before. So which do they play this year? I don't think it matters. Between Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday at the point, this team is going to struggle when Iguodala has to be the initiator on offense. Aside from trading for Jason Kapono, they made no other moves to rectify the fact that this team has little-to-no perimeter scoring. I see struggles and disagreements over the direction in Philly.
9. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were a mess last season and tried to retool on the fly this offseason. Gone are Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace. In comes Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon. Problem is, Villanueva and Gordon are remarkably similar (albeit, younger) than the guys they lost, and that wasn't exactly a winning combo last year. Villanueva doesn't provide the team with much in the form of a low-post game, and Gordon is another shoot-first guard to go along with Rodney Stuckey and Rip Hamilton, and all 3 lack the size to allow them to start 3 guards. So it will be interesting to see if new coach John Kuester can figure out a rotation that will keep all 3 happy. Overall, I see the lack of defense and a reliable inside game being enough to keep the Pistons out of the playoffs after squeaking in at #8 last season.
Check back tomorrow for Part II of my Eastern Conference Preview. Next week, I tackle the West.
Blog Reboot
I am hoping to be a little bit better on the blogging front as this season tips off. It has been a crazy hectic summer but hopefully all will right itself as the NBA season gets underway next week.
Upcoming posts will include a preview of the Eastern and Western Conferences and my 2009-2010 NBA predictions.
Stay tuned!
Upcoming posts will include a preview of the Eastern and Western Conferences and my 2009-2010 NBA predictions.
Stay tuned!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Denver Nuggets Season in Review
By Jon Gallagher
Is it possible to have the greatest season in franchise history, and at the same time still have an incredibly disappointing finish? The Denver Nuggets (and I) believe so.
Although the season began on October 29th, the Denver Nuggets season didn't really begin until about ten days later, when they made the blockbuster trade moving Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups. They were 1-3 at the time, they went on to set a franchise record with 54 wins, good enough to win the Northwest division and the #2 seed in the West. There are a lot of great story lines for this Nugget team, but the Chauncey Billups homecoming is at the heart of all the action. This team was probably on their way to a quick playoff exit, if not missing the playoffs altogether. Chauncey turned them into a championship contender.
Chauncey is not the only highlight of the Nuggets season. Carmelo Anthony has turned into a bonafide superstar. He's not the best player in the game, but he has staked his claim as one of the best, and is arguably the best pure scorer. He also figured it out on the other end of the floor, with a career high in rebounds as well as learning that it takes a little defense to win championships.
Chris "the Birdman" Andersen established himself as a cult hero here in Denver, coming off the bench to be 2nd in the league in blocked shots and the established crowd electrifier. Nene came back from cancer and finally had an injury free season, establishing himself as one of the better big men in the West. He still hasn't put it all together, but he's proven he's worthy of his big contract. Kenyon Martin also had an injury free season and was incredibly valuable, especially providing toughness on the defensive end. JR Smith made strides coming off the bench as one of the best 6th men in the game and a frighteningly dangerous scorer. Linas Kleiza had a lousy year, but was probably Denver's 3rd best player in the last couple games against the Lakers, showing signs of life. Dahntay Jones came out of D-League hell and established himself as a capable NBA starter who can be a pest on defense and can electrify a crowd with his pure athleticism to throw down a monster dunk.
The Nuggets as a team won their first playoff series since 1994, annihilating the Hornets in 5 games including a 58-point blowout, the biggest home loss in NBA history. They breezed through Dirk's Dallas Mavericks, also in 5, and made it to their first conference finals since 1985 (third ever). They came closer than ever to a finals appearance with two wins in the conference finals. But it still managed to end in some disappointment, the Black Mamba was just too much.
The Nuggets believed they were the more talented team in the conference finals, and top to bottom they probably are. But Kobe has that championship pedigree, and as much as I hate his guts, he knows how to win and how to close a series. This Nuggets team just didn't know how to win like the Lakers did. A Lamar Odom sighting in Games 5 and 6 combined with a terrible performance by Chauncey from the 4th quarter of Game 5 on, and Carmelo Anthony forgetting that defense got them there in game 6 led to the Lakers moving on. It is disappointing because they are physically the superior team to LA, but mentally they just weren't there yet. The Lakers had the fortitude to gut out back to back difficult series to move on. It also hurt that Game 6 was their worst performance in a meaningful game in weeks, maybe months (probably going back to the end of February when they got destroyed by Boston in Denver).
The future is bright in Nuggetland. Every key player should be back. The free agents are the Birdman, Jones, and Anthony Carter. All three want to be back, I'm hoping they dump Anthony Carter's worthless ass, show Birdman some money (definitely worth a couple million), and bring back Dahntay Jones for his defensive tenacity, although on the cheap. If he asks for too much let his go, you can find guys like him all across the D League and Europe. They also have the benefit of having a full off-season and training camp with Chauncey, if Carmelo continues to grow, and JR Smith figures out how to show up with consistency, they should be among the favorites to win it all. Chauncey will be making an 8th consecutive trip to the conference finals next year, and with just a little growth, the Denver Nuggets will be on their way to their first Finals appearance in 2010, where anything is possible.
Is it possible to have the greatest season in franchise history, and at the same time still have an incredibly disappointing finish? The Denver Nuggets (and I) believe so.
Although the season began on October 29th, the Denver Nuggets season didn't really begin until about ten days later, when they made the blockbuster trade moving Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups. They were 1-3 at the time, they went on to set a franchise record with 54 wins, good enough to win the Northwest division and the #2 seed in the West. There are a lot of great story lines for this Nugget team, but the Chauncey Billups homecoming is at the heart of all the action. This team was probably on their way to a quick playoff exit, if not missing the playoffs altogether. Chauncey turned them into a championship contender.
Chauncey is not the only highlight of the Nuggets season. Carmelo Anthony has turned into a bonafide superstar. He's not the best player in the game, but he has staked his claim as one of the best, and is arguably the best pure scorer. He also figured it out on the other end of the floor, with a career high in rebounds as well as learning that it takes a little defense to win championships.
Chris "the Birdman" Andersen established himself as a cult hero here in Denver, coming off the bench to be 2nd in the league in blocked shots and the established crowd electrifier. Nene came back from cancer and finally had an injury free season, establishing himself as one of the better big men in the West. He still hasn't put it all together, but he's proven he's worthy of his big contract. Kenyon Martin also had an injury free season and was incredibly valuable, especially providing toughness on the defensive end. JR Smith made strides coming off the bench as one of the best 6th men in the game and a frighteningly dangerous scorer. Linas Kleiza had a lousy year, but was probably Denver's 3rd best player in the last couple games against the Lakers, showing signs of life. Dahntay Jones came out of D-League hell and established himself as a capable NBA starter who can be a pest on defense and can electrify a crowd with his pure athleticism to throw down a monster dunk.
The Nuggets as a team won their first playoff series since 1994, annihilating the Hornets in 5 games including a 58-point blowout, the biggest home loss in NBA history. They breezed through Dirk's Dallas Mavericks, also in 5, and made it to their first conference finals since 1985 (third ever). They came closer than ever to a finals appearance with two wins in the conference finals. But it still managed to end in some disappointment, the Black Mamba was just too much.
The Nuggets believed they were the more talented team in the conference finals, and top to bottom they probably are. But Kobe has that championship pedigree, and as much as I hate his guts, he knows how to win and how to close a series. This Nuggets team just didn't know how to win like the Lakers did. A Lamar Odom sighting in Games 5 and 6 combined with a terrible performance by Chauncey from the 4th quarter of Game 5 on, and Carmelo Anthony forgetting that defense got them there in game 6 led to the Lakers moving on. It is disappointing because they are physically the superior team to LA, but mentally they just weren't there yet. The Lakers had the fortitude to gut out back to back difficult series to move on. It also hurt that Game 6 was their worst performance in a meaningful game in weeks, maybe months (probably going back to the end of February when they got destroyed by Boston in Denver).
The future is bright in Nuggetland. Every key player should be back. The free agents are the Birdman, Jones, and Anthony Carter. All three want to be back, I'm hoping they dump Anthony Carter's worthless ass, show Birdman some money (definitely worth a couple million), and bring back Dahntay Jones for his defensive tenacity, although on the cheap. If he asks for too much let his go, you can find guys like him all across the D League and Europe. They also have the benefit of having a full off-season and training camp with Chauncey, if Carmelo continues to grow, and JR Smith figures out how to show up with consistency, they should be among the favorites to win it all. Chauncey will be making an 8th consecutive trip to the conference finals next year, and with just a little growth, the Denver Nuggets will be on their way to their first Finals appearance in 2010, where anything is possible.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Eastern Conference Finals - Game 6 Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 90
Orlando Magic 103
Orlando Wins Series 4-2
Not this year, Cleveland. A city so desperate for a championship after a 45-year drought will have to wait a little longer. This, of course, is in no way the fault of LeBron James. The King had another stellar performance, but once again, his team was unable to provide him with enough support to overcome another great effort by the Orlando Magic. So instead of the Kobe-LeBron dream Finals everyone thought was inevitable, Kobe's Lakers now get to deal with stopping Superman, Dwight Howard.
The Magic executed a flawless gameplan, going inside to Howard early and often, and he rang up 40 points on the night. When Howard wasn't scoring down low, he was either at the line (where he impressed again, hitting 12-of-16) or drawing double teams that left his shooters open (12 3-pointers). The Magic controlled the boards, outrebounding the Cavs by 13 and managed to stay in control all game. In fact, Cleveland did not lead at any point during the contest. So 14 years after being led to the Finals by a dominant center in Shaquille O'Neal, the Magic are going back on the shoulders of their new dominant big guy.
Cleveland has an interesting offseason ahead of them. Obviously, the focus will again be on giving LeBron James enough of a supporting cast to win it all. Everyone thought that's what they had this season, and this group helped LeBron win MVP and the Cavs to an NBA-best 66-16 record. On top of that, the Cavaliers rolled through the first two series of the playoffs (combined 8-0) before running into a confident Magic team that was playing its best basketball of the playoffs and just presented so many matchup problems for the Cavs. I don't think Cleveland should overreact. They have a good team with good role players that fit, they just didn't play well in this series. I think the Lakers had a lot of criticism about them after the Finals loss to Boston last year, but they didn't overhaul the roster. Granted, it helped to know that they would be getting Andrew Bynum back, but still, they resisted doing anything drastic. I think Cleveland should ignore the inevitable questions of how good the supporting cast is because obviously, it was good enough for 66 wins (plus 10 more in the playoffs), just underperformed at the wrong time.
Coming up on TSG, we will break down the upcoming NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. Stay tuned!
Orlando Magic 103
Orlando Wins Series 4-2
Not this year, Cleveland. A city so desperate for a championship after a 45-year drought will have to wait a little longer. This, of course, is in no way the fault of LeBron James. The King had another stellar performance, but once again, his team was unable to provide him with enough support to overcome another great effort by the Orlando Magic. So instead of the Kobe-LeBron dream Finals everyone thought was inevitable, Kobe's Lakers now get to deal with stopping Superman, Dwight Howard.
The Magic executed a flawless gameplan, going inside to Howard early and often, and he rang up 40 points on the night. When Howard wasn't scoring down low, he was either at the line (where he impressed again, hitting 12-of-16) or drawing double teams that left his shooters open (12 3-pointers). The Magic controlled the boards, outrebounding the Cavs by 13 and managed to stay in control all game. In fact, Cleveland did not lead at any point during the contest. So 14 years after being led to the Finals by a dominant center in Shaquille O'Neal, the Magic are going back on the shoulders of their new dominant big guy.
Cleveland has an interesting offseason ahead of them. Obviously, the focus will again be on giving LeBron James enough of a supporting cast to win it all. Everyone thought that's what they had this season, and this group helped LeBron win MVP and the Cavs to an NBA-best 66-16 record. On top of that, the Cavaliers rolled through the first two series of the playoffs (combined 8-0) before running into a confident Magic team that was playing its best basketball of the playoffs and just presented so many matchup problems for the Cavs. I don't think Cleveland should overreact. They have a good team with good role players that fit, they just didn't play well in this series. I think the Lakers had a lot of criticism about them after the Finals loss to Boston last year, but they didn't overhaul the roster. Granted, it helped to know that they would be getting Andrew Bynum back, but still, they resisted doing anything drastic. I think Cleveland should ignore the inevitable questions of how good the supporting cast is because obviously, it was good enough for 66 wins (plus 10 more in the playoffs), just underperformed at the wrong time.
Coming up on TSG, we will break down the upcoming NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. Stay tuned!
Western Conference Finals - Game 6 Recap
Denver Nuggets 92
Los Angeles Lakers 119
Lakers Win Series 4-2
For the 30th time in franchise history, the Lakers are on their way to the NBA Finals and they played their best game of these playoffs to get there. Tasked with trying to knock out a feisty, talented Nuggets team on their home court, the Lakers put a silence to their critics who were waiting for them to display a killer instinct. The criticism has been well-warranted after the Lakers were blown out in three of their last four playoff road games and losing more than their share of big leads down the stretch of the regular season. But on this night, they put it all together and basically spent the entire second-half getting some reps in for the upcoming championship series.
Kobe Bryant was at his best (again), getting his teammates involved early and then stepping on the gas to open up the lead in the last few minutes of the first half. After playing facilitator early on, helping Trevor Ariza to tally 10 first quarter points, Kobe scored 11 points in a 21-7 run that helped the Lakers overcome the only deficit (1 point) they had all night and go into halftime with a 53-40 lead. Bryant finished with 35 points (12-of-20 shooting) to go along with 10 assists and 6 rebounds. By helping his teammates get going early, Kobe was far from the lone gun. After a quick start by Ariza, he finished with 17 points on just 9 shots, Lamar Odom had a second straight solid performance with 20 points, and Pau Gasol continued his stellar play with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. To illustrate just how complete a performance the Lakers gave, they shot 57% from the field, hit on 9-of-16 threes, and knocked down all 24 of their free throws. The Lakers also outrebounded the Nuggets by 11 and doubled the Denver's assist total (28-14).
As for the Nuggets, well they just didn't play well in the biggest game in the franchise's history. Now that's not really a criticism. The nuggets surprised a lot of people by tallying 54 wins and being one of the most impressive teams in the playoffs. They scored more than any other team this postseason and had an astounding 8 wins by 10 points or more. Yet for all the talent on this team, it still had a bit of an unpredictable personality. They still fell victim to some lapses in focus, getting some untimely technicals and committing some questionable fouls. Of course, everyone will also remember the botched inbounds plays in Games 1 and 3 and what those plays could have meant in this series had they turned out better. But this is still a relatively young team that was on the big stage of the Conference Finals for the first time. Denver will be returning most of its core group and their biggest free agent concern is bringing back defensive stopper and bench sparkplug Chris Andersen. So I look for the Nuggets to come back next year with a strong desire of getting back to this level.
Going forward, the Lakers are now awaiting their opponent for the NBA Finals. They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers twice on the season (including snapping their season-opening 23-game home winning streak), and held LeBron James to a combined 14-for-45 shooting. On the other hand, they were beaten twice this season by the Magic, who have come on strong in the East Finals. If it's the Cavs, the Finals will start in Cleveland, but if the Magic close out the series tonight or in Game 7, the Lakers will have homecourt advantage.
Los Angeles Lakers 119
Lakers Win Series 4-2
For the 30th time in franchise history, the Lakers are on their way to the NBA Finals and they played their best game of these playoffs to get there. Tasked with trying to knock out a feisty, talented Nuggets team on their home court, the Lakers put a silence to their critics who were waiting for them to display a killer instinct. The criticism has been well-warranted after the Lakers were blown out in three of their last four playoff road games and losing more than their share of big leads down the stretch of the regular season. But on this night, they put it all together and basically spent the entire second-half getting some reps in for the upcoming championship series.
Kobe Bryant was at his best (again), getting his teammates involved early and then stepping on the gas to open up the lead in the last few minutes of the first half. After playing facilitator early on, helping Trevor Ariza to tally 10 first quarter points, Kobe scored 11 points in a 21-7 run that helped the Lakers overcome the only deficit (1 point) they had all night and go into halftime with a 53-40 lead. Bryant finished with 35 points (12-of-20 shooting) to go along with 10 assists and 6 rebounds. By helping his teammates get going early, Kobe was far from the lone gun. After a quick start by Ariza, he finished with 17 points on just 9 shots, Lamar Odom had a second straight solid performance with 20 points, and Pau Gasol continued his stellar play with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. To illustrate just how complete a performance the Lakers gave, they shot 57% from the field, hit on 9-of-16 threes, and knocked down all 24 of their free throws. The Lakers also outrebounded the Nuggets by 11 and doubled the Denver's assist total (28-14).
As for the Nuggets, well they just didn't play well in the biggest game in the franchise's history. Now that's not really a criticism. The nuggets surprised a lot of people by tallying 54 wins and being one of the most impressive teams in the playoffs. They scored more than any other team this postseason and had an astounding 8 wins by 10 points or more. Yet for all the talent on this team, it still had a bit of an unpredictable personality. They still fell victim to some lapses in focus, getting some untimely technicals and committing some questionable fouls. Of course, everyone will also remember the botched inbounds plays in Games 1 and 3 and what those plays could have meant in this series had they turned out better. But this is still a relatively young team that was on the big stage of the Conference Finals for the first time. Denver will be returning most of its core group and their biggest free agent concern is bringing back defensive stopper and bench sparkplug Chris Andersen. So I look for the Nuggets to come back next year with a strong desire of getting back to this level.
Going forward, the Lakers are now awaiting their opponent for the NBA Finals. They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers twice on the season (including snapping their season-opening 23-game home winning streak), and held LeBron James to a combined 14-for-45 shooting. On the other hand, they were beaten twice this season by the Magic, who have come on strong in the East Finals. If it's the Cavs, the Finals will start in Cleveland, but if the Magic close out the series tonight or in Game 7, the Lakers will have homecourt advantage.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Poll Results & Poll #2 Posted
So even though the first TSG poll didn't receive and overwhelming number of responses, due to the blog still being very young, it seems as though all are in consensus that the Clippers understand the best move they can make is to take the only sure thing in this year's draft in Blake Griffin. What happens from there is anyone's guess.
I tend to agree that while Griffin will be drafted by the Clippers, he will not play his entire career there. There are numerous scenarios as to which this would be the case, but I imagine that he will sign the first extension he is eligible for as a Clip and then go into free agency, much like LeBron and Chris Bosh are planning. Of course, even if he was determined to play his entire career for the Clippers, there is the high likelihood of Donald Sterling forcing him out for any number of bogus reasons, most likely money. Or he could play for a while, be a great player, know he'll never get a ring playing for this franchise, and force them to ship him elsewhere. Either way, I think our voters got it right.
On to Poll Question #2:
Obviously, much has been made about the fact that LeBron will be a free agent next offseason. Obviously, many teams will be inquiring about his services. Obviously, no one really knows LeBron's intentions. So I put it to the TSG readers, where do you think he will play?
There are strong sentiments that it is one of three likely teams: Cavs, Knicks, Nets. He can stay in Cleveland, where he grew up nearby and can try to build a dynasty, or he can headline every night at Madison Square Garden for the Knickerbockers, or he can team up with pal Jay-Z when the Nets hop over to Brooklyn. Or he could surprise everyone and sign with another NBA team, or do the unthinkable and take what would certainly be a RIDICULOUSLY, LUDICROUSLY rich offer from some European team to star over there (admittedly unlikely).
Check it out on the sidebar to the right and vote!
I tend to agree that while Griffin will be drafted by the Clippers, he will not play his entire career there. There are numerous scenarios as to which this would be the case, but I imagine that he will sign the first extension he is eligible for as a Clip and then go into free agency, much like LeBron and Chris Bosh are planning. Of course, even if he was determined to play his entire career for the Clippers, there is the high likelihood of Donald Sterling forcing him out for any number of bogus reasons, most likely money. Or he could play for a while, be a great player, know he'll never get a ring playing for this franchise, and force them to ship him elsewhere. Either way, I think our voters got it right.
On to Poll Question #2:
Obviously, much has been made about the fact that LeBron will be a free agent next offseason. Obviously, many teams will be inquiring about his services. Obviously, no one really knows LeBron's intentions. So I put it to the TSG readers, where do you think he will play?
There are strong sentiments that it is one of three likely teams: Cavs, Knicks, Nets. He can stay in Cleveland, where he grew up nearby and can try to build a dynasty, or he can headline every night at Madison Square Garden for the Knickerbockers, or he can team up with pal Jay-Z when the Nets hop over to Brooklyn. Or he could surprise everyone and sign with another NBA team, or do the unthinkable and take what would certainly be a RIDICULOUSLY, LUDICROUSLY rich offer from some European team to star over there (admittedly unlikely).
Check it out on the sidebar to the right and vote!
Eastern Conference Finals - Game 5 Recap
Orlando Magic 102
Cleveland Cavaliers 112
Orlando Leads Series 3-2
Let me just say this....that is not how you punch a ticket to the NBA Finals. It seems that if Orlando was just able to keep things close in the 1st quarter at Cleveland, they would have won this series already. But in each of the 3 games at Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavs have jumped out to HUGE early leads. Now each time, Orlando has chipped away and gotten back in the game, but spending the rest of the game just trying to dig yourselves out of that hole takes a lot of energy. And despite coming back to take the lead in both Games 2 and 5, Orlando has taken a loss.
Once again, LeBron did his thing. Only this time, he got enough help from his supporting cast to be in control most of the way. Mo Williams finally found his shot and hit six 3-pointers on his way to a series-best 24 points. In fact, Williams' Game 5 performance was the first time in this series anyone on the Cavs roster outside of LeBron reached the 20-point plateau in a game. Zydrunas Ilgauskas tallied 16, Delonte West had 13, and Daniel Gibson, an afterthought for most of this series, came off the bench to score 11.
The Magic on the other hand, just fell behind and when they got back into the game, couldn't come up with a finishing burst to put away the Cavs. They shot 46% for the game, but that number included a woeful 1-for-10 from Rafer Alston (1-for-7 from 3-point) and 4-for-13 from Rashard Lewis. The Magic didn't help themselves by missing 13 free throws. But what they can do is focus on the parts of the game where they did thoroughly outplay the Cavs, and take that gameplan back to Orlando to try and finish the series in Game 6. Back at home, the Magic have been able to prevent the fast starts the Cavs have gotten in Cleveland, and if they do, I like them to close it out.
If not, the Magic are going to be in an incredibly difficult situation of trying to take a Game 7 from LeBron and the Cavs on their home floor.
Cleveland Cavaliers 112
Orlando Leads Series 3-2
Let me just say this....that is not how you punch a ticket to the NBA Finals. It seems that if Orlando was just able to keep things close in the 1st quarter at Cleveland, they would have won this series already. But in each of the 3 games at Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavs have jumped out to HUGE early leads. Now each time, Orlando has chipped away and gotten back in the game, but spending the rest of the game just trying to dig yourselves out of that hole takes a lot of energy. And despite coming back to take the lead in both Games 2 and 5, Orlando has taken a loss.
Once again, LeBron did his thing. Only this time, he got enough help from his supporting cast to be in control most of the way. Mo Williams finally found his shot and hit six 3-pointers on his way to a series-best 24 points. In fact, Williams' Game 5 performance was the first time in this series anyone on the Cavs roster outside of LeBron reached the 20-point plateau in a game. Zydrunas Ilgauskas tallied 16, Delonte West had 13, and Daniel Gibson, an afterthought for most of this series, came off the bench to score 11.
The Magic on the other hand, just fell behind and when they got back into the game, couldn't come up with a finishing burst to put away the Cavs. They shot 46% for the game, but that number included a woeful 1-for-10 from Rafer Alston (1-for-7 from 3-point) and 4-for-13 from Rashard Lewis. The Magic didn't help themselves by missing 13 free throws. But what they can do is focus on the parts of the game where they did thoroughly outplay the Cavs, and take that gameplan back to Orlando to try and finish the series in Game 6. Back at home, the Magic have been able to prevent the fast starts the Cavs have gotten in Cleveland, and if they do, I like them to close it out.
If not, the Magic are going to be in an incredibly difficult situation of trying to take a Game 7 from LeBron and the Cavs on their home floor.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Western Conference Finals - Game 5 Recap
Denver Nuggets 94
Los Angeles Lakers 103
Lakers Lead Series 3-2
To say that the Lakers won this game in the 4th quarter is an understatement. Game 5 between the Lakers and Nuggets was tied after the first, again the second, and again after the third. With neither team able to get much separation, the Lakers took the first real run of the game and didn't let go after that. Trailing 73-66 late in the third, the Lakers tore off on a 21-3 run that was sparked by Shannon Brown's big fast break dunk over Chris "Birdman" Andersen. The Nuggets went 6:32 without a point between the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter, missing 11 straight shots during that stretch. This helped the Lakers score the first 11 points in the fourth and the Nuggets didn't get closer than 4 the rest of the way.
What's interesting is that I felt like the teams almost switched roles in this game. The Lakers were definitely much more aggressive than they had been in this series, which probably comes as a result of Kobe's concerted effort to be more of a facilitator in this one. The Nuggets hoisted 24 threes and were not drawing the fouls they were in Game 4 when they attacked the rim. To the Lakers credit, their often maligned defense was superb in the second half. They held the Nuggets to 39% shooting for the game and only surrendered 38 points in the final two quarters. Not known for their interior defense, the Lakers blocked 12 shots (including 5 by Pau Gasol) and contrary to what George Karl said in his postgame news conference, most of them were clean blocks on replay. During their second half struggles, the Nuggets really got away from what had been working for them so far in the series. They finished with only 17 assists, stopped attacking, and deferred too often to Carmelo Anthony, who finished just 9-of-23 from the field.
The Lakers bench has also gotten quite a bit of grief for their lack of contributing quality minutes in support of the starters. In particular, Lamar Odom and the backup point guards have taken most of the heat. Not so in this game. Odom showed off just how good he can be when he puts it all together, finishing with 19 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks. He was all over the boards, had active hands on defense, and was constantly getting great position in the key on offense. After Derek Fisher finally found his shot, Jordan Farmar provided a few good minutes off the bench in the first half. According to ESPN sideline reporter Doris Burke, Farmar was poised to check in for Fisher again late in the third coming out of a timeout, but only if Anthony Carter was coming in for Chauncey Billups. Of his backup PGs, Phil Jackson prefers Shannon Brown as a defender on Billups and when Billups stayed in the game, Jackson sent in Brown for his first minutes of the game. What a boost he provided. Brown had the aforementioned dunk on Andersen, but also hit a big shot at the shot clock buzzer to cap the 21-3 run, and played some stellar defense on Billups. In his 14 minutes, Brown finished with a +/- rating of +13. The Lakers and Phil Jackson can't ask for much more from their bench. Combine that effort with Kobe's efficient 22 points on 6-for-13 shooting, along with 8 assists and 5 rebounds, and another double-double from Pau Gasol, the Lakers proved just how they won the West by 11 games in the regular season.
One more performance like that and they will be making a return trip to the NBA Finals.
Los Angeles Lakers 103
Lakers Lead Series 3-2
To say that the Lakers won this game in the 4th quarter is an understatement. Game 5 between the Lakers and Nuggets was tied after the first, again the second, and again after the third. With neither team able to get much separation, the Lakers took the first real run of the game and didn't let go after that. Trailing 73-66 late in the third, the Lakers tore off on a 21-3 run that was sparked by Shannon Brown's big fast break dunk over Chris "Birdman" Andersen. The Nuggets went 6:32 without a point between the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter, missing 11 straight shots during that stretch. This helped the Lakers score the first 11 points in the fourth and the Nuggets didn't get closer than 4 the rest of the way.
What's interesting is that I felt like the teams almost switched roles in this game. The Lakers were definitely much more aggressive than they had been in this series, which probably comes as a result of Kobe's concerted effort to be more of a facilitator in this one. The Nuggets hoisted 24 threes and were not drawing the fouls they were in Game 4 when they attacked the rim. To the Lakers credit, their often maligned defense was superb in the second half. They held the Nuggets to 39% shooting for the game and only surrendered 38 points in the final two quarters. Not known for their interior defense, the Lakers blocked 12 shots (including 5 by Pau Gasol) and contrary to what George Karl said in his postgame news conference, most of them were clean blocks on replay. During their second half struggles, the Nuggets really got away from what had been working for them so far in the series. They finished with only 17 assists, stopped attacking, and deferred too often to Carmelo Anthony, who finished just 9-of-23 from the field.
The Lakers bench has also gotten quite a bit of grief for their lack of contributing quality minutes in support of the starters. In particular, Lamar Odom and the backup point guards have taken most of the heat. Not so in this game. Odom showed off just how good he can be when he puts it all together, finishing with 19 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks. He was all over the boards, had active hands on defense, and was constantly getting great position in the key on offense. After Derek Fisher finally found his shot, Jordan Farmar provided a few good minutes off the bench in the first half. According to ESPN sideline reporter Doris Burke, Farmar was poised to check in for Fisher again late in the third coming out of a timeout, but only if Anthony Carter was coming in for Chauncey Billups. Of his backup PGs, Phil Jackson prefers Shannon Brown as a defender on Billups and when Billups stayed in the game, Jackson sent in Brown for his first minutes of the game. What a boost he provided. Brown had the aforementioned dunk on Andersen, but also hit a big shot at the shot clock buzzer to cap the 21-3 run, and played some stellar defense on Billups. In his 14 minutes, Brown finished with a +/- rating of +13. The Lakers and Phil Jackson can't ask for much more from their bench. Combine that effort with Kobe's efficient 22 points on 6-for-13 shooting, along with 8 assists and 5 rebounds, and another double-double from Pau Gasol, the Lakers proved just how they won the West by 11 games in the regular season.
One more performance like that and they will be making a return trip to the NBA Finals.
Coach of the Year Being Outcoached?
In what has to be the oddest of occurrences, are we really seeing the NBA Coach of the Year allowing himself to be outcoached by a man that has been incessantly criticized by both the media as well as current and former players for his fiery demeanor and causing his team to wilt under pressure? Yes. Is that same Stan Van Gundy now one win away from the NBA Finals, having built a commanding 3-1 lead in the East Finals over the presumptive title favorites? Yes.
Say what you will about his antics, words, involvement with Shaq (or Ben Wallace), or anything else, but SVG is pushing all the right buttons in this series. He is force-feeding Dwight Howard in the post against a Cleveland front line that has absolutely no answer. Even though his big man has gotten into foul trouble, Van Gundy is not hesitant to go right back into him as soon as he reenters the game. Running the offense through Howard has opened up the floor for the shooters that the Magic surround Superman with. In case you haven't heard the Magic like to hoist threes, and when open, they're pretty darn good at knocking them down, including 17 in Game 4 alone. But the real achievment is SVG channeling his inner Phil Jackson and maybe using some old-fashioned reverse psychology on his counterpart.
This man openly admitted that he had NO ANSWER for stopping LeBron James. And you know what? That's exactly what he wants James to think. Because as we are seeing, LeBron cannot do this by himself. He put up 44 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists last night, but the Cavs couldn't get the win. He ALMOST got them that win (and bailed them out in Game 2) but playing this way, his team is one loss from elimination. Van Gundy knows they can't contain LeBron, but knows that LeBron going off is Plan A versus a Plan B that includes James getting all of his teammates involved and getting that Cavalier offensive machine that was so in tune in the first 2 rounds rolling again. So SVG is publicly admiring LeBron's freakishly good game, but privately glowing about how the rest of his team is locking down Mo Williams, Delonte West and the rest of the James Gang. LeBron is being forced to do EVERYTHING and it doesn't always end well. For that ridiculous stat line shown above, he also had 8 turnovers, 3 in OT alone. So while Van Gundy may be walking a tightrope by having LeBron put up such great stats, he's also survived that tightrope trot 3 times out of 4, with them being one incredible shot away from a sweep. If the Magic win Game 5, this could replace the 2004 NBA Finals as the "5-Game Sweep."
On the other side, Mike Brown just looks clueless, like he usually does. I still believe he was a terrible choice for COY, as detailed in this comment on Who Lurks back in early May. But he is openly admitting that he's just gonna ride LeBron, instead of trying to figure out a new way to play against the Oralndo Magic. Newsflash, Coach Brown: You've lost 10 of 14 to this team over the past 3 seasons. TRY SOMETHING ELSE! Otherwise, this season and maybe the best opportunity to keep LeBron in a Cavs uniform for his entire career, could be gone in an instant. On defense, maybe try a page from Van Gundy's book and force Dwight Howard to really be Superman. Sure, he may put up some ridiculous numbers against your soft, undersized front line, but Dwight's overall offensive repertoire is limited. Obviously, half-assing your double teams is still allowing Dwight to go for his share, while opening up enough shots for the Magic to hit 42 threes in 4 games.
If this series doesn't do an immediate 180, we will be seeing a Van Gundy coaching in the finals one season after Doc Rivers, and that would seriously be a shocker.
Say what you will about his antics, words, involvement with Shaq (or Ben Wallace), or anything else, but SVG is pushing all the right buttons in this series. He is force-feeding Dwight Howard in the post against a Cleveland front line that has absolutely no answer. Even though his big man has gotten into foul trouble, Van Gundy is not hesitant to go right back into him as soon as he reenters the game. Running the offense through Howard has opened up the floor for the shooters that the Magic surround Superman with. In case you haven't heard the Magic like to hoist threes, and when open, they're pretty darn good at knocking them down, including 17 in Game 4 alone. But the real achievment is SVG channeling his inner Phil Jackson and maybe using some old-fashioned reverse psychology on his counterpart.
This man openly admitted that he had NO ANSWER for stopping LeBron James. And you know what? That's exactly what he wants James to think. Because as we are seeing, LeBron cannot do this by himself. He put up 44 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists last night, but the Cavs couldn't get the win. He ALMOST got them that win (and bailed them out in Game 2) but playing this way, his team is one loss from elimination. Van Gundy knows they can't contain LeBron, but knows that LeBron going off is Plan A versus a Plan B that includes James getting all of his teammates involved and getting that Cavalier offensive machine that was so in tune in the first 2 rounds rolling again. So SVG is publicly admiring LeBron's freakishly good game, but privately glowing about how the rest of his team is locking down Mo Williams, Delonte West and the rest of the James Gang. LeBron is being forced to do EVERYTHING and it doesn't always end well. For that ridiculous stat line shown above, he also had 8 turnovers, 3 in OT alone. So while Van Gundy may be walking a tightrope by having LeBron put up such great stats, he's also survived that tightrope trot 3 times out of 4, with them being one incredible shot away from a sweep. If the Magic win Game 5, this could replace the 2004 NBA Finals as the "5-Game Sweep."
On the other side, Mike Brown just looks clueless, like he usually does. I still believe he was a terrible choice for COY, as detailed in this comment on Who Lurks back in early May. But he is openly admitting that he's just gonna ride LeBron, instead of trying to figure out a new way to play against the Oralndo Magic. Newsflash, Coach Brown: You've lost 10 of 14 to this team over the past 3 seasons. TRY SOMETHING ELSE! Otherwise, this season and maybe the best opportunity to keep LeBron in a Cavs uniform for his entire career, could be gone in an instant. On defense, maybe try a page from Van Gundy's book and force Dwight Howard to really be Superman. Sure, he may put up some ridiculous numbers against your soft, undersized front line, but Dwight's overall offensive repertoire is limited. Obviously, half-assing your double teams is still allowing Dwight to go for his share, while opening up enough shots for the Magic to hit 42 threes in 4 games.
If this series doesn't do an immediate 180, we will be seeing a Van Gundy coaching in the finals one season after Doc Rivers, and that would seriously be a shocker.
Eastern Conference Finals - Game 4 Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 114
Orlando Magic 116
Orlando Leads Series 3-1
Talk about two of the game's best doing all they can to will their team to a crucial win. Last night, both Dwight Howard and LeBron James were hellbent on getting the W in an all-important Game 4. In the end, Dwight's brawn and supporting cast were enough to squeak by King James and the Cavs (again), and the Magic head back to Cleveland with the opportunity to close out this series in Game 5.
After a back-and-forth ending to regulation that saw Rashard Lewis hit another huge 3-pointer, LeBron hit the two biggest free throws of his life with .5 seconds remaining to force the extra period. In OT, Howard absolutely bullied Anderson Varejao. Twice, Howard got position on the block, took the pass, and just backed Varejao underneath the rim before throwing down a rim-rattling dunk. Of course, Cleveland wasn't throwing a much-needed second defender at Superman because they were staying home on the Orlando sharp-shooters that hit a franchise playoff-record 17 treys.
But LeBron answered Howard's thunder with some lightning of his own, erasing a six-point Magic lead with 7 points of his own, including a ridiculous 3 while falling out of bounds to keep the Cavs within one possession in the waning seconds. However, the Cavs were ultimately undone by the fact that LeBron once again received little help from his teammates. James didn't help matters any by committing 8 turnovers, including 3 in the OT, to go along with his otherwise sparkling stat line of 44 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Now the Cavs are faced with trying to become only the 9th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a series. Just for perspective, for the 8 that have succeeded, 182 teams have closed the door on a comeback. This franchise knows that it can't be put in a better situation than they have this season if they want to win an NBA Championship before LeBron hits free agency next summer. If they can't come up with a comeback for the ages, they could seriously be looking at just one more season in which The King could deliver a title to a championship-starved Cleveland.
Orlando Magic 116
Orlando Leads Series 3-1
Talk about two of the game's best doing all they can to will their team to a crucial win. Last night, both Dwight Howard and LeBron James were hellbent on getting the W in an all-important Game 4. In the end, Dwight's brawn and supporting cast were enough to squeak by King James and the Cavs (again), and the Magic head back to Cleveland with the opportunity to close out this series in Game 5.
After a back-and-forth ending to regulation that saw Rashard Lewis hit another huge 3-pointer, LeBron hit the two biggest free throws of his life with .5 seconds remaining to force the extra period. In OT, Howard absolutely bullied Anderson Varejao. Twice, Howard got position on the block, took the pass, and just backed Varejao underneath the rim before throwing down a rim-rattling dunk. Of course, Cleveland wasn't throwing a much-needed second defender at Superman because they were staying home on the Orlando sharp-shooters that hit a franchise playoff-record 17 treys.
But LeBron answered Howard's thunder with some lightning of his own, erasing a six-point Magic lead with 7 points of his own, including a ridiculous 3 while falling out of bounds to keep the Cavs within one possession in the waning seconds. However, the Cavs were ultimately undone by the fact that LeBron once again received little help from his teammates. James didn't help matters any by committing 8 turnovers, including 3 in the OT, to go along with his otherwise sparkling stat line of 44 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Now the Cavs are faced with trying to become only the 9th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a series. Just for perspective, for the 8 that have succeeded, 182 teams have closed the door on a comeback. This franchise knows that it can't be put in a better situation than they have this season if they want to win an NBA Championship before LeBron hits free agency next summer. If they can't come up with a comeback for the ages, they could seriously be looking at just one more season in which The King could deliver a title to a championship-starved Cleveland.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Mo Williams Guarantee: Why Does Anyone Care?
By Ben Azar
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Ben is a very old friend of mine who is (almost) as big a sports fan as I am. Ben graduated from UCLA where he was Sports Editor for the Daily Bruin newspaper, covered several sports for the publication, and had a weekly sports talk radio show for a little while on the Bruin student radio station, which I was luckily enough to be a part of a few times and spurred me into getting one at SDSU. Ben then worked for ESPN back in Bristol for a few months as a statistics guy, and is getting ready to attend Law School at UC Davis. In the future, look for Ben to discuss the NBA draft profiles for Bruin players Jrue Holiday and Darren Collison and be part of many great NBA debates here on The Sports Grind.]
With the Cavs down 2-1, being thoroughly outplayed by Dwight Howard's Orlando Magic, Mo Williams has put it ALL ON THE LINE. Will his words inspire the Cavaliers to win the series or will they backfire and make the Magic pour it on? Either way, the series is of course going to be decided solely because of what Williams said.
Honestly why is this a story? I mean, it's not like his team is a huge underdog. They are EXPECTED to win the series. What is he supposed to say if a reporter asks if he is willing to guarantee a victory? "Well, I wouldn't go that far...I don't have THAT much confidence in this team."
Why does anyone care about this? The Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are two entities that certainly don't. There are far more important storylines to follow in this series for this to even become something worth batting an eye about.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Ben is a very old friend of mine who is (almost) as big a sports fan as I am. Ben graduated from UCLA where he was Sports Editor for the Daily Bruin newspaper, covered several sports for the publication, and had a weekly sports talk radio show for a little while on the Bruin student radio station, which I was luckily enough to be a part of a few times and spurred me into getting one at SDSU. Ben then worked for ESPN back in Bristol for a few months as a statistics guy, and is getting ready to attend Law School at UC Davis. In the future, look for Ben to discuss the NBA draft profiles for Bruin players Jrue Holiday and Darren Collison and be part of many great NBA debates here on The Sports Grind.]
With the Cavs down 2-1, being thoroughly outplayed by Dwight Howard's Orlando Magic, Mo Williams has put it ALL ON THE LINE. Will his words inspire the Cavaliers to win the series or will they backfire and make the Magic pour it on? Either way, the series is of course going to be decided solely because of what Williams said.
Honestly why is this a story? I mean, it's not like his team is a huge underdog. They are EXPECTED to win the series. What is he supposed to say if a reporter asks if he is willing to guarantee a victory? "Well, I wouldn't go that far...I don't have THAT much confidence in this team."
Why does anyone care about this? The Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are two entities that certainly don't. There are far more important storylines to follow in this series for this to even become something worth batting an eye about.
Western Conference Finals - Game 4 Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 101
Denver Nuggets 120
Series Tied 2-2
When one team in a game is able to get into the paint as attack the rim as often as the Denver Nuggets did Monday night, while the other is content swinging the ball and taking jumpers, it's only a matter of time before the aggressor blows it open and pulls away. The Lakers did enough to stay within earshot of the Nuggets, but unlike Games 1 and 3, they were never really close enough for Kobe to assume his "closer" role.
The Nuggets were stuffing the paint on both ends, attacking on offense and collapsing on defense. Their D made it down right murderous for Kobe to get into the lane and attack and the fact that his teammates were off from the perimeter did nothing to help open it up as the game progressed. More and more, this is turning into the Kobe-and-Pau show for the Lakers, who are clearly at their best when their offense is well-rounded and the big 2 get help. Some nights (like Game 3) the shear greatness of two premier offensive talents is enough. But more often than not, those two will not be able to do it alone.
Denver kept the pressure up on offense despite a poor night from an ineffective/sick Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets absolutely dominated on the boards on both ends, grabbing 18 more rebounds than LA, including a 20-9 edge on the offensive glass. The Nuggets played an excellent, well-rounded game. In addition to the aforementioned rebound advantage, they also had an 18-point edge on point in the paint, a 42-24 advantage off the bench, outscored the Lakers by 10 on the fast break and only committed 6 turnovers in the game. All in all I think this game was even more impressive than their 58-point drubbing of the Hornets in Round 1, which is saying something.
The trick will be going to LA and beating a Lakers team that knows they got the win in Denver they needed to be able to win this series at home. Obviously, this is a Laker team with, as Phil Jackson put it, a little "Jekyll and Hyde" in them. But it's a huge confidence boost to know that they have the home court advantage in what's now become a 3 game series. But Denver has proven it can win at Staples once in this series, so let's see who comes out the aggressor in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Denver Nuggets 120
Series Tied 2-2
When one team in a game is able to get into the paint as attack the rim as often as the Denver Nuggets did Monday night, while the other is content swinging the ball and taking jumpers, it's only a matter of time before the aggressor blows it open and pulls away. The Lakers did enough to stay within earshot of the Nuggets, but unlike Games 1 and 3, they were never really close enough for Kobe to assume his "closer" role.
The Nuggets were stuffing the paint on both ends, attacking on offense and collapsing on defense. Their D made it down right murderous for Kobe to get into the lane and attack and the fact that his teammates were off from the perimeter did nothing to help open it up as the game progressed. More and more, this is turning into the Kobe-and-Pau show for the Lakers, who are clearly at their best when their offense is well-rounded and the big 2 get help. Some nights (like Game 3) the shear greatness of two premier offensive talents is enough. But more often than not, those two will not be able to do it alone.
Denver kept the pressure up on offense despite a poor night from an ineffective/sick Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets absolutely dominated on the boards on both ends, grabbing 18 more rebounds than LA, including a 20-9 edge on the offensive glass. The Nuggets played an excellent, well-rounded game. In addition to the aforementioned rebound advantage, they also had an 18-point edge on point in the paint, a 42-24 advantage off the bench, outscored the Lakers by 10 on the fast break and only committed 6 turnovers in the game. All in all I think this game was even more impressive than their 58-point drubbing of the Hornets in Round 1, which is saying something.
The trick will be going to LA and beating a Lakers team that knows they got the win in Denver they needed to be able to win this series at home. Obviously, this is a Laker team with, as Phil Jackson put it, a little "Jekyll and Hyde" in them. But it's a huge confidence boost to know that they have the home court advantage in what's now become a 3 game series. But Denver has proven it can win at Staples once in this series, so let's see who comes out the aggressor in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Eastern Conference Finals - Game 3 Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 89
Orlando Magic 99
Orlando Leads Series 2-1
Was it really just a week ago that people were debating whether the Cavs would lose a game before the NBA Finals? Amazing what a couple days and some tough matchup problems will do. The Magic are one amazing LeBron three from being up a commanding 3-0 in this series.
The Magic did exactly what I thought they needed to after Game 2. They got off to a much better start and didn't have to spend most of the game trying to chip away at a Cleveland lead. Instead, they were able to play with the lead for most of the game, and kept doing just enough to keep the Cavs about 5-6 points back all game. They kept attacking and got to the free throw line a whopping 51 times (making 39). The Magic didn't shoot the ball particularly well from the field (42%) but they held the Cavs to a postseason-low 37%, including just an 11-for-28 (1-for-8 3pt) night from King James. But LeBron got virtually no help and the Cavs bench contributed all of 4 points.
Meanwhile, Dwight Howard is staying out of foul trouble just long enough to get the Cleveland big men in even worse foul trouble. Howard has been able to dominate down low when he's in there, which is huge for the spacing it creates for guys like Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Mikael Pietrus and Courtney Lee. This creates driving lanes and open looks if the Cavs are forced to throw a double team at Dwight. Unfortunately, Howard has had his own foul problems, but at least he did enough work in 28 minutes to earn his stripes: 24 points, 9 rebs, 14-for-19 at the line. Even more importantly, the Cavs big men (Big Z, Varejao, Ben Wallace, and Joe Smith) combined for 21 points and 18 fouls.
The Cavaliers have a big test at their hands in Game 4 because Orlando now has their confidence regained after Game 2's crushing defeat, the home crowd, and the knowledge that they can play from ahead against this team.
Orlando Magic 99
Orlando Leads Series 2-1
Was it really just a week ago that people were debating whether the Cavs would lose a game before the NBA Finals? Amazing what a couple days and some tough matchup problems will do. The Magic are one amazing LeBron three from being up a commanding 3-0 in this series.
The Magic did exactly what I thought they needed to after Game 2. They got off to a much better start and didn't have to spend most of the game trying to chip away at a Cleveland lead. Instead, they were able to play with the lead for most of the game, and kept doing just enough to keep the Cavs about 5-6 points back all game. They kept attacking and got to the free throw line a whopping 51 times (making 39). The Magic didn't shoot the ball particularly well from the field (42%) but they held the Cavs to a postseason-low 37%, including just an 11-for-28 (1-for-8 3pt) night from King James. But LeBron got virtually no help and the Cavs bench contributed all of 4 points.
Meanwhile, Dwight Howard is staying out of foul trouble just long enough to get the Cleveland big men in even worse foul trouble. Howard has been able to dominate down low when he's in there, which is huge for the spacing it creates for guys like Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Mikael Pietrus and Courtney Lee. This creates driving lanes and open looks if the Cavs are forced to throw a double team at Dwight. Unfortunately, Howard has had his own foul problems, but at least he did enough work in 28 minutes to earn his stripes: 24 points, 9 rebs, 14-for-19 at the line. Even more importantly, the Cavs big men (Big Z, Varejao, Ben Wallace, and Joe Smith) combined for 21 points and 18 fouls.
The Cavaliers have a big test at their hands in Game 4 because Orlando now has their confidence regained after Game 2's crushing defeat, the home crowd, and the knowledge that they can play from ahead against this team.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Western Conference Finals - Game 3 Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 103
Denver Nuggets 97
Lakers Lead Series 2-1
Say what you will about NBA basketball, but these Conference Finals series cannot be considered to be dull by any standards. 5 games played to this point and this game is the first one to be decided by more than 3 points....and even then, it still wasn't decided until the final 15-20 seconds.
What has to be disheartening for the Nuggets was the fact that they really could not have played a whole lot better for most of the game while the Lakers really never seemed to be in sync, but the Lakers were able to stick around into the 4th. And as George Karl has witnessed and acknowledged, the Lakers have the game's best closer so letting the Lakers stay within striking distance gave Kobe Bryant the chance to push the Lakers to a 2-1 series lead. He scored 13 points in the final quarter, and finished with 41 on an efficient 12-of-24 shooting. Kobe was able to attack the basket and draw fouls, helping him get to the line 17 times (making 15), and he added 6 rebounds and 5 assists against just 1 turnover. Kobe got help from Pau Gasol (20/11; 6th straight playoff double-double) and Trevor Ariza (16 points; 2nd big late-game steal). And despite their mostly maligned defense, the Lakers held the Nuggets to 39% shooting and just 5-for-27 from behind the arc.
The key for the Nuggets is having at least one of their perimeter guns (Melo, Chauncey, or JR Smith) going off because this team doesn't have a consistent low-post scoring option that can create shots and provide some offensive balance. At first glance, you see that Nene and Chris Andersen combined for 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting. But neither of those players is a true score-for-themselves players and usually need the floor to be spaced and the Nuggets guards to attack the basket to create scoring opportunities. So when those three perimeter guys are a combined 13-for-43 from the field, it's hard to dump the ball into the post and be able to get consistent offense.
Carmelo has been fantastic in this series but he scored just 3 of his 21 points in the second half. In fact, Carmelo took just 4 shots after halftime, without a make. What I can't understand is how George Karl and Chauncey Billups aren't force-feeding Melo the ball. Here's a guy that averaged 36.5 points in the first two games in LA, and was on that pace with 18 points in the first half. But 4 shots in the entire second half of a close game the Nuggets really needed? Unbelievable. George Karl has taken some flack for the steal that occurred in Game 1 but I don't really fault him this time. Instead of Anthony Carter, this time he used the 6-foot-9 Kenyon Martin. Martin had Melo flashing open before Ariza could close, but just threw a horrible pass. So I don't see Karl being at fault there, but I do for the fact that Carmelo got 13 shots for the game.
Denver Nuggets 97
Lakers Lead Series 2-1
Say what you will about NBA basketball, but these Conference Finals series cannot be considered to be dull by any standards. 5 games played to this point and this game is the first one to be decided by more than 3 points....and even then, it still wasn't decided until the final 15-20 seconds.
What has to be disheartening for the Nuggets was the fact that they really could not have played a whole lot better for most of the game while the Lakers really never seemed to be in sync, but the Lakers were able to stick around into the 4th. And as George Karl has witnessed and acknowledged, the Lakers have the game's best closer so letting the Lakers stay within striking distance gave Kobe Bryant the chance to push the Lakers to a 2-1 series lead. He scored 13 points in the final quarter, and finished with 41 on an efficient 12-of-24 shooting. Kobe was able to attack the basket and draw fouls, helping him get to the line 17 times (making 15), and he added 6 rebounds and 5 assists against just 1 turnover. Kobe got help from Pau Gasol (20/11; 6th straight playoff double-double) and Trevor Ariza (16 points; 2nd big late-game steal). And despite their mostly maligned defense, the Lakers held the Nuggets to 39% shooting and just 5-for-27 from behind the arc.
The key for the Nuggets is having at least one of their perimeter guns (Melo, Chauncey, or JR Smith) going off because this team doesn't have a consistent low-post scoring option that can create shots and provide some offensive balance. At first glance, you see that Nene and Chris Andersen combined for 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting. But neither of those players is a true score-for-themselves players and usually need the floor to be spaced and the Nuggets guards to attack the basket to create scoring opportunities. So when those three perimeter guys are a combined 13-for-43 from the field, it's hard to dump the ball into the post and be able to get consistent offense.
Carmelo has been fantastic in this series but he scored just 3 of his 21 points in the second half. In fact, Carmelo took just 4 shots after halftime, without a make. What I can't understand is how George Karl and Chauncey Billups aren't force-feeding Melo the ball. Here's a guy that averaged 36.5 points in the first two games in LA, and was on that pace with 18 points in the first half. But 4 shots in the entire second half of a close game the Nuggets really needed? Unbelievable. George Karl has taken some flack for the steal that occurred in Game 1 but I don't really fault him this time. Instead of Anthony Carter, this time he used the 6-foot-9 Kenyon Martin. Martin had Melo flashing open before Ariza could close, but just threw a horrible pass. So I don't see Karl being at fault there, but I do for the fact that Carmelo got 13 shots for the game.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Eastern Conference Finals - Game 2 Recap
Orlando Magic 95
Cleveland Cavaliers 96
Series Tied 1-1
OML!!
As in....Oh. My. LeBron.
Talk about coming up big. After Cleveland struggled to hold another big lead, LBJ played King Bailout, taking an inbounds pass with 1 second left and draining a 3-pointer to save the Cavs from being in an 0-2 hole heading to Orlando. Just an incredible shot from the game's premier player.
LeBron's game winner answered Hedo Turkoglu's tie-breaking jumper at the other end. Just think if Hedo waits just one more second to fire up that shot? Tough loss to swallow. We'll really see what the Magic are made of in Game 3. They got the split they absolutely needed, but they were oh-so-close to that tantalizing 2 game lead. They've fallen behind early in both games, so they know that the more they do that, the more likely Cleveland is to run them out of the building (and the series).
The key in Game 3 for Orlando will be trying to use the home crowd to get off to a good start. A) they need to start games better than they have in games 1 and 2. B) they need to establish that they will not surrender momentum to the Cavs after this painful loss. As hard as it is tonight, they need to focus on the fact that they got the split they wanted.
Cleveland Cavaliers 96
Series Tied 1-1
OML!!
As in....Oh. My. LeBron.
Talk about coming up big. After Cleveland struggled to hold another big lead, LBJ played King Bailout, taking an inbounds pass with 1 second left and draining a 3-pointer to save the Cavs from being in an 0-2 hole heading to Orlando. Just an incredible shot from the game's premier player.
LeBron's game winner answered Hedo Turkoglu's tie-breaking jumper at the other end. Just think if Hedo waits just one more second to fire up that shot? Tough loss to swallow. We'll really see what the Magic are made of in Game 3. They got the split they absolutely needed, but they were oh-so-close to that tantalizing 2 game lead. They've fallen behind early in both games, so they know that the more they do that, the more likely Cleveland is to run them out of the building (and the series).
The key in Game 3 for Orlando will be trying to use the home crowd to get off to a good start. A) they need to start games better than they have in games 1 and 2. B) they need to establish that they will not surrender momentum to the Cavs after this painful loss. As hard as it is tonight, they need to focus on the fact that they got the split they wanted.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Western Conference Finals - Game 2 Recap
Denver Nuggets 106
Los Angeles Lakers 103
Series Tied 1-1
Ok, seeing as this is the first game recap post on TSG, I want to stress that I will aim to be as objective as possible. As for full disclosure, YES I am a Lakers fan. But I will try to limit the Lakers bias in what I write on here.
That said....I still think the Lakers got hosed by the zebras in the second half tonight. The fouls and the free throw totals were even for the game, but it was the manner in which the fouls were called very touchy and got the Lakers into the penalty very early in the 3rd and 4th quarters. I hate blaming the refs, and I still say the Nuggets played a great game, but the fouls were soft ones that seemed to be let go on some plays and called super strict on the next.
Anyways, the Nuggets have really impressed me. They have had some stellar performances in these playoffs but I know I'm not alone in thinking we needed to see what they could do against a really good opponent. And they've not disappointed. Carmelo really looks like he has entered that top echelon of NBA stars. He is getting to the rim at will and creating the shots he wants. He has been an absolute menace to keep off the boards. He has asked to be the primary defender on Kobe Bryant in the 4th quarter and has done about as well as you could hope for, which is even more impressive coming from a guy whose supposedly biggest weakness was his man-to-man defense. Linas Kleiza came up with some huge shots for this team tonight, especially in the first half when it started to feel like the Lakers were ready to pull away. They will need that going forward.
As for the Lakers, I really think they needed to play Andrew Bynum more tonight. Bynum got off to a very good start, but in the end only finished playing 18 minutes. In those 18 minutes, the Lakers were +7 (he had the best +/- on the team in Game 2). I realize the Nuggets went small, but the Lakers should have used that to punish them on the boards the way they did in the first half when they raced out to a 16-point lead. The Lakers seem to be content letting the Nuggets dictate the tempo and using their defense to make life difficult for the Lakers offense.
If the Lakers want to regain control of this series when it shifts to Denver, they need to relax a bit on defense, and use Bynum/Gasol/Odom to control the boards. I still like the Lakers to win, but it really says a lot about how even this series as been in that each game has gone down to the wire, featured big comebacks, and both teams could easily be up 2-0.
Los Angeles Lakers 103
Series Tied 1-1
Ok, seeing as this is the first game recap post on TSG, I want to stress that I will aim to be as objective as possible. As for full disclosure, YES I am a Lakers fan. But I will try to limit the Lakers bias in what I write on here.
That said....I still think the Lakers got hosed by the zebras in the second half tonight. The fouls and the free throw totals were even for the game, but it was the manner in which the fouls were called very touchy and got the Lakers into the penalty very early in the 3rd and 4th quarters. I hate blaming the refs, and I still say the Nuggets played a great game, but the fouls were soft ones that seemed to be let go on some plays and called super strict on the next.
Anyways, the Nuggets have really impressed me. They have had some stellar performances in these playoffs but I know I'm not alone in thinking we needed to see what they could do against a really good opponent. And they've not disappointed. Carmelo really looks like he has entered that top echelon of NBA stars. He is getting to the rim at will and creating the shots he wants. He has been an absolute menace to keep off the boards. He has asked to be the primary defender on Kobe Bryant in the 4th quarter and has done about as well as you could hope for, which is even more impressive coming from a guy whose supposedly biggest weakness was his man-to-man defense. Linas Kleiza came up with some huge shots for this team tonight, especially in the first half when it started to feel like the Lakers were ready to pull away. They will need that going forward.
As for the Lakers, I really think they needed to play Andrew Bynum more tonight. Bynum got off to a very good start, but in the end only finished playing 18 minutes. In those 18 minutes, the Lakers were +7 (he had the best +/- on the team in Game 2). I realize the Nuggets went small, but the Lakers should have used that to punish them on the boards the way they did in the first half when they raced out to a 16-point lead. The Lakers seem to be content letting the Nuggets dictate the tempo and using their defense to make life difficult for the Lakers offense.
If the Lakers want to regain control of this series when it shifts to Denver, they need to relax a bit on defense, and use Bynum/Gasol/Odom to control the boards. I still like the Lakers to win, but it really says a lot about how even this series as been in that each game has gone down to the wire, featured big comebacks, and both teams could easily be up 2-0.
1st TSG Blog Poll
As you can see on the right column, the 1st poll of the new The Sports Grind poll has been posted. The inaugural post of the blog discusses the results of the draft lottery and the likelihood that Blake Griffin will be a member of the Clippers starting on June 25.
As we all know, the Clippers are not exactly the most functionally run team in the NBA. They have screwed up a number of careers and sent good players packing while receiving little to nothing in return. They've scared off enough players that some were counting down their days til free agency on their shoes! So what will become of Blake Griffin's career with the Clippers?
With they trade away the #1 pick? Will they get him for just his rookie contract, or a rookie contract plus an extension (a la LeBron, Chris Bosh, D-Wade)? Or will he change the culture of the other locker room at Staples Center and play his entire career for them?
Weigh in on the poll to the right!
As we all know, the Clippers are not exactly the most functionally run team in the NBA. They have screwed up a number of careers and sent good players packing while receiving little to nothing in return. They've scared off enough players that some were counting down their days til free agency on their shoes! So what will become of Blake Griffin's career with the Clippers?
With they trade away the #1 pick? Will they get him for just his rookie contract, or a rookie contract plus an extension (a la LeBron, Chris Bosh, D-Wade)? Or will he change the culture of the other locker room at Staples Center and play his entire career for them?
Weigh in on the poll to the right!
NBA Draft Lottery and Mock Top 10
So if you're an NBA fan, you have to admit that you're first thought upon hearing the results of this week's Draft Lottery were something like "Oh God, how will they screw this up??" Yup, that's what you get when you have a franchise that has been run as comically inept as the LA Clippers have been. The Clippers have won the lottery on two previous occasions and went on to draft a good, but not great player (Danny Manning) and one of the biggest busts in recent memory (Michael Olowakandi). But with one clear-cut option for them to choose at #1 this year, they've gotta get this one right, right? Right? Hey, it's the NBA where amazing happens. And nothing is more amazing than Mike Dunleavy still having his job so don't count the Clippers out from somehow drafting Blake Griffin's (much less talented) brother Taylor instead.
Anyways, this will be a rough, Top 10 only mock draft. I plan to have a revised mock as we close in on the draft. At that point, we will know which underclassmen will be returning to school and will get a better read on the draft stocks of some players once individual workouts and the draft camps are completed, which will also help with a more in-depth mock of the entire first round.
So to start it off, with the 1st pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select: Blake Griffin, PF - University of Oklahoma.
This is the no-brainer. Only talent in this draft that can be considered a sure (or close to sure) thing. The guy put up legit numbers as a sophomore on a good team against top competition. He brought it every night and displayed enough athleticism to still put up 14.4 rpg despite having less than ideal size for a PF. It's hard not to like a guy who coulda been a Top 5-10 pick after his freshman year, wasn't satisfied, came back and worked his tail off to become the presumptive #1 pick.
The funny thing is, of all the teams in the Top 7 or so in the draft lottery, for a draft that has really 2 premier talents (a PF and a PG in Spain's Ricky Rubio), the team that won the lottery is the only one that doesn't have an opening for either. Griffin would be joining a Clippers team with a ridiculous amount of money tied up in Chris Kaman and Zach Randolph (not to mention one more year of Marcus Camby), so they would ideally like to move one or three of them in trades. Problem is, there is ZERO trade value currently in Randolph and close to none on Kaman because of their contracts. Camby can be a legitimate trade chip in February with his expiring deal so they'd prefer not to move him just yet. If they had gotten #2 and targeted Rubio, they could at least have a bit of an easier time shopping Baron Davis. That said, it's not even close to a valid excuse to draft Rubio #1 over Griffin. Plus, as the Clippers, they'd probably botch any attempt to trade down so they're best served minimizing the chance they screw this up and just take Blake.
The Pick: Blake Griffin, PF - Oklahoma
#2 - Memphis Grizzlies
This team deserves a break. They've been in the lottery almost as often as the Clippers since their inception, yet have never received the #1 pick, most notably in 2003 when the #1 pick (which they would have been allowed to keep) would have gotten them LeBron, but they got the #2 and had to give the pick to the Pistons as per the Otis Thorpe trade....so sad.
Anyways, the Grizz would have been a great fit for Griffin because of the young pieces in place at each other starting position (Gasol, Gay, Mayo, Conley), but that's not going to be the case. What GM Chris Wallace needs to do is not overreact and take UConn's Hasheem Thabeet over Ricky Rubio. I've already read some buzz about that being a possibility, but that should just stop now.
Rubio is light years ahead of Mike Conley Jr., despite being even younger, and his size and pass-first nature would be a perfect compliment to OJ Mayo in the Memphis backcourt that would now have the potential to be among the NBA's best in 2-3 years. Plus, on the upside, Conley is still young enough to have pretty decent trade value, as asset the Grizz can't create if they draft Thabeet. They should set their sights on Rubio and relax knowing their backcourt is SET. If you want a full breakdown of just how good Ricky Rubio is, watch this or read any of Morales' glowing reviews.
The Pick: Ricky Rubio, PG - Spain
#3 - Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC almost hit the jackpot again by winning the lottery and getting the right to draft Griffin, who happens to be from Oklahoma City. However, the Thunder still find themselves in a good spot. The most likely pick is the consensus #3 pick in Hasheem Thabeet. In Thabeet, they would get the interior defense and shotblocking they thought they were getting at the trade deadline in the Tyson Chandler trade. Now they can just draft a taller, better defensive player (who will come much cheaper) and hope he develops offensively. With the other offensive talent on the team, he won't be under much pressure to be a big-time scorer early on.
But the Thunder would still be ready to gobble up Rubio if the Grizz passed on him. Although they have a point guard they love in 2008 lottery pick Russell Westbrook, he is not quite the pure point Rubio is. Rubio's size and defense would allow them to play Westbrook off the ball at the 2. Only downside being that that would be a very poor jump-shooting backcourt, but unmatched in athleticism. A darkhorse candidate is ASU's James Harden. He would provide them with a solid shooter to hit the open shots created by the drives of Kevin Durant and Westbrook.
The Pick: Hasheem Thabeet, C - Connecticut
#4 - Sacramento Kings
Well, talk about the lottery not quite going quite as hoped for. The Kings became the latest team to not reap the "benefits" of finishing with the league's worst record. This is a team that could have seriously used Griffin or Rubio immensely, and even Thabeet to a degree. After those three, the dropoff is significant. Of the next 5-7 guys in the draft, most are swingmen or combo guards. They already have a budding star in Kevin Martin, so Kings biggest perimeter need is a pure point. Unfortunately, there isn't another pure point worthy of being the #4, and the ones considered PGs are Davidson's Stephen Curry (converted SG) and Jrue Holiday (unimpressive freshman season at UCLA). So the Kings could either add a SF with a lot of upside (DeMar DeRozan) or a big guy that can bring toughness and energy (Jordan Hill). I think the fact that they need to get something of value out of this pick after finishing an NBA-worst 17-65 will push them towards Hill over the talented, but untested, freshman DeRozan.
The Pick: Jordan Hill, PF - Arizona
#5 - Washington Wizards
Another team that got hosed on Lottery Night, the Wizards dropped from #2 to #5 thanks to the bounce of the ping pong balls. But picking at 5 isn't too bad when this team is going to be adding a (supposedly) healthy Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood to the mix next season. The question is, can the Wizards contend with that plus the #5 pick? If not, they could try to do what they did a few years back in shipping the #5 pick to Dallas for Antawn Jamison. So if they want to try to contend now, they could pick up a veteran rather than bring in a rookie. Which is probably better because their isn't much size after Jordan Hill, which is their biggest need. So I expect a deal here for a team looking for a SG/PG upgrade.
But if they keep the pick, look for them to take a guy like James Harden or DeMar DeRozan who can team with Nick Young to provide them with some backcourt scoring off the bench.
The Pick: James Harden, SG - Arizona
#6 - Minnesota Timberwolves
Here's a team who isn't going to be looking for size when they've got Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. So the T'Wolves will be ready to take their pick from the litany of swingmen that are available in the 5-10 range. Corey Brewer hasn't quite worked out and Randy Foye is better not being counted on to be a pure point guard. So look for them to look at DeMar DeRozan and Brandon Jennings to fill one of those needs. I think the fact that they need a pure point will steer them away from Stephen Curry and Tyreke Evans. I give the edge to Jennings as the Wolves look to build from the ground up and know that Sebastian Telfair isn't the PG to do that.
The Pick: Brandon Jennings, PG - Italy
#7 - Golden State Warriors
Does anyone know what Done Nelson is really thinking? Doubtful. So trying to forecast what they'll do with this pick is damn near impossible. They're still trying to replace Baron Davis and are know that Monta Ellis will probably never be comfortable at the point. That would suggest trying to address that need with Stephen Curry or Jrue Holiday. But given the unpredictable nature of the Warriors roster, I'm going to guess that they look at the potential freakish upside of Tyreke Evans and become enamored with it.
The Pick: Tyreke Evans, SG - Memphis
#8 - New York Knicks
This pick has been rumored to be where Stephen Curry will go at the lowest. That's because Curry is a guy who many people think fits Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo stlye very well. His ability to shoot, high basketball IQ, and developing PG skills should help D'Antoni begin to mold this team the way he wants going into the summer of 2010. If they don't take Curry, I'd look for them to go with the athleticism and upside of DeMar DeRozan to fill the void of Nate Robinson's likely departure.
The Pick: Stephen Curry, PG - Davidson
#9 - Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are looking at the very real possibility that this will be their last season with Chris Bosh, which is frightening to Raptors fans. However, they're definitely not going to be finding anything resembling a replacement at this spot. But there are a couple players they could look at with big potential: DeRozan and Wake Forest PF James Johnson. Johnson is a bit undersized but makes up for it with his athleticism and his versatility may even allow him to play alongside Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. DeRozan would be an immediate upgrade over free-agent Anthony Parker and his ability to attack the basket would be a good contrast to the players they have that like to hang around the 3-point line. The fact that Bosh could be on his way out gives the nod to Johnson.
The Pick: James Johnson, PF - Wake Forest
#10 - Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are faced with losing both Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions to free agency this offseason and will be trying to figure out how to improve a team that has been a bit stagnant in recent years. They get Michael Redd back from a knee injury, and are still looking for a solid big man to pair with former #1 pick Andrew Bogut. The Bucks were a rumored destination for Zach Randolph during the season, and those talks could be rekindled now that the Clippers have the #1 pick. If so, a deal could be struck centering around Randolph-for-Richard Jefferson, which would fill a need for both teams, but only if the Bucks think Randolph is sane enough to bring in. With no big man worth this pick and me not believing that Jrue Holiday is going to stay in the lottery, the trade would allow the Bucks to draft DeRozan and plug him into the SF spot vacated by the outgoing Jefferson.
The Pick: DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF - USC
So there you go...my first run at the Top 10. Like I said, much will change when players start individual workouts and go through the pre-draft camps, so we will revisit this in about a month to see what's changed: who's in and who's out, whose stock has risen and whose has fallen.
Anyways, this will be a rough, Top 10 only mock draft. I plan to have a revised mock as we close in on the draft. At that point, we will know which underclassmen will be returning to school and will get a better read on the draft stocks of some players once individual workouts and the draft camps are completed, which will also help with a more in-depth mock of the entire first round.
So to start it off, with the 1st pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select: Blake Griffin, PF - University of Oklahoma.This is the no-brainer. Only talent in this draft that can be considered a sure (or close to sure) thing. The guy put up legit numbers as a sophomore on a good team against top competition. He brought it every night and displayed enough athleticism to still put up 14.4 rpg despite having less than ideal size for a PF. It's hard not to like a guy who coulda been a Top 5-10 pick after his freshman year, wasn't satisfied, came back and worked his tail off to become the presumptive #1 pick.
The funny thing is, of all the teams in the Top 7 or so in the draft lottery, for a draft that has really 2 premier talents (a PF and a PG in Spain's Ricky Rubio), the team that won the lottery is the only one that doesn't have an opening for either. Griffin would be joining a Clippers team with a ridiculous amount of money tied up in Chris Kaman and Zach Randolph (not to mention one more year of Marcus Camby), so they would ideally like to move one or three of them in trades. Problem is, there is ZERO trade value currently in Randolph and close to none on Kaman because of their contracts. Camby can be a legitimate trade chip in February with his expiring deal so they'd prefer not to move him just yet. If they had gotten #2 and targeted Rubio, they could at least have a bit of an easier time shopping Baron Davis. That said, it's not even close to a valid excuse to draft Rubio #1 over Griffin. Plus, as the Clippers, they'd probably botch any attempt to trade down so they're best served minimizing the chance they screw this up and just take Blake.
The Pick: Blake Griffin, PF - Oklahoma
#2 - Memphis GrizzliesThis team deserves a break. They've been in the lottery almost as often as the Clippers since their inception, yet have never received the #1 pick, most notably in 2003 when the #1 pick (which they would have been allowed to keep) would have gotten them LeBron, but they got the #2 and had to give the pick to the Pistons as per the Otis Thorpe trade....so sad.
Anyways, the Grizz would have been a great fit for Griffin because of the young pieces in place at each other starting position (Gasol, Gay, Mayo, Conley), but that's not going to be the case. What GM Chris Wallace needs to do is not overreact and take UConn's Hasheem Thabeet over Ricky Rubio. I've already read some buzz about that being a possibility, but that should just stop now.
Rubio is light years ahead of Mike Conley Jr., despite being even younger, and his size and pass-first nature would be a perfect compliment to OJ Mayo in the Memphis backcourt that would now have the potential to be among the NBA's best in 2-3 years. Plus, on the upside, Conley is still young enough to have pretty decent trade value, as asset the Grizz can't create if they draft Thabeet. They should set their sights on Rubio and relax knowing their backcourt is SET. If you want a full breakdown of just how good Ricky Rubio is, watch this or read any of Morales' glowing reviews.
The Pick: Ricky Rubio, PG - Spain
#3 - Oklahoma City ThunderOKC almost hit the jackpot again by winning the lottery and getting the right to draft Griffin, who happens to be from Oklahoma City. However, the Thunder still find themselves in a good spot. The most likely pick is the consensus #3 pick in Hasheem Thabeet. In Thabeet, they would get the interior defense and shotblocking they thought they were getting at the trade deadline in the Tyson Chandler trade. Now they can just draft a taller, better defensive player (who will come much cheaper) and hope he develops offensively. With the other offensive talent on the team, he won't be under much pressure to be a big-time scorer early on.
But the Thunder would still be ready to gobble up Rubio if the Grizz passed on him. Although they have a point guard they love in 2008 lottery pick Russell Westbrook, he is not quite the pure point Rubio is. Rubio's size and defense would allow them to play Westbrook off the ball at the 2. Only downside being that that would be a very poor jump-shooting backcourt, but unmatched in athleticism. A darkhorse candidate is ASU's James Harden. He would provide them with a solid shooter to hit the open shots created by the drives of Kevin Durant and Westbrook.
The Pick: Hasheem Thabeet, C - Connecticut
#4 - Sacramento KingsWell, talk about the lottery not quite going quite as hoped for. The Kings became the latest team to not reap the "benefits" of finishing with the league's worst record. This is a team that could have seriously used Griffin or Rubio immensely, and even Thabeet to a degree. After those three, the dropoff is significant. Of the next 5-7 guys in the draft, most are swingmen or combo guards. They already have a budding star in Kevin Martin, so Kings biggest perimeter need is a pure point. Unfortunately, there isn't another pure point worthy of being the #4, and the ones considered PGs are Davidson's Stephen Curry (converted SG) and Jrue Holiday (unimpressive freshman season at UCLA). So the Kings could either add a SF with a lot of upside (DeMar DeRozan) or a big guy that can bring toughness and energy (Jordan Hill). I think the fact that they need to get something of value out of this pick after finishing an NBA-worst 17-65 will push them towards Hill over the talented, but untested, freshman DeRozan.
The Pick: Jordan Hill, PF - Arizona
#5 - Washington WizardsAnother team that got hosed on Lottery Night, the Wizards dropped from #2 to #5 thanks to the bounce of the ping pong balls. But picking at 5 isn't too bad when this team is going to be adding a (supposedly) healthy Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood to the mix next season. The question is, can the Wizards contend with that plus the #5 pick? If not, they could try to do what they did a few years back in shipping the #5 pick to Dallas for Antawn Jamison. So if they want to try to contend now, they could pick up a veteran rather than bring in a rookie. Which is probably better because their isn't much size after Jordan Hill, which is their biggest need. So I expect a deal here for a team looking for a SG/PG upgrade.
But if they keep the pick, look for them to take a guy like James Harden or DeMar DeRozan who can team with Nick Young to provide them with some backcourt scoring off the bench.
The Pick: James Harden, SG - Arizona
#6 - Minnesota TimberwolvesHere's a team who isn't going to be looking for size when they've got Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. So the T'Wolves will be ready to take their pick from the litany of swingmen that are available in the 5-10 range. Corey Brewer hasn't quite worked out and Randy Foye is better not being counted on to be a pure point guard. So look for them to look at DeMar DeRozan and Brandon Jennings to fill one of those needs. I think the fact that they need a pure point will steer them away from Stephen Curry and Tyreke Evans. I give the edge to Jennings as the Wolves look to build from the ground up and know that Sebastian Telfair isn't the PG to do that.
The Pick: Brandon Jennings, PG - Italy
#7 - Golden State WarriorsDoes anyone know what Done Nelson is really thinking? Doubtful. So trying to forecast what they'll do with this pick is damn near impossible. They're still trying to replace Baron Davis and are know that Monta Ellis will probably never be comfortable at the point. That would suggest trying to address that need with Stephen Curry or Jrue Holiday. But given the unpredictable nature of the Warriors roster, I'm going to guess that they look at the potential freakish upside of Tyreke Evans and become enamored with it.
The Pick: Tyreke Evans, SG - Memphis
#8 - New York KnicksThis pick has been rumored to be where Stephen Curry will go at the lowest. That's because Curry is a guy who many people think fits Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo stlye very well. His ability to shoot, high basketball IQ, and developing PG skills should help D'Antoni begin to mold this team the way he wants going into the summer of 2010. If they don't take Curry, I'd look for them to go with the athleticism and upside of DeMar DeRozan to fill the void of Nate Robinson's likely departure.
The Pick: Stephen Curry, PG - Davidson
#9 - Toronto RaptorsThe Raptors are looking at the very real possibility that this will be their last season with Chris Bosh, which is frightening to Raptors fans. However, they're definitely not going to be finding anything resembling a replacement at this spot. But there are a couple players they could look at with big potential: DeRozan and Wake Forest PF James Johnson. Johnson is a bit undersized but makes up for it with his athleticism and his versatility may even allow him to play alongside Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. DeRozan would be an immediate upgrade over free-agent Anthony Parker and his ability to attack the basket would be a good contrast to the players they have that like to hang around the 3-point line. The fact that Bosh could be on his way out gives the nod to Johnson.
The Pick: James Johnson, PF - Wake Forest
#10 - Milwaukee BucksThe Bucks are faced with losing both Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions to free agency this offseason and will be trying to figure out how to improve a team that has been a bit stagnant in recent years. They get Michael Redd back from a knee injury, and are still looking for a solid big man to pair with former #1 pick Andrew Bogut. The Bucks were a rumored destination for Zach Randolph during the season, and those talks could be rekindled now that the Clippers have the #1 pick. If so, a deal could be struck centering around Randolph-for-Richard Jefferson, which would fill a need for both teams, but only if the Bucks think Randolph is sane enough to bring in. With no big man worth this pick and me not believing that Jrue Holiday is going to stay in the lottery, the trade would allow the Bucks to draft DeRozan and plug him into the SF spot vacated by the outgoing Jefferson.
The Pick: DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF - USC
So there you go...my first run at the Top 10. Like I said, much will change when players start individual workouts and go through the pre-draft camps, so we will revisit this in about a month to see what's changed: who's in and who's out, whose stock has risen and whose has fallen.
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