The
NBA playoffs are almost upon us, basketball’s biggest stage. The stage
that differentiates those who play to "feed their families" from those
whose purpose is to leave a lasting basketball legacy. Recent champions
Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas, Hakeem
Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Chauncey Billups, Manu
Ginobili, Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan, and Tony Parker have given those who appreciate
the beauty of basketball memories to last a lifetime, memories of
pride, drive, determination and the will to win.
I
believe that there are time-tested characteristics of championship
teams. This season's eventual NBA Champion will embody the following
characteristics and more.
Veteran leadership:
the NBA regular season pales in comparison to the intensity of the playoffs. The regular season is an 82 game grind but when the stakes
become win or go home, veteran players do what it takes to succeed.
Veteran players understand that each possession is critical and their
concentration level rarely wavers.
Teams that fit the bill: San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix
Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles
Lakers, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Teams that miss the cut: New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks.
Team defense:
the game of basketball can be fickle. Team shooting percentages
consistently hover around 50%. Even great teams aren’t immune to off
shooting nights. When this happens, championship teams fall back on
their time-tested defensive prowess. They dig deeper when adversity
strikes.
Teams that fit the bill: San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics.
Teams that miss the cut: Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks.
Steady playmaker:
playmaking encompasses more than assists. Playoff playmakers are
practically immune to pressure. They are able to quiet the storm in a
hostile environment and lead their team to victory from the guard/forward
positions.
Teams that fit the bill:
San Antonio Spurs (Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili), Phoenix Suns (Steve
Nash), Dallas Mavericks (Jason Kidd), Denver
Nuggets (Allen Iverson), Los Angeles Lakers (Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher), Cleveland Cavaliers (LeBron James), Utah Jazz (Deron Williams), Boston Celtics (Sam Cassell), Detroit
Pistons (Chauncey Billups).
Teams that miss the cut: New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks.
Championship caliber low-post scorer:
high percentage shots are essential in playoff basketball. Low-post
scoring opens the game up for perimeter play. Championship low-post
scorers have delivered in intense situations and against top
competition.
Teams that fit the bill:
San Antonio Spurs (Tim Duncan), Phoenix Suns (Amare Stoudemire, Shaquille O'Neal),
Detroit Pistons (Rasheed Wallace), Boston Celtics (Kevin Garnett), Utah Jazz (Carlos Boozer).
Teams that miss the cut: Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks..
Championship strategist:
team leadership must come from the sideline as well as on the
basketball court. Contrary to popular opinion championship players want
to be coached. They want to be led by men who know what it takes to win.
Teams that fit the bill:
San Antonio Spurs (Greg Popovich), Los Angeles Lakers (Phil Jackson), Utah Jazz (Jerry Sloan).
Teams that miss the cut: New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks..
Clutch performer:
clutch plays are often times the difference between a win and a loss.
Being clutch requires great focus and mental strength. This
characteristic turns great players into legends. There will be many
pivotal playoff moments. The player who seizes the opportunity and
delivers in the most pressure-packed situations will ultimately lead his
team to the title.
Teams that fit the bill:
San Antonio Spurs (Manu Ginobili, Robert Horry), Los Angeles Lakers
(Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher), Boston Celtics (Paul Pierce, Sam Cassell), Detroit Pistons, (Chauncey
Billups), Cleveland Cavaliers (LeBron James) Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks).
Teams that miss the cut: New Orleans Hornets, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks.
The San Antonio Spurs are the only team that fits the bill on each of my championship characteristics.
For the Lakers, Jazz, Celtics, or Pistons to win the championship, someone will need to step up.
The Los Angeles Lakers need a return of Andrew Bynum or for Pau Gasol to play the role of championship caliber low-post scorer. They will also need to be more consistent defensively.
The Detroit Pistons will need a return of the elite defense that took them to two straight NBA Finals and for Flip Saunders to prove his worth.
The Utah Jazz will need Deron Williams to play big in the clutch.
The Boston Celtics will need Doc Rivers to make impeccable in-game adjustments and be a calming force when the pressure mounts.
These will be the greatest NBA playoffs of all-time.
At this moment, I have serious doubts about Paul's ability to handle pressure situations. I watched him tighten up in the World Championships and he was more responsible than anyone for our bronze medal.
He never shows up for his matchups with Deron Williams and the Mavs and their crowd took him out of the ballgame last night.
He's a great player and he may prove himself in these playoffs but I'm not putting him there until he shows me he can handle the pressure.
I didn't add Melo either and he's been extremely clutch the past two regular seasons but again, the playoffs are an entirely different ballgame.
I do think there's a lot of gray here and there. You claim the Utah Jazz to have veteran leadership but meanwhile only Jarron Collins, Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harping and Jason Hart have been in the league longer than five years. When you factor in how guys leave school early these days, it's not like Boozer's five years of experience is the same as Horace Grant's first five years of experience back in the 80's/90's. The first few years most of these guys don't know their #### from their elbows.
But then you look at the Rockets, a team you said lacked veteran leadership, and they have seven guys with more than five years of experience. McGrady has been in the league 10 years. Mutombo 16. Bobby Jackson 10. Rafer Alston 8. Battier 6. And rookie Luis Scola is no real rookie, you know?
You have the Pistons missing the cut on team defense. Maybe you think they're simply a good individual defensive squad, but fall in terms of playing help-D as a unit. I don't know. I still think their defense is one of the top five in the league.
I wouldn't call Nash or Deron Williams "steady" playmakers, but I might be in the minority here. I think both guys can be very reckless. Meanwhile, I would put the best point guard in the league-- Chris Paul-- in your steady category.
I wouldn't call Boozer a "championship-caliber" low-post player. I think Dwight Howard, David West, Pau Gasol, and Chris Bosh are all just as good as Boozer, if not better.
The Jazz get the nod in the veteran leadership department and low-post scoring because they advanced to the Conference Finals last year. I consider LeBron a veteran leader because he advanced to the NBA Finals last season.
I had Detroit listed as a championship defensive team last year but I won't do that again. Not after watching them let ONE PLAYER beat them the past two seasons. Great defensive teams don't allow that to happen, I don't care how good that one player is.
McGrady is the leader of the Rockets and he hasn't been out of the 1st round.
As for clutch, I almost fell out of my chair when I saw Paul Pierce's name on the list. He is God-awful when the game is on the line. Sam Cassell, yes. But KG and Pierce disappear when it matters most. Ray Allen, on the other hand, has hit big shots his whole career.
Meanwhile, guys like Iverson, Kidd, Nash, McGrady, Arenas, and Andre Miller are all prone to make something happen in the end. With the game on the line, I'd rather have any of these guys above have the ball than Pierce.
I think it's going to be Spurs-Pistons. I think the Pistons might win it all. I do. The Celtics can too. But for all that is said about those Western powers, I think the Spurs are just too smart, experienced, dynamic and well-coached for anybody else to beat them.
I like the Hornets too. I think the Jazz are weak. The Rockets without Yao can only MAYBE sneak into the second round, if that. The Lakers need both Gasol and Bynum. The Suns don't defend, but I can't count them out because of the Shaq-Amare monster.
Excellent article, Hoff. You really need to get paid for this.
I do wonder about some of this though.
Pao Gasol is not a championship caliber low-post scorer? Isn't Pao not only the low-post scorer of the 2006 FIBA World Championship Spanish team, but the MVP of that tournament as well?
Hasn't Pau's field goal average been 61% his last 10 games, and 66% in his last 3?
Maybe you are trying too hard not to be biased towards the Lakers, but I would definitely say that Gasol qualifies as a low post scorer that shoots the kind of high percentage needed in playoff basketball.
Maybe it is because Gasol can also be a midrange jump shooter, but then so can Carlos Boozer and others you list as "fitting the bill."
Or maybe it is because many of Pao's inside shots happen on cuts to the basket rather than back to the basket post up moves, but that just makes him that much harder for the likes of Shaq and Duncan to guard.
AK47spiderman - I don't have New Orleans getting past Dallas either. Paul's playmaking in the clutch won't be the most important factor in their potential defeat but I do think it will play a part.
The Boston Celtics will need Doc Rivers to make impeccable in-game adjustments and be a calming force when the pressure mounts.
--
Which Doc Rivers won't do. The Celtics will still win because of talent, but Doc Rivers is hardly gonna be a factor. He has the easiest job in the NBA.
As for clutch performers, Dirk has looked a lot different this season in that department ... he MIGHT be worth listing as making the cut. His dagger, for instance, against the Jazz was a much different situation than the lucky 3-point bank shot Deron Williams did seconds prior.
As for Deron Williams playing big in the clutch, he looked more like Vanessa Williams last night against the Spurs. His efficiency rating was -27 while he was in the game, and he may as well have laid down a red carpet for Tony Parker his defense was so atrocious.
Pau is a great player but he's soft. He gets pushed out of the paint often.
The NBA playoffs and the FIBA tourney are two very different levels of basketball.
I think Pau is capable of stepping up to that level but I haven't seen him in the playoffs. I witnessed what Boozer was able to do last year. He's tried and tested and against the greatest power forward of all-time too.
Also, I agree with you about Dirk this season. He's shown a lot of heart recently but again, it's an entirely ballgame in the playoffs and he's come up short in the past. I hope he corrects that this postseason.
Maybe you're right. The Celtics have been accountable to themselves thus far but there will be some pressure packed decisions to make at some point. We'll see if Doc can step up to the plate.
Everyone thought the Mavs had the 2006 NBA Finals in the bag after the first two games but Pat Riley made adjustments, Avery Johnson didn't.
Wow, Hoff, Pau is soft?! He's skinny and gets injured, but he doesn't shy away from physical play on offense or defense. He uses what he has.
And while you are right that FIBA and the NBA playoffs are two different levels of play, you aren't if you are inferring that FIBA is the lesser of the two.
First, FIBA is much more physical than the NBA. It is one of the complaints NBA players have when playing in international competition. Pau is proven in the more physical of the two tournaments, so I don't see the NBA playoffs overwhelming him at all.
Second, a collection of great players from Spain finished with the GOLD medal, while the NBA playoff tested players from America finished with the BRONZE. I realize there are a LOT of extenuating circumstances in that observation, but at least it should earn Pau a MAYBE, rather than dismiss him because he has been on a poor team up until now.
On another subject, Lakersfan is probably right about Doc Rivers. In fact, Danny Ainge might be a better coach, but people like Doc Rivers, including his players. Coaches like Larry Brown and Pat Riley could learn from that. Those coaches may have the Xs and Os, but they are also often disappointed by players who don't zealously execute them. Doc Rivers' players would bleed gatorade for him.
Ainge did the brilliant thing by not replacing Rivers, but adding an Xs and Os guy as an assistant (from Houston) to help, especially defensively.
Basketball is a team game, even on the bench. This is probably the Celtics' year.
Houston doesn't get credit for team defense? Really? I'm just going to assume that's a typo and move on, cause I know you know better than that.
Honestly, I think you're placing WAY too much importance on what the Jazz did last year. If someone boxes out Carlos Boozer with 20 seconds left in game 7 against Houston last year, everything you said about Houston and Utah is reversed. You're dealing with a miniscule difference in a small sample size and you're basing all these observations on it.
As Train pointed out, a lot of these observations really don't make sense. In particular, the criticism that the Rockets don't have veteran leadership rings hollow, especially when compared to your beloved Lakers. Who beyond Kobe (who hasn't done it recently) and DFish have been out of the first round? Not only that, but most of the guys are really young. Compare that to the Rockets, who, as Train pointed out, have tons of veterans. Let's talk about Mutumbo's 93 career playoff games and multiple Finals appearances. How about Bobby Jackson's multiple long playoff runs with the Kings?
I am a little surprised that you don't consider Gasol a championship caliber low post threat. If I remember correctly before he was traded to L.A. many people were convinced that he was the missing piece to either Boston or Chicago's run at a title.
Personally I believe that the addition of Gasol is what makes the Lakers the favorite out west. Not only does he represent a legitimate scoring threat from 12 feet in, his presence makes Odom look like an all star again..
I also think that you are selling the Lakers defense short. There's a reason that they have the best record against the other W.C. playoff teams and managed to do that with their starting center missing almost half of the season.
One thing's for certain, Garnett will NOT take he big shot in a close game, leaving that duty to Paul Pierce. The problem with the Celtics is that they must overcome too many odds even with the big three. They have to go from lottery to championship in one season with a coach who has never coached in the finals. It's just too much to overcome statistically.
I think the only championship caliber teams out there are L.A. San. Ant., PHX, Cleveland and Detroit with the Mavs having been to the finals at least once putting them on the cusp.
While nobody believes that Cleveland is going back, people need to remember that outside of Boston (who have the aforementioned issues to deal with) the rest of the East is just like last year's version and LeBron led his team to the finals singlehandedly. Even those people who want to give him the MVP will not acknowledge that his game has
You're right. FIBA ball is more physical but that doesn't change my opinion of Pau being soft. He gets pushed out of the lane too easily. It's not his fault, that's just the way he's built.
My stating the difference between FIBA and the NBA wasn't intended to compare the physicality. I just meant it's an entirely different level in terms of competition.
Like I said Tom, I hope he steps up. I think he's capable, but I can't put him there until he proves it and a big reason why I have questions is because of his tendency to get pushed out of the paint.
It may take a joint effort between he and Lamar to get the Lakers the easy buckets they're going to need. But Lamar hasn't played that well in the playoffs so we'll see.
I think the Celtics have as good a chance of winning the championship as anyone but I think you guys are underestimating the importance of coaching in a 7 game series. Adjustments over a 7 game series are huge.
It's almost like a chess match and Popovich and Phil are masters. We'll see if Doc can coach at a championship level this postseason.
He shouldn't have too much trouble matching wits with Flip Saunders and maybe Mike Brown in the East.
...improved since last year. I also think that the additions they made in the big trade will pay dividends in the post season where it is a possession by possession game.
While Boston cruised thru the regular season, like the Mavs of last season I don't think they have the cajones to pull it off.
Detroit waited one year to late to move Rip or Prince. THEY are the team whose Shaq's presence would've catapulted to the Finals. The Spurs will dispose of PHX in the first round. Marion and Kurt Thomas were both better defenders than Shaq and Grant Hill.
Now that Shaq is in the West there are no big men in the East to slow down D. Howard which is why I picked ORL and CLE to meet in the Conference Finals.
Lakers over Cavs in 6. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
You know I've never been sold on the Rockets. The Jazz won TWO back-to-back elimination games versus Houston last year, including a game 7 on the road. That's HUGE.
Come on X, Mutombo isn't a leader. Neither is Bobby Jackson. Leadership needs to come from a team's best players and neither of those two are elite players.
Aren't D. Fish and Kobe enough? Not only have they won 3 rings and know what it takes to get there again but they lead from the backcourt, which is SO important.
The Lakers are capable of playing GREAT defense but they haven't done it consistently this season.
I know you're big on the Cavs but let's be honest, they had a far easier path to the Finals last season and they aren't the same team.
Yes, they have LeBron but they hung their hats on their defense last season. They're nowhere near the defensive team they were last year.
I agree with your opinion that the Pistons need to move RIP or Prince this offseason. They give other teams too many matchup advantages because of their lack of size.
Detroit will have to play very well in the first round for me to pick them over the Magic in the 2nd round.
Lakers over the Cavs? You're recorded my friend.
What happened last year with the Celtics doesn't really matter now. They're a completely different team and they're a veteran team.
You sure make a lot of GREAT points in those two comments posts.
Not only is Pao a legit post scorer in my opinion as well, but his presence makes Odom a 6'10" threat as well.
As for the Lakers' defense, Hoff is right.
The reason the Lakers have the better record against Western Conference teams is NOT because of their defense. It's offense. The Lakers put up more points than every team in the playoffs except for the Nuggets and the Suns.
Interestingly, the Nuggets and the Suns are the only two playoff bound teams to allow more points than the Lakers as well.
Also interesting is the list of teams who have allowed opponents to score the least:
I think Hoff is absolutely right about Gasol. I'm actually surprised you disagree Tom, I know you watch Laker games with consistancy. Gasol is routinely pushed around in the middle, and while his offense is great his defense is very underwhelming. His effectiveness and difference making ability stems mostly from his solid offense and ability to kinda sorta compensate for his weak D with his high basketball IQ.
Curly, Gasol was considered a big time possible addition to the Bulls because at the time the Bulls were considered a top defensive team in the league lacking the proper offense in the middle. The Lakers on the other hand aren't in the same defensive catagory as those Bulls were.
I wish I could do a blog shortly, I'm just too busy lately though. I'm REALLY enjoying the discussion here though, but soon I'll have to leave again.
Also, I kind of have an unofficial policy with myself NOT to make predictions. I know I said earlier that this is PROBABLY the Celtics' year, but that was uncharacteristic of me.
Just as having a single favorite team tends to bias people's vision and taint their analysis towards that team, I also believe that going out on a limb and making predictions likewise causes people want those predictions to come true, and that taints analysis as well.
It is hard not to, but I do try not to have a single favorite team but an "A list" of favorite teams, and I try not to make predictions so that what I WANT to have happen interferes less with my vision of what is ACTUALLY happening, if that makes any sense.
It's hard to do though, and I'm only moderately successful at it I think.
While it's hard argue your pint at face value, check the margin of victory for the Laker's wins. A lot of the points they gave up were in 4th quarters when they had already secured victories. The Lakers will get at you on the defensive end. They play the passing lanes better than any team I've seen this season.
When their starters are in the game points are hard to come by. Once they get ahead, they cruise. I know it doesn't sound like a solid argument but you have to watch them play to truly understand the way Phil has them play defense. It's unfortunate that Bynum's injury has lingered for so long because
when he was playing he owned the paint. When he gets back. You've got essentially three seven footers and a 6'7" SG in the game. Points are hard to come by. Rad doesn't bring the same defense that Bynum brought and that is why they gave so many more points in the 2nd half of the season.
Huh, well if you (Lakersfan) and Hoff feel that way about Gasol, then maybe I better step back and take a closer look at it. Heaven knows I've been wrong before ... after all, I'm the guy who did a blog in defense of Kwame Brown, remember? ;-)
That Kwame piece was great. Poor Kwame owes his problems in the league to MJ and that damn first pick.
His defense for the Lakers still goes unsaid when the truth of the matter is that A. The Lakers wouldn't have taken the Suns to 7 without Kwame and B. Kwame would do a very admirable job on D'ing up Tim Duncan and the other Western bigs in his days with the Lakers.
No, it sounds solid to me and I see what you mean.
The thing about the Lakers bigs, is they are also young, fit and quick. I can't think of a more deadly combination of physical attributes for a defense to have.
By the way, not only is the absence of Bynum a factor, but the absence of Trevor Ariza is probably more so.
I felt from the beginning that the Lakers traded away two players to get Ariza because the Lakers felt they had no answer for Shawn Marion. Ironically, Marion left for the East, but had Ariza stayed healthy, the Lakers' two biggest defensive liabilities: Walton and Radmanovic, would have had less playing time.
Point taken.
Hopefully Phil Jackson can convince the young bucks to play hard and smart on both ends of the court and REBOUND in the playoffs.
Hoff, are you going to do a blog on the various matchups? I would LOVE to see something like that.
There are so many story lines this year that pretty much every match up seems to have something intriguing about it.
[Laughing], Oh, I'm planning on making time to WATCH the playoffs, I've already put my wife and children on notice of that. In fact, I'm teasing them that I'll pay anyone who watches a game with me, and I might just do it so that people aren't complaining too much about my absence the next couple of months.
I am also going to call Dish Network and see if they have a DVR with more disk space than the 3 I have now, that way I can record more, hold more and watch them when I can.
No no no, I'll be WATCHING! :-)
I'm just not sure if I will also be able to make time to WRITE about it though.
Lakersfan --- thanks for the kind words about the Kwame blog too. You are right, the poor guys was miscast from the outset, but he could play interior defense.
Again, it's a 7 game series, weird things happen. Dirk has choked badly in his last two playoff series, and yet he's apparently veteran enough to give the Mavs that criteria. I just think it's far too soon to categorize the Jazz as "veteran" if you're not going to give Houston that same classification as well. T-Mac has gotten criticized his entire career for doing essentially the same thing that Kobe has done the last three years: have huge playoff performances on crappy teams.
Regardless of the whole veteran leadership argument, to not have Houston among the good "team defense" teams is criminally stupid. They've been arguably the league's best defensive team down the stretch, and the way they play defense as a team is really just awesome to watch. No team in the league rotates to help as well as Houston.
Hoffman,
Another great post, very welcome during the calm before the playoff storm. I agree with Tom7 on two points especially: (1) Pau could be considered a championship-caliber low post scorer (although somewhat unproven in NBA playoffs) and (2) Dirk is a clutch performer NO DOUBT. Why no love for Dirk? Do you not think his offensive presence is one of the best in the game (easily top 5)? Who would you rather have taking a big shot: Dirk, D Fish, Sam I am, Lebron, Kidd (well, you said performer and not shooter so maybe I can let that slide)?
I mean, I have seen all these guys win games, I have also seen all these guys miss big shots, make stupid plays or force shots, turn the ball over, or otherwise miss the target at the end of the game. I think the real question is have these guys proven they can be trusted in the clutch. I think your list includes guys who can be trusted, but there are several to add to the list, and I would include Dirk. (I don't consider this too prejudiced, I did not mention Jet despite his hitting some HUGE shots a couple years back, b/c his "trust factor" is not near as high, he is more prone to make a stupid decision).
I know you already addressed some of these issues, but that is my take.
DrNever, I'd guess because of two straight choke jobs in the playoffs. Sure it was a team choke job to be fair, but Dirk is the leader and thus deserves the blame just like Kobe deserves the blame for his unsuccessful playoff performances with the Lakers.
I do agree though, Dirk is absolutely amazing on offense. As hard as it is to imagine, he's actually UNDERRATED offensively in my book. I watched him play the Lakers a little while ago and his offensive skillset is ridiculous for a guy of his size.
Thanks. I agree that Dirk is insanely talented offensively. A 7 footer with a jumpshot is practically unstoppable. His release is so high that he never has to worry about anyone blocking his shot.
But like Lakersfan19II said, I think his playoff performances hold more weight than what he's done in the regular season and he has come up short the past two seasons.
Lakersfan: Thanks for the objective take on Dirk, there seem to be less and less these days. Since we all view these classifications slightly differently, I would expect a difference of opinion. Dallas choked last year, not gonna argue that. The effect of this has yet to be seen. They also choked 2 years ago in the Finals, although Miami got some help from the refs and Avery doubling Shaq so much. The hangover from '06 obviously hurt them last year in the playoffs, and was compounded once again by BAD COACHING (over-meddling).
I think they will show a lot more grit this year. I think the disappointments from the last 2 years will fuel their effort and concentration. But I don't think failing to achieve the ultimate success precludes one from being considered "clutch." After all, Lebron, Psquared, and Kidd made the list, and they have all come up short thus far.
When I ask myself who I trust with the ball in his hands at the end of the game, Dirk is right up there. His ability to create his own shot is one of the best and so is his decision making. There are many players with only one of those qualifications, but I think Dirk has both (unlike Terry, who can hit big shots, but too frequently makes bad decisions as well).
Hoff, I wouldn't want to be Mitch Kupchack right now. Not only would it be hard to decide what the Lakers should do next season, I'm curious who they put on the playoff roster, with these key injuries.
Anyway, it seems as if the Lakers will either have to do the New York thing (we're in a large market and can afford to be grossly over the cap) and keep alot of highly paid players, or else Kupchack is going to make some people angry regardless what the Lakers ultimately do and move some people out.
In addition to the log jam you mentioned at small forward, (Ariza, Walton, Radmanovic and Odom), what do they do at center?
Bynum is obviously the center of the future, but he is not being paid like it. Bynum is still on his rookie contract and making about $2 million, so that is going to have to change.
Likewise, Ronny Turiaf is making just $664,209 (I can't believe I just said "just."). It won't be long before Turiaf's situation will have to be upgraded as well.
Chris Mihm was once good for the Lakers, but that was a LONG time ago. How long do you wait for him to return to form, and what if he never does? Should he be assigned to the d-league to start next season?
Meanwhile, what if the Lakers can get Kwame Brown back for the minimum veteran's salary? He knows the offense, the Lakers know what they get and won't get with Brown, and might want that defense more than DJ Mbenga.
I do not know what the Lakers will do (prediction), but I hope they will wait until they see how people perform in the playoffs before deciding.
You heard me. (really, I just wanted to use the phrase "criminally stupid")
"The Rockets were playing GREAT defense during their 22 game win streak but they aren't playing at that level now."
Sure, the Rockets aren't playing D as well as they did during their streak. However, even with that dropoff, you want to know where their post-streak defense would rank over the course of a full year? 5th in the league. They're a really, REALLY good defensive team.
Hoffman
This season for many has been one big conundrum . And what the likes of the Hornets showing up like gangbusters who's to say that the so called perceived favorites will have it all their own way ?
I'm just looking forward to a great playoff series and hopefully the best team'll win out in the end .
As to who that'll be at this juncture is anyone's guess.
DrNever, Dirk isn't in my top 5 for clutchness but he's definitely right near that number five spot. I don't think The Truth or Big Shot Bob have any place on the clutch list, and I'd take Dirk over both.
Paul Pierce's clutchness hasn't been shown in a long time, and Ray Allen is without a doubt my clutch player of choice on the Celtics. Big Shot Bob is done, end of story.
I think you're right about the grit, but I still like the Hornets in that series because I see CP3 showing JKidd his age. That said, the Mavs are slowly but surely following the Phoenix formula. The Suns went through their run-and-gun kill in the regular season phase before they realized what's really real in the NBA and adjusted accordingly, and it seems as though the Mavs are doing the same.
