The Boston Celtics marched through the regular season with an NBA best 66 regular season wins.
After beating the Atlanta Hawks by an average of 21 points in Game’s 1 and 2, most people had them penciled in for their first NBA Finals appearance since 1987.
But the Hawks aren’t going down without a fight.
After shooting 38 percent in the first two games of the series, Atlanta has shot 47 percent in the last two games.
How have they managed to get back into the series?
By playing fast perimeter oriented basketball and getting down the floor before the Celtics can set up their defense. [Read]
The 6-11 forward led the Celtics in rebounds with a 9.2 average (7.3 defensive rpg), to go along with 18.8 points, 1.2 blocks and 1.4 steals. He recorded a team season-high seven blocks against Chicago on Dec. 12.
Garnett helped the Celtics to league-best records of 66-16 (.805) overall and 31-10 (.738) on the road. Boston held opponents to just 90.3 points (second in the NBA) after allowing 99.2 points per game a season ago. Garnett led the Celtics to the biggest one-year turnaround in NBA history as the team won 42 more games this season than in 2006-07 (24-58), surpassing the previous record of 36 games, set by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1997-98 season.
As a Laker fan, I want my team to win the NBA championship every season.
Every NBA fan feels that way about their team.
But a part of me will be pulling for Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics this postseason.
Why?
Because I believe Kevin Garnett represents all that is right about the NBA and basketball in general.
He is a selfless superstar who leaves it all on the floor every single night.
I admire his passion for the game and his dedication to his craft.
Before this season, I oftentimes wondered if Garnett and Duncan's legacies would have been switched had KG been afforded the opportunity to play with two superstars like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
I got a glimpse of what KG's career might have been like if he had been surrounded by a championship caliber supporting cast this season when Garnett was traded to the Celtics and teamed with superstars Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
The Celtics were the best team in NBA this season but none of that matters now.
The only thing that matters is an NBA championship. Tim Duncan has four of them. KG doesn't have one
We'll never know what may have been had KG been drafted by an organization like the San Antonio Spurs but an NBA championship would silence many of his doubters.
The Most Valuable Player is presented to the NBA player who receives the highest point total from a panel of chosen sportswriters. These sportswriters cast a vote for their first, second, and third place selections. First place votes receive five points, second place is worth three points, and third place is worth one point. The player who receives the highest point total is then awarded the distinction of Most Valuable Player.
The MVP has historically gone to the best player on one of the teams with the top record in the NBA. No player whose team has won less than 50 games has won the award in the past 25 years.
The Most Valuable Player Award is one of the greatest honors in basketball. It should be regarded with distinction. It shouldn't be a popularity contest controlled by PR much like the ridiculousness that has become the NBA All-Star Game.
The distinction of MVP should not blindly award the best player on the best team. The voting panel needs to do their job or a new committee or criteria should be developed in order to guarantee that the NBA player who is of the most value to his team receives the credit that he rightly deserves.
Team success should not be the barometer by which an individual player is considered to be of most value to his team. Rather than award the title of Most Valuable Player to the best player on the top team, it should go to the NBA player who is of most value to his particular team, with less significance placed upon that team’s win-loss record. Basketball is a team sport. No one player can win consistently without the luxury of a quality-supporting cast.
The value o####reat player encompasses a myriad of basketball intangibles that sadly, are not always guarantors of victories.
Nowhere is this more evident than the Most Valuable Player Award tallies of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Bill Russell won the MVP award in 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1965. The Celtics won the NBA championship in every one of those seasons but 1958.
Wilt Chamberlain didn’t enter the NBA until the year after Russell won his first MVP. Chamberlain was MVP in 1960, his rookie season, and again in 1966, 1967, 1968. Wilt was 1st team All-NBA every season he was MVP. [Read]
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.
The NBA lifted Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s locker room ban on
credentialed bloggers last week.
"It's a new media age, and there are
more ways for people to get information than ever before," said Brian McIntyre,
the NBA's senior vice president for basketball communications. "That creates a
lot of challenges for all of us who deal with the media, but we will deal with
it."
Cuban instituted the ban last month in what many perceived to be a
direct response to an article Dallas Morning News blogger Tim MacMahon
wrote that was critical of coach Avery Johnson. MacMahon cited Fireavery.com and questioned
Johnson’s decision to bench newly-acquired superstar Jason Kidd in the closing
seconds o####ame against the San Antonio Spurs, a game the Mavs lost.
Cuban claimed he never read the article. An explanation that is simply
unbelievable since Cuban is known as a voracious reader who believes the "consumption
of information" gives him an "advantage"
in business.
This isn’t a man
who became the owner of an NBA franchise by chance or inheritance. Mark Cuban
has studied the ins-and-outs of every business he’s been involved with and the
Mavericks are no different. He knows everything that’s going on with his team
and he knows everything that is being written about them as well. Mark Cuban
read Tim MacMahon’s article. Maybe that was what prompted the locker room ban.
Maybe not. [Read]
Chris Webber announced his retirement after 15 NBA
seasons on Wednesday. Webber finished with career averages of 20.7 points, 9.8
rebounds and 4.2 assists. Becoming one of six players to to average at least 20
points, nine rebounds and four assists. Four of those players (Larry Bird, Wilt
Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham and Elgin Baylor) are in the Hall of Fame. One of
them (Kevin Garnett), will surely be inducted once he decides
to call it quits.
Will Chris Webber join that hallowed list of Hall of Famers?
Webber’s numbers are border line Hall of Fame worthy. Yet his career
averages are very similar to Hall of Fame power forwards Dave DeBusschere (16.1
ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.9 apg), Elvin Hayes (21.0 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.8 apg), and Jerry
Lucas (17.0 ppg, 15.6 rpg, 3.3 apg). [Read]
The Denver Nuggets, 40-27, are on pace for a 49 win season. But if the playoffs were to begin today, they would be on the outside looking in. Short of moving the team to the East coast, how can the Nuggets get to the next level and whose responsibility is it to get them there?
On Sunday, Denver set an NBA season high for points in a game with a 168-116 rout of the Seattle Supersonics. Last night, they gave up 136 points in a 136-120 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Such is the enigma that has become the Nuggets. They are equal parts offensive brilliance and defensive incompetence.
Typically, great team defense begins with a team’s best player and trickles down to the supporting cast. Perennial All-NBA defenders Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett set the tone for their teams defensively. The Nuggets have 2006-2007 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby but Carmelo Anthony is Denver’s best player. Anthony has never been committed defensively and aside from Camby, Melo’s teammates have followed his lead. [Read]
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"He's overrated," DeShawn said. "And you can say I said that."
LeBron James is far from overrated but I loved what I saw from Stevenson and the Washington Wizards the other night. Normally, players shake hands and exchange other pleasantries before the game begins. DeShawn chose to get right up in LeBron's grill and offer some choice words. His exact words are unclear, but the message that he wasn't going to back down was sent.
Stevenson talked the talk, then went out and walked the walk in holding LeBron to 9-for-22 shooting, 1-for-7 from the 3-point line. He also drew a key foul on the King with 19.4 seconds remaining. James was driving with a chance to tie — the Cavaliers trailed 96-94 — when he lowered his left shoulder into Stevenson for a foul. James' potential game-winning 27-footer, again with Stevenson guarding him, hit the front of the rim and bounced away as time expired.
LeBron is a great player. My choice as this season's MVP. That being said, I'm tired of watching opposing players and teams literally leave a red carpet for him to get to the basket. Foul him, send a message, make him earn two at the line. Brendan Haywood delivered a punishing blow that knocked LeBron to the ground late in the game. Hard foul yes, dirty play no. It was the type of play that epitomized the late 80's Detroit Pistons and early 90's New York Knicks.
I've always had a great deal of respect for those Knicks and Pistons teams. Unlike the majority of the league, they weren't intimidated by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Xavier McDaniel, Anthony Mason, and John Starks made MJ work for everything he got. Yet Jordan persevered through physical play time and time again. Earning more than their respect in route to wining six NBA championships and becoming the greatest player of all-time.
I hope more teams and players follow DeShawn Stevenson and the Washington Wizards lead so we can see what the King is really made of. Charles Barkley once said, "see Tony Parker's good, but we just don't know how good Tony Parker really is. He aint never been hit." LeBron James got hit the othernight and DeShawn Stevenson and the Washington Wizards won the ensuing battle.
"Love me or hate me, it's one or the other. Always has been. Hate my game, my swagger. Hate my fadeaway, my hunger. Hate that I'm a veteran. A champion. Hate that. Hate it with all your heart. And hate that I'm loved for the exact same reasons." - Kobe Bryant
Few athletes in the history of sports have been vilified as Kobe Bryant has. Throughout his career he’s been labeled as arrogant, self centered, aloof, a ball hog more focused on individual accolades than team success, and a ####.
If you are a Kobe fan than you likely believe him to be not guilty of the sexual assault accusations, you do not blame him for Shaq’s departure from the Lakers, and you view his trade demands and lambasting of the Los Angeles Lakers over the off-season as justified. If you abhor Kobe than you more than likely feel he was responsible for Shaq’s departure and all of the turmoil before and after Shaq’s exit. His trade demands this past summer further proving his self-centeredness and lack of loyalty.
"It's one or the other."
No one besides Kobe and his accuser know what happened in that Eagle, Colorado hotel room. No one. One can study the supposed physical evidence tell blue in the face but it does not prove guilt or innocence. The fact of the matter is that the case never went to trial. It never went to trial because of the scrutiny into his accuser’s personal life and the lack of physical evidence needed to prove guilt without reasonable doubt. It is wrong to presume guilt without due process.
After struggling to earn a 7th seed in last year’s playoffs and being eliminated by the Phoenix Suns for the second straight season, Kobe implored the Lakers to “do something, and do it now.” Shortly thereafter, a Los Angeles Times columnist quoted a Lakers "insider" as saying it was Bryant's insistence on getting away from O'Neal that prompted his trade to Miami. Bryant, infuriated at the report and feeling as if he had been misled about the Lakers apparent long-term plan to rebuild, demanded a trade.
"They said nothing to me about a long-term plan. Absolutely nothing," Bryant told KLAC. "They told Phil one thing and they told me another. Actions speak louder than words."
"Dr. Buss promised me he would rebuild right away, and I believed him," Bryant wrote. "That is why I put my trust in the Lakers.”
Kobe continued to bash the Lakers over the off-season, going as far as calling Jerry Buss an “####” and the Lakers front office a “mess.”
Should Bryant have publicly criticized the Laker front office and
called Jerry Buss an ####? No. Have many of us criticized our
employers, called our bosses unflattering names to friends and
co-workers, and thought we would be better off elsewhere? Yes. The NBA
is a business like any other.
Bryant also defended himself against accusations that he forced Shaq out of LA: "The fact of the matter is that many people don't know what really went down when I was approaching free agency because I have stayed quiet about it this whole time," Bryant said. "The real facts are that Dr. Buss requested a meeting with me during the '04 season long before I opted out of my contract, and he told me he had already decided not to extend Shaq, as he was concerned about Shaq's age, fitness and contract demands. Dr. Buss made it clear that his decision was final, his mind was made up, and no matter what I decided to do with free agency, he was still going to move Shaq."
In a surprising turn of events Shaq said that he believed Bryant "100 percent."
"There is no doubt in my mind Kobe is telling the truth," O'Neal added.
Could Bryant have convinced Dr. Buss to retain Shaq? Yes. Should he have? No.
The Lakers may have won one more championship if Shaq had remained in LA (as the Miami Heat did) but they would be in the same position as the Miami Heat are in now. Miami was swept in the first round of the 2006-2007 playoffs and own an NBA worst 11-51 record. The Lakers made the right choice in looking to the future and attempting to put the right pieces around Kobe once he entered his prime. Up until this season, they hadn’t followed through on that choice with continued sound decision making. Bryant may have wanted to be “the man” but he never asked to be surrounded by the likes of Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. He didn’t ask for it and he didn’t deserve it.
Many comparisons have been made between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. I think there are more parallels than most would consider. Jordan and Bryant share similar basketball skills and while I don’t think anyone will ever approach MJ’s intensity or drive, Kobe is the only player who has come close. MJ was a fierce competitor whose goal was not only to become the best player he could be, but to become the greatest player who ever played. Kobe has the same goal.
Neither MJ nor Kobe has ever been labeled as “fun” to play with. MJ rode his teammates relentlessly in practice and in games so that they would adhere to his standard of excellence. His intensity once resulted in a punch to Steve Kerr’s eye and the departure of Horace Grant to Orlando. Jordan, like Bryant also received more than his fair share of criticism for dominating the basketball and not being a “team player” early in his career. Even Chicago's last three championships were a result of MJ averaging around 26 shot attempts per game and shooting below 50%.
Imagine Michael Jordan having been drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers instead of Bryant. Regardless of whether you believe they belong in the same company when comparing basketball skill, realize that they share the same competitive drive. I find it very difficult to envisioning a young, tongue wagging Jordan (the same one who averaged 37 points early in his career) taking a backseat to Shaq any easier or longer than Kobe did. Jordan would never have sat back and watched Shaquille coast through regular seasons without feeling a need to take over and an overwhelming desire to show the world his skills.
Imagine Jordan being forced to endure first round exits in the prime of his career. As great as MJ was, one player can only do so much. Jordan was BLESSED to play with Scottie Pippen and an assortment of veterans who knew their roles and played them to a T. If you think MJ could win titles surrounded by the likes of Kobe’s supporting cast the past three years, you’re sorely mistaken.
MJ would never been content with anything other than a championship supporting cast. Jordan absolutely could not stand to lose or fail, Kobe is the same way. The very thing that drives great players like Jordan and Bryant can also be to their detriment. They have enormous egos, are in love with their abilities, have unrattling confidence that they will succeed in any endeavor, and will take a backseat to no one.
Would MJ have gone about voicing his displeasure in the manner that Bryant did? Probably not for fear that his immaculate image would be tarnished and he wouldn't sell as many Air Jordans, but then again, he never had to. Jordan hated Chicago's General Manager Jerry Krause and by association the Bulls owner, Jerry Reinsdorf. The only thing that kept things together in Chicago was the fact that Krause put together a supporting cast that Jordan could not have won without.
Before this season, Kobe’s critics claimed he was incapable of making his teammates better and he was only concerned with winning scoring titles
and other individuals accolades. This season, those critics are being
proven wrong. Kobe Bryant is a winner. He’ll do whatever it takes to
win. With the Lakers having lost seven games in a row and in danger of
missing the playoffs last season, Kobe scored 65 to lead LA to an
overtime victory over Portland. Kobe would go on to AVERAGE 53.7 ppg
over the next five games, all wins. As for the making his teammates
better accusations, how much better could Kwame Brown and Smush Parker
have been?
This season, the Los Angeles Lakers have finally delivered on their
promise to surround Kobe with a championship contending team. He has
responded with an MVP caliber year and done anything and everything
necessary to lead the Lakers to a Western Conference best 44-19 record.
Gone are the 50 point games, not because he’s incapable of producing
them, but because they aren’t necessary to win.
Kobe Bryant doesn't play for scoring titles, he plays for
NBA championships. It’s easy to be amazed at that five game 50-point
stretch last season but I don’t think anyone realizes the type of
commitment that it takes to achieve that level of basketball mastery.
Now imagine working that HARD year in and year out, only to be rewarded
with an inept supporting cast and an early exit out of the playoffs.
It’s impossible to absolve Kobe of all responsibility in the drama that has enveloped the Los Angeles Lakers over the past 4 years. It is possible to note the factors that led to his behavior. Up until this season, the Lakers had FAILED MISERABLY at building around him. Lamar Odom was never a legitimate second option and the trade of Caron Butler for Kwame Brown was a travesty. Key free agent opportunities (Baron Davis, Carlos Boozer) had come and gone.
Bryant knows that NBA championships won with him as “the man” are the only way to distinguish himself as worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as MJ. This isn’t a man who plays for celebrity or a paycheck. Kobe Bryant plays for legacy, a legacy that he hopes is culminated with him being crowned the greatest player ever.
Kobe’s career will never be as picture perfect as MJ’s was. From the feuds with Shaquille, to the sexual assault allegation, to the trade demands, it’s been one tumultuous turn after another over the past decade. I hope that this season marks an end to the turmoil and Kobe achieves some sense of basketball peace.
I don’t agree with everything that Bryant has done throughout his career. But I do believe that many of the mistakes he has made result from his desire to win and leave a lasting legacy. I respect his commitment to the game. I love that Kobe fears no one and no thing on the basketball court and he truly strives and puts in the work necessary to become the game's greatest player. I admire the fact that he doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind and hasn’t created a false image. For better or worse, what you see is what you get, take it or leave it, this is Kobe Bryant.
One can choose to perceive Kobe as a self centered, egotistical individual with no sense of loyalty. I, and many others choose to view him as a player who has made his fair share of mistakes but also as someone trying desperately to become the best basketball player he can be; the greatest player who has ever played.
“It’s one or the other.”
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The Miami Heat won 52 games in the 2005-2006 season, earning them the #2 seed and a first round match up with the Chicago Bulls in the 2006 NBA playoffs. A 50 win season is impressive by most standards but not as impressive when you consider the fact that Miami struggled versus the NBA's elite.
Miami's record versus San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago, and Detroit during the 2005-2006 season was 3-10.
Fortunately for Miami, the teams which posed the biggest threat to their championship hopes resided on the west coast.
The Heat squared off against an inexperienced Bulls team in the first round. The Bulls turned out to be surprisingly resistant before being dispatched in 6 games. Kirk Heinrich defended Dwyane Wade admirably, holding him to a modest 24.7 per game average and a 44% field goal percentage.
Miami steamrolled the Nets in the Conference Semifinals and met the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Championship.
Detroit was the league's best regular season team in 2005-2006. The Pistons began the season at a torrid pace, they were 37-5 after 42 games and many thought they had a legitimate shot at 70 wins. In celebration of their outstanding team success, four Pistons (Billups, Hamilton, B. Wallace, and R. Wallace) were named to that season's NBA All-Star team.
Unfortunately for Detroit their regular season pace would prove detrimental to their championship hopes. The team was admittedly fatigued from the extended minutes accessed to their starters by Coach Flip Saunders. Detroit's postseason play was hardly reminiscent of their regular season domination as the Heat easily defeated them in six games.
Miami captured the 2005-2006 NBA Championship in dramatic fashion. Despite being thoroughly outplayed in the Final's opening two games they bounced back and defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the series' next 4 contests.
Dwyane Wade was the Finals MVP and played like a champion. The Mavericks chose to focus their defensive efforts on Miami's legendary center Shaquille O'Neal. Dallas double and triple teamed the Diesel the entire series. Their strategy was effective in its efforts to stop Shaquille (he averaged a Finals career low 13.9 points and 10.2 rebounds) but essentially laid a red carpet for Wade to single-handedly defeat them.
Defeat them he did. Wade put on a show for the ages. Dwyane averaged 34.7 points versus Dallas, the third highest Finals average in history.
Despite the Heat's Championship last season, I don't believe they were a great basketball team then, nor do I believe they are a great team now.
Shaquille O'Neal was forced to the Heat's injured reserve for over 30 games this season, forcing Dwyane Wade to be their lone offensive option. Without the luxury of Shaquille's low post presence, Dwyane struggled. Dwyane averaged 27.4 points per game but also led the league in turnovers with a 4.24 average. With D. Wade at the helm and Shaquille on the bench, Miami struggled to stay above .500 in the inferior Eastern Conference.
Dwyane suffered a shoulder dislocation in a game versus the Houston Rockets on February 21, 2007 and many (myself included) thought the Heat's playoff hopes were all but finished. Luckily for Dwyane and the Heat, 'Superman' saved the season.
Shaquille's return to the lineup instantly rejuvenated the Heat; as they would go on to win 11 of their next 14 games and 9 in a row. O’Neal’s reemergence combined with the Eastern Conference’s mediocrity allowed Miami to claim the 4th seed in this year’s playoffs.
Miami fought hard to secure a middle seed in the playoffs but has failed to consistently raise their play to that of the NBA's elite. Their 2006-2007 regular season record versus San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago, and Detroit is identical to the 2005-2006 record of 3-10.
Although the Heat have shown flashes of their 2006 NBA Final brilliance, their deficiencies remain. They are a weak defensive team. Jason Williams and Antoine Walker are the definition of defensive liability. Shaquille and Gary Payton no longer possess the foot speed to play effective man to man or rotation defense.
Shaquille’s decline in skill was obvious versus Dallas. The Shaq of today can be neutralized. He will be rested and ready this postseason but foul trouble and effectively timed double teams (like Dallas implemented) will ensure that he doesn’t carry Miami to the championship.
It will ultimately come down to whether Dwyane Wade can perform heroically once more and carry the Heat to the championship?
I don’t think he can.
The Eastern Conference, while nowhere near the Western Conference, has improved. Due partly to injury, Dwyane will not be the player he was in last season’s playoffs. Due to the opposing defenses he will likely face, he will not be nearly as effective either.
Last season’s Dallas Mavericks were a very good basketball team but the game of basketball is all about match ups. The Mavericks were routinely abused by opposing star guards that entire season. Dallas’ path to the Finals was much more difficult as well. While Dallas slugged it out with the NBA’s next best teams in San Antonio and Phoenix, Miami benefited from early round opponents Chicago, New Jersey, and the implosion of the Detroit Pistons.
Both Chicago and Detroit stand in the way of Miami’s championship hopes this season and each team has improved. Chicago in particular, has all of the defensive tools to defeat Miami. No one can stop Shaq one on one but the addition of Ben Wallace combined with the length of Chicago’s perimeter defenders will create double teams twice the like that took him out of last season’s NBA Final. Nocioni, Deng, Duhon, Gordon, and especially Heinrich will make things very difficult for Dwyane both offensively and defensively.
My opinion of the Heat is based upon their play in it’s entirety, from the 2005-2006 NBA season to the present. I’ve seen far too much of the Heat team that has for two years, struggled against the NBA’s elite teams and was dominated by the Mavericks in the NBA Final’s first two games to believe there will be a sustained return of the Miami team who played brilliantly in winning the Final’s games 3-6.
The NBA playoffs are a three month test of will and fortitude. Any team can get hot for four consecutive games. This year’s NBA Champion will consistently prove their basketball superiority. They will rise to the occasion and perform like champions.
Without a doubt, Miami will show flashes of brilliance. Those flashes of brilliance will not be enough to carry them through four competitive 7 game series’ and a repeat of last year’s championship.
The NBA playoffs are almost upon us, basketball’s biggest stage. The stage that distinguishes 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, Tim Duncan, and Dwyane Wade 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: Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers.
Teams that miss the cut: Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Golden State Warriors, and Washington Wizards.
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, Chicago Bulls, and Detroit Pistons.
Teams that miss the cut: Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards.
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 positions.
Teams that fit the bill: San Antonio Spurs (Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili), Phoenix Suns (Steve Nash), Dallas Mavericks (Jason Terry), Miami Heat (Dwyane Wade), Denver Nuggets (Allen Iverson), Los Angeles Lakers (Kobe Bryant), Chicago Bulls (Kirk Heinrich), New Jersey Nets (Jason Kidd) and the Detroit Pistons (Chauncey Billups).
Teams that miss the cut: Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and the Houston Rockets.
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), Detroit Pistons (Rasheed Wallace), Miami Heat (Shaquille O’Neal), and the Dallas Mavericks (Dirk Nowitzki).
Teams that miss the cut: Orland Magic, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver Nuggets.
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), Dallas Mavericks (Avery Johnson), Los Angeles Lakers (Phil Jackson), Utah Jazz (Jerry Sloan), Chicago Bulls (Scott Skiles) and the Miami Heat (Pat Riley).
Teams that miss the cut: Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Golden State Warriors, and the Houston Rockets.
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 situation 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), Miami Heat (Dwyane Wade), Detroit Pistons, (Chauncey Billups).
Teams that miss the cut: Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic.
The San Antonio Spurs embody all of these characteristics and more. Parker, Ginoboli, Duncan, Bowen, and Horry have gone to battle with one another and emerged victorious time after time. Despite having the NBA's most difficult path to the Finals they know what it takes to claim basketball’s greatest prize and they will be this year’s NBA Champion.
The Most Valuable Player is presented to the NBA player who receives the highest point total from a panel of chosen sportswriters. These sportswriters cast a vote for their first, second, and third place selections. First place votes receive five points, second place is worth three points, and third place is worth one point. The player who receives the highest point total is then awarded the distinction of Most Valuable Player.
MVP has historically gone to the best player on one of the teams with the top record in the NBA. No player whose team has won less than 50 games has won the award in the past 25 years.
Team success should not be the barometer by which an individual player is considered to be of most value to his team. Rather than award the title of Most Valuable Player to the best player on the top team, it should go to the NBA player who is of most value to his particular team, with less significance placed upon that team’s win-loss record. Basketball is a team sport. No one player can win consistently without the luxury of a quality-supporting cast.
The value o####reat player encompasses a myriad of basketball intangibles that sadly, are not always guarantors of victories.
Nowhere is this more evident than the Most Valuable Player Award tally’s of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Wilt Chamberlain was the most dominant player in the history of basketball. He once averaged over 50 points and 20 rebounds for an entire season! Chamberlain ended his career with a total of four MVP’s and two NBA championships. Russell, his on-court nemesis of that period, won the MVP award five times, and the NBA championship a record 11 times.
The Boston Celtics of the 1960’s were the definition of a sports dynasty. The Celtics won eleven NBA championships during Russell’s thirteen year career. Russell was surrounded by seven-future Hall of Famers during his eleven year career: forwards Frank Ramsay, Tom Heinsohn, Jim Loscutoff, and guards Bill Sharman, K.C. Jones, John Havlicek, and Bob Cousy.
Chamberlain’s teams were never as adept from top to bottom as Russell’s. Despite the lack of talent surrounding him, Wilt managed to lead his team to six NBA Final appearances. Four of those appearances ended in defeat at the hands of Bill Russell and the Celtics.
Russell was the defensive anchor of those championship Celtic teams and was the most important element to their success but Wilt Chamberlain was always of more value to his team than Russell was to Boston. Russell had the luxury of proven playmakers and scorers to shoulder the burden. Red Aurbach surrounded Russell with players who knew their role and complimented one another perfectly.
