Now that new New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has taken over Gotham City, he is faced with the arduous task of rebuilding a fallen franchise and saving a city from complete annihilation.
Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. Nonetheless D'Antoni has his work cut out for him and he may need a cape and a mask for this one.
Having failed to reach the NBA Finals with the run-n-gun Phoenix Suns, D'Antoni has taken his uptempo offense to New York in hopes that a once proud franchise can be brought back from the dead.
Although it looks all bad right now, it may not be as bad as it seems. The roster just needs a little tweaking, with one big addition needed and a couple of slight adjustments here and there. Maybe last year was an aberration because of the Knicks' slow start as a result of all the off-court issues that hampered the players and their coach. I'm willing to give this team the benefit of the doubt. Now that a new system and philosophy are in place, it's time to move on and think positively.
Most people believe Stephon Marbury has played his last game as a Knick but this may not be the case. First of all, Marbury feuded with Isiah Thomas and didn't get along with him but Thomas is no longer calling the shots from the sidelines. Secondly, Marbury has the type of game to excel in a run-n-gun system. The big question isn't whether he'll stay, but will anyone take him?
So who stays and who goes? Let's mix the ingredients and see what it tastes like:
Point Guards: I say Marbury stays. D'Antoni will at least give the former All-Star a chance to prove he can shine under a different system and philosophy. This makes the electrifying Nate Robinson major trade bait since he is not a franchise point guard. The Knicks showcased him during the second half of the season and the former Slam Dunk Champion did not disappoint, putting up big time scoring performances.
Shooting Guards: This is where it gets interesting. There is a major logjam at two-guard with Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson, Fred Jones, and Mardy Collins. Crawford is solid and provides scoring punch at both guard positions. He is signed to a pretty big contract and I just don't see any takers for him at this point. Not to mention he was the best scoring option the Knicks had last year. Richardson, meanwhile, was out of shape the entire year and his numbers suffered as a result. But he is a former Sun who thrived as an outside threat and could revive his up and down career under D'Antoni. This makes the athletic Jones an expendable asset. When given minutes, Jones has proven he can play in this league and it wouldn't surprise me if another team makes a run for his services.
Small Forwards: New York has something cooking with young, up-and-coming Wilson Chander and defensive specialist Renaldo Balkman. They're athletic, long, and perfect for D'Antoni's system. Above all, they play a little defense. 33-year old Malik Rose will likely be dealt to a playoff team and fifth year 6-11 swingman Jared Jefferies, though inconsistent, is a decent player off the bench. Out of all the position players on the Knicks roster, small forward has the most upside.
Power Forwards: I know we're all wondering the same thing. How in the world is the other Big Z, Zach Randolph, going to run-n-gun? That's easy. He'll have to get in shape. Expect Randolph to work on his game and turn things around next year. They paid him big money. He's going to have to come out and earn it. David Lee, their most consistent player in 2008, is perhaps the most solid player on the roster. He gives you energy, he brings hustle, he plays 100% no matter what the score is, he's got some offense, and most importantly he's a keeper. 22-year old Randolph Morris is a project and it is yet to be determined how much of an impact the kid can make or even if he will be there when training camp opens.
Centers: Between Eddy Curry and Jerome James, who would you choose? I say neither, but D'Antoni will have to get creative at the five position. Do you trade the underachieving Curry and develop James, who had one solid season with the Seattle Sonics before tanking after signing that huge contract and getting hurt? Or do you keep Curry, hoping he'll lose some weight, gain some motivation and work harder on the boards, and trade James to any team who needs a big man? I'm sure one concern D'Antoni will have is whether or not Randolph and Curry can continue to be on the same floor occupying all that space.
Needs: An agile defensive minded center who can get out on the break and get back on defense. A shot-blocker. Three-point shooters who know how to move without the ball. Power Forwards who can defend the low post but are still quick enough to get out on the break. Veterans who know how to play the game of basketball
Options: Not much. But this where we'll see how much better (or worse) Donnie Walsh and Coach Mike are than Thomas and Dolan at making personnel decisions.
Good luck, Gotham. Batman and Robin aren't here to save the day, because Mike and Dan D'Antoni just took their jobs.
1) The L.A. Lakers became overconfident and are being punked by the much more physical Jazz.
2) They're losing the battle of the boards.
3) Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom can't make wide open free throws. In other words, they're choking. Stop spinning that god damn ball so many times, Lamar, and just go up there and shoot it. You don't get bonus points for trying to make your free throw routine look all nice and artistic.
4) Vladimir Radmanob-!-t-c-h has given this team absolutely NOTHING. He's a bust, plain and simple. The new Slava Medvedenko. Soft as hell and plays with no fire under his belt. Send him to the Alps or Whistler Mountain so he can play the sport he really wants to play. Guaranteed he's gone next year as Ron Artest waits patiently to take his spot. Hurry back, Trevor Ariza, L.A needs you to take him out of the rotation.
5) Jordan Farmar and his nonchalant attitude. It's no surprise why UCLA players can't step up during the big games. In two postseasons, Farmar has not shown me anything to make me believe he's the Lakers' starting point guard of the future.
6) The Utah Jazz are playing with more heart, more grit, and certainly more toughness.
7) The Utah Jazz have figured them out.
8) Matt Harpring, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, and Ronnie Price have outplayed Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Ronny Turiaf, and Farmar decisively.
9) Kobe Bryant, the MVP, once again had a lapse in game recognition in overtime, when he kept jacking up shot after shot not realizing Derek Fisher had the hot hand and was solely responsible for bringing his team back in the game late in the fourth quarter. Whether it's due to his bad back forcing his competitve nature to try and take over, I won't let Bryant off the hook on this one. There are no excuses. Kobe did not lead his team in Game 4.
10) The Lakers have allowed the raucous Jazz fans to affect their concentration. ALL momentum is now with Utah, and the young Lakers are rattled, dazed, and confused.
11) Mehmet Okur, the former All-Star, is outgunning Pau Gasol, the former All-Star. Conventional wisdom says it should be the other way around. Then again, it's Okur who has the championship ring and the big game experience and not Gasol.
12) Deron Williams is outsmarting the entire Lakers' defense, including Bryant.
13) Losing this series would teach this young team a lesson or two about defensive execution against a highly cerebral team that is extremely well coached.
14) The Jazz are getting All-Star performances from four All-Stars - Williams, Okur, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko. And they are taking it to the Lakers, no holds barred. Meanwhile, only three Lakers showed up for the trip to Utah - Bryant, Odom, and Gasol. The rest are still wearing their pajamas.
15) The lackadaisical Lakers are discombobulated on both sides of the ball and are offering very little resistance.
This Lakers supporter is probably as angry and frustrated as Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson combined right now. But I make no excuses. I point out the facts. I point out what I see.
And the reality is, I was wrong about Utah. They are playing high intensity playoff basketball while the Lakers think they're still playing the Denver Nuggets.
Humble down, Lakers fans. The memo is out. We have a series.
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!! We wouldn't be the same without you.
It's obvious that Chris Paul has had a storybook season. He's one of the best point guards in the league right now and his team has entered the ranks of the elite primarily because he is such a great decision maker on the floor and gets his teammates involved in ways that make it easy for them to put the ball in the bucket.
In a nutshell, he's a 6-foot-2 Magic Johnson. And he performs like him because he's being coached by Magic's former teammate Byron Scott, who's instilled a little bit of Showtime in the New Orleans Hornets' system.
But what makes the Hornets great? What makes them difficult to defend? And above all, what makes them the complete and balanced team that they are, causing the defending champions to dig deeper into their strategic arsenal more than ever before?
A lot of it is due to Paul's floor leadership and a lot of it can also be attributed to the emergence of power forward David West as an All-Star performer. Paul and West provide the offense with that perfect inside-outside combo. A one-two punch, a la John Stockton-Karl Malone, if you will.
West can hit the mid range. He has a low post game. He can dribble drive. Meanwhile, Paul is all over the floor doing his thing. And his outside shot is vastly improving. Then you add a high flying center like Tyson Chandler and all of a sudden you have someone to take the load off your Big Two who grabs all the rebounds, blocks all the shots, solidifies the paint, and catches all the alley-oops.
But the player who brings it all together is Peja Stojakovic. While CP3, West, and Chandler fulfill their roles on a nightly basis, it's Peja who stretches opponents' defenses. It's Peja whom you have to chase around to make sure he doesn't drop three point daggers all night long. It's Peja whom you have to worry about because once he gets going, it opens up the entire floor for CP3 to create and find his other players for even easier buckets.
But when you stop Peja from doing his thing, chances are you'll defeat the Hornets with little problem. The Hornets have lost 11 games this season (including last night's loss to the Spurs) to some of the most competitive teams in the NBA and the numbers are revealing.
11/9/07: San Antonio 97, Hornets 85 - Peja 2 pts on 1-6 shooting; Paul 18 pts and 9 assists
11/7/07: Portland 93, Hornets 90 - Peja 5 pts on 2-13 shooting; Paul 18 pts and 12 assists
11/23/07: Utah 99, Hornets 71 - Peja 3 pts on 1-6 shooting; Paul 15 pts and 6 assists
12/14/07: Dallas 89, Hornets 80 - Peja 10 pts on 4-11 shooting; Paul 22 pts and 3 assists
1/9/08: Lakers 109, Hornets 80 - Peja 9 pts on 4-11 shooting; Paul 32 pts and 5 assists
2/4/08: Utah 110, Hornets 88 - Peja 10 pts on 5-9 shooting, Paul 6 pts and 6 assists
2/22/08: Houston 100, Hornets 80 - Peja 8 pts on 3-10 shooting; Paul 14 pts and 11 assists
2/23/08: San Antonio 98, Hornets 89 - Peja 11 pts on 3-9 shooting; Paul 27 pts and 4 assists
2/25/08: Washington 95, Hornets 92 - Peja 11 pts on 4-16 shooting; Paul 22 pts and 8 assists
3/8/08: Houston 106, Hornets 96 - Peja 13 pts on 5-14 shooting; Paul 37 pts and 11 assists
5/8/08: San Antonio 110, Hornets 99 - Peja 8 pts on 2-7 shooting; Paul 35 pts and 9 assists
Final Tally: 11 losses - Peja 8.1 ppg, 35-112 field goals, 31% versus season averages of 16.1 ppg and 44% FG's
Meanwhile Chris Paul, who averaged 21.1 ppg and 11.6 apg during the season, still averaged 22.4 ppg and 7.6 apg in those 11 losses, which were games against very solid teams.
Notice how the Hornets only averaged 86 pts per game in those losses, which is down significantly from their regular season team average of 100.9 ppg. They gave up 100.5 in the 11 games, suggesting that if opponents contain Peja the Hornets' offense staggers and become a little more predictable and easier to defend.
Also notice that in the losses, Chris Paul's assist production slipped by 4 per game. Well... surprise, surprise!! In this case, the numbers sure don't lie! Those four assists that Paul lost each game add up to be about 8-10 Stojakovic points. Add those 8-10 points to Peja's average of 8.1 ppg in those losses and wala, you wind up with Peja's normal averages of 16-18 points per contest when the Hornets win games.
This observation is not a coincidence folks. I'm sure the San Antonio Spurs' coaching staff noticed this trend from their scouting reports and especially after analyzing their first two games of the series.
Next thing you know, Coach Gregg Popovich makes the adjustment of the series and switches defender deluxe Bruce Bowen back on Stojakovic. Coincidentally enough (or not) Peja has a bad game.
The defending champions have finally won a game. They have figured some things out. They have exposed the major weakness of the New Orleans Hornets . The Spurs have now forced their young challengers to make an adjustment and rethink their strategy.
- The Boston Celtics did what they were supposed to do at home, which is dominate an eighth seeded team. The Atlanta Hawks did what they were supposed to do in Game 7 on the road, which is play like an eighth seeded team...
- How will Gang Green gang up on Lebron James? Or do they even need to? Early prediction is Celtics in six, with James averaging close to 40 in the series...
- But I won't be surprised if Boston suffers an early exit if Cleveland's role players play their role to perfection. In the Name of the King, the Knights of the Brown Table will be expected to battle for their lives. Ok, maybe it's not life and death. But it's the NBA Playoffs, where there is only one...
- Just like I thought, the Detroit Pistons' big backcourt of Chauncey Billips and Richard Hamilton manhandled tiny Jameer Nelson and inadequate but game Maurice Evans in their 91-72 blowout of the Orlando Magic. This will set the tone for the series...
- If Orlando can't pick up the pace and force a running game, Detroit will control the tempo, keep the scores low, keep it physical, and will keep on frustrating center Dwight Howard. At this point, the young and inexperienced Howard will not have the moxie to will his team to recover. Superman is looking more like Superboy and thus the Pistons should close it out in five...
- I keep saying to the skeptics, don't sleep on the Pistons...
- Byron Scott is one hell of a coach. His team came prepared for battle and took it to future Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan like no other opponent has done to him before. Props to the former L.A. Lakers shooting guard, who came up with a genius strategy to hold Duncan to five points and three boards, Brian Skinner numbers...
- Duncan looked like Shaquille O'Neal out there on Saturday night. Slow and tired with no lift and contstantly getting burned on defense. With Duncan also missing his free throws a la Shaq, the only thing missing was the Hack-a-Tim. But I'm sure Scott won't employ that tactic anytime soon...
- We did see the Hack-a-Chandler for a quick second, which came to everybody's surprise. Since Popovich loves doing it so much, I'm beginning to think we should start calling the Hack-a-Shaq, Pop's Special Recipe...
- And be sure to check out the latest hit on television. It's called...
YOUNG GUNS: The Assault Continues
Starring Kobe Bryant as William H. Bonney aka Mamba the Kid
Pau Gasol as Doc Scurlock
Lamar Odom as Chavez
Andrew Bynum as Richard "D!CK" Brewer
Sasha "Vidal Sasoon" Vujacic as Dirty Steve Stephens
and introducing Luke Walton as Charley Bowdre
with Phil Jackson as John Tunstall, Mamba the Kid's teacher and mentor
This is how the West will be won - the old fashioned way, with all the gunslingers taking over your town.
If Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs want to make a series out of this, he obviously has some adjustments to make.
The Spurs were slow in defensive rotations in the second half of their 101-82 loss to the Hornets, causing David West to pick them apart at the seams. The All-Star power forward scored in all ways imaginable. Mid range jump shots. Left handed hook shots. Dribble Drives. Turnaround 17-footers with a hand in his face. And-ones. West, and not Chris Paul, was the key to the whole game.
Had the Spurs doubled West early in each of the Hornets' possessions, it would have forced Paul, who had an off night shooting, to make other decisions. Decisions that may not have panned out for New Orleans. Keep in mind that San Antonio was up by 11 early on. So how come they could not maintain the lead?
Because while West was warming up, they did nothing to make sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic take tough shots. Stojakovic had open looks all night. The defending champions need to stick Bruce Bowen on Peja because it's the threat of Peja that opens up the entire game for CP3 and the rest of the team.
Popovich erred by putting Bowen on CP3. You can't treat New Orleans like the Suns. The tactic worked on Steve Nash because Nash is not as great as everyone thinks. Nash is soft and he gets rattled easily in the playoffs. So it's a tremendous advantage to put a physical player like Bowen on him. But on a player like Paul, it won't matter because Paul is too quick and too good a player to let Bowen frustrate him.
Pop should stick with the basics. Let your best counter weapon Tony Parker guard CP3. Parker is quick enough on his feet to keep up with him. Plus Parker makes CP3 work on the defensive end. He scored 23 on him so that should tell you something. You keep Bruce on Peja so he can be physical with him and wear him down. That's how the Lakers kept beating Sacramento between 2000-2003 when Peja was in his prime. L.A. used Rick Fox to outmuscle him, frustrate him, and take him out of his comfort zone. San Antonio should do the same.
Then you take the same tactic that NO is using on Tim Duncan and use it on West. Double him with Kurt Thomas/Fabricio Oberto and Manu Ginobili, who is good at stripping the ball. You can afford to use Manu to sag off of Morris Peterson or Bonzi Wells because I don't think either of those guys can be consistent enough to be a threat all series. This allows Duncan to stay on Tyson Chandler, thus preventing any CP3-to-Tyson alleyoops.
And once Duncan starts to find his groove, Chandler will be neutralized and will probably be in foul trouble. At the same time, Chandler won't be putting up numbers like he did on Saturday. Because West was basically going nuts, Tyson pulled down a quiet 15 boards.
Let Chris Paul score 35 because he won't beat you by himself unlike the great Kobe Bryant can. Paul scored 32 against the Lakers in January at New Orleans and the Lakers blew them out by 29! West shot 7-17, Peja shot 4-11 and they combined to score only 28 points. This is how you beat the Hornets. You have to wear down the Hornets physically. You have to make West and Peja work for tough shots. You have to make the Hornets defend, and you have to get them in the penalty early in the quarter.
If the defending champions want to have the right to play the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, they have to take a page out of the Lakers' scouting report in order to make their series against New Orleans a competitive one.
Otherwise, Coach Byron Scott is going to make a trip back to his hometown in a couple of weeks.
The BOSTON CELTICS, the team with the best regular season record in the NBA at 66-16, the most improved team in league history over a one-year span, the team with three Hall-of-Famers, the team that keeps reminding itself of the 67-win Dallas Mavericks of a year ago, and the team that the LOS ANGELES LAKERS are expecting to play in the NBA FINALS, are one game away from pulling a NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS.
KEVIN GARNETT, the MVP? There's a reason why he's never won an NBA title.
DOC RIVERS, the Coach of the Year? There's a reason why he's never played in the NBA Finals.
PAUL PIERCE, the Truth? The truth is, he's older and slower and he's not putting up big numbers like he used to. There's a reason he's never been to the Finals.
RAY ALLEN, the Big Three's designated hitter in the 4th quarter? A disappointing 1-for-8 from three-point range on the road under pressure. There's a reason he's never led a team to an NBA Finals appearance.
If it weren't for KENDRICK PERKINS' perfect effort (5-5 FG, 4-4 FT), the C's would have probably been blown out by the eighth seed ATLANTA HAWKS, who didn't even win 40 games all year.
Is there such a thing as CELTIC PRIDE anymore? What's wrong with the C's? How come they can't seem to execute with consistency? Are there too many egos on that squad?
I guess we'll find out sooner or later. For now, I hope all of you loyal Celtics fans don't jump off the edge of that cliff.
The first round of the NBA playoffs is almost complete and I've seen enough of the games to be able to tell which teams are for real and which teams are going to come up short.
After watching and dissecting about 3-4 games per day, I've definitely received a strong dosage of postseason action thus far. While teams continue to beat up on each other, the annual awards are being passed out and the incomparable Kobe Bryant waits patiently for the MVP trophy.
Meanwhile, Ernie, Kenny, and Charles continue to be the best in the business at giving fans expert analysis, new footage for Youtube, and up-to-the-minute updates on who's going fishing.
What can we expect from here on out? Here's a glimpse:
L.A. Lakers - The Young Guns have been on a mission since day one of training camp. They made a statement by dispatching the high-powered Denver Nuggets, the first 50-win team in history to get swept out of the playoffs. OOPS, scratch that. Thanks to Hoffman's expertise, the Lakers also dispatched the 50-win Portland JailBlazers 7 years ago. Good job, Hoff. It appears the Lakers make a habit of embarrassing good teams with high expectations in the playoffs.
Kobe is dominating like only he can, while Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom continue to provide the inside presence the Lakers need for them to keep teams guessing on defense. The role players are coming off the bench and taking over during short stretches in games when the stars are either resting or are in foul trouble. The roster is the deepest in the league and they're about to get defensive specialist Trevor Ariza back in a couple weeks. Phil Jackson is on a major mission for his tenth title and has something to prove as a coach. Lakers fans are talking title. It's safe to say the Lakers are back. Advantage, Lakers.
Prediction: Western Conference Finals, NBA Finals, NBA Champions
San Antonio Spurs - Everyone counted them out because they were 1-3 against the Phoenix Suns in the regular season. Everyone said they were too old and lacked the depth needed to successfully defend their title. Everyone said there was a reason the Spurs don't ever repeat as champions.
Then the playoffs started. Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Gregg Popovich continue to impress in the postseason because like Kobe, Derek Fisher, and the Zenmaster, they've been there and done that. Once again they've flipped the switch, they're playing championship level defense, and they're proving to the Suns that in order to play elite, you've got to dictate the tempo, protect possessions, and get to the foul line when it matters most. When the Spurs run into the Lakers, they'll realize that the Lakers are just as good in doing the things the Spurs do best. And the Spurs will find out the Lakers are deeper and bigger. And the Spurs won't have home-court advantage. Advantage, Lakers.
Prediction: Western Conference Finals
New Orleans Hornets - The suprise team of the year keeps on surprising. They're stellar play on offense and defense comes from a balanced lineup that is being coached by someone who knows what it takes to go deep in the playoffs. They are about to free the disappointing Dallas Mavericks from their misery and will probably face the Spurs in the second round. The Hornets are deep enough to match up and compete with San Antonio, but a major advantage for the Spurs is that they will get a number of calls going their way late in games.
Against S.A., the Hornets will have to figure out how to prevent Ginobili and Parker from penetrating at will, and Duncan from abusing the 6-9 David West in the post. Popovich will devise a strategy to nullify the Chris Paul-Tyson Chandler alley-oop so Byron Scott will have to find a way to genetrate fluidity and continuity on offense with players like Morris Peterson, Bonzi Wells and Jannero Pargo, who will need to come up huge. And we know that Bruce Bowen will be physical with Peja Stojakovic, thereby minimizing his effectiveness as a three-point shooter so it makes it even that much more important for the Hornets' bench to counter Brent Barry, Fabricio Oberto, Michael Finley, and Kurt Thomas. It will be a great learning experience for the young Hornets, who are still a Michael Redd type of shooting guard away from being a great team. Advantage, Spurs.
Prediction: Western Conference Semifinals
Utah Jazz - The coaching brilliance of Jerry Sloan can only take them so far. Just like last year, the Jazz will give a solid effort only to come up short because a bigger and better team beats them inside. They beat up on a Houston team that was missing their lone inside presence in Yao Ming and included a center who should be retired and an undersized rookie power forward (Luis Scola) who never got any calls going his way. Their best point guard didn't play until game three but it was already too late and the Jazz took advantage. But this time they will face a Lakers unit that has won 12 of 13 dating back to the end of the regular season.
Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are two of the best pick-n-roll players in the NBA, but Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko are also two of the most inconsistent players on that Jazz frontline. The Jazz will be game, but they'll be hard pressed to take the Lakers to seven games, let alone win two. They're just not deep enough and their lack of size and muscle inside and absence of a solid defender against Kobe will lead to their demise. They were 1-3 against L.A. in the regular season and Pau Gasol didn't even play in any of those games, making it even harder for the Jazz to strategize and plan their matchups. In addition, former Jazz guard Derek Fisher knows all their plays. Advantage, Lakers.
Prediction: Western Conference Semifinals
Gone Fishin': Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Denver
Boston - Their two losses at Atlanta prove what I've been thinking all along. This particular team's lack of experience playing together in games of significance has come back to hurt them temporarily. But it's not too late for the guys in green. They're full of veterans and this may be the wake-up call they need in order to get their act together, which they will.
But if it's Detroit and Boston in the East Finals, I like the Pistons' chances. Postseason special Tayshaun Prince will be a load for Paul Pierce, Rasheed Wallace will give KG fits inside and outside, and Chauncey Billips and Rip Hamilton will execute much better than Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. And the difference will be the Pistons' bench outplaying the Celtics' bench. Two lingering questions remain: Can Kevin Garnett take over a series and is he really cursed? We shall see. Advantage, Pistons.
Prediction: Eastern Conference Finals
Detroit - The unpredictable and mysterious Detroit Pistons already received their wake-up call and they pulled out a tough one on the road against the surprise of the East, Philadelphia. Their success, once again, lies on the shoulders of the enigmatic Wallace. Another huge concern is Coach Flip Saunders' ability to motivate his bunch. It seems like everyone on the roster has something to prove, especially since they collapsed last year at the hands of the one-man show they call Lebron James. If anything, Detroit still has the best team defense in the East when it comes to postseason play because they've proven it so many times in the past. As of press time, Detroit is blowing out the Sixers by 17 and siezing all momentum in the series. Advantage, Pistons.
Prediction: Eastern Conference Finals, NBA Finals
Cleveland - King James keeps doing what he does against the Wiz Kids. The only question is whether or not his teammates will follow suit. Their overall play in the playoffs has been respectable but not exceptional. One thing is clear: the only "soulja" in the series between Cleveland and Washington has been James. The big test comes in the second round against Boston, and if Lebron treats the Celtics the way he did the Pistons last year and advances, I will finally believe. But I just don't think that the Cavaliers have enough toughness as a team unit to match up with the Celtics position for position. Advantage, Celtics.
But for now, let's just enjoy being witnesses.
Prediction: Eastern Conference Semifinals
Orlando - The big surprise in the Magic's first round series against Toronto hasn't been the dominance of Dwight Howard. It's been the steady play of point guard Jameer Nelson. His consistency spearheaded Orlando's attack and he suddenly became another valuable weapon, hitting big shot after big shot. However, Orlando is still prone to giving up easy baskets and Detroit's offensive weapons will know how to take advantage. And if Howard ends up in foul trouble, the Magic will have a hard time keeping Prince, Jason Maxiell, and 'Sheed from scoring inside. In addition, Orlando's guards don't have what it takes to matchup with Detroit's guards, who all move well without the ball. Advantage, Pistons.
Prediction: Eastern Conference Semifinals
Gone Fishin': Washington, Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia
And lastly, please Kenny Smith... I plead with you. Do not take that job with the New York Knicks!
A quick pre-season look at the postseason, with predicted conference ranking and predicted record in parentheses.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Lakers (#1, 57-25): Best conference record against the West (37-15) says something, so let the dynasty begin.
New Orleans (#2, 56-26): Surprising Hornets could be prime candidate for postseason letdown, but they're led by former Lakers champion Byron Scott, which says something.
San Antonio (#3, 56-26): Many believe Spurs are old, but Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker aren't, so don't be surprised if defending champions reach conference finals.
Utah (#4, 54-28): Jazz horrendous on the road all season long, but they won Game 7 in Houston a year ago with Derek Fisher on the roster, so we'll see what they're all about in the rematch.
Houston (#5, 55-27): The value of the big man - if it weren't for Luis Scola and the ageless Dikembe Mutombo, the Rockets would be out and the Warriors would be in.
Phoenix (#6, 55-27): Suns' poor head-to-head record against West playoff teams says a lot about their ability, or lack thereof, to compete with the best of 'em, but the arrival of Shaq and the re-emergence of Amare Stoudemire have made the Suns legitimate contenders once again.
Dallas (#7, 51-31): Not that it's possible, but the Mavs could do to the Hornets this year what the Warriors did to the Mavs last year.
Denver (#8, 50-32): It's obvious to me that Carmelo Anthony's desire to be in Denver in the future is not in his plans, as poorly timed DUI charge indicates, therefore Nuggets have zero chance of winning a game against the mighty Lakers.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston (#1, 66-16): Leading the league in defense and wins and 25-5 record against the Western Conference says something, so let the dynasty begin.
Detroit (#2, 58-24): The Spurs of the East keep winning with balance and chemistry and they're deeper and younger, so don't be surprised if Pistons reach NBA Finals.
Orlando (#3, 52-30): Magic have been better on the road than at home all season so home-court advantage in the first round could actually hurt them.
Cleveland (#4, 46-36): Lebron of 2007-'08 looks like Kobe of 2005-'06, which means one-and-done in the postseason.
Washington (#5, 43-39): The Nuggets of the East - all that talent and firepower but not enough in quality decision-making to win big games.
Philadelphia (#6, 41-41): Even if overachieving Sixers get swept in the first round, young team has already made believers out of tough Philly fan base.
Toronto (#7, 41-41): Underachieving team can't seem to solve point guard situation and Bargnani is a bust, which means Raptors will be one-and-done against the Pistons in the first round.
Atlanta (#8, 38-44): Even if the Hawks were to pull off an upset and win game one of their series against Boston, they still don't have enough big-game experience to close out the Celtics in a seven-game series.
Conference Finals Prediction
West - Lakers over Spurs in six East - Detroit over Boston in seven
How amazing was the Lakers' regular season? To put it in perspective, their best defensive player (Andrew Bynum) and their second-best perimeter defender (Trevor Ariza) missed a whopping 91 games combined while former starter Chris Mihm was out another 43 games as was starting center PauGasol for 10 more in March. All this adversity and the Lakers still managed to gain the top seed in the conference, further justifying why the great Kobe Bryant should win MVP honors every season.
It didn't take long, but the Young Guns in purple-and-gold sure shoved a few basketballs right down all the haters' throats (sorry, but I had to get that off my chest).
A season filled with the type of drama topped only by your typical TV soap opera, the Los Angeles Lakers showed the rest of their competitors what commitment to excellence really means to an organization. This team, led by the incomparable Bryant, has grown up. They've endured the journey thus far, slowly and confidently adopting the qualities and skill sets needed to become a championship dynasty while picking apart the rest of the league at the same time.
With a remarkable combination of size, athleticism, depth, fundamental play, and Zen-inspired moxie, the Lakers have become arguably the most balanced team in the NBA next to the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. L.A. went from 42-40 and seventh place in the West a year ago to 57-25 and first place this year, a 15-game improvement which in most seasons would be enough for Coach Phil Jackson to capture the elusive Coach of the Year honors. Once again, the Zenmaster won't win the annual award. But how do you explain a coach who possesses nine NBA titles and only wins Coach of the Year once in his career? Nevertheless, it doesn't matter to P.J. because we all know he has much bigger fish to fry.
There were numerous contributing factors to the Lakers' successful turnaround this season. Of course, the mid-year acquisition of Gasol catapulted the Lakers to elite status, but keep in mind that L.A. was just as strong and talented with Bynum at the center position before he went down in January to injury. At the time, Bynum was leading the league in FG% and was averaging 17 ppg, 12 rpg, and almost 3 bpg during a three-week span in which the Lakers began to peak and find their identity. The team really started to show how great they were long before Pau came to town.
Meanwhile, the much maligned Lamar Odom found his identity and began to flourish as the number-three option. L.O. was an automatic double-double every night, and he finally figured out how to play with Kobe - he cut to the basket more often, shot less three-pointers, and drove the lane with regularity (a la Scottie Pippen) to take advantage of all his length.
For those who haven't noticed yet, Lamar's extension is an absolute thing of beauty. The thought of Odom in the spotlight makes Lakers fans cringe and gasp for air, but when he's behind the scenes and flying under the radar, he plays like an All-Star. And it has made the Lakers great. Just ask Charles Barkley.
But there's more work to be done, for the final mission still hasn't been accomplished. The Lakers cannot take solace in the fact that they have home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. After all, they haven't been that dominant at home. The Lakers are actually a better and more efficient team on the road.
As Gasol said, "This is when the fun starts," making reference to the upcoming postseason. This we know for sure: the road to the NBA Finals in the West goes through L.A., not S.A.
And finally... a quick summary on the Lakers' key rotation players in order to break down what once was and why they are where they're at now:
Bynum
Before: Everyone, including their grandmother, wanted to trade him for Jason Kidd. Kobe trashed him publicly. Mitch "Cupcake" Kupchak stood pat and maintained the faith like most true Lakers fans.
After: An extensive off-season workout regimen transformed him into a top-five center, and all of a sudden he's Bryant's favorite teammate on the floor. He looks like an All-Star, plays like an All-Star, and will be a perennial All-Star. Suddenly, Cupcake just might win Executive of the Year.
Odom
Before: Everyone said he was overpaid, soft, lacked consistency, and played with no energy or passion. Nonetheless, he stepped it up in postseason play but was never a constant threat as Kobe's Pippen.
After: Bar none, the best third or fourth option in the NBA. Defender deluxe and rebounding machine who's a triple-double waiting to happen. Surprisingly consistent, he is now playing like an All-Star, he's a mismatch for every opposing team, and he has turned into Kobe's Dennis Rodman for the all-around defensive effort he brings to every contest.
Gasol
Before: Memphis Grizzlies, 0-12 in the playoffs, singin' the blues.
After: Los Angeles Lakers, first place in the West, singin' "I love L.A."
Derek Fisher
Before: Leading Utah to the Western Conference Finals as the stabilizing force in the locker room, then took a pay cut.
After: Leading L.A. to the top of the most competitive playoff race in history as the stabilizing force in the locker room. Priceless.
Sasha Vujacic
Before: Tentative shooter with little confidence, little minutes, and was afraid to make mistakes on the floor for fear of being benched by Coach Jackson. Called the "11 o'clock player", his little hair made him look like a little boy in a big man's world.
After: Among the top 10 most accurate three-point shooters in the league who is also a pest on defense. He gets under the skin of opposing guards, and he is now playing big minutes. Went through NBA's version of puberty and can no longer stop his hairdo from growing, just like his game.
Jordan Farmar
Before: Young rookie was prematurely thrusted into the starting lineup during last season's playoffs. He struggled offensively and defensively, his jumpshot was highly inaccurate, and at times was almost as lost as Smush Parker out on the floor.
After: Returned in the best shape of his career after strict off-season training regimen and yoga program in Tahiti. Outside shooting improved dramatically, but most importantly became a consistent floor leader, spearheading the Bench Mob attack into one of the best second units in the NBA. Fans love Jordan so much they booed Smush Parker every time Parker touched the ball during his first game against his former team. The fans' message? If Smush had never been in Farmar's way in the first place, Jordan would have gotten his turn much sooner in his development.
Ronny Turiaf
Before: Huge heart, constant energy, constant effort, not enough experience.
After: Huge heart, constant energy, constant effort, more experience leading to a better jumpshot and better understanding of his role on the team. All of a sudden, he's tagging along with Kobe on commercial shoots.
Vladimir Radmanovic
Before: Overpaid, snowboarding "space cadet" who was so lost in the triangle offense it made fans wonder why the Lakers ever signed a Clipper. They started to call him "Vlade", doing a major disservice to former Lakers semi-legend Vlade Divac. Somewhere in Yugoslavia, Divac kept reiterating, "There's only one Vlade."
After: Injury-free and no longer snowboarding on company time, he actually found a way to crack the starting lineup. Once again an outside shooting threat, reputation has been upgraded from "space cadet" to "astronaut farmer", suggesting he may be on his way back down to earth. Nickname adjusted to "Vladdy", making Divac proud.
Luke Walton
Before: Regular starter, who averaged career highs in points, rebounds, and assists in 2006-'07 but was still a step behind the competition.
After: Regular Bench Mobster, who averaged career lows in every statistical category but still knows the system better than most of his teammates. Scrappy player is perhaps the most well-rounded 10th man among the playoff teams, and he has finally made up his mind to post up smaller defenders in order to take advantage of game situations. New nickname is "Spanky", because there isn't a game in which he doesn't get his shot blocked at least once.
Kobe
Before: Problem child. Need I say more?
After: MVP. 'Nuff said.
Let the fun-and-games begin. It's showtime all over again in the City of Angels, where winnin' time happens.
- Believe it or not, the once left-for-dead Phoenix Suns have turned it around and it's all because of Mike D'Antoni and his coaching staff. He has finally found a way to incorporate and involve The Big Diesel into the system. That high double-post set on offense is being utilized to perfection by Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and O'Neal. Kudos...
- While STAT's stats have gone up, Nash is still pick-n-rolling opponents to death and continues to find his three-point shooters within their new offensive set that still emphasizes ball movement, fluidity, but more importantly allows O'Neal to do his thing, whether it's attacking the offensive boards, finding the open man, or simply making his presence felt. And with Boris Diaw slowly starting to find his groove, the Suns actually have a legitimate shot of reaching the NBA FINALS...
- If Shaq doesn't get hurt and continues to average 15 and 10, the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs will have to revise their game plan...
- Although he may not win MVP, Chris Paul is the best guard in the NBA pound for pound...
- A New Orleans Hornet deserves a regular season award this year. Byron Scott for Coach of the Year, because his team has maintained its position atop the West the entire season...
- Kobe Bryant deserves to be MVP while any other year Paul would win the award. Tim Duncan should win MVP every year and we all know it, but we have to make it fun for the fans so we use statistics as indicators instead. Kevin Garnett already won an MVP but this time around he has a much better supporting cast and he's missed some games so it ends there for KG. Lebron James has to wait his turn to be crowned King of the NBA, especially if the team he plays on won't even qualify for the playoffs in the West...
- Nice to see The Birdman out of his cuckoo's nest and flying again...
- If the Dallas Mavericks wind up playing the New Orleans Hornets in the first round, I would not be shocked if the Mavs do to the Hornets what the Warriors did to them last year...
- Everybody keeps talking about how Elton Brand would fit in perfectly with Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion in Miami. No one is talking about the possibility of Brand in a GoldenState Warriors uniform. Imagine a lineup of B-Diddy, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Andres Biedrins, and Brand. Scary to think of that team running up and down the court...
- The fact that Washington was minus-19 with Gilbert Arenas on the floor during the Wizards' loss in his first game back makes me realize that the uninspired, video game playing blogger known as Agent Zero would make a perfect Los Angeles Clipper. Welcome back to L.A., Gilbert. We already know you're coming...
- If the Atlanta Hawks started the season with Mike Bibby running the point, they would be ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference playoff race right now...
- Golden State will not make the playoffs this year because they play only one style of basketball. At least Denver and Dallas can go inside if they wanted to...
- The key to the recent surge by the Denver Nuggets to propel them back in the playoff hunt hasn't been Carmelo Anthony or Allen Iverson. It's been the player who's rediscovered his talents, Kenyon Martin...
- The Utah Jazz have the best home record in the NBA but is only 16-22 on the road. They will be the featured topic on the next episode of Unsolved Mysteries...
- The fact that the Los Angeles Lakers did not sign Chris Webber and chose to bring in D.J. Mbenga instead solidifies Mitch Kupchak for Executive of the Year. Many will say Danny Ainge, but the entire universe knows Kevin McHale was the one responsible for the revival in Boston. And guys like James Posey, Eddie House, and Sam Cassell decided to go green not because of Ainge but because of Garnett. Kupchak built his team from the ground up with his best player threatening to go elsewhere. Ainge used a former MVP to entice free agent veterans to come join the fray...
- For the first time since the 1980's, fans will hear "Beat L.A." chants more than ever in every city the Lakers will play in during the playoffs...
- I love how every contending playoff team's fans will chant "MVP! MVP! MVP!" for their star player even though they know he won't win the award. It goes to show how fans are once again loving this game...
- The regular season MVP Award is the most overrated award in all of professional sports. On paper, the Phoenix Suns should win it all because they have three MVP-type players in O'Neal, Stoudemire, and Nash. The Celtics have two in Paul Pierce and KG, the Rockets have Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, and the Nuggets have Melo and A.I. The funny thing is that neither of these teams will make it to the NBA Finals...
- The biggest mistake anyone can make in the postseason is to sleep on the Detroit Pistons. Like in 2004, they are at their best when flying under the radar. That was the same way in which the great Joe Dumars approached the game and it was what made him a legend in Motown...
- Fans are always looking for storylines when it comes to the NBA Finals. We all want to revive the battles between the Lakers and the Celtics. We all want to see Kobe vs. Lebron in the Finals, which would be the new version of Bird vs. Magic. We all wish that Phoenix played in the East so we'd have a chance to see Kobe vs. Shaq in the Finals. But it almost always seems to never work out as we expect it to be. Who would have thought that Cleveland would make it to the big dance last year? That's why in 2008, it will be...
- Lakers over the Pistons in the 2008 NBA Finals. Just like Mike versus the Bad Boys in the late eighties, Kobe finally gets past Detroit when it counts most.
- And finally: If you don't love this game, check yourself. 'Til next time...
Payback sure is a b!*#* When spoiler Sacramento was up 71-60 over the Lakers at halftime, I turned off the television. I knew right away the purple-and-gold did not come ready to play.
The Lakers were scoreboard watching. They saw that San Antonio had lost to Phoenix earlier in the day and they relaxed. Above all, they thought the Kings would fold flat like a lawnchair and instead it was Los Angeles who folded. Just like a lost poker hand.
The symptoms of the old Los Angeles Lakers began to show up in the third quarter. The old tentative Kobe was on display tonight and it was not pretty.
And believe me, I know exactly what Kobe Bryant was thinking and his play tonight sure wasn't indicative of how an MVP player should perform and lead his team to victory.
He scored 20 points in the first half as he attacked aggresively through the Kings defense yet his team was down big. So what did Pinkie Bryant do? He deferred to his teammates in the second half and it hurt the team immensely. I'm pretty darn sure that's what was going through his mind in the locker room at halftime. He felt he needed to stop shooting so much and get his teammates involved and he paid a huge price. He let his team down.
His serious lack of aggressiveness on both sides of the ball led him to become cold in the fourth quarter and because he stopped shooting he didn't have that same killer instinct that we have grown to become accustomed to all season. In the last three minutes of the game Bryant missed an easy driving layup and missed a critical free throw, which consequently decided the outcome of the game.
And the last shot of the game in which he was falling away 22 feet from the basket? That was a result of Bryant's poor judgment and court vision. With 4.6 seconds left, he got the ball at the top of the key, drove to the right, directly into a double-team with Mikki Moore waiting on the wing. Bryant chucked it with the 6-11 Moore flying right at him causing him to fade away from the target and his shot fell short.
Wanna know what Lebron James would have done? The King would have driven left away from the double team and James would have either dunked the ball or gotten to the foul line. James said it himself recently that when time is running out, it almost seems as if everything is in slow motion and he takes his time and looks for the best way to score or find an easier shot for his teammates. That's the mentality of an MVP-type player.
Not to say that Kobe doesn't have it because he does. In fact, Kobe is a better closer and defender than Lebron. But Bryant still has a lot of growing up to do because sometimes he gets away from what he really needs to do, much like James on occasion. The point is that we still aren't able to expect Kobe and Lebron to lead their respective teams on a nightly basis the same way Michael Jordan did for his Bulls time and time again. Michael was an immense threat every single minute on the floor, much to the dismay of his opponents and that in itself broke his adversaries down mentally before they even stepped on the court with him. The psychological advantage that Jordan had over his oppponents is what separated him from the rest of the league. Teams knew when Jordan had that 'look' in his eyes, it was all over. Magic had the same quality. So did Larry Legend and Isiah Thomas. They did whatever it took to win a game. And accomplished it with intelligence and court savvy, not just on sheer talent and will. The legends of the game knew how to mend it all together to form the most complete basketball weapon. Kobe is on his way, but he isn't there yet.
Bryant the MVP? Maybe that's the popular vote but I am not that impressed yet, especially after tonight's contest. This was one Bryant surely would want to take back 10 times out of 10.
Instead of deferring his offense, what Kobe should have done was increase his intensity on defense to set the tone for the rest of his team. Because in the second half, the Lakers defense did not improve any better than the first half. They led 113-112 with about 15 seconds left and after the Kings called a timeout to set up a play, Beno Udrih and Brad Miller broke down the Lakers mediocre defense with a simple back screen cut that got Derek Fisher lost and caused a foul by Sasha Vujacic.
Every time the Lakers made a mini run in the third and fourth quarters, the Kings would come right back and run their predictable pick-n-pop with Brad Miller, who'd easily find a cutter or two leading to layups and dunks by guys like Udrih, Moore, and Francisco Garcia. The Lakers played so poor defensively that it overshadowd another excellent effort by PauGasol and Lamar Odom.
Now if I'm the MVP of planet earth, I would have guarded the Kings' best playmaker and Kobe was nowhere to be found near Udrih in the Lakers' final defensive stand. Where were you Mamba? Where was that leader in you we all thought you had become?
Now I'm sure this is just a temporary setback and the Lakers will once again be true to form in their upcoming games, but this loss will be tough to sw@llow for Lakers fans simply because there is absolutely no reason why L.A. should have given this game away. And it was the way they lost that is so discouraging. At least the Spurs lost to the Suns playing their style of ball. There was nothing positive whatsoever that the Lakers could have taken from this game.
But this is all part of the growing process for Bryant and I'm sure that after he watches the tape, he will realize how he was solely responsible for losing this one for the team. MagicJohnson and Larry Bird never would have let this happen. And we all know how MichaelJordan would have never allowed his teammates to relax one bit. Not at home in front of a raucous crowd. Not with first place in the west and home court advantage on the line.
Kobe has been a vocal leader all year long but throughout tonight's game his lips were as sealed as a cd case straight out of the factory.
If the Lakers want to stake their claim as the best team in the league bar none, Kobe has to play with a sense of urgency. It starts with Bryant because ultimately his teammates will follow his lead. They tried to do that tonight but unfortunately, Bryant wasn't there to lead. For once, he became a follower.
It's time for Phil Jackson to use the force and work his zen magic on his young padawan because by the looks of their recent performances, I'm beginning to think maybe Pinkie Bryant and the Young Guns haven't meditated in a while.
Alright ladies and gentlemen, it's time to play some basketball! In less than a week, the NBA suddenly became a lot more interesting, providing sportsfans a seamless transition from football.
So I start to wonder...
- Now that new Suns centerShaquille O'Neal has decided he wants to be the one responsible for keeping the greatKobe Bryant from having another shot at a title, where does this put Phoenix in the grand scheme of things? And what is Shaq's real weight these days?
- Which team would win in a seven-game playoff series? The Young Guns with the best closer in the game, who has a supporting cast consisting of two All-Star caliber seven-footers and lengthy multi-position players who hustle and play defense? Or the runnin'-n-stunnin' veteran bunch with a former champion past his prime, who'll screen-and-roll alongside arguably the best PG in the league and who will join a high-fly act and an assortment of long range gunners?
- Now that the NBA is beginning to really shape into form and the stars are properly being aligned, who becomes the favorite to capture the O'Brien Trophy?
- As we undergo the makings of a fairy tale season, what team now possesses the most potent core unit?
In the east, you've got "The Boston Three Party." Cleveland has King James and the Knights of the (Mike) Brown Table. Detroit has a bad boy and a bunch of princes in a palace, while a magical kingdom called Orlando has something "big" to brag about. But let's not forget about The Flash and The Matrix, coming soon to a theater near you.
Out west, the Young Guns of Hollywood continue to be the story of the year and the blazin' Suns look to get even hotter by switching to diesel. The defending champion Spurs have the luxury of knowing how to win at the highest level while their Dallas neighbor is keeping a close watch nearby. Byron Scott has the Hornets buzzin', and it's the same ol' jazz tune being sung in Utah.
- Since blockbuster trades seem to be the theme for 2008, are we going to see Yao and T-Mac team up with Jason Kidd? Or will Kidd wind up in Portland, so he can lob passes to Greg Oden, Travis Outlaw, Brandon Roy, and Martell Webster? Either way, Kidd wouldn't mind having a center who could actually play like a center.
- The disgusted Dwyane Wade and Miami Heat continue to experience a long and disappointing campaign, as losses keep mounting. In his new reality commercial, Dwyane Wade similarly grows frustrated as Charles Barkley's annoying calls to him begin to mount. Funny how life works sometimes.
Whatever happens in the next few months, one thing is certain: the next five years are promising to be the greatest period of competition the NBA will have ever experienced. It is so competitive in the Western Conference that a two game losing streak could drop you from second to seventh in a matter of hours. Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers. They were atop the conference standings for two days, then quickly dropped from first to sixth after one loss!
And there is balance between youth and veterans around the league, there is parity between teams, and above all there is a significant amount of All-Stars, SuperStars, and SuperDuperStars that are on contending teams.
The National Ballers Association is primed and ready for topnotch action. It's where amazing things happen, so let's get ready to rumble!
In typical Hollywood fashion, the entire league was taken by storm when it was announced that former All-Star Pau Gasol had been traded to the rising Los Angeles Lakers. Once again the Lakers find a way to steal the spotlight at the right moment, in the midst of Super Bowl Weekend.
Around here in L.A., it was Super Brown Weekend. Thanks to Kwame, the purple and gold might have just landed the missing ingredient it needs to become a contender for the NBA crown. Maybe the next time Kwame comes around to play against the Lakers in a Memphis uniform, the fans oughta give the guy a standing ovation.
