We're at mid-season in the NBA, and there are some surprises, disappointments, but nothing extraordinary as we consider what will happen during the final 41 games of the 2007-08 campaign.
As anticipated from their super-deals of the offseason, the Boston Celtics have taken off in the Eastern Conference with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joining forces with Paul Pierce, while showing the value of young point guard Rajon Rondo. They've got the best record in the East, ahead of the Detroit Pistons, while the Phoenix Suns are a nose ahead in the West, with the Dallas Mavericks and upstart New Orleans Hornets just a game behind them.
We figured the New York Knicks would be a mess this season too, but nobody believed it could deteriorate this much for Isiah Thomas – with a staged boycott featuring a giant pink slip to be signed by owner Jim Dolan as the featured attraction.
But nobody could have figured the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls to be the two worst teams in the East, by a considerable amount – with Bulls coach Scott Skiles the first coach fired this season.
Those are just some of the issues that highlight/lowlight 2007-08 thus far as we provide the review:
Most Valuable Player: Kobe Bryant, Lakers
After a nightmarish summer of demands and rebuttals, no trade was made and Bryant led his young team to the best record in the West until young center Andrew Bynum dislocated his knee. Now young swingman Trevor Ariza broke his foot. It's beginning to look like a rerun of last season. Nonetheless, Bryant has been at his spectacular best both individually and in unison with his teammates. Also considered were Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard and LeBron James.
Least Valuable Player: Stephon Marbury, Knicks
Wherever he's been the team is worse than when he got there. He is so gifted and so overpaid and so strange, it's hard to fathom what he is anymore. The general consensus is one-part point guard, one-part shooting guard, one-part sideshow, which leaves only two other spots on the floor. Nobody else is even close.
Best coach: Nate McMillan, Trail Blazers
McMillan has taken the youngest team in the NBA that won 53 games combined over the last two seasons, lost No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden before the season, has them just a half-game out of first in the Northwest Division. Even so, he's hardly a clear cut-choice over Hornets coach Byron Scott or the Celtics' Doc Rivers, with Washington's Eddie Jordan also a worthy candidate.
Worst combo exec-coach: Pat Riley, Heat
For the second time in this decade, it appears Riley the president has just about killed Riley the coach. With the rapid physical decline of Shaquille O'Neal, off-season surgery for Dwyane Wade and the remaining roster filled with some promising youth, but mostly marginal players, they are stunningly bad. If anything else happens to O'Neal or Wade, they're going to rival the Dolphins, or the Marlins … can't remember which team was worse.
Best rookie: Kevin Durant, Seattle Sonics
With no Oden, the wondrously gifted Durant appeared to be a lock for this, but no longer. Oh, he's still easily the best scoring rookie, but that's only because he's on an awful team and has the green light to shoot and shoot and shoot. The coaching staff has done little to develop him and his skinny frame is tired. Atlanta's Al Horford is gaining ground on him rapidly, though, and Yi Jianlian has come along much faster than many believed. As for the older crowd, I'll give some props for Jamario Moon, for fighting his way from nowhere at the age of 27 to become a significant factor for the Raptors. But I'm not jumping on the Juan Carlos Navarro bandwagon, not only because the Grizzlies are awful, but because he's a 10-year veteran from Barcelona –one of the great leagues in the world.
Disappointing rookie: Corey Brewer, Timberwolves
Joining Horford and Joakim Noah as one of three top 10 picks from the two-time champion Florida Gators, nobody questioned Brewer's athleticism. But his shooting, well, it appears he finally got it above 30 percent – even to 35 percent. But on a bad team like this, they needed a lot more than that from the seventh overall pick. Actually Noah isn't that far behind in the disappointment category, even being voted a two-game suspension by his teammates for mouthing off at assistant coach Ron Adams. But I still expect Noah to have a significant second half.
Best executive: Danny Ainge, Celtics
Considered by many to be gathering players to compete in the Big East as opposed the Atlantic Division, Ainge and his insistence on trying to discover high school superstars were widely thought to be, well, nuts. But the lack of success created this off-season monster with the additions of Garnett and Allen. He's still the easy winner, but the gutted roster has little wiggle room if injuries strike as they have Rondo.
Worst executive: Kevin McHale, Timberwolves
Just as easy as picking Ainge was the selection of his old buddy McHale on the flip side. Handing over one of the great players in the era in Garnett for practically nothing, McHale now has put together such a horrible team, they are serious contenders for the all-time record of just nine wins set by the 1972-73 Sixers.
Best defensive player: Marcus Camby, Nuggets
Not only is Camby leading the league in blocks at 4.0 a game, he's also averaging 14.3 rebounds. Twice this season he has recorded double-figures in blocks this season. Over the past 10 games, he's averaging 14.7 rebounds and 5.0 blocks, including last week's gem of 11 blocks, 24 rebounds and 2 steals in a key win over Utah.
Worst defensive player; Antoine Walker, Timberwolves
It's so sad to see guys with talent like this just float from team to team making so many millions of dollars to underachieve. That's what makes times like these so special – when they can recognized with such dubious distinction.
Best sixth man: Manu Ginobili, Spurs
The value of Ginobili as the sixth man of the Spurs can only be quantified as a left-handed version of what Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek did for so many championship teams in Boston in the 1960s-70s. There is non-stop energy on both ends of the floor and clutch play that helps his team win the biggest of games. Leandro Barbosa is worthy of mention, but he's not really close.
Worst starter: Quentin Richardson, Knicks
Brought in to be a shooter for the Knicks, the 'Q' rating has bottomed out. In 38 starts he's shooting .329 from the field, .293 from 3-point range and .595 from the free throw line. There's no reason for him to be playing with so many interchangeable parts on that roster.
Most improved player: Chris Kaman, Clippers
While it would be easy to take someone more visible and focus on Dwight Howard's leap into superstardom or LaMarcus Aldridge's great year despite Greg Oden's absence, Kaman has moved himself into the upper-echelon of NBA centers. Despite injuries that have crushed the Clippers (Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston) and the breaking down of Sam Cassell, Kaman has gotten better and better. He's averaging 17.4 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.1 blocks – all three career-highs. He's more than doubled his defensive rebounds per game and he's also a terrific passer.
Most deteriorated player: Jermaine O'Neal, Pacers
Although his numbers of 15.3 points, 7.3. rebounds and 2.2 blocks aren't bad, they do show how rapidly his once 20-point, 10-rebounds, 3-block stats have gone downhill from the 2004-05 season as O'Neal has gone from superstar billing to sometimes All-Star. He is damaged goods – shutting it down for at least the next couple of weeks and perhaps the entire season to rest his left knee. He's missed 89 games before this most recent announcement over the past 3½ seasons. Still only 29, O'Neal will average more than $21 million in salary over the next three seasons. They hung on to him way too long.
Surprise team: Hornets
Despite moving back and forth from Oklahoma City to New Orleans, with the league-low in attendance despite numerous giveaways, this team continues to improve behind the coaching of Byron Scott and the terrific young trio of Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and David West. They don't have much depth, with Peja Stojakovic still so fragile and Morris Peterson inconsistent from the wings, but they are still battling with Dallas and San Antonio for first place in the toughest division of basketball in the world. Can they hang there? Also the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards deserve significant recognition.
Disappointing team: Bulls
For 10 years it's been tough for the Bulls, starting off the season with so many road games when the circus would come to town, but this year they became the circus. With contract offers spurned by Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, Scott Skiles' firing and all the pressure on John Paxson to make moves, they are slowly coming around with assistant Jim Boylan as the interim coach. But this never figured to be in the cards.
Best owner: Mark Cuban, Mavericks
Say what you want about him, he does whatever it takes for his team to win and gives them everything they need and much, much more just so they have the opportunity to succeed. He's as competitive as the players are, and mouthy, which makes him unpopular with so many. But so what? He doesn't care and they're winning at breakneck speed again.
Worst owner: Clay Bennett, SuperSonics
A tough situation was made worse when he bought the team prior to last season, and now they are in the throes of the worst two years in franchise history. He bought the team to move it Oklahoma City and he's torturing the fans and the city with horrible basketball so they'll let him go. The league should be ashamed of itself. He doesn't care about the team. He doesn't care about the fans. He just wants to take his ball and go home.
First team All-NBA
F-LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers F-Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics C-Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic G-Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers G-Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
Last team All-NBA
F-Antoine Walker, Minnesota Timberwolves F-Quentin Richardson, New York Knicks C-Kwame Brown, Los Angeles Lakers G-Charlie Bell, Milwaukee Bucks G-Sebastian Telfair, Minnesota Timberwolves
Quentin Richardson is easily the most physical defender on the Knicks and he gets the least valuable starter award. As if offense is the only part of basketball.
Richardson would be a valuable asset to a winning team but on the Knicks his defense is wasted. For sure he's struggled on the offensive end, but with so many scorers on the team you'd think that Q-Rich wouldn't need to score for the Knicks to be successful. Don't make him the scapegoat for Isaiah's mismatched roster.
Bryant has played spectacular, just as I expected. Kobe receives much criticism for being too "selfish" but just like last year when the Lakers began the season 26-13, he is more than willing to deferr to teammates as long as they continue to produce.
Some may counter that it is his reponsibility to keep them productive but he can't pass AND shoot for them.
McMillan has done a fantastic job. It's scary to think how good the Blazers could have been with a healthy Oden this season. Oden wouldn't have take away from their offensive chemistry because he's not a reliable low post scorer yet but he would be in the top 3 in blocks.
Pat Riley has lost it. 4 years later, it's clear who got the better end of the Shaq trade. The Lakers are among the best in the West, the Heat are the worst team in the league.
To those who feel Miami made the right decision because they won a title, how will you feel when Wade signs elsewhere in 2010?
Camby is a very good shot blocker but he's not an intimidating force. He only goes after shots he feels he can block and rarely alters those he can't.
The Bulls have been a disappointment thus far but they'll make the playoffs and make some noise while there. I'd love to see them acquire Gasol before the trade deadline.
In agreement with your "first" and "worst" teams.
Cheers.
Last edited by Hoffman on January 21st at 12:02 PM.
i honestly think both Kidd and Paul are better than Nash and 1 of them should be in the All 1st team instead of him. Q-Rich isnt the most physical defender, Jared Jeffries is. Shareef Abdur Rahim Darrell Armstrong and Shaq are more deterioated than JO. But I liked the article it isnt corny like the awards other writers give out
this article seemed fairly accurate except i doubt Kobe will get the MVP they are slipping with out their players but does the Cavs slip with any one gone but LeBron no and plus LeBron always does the Micheal thing by giving his teammates a chance to win and then win it comes clear that they can't he takes over and wins it except LeBron really doesn't get involved with his team until the fourth quarter until then he just stands around while Kobe runs the offense and i i'm usually impressed with what he does but maybe i should be impressed with Phil Jackson instead
Last edited by maconator77 on January 21st at 12:06 PM.
Kobe has been robbed of the mvp for the last 3 years straight and they will rob him again this year. Its a sad situation but hes playing in the shadows of mj and they will protect mj image for as long as possible. someday when kobe holds all of the records people will realize that they missed out on greatness.
I know Garnett has been huge in Beantown but Pierce is really found his niche. He is a complete player dumping the tag of selfish and me player. That's what some talent around a player will do.
I don't think Mchale got ripped in the Garrnet deal. Jefferson is going to be a beast, Gomes is steady, Gerald Green is one of the most physically talented players in the league. If they get his head on straight and he matures he will be an outstanding player. Plus they got draft picks also. They were not going to win a Championship with Garrnet and that is the only thing you play for.
That leads to the Shaq deal, despite thier downfall the trade for Shaq did get them a championship. Odom and the Lakers so far have not produced one. In the end no one remembers the great teams who never won it, nobody gets rings for that. Winner of Trade thus far goes to the Heat.
As for Kobe being the greatest ever, quit Idolizing, and be real. As great as he is he can not produce a Championship team without superior talent around him. Duncun has, Jordon has, and Lebron will.
I agree with you Moab. I think Big Al has a offensive game a little like Olajuwon and Gerald is an exciting player to watch. Gomes is a position rebounder and can score off putbacks. Throw in the draft picks and you have an okay trade. The only problem is that we're still talking about potential ability with the young players on the TWolves. We won't know if any of them live up to their potential until many years from now. Probably after McHale has been dismissed. For the next few years at least MN fans can look forward to the Slam Dunk Contest. I don't see anyone dethroning Gerald this year.
Nice job Kahn. I think the Lakers center Bynum might get consideration for most improved. He really stepped it up this year. Of course, his injury will take him out of consideration, I suppose.
OK Micheal you young whippersnapper you, you went and did this on purpose didn't you? After all the sniping you've done on Kobe you name him the mid- season MVP. And of course you're the professional writer and I'm the guy who takes out the trash but, hahaha, victories for the custodian are small indeed and don't pay at all but if you took a peek at my blog I posted the day before this, not only did I name Kobe also, you'd be suprised how much we agree on at this point. I may be older than you but by golly you're there and I'm watching through the blinds standing the dumpster but we both rolled a 7 on the big choice for once.
I don't even have to chastise you for a change. Keep up the good work son. We'll get you straightened out yet.
To say that Duncan and MJ didn't have superior teams around them is careless. I guess Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Dennis Rodman, John Paxson were the modern day Kwame Browns. When Kobe had the cast around him, he produced multiple championships. Lebron hasn't done anything yet so he shouldnt even be included in this argument.
The miami heat are in serious jeopardy, bur if they can address the starting line-up without having ot lose more players they will be fine, because the players they have, other than Dwyane Wade and possibly Udonis Haslem, are all really good bench options.
Mike I'm back after a serious read of your entire column. This is a first for us. I can't find one single pick that I'mm willing to obess about to any level much less my normal forthing rant.
I would say this. Manu is a favorite. He's key to the slithering in seams and knocking down the 3 when they sag to take the Lane from Parker. No arguement there. At the same time I do feel that at the halfway point that Jordan Farmar is just as key to the Lakers off the bench as Manu is to the Spurs. Is he as good player yet? No, but he is as key because he's the best the Lakers have at being the safety valve at hitting the kick out three, he's very mature for his age/experience, but most of all he takes a defender off of Kobe/other outside Lakers much of the time. This has been missing forever on the Lakers. Fish is great, he'll hit the baseline 3 and out front once in a while but Farmer is able to hit from higher above the arc which eliminates the two chase and box from underneath that has been done to the Lakers even when they were winning titles. He's very much a part of this Laker success to this point.
GR8UN - i have been saying this for years. surround kobe with 4 really good rebounders not named kwame, and let kobe shoot till the cows come home. would that not be fun to watch?
GR8UN - i have been saying this for years. surround kobe with 4 really good rebounders not named kwame, and let kobe shoot till the cows come home. would that not be fun to watch?
natewhite
Jan 21, 2008
2:28 PM GR8UN - i have been saying this for years. surround kobe with 4 really good rebounders not named kwame, and let kobe shoot till the cows come home. would that not be fun to watch?
*************
well nate those rebounders would have to be good passers as well.
it would do no good to get the rebound if they couldn't pass kobe's misses right back to him.
I was a little scared; but this game stayed neck and neck, all the way until the end. Thats what you call a good game.(Like Hercules and Sampson).
Now is the time, for Eli to make an example for himself, and help the NFC to re-captivate some wins for the Superbowl, know what I'm saying? that would be real proper.
We ain't worried about N.E. being 18-0, and getting kicked out. The Miami Dolphins, in 1972, were 17-0, when they played the Redskins, in the Superbowl, and got kicked out. It happened before, and it will happen again.Thats what I'm talking about. Come mon Eli, lets become a legend for the NFC, and re-captivate them Superbowls. We're gonna prove the AFC are not going to keep continuously winning them.
Yours Truly
bigtimer1254
"Jermaine O'Neal's contract may be a little extra desirable for one lucky reason: it comes off the books at the same time LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are free agents. And he's presumably available. The Nets, for instance, could consider a Vince Carter-centric package, as part of a scheme to nab a real star at about the time they will be moving to Brooklyn."
Once again we have the "Lebronists" out here. I would call them "Witnesses" but I have compassion especially when the only thing they've "witnessed" is a McDonalds National Player of the Year award.
Anyway, bottom line is this. Its harder to win in the West than in the East. Experts know this. Lebron's team would be a 9th or 10th seed in the West. Lebron is not making the people around him better this year.
Lebron is not a complete player. Bryant is.
And you cant use age as an excuse anymore. Lebron is 23 now. When Bryant was 23 he was walking in his third Championship parade being the second half of one of the greatest duos in history. At 23 Bryant also had two 1st Team All Defense and two 2nd Team All Defense. All Defense in which Shaq had nothing to do with.
The list goes on. Lebron is having a career year in rebounds. He is always in a great rebounding position when he doesnt guard anybody.
Yada Yada Yada...... You all know the story.
Now Kevin Garnett is a different story. I have always said that he is the second best player in the NBA. What he has done with the defensive mindset of the Celtics is unbelievable. He has always been a great scorer and an outstanding defender. He can make freethrows too. A BALANCED PLAYER.
The problem with a lot of you zealots and "Lebronists" is you cant comprehend the fact that there are two ends to a court.
But dont be discouraged. In Mike Kahn's contract it stipulates at least one of his articles be fair and balanced per season. This was the one! So he will be back to his Kobe bashing soon enough.
Back In Stride Again, we're gonna take it on the run, with the help of Eli Manning of the New York Giants, in making this Superbowl Victory a dynasty for the NFC. Ha? Thats exactly, what I was talking about. Deep in our souls. and deep in our hearts, we are going to plunder them Patriots, and taking them to the back of the World, just where they belong.
Keep up the good work Eli, this is definetely where we wanna be.
Yours Truly
Rod1254
Bigtimer
What do you mean the Dolfins were 17-0 when they played Washington, and got Kicked out.
We ain't worried about N.E. being 18-0, and getting kicked out. The Miami Dolphins, in 1972, were 17-0, when they played the Redskins, in the Superbowl, and got kicked out. It happened before, and it will happen again.
The Fins were 16-0 when the Superbowl started and they "Kicked washington out"
As for my comments on Jordon not having superior talent around him. Pippen rode on his curtails, could not rise above it without him' Rodman was one deminsional, don't even call Paxon Superior talent, Ginobli and Parker and the rest of the Spurs are very good role players not superstars and Roblinson was on the Decline big time when the Spurs won it that year. Shaq won without Kobe, almost twice once with Orlando. Kobe has won nothing without Shaq.
moab--don't come around here showing your ignorance. kobe bryant won the scoring title without shaq so don't you go saying that he never won anything without shaq.
the lakers are a .500 team with kobe as the face of the franchise because of stupid mitch kupchak, smush parker, and kwame brown.
i bet you if kobe had some championship caliber/ hall of fame type teammates he could at least lead them out of the first round.
nycgatorfan are you seriously defending a new york knick. Im a knick fan and seeing the once good 3-point sniper q rich slowly decay on the court is hard to watch. And if your defending his pathetic offense by saying hes good on D maybe he could teach Randolph and Curry how to play some. And if his D is so good then how come isiah wants to play jarred Jefferies more.
Oh! I forgot he won the scoring title, kind of like World B free. Did they hold a parade for him done there in LA.
Kobe is great, but you called him the greatest of all time, Ignorance is compared to denile. Kobe is not the Greatest Player, Teammate or even Guard of all time.
You need to get a clue. Obviously you dont know what you are talking about so go play at the little kids table.
Bring some facts and not just your ignorant opinion because you look like a fool.
What has Michael Jordan done without Scottie Pippen? And what has Scottie Pippen done without Jordan? Google it numby! Or you can read the comment I just posted and you'll know what Jordan did without Pippen.
Dont get me started on this stupid "he couldnt do it without so and so" subject again.
Shaq had nothing to do with Kobe being a good defender? It's easy to gamble when if you get beat Shaq is there. Shaq has been dunked on once in his career for a reason. Shaq was the reason for that three-peat. Lebron is a better passer and rebounder. Compare Lebron's roster to Kobe's it's not even close. The east has also won 2 of the last 4 championships.
moab
Jan 21, 2008
3:51 PM Oh! I forgot he won the scoring title, kind of like World B free. Did they hold a parade for him done there in LA.
Kobe is great, but you called him the greatest of all time, Ignorance is compared to denile. Kobe is not the Greatest Player, Teammate or even Guard of all time.
*************
yes we did hold a parade for both of kobe's scoring titles. and the turnout was bigger than any parades thrown for those stupid championships when shaq was finals MVP.
micheal jordan was a product of the system, and beings surrounded by hall of fame greatness.
GR8UN4
i bet you if kobe had some championship caliber/ hall of fame type teammates he could at least lead them out of the first round.
Exactly my point, Kobe need hall of fame caliber players to get out of the first round. Pippen would have never been considered for the HOF without Jordon, and you can't name an allstar teammate on Shaqs first time to the finals.
tcbdog
I am sure you would bury my #### and I don't need to goggle it.
Any player of that time will tell you the same. I am not a bulls fan but understand that all championships were built with more than one great player. I am stating that Jordon could have won it with anyone and Pippen could not.
As for GR8, your admitting that there was a Parade for a scoring title either shows your being sarcastic or your just lost.
Either way Kobe still not greatest title.
By the way if Scoring titles make you the Greatest the Wilt is the Greatest by far followed by MJ
LAKERS REPORT
Ariza out 8 weeks with broken foot
Gus Ruelas / AP
Lakers forward Trevor Ariza will miss about eight weeks because of a fractured bone in his right foot.
Lakers' depleted frontcourt will be fortified for the short term with the signing of center DJ Mbenga to a 10-day contract.
By Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
11:35 AM PST, January 21, 2008
Lakers forward Trevor Ariza will miss about eight weeks because of a fractured bone in his right foot, the team announced today.
u people just watch started watching. Shaq had Hardaway when he played with the magic. and Dennis Scott was pretty good too. Oh yeah Ncik Anderson was a allstar type player before penny and shaq got there.
Every team had stars on their team to say M.J won championship by himself is straight idiotic. M.J actually had the best put together team in their last three peat.
The point is that Shaq made those good players better. Three different teams to the finals.You could put Shaq on any team and get 50 wins.( well at least 4 or 5 yrs ago)I think people forget how dominant he was back then. Kobe is great but at that point in time Shaq would have won with Kidd,Macgrady,et al.
