The consolation prize is dangling with the enticement of a toxic carrot for one team in the Eastern Conference to back into the eighth playoff spot. And the good news is most of the inter-conference play is over, which means they’ll essentially be slugging it out between themselves for the distinction of being put to bed by the powerful Celtics.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t the obvious benefit of experience and extra money for teams that haven’t been there forever like the currently No. 8 Atlanta Hawks. Their last postseason was nine years ago, so both general manager Billy Knight and coach Mike Woodson have been regarded as on the verge of being unemployed because of that familiar underachievement song.
Or consider the long-shot Charlotte Bobcats, suddenly five games behind the Hawks with 15 to play. . They were in the mix to crash the party for the first time in the five-year history of the franchise until the past week under rookie coach Sam Vincent; a four-game tailspin has essentially taken them out of the picture.
And in between we’re left with the New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers – all of whom have suffered horribly disappointing seasons. Playing for the final spot as opposed to home court brings to mind whether their preference is to make the playoffs or slip into the draft lottery with the infinitesimal odds of moving into the top four in the NBA Draft.
In the case of the Hawks, it’s a moot point because their pick goes to the Phoenix Suns as part of the payback from the controversial Joe Johnson sign-and-trade acquisition in the summer of 2005 that created a split in the ownership group that continues even today. With a half-game lead over the Nets, they desperately need to get into the playoffs – particularly after swinging the trade for Mike Bibby last month that presumably ended the perpetual need for a point guard.
Despite their recent three-game winning streak that pushed them ahead of the Nets, they Hawks have won only four of their last 10 games – so vulnerability lingers. But on the bright side, eight of their final 15 games are at home, with only three of those games against teams playing better than .500 ball. In many ways, this is the perfect opportunity for Johnson, who has averaged 27.8 points and 7.1 assists over the past nine games, to prove he’s more than just a token All-Star and the guy who can carry them to a new height.
It’s a different deal for the Nets. They’ve been in the playoffs the past six years and into the second round the last two. President Rod Thorn is rebuilding them on the fly – unloading discontented Jason Kidd and adding youth around veterans Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson – the most prominent being Kidd’s replacement Devin Harris.
The Nets seemingly have the edge – certainly in experience and generally speaking in talent. However, nine of their final 16 games are on the road, with six of those games against winning teams. And we’ll learn a lot quickly, with New Jersey playing at Chicago tonight before the Hawks come to Meadowlands in a big one tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Bulls and Pacers have been dancing around each other most of the season as they generally do, only this season while languishing. The Bulls are still trying to see if their new pieces fit. Ten of their final 16 games are at home, including the next four against the Nets, Spurs, Pacers and Hawks. Perhaps more importantly, they’ll find out how well Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden add to the cause less than a month after their big three-way trade with Cleveland and Seattle.
And lastly we have the broken-down Pacers, lost in the abyss since their brawl with Pistons fans 4½ years ago, they’ve been weighed down not only by uneven play on the court, but constant problems after hours. Nobody is happy with what has happened since Larry Bird presumably took the reins from Donnie Walsh as team president even before the brawl. And now the 67-year-old Walsh, with the title of CEO, apparently is either going to retire or take over another team next season. Jermaine O’Neal and Jamaal Tinsley have been broken the entire second half of the season – reflective of how Bird has waited far too long to move either player.
Nonetheless, they’ve been hanging in there since the All-Star break behind the sweet-shooting Mike Dunleavy’s career-best season, and they’ve got the best schedule – nine of 15 at home, with only two games against playoff-bound teams.
Logic says the Hawks are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 1999 or, to put it into perspective, three jobs ago for their now-retired coach Lenny Wilkens. Not only is it huge for Woodson and Knight to keep their lofty positions, but it will show if Johnson has mentally grown into his immense talent. That’s not to diminish the value of Bibby, the multi-skilled Joshes – Smith and Childress, Marvin Williams or rookie-of-the-year candidate Al Horford. This is why they got Johnson in the first place.
In this wacky NBA season when as many as 10 teams are legitimate contenders to take the title away from the defending champion Spurs, three major stars have changed teams in the past two weeks. That unprecedented movement has changed the landscape of the already fierce competition in the Western Conference.
When the Mavericks finally acquired point guard Jason Kidd from the Nets along with Malik Allen and Antoine Wright in exchange for Devin Harris, Trenton Hassell, DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, retired forward Keith Van Horn, two first-round picks and $3 million, it gave the Mavs the tough leadership they’ve been lacking while on the brink of a title the past three seasons.
But is it bigger than the Suns’ acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal from the Heat for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks on Feb. 6?
And how do either one of them compare to the Lakers receiving Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, two first-round draft choices and the rights to Marc Gasol on Feb. 4?
They obviously were all major moves with the intent being winning now. Consider for a moment the Suns (37-16) entered the All-Star break with the second-best record in the West – just percentage points behind the 36-15 Hornets, while the Lakers (35-17) have the third-best record, the Spurs (34-17) fourth and the Mavs (35-18) fifth. You want a great stretch run? This promises to be one of the most exciting races of the past 20 years considering nine teams are within 4½ games of the top spot in the West.
But to have players of this magnitude traded in such a short period of time – and some potentially busy days remain before the Feb. 21 trade deadline – it has to make you wonder if anything else is about to happen. Will the Nuggets make a move for Ron Artest or Sam Cassell? Will the Jazz look for help up front with the likes of Artest or Ben Wallace?
Considering the movement of Gasol, O’Neal and Kidd, who can doubt anything at this point?
And yet, there is a difference between the three big deals … and the Lakers win, big time.
Both the Mavs acquiring Kidd and the Suns getting O’Neal are gambles that may pay dividends in the short term, but they will suffer ramifications in the long run.
For the Mavs, giving up Harris and Diop is a questionable decision, if only because Kidd has maybe two more years of effectiveness after this season on legs that will turn 35 next month. At the same time, they will have lost the interior defense of Diop while sticking with Erick Dampier, who is at best good for a couple games in a row before he’s hurt, ineffective or just indifferent. And by the time Kidd is done, Harris has the potential to grow into an effective, lightning-quick point guard comparable to Tony Parker.
Kidd does give them the toughness and leadership that has prevented them from winning it all in recent years. Yes, they’re still near the top of the Western Conference with their record. But that’s because they have more overall talent that nearly every team in the league. They’re 12-14 on the road this season compared to 31-10 a year ago, and just how they would compete with the best of the West in the postseason is highly debatable. This move reeks of desperation, and yet with Kidd hitting the boards, distributing the ball and his relentless defense, they’re better suited for a playoff run this season. Beyond the 2008 playoffs, though, all bets are off.
The same goes for the Suns getting O’Neal. He’ll be 36 in three weeks. He’s played in only 32 games this season, as his 330-pound frame continues to slide down that slippery slope toward retirement. He has been more ineffective than his 14.2 points and 7.8 rebounds would indicate. His knees, hips, feet and quads – essentially his lower extremities, period – have virtually no tread left. Of course, he will be a factor on defense because he has been one of the greatest centers ever, knows the game, and at 7-1, 330, still takes up an enormous amount of space. He can pass the ball on offense and dunk.
But this still flies right in the face of coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense, while ignoring how ineffectual O’Neal is in the pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop, which is the bread and butter of what All-Star point guard Steve Nash does in the half-court offense.
That’s not to say Marion has more value than O’Neal. He had become a constant pain to the organization, whining in the locker room about shots, and wanting a huge extension that was far greater than his value. Nonetheless, he’s the guy who matched up defensively with the other team’s best scorer. He’s the one who made the steal or the block, grabbed the loose ball or the big rebound. Boris Diaw will run the floor, move the ball better and hit some open jumpers. But he doesn’t play at the same speed. Grant Hill has a little left in the tank, but not what Marion brought to the table either. And let’s not forget that Nash has back and shoulder issues at the age of 34.
This move maybe doesn’t have the same long-term ramifications as the Mavs giving up Harris and Diop, plus there’s always the outside shot that O’Neal really can get it together and have some juice left for a playoff run. But this is probably the last gasp for that to happen for the Big Question Mark. It’s not a bad bet, just another short-term gamble.
As for the Lakers, there was no gamble at all. The Grizzlies were tired of losing and paying Gasol so much money, and he was tired of being there. What the Lakers gave up to get an All-Star 7-footer amounted to a few shirts, two pairs of pants and some free airline tickets. The Lakers had already helped their depth in the off-season and the bench was remarkably effective around Kobe Bryant. Their problem isn’t the roster. It’s injuries. Not only did they lose young, blossoming 7-foot center Andrew Bynum to a knee injury that will keep him out another month, it’s impossible to know how the 20-year-old will respond to his first injury and the heat of a playoff run. And now what was considered a minor dislocation to the pinky finger on Bryant’s right hand has manifested into a torn ligament and surgery that would keep him out six weeks has been recommended.
This trade was a steal. But the injuries will make it difficult for the Lakers to win it all this season. Bryant has to make a decision quickly about what to do with his hand, and neither option is good. But even if they hang in there somehow and make a run at it this season, that’s not the point. They will be better next year with Bynum having another season of growth and playing next to Gasol and Lamar Odom, with Bryant and either Derek Fisher or Jordan Farmar at point – plus that swollen bench. So if the Lakers can’t quite get it together this spring, it’s easy to go on the record right now as saying the Lakers are the favorites to win the NBA title in 2009.
So which of the three teams made the best deal?
No contest … now if all those fair weather Lakers fans calling for general manager Mitch Kupchak’s head will please step forward, grab your ankles and take your medicine, we can get this over with. Mitch, will you please take the big paddle with the holes in it? And when we’re finished, the knuckleheads in L.A. will have no alternative but to look at you and respond, “Thank you sir, may I have another.”
Jason Kidd may yet end up with the Dallas Mavericks as the cornerstone of the seven-player deal with the New Jersey Nets that was apparently completed Wednesday … but not unless Devean George says so.
You see, the nine-year veteran forward is on his second contract with Mavs, and because can he invoke his “Early Bird Rights” to be paid above the salary cap under Collective Bargaining Agreement rules, it also allows him to veto a trade. Agent Mark Bartelstein figured it was best to discuss this with George first and initially block the trade.
Of course, that didn’t do much for George’s popularity in Dallas during the Mavs’ 20-point win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday. He drew taunts from the crowd, started unexpectedly because Josh Howard’s back is still having problems, and George’s response was a goose egg – 0-for-11 from the field in 33 minutes.
Nonetheless, this is an enormous deal that has far-ranging ramifications for the Western Conference and could either cause the two teams to reconsider the deal altogether, attempt to reconstruct it with different players, or just hope George ultimately concedes and ends up with the Nets.
But if he does stand by his rights and Kidd never does get moved to the Mavs, it wouldn’t be the first time one player got in the way of a huge deal. In fact, it brings to mind the infamous Matt Geiger. You remember Geiger, the balding 7-footer who played for the Heat, Hornets and Sixers during his 10-year career, don’t you?
What most people don’t remember, however, is how he changed the course of NBA history.
In the summer of 2000, the Sixers initiated a four-team, 12-player trade that included the Hornets, Pistons and Lakers that would have sent Allen Iverson and Geiger to the Pistons, with 10 others players swapping uniforms from coast-to-coast. But Geiger had a $1.2 million trade kicker that he wouldn’t give up, so the NBA wouldn’t approve the deal because the extra money imbalanced the salary cap rules among the 12 players. Consequently, the trade wouldn’t work as it was constituted, and there were so many other moving parts, the four teams walked away from the trade.
Well, the Sixers – with Iverson and Geiger – proceeded to win the Eastern Conference and even beat the Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals before falling in five games. Iverson won the Most Valuable Player award that season, and he and coach Larry Brown continued their love/hate relationship for another two years until Brown left for Detroit. Iverson, of course, stuck around until he was dealt to Denver last season.
Nonetheless, that gave Geiger a legacy that carries far more weight than the 6.1 points and 4.0 rebounds he averaged that storied season for the Sixers or the 9.2 points and 5.7 points he averaged during his journeyman career.
As for George, well, the 30-year-old already has three championship rings having been on that Lakers team that beat the Sixers, along with the Pacers and Nets during the 2000-02 run. In fact, the 2002 win featured the 6-8, 220-pounder draining an unlikely number of 3-pointers during the Finals that allowed him to sign an inflated four-year, $18.5 million contract that the Lakers soon regretted.
And that brings us back to the more reasonable $2.5 million contract he has today that fits a role player averaging 3.6 points in 14 minutes a game. In fact, it even emphasizes the obvious fact that “Early Bird Rights” or not, with those kind of numbers at his age, he’s not going to get more money than the $2.5 million he’s making regardless of the CBA.
So what’s it going to be, DG?
You either accept the deal or live in infamy alongside Geiger.
As if things weren’t bad enough for the New Jersey Nets and their deteriorating relationship with point guard Jason Kidd, he came out full throttle this week with what everybody seemed to know:
“I want out!”
A lot of good that does Nets president Rod Thorn now, when it comes to moving a soon-to-be 35-year-old point guard scheduled to make more than $41 million over this season and next, with the genesis of his unhappiness coming from the inability to get an extension. As early as the middle of last season, the buzz had begun about Kidd on the move. He is, after all, guaranteed to land in the Hall of Fame, is about to secure his 100th triple-double and is still the best player in the league when it comes to grabbing the ball off the board and running a fast break.
All of that is well and good … but who can afford the asking price from the Nets and the salary that comes along with it?
His desire to play with Kobe Bryant and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak’s refusal to include young center Andrew Bynum in the deal is what set off Bryant’s offseason tirade that drew so many headlines. Bynum’s present knee injury notwithstanding, it is clear Kupchak did the right thing. Depleting the Lakers’ already shallow front line for Kidd was not the right thing to do.
That translates into the Lakers now being out of the equation. And with both Damon Stoudamire (evidently headed to San Antonio after a buyout in Memphis this week) and Sam Cassell (available from the Clippers for the right price) available, it lowers the market value for Kidd. The Spurs and the Celtics obviously don’t have the players to deal for Kidd – and not even the inclination at this point, so to speak.
At the start of this season, the text message vogue had transferred from Kidd and Kobe to Kidd’s desire to play with LeBron James in Cleveland for the point guard-challenged Cavs. That made for cute copy, too. But Thorn isn’t going to take ludicrously overpaid combo-guard Larry Hughes, nor is he interested in Drew Gooden and a slew of expiring contracts. Thorn just isn’t prone to such acts of desperation.
That takes us back to the Western Conference and two places left – Denver and Dallas. Sure, the Nuggets would love to have him. They could finally have someone to trust with the ball in their hands other than Allen Iverson, who isn’t constantly looking at the rim, and is a great on-the-ball defender. It might even smooth out the process of ball movement between Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, neither of whom functions well without the ball.
The problem is, how are the Nuggets going to get him? Overpaid young center Nene was of questionable value before his latest medical issue – a malignant tumor on his testicle. Now what’s he worth on the market? Are the Nets inclined to take back Kenyon Martin – coming off back-to-back surgery on each knee – flotsam, jetsam and draft picks? Saying that’s highly doubtful would be an understatement.
That leaves us with the Mavs and owner Mark Cuban, who is always game for the sensational. Sure, Jason Terry, Devean George and Erick Dampier get this deal done on paper. But would the Nets want to take on all that money for Terry and Dampier over the next few years? No way. If they’re going to pay all that money to Dampier, then they want either Josh Howard or Devin Harris instead of Terry.
Essentially, that leaves the ball in the court of Cuban, who as we all know is prone to some fancy dancing when necessary. Of course, there is always the possibility of multiple teams getting involved because of Kidd’s $19 million-plus contract this season. But that rarely occurs during the season; and with the trade deadline Feb. 21, it is even less likely to happen now.
So what happens? Well, it sounds like Stoudamire is headed to the Spurs, while the Nuggets and Celtics stew over how much they want to deal for Cassell.
As for Kidd, my guess is the Nets will hem and haw, just barely make the playoffs in the East, and get knocked out in the first round with Kidd as their point guard. There will be an unhappy tolerance, and after the Mavs make another premature playoff exit, then they’ll trade for Kidd … months too late.
The NBA Finals start tomorrow, and you are the general manager/coach in this fantasy series.
In an excruciating turn of events, you lost your point guard in yesterday’s massive media session. He got his leg caught in the mass of wires from television cameras and fell in the throng of media members as he was coming down off the podium in the corner of the gym (if you’ve ever seen this mess, you’d understand how this could happen). The consequence was a torn knee ligament in his knee.
Everyone is irate and the NBA humiliated.
Consequently, you get your choice of point guards for the series from all the non-competitors.
Two future Hall of Fame vets – JasonKidd or Steve Nash; or two stars on the rise, Chris Paul and Deron Williams are on the list. Granted, Williams and Paul are only in their third season, but both are on the brink of greatness, and both Kidd (35 in March) and Nash (34 next month) are close but not quite on that slippery slope.
It’s tough to justify Paul (22) or Williams (23) due to their lack of experience, but both are so explosive and do so many things well, it’s worthy of discussion. Paul is smaller, slicker and quicker with his hands and the ball for the Hornets – similar to Nash – averaging 21.1 pts., shooting almost 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from long-range and .884 from the line, plus 10.4 assists and 2.4 steals. Meanwhile, Williams is bigger and stronger like Kidd, with a better long-range stroke than anybody but Nash – averaging 19.3 points, 9.2 assists, while shooting .517 from the field, .396 from 3-point range and .782 from the line.
It’s a tossup between the two youngsters in a lot of ways because it’s so early and they’ve yet to establish substantial playoff profiles. Would you pick one of them instead of the vets?
There’s plenty to think about in the case of both Kidd and Nash. Kidd has played in 100 playoff games, including the 2002 and 2003 NBA Finals with the Nets. Nash has played in 97 postseason games, but has yet to make it to the NBA Finals has been to the conference finals with the Suns twice.
They are still the premiere passing point guards in the game today, making passing the ball on the break not a skill but an art form with either hand.
But they reach those moments from divergent angles and skill sets. Kidd is the triple-double king of this era with his ability to clean the boards, find his teammates and score when necessary. And while he has hit 3-pointers at a tolerable .333 pace, he has barely been a 40 percent field goal shooter in his career. What makes him special is his defense – strength and hands – better than any other point guard of the era with the exception of his childhood mentor Gary Payton.
Nash won back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006, taking the run-and-gun Suns to a new level of play and really creating an accelerated style the NBA hadn’t seen in years. He is not only a spectacular passer, but one of the best shooting point guards in NBA history – shooting better than 50 percent from the field the past four seasons, nearly 47 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free throw line. And while Kidd’s Achilles’ heel is his shooting and his knees, Nash is a sieve on defense with a reluctant back and shoulder issues. Oh, he has great hands, but his feel for the game is built for scoring, not preventing it.
My first reaction is to take Paul, having the best year of any point guard and leading the surprising Hornets to first place in the Southwest Division.
Or I could take Kidd because of his extraordinary ability to get the ball in so many different ways, and then make things easy for his teammates to score. The problem is what happens when he has to shoot it.
Or there's Nash ... if he can’t get the ball to a teammate for an easy score, he can do it himself.
That leaves the ultimate question -- do you go with offense or defense? In most cases I’d go with defense, but in this one, at this moment, I’ll take Paul. He has no playoff experience, but he has to start somewhere.
In case you haven’t noticed, the taste of whine has left the lips of Kobe Bryant, and nobody has breathed a word about why the Lakers still have Andrew Bynum at center.
Gee, wonder why?
Maybe it’s because they do have the fourth-best record in the Western Conference at 16-9, and Bynum averaging a double-double – 11.1 points, 10.0 rebounds (plus 2.1 blocks) – has something to do with it. Indeed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s pupil is advancing now that he’s a mature 20-year-old.
Tuesday’s 103-91 win at Chicago was precisely the way this vintage of Lakers is most effective – which is not when Bryant scores 40 or more points. He had 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists and a block. All five starters finished in double-figures, and Sasha Vujacic came off the bench to lead them with 19. Bynum, by the way, had his requisite 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
At 15-9, the Lakers trail only San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas in the West. And, no, Bryant is not going to get traded. In fact, what team would have a better record than 15-9 had said team emptied its talent coffers to acquire His Petulance? Instead, the Lakers are just getting better. With the return of Derek Fisher, a healthy Lamar Odom and the continued growth of Luke Walton and Jordan Farmar, they are the same kind of team that started off 26-13 last year until injuries nailed them. And, they’ve added Trevor Ariza and subtracted Smush Parker, a huge plus.
And the reason they’ll keep getting better is Bryant will learn to create more for the other guys, particularly Bynum, the player he mocked last year when the Lakers refused to give him up for Jason Kidd. Bynum has played basketball competitively for such a short time in his life, nobody has a clue how good he will be, except that he’s bright, talented and huge. Every organization would love to have an Andrew Bynum, and he has everything to do with why Phil Jackson signed a two-year extension.
Losing Walton and Odom last season killed the Lakers, who were never the same even when they returned. It’s a leap to say this team will win the West, but L.A. is better than the team that blew a 3-1 series lead to Phoenix in 2006. So it’s time to lay off Mitch Kupchak and let this thing develop … they’re in a great spot right now.
It would seem to be only a matter of time before Rod Thorn takes a stick of dynamite to the Nets roster, beginning with Kidd. It may explain why Lawrence Frank started Josh Boone and Sean Williams instead of Jason Collins and Malik Allen on Monday against Sacramento. It didn’t matter much considering the loss was their sixth in the last seventh games and the insidiousness of it all has mostly come at home – losing eight of 10. But it is time to take inventory on the progress of their young players, with perhaps the grayest area of all being where talented 7-footer Nenad Krstic is on his slip-sliding road to recovering from ACL surgery 11 months ago.
Give credit to Kings rookie coach Reggie Theus for hanging in there despite a revolving- door lineup that began with Ron Artest’s suspension, Mike Bibby’s hand injury and the season-long groin injury to Kevin Martin. President Geoff Petrie had the foresight to steal point guard Beno Udrih for nothing when the Timberwolves stupidly released him, and that makes Bibby more expendable than ever for a big deal when he’s healthy over the next month. This team isn’t going to challenge for the West, but they are a playoff contender in the big picture.
The Bulls have continued battling their way up from the depths of their 2-10 start, but it’s way too early to get excited about anything. They’re just 6-4 since. The key numbers to watch belong to Ben Gordon, who turned down that more-than-generous $50 million contract. They’ve split their past eight games and Gordon is averaging 13.3, while shooting .368 from the field, which won’t do on a team that has no post game and relies on his shooting streaks.
The familiar Wagging Tongue of Air was on hand to show his Charlotte Bobcats how it’s done during practice on Tuesday. Sure, it was fun for rookie coach Sam Vincent to dream what it would be like to have managing partner Michael Jordan at small forward in actual games to help his young Bobcats gain some level of consistency. But at 44, not even Jordan would dare try it again. And now that they’ve obtained Nazr Mohammed from the Pistons to relieve some pressure from Emeka Okafor in the post, they’re hoping to gain traction. But with the losses of Adam Morrison and Sean May for the season to knee surgery, the great expectations of point guard Raymond Felton have to come sooner than later. And because of their youth overall, he just hasn’t made the strides that Deron Williams and Chris Paul have.
When LeBron James scored 31 points in Monday’s win over the Bucks, not only did it end a skid of eight losses out of nine games for the Cavs, but it made him the youngest player in NBA history to reach 9,000 points. With all he’s accomplished already, James won’t turn 23 until Dec. 30. Sometimes you just have to let the gifts ride, and obviously he has the intellect and temperament to maximize it all. Whether the organization has the brains and temperament to maximize James is the bigger question.
Anybody who questioned whether Sam Mitchell deserved coach of the year in 2007 certainly has no case now. He’s done an even better job with the Raptors this season considering the injuries to Chris Bosh, T.J. Ford and Jorge Garbajosa, while Andrea Bargnani has struggled mightily in a sophomore slump. Because of the rebirth o####reen Monster in Boston, they won’t repeat as Atlantic Division champs, but they’ll be even better come playoff time.
Nene will return to Nuggets practice this week after suffering torn thumb ligaments in Boston early last month. He’s played in only five games and the Nuggets can certainly use the help up front. But it’s hard to get excited about him coming back without wondering what the next malady will be. After missing only seven games his first two seasons, he’s played in only 125 of a possible 270 games. That’s some kind of gamble they made signing him to a $60 million deal prior to last season.
How bad has it gotten in New York? A group of 15 Knicks fans reportedly will demonstrate their disapproval of Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas on Wednesday with a giant pink slip for owner Jim Dolan to sign.
Everyone is irate and the NBA humiliated.
Nash won back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006, taking the run-and-gun Suns to a new level of play and really creating an accelerated style the NBA hadn’t seen in years. He is not only a spectacular passer, but one of the best shooting point guards in NBA history – shooting better than 50 percent from the field the past four seasons, nearly 47 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free throw line. And while Kidd’s Achilles’ heel is his shooting and his knees, Nash is a sieve on defense with a reluctant back and shoulder issues. Oh, he has great hands, but his feel for the game is built for scoring, not preventing it.
