2007-2008 was supposed to be different. The National Basketball Association which in recent years has been characterized by Western Conference dominance (seven of the last nine titles reside in the West, as well as the last six MVP’s) was supposed to see a rise in Eastern competitiveness.
The New York Knicks after a promising first half last season appeared to have turned things around. The Nets behind Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson were poised to contend for a title. After winning the Atlantic Conference last year, the Toronto Raptors, behind Chris Bosh and TJ Ford, were to become an up-and-coming and consistent force in the league. The Cleveland Cavaliers made the NBA Finals last year and many felt LeBron James had turned the page into becoming the best player in the game. The upstart Chicago Bulls were expected to give the more veteran teams in the league quite a challenge. And the Miami Heat, who only two seasons ago were hoisting the O’Brien Trophy, were to once again be led by their dynamic duo.
Currently, only one of the aforementioned teams is above .500. Meet the new boss, the same as the old boss… the Western Conference.
There have been a few pleasant surprises in the East. The Celtics Big Three look like potential NBA champions. The Orlando Magic behind man-child Dwight Howard raced off to a hot start. And the Detroit Pistons are still the Pistons. But questions even lie within these rosters. Will the Celtics add a veteran back-up point guard to provide support for young Rajon Rondo when it matters most… in June? Does anyone expect Rondo to contend with the likes of Tony Parker, Steve Nash or Deron Williams, never mind Chauncey Billups? Despite the hot start, the Magic have dropped seven of their last ten, are playing sub-.500 ball on their home floor and are allowing 100 points a game. And although steady, does Detroit have enough in their tank for one more title run.
The remaining Eastern Conference teams have been nothing less than tremendously disappointing…
Toronto Raptors (15-14): This team is waiting for someone to step up and become a third scorer. Bosh and Ford are talents but the rest of their roster is devoid of consistent, clutch scoring. Top draft pick Andrea Bargnani is averaging less than 10 points per game and is being outscored by teammate Jason Kapono.
New Jersey Nets (12-15): Is it any wonder that we hear weekly rumblings about Jason Kidd’s trade demands? For years, the Nets have failed to land an inside presence to help their backcourt. Show me a team where the point guard leads the team in rebounds and I’ll show you a team destined to get bounced in the second round of the playoffs, if they make the post-season at all. Can anyone even name the Nets starting power forward and center? I didn’t think so.
New York Knicks (8-19): On paper, the Knicks actually look like they could be a contender: Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph, Stephon Marbury, David Lee, Quentin Richardson. Unfortunately for Knicks fans, Isiah Thomas is still their coach and James Dolan is still their owner. With off-court problems casting a heavy shadow over the franchise, it’s unlikely the Knickerbockers will emerge and pose a serious threat in the Atlantic Division.
Cleveland Cavaliers (13-16): Ultimately, LeBron’s decision to re-sign with Cleveland when his contract is up will make or break this franchise. Their inability to surround him with top caliber talent might make his decision to bail easier. The front court of Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao is formidable, but they’re no Carlos Boozer. Daniel Gibson is a spark, but the Larry Hughes experiment has been a total failure. There’s only so much one man can do, even if he is the chosen one.
Chicago Bulls (9-16): Chicago’s inability to get it together just cost Scott Skiles his job, but the Bulls’ fate may have been sealed when they signed Ben Wallace to a long-term contract. I know Big Ben was acquired for his defense presence, but he may very well be the highest-paid player per point scored to ever play the game. He’s making $15 mil this season and averaging fewer than five points per game. You do the math. Kobe trade rumors may have distracted the team, but at this point, Chicago should have pulled the trigger. They couldn’t be playing much worse.
Miami Heat (8-20): Hampered early by Dwayne Wade’s health problems and currently by Alonzo Mourning’s, the Heat look hard-pressed to make the playoffs. Shaquille O’Neal is averaging career low numbers and looks considerably older than 35. If anyone other than Pat Riley were coaching this team, he would have already been relieved of his duties. Even Stan Van Gundy, who’s now having the last laugh in Orlando, didn’t lead the Heat to an 8-20 record.
There have been some pleasant surprises in the East. The Atlanta Hawks are playing .500 ball and their young talent may be enough to bring this team into the post-season. But winning a playoff series is beyond anyone’s legitimate expectations. Indiana and Washington are mediocre at best. And nobody expected Charlotte or Philadelphia to be any good this season… and they’re not.
Contrast that to the Western teams who most thought would be average. The Lakers have shown renewed life and are playing among the best of the West. The young Portland Trailblazers have now won 11 straight. And there’s always the Jazz, Spurs, Suns, Nuggets and Mavericks.
Come June, we’re bound to hear even louder rumblings for Commissioner Stern to revise the league’s playoff structure, co-mingling the Eastern and Western teams in early rounds to weed out the lesser talent. As least hoops junkies can take solace in the fact that the Eastern Conference Finals between Detroit and Boston will be a series worth watching and the winner should pose a legitimate threat to whichever team comes out of the West. The rest of the Eastern teams might as well combine their rosters to form an All-Star team to contend with the top two. After all, that’s what Pistons and Celtics management has done and it seems to be working fairly well for them.
Mr. Roarke uttered these memorable words weekly as he and his miniature sidekick, Tattoo, would welcome visitors off of their hydroplane and onto Fantasy Island. Similarly, Celtics fans nationwide are currently pinching themselves, awaiting their complimentary leis and shamrock beverages, as Boston ushers in a new and promising era. By landing both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett this off-season, Danny Ainge may have already locked up G.M. of the Year.
However, let us all not drink the green Kool-Aid just yet. While the Fleet Center‘s future is certainly more promising than in seasons past, the Celtics are still far away from locking up the Eastern Conference, never mind an NBA title. Championships are not won on paper; several factors still stand in the way of the Celtics raising the O’Brien Trophy. The lack of a quality point guard both offensively and defensively, limited cap space, lack of a quality defensive presence on the interior, a strengthened Eastern conference and very possibly their head coach could all deter the Celtics from hoisting their 17th championship banner.
Who’s Bringing up the Ball?: Recent rumors have pointed toward the signing of veteran point guard, Brevin Knight. But can Ainge get him to sign for peanuts, knowing he’ll still have to land another big man? And are Knight and Rajon Rondo, a second year point guard who averaged four assists and two turnovers last year, enough to be the Celtics floor generals and dictate the tempo of the ballgame? And if not Knight, who? They won’t need much scoring out of this position, but they will need quality decision-making, limited turnovers and solid defense.
Who’s Defending the Point?: The last five NBA champions have all had one thing in common: a quality ball-handler in the clutch. Tony Parker won last year’s Finals MVP Award and has run the point for San Antonio’s last three titles. Dwayne Wade handled most of the crunch time point guard duties during Miami’s championship run. And Chauncey Billups won the Finals MVP for the Pistons in 2004. Whoever runs the floor for Boston will have to contend with tough point guard play. In a recent article, Bill Simmons compared the signing of these three superstars to the Rockets’ Barkley-Drexler-Olajuwon experiment. He appropriately pointed out that their point guard, Matt Maloney, was routinely broken down in the playoffs by John Stockton, leading to the Rockets being ousted prior to the Finals. The modern NBA has seen the emergence of Deron Williams, Chris Paul and T.J. Ford. In the Atlantic Division, the Celtics will regularly have to defend Ford, Jason Kidd, and Garnett’s former teammate, Stephon Marbury. If Boston is fortunate enough to get to the Finals, they’ll likely have to defend against Parker or two-time MVP, Steve Nash, both of whom are perfectly capable of breaking down a quality defender, never mind a mediocre one. If Danny Ainge fails to land a somewhat competent point guard who can mesh with this team and play on both ends of the floor, this experiment may all be for naught.
Cap Space: With Garnett, Allen and Pierce, the Celtics have all but expended their available salary. Management will have to be very creative under the cap. Anyone they acquire, and there are still key roster spots to fill, will have to put their egos aside and sign for close to the league minimum. I foresee Ray, Paul and KG picking up many dinner tabs in their immediate futures.
Age and Health: Adrenaline, drive and determination are essential to winning an NBA title. Unfortunately, so are minutes from the big guns. Both Ray Allen and Paul Pierce missed major playing time last year due to injury. Pierce played in 47 games and Allen suited up for 55. Tony Allen, who may also split time at 1- and 2-guard position, only played 33 games last season. The Big Three will all have to stay healthy for the Celtics to achieve their dream of a title. The coaching staff must effectively manage their minutes to ensure they’re all 100% come playoff time.
Coaching: Doc Rivers currently holds a 102-144 coaching record with the Celtics. While he has been saddled with mediocre teams in both Boston and Orlando, he is still under .500 for his career. The last 17 NBA championships have been commandeered by the coaching elite. During this period, only five men have led their teams to titles: Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, Larry Brown, Phil Jackson and Rudy Tomjanovich. Can you really see Doc Rivers' name in this category? Ainge did the right thing by signing Rivers to a long-term extension to avoid any questions about his future with the team. However, expectations are extremely high. And if Doc cannot get the job done with these players, Celtic ownership can and will find someone who can. By that time, though, will it be too late?
The Diesel: While the center position in the league is not what it once was, the Miami Heat still boast a certain big man named Shaquille O’Neal. While Shaq is on the waning end of his career and will most likely not play a full season, he is still an undeniable presence. In a four-game series, who will cover an inspired Shaquille O’Neal looking for one last shot at a title? Kendrick Perkins? Glenn Davis? The tallest guy on the Celtics roster is free agent Michael Olowokandi. Need I say more? The Celtics must add a body, like PJ Brown or Kevin Willis, someone to absorb some fouls when they have to… and they’ll have to.
Eastern Rebirth: Compared to the Western Conference, the East, commonly referred to as the ‘junior varsity,’ has been the laughing stock of the league in recent years. That will not be the case this year. Chicago’s roster is stout. Detroit will be looking to make another run. Toronto will ensure they’re not a one-hit wonder. The Nets return their big three. Orlando has re-tooled. The Knicks may contend. And Cleveland still has a player named LeBron James who’s already tasted the NBA Finals and assuredly wants a return trip. To paraphrase Dikembe Mutombo, the Celtics will not have “a walk in the cake.”
The Celtics were the second worst team in the league last year. They have clearly made dramatic improvements and generated enough of a buzz to remove Tim Donaghy from the NBA headlines. The acquisition of both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen undoubtedly makes Boston instant contenders. But those three by themselves do not a championship make. Unless Danny Ainge and Celtics ownership face the remaining issues at hand, Boston may just fall short of its goal.
Ah yes..... how many of us, just yesterday, were lauding the unheralded underdogs. That's right... you in the corner, boasting to your friends that the Bulls, Kings and Lakers were ready to pull off miraculous upsets over their heavily favored opponents and advance to the next round of the playoffs. No less than 24 hours later, a few of us are eating our words.
A once lackluster and seemingly uninspired Miami Heat team has turned things around and played Game Five like the Riley-coached veterans we expected. Manu Ginobli was finally able to pull a few stutter steps over on Artest and get to the rim. And the Suns appear to be heating up at just the right time. The last thing the Lakers, Bulls and Kings wanted was to go back home for a Game Six. Well, guess what. Shame on any of us who ever underestimated the favorites. Keep in mind, they feature Shaq, Duncan and Nash on their rosters.
Turn-ons: Gator national championships ; Sushi; NBA Playoffs; A Tribe Called Quest; Women; Jack Daniels; Women who drink Jack Daniels; Women who drink Jack Daniels while eating sushi; Women who dream of more Gator national championships while eating sushi and drinking Jack Daniels during basketball season, The Red Zone Report
Turn-offs: Waking up early; The inevitable media coverage Bobby Bowden will get when he finally retires; Drama; Prejudice; Chicken liver; Work of any sort
