Stats can be very misleading sometimes, so I'm just gonna hit you with some quicks thoughts from what I saw, not what I read in a box score, from the first big night of the 2006-07 NBA season
-Chris Paul wil be the best point guard in the League by season's end
-Dwight Howard is a younger, meaner David Robinson
-I hope Kobe's paying attention to what "the others" are doing
-It was good to see Grant Hill actually look healthy against the Bulls
-Sam Cassell looks comfortable coming off the bench for the first time in almost a decade
I know the title of this is corny, but corny works sometimes, so kiss my $ss.
Tonight's the night.
Two playoff rematches kick off the new NBA season as the Heat host the Bulls and the Suns travel to L.A. to take on the Lakers.
Although only four teams are in action tonight, a number of players on each sqaud could win several league awards this season. And three of them have a realistic chance to win the '07 title.
What follows is a list of 2006-07 award winners. I'm not the guy from Crossing Over, but I could see a number of these hunches turning into reality.
I considered a number of candidates for this award-J.R. Smith, Smush Parker and Desagana Diop to name a few. But the three I chose are all being asked to bust out this season. Livingston has replaced vet Sam Cassell in the Clippers starting line-up after Cassell captained a team that was a game away from the West Finals. Darko, thought to be the biggest bust since Sam Bowie, couldn't get off the oak in Motown, but will be asked to form a solid young post combo with manchild Dwight Howard. Chandler was expendible and not dependable in Chicago, now he's expected to keep up with Chris Paul for 82 games. Three guys selected in the top five of their respective draft classes. Three guys who've shown flashes at times are now being asked to show some consistency.
Winner: Milicic
When he left purgatory for the Magic Kingdom, Milicic more than tripled his scoring and rebounding averages. Yea, that only translated to 7.6 and 4.1, respectively over 30 games, but it showed why Pistons exec Joe Dumars saw so much potential in the Serbian. If Darko can up his numbers to, say, 13 and 8 with 2 blocks, couple that with the development of point guard Jameer Nelson, Howard's ability and the (presumed) health of Grant Hill, Orlando could sneak into the eighth spot in the playoffs.
Sixth Man of the Year
Nominees: Sam Cassell, Clippers G; Anthony Johnson, Mavericks G; Matt Harpring, Jazz F
It's rare that three girzzled veterans get considered for this award, but with all the changes to these playoff-bound teams, each of these guys will play important minutes off the bench. This will mark the first time Cassell has come off the bench since his Houston days, which is when he won two rings. He knows he's on his last legs and that Livingston needs to be thrown into the fire to show what he's got, so he'll be a team player, accept his role and thrive in it. Johnson, on his sixth team in 10 seasons, will bring verteran savviness to a Mavericks team that had energetic but young Devin Harris backing up Jason Terry last season. He'll be a tough match-up for some of the smaller guards out West, as he outweighs Harris and Terry by an average of 17.5 pounds. If one of those two gets fatigued or in foul trouble, Johnson can play starter's minutes as he showed in the Pacers first round series against New Jersey. Johnson averaged 40.2 minutes and 20 ppg per game over that six-game series. Harpring has put in 13 points and six boards a night over his eight-year career. He can provide toughness and scoring from both forward positions and he shoots a high percentage (.478 for his career).
Winner: Cassell
I know he is essentially being demoted for a younger, more spry player, but Cassell will still get good minutes and he'll be on the floor, and have the ball, in clutch situations.
I also considered Rajon Rondo and Marcus Williams for this award. Con####uous by his absence is Randy Foye, who everybody was ready to hand the award to following Villanova's run in the NCAA Tournament. Foye played well in summer league games, but fell off once the preseason started. It's fairly simple why I chose two of the three guys I selected. Roye and #### are on bad teams. Portland is young and Pau Gasol's foot injury will hurt Memphis. Roy will be able to showcase his all-around skills (he was the only player in the NCAA to average 20 points, six boards and five assists a night last season). And #### will be able to put the "lazy, disinterested" tag he earned in two years at UCONN behind him. It's funny that people gave him that label simply because he didn't take over games. He didn't have to. That Huskies team was stacked and produced four first round draft picks. #### was the only player in the country to average 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and 1.5 blocks. You call that lazy? Thomas is an interesting choice because he goes into a situation where his team is ready to win now. He could have ended up on the Knicks, but was selected by Chicago due to the Eddy Curry deal. Thomas wasn't a starter for much of his one and only season at LSU. In 25 minutes a night, he put up 12.3 points, 9.2 boards and 3.1 blocks. Starter stats in bench minutes. Thomas has the ability to #### and displayed a decent mid-range J during the Tigers run to the '06 Final Four. His work ethic will help him crack Scott Skiles' rotation and I think he'll play several minutes alongside Wallace this season to add to the Bulls interior defense.
There's always a guy who comes into the League with something to prove. Memphis won't win much this season, but #### will have the chance to show he can dominate a given game. Plus, how can you not love a guy named Rudy?
Defensive Player of the Year
Nominees: Ben Wallace, Bulls F/C; Ron Artest, Kings F; Kobe Bryant, Lakers G
No Bruce Bowen because age and the new rules will catch up to him this year. No Andrei Kirilenko because, although he could swat a dunk from halfcourt, he's not mentioned in the list of "lockdown defenders." Wallace already has four DPOY trophies, but I think he'll show renewed intensity with his new team and push for a fifth. Artest won the award in 2004 and is consistently talked about as one of the best perimeter defenders in the League. Bryant is the only player on the list who hasn't won the award, but he has made a few all-defensive teams, and is the only player in the League who can dominate on both ends of the floor.
Winner: Bryant
There are some questions about his health following off-season knee surgery, but Kobe has played through injury before. Bryant can affford to sacrifice a few points agme (he averaged 35.4 last season) to put more of an emphasis on locking down the opponents best perimeter player.
Most Valuable Player
Nominees: Bryant; LeBron James, Cavaliers G/F; Dwyane Wade, Heat G
I'll admit: I love Kobe Bryant. He's not a role model or anything like that, even though I did get choked up during that Make-A-Wish segment on SportsCenter this past summer. I think he is the most talented, hardest working player in the game today. No, he's not Michael Jordan. If he'd realize that he could realize his true greatness. I think this will be the season that sinks into his head. James is the posterboy of the League. I love "The LeBron's." He has no ceiling, is a freak of nature and is a cross between Magic and Dominique Wilkins. Again, no Jordan comparison. Jordan was a killer. LeBron's too nice. When he develops a killer instinct, similar to what Kobe has, the League will be his. I never thought a team with Shaquille O'Neal would have someone else listed as an MVP candidate. Until last June. Wade dominated that Finals series. He singlehandedly got Shaq and Riles their fourth and fifth rings, respectively. If he puts more emphasis on defense this year and develops a decent long-range shot, it's O-V-E-R. This is tough, but I'm gonna go with...
Winner: Bryant. Question. It's late in the fourth quarter. Your team is down a point and you have the ball coming out of a TO. Who do you want with the ball? Here's another one. It's late in the game. Your team's up one and the opposition has the ball coming out of a break. Who do you want ON the ball? Same guy for both answers, huh?
My name is Jason Carmel Davis, and I am a graduate of the Michigan State University School of Journalism. Yes, we do go to class in East Lansing, not just to bars and the liquor store.
I'm almost positive I had an SI with me in the womb, checking out Ralph Wiley. He's the main reason I ever decided to pursue a career in sportswriting .
I even remember the first highlight I ever saw on SportsCenter. I don't remember who was reading it, but it was Michael Jordan's 63-point game against the Celtics in the Garden in the 86 Playoffs. I've been hooked ever since.
