Chicago Bulls - 300 Degrees (F)
I love the Bulls! I even picked them to come out of the Eastern Conference and meet the Suns in the NBA Finals! The Bulls are making me look really good right now, which is a first. Luol Deng, who made my "Don't Forget About Me! Team", is performing like the superstar that he is. He is probably the fourth most recognized player on the team, behind Hinrich, Gordon, and Wallace, but Deng has been the driving force that has led the Bulls to a 3-0 lead over the Heat, contributing 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game thus far. The Bulls meet all the criteria of a great team despite their youth, and I expect them to continue to roll and eventually upset the heavily favored Detroit Pistons
Jason Kidd - 212 Degrees
Kidd put forth one of the most impressive performances of my lifetime last night to carry the Nets to a 2-1 lead over the Toronto Raptors. He finished Game 3 with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and 19 assists. I'm not sure if I need to point this out, but that's insane! There have only been three 15-15-15 games in the entire history of the playoffs! How the hell did the Raptors let a point guard reel in 16 rebounds!? I'm overwhelmed by how amazing this is! And I'm someone who consistently wore my Kidd "Wife Beater" shirt to the Celtics games; I have always hated Kidd and the Nets, but he's been unbelievable. At 34 years old, I wasn't sure how much Kidd had left in the tank coming into this postseason, but he's EASILY averaging a triple-double with 13 points, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds per game through the first three of this series. He was surprisingly under the radar over the course of the season, but he averaged an impressive 13 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds per match. Kidd has the Nets playing amazingly, and Carter has avoided the tragic, career-threatening injuries that have plagued his past, and I actually expect them to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Had Nenad Krstic not torn his ACL near the beginning of the season, the Nets would be poised for a run at the Championship. That being said, Mikki Moore has filled in remarkably well for a man who spent most of his career in the NBDL and tending to albino boa constrictors. (Really, he has two of them. He's absolutely nuts.)
Golden State Warriors - 200 Degrees
While most of my NBA Playoff predictions are going fantastically, like many so-called "experts", I expected the Mavericks to roll over the Warriors. No dice. Golden State has been playing much like the Phoenix Suns, ripping the ball out of the net and pushing it as fast as possible, spreading out the defense with penetration and kicks for open threes. I thought Bill Walton was going to call them the best team in the history of Western civilization last night. Not only have Jason Richardson and Baron Davis been great, but guys like Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Mickael Pietrus, Andris Biedrins, Al Harrington, and Matt Barnes have all been contributing nicely. It's true that this team is overachieving right now, but look at that list; they have a lot of very solid players. That being said, if Dirk Nowitzki is taken out of his cryogenic freezing machine and the Mavericks start playing like a 67 win team and stop playing like Iona College, they can easily win this series in 6 or 7 games. But if they don't get under control and turn things around, the Warriors will definitely take advantage, so they better come out prepared for the rest of the series.
Brady Quinn's Girlfriend - 120 Degrees
Self-Explanatory.
Phoenix Suns - 102 Degrees
Kobe won the the one game that I expected him to single-handedly take from the Suns, but Phoenix has been impressive nonetheless. Despite Kobe's 45 point performance, and a great game from Lamar Odom, and a surprisingly good game from Kwame Brown, and an absolutely terrible game by Shawn Marion, the Suns were STILL tied with a few minutes left in the fourth quarter. This is their year. Barbosa is awesome. Nash is a God. Marion and Stoudemire can jump over buildings. Raja Bell has developed a great shot, is a fantastic defender, and can always strangle Kobe or something. Kurt Thomas and Boris Diaw are great off the bench. They even have Jalen Rose on their team...is anyone even aware of this? Finally, the scariest thing--they will likely get a top 5 draft pick this year from the Joe Johnson-Boris Diaw trade. That's not even fair; imagine this team with Al Horford! Or better yet: Yi Jianlian!
Alex Rodriguez - 98 Degrees
Had I written this article a few days ago, when A-Rod was on pace for 120 homers, 300 RBIs, and batting .400, he would've been off the charts. However, maybe A-Rod has begun his descent back to humanity, going 1-10 with no RBI or extra base hits over the last 3 games. Okay, it's not much of a lapse, but I hate A-Rod and his average is down to a mere .365 now! Come on, it's only a matter of time before he stops hitting every pitch out of the park. Before you know it, he'll be batting .096 in the playoffs and Yankee fans will be booing him all over again!
Houston Rockets - 90 Degrees
I've already written enough about how much I love the Rockets. They lost the ugliest game ever in their first road game of the series, but they'll still win easily. Yao and McGrady have both been awesome. I have them beating the Mavericks in the next round, if the Mavs survive that long.
Sammy Sosa - 85 Degrees
Four games ago, I was ready to write off Sosa even reaching 600 homers. I thought his career was over; he was batting .186 and had been pathetic all season long. In the last four games, he's 8 for 16 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI, raising his batting average by nearly 70 points. I would say I'm happy for him, but I want to check his bat for cork, test him for steroids, and make sure he didn't inject himself with Klingon DNA first.
Daisuke Matsuzaka - Room Temperature
This one kills me since I have an unhealthy obsession with The Gun from the Rising Sun. He's still been very solid, and his "stuff" is good enough to make him the top pitcher in the league, so us Sox fans are far from upset. Still, his 3-2 record with a 4.36 ERA are not nearly as impressive as I would have hoped. Granted, I expect a no-hitter every time he steps on the mound. His control problems are the only thing holding him back right now, and he seems to give up all his runs in spurts. Whatever, I'm still going to teach myself Japanese in case I ever meet him.
Brady Quinn - 32 degrees
Poor Brady just kept dropping on Saturday, as we've seen with many top-notch quarterbacks in recent years (Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Leinart). Luckily, Brady still has a really hot girlfriend and will have the last laugh when the Dolphins have no quarterback and Quinn is thriving.
Mark Prior - 0 Degrees
As someone who has suffered multiple severe injuries and surgeries myself, I feel Mark Prior's pain. I'll be happily surprised if he ever steps on an MLB mound again. As far as I'm concerned, his career is over. But so was Sammy Sosa's last week according to me, so there is hope yet Mr. Prior.
Dirk Nowitzki - -50 Degrees
There's a reason why Dwyane Wade blamed Dirk for not carrying the Mavs in the Playoffs last year. There's a reason why I've said time and time again that Dirk is not the most VALUABLE player. There's a reason why the Warriors were less than terrified of taking on this Mavericks team. Dirk Nowitzki disappears when the Mavs need him most. If you only watched the playoffs, you'd think Josh Howard was supposed to be their best player. Dirk is shooting only 38%, and despite putting up 20 ppg in the three games, he just looks extremely average. He seems to slow to dominate. He just isn't behaving the heart and soul of his team like superstars do in the playoffs.
Miami Dolphins - Absolute Zero
What the hell were they thinking!? People had talked about Miami TRADING UP to get Brady Quinn! Then, he falls into their hands at pick number 9, and they take Ted Ginn Jr., essentially a track star who occasionally catches footballs? Plus, he's coming off a relatively serious foot injury. It's as if the Dolphins were desperately trying to set up an entertainment room, but they don't have a TV yet, and somebody said to them, "Hey, you can either have this flat-screen 62-inch Plasma TV, or this XBOX 360?" And the Dolphins took the XBOX 360, and they've yet to realize that they don't have a TV to play it on.
And here are the Playoff Predictions that I keep referencing (I swear I made them before the Playoffs started, it's documented on Facebook!):
Dallas Over Golden State in 5
Houston Over Utah in 6
San Antonio Over Denver in 6
Phoenix Over LA in 5
Detroit Over Orlando in 5
Chicago Over Miami in 6
New Jersey Over Toronto in 6
Cleveland Over Washington in 4
Conference Semis
Houston Over Dallas in 6
Phoenix Over San Antonio in 7
Chicago Over Detroit in 6
New Jersey Over Cleveland in 7
Conference Finals
Phoenix Over Houston in 7
Chicago Over New Jersey in 6
Finals
Phoenix Over Chicago in 7
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
These Are the NBA Awards that would be Given if I was Commissioner
It's been a hell of an NBA season, full of historically great teams, as well as notably bad ones, like my Celtics. The top players have shined more than ever, with Nash, Dirk, and Kobe all making dazzling MVP cases. While the Mavs, Suns, and Spurs continued to dominate, other teams had their seasons either hampered (Clippers, Rockets, Heat) or shattered (Hornets, Bucks, Celtics, Sonics, soon-to-be Wizards) by injuries. In a season like this one, handing out the awards can be even more difficult. Let me start the awards that actually exist in the NBA:
MVP - Steve Nash
Maybe Dirk Nowitzki has been the most impressive player this year, and his team has the best record, and he is the sexy choice for MVP, but it's important to remember that MVP stands for Most VALUABLE Player. And when you ask yourself who the most valuable player to any of the top teams in the league is, there is little question who deserves the award. With Nash, the Suns were an impressive 59-17 this year, and in the six games he missed due to injury, a measly 2-4. Without Nash, I don't even know whether the Suns would make the playoffs. Without Dirk, the Mavs probably still win 50 games. Yes, Dirk is their go-to-guy and best player, but he's just another scorer in a potent offense. Taking Nash away from the Suns is like taking Brady away from the Patriots, whereas Dirk away is more like the Colts losing Marvin Harrison; sure it hurts, but they still have Manning (Jason Terry) throwing to Reggie Wayne (Josh Howard), and a bunch of other formidable options. OK, calling Terry Peyton Manning is an embarrassment to the quarterback, but it was for the sake of argument. Unlike Dirk, Nash is the engine that makes the entire Suns team run. Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion are great, but Nash makes them look like superheroes. There's a reason why guys like Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson, Boris Diaw, etc. have all gone from mediocre players to superstars while playing with Nash. And if you are caught up on statistics, Nash's are better than they've been in either of the last two years, both seasons in which he won the MVP. In addition to the almost 19 points and 12 assists per game, he is shooting an astounding 53% from the field, which makes him 14th in the NBA in that category. Tony Parker is the only other guy under 6'5" that's even in the top 30. Okay, I'm done justifying, Nash gets the MVP, and if you don't agree, well f*%# you. You're wrong, and this is my blog.
Rookie of the Year - Brandon Roy?
I was tempted to just give this one to Greg Oden so that him and Durant could both have one. This was a pathetic year for rookies. For all the talk of JJ Redick vs. Adam Morrison, Morrison looked extremely mediocre and shot horribly from everywhere there is to shoot all season long (37.6% fgs, 33.7% 3pts, and 71% fts) and JJ Redick couldn't even locate Orlando's athletic facility until the end of the season. I was starting to think he had secretly gotten a job as Minnie Mouse, giving hugs to the little girls in Disney World until he stumbled onto the court one night. As for the winner of the award, Roy did put up almost 17 ppg, but it was for the Portland Jailblazers who haven't won a game since Arvydas Sabonis was dropping dimes at the top of the key. Furthermore, Roy only played in 57 games this season. He only gets the virtual hardware for two reasons: One, who else was I gonna give it to? Andrea Bargnani? The rookies just flat-out sucked this year. And two, i think its great that Roy is the ROY. Roy ROY. Okay, that was great. On to the next award...
Defensive Player of the Year - Marcus Camby
Camby should get his own special award just for staying healthy for the majority of the season. Although I shouldn't speak too soon--he just sat out to rest for the playoffs with a mysteriously "bruised knee". I wonder if him and Grant Hill call each other up at the beginning of each season and make wagers on who will play in more games in the upcoming year. But I truly believe that on a team with Allen Iverson AND Carmelo Anthony, Camby is the MVP. As a defensive player, Camby easily led the league in blocks per game, was second in defensive rebounds per game, and even in the top 30 in steals per game. Only 20 other guys in the entire league even averaged over 1.5 blocks per game, and Camby averaged 3.3. The next guy on the list is Josh Smith with 2.88, and he plays for the Hawks so his statistics don't count. There should be a rule that you need at least 50% attendance at home games for your stats to count towards league leaders. I'm honestly happy for Marcus Camby that he had such a great season, and stayed on the court for 70 games, which would be potentially disappointing for other stars, but is remarkable for him. Plus, I am biased towards him because of his glory days at UMASS. I actually have a UMASS hat that's signed by Camby, but I almost traded it for a normal Patriots hat because it was too injury prone. The brim kept getting bent inexplicably and stuff... I also recently learned that Camby aspires to be an elementary school principal. I wonder if the NBA will give him a stipend to buy his suits to meet principal-dress-code regulations.
Comeback Player of the Year - Amare Stoudemire
I was one of those doubters, those miserable naysayers, those pessimistic pricks who, when Amare had the microfracture in his knee, I said "He'll never be good again! The only thing that makes him good is his supreme athleticism, and now it's gone forever! He'll suck for the rest of his career!" Well, thank you Amare for shutting me up. I couldn't be happier for this guy; he looked at idiots like me and laughed. He's in as good form as ever, which is really freakin' good--as Bill Walton likes to say, he is the winner of the genetic lottery. He's also developed a nice little jump shot, an inkling of post moves, and greatly improved his rebound efficiency. Nobody is more deserving of this award than Amare. (He also has a tattoo on his neck that says "Black Jesus"...I always liked that.)
Sixth Man - Leandro Barbosa
Barbosa is like some kind of misplaced track star who has magically become one of the most accurate three-point shooters in the league. Much like Stoudemire, and thousands of other guys, Barbosa proved me utterly and completely wrong. When I watched him play as a rookie, Barbosa looked even more out of control than Marcus Banks, if that is humanly possible. I knew he was lightning fast and had tons of "upside", but I just never thought they were gonna get this kid to play under control and amount to anything. Coming off the bench most of the time, Barbosa is averaging 18 points per game--more than Shawn Marion and just less than Nash and Amare. He has also taken an assist to turnover ratio which was once pathetic, and made it very respectable with 4 assists and only 1.8 turnovers per game. But most importantly, he just allows the Suns to play at that frantic, insane tempo. When Barbosa and Nash are playing together, the Suns get up the court so quickly that you almost have to cheat to stop them (like Mike Dunleavy Sr. tried to do with the Clippers in last year's playoffs, having his team put the ball on the ground after each made basket). The emergence of Barbosa and the return of Stoudemire may be enough to take the Suns all the way this year.
Most Improved Player - Deron Williams
After an underwhelming rookie campaign that left Jazz fans, well, and the rest of the world wondering why the hell they took this chubby mediocre point guard over Chris Paul with the third pick of the draft, Deron Williams changed his look and his production. Williams slimmed down into great shape, maintaining his strong frame, and transformed himself from an unimpressive point guard to one of the best in the league in only his second season. I almost cheated and gave the award to him and Carlos Boozer, because the two of them have both been remarkably better than last year, and suddenly made the Jazz a good team, but Williams is the catalyst. After averaging 10.8 points and only 4.5 assists last year, he jumped all the way up to 16.2 and 9.3, phenomenal numbers for a good point guard. Whether he is better than Chris Paul remains to be seen, but its now safe to say that both teams got franchise point guards.
Coach of the Year - Jeff Van Gundy
I already wrote about how badly Van Gundy deserved this award in my Rest of the West article, but I will give a very brief recap here. Everyone wants to give it to Avery Johnson, who did a great job as well, leading the Mavs to a historically good season, but Van Gundy was a miracle worker just to get the Rockets into the playoffs, let alone 52 wins and the fifth best record in the NBA. McGrady played hurt most of the season, and Yao, my favorite player in the league and one of its most dominating players, missed almost half the season. Other than that, the Rockets have just a cast of role players, yet Van Gundy made the season a wildly successful one, and i just now getting his squad healthy again. Amazing.
NBA First Team
PG - Steve Nash
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - Lebron James
PF - Dirk Nowitzki
C - Carlos Boozer
NBA Second Team
PG - Gilbert Arenas
SG - Vince Carter
SF - Carmelo Anthony
PF - Tim Duncan
C - Chris Bosh
NBA Third Team
PG - Deron Williams
SG - Tracy McGrady
SF - Kevin Garnett
PF - Amare Stoudemire
C - Yao Ming
Now for the fun part. These are the other awards that they should give out:
Most Opposite-of-Improved Player - Andrei Kiralenko
See the Rest of the West article for the full bashing of Kiralenko, but he has essentially countered the breakouts of Williams and Boozer with a break-in (if I may coin the term) of his own. After dominating the league defensively and improving every year, Kiralenko randomly dropped off the face of the Earth without any apparent reason. The Jazz won't get out of the first round because of it. I mean, theoretically he could turn back into the real Andrei Kiralenko at any moment, but I'm just not counting on it. He desperately needs to be traded; I think a change of scenery and a fresh new start is the only thing that can save his career.
Best Role Player - Shane Battier
As I've said, the Rockets are basically two superstars (McGrady and Yao) and a bunch of role players, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not when the two stars are both almost unstoppable and the role players are really good role players. Battier is the classic glue guy and he really has held this team together, especially through the hard times of injury to McGrady and Yao. He is a lockdown defender, never craves more attention or scoring options, and is remarkably consistent with about 10 or 11 points per game. He can shoot from the outside to stretch the defense, or go down low a little bit, but he's always willing to let McGrady and Yao do the scoring. Battier is the kind of guy that wins you championships.
Worst Coach of the Year - Bob Hill
I know Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen both missed 20+ games this season, but of all the teams that completely sucked this year, the Sonics were the most talented. Even when they had their full lineup, Ridnour, Allen, Lewis, Collison, and Wilcox, the Sonics couldn't seem to get anything going. Look at that lineup. Ridnour has become a great point guard, Allen and Lewis are both bona fide superstars, Collison finally got the chance to do this year what he did at Kansas, averaging 10 points and 8 rebounds and banging down low, and Wilcox is extremely talented if not consistent (stay tuned for more on this). Off the bench, the Sonics have solid guys like Damien Wilkens, Earl Watson, and young talent in Johan Petro and Mickael Gelabale. You'd think Hill could've won more than 31 games with this team.
Worst Jump Shooter Under the Height of Six-Foot-Seven - Rajon Rondo
When Rajon Rondo shoots the ball from almost anywhere on the court, it just looks like it has absolutely no chance of going in. He's the single worst shooter I've ever seen at either of the guard spots. On the season, he was 6-29 from the arc (Doc probably told him it was okay for him to shoot threes being the excellent coach that he is...) and 64.7% from the free throw line. But I'm not trying to simply trash Rondo--it's astonishing that he is to some extent succeeding as an NBA guard without the ability to throw the ball at the basket. The only guy who even compares to his inability to shoot as a little guy is Speedy Claxton, who actually boosted his career three point percentage to 19.1% by hitting 6-28 from downtown this season, although his free throw percentage did drop to 55% this year and his fgs to 33%.
Human Victory Cigar of the Year - Pat Burke
Excluding the 4 game stretch that Nash missed before the All-Star break in which the Suns were undermanned, Phoenix is 18-1 in games in which Patt Burke appears. He's a regular Bill Russell! I look forward to seeing Burke's bald white head in the playoffs any time the Suns lock up a game.
Sexiest Attraction - Kobe Bryant
This is the award that people like to give as the MVP. Dirk is the other front-runner in this category, but he's not even close to Kobe as this year's sexiest attraction. I've never seen anything like it. He really is utterly unstoppable. Since Phil Jackson told Kobe to score more around the middle of March, Bryant has put 50 points up 7 times in just 17 games, including four consecutive games. He's also averaging 6 rebounds and 5 assists--dare I say he is a great team player? The point is that people, myself included, will watch the Lakers just to see Kobe put on a show like only he can. It's trule remarkable.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Chris Wilcox
Wilcox is one of the most talented, athletic young big men in the entire league, and he shows it. Occasionally. Trust me, as someone who had Wilcox on my fantasy team, I know. Wilcox would put up games of 32 points and 18 rebounds, and come out the next night with a pathetic performance. It's maddening. When he decides to play, he's a dominant player, and when he doesn't feel like playing, he's terrible. Somebody should recommend that he shows up for all the games next year. Maybe if they fire Bob Hill, and somebody gets Wilcox to play, they'll actually win a couple games next year.
Most HPM (Highlights Per Minute) - Tyrus Thomas
Tyrus Thomas really likes being on TV. He's actually rapidly improving into an important and productive bench player that could help the Bulls a lot in the playoffs, but more importantly, he's a human highlight reel. Throughout the season, it seemed Thomas was on the Top 10 Plays at least once or twice per week, which is all the more impressive when you consider that he plays only 13 minutes per game. He's already dunked on more faces in the NBA than I have in my driveway on the 7-and-a-half foot hoop.
The Don't Forget About Me! Team (guys who are superstars, but don't get superstar recognition)
PG - Baron Davis
SG - Kevin Martin
SF - Luol Deng
PF - Mehmet Okur
C - Yao Ming
The All-Law-And-Order Team (guys with legal problems)
PG - Tony Allen
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - Ron Artest
PF - Zach Randolph
C - Chris Webber
All-NBA Minorty Team (white guys)
PG - Steve Nash
SG - Mike Miller
SF - Luke Walton
PF - Dirk Nowitzki
C - Pau Gasol
All-Supercuts Team (guys who desperately need a haircut)
PG - Troy Hudson
SG - Adam Morrison
SF - Walter Herrman
PF - Anderson Varejao
C - Chris Kaman
MVP - Steve Nash
Maybe Dirk Nowitzki has been the most impressive player this year, and his team has the best record, and he is the sexy choice for MVP, but it's important to remember that MVP stands for Most VALUABLE Player. And when you ask yourself who the most valuable player to any of the top teams in the league is, there is little question who deserves the award. With Nash, the Suns were an impressive 59-17 this year, and in the six games he missed due to injury, a measly 2-4. Without Nash, I don't even know whether the Suns would make the playoffs. Without Dirk, the Mavs probably still win 50 games. Yes, Dirk is their go-to-guy and best player, but he's just another scorer in a potent offense. Taking Nash away from the Suns is like taking Brady away from the Patriots, whereas Dirk away is more like the Colts losing Marvin Harrison; sure it hurts, but they still have Manning (Jason Terry) throwing to Reggie Wayne (Josh Howard), and a bunch of other formidable options. OK, calling Terry Peyton Manning is an embarrassment to the quarterback, but it was for the sake of argument. Unlike Dirk, Nash is the engine that makes the entire Suns team run. Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion are great, but Nash makes them look like superheroes. There's a reason why guys like Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson, Boris Diaw, etc. have all gone from mediocre players to superstars while playing with Nash. And if you are caught up on statistics, Nash's are better than they've been in either of the last two years, both seasons in which he won the MVP. In addition to the almost 19 points and 12 assists per game, he is shooting an astounding 53% from the field, which makes him 14th in the NBA in that category. Tony Parker is the only other guy under 6'5" that's even in the top 30. Okay, I'm done justifying, Nash gets the MVP, and if you don't agree, well f*%# you. You're wrong, and this is my blog.
Rookie of the Year - Brandon Roy?
I was tempted to just give this one to Greg Oden so that him and Durant could both have one. This was a pathetic year for rookies. For all the talk of JJ Redick vs. Adam Morrison, Morrison looked extremely mediocre and shot horribly from everywhere there is to shoot all season long (37.6% fgs, 33.7% 3pts, and 71% fts) and JJ Redick couldn't even locate Orlando's athletic facility until the end of the season. I was starting to think he had secretly gotten a job as Minnie Mouse, giving hugs to the little girls in Disney World until he stumbled onto the court one night. As for the winner of the award, Roy did put up almost 17 ppg, but it was for the Portland Jailblazers who haven't won a game since Arvydas Sabonis was dropping dimes at the top of the key. Furthermore, Roy only played in 57 games this season. He only gets the virtual hardware for two reasons: One, who else was I gonna give it to? Andrea Bargnani? The rookies just flat-out sucked this year. And two, i think its great that Roy is the ROY. Roy ROY. Okay, that was great. On to the next award...
Defensive Player of the Year - Marcus Camby
Camby should get his own special award just for staying healthy for the majority of the season. Although I shouldn't speak too soon--he just sat out to rest for the playoffs with a mysteriously "bruised knee". I wonder if him and Grant Hill call each other up at the beginning of each season and make wagers on who will play in more games in the upcoming year. But I truly believe that on a team with Allen Iverson AND Carmelo Anthony, Camby is the MVP. As a defensive player, Camby easily led the league in blocks per game, was second in defensive rebounds per game, and even in the top 30 in steals per game. Only 20 other guys in the entire league even averaged over 1.5 blocks per game, and Camby averaged 3.3. The next guy on the list is Josh Smith with 2.88, and he plays for the Hawks so his statistics don't count. There should be a rule that you need at least 50% attendance at home games for your stats to count towards league leaders. I'm honestly happy for Marcus Camby that he had such a great season, and stayed on the court for 70 games, which would be potentially disappointing for other stars, but is remarkable for him. Plus, I am biased towards him because of his glory days at UMASS. I actually have a UMASS hat that's signed by Camby, but I almost traded it for a normal Patriots hat because it was too injury prone. The brim kept getting bent inexplicably and stuff... I also recently learned that Camby aspires to be an elementary school principal. I wonder if the NBA will give him a stipend to buy his suits to meet principal-dress-code regulations.
Comeback Player of the Year - Amare Stoudemire
I was one of those doubters, those miserable naysayers, those pessimistic pricks who, when Amare had the microfracture in his knee, I said "He'll never be good again! The only thing that makes him good is his supreme athleticism, and now it's gone forever! He'll suck for the rest of his career!" Well, thank you Amare for shutting me up. I couldn't be happier for this guy; he looked at idiots like me and laughed. He's in as good form as ever, which is really freakin' good--as Bill Walton likes to say, he is the winner of the genetic lottery. He's also developed a nice little jump shot, an inkling of post moves, and greatly improved his rebound efficiency. Nobody is more deserving of this award than Amare. (He also has a tattoo on his neck that says "Black Jesus"...I always liked that.)
Sixth Man - Leandro Barbosa
Barbosa is like some kind of misplaced track star who has magically become one of the most accurate three-point shooters in the league. Much like Stoudemire, and thousands of other guys, Barbosa proved me utterly and completely wrong. When I watched him play as a rookie, Barbosa looked even more out of control than Marcus Banks, if that is humanly possible. I knew he was lightning fast and had tons of "upside", but I just never thought they were gonna get this kid to play under control and amount to anything. Coming off the bench most of the time, Barbosa is averaging 18 points per game--more than Shawn Marion and just less than Nash and Amare. He has also taken an assist to turnover ratio which was once pathetic, and made it very respectable with 4 assists and only 1.8 turnovers per game. But most importantly, he just allows the Suns to play at that frantic, insane tempo. When Barbosa and Nash are playing together, the Suns get up the court so quickly that you almost have to cheat to stop them (like Mike Dunleavy Sr. tried to do with the Clippers in last year's playoffs, having his team put the ball on the ground after each made basket). The emergence of Barbosa and the return of Stoudemire may be enough to take the Suns all the way this year.
Most Improved Player - Deron Williams
After an underwhelming rookie campaign that left Jazz fans, well, and the rest of the world wondering why the hell they took this chubby mediocre point guard over Chris Paul with the third pick of the draft, Deron Williams changed his look and his production. Williams slimmed down into great shape, maintaining his strong frame, and transformed himself from an unimpressive point guard to one of the best in the league in only his second season. I almost cheated and gave the award to him and Carlos Boozer, because the two of them have both been remarkably better than last year, and suddenly made the Jazz a good team, but Williams is the catalyst. After averaging 10.8 points and only 4.5 assists last year, he jumped all the way up to 16.2 and 9.3, phenomenal numbers for a good point guard. Whether he is better than Chris Paul remains to be seen, but its now safe to say that both teams got franchise point guards.
Coach of the Year - Jeff Van Gundy
I already wrote about how badly Van Gundy deserved this award in my Rest of the West article, but I will give a very brief recap here. Everyone wants to give it to Avery Johnson, who did a great job as well, leading the Mavs to a historically good season, but Van Gundy was a miracle worker just to get the Rockets into the playoffs, let alone 52 wins and the fifth best record in the NBA. McGrady played hurt most of the season, and Yao, my favorite player in the league and one of its most dominating players, missed almost half the season. Other than that, the Rockets have just a cast of role players, yet Van Gundy made the season a wildly successful one, and i just now getting his squad healthy again. Amazing.
NBA First Team
PG - Steve Nash
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - Lebron James
PF - Dirk Nowitzki
C - Carlos Boozer
NBA Second Team
PG - Gilbert Arenas
SG - Vince Carter
SF - Carmelo Anthony
PF - Tim Duncan
C - Chris Bosh
NBA Third Team
PG - Deron Williams
SG - Tracy McGrady
SF - Kevin Garnett
PF - Amare Stoudemire
C - Yao Ming
Now for the fun part. These are the other awards that they should give out:
Most Opposite-of-Improved Player - Andrei Kiralenko
See the Rest of the West article for the full bashing of Kiralenko, but he has essentially countered the breakouts of Williams and Boozer with a break-in (if I may coin the term) of his own. After dominating the league defensively and improving every year, Kiralenko randomly dropped off the face of the Earth without any apparent reason. The Jazz won't get out of the first round because of it. I mean, theoretically he could turn back into the real Andrei Kiralenko at any moment, but I'm just not counting on it. He desperately needs to be traded; I think a change of scenery and a fresh new start is the only thing that can save his career.
Best Role Player - Shane Battier
As I've said, the Rockets are basically two superstars (McGrady and Yao) and a bunch of role players, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not when the two stars are both almost unstoppable and the role players are really good role players. Battier is the classic glue guy and he really has held this team together, especially through the hard times of injury to McGrady and Yao. He is a lockdown defender, never craves more attention or scoring options, and is remarkably consistent with about 10 or 11 points per game. He can shoot from the outside to stretch the defense, or go down low a little bit, but he's always willing to let McGrady and Yao do the scoring. Battier is the kind of guy that wins you championships.
Worst Coach of the Year - Bob Hill
I know Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen both missed 20+ games this season, but of all the teams that completely sucked this year, the Sonics were the most talented. Even when they had their full lineup, Ridnour, Allen, Lewis, Collison, and Wilcox, the Sonics couldn't seem to get anything going. Look at that lineup. Ridnour has become a great point guard, Allen and Lewis are both bona fide superstars, Collison finally got the chance to do this year what he did at Kansas, averaging 10 points and 8 rebounds and banging down low, and Wilcox is extremely talented if not consistent (stay tuned for more on this). Off the bench, the Sonics have solid guys like Damien Wilkens, Earl Watson, and young talent in Johan Petro and Mickael Gelabale. You'd think Hill could've won more than 31 games with this team.
Worst Jump Shooter Under the Height of Six-Foot-Seven - Rajon Rondo
When Rajon Rondo shoots the ball from almost anywhere on the court, it just looks like it has absolutely no chance of going in. He's the single worst shooter I've ever seen at either of the guard spots. On the season, he was 6-29 from the arc (Doc probably told him it was okay for him to shoot threes being the excellent coach that he is...) and 64.7% from the free throw line. But I'm not trying to simply trash Rondo--it's astonishing that he is to some extent succeeding as an NBA guard without the ability to throw the ball at the basket. The only guy who even compares to his inability to shoot as a little guy is Speedy Claxton, who actually boosted his career three point percentage to 19.1% by hitting 6-28 from downtown this season, although his free throw percentage did drop to 55% this year and his fgs to 33%.
Human Victory Cigar of the Year - Pat Burke
Excluding the 4 game stretch that Nash missed before the All-Star break in which the Suns were undermanned, Phoenix is 18-1 in games in which Patt Burke appears. He's a regular Bill Russell! I look forward to seeing Burke's bald white head in the playoffs any time the Suns lock up a game.
Sexiest Attraction - Kobe Bryant
This is the award that people like to give as the MVP. Dirk is the other front-runner in this category, but he's not even close to Kobe as this year's sexiest attraction. I've never seen anything like it. He really is utterly unstoppable. Since Phil Jackson told Kobe to score more around the middle of March, Bryant has put 50 points up 7 times in just 17 games, including four consecutive games. He's also averaging 6 rebounds and 5 assists--dare I say he is a great team player? The point is that people, myself included, will watch the Lakers just to see Kobe put on a show like only he can. It's trule remarkable.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Chris Wilcox
Wilcox is one of the most talented, athletic young big men in the entire league, and he shows it. Occasionally. Trust me, as someone who had Wilcox on my fantasy team, I know. Wilcox would put up games of 32 points and 18 rebounds, and come out the next night with a pathetic performance. It's maddening. When he decides to play, he's a dominant player, and when he doesn't feel like playing, he's terrible. Somebody should recommend that he shows up for all the games next year. Maybe if they fire Bob Hill, and somebody gets Wilcox to play, they'll actually win a couple games next year.
Most HPM (Highlights Per Minute) - Tyrus Thomas
Tyrus Thomas really likes being on TV. He's actually rapidly improving into an important and productive bench player that could help the Bulls a lot in the playoffs, but more importantly, he's a human highlight reel. Throughout the season, it seemed Thomas was on the Top 10 Plays at least once or twice per week, which is all the more impressive when you consider that he plays only 13 minutes per game. He's already dunked on more faces in the NBA than I have in my driveway on the 7-and-a-half foot hoop.
The Don't Forget About Me! Team (guys who are superstars, but don't get superstar recognition)
PG - Baron Davis
SG - Kevin Martin
SF - Luol Deng
PF - Mehmet Okur
C - Yao Ming
The All-Law-And-Order Team (guys with legal problems)
PG - Tony Allen
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - Ron Artest
PF - Zach Randolph
C - Chris Webber
All-NBA Minorty Team (white guys)
PG - Steve Nash
SG - Mike Miller
SF - Luke Walton
PF - Dirk Nowitzki
C - Pau Gasol
All-Supercuts Team (guys who desperately need a haircut)
PG - Troy Hudson
SG - Adam Morrison
SF - Walter Herrman
PF - Anderson Varejao
C - Chris Kaman
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Say It Ain't So Doc!
Reportedly, talks are in the works between Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers regarding an extension for the Celtics coach. As a Celtics fan, I believe I speak for most depressed Celtics fans when I say...WHAT THE #%&*@!?!?
It's hard to remember that in the 2004-2005 season, Doc Rivers actually led the Celtics to a 45-37 record, first place in the Atlantic Division, and the third seed in the Eastern conference playoffs. Wait, it's all coming back to me now...Paul Pierce ripping off his jersey and swinging it around his head in Indiana...an idiotic prank in the press conference where he wrapped his jaw in tape to emphasize that he got fouled...and yes, a game seven 27-point home blowout at the hands of the 6 seed Indiana Pacers, a game which I was unlucky enough to attend. Anyways, the initial point was, it's hard to remember that only 2 seasons ago, Rivers actually had a relatively successful campaign.
Since then, the Celtics are a pathetic 56-102, getting progressively worse in each season. Don't blame this entirely on Danny Ainge, or the fact that the Celtics are young and have had injury troubles, or anything else. Over the last two years, the Celtics are 15-35 in games decided by five points or less. That's not talent; they've had the talent to position themselves for wins, and time after time, they lose. The coach deserves some blame for games like that. Another bewildering thing about Rivers is that the Celtics continue to be the only team in the NBA that legitimately has a "second line". While other coaches actually leave their best players in until they absolutely need a rest, working one or two bench players into the mix, Rivers insists on using entire line subs, as if the NBA were an in-town recreation league and parents will get mad if their sons don't play. Well, right now Doc doesn't have that luxury because the Celtics are more beat up than Apollo Creed in Rocky IV. I heard they called Dice-K to see if he had ever tried basketball. But when the Celtics have more than 7 players dressing, and are actually attempting to win basketball games, Doc consistently takes the entire starting lineup out for the first six minutes of the second and fourth quarters, and suicidal Celtics fans watch 10 point leads turn into deficits before Paul Pierce heaves up a last second shot that has a 12% chance of going in.
There is only one way that I can explain how little confidence the Boston fans have in Rivers. When there was buzz towards the middle of the season about Doc possibly getting fired, Celtics fans were distraught because we felt he was the only coach who could lead us to a chance at Oden or Durant. Look, Doc is a great guy. He always says the right thing. He's extremely charismatic and I always feel bad about trashing him after I see him in a press conference. Hey, he even called John Amaechi to give him support when the rest of the NBA gave him the cold shoulder after announcing that he was gay. But all that being said, Doc is just a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad coach.
It's hard to remember that in the 2004-2005 season, Doc Rivers actually led the Celtics to a 45-37 record, first place in the Atlantic Division, and the third seed in the Eastern conference playoffs. Wait, it's all coming back to me now...Paul Pierce ripping off his jersey and swinging it around his head in Indiana...an idiotic prank in the press conference where he wrapped his jaw in tape to emphasize that he got fouled...and yes, a game seven 27-point home blowout at the hands of the 6 seed Indiana Pacers, a game which I was unlucky enough to attend. Anyways, the initial point was, it's hard to remember that only 2 seasons ago, Rivers actually had a relatively successful campaign.
Since then, the Celtics are a pathetic 56-102, getting progressively worse in each season. Don't blame this entirely on Danny Ainge, or the fact that the Celtics are young and have had injury troubles, or anything else. Over the last two years, the Celtics are 15-35 in games decided by five points or less. That's not talent; they've had the talent to position themselves for wins, and time after time, they lose. The coach deserves some blame for games like that. Another bewildering thing about Rivers is that the Celtics continue to be the only team in the NBA that legitimately has a "second line". While other coaches actually leave their best players in until they absolutely need a rest, working one or two bench players into the mix, Rivers insists on using entire line subs, as if the NBA were an in-town recreation league and parents will get mad if their sons don't play. Well, right now Doc doesn't have that luxury because the Celtics are more beat up than Apollo Creed in Rocky IV. I heard they called Dice-K to see if he had ever tried basketball. But when the Celtics have more than 7 players dressing, and are actually attempting to win basketball games, Doc consistently takes the entire starting lineup out for the first six minutes of the second and fourth quarters, and suicidal Celtics fans watch 10 point leads turn into deficits before Paul Pierce heaves up a last second shot that has a 12% chance of going in.
There is only one way that I can explain how little confidence the Boston fans have in Rivers. When there was buzz towards the middle of the season about Doc possibly getting fired, Celtics fans were distraught because we felt he was the only coach who could lead us to a chance at Oden or Durant. Look, Doc is a great guy. He always says the right thing. He's extremely charismatic and I always feel bad about trashing him after I see him in a press conference. Hey, he even called John Amaechi to give him support when the rest of the NBA gave him the cold shoulder after announcing that he was gay. But all that being said, Doc is just a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad coach.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
The Rest of the West
The Mavericks are good. The Suns are good. The Spurs are good. We know this much. But rumor has it, five more teams are also going to be allowed to play in the Western Conference playoffs this year. Some of them even have a legitimate chance to spoil the fun at the top for those Big Three.
Rocket Power
The Houston Rockets are one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA. The Rockets have fought a treacherous battle with the injury bug all year long. Tracy McGrady, who has become consummate team player (24 points, 5 rebounds, 6.4 assists per game), missed 10 games with back problems and has been playing through the injury all season. On top of McGrady's injury woes, Yao Ming has missed almost half the season--33 games--with a broken leg and back problems. Amazingly, between his injuries and Houston's seemingly unimpressive record, Yao is flying under the radar this year (other than the 6 billion Chinese fans that voted for him for the All-Star game). Yao is putting up an astonishing 25 points and 10 rebounds per game, making him the most productive true center in the league. Yao is putting up considerably more points per game than the likes of Tim Duncan, Elton Brand, Chris Bosh, etc. To put it in perspective, Yao has nearly identical numbers (points, rebounds, blocks) to what Brand put up last year when he was considered a legitimate MVP candidate. On top of those two crucial injuries, Bonzi Wells, who averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds per game in Sacramento last year, has missed 50 games, also with back problems. The Rockets should use their 2007 first round draft pick on a highly touted chiropractor.
While Avery Johnson will most likely win Coach of the Year Honors for the second straight season, Jeff Van Gundy's performance has been far more impressive, and I believe that he is more deserving of the award. Despite coach a team that at times was without a single star, Van Gundy has led the Rockets to a very respectable record (they will finish with upwards of 50 wins) in the NBA's premiere division. Nonetheless, the Rockets are getting healthy at the right time. With Yao, McGrady, and Wells all back on the court, they approach the playoffs at full strength. In addition to the league's best tandem, the Rockets have perfect roll players--Luther Head, Shane Battier, Juwon Howard, Bonzi Wells, Chuck Hayes, and of course, Skip to My Lou! (Rafer Alston). And perhaps the most important roll player come playoff time, Dikembe Mutombo will be essential in guarding opposing big men like Tim Duncan, especially when Yao gets in foul trouble. He also gives the Rockets the option of playing him alongside Yao, which makes them so tall that I've wondered whether they are the Monstars from Space Jam--nobody can enter the paint with the two intimidators both in there. Not only will the Rockets breeze by the Jazz in the first round, but I think the Rockets-Mavericks series in the second round will go 7 games, and the Rockets could come out on top. Don't overlook this team, they have a chance to do big things; but shhhhh, they're still flying under the radar.
The Best Collection of Players Wearing the Same Uniforms
The Denver Nuggets might have the best collection of players wearing the same uniforms of anyone in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have much of a team. With Camby and Nene both healthy at the same time, which is more rare than a lunar eclipse, the Nuggets have an extremely formidable frontcourt. Then you move to the wing players, and oh yeah, they have two of the top scorers in the entire league in Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. The team is rounded off by Steve Blake, who has had a resurgence of his career since getting traded to Denver. He went from seldom-used backup the Portland Trailblazers (evidently he had too clean of a criminal record to make the starting lineup), to very competent starting point guard for the Nuggets--quite the improvement. Reggie Evans, Linas Kleiza, JR Smith, and Eduardo Najera can all make solid contributions as well. This Nuggets "team" is certainly not devoid of talent, but George Karl is faced with the nearly impossible task of getting them to play as a cohesive unit.
Despite their self-centered stars, Coach Karl has the Nuggets playing much better of late. If the Nuggets are successful in the playoffs it will be because of Allen Iverson's desire to win. Iverson realizes that his window to lead a team to the championship is closing. AI turns 32 this June, and everybody knows how badly he wants a ring; he may be willing to sacrifice the spotlight for a chance at sweet victory. Either way, it is safe to say that both the Suns and Spurs would rather face the Lakers in the first round than this star-studded team. I would personally love to see the run-and-gun battle that would ensue if the Nuggets and Suns met in the first round, rather than wasting the exciting Nuggets team against the boring to death Spurs and their appropriately gray uniforms. I would rather sit through calculus class than watch another Spurs-Pistons NBA Finals.
One Gun Short
The Utah Jazz were the hottest team to start the season, and though their position at the top of the West faded, they have not fallen off the face of the Earth like the Magic have after their early success in the JV Conference. Although the Jazz still seem like an underdog small market team, their lineup is quite impressive. Deron Williams has quickly emerged from a pudgy "bust" in his rookie year to one of the league's best point guards. Over the course of the season, Williams has put up 17 points and an almost Nash-like 9.5 assists per game. (Hey, I said almost.) Carlos Boozer is an absolute double-double machine, putting up 21 and 12, and never taking a game off. Mehmet Okur is having another terrific season; he is a dual threat big man who can pull opposing centers out with his three point range. These three players make up the core of a solid team, but it seems their one gun short of being a contender...the AK47.
AK47 AKA Andrei Kirilenko (all those A's and K's are hurting my head) is the top candidate for an award I like to give out each year, the MOIP--Most Opposite-of-Improved Player. After being a bona fide superstar for the last three years, Kirilenko has fallen off the face of the Earth. Last year Kirilenko averaged 15.3 points, 8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals. This year? He's down significantly in every category: 8.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2 blocks, and 1.1 steal. He is also currently 16-75 from the three point line on the season (20%). At only 26 years of age, Kirilenko's fall from grace is somewhat inexplicable. I mean, we've come to expect him to turn his ankle on a weekly basis, so had he merely missed 20 games, we would have accepted it; but nobody expected him to play over 90% of the season and just flat out stink! Maybe the Space Jam Monstars from the Rockets stoke his talent?Kirilenko's embarrassing MOIP season puts the proverbial nail in the coffin for Utah's season. I'd be shocked if they last more than 5 or 6 games against the Rockets in the first round.
The Los Angeles Kobe's
I honestly thing Kobe Bryant can single-handedly win two games against one of the Big Three in the first round of the playoffs. I wonder what the most points per game any player has scored over a best-of-seven series...(sorry, I don't have Tony Reali to look it up for me.) Point is, Kobe is absolutely unstoppable, and Lamar Odom is good, but the team is just pathetic otherwise. Their starting lineup includes a guy name Smush, who happens to shoot 65% from the charity stripe and average under 3 assists per game despite playing 30 minutes as the starting point guard each night (Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson are grinning with pride somewhere), a 7 foot center who just graduated elementary school, and Bill Walton's son. OK, Luke Walton is actually pretty good, but you get the point.
Not-So-Elite Eight
Who will the number 8 seed be? The LA Clippers? The Golden State Warriors? The New Orleans/Oklahoma City Nomads?...I mean Hornets
Does it really matter? The Dallas Walmart is already selling out of brooms.
Rocket Power
The Houston Rockets are one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA. The Rockets have fought a treacherous battle with the injury bug all year long. Tracy McGrady, who has become consummate team player (24 points, 5 rebounds, 6.4 assists per game), missed 10 games with back problems and has been playing through the injury all season. On top of McGrady's injury woes, Yao Ming has missed almost half the season--33 games--with a broken leg and back problems. Amazingly, between his injuries and Houston's seemingly unimpressive record, Yao is flying under the radar this year (other than the 6 billion Chinese fans that voted for him for the All-Star game). Yao is putting up an astonishing 25 points and 10 rebounds per game, making him the most productive true center in the league. Yao is putting up considerably more points per game than the likes of Tim Duncan, Elton Brand, Chris Bosh, etc. To put it in perspective, Yao has nearly identical numbers (points, rebounds, blocks) to what Brand put up last year when he was considered a legitimate MVP candidate. On top of those two crucial injuries, Bonzi Wells, who averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds per game in Sacramento last year, has missed 50 games, also with back problems. The Rockets should use their 2007 first round draft pick on a highly touted chiropractor.
While Avery Johnson will most likely win Coach of the Year Honors for the second straight season, Jeff Van Gundy's performance has been far more impressive, and I believe that he is more deserving of the award. Despite coach a team that at times was without a single star, Van Gundy has led the Rockets to a very respectable record (they will finish with upwards of 50 wins) in the NBA's premiere division. Nonetheless, the Rockets are getting healthy at the right time. With Yao, McGrady, and Wells all back on the court, they approach the playoffs at full strength. In addition to the league's best tandem, the Rockets have perfect roll players--Luther Head, Shane Battier, Juwon Howard, Bonzi Wells, Chuck Hayes, and of course, Skip to My Lou! (Rafer Alston). And perhaps the most important roll player come playoff time, Dikembe Mutombo will be essential in guarding opposing big men like Tim Duncan, especially when Yao gets in foul trouble. He also gives the Rockets the option of playing him alongside Yao, which makes them so tall that I've wondered whether they are the Monstars from Space Jam--nobody can enter the paint with the two intimidators both in there. Not only will the Rockets breeze by the Jazz in the first round, but I think the Rockets-Mavericks series in the second round will go 7 games, and the Rockets could come out on top. Don't overlook this team, they have a chance to do big things; but shhhhh, they're still flying under the radar.
The Best Collection of Players Wearing the Same Uniforms
The Denver Nuggets might have the best collection of players wearing the same uniforms of anyone in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have much of a team. With Camby and Nene both healthy at the same time, which is more rare than a lunar eclipse, the Nuggets have an extremely formidable frontcourt. Then you move to the wing players, and oh yeah, they have two of the top scorers in the entire league in Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. The team is rounded off by Steve Blake, who has had a resurgence of his career since getting traded to Denver. He went from seldom-used backup the Portland Trailblazers (evidently he had too clean of a criminal record to make the starting lineup), to very competent starting point guard for the Nuggets--quite the improvement. Reggie Evans, Linas Kleiza, JR Smith, and Eduardo Najera can all make solid contributions as well. This Nuggets "team" is certainly not devoid of talent, but George Karl is faced with the nearly impossible task of getting them to play as a cohesive unit.
Despite their self-centered stars, Coach Karl has the Nuggets playing much better of late. If the Nuggets are successful in the playoffs it will be because of Allen Iverson's desire to win. Iverson realizes that his window to lead a team to the championship is closing. AI turns 32 this June, and everybody knows how badly he wants a ring; he may be willing to sacrifice the spotlight for a chance at sweet victory. Either way, it is safe to say that both the Suns and Spurs would rather face the Lakers in the first round than this star-studded team. I would personally love to see the run-and-gun battle that would ensue if the Nuggets and Suns met in the first round, rather than wasting the exciting Nuggets team against the boring to death Spurs and their appropriately gray uniforms. I would rather sit through calculus class than watch another Spurs-Pistons NBA Finals.
One Gun Short
The Utah Jazz were the hottest team to start the season, and though their position at the top of the West faded, they have not fallen off the face of the Earth like the Magic have after their early success in the JV Conference. Although the Jazz still seem like an underdog small market team, their lineup is quite impressive. Deron Williams has quickly emerged from a pudgy "bust" in his rookie year to one of the league's best point guards. Over the course of the season, Williams has put up 17 points and an almost Nash-like 9.5 assists per game. (Hey, I said almost.) Carlos Boozer is an absolute double-double machine, putting up 21 and 12, and never taking a game off. Mehmet Okur is having another terrific season; he is a dual threat big man who can pull opposing centers out with his three point range. These three players make up the core of a solid team, but it seems their one gun short of being a contender...the AK47.
AK47 AKA Andrei Kirilenko (all those A's and K's are hurting my head) is the top candidate for an award I like to give out each year, the MOIP--Most Opposite-of-Improved Player. After being a bona fide superstar for the last three years, Kirilenko has fallen off the face of the Earth. Last year Kirilenko averaged 15.3 points, 8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals. This year? He's down significantly in every category: 8.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2 blocks, and 1.1 steal. He is also currently 16-75 from the three point line on the season (20%). At only 26 years of age, Kirilenko's fall from grace is somewhat inexplicable. I mean, we've come to expect him to turn his ankle on a weekly basis, so had he merely missed 20 games, we would have accepted it; but nobody expected him to play over 90% of the season and just flat out stink! Maybe the Space Jam Monstars from the Rockets stoke his talent?Kirilenko's embarrassing MOIP season puts the proverbial nail in the coffin for Utah's season. I'd be shocked if they last more than 5 or 6 games against the Rockets in the first round.
The Los Angeles Kobe's
I honestly thing Kobe Bryant can single-handedly win two games against one of the Big Three in the first round of the playoffs. I wonder what the most points per game any player has scored over a best-of-seven series...(sorry, I don't have Tony Reali to look it up for me.) Point is, Kobe is absolutely unstoppable, and Lamar Odom is good, but the team is just pathetic otherwise. Their starting lineup includes a guy name Smush, who happens to shoot 65% from the charity stripe and average under 3 assists per game despite playing 30 minutes as the starting point guard each night (Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson are grinning with pride somewhere), a 7 foot center who just graduated elementary school, and Bill Walton's son. OK, Luke Walton is actually pretty good, but you get the point.
Not-So-Elite Eight
Who will the number 8 seed be? The LA Clippers? The Golden State Warriors? The New Orleans/Oklahoma City Nomads?...I mean Hornets
Does it really matter? The Dallas Walmart is already selling out of brooms.
The PIT is not the Pits!
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (or the PIT) is the nation's oldest amateur basketball tournament. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the PIT, the tournament is available only to the best college seniors in the country. In recent years, the tournament has tended to contain second tier professional prospects--those who are not projected as early first round picks. This year, it has come to the public's attention that many NBA scouts are now complaining about the Portsmouth Invitational, saying that attending is a complete waste of time and money. And this has me steaming.
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament gives opportunities to college players who have produced all year but are overlooked because they are a couple inches shorter than the average NBA player at their position, because they don't have a 42 inch vertical leap, because they don't have a 7'6" wingspan. Look at the PIT's history. Its alumni include Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Rick Barry, Dave Cowens, and the list goes on. And while scouts argue that times have changed since players like that participated in the PIT, it has given opportunities to approximately 50 current NBA players, including the likes of Ben Wallace, Derek Fisher, Cuttino Mobley, PJ Brown, Ruben Patterson, etc. Last year alone, the PIT produced 10 NBA players, namely Chris Quinn, who has started at times for the championship-contending Miami Heat this year. On top of its NBA credentials, the majority of its participants go on to successful careers overseas.
NBA scouts continue to rip the tournament for its lack of first round talent. They say it's useless. But tell that to Dashaun Wood from Wright State, the Horizon league MVP who was overlooked because he's only 5'11" and the PIT has given him new life. Tell that to Stephane Lasme who was overlooked because he's already 24 years old, but the PIT has helped him solidify himself as a second round pick. Tell that to Division 2 standout Avis Wyatt from Virginia State who was able to show that he can compete against top notch D-1 players. I could go on, but you get the point. Maybe the tournament isn't packed with lottery picks, but how can we disregard a tournament as a waste of time when it gives unheralded players the chance to realize a dream year after year after year?
Here are some other names to keep your ears out for come NBA draft time that helped themselves at this year's Portsmouth Invitational Tournament:
Zabian Dowdell (Virginia Tech), a terrific scorer who can shoot from the outside, hit the mid-range jumper, or use his athleticism to get to the hoop. Overlooked because: He is only about 6'2" and a natural shooting guard.
NBA Comparison: Ronald "Flip" Murray
Mohammed Akubar (San Diego State), an athletic 6'10" forward who can shoot the ball very well for someone with his size. Overlooked because: He Abukar does not rebound or defend well for somebody with his natural abilities.
NBA Comparison: James Jones (not quite as good a shooter)
Darryl Watkins (Syracuse), a very intriguing, freakishly athletic big man with great size and shot-blocking ability. Overlooked because: He lacks a developed offensive game and has lapses at times on the court.
NBA Comparison: Johan Petro
Russell Carter (Notre Dame), a sharpshooter with the quintessential scorer's mentality; he demands the ball and often shoots when he gets it; great rebounder for his size due to his tenacity, athleticism, and solid build. Overlooked because: He is only 6'4" and cannot play point guard.
NBA Comparison: poor man's Michael Redd
James Hughes (Northern Illinois), another intriguing big man with great size (6'11", 220) and shot blocking ability; decent offensive skills around the hoop, though not overwhelming; relatively athletic. Overlooked because: He has had little exposure playing at an unheralded MAC school, and is still very raw.
NBA Comparison: poor man's Tyson Chandler
Ryvon Covile (Detroit), a fantastic rebounder who can bang with the best of them; can step outside a little bit and hit an 18 foot jump shot; great work ethic; decent size/athleticism. Overlooked because: He played at a small school and is a bit small for an NBA PF/C for someone who is not particularly athletic.
NBA Comparison: Danny Fortson
Rashad Jones-Jennings (Arkansas Little-Rock), the nation's leading rebounder (13.1 per game); unbelievable work ethic--never takes a play off; solid enough offensively to be an occasional threat. Overlooked because: Only 6'8" which can be limiting as a rebounder, not outstandingly athletic; played in the Sun Belt.
NBA Comparison: Reggie Evans
Jamaal Tatum (Southern Illinois), MVP of the MVC (say that 5 times fast...); a completely selfless point guard who will do anything to help his team win; tough going to the hoop where he can finish or dish; solid size for a true point guard; great defender. Overlooked because: Tatum has a very mediocre jump shot that does not extend anywhere near the NBA three point line.
NBA Comparison: Rajon Rondo
Adam Haluska (Iowa), a lights out shooter who carried his team to a solid season with very little help; a good scorer inside of the arc as well who can get to the hoop or pull up for the mid-range jumper. Overlooked because: Haluska lacks NBA athleticism and does very little other than score the basketball. (He also looks like an average men's league player who is balding and well past his prime)
NBA Comparison: Eric Piatowski
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament gives opportunities to college players who have produced all year but are overlooked because they are a couple inches shorter than the average NBA player at their position, because they don't have a 42 inch vertical leap, because they don't have a 7'6" wingspan. Look at the PIT's history. Its alumni include Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Rick Barry, Dave Cowens, and the list goes on. And while scouts argue that times have changed since players like that participated in the PIT, it has given opportunities to approximately 50 current NBA players, including the likes of Ben Wallace, Derek Fisher, Cuttino Mobley, PJ Brown, Ruben Patterson, etc. Last year alone, the PIT produced 10 NBA players, namely Chris Quinn, who has started at times for the championship-contending Miami Heat this year. On top of its NBA credentials, the majority of its participants go on to successful careers overseas.
NBA scouts continue to rip the tournament for its lack of first round talent. They say it's useless. But tell that to Dashaun Wood from Wright State, the Horizon league MVP who was overlooked because he's only 5'11" and the PIT has given him new life. Tell that to Stephane Lasme who was overlooked because he's already 24 years old, but the PIT has helped him solidify himself as a second round pick. Tell that to Division 2 standout Avis Wyatt from Virginia State who was able to show that he can compete against top notch D-1 players. I could go on, but you get the point. Maybe the tournament isn't packed with lottery picks, but how can we disregard a tournament as a waste of time when it gives unheralded players the chance to realize a dream year after year after year?
Here are some other names to keep your ears out for come NBA draft time that helped themselves at this year's Portsmouth Invitational Tournament:
Zabian Dowdell (Virginia Tech), a terrific scorer who can shoot from the outside, hit the mid-range jumper, or use his athleticism to get to the hoop. Overlooked because: He is only about 6'2" and a natural shooting guard.
NBA Comparison: Ronald "Flip" Murray
Mohammed Akubar (San Diego State), an athletic 6'10" forward who can shoot the ball very well for someone with his size. Overlooked because: He Abukar does not rebound or defend well for somebody with his natural abilities.
NBA Comparison: James Jones (not quite as good a shooter)
Darryl Watkins (Syracuse), a very intriguing, freakishly athletic big man with great size and shot-blocking ability. Overlooked because: He lacks a developed offensive game and has lapses at times on the court.
NBA Comparison: Johan Petro
Russell Carter (Notre Dame), a sharpshooter with the quintessential scorer's mentality; he demands the ball and often shoots when he gets it; great rebounder for his size due to his tenacity, athleticism, and solid build. Overlooked because: He is only 6'4" and cannot play point guard.
NBA Comparison: poor man's Michael Redd
James Hughes (Northern Illinois), another intriguing big man with great size (6'11", 220) and shot blocking ability; decent offensive skills around the hoop, though not overwhelming; relatively athletic. Overlooked because: He has had little exposure playing at an unheralded MAC school, and is still very raw.
NBA Comparison: poor man's Tyson Chandler
Ryvon Covile (Detroit), a fantastic rebounder who can bang with the best of them; can step outside a little bit and hit an 18 foot jump shot; great work ethic; decent size/athleticism. Overlooked because: He played at a small school and is a bit small for an NBA PF/C for someone who is not particularly athletic.
NBA Comparison: Danny Fortson
Rashad Jones-Jennings (Arkansas Little-Rock), the nation's leading rebounder (13.1 per game); unbelievable work ethic--never takes a play off; solid enough offensively to be an occasional threat. Overlooked because: Only 6'8" which can be limiting as a rebounder, not outstandingly athletic; played in the Sun Belt.
NBA Comparison: Reggie Evans
Jamaal Tatum (Southern Illinois), MVP of the MVC (say that 5 times fast...); a completely selfless point guard who will do anything to help his team win; tough going to the hoop where he can finish or dish; solid size for a true point guard; great defender. Overlooked because: Tatum has a very mediocre jump shot that does not extend anywhere near the NBA three point line.
NBA Comparison: Rajon Rondo
Adam Haluska (Iowa), a lights out shooter who carried his team to a solid season with very little help; a good scorer inside of the arc as well who can get to the hoop or pull up for the mid-range jumper. Overlooked because: Haluska lacks NBA athleticism and does very little other than score the basketball. (He also looks like an average men's league player who is balding and well past his prime)
NBA Comparison: Eric Piatowski
Friday, April 6, 2007
Dear...
Bob Huggins, have you no soul?
After only one year at Kansas State, Bob Huggins has opted to resign and take the job at West Virginia. It makes sense; West Virginia is a more prestigious basketball school and is Huggins' alma mater. One problem: the best incoming class in the entire nation has already committed to Kansas State to play for Bob Huggins. These poor kids agreed to come to Manhattan, Kansas and wear purple uniforms for a school that lacks prestige in the basketball world, all so the could play for Bob Huggins! Now, its too late for the incoming freshman to change their mind. For example, Michael Beasley, arguably the best high school senior in the nation, would have to sit out a season to go somewhere else. By the end of the year he had sat out, Beasley could just go pro, so what's the point. To reel in the top recruits in the country with the understanding that they would be playing for you, and then bail out as soon as a "better" job becomes available, simply disgusts me. Have you know sense of responsibility Bob Huggins? You are ruining kids lives for a chance to slightly better your own situation! On top of that, the fallout for K-State could be fatal. It is possible that we will see the same kind of mass-transfer that happened at Baylor for the 2004 season after their disgusting scandal. Baylor lost stars Lawrence Roberts and John Lucas III in this exodus and the team still has not fully recovered. Kansas State had a legitimate opportunity to burst onto the basketball scene in a big way; I hope Bob Huggins selfish move doesn't close that door.
Dice-K, you make my heart sing!
Red Sox nation hasn't been this excited since the Sox won the World Series in 2004. Daisuke Matsuzaka is so good that it leaves you wondering what went wrong every time somebody manages to get a hit off him. He throws approximately seven pitches consistently, each of which is extremely effective. Yes, SEVEN. And that's not even counting the much-fabled and highly elusive "gyroball" that is said to spin in crazy ways. (I like to imagine it as a pitch from the computer game "Backyard Baseball" in which certain pitches can corkscrew or freeze in mid-air before home plate.) Matsuzaka went 7 innings in his major league debut with 10 strikeouts. hitters generally seemed confused as they swung hopelessly throughout the course of the game (though David Dejesus did seem to have his number...) After throwing 108 pitches, Dice-K hardly looked tired. I'm convinced the Sox should just pitch him every third day. Kidding aside, it seems as though Matsuzaka should notch somewhere between 18 and 22 wins, which would be a phenomenal season for anybody. Much like Lebron's rookie year, Dice-K has epic amounts of hype, millions of fans who will watch his every move, and there's a good chance he could live up to all the expectations.
Gilbert Arenas, are you clinically insane?
After an impressive regular season for the Wizards, one which Gilbert Arenas referred to as "the takeover", their hopes for success have crumbled along with the knee of Arenas and the hand of Caron Butler. Just days after Butler broke his hand on the backboard while trying to block a fast break layup from behind, Arenas went down within his first minute of the game and was later diagnosed with a torn meniscus. A lot of people seem to love or hate Gilbert Arenas--and I can't get enough of him. I immediately checked his blog after finding out about the severity of the injury, something I check consistently to put myself in a good (it's utterly hilarious), to see what Arenas's reaction would be. The title of the post was "Still Smiling" and I thought it was great that he was coping well with the situation. Then I read on. He goes on to say:
I think the worst part about it was that my Internet connection wasn’t acting right last night so my video game session wasn’t working. It kept kicking me offline so I didn’t actually get to fully play.
So, when you’re injured and video games is your life and you can’t play it, it just makes the injury that much worse.
...
I told them to cut the leg off a couple times. You know, cut it off and then bring it back to me when it was all healed. Because, you know, Heather Mills on Dancing with the Stars, she had that leg. I was saying I could borrow one of those and finish out the season. But they wasn’t going for that.
Arenas is a first-class whacko, but you know what, its nice to see a professional athlete with a sense of humor. Arenas loves the game, and as he has said himself, he behaves not only as a top-notch player, but as a fan as well. (Hence jumping off the trampoline at the All-Star Game.) Keep being yourself Gilbert, even if you are a little bit crazy.
Joe Nathan, get a hold of your life!
A story emerged recently that Joe Nathan's wife was having a baby on the night of a Twins game. Nathan, who had already saved the first two games of the season, said he would be at the hospital with his wife, but would be on call in case the Twins needed him. The man was genuinely planning to leave the hospital and go to the Metrodome in a save situation. Luckily for the future of Joe Nathan's marriage, the Twins won 7-2 and did not need Nathan's services. Can you imagine a better eternal comeback than "How about the time you left me while I was having a baby to go to the Twins game!?" I'm all for athletes who care about their team above almost all else, but come on, some things are more important. Nathan will probably pitch in upwards of 500 more games in his career. You just don't leave your wife when she's having a baby to play baseball. If it was the World Series, I could at least understand the decision. But it's the first week of April!
Billy Packer, how much can you get away with before they finally fire you?
Billy Packer got himself in trouble once again for using the term "fag out" on the Charlie Rose show this week. While it's true that the term is an old-fashioned way of calling somebody lazy, in the age of political correctness, it was a poor choice of words. Of course Packer refused to budge on the issue, defending his comment whole-heartedly, despite the perfect opportunity to apologize. The comment would be easier to overlook had he not made multiple controversial comments in the past. He has made sexist comments, rudely disregarded mid-majors as worthy basketball teams, and even referred to Allen Iverson as a "tough monkey". While I don't think Packer is necessarily racist, sexist, or homophobic, he is also a terrible announcer. Him and Jim Nantz make the least interesting team possible, and Packer continues to steal the spotlight, especially around tournament time, for controversial comments. I just don't understand how the benefits of having a mediocre analyst who is constantly angering people with his loose tongue. Time to say bye bye to Billy.
MLB owners, say yes to Mark Cuban!
Much like the aforementioned Gilbert Arenas, Mark Cuban is a refreshing personality to have in the basketball world. Also, he seems to be slightly more sane than Arenas, but it's a close call. Regardless, Cuban has done tremendous things for the NBA. Occasionally Cuban oversteps the line, but he respects this, pays his fines, and moves on. People love Mark Cuban; he's truly hilarious and everyone can relate to him. Cuban is the classic basketball fan, only he owns the Dallas Mavericks. As an owner, Cuban will do whatever it takes to win. He has built the Mavericks up from the laughingstock of the league, to a historically phenomenal team. If Cuban was to take over the Chicago Cubs, as the rumors have suggested as a real possibility, you can almost guarantee that the Cubs would quickly make the acquisitions they need to strengthen their chances at breaking that long-standing curse. Furthermore, the only easily recognized owner that comes to mind in the league is the evil George Steinbrenner. The MLB could use a friendly face at the top.
After only one year at Kansas State, Bob Huggins has opted to resign and take the job at West Virginia. It makes sense; West Virginia is a more prestigious basketball school and is Huggins' alma mater. One problem: the best incoming class in the entire nation has already committed to Kansas State to play for Bob Huggins. These poor kids agreed to come to Manhattan, Kansas and wear purple uniforms for a school that lacks prestige in the basketball world, all so the could play for Bob Huggins! Now, its too late for the incoming freshman to change their mind. For example, Michael Beasley, arguably the best high school senior in the nation, would have to sit out a season to go somewhere else. By the end of the year he had sat out, Beasley could just go pro, so what's the point. To reel in the top recruits in the country with the understanding that they would be playing for you, and then bail out as soon as a "better" job becomes available, simply disgusts me. Have you know sense of responsibility Bob Huggins? You are ruining kids lives for a chance to slightly better your own situation! On top of that, the fallout for K-State could be fatal. It is possible that we will see the same kind of mass-transfer that happened at Baylor for the 2004 season after their disgusting scandal. Baylor lost stars Lawrence Roberts and John Lucas III in this exodus and the team still has not fully recovered. Kansas State had a legitimate opportunity to burst onto the basketball scene in a big way; I hope Bob Huggins selfish move doesn't close that door.
Dice-K, you make my heart sing!
Red Sox nation hasn't been this excited since the Sox won the World Series in 2004. Daisuke Matsuzaka is so good that it leaves you wondering what went wrong every time somebody manages to get a hit off him. He throws approximately seven pitches consistently, each of which is extremely effective. Yes, SEVEN. And that's not even counting the much-fabled and highly elusive "gyroball" that is said to spin in crazy ways. (I like to imagine it as a pitch from the computer game "Backyard Baseball" in which certain pitches can corkscrew or freeze in mid-air before home plate.) Matsuzaka went 7 innings in his major league debut with 10 strikeouts. hitters generally seemed confused as they swung hopelessly throughout the course of the game (though David Dejesus did seem to have his number...) After throwing 108 pitches, Dice-K hardly looked tired. I'm convinced the Sox should just pitch him every third day. Kidding aside, it seems as though Matsuzaka should notch somewhere between 18 and 22 wins, which would be a phenomenal season for anybody. Much like Lebron's rookie year, Dice-K has epic amounts of hype, millions of fans who will watch his every move, and there's a good chance he could live up to all the expectations.
Gilbert Arenas, are you clinically insane?
After an impressive regular season for the Wizards, one which Gilbert Arenas referred to as "the takeover", their hopes for success have crumbled along with the knee of Arenas and the hand of Caron Butler. Just days after Butler broke his hand on the backboard while trying to block a fast break layup from behind, Arenas went down within his first minute of the game and was later diagnosed with a torn meniscus. A lot of people seem to love or hate Gilbert Arenas--and I can't get enough of him. I immediately checked his blog after finding out about the severity of the injury, something I check consistently to put myself in a good (it's utterly hilarious), to see what Arenas's reaction would be. The title of the post was "Still Smiling" and I thought it was great that he was coping well with the situation. Then I read on. He goes on to say:
I think the worst part about it was that my Internet connection wasn’t acting right last night so my video game session wasn’t working. It kept kicking me offline so I didn’t actually get to fully play.
So, when you’re injured and video games is your life and you can’t play it, it just makes the injury that much worse.
...
I told them to cut the leg off a couple times. You know, cut it off and then bring it back to me when it was all healed. Because, you know, Heather Mills on Dancing with the Stars, she had that leg. I was saying I could borrow one of those and finish out the season. But they wasn’t going for that.
Arenas is a first-class whacko, but you know what, its nice to see a professional athlete with a sense of humor. Arenas loves the game, and as he has said himself, he behaves not only as a top-notch player, but as a fan as well. (Hence jumping off the trampoline at the All-Star Game.) Keep being yourself Gilbert, even if you are a little bit crazy.
Joe Nathan, get a hold of your life!
A story emerged recently that Joe Nathan's wife was having a baby on the night of a Twins game. Nathan, who had already saved the first two games of the season, said he would be at the hospital with his wife, but would be on call in case the Twins needed him. The man was genuinely planning to leave the hospital and go to the Metrodome in a save situation. Luckily for the future of Joe Nathan's marriage, the Twins won 7-2 and did not need Nathan's services. Can you imagine a better eternal comeback than "How about the time you left me while I was having a baby to go to the Twins game!?" I'm all for athletes who care about their team above almost all else, but come on, some things are more important. Nathan will probably pitch in upwards of 500 more games in his career. You just don't leave your wife when she's having a baby to play baseball. If it was the World Series, I could at least understand the decision. But it's the first week of April!
Billy Packer, how much can you get away with before they finally fire you?
Billy Packer got himself in trouble once again for using the term "fag out" on the Charlie Rose show this week. While it's true that the term is an old-fashioned way of calling somebody lazy, in the age of political correctness, it was a poor choice of words. Of course Packer refused to budge on the issue, defending his comment whole-heartedly, despite the perfect opportunity to apologize. The comment would be easier to overlook had he not made multiple controversial comments in the past. He has made sexist comments, rudely disregarded mid-majors as worthy basketball teams, and even referred to Allen Iverson as a "tough monkey". While I don't think Packer is necessarily racist, sexist, or homophobic, he is also a terrible announcer. Him and Jim Nantz make the least interesting team possible, and Packer continues to steal the spotlight, especially around tournament time, for controversial comments. I just don't understand how the benefits of having a mediocre analyst who is constantly angering people with his loose tongue. Time to say bye bye to Billy.
MLB owners, say yes to Mark Cuban!
Much like the aforementioned Gilbert Arenas, Mark Cuban is a refreshing personality to have in the basketball world. Also, he seems to be slightly more sane than Arenas, but it's a close call. Regardless, Cuban has done tremendous things for the NBA. Occasionally Cuban oversteps the line, but he respects this, pays his fines, and moves on. People love Mark Cuban; he's truly hilarious and everyone can relate to him. Cuban is the classic basketball fan, only he owns the Dallas Mavericks. As an owner, Cuban will do whatever it takes to win. He has built the Mavericks up from the laughingstock of the league, to a historically phenomenal team. If Cuban was to take over the Chicago Cubs, as the rumors have suggested as a real possibility, you can almost guarantee that the Cubs would quickly make the acquisitions they need to strengthen their chances at breaking that long-standing curse. Furthermore, the only easily recognized owner that comes to mind in the league is the evil George Steinbrenner. The MLB could use a friendly face at the top.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Final Four Review
I suppose I have to give credit where credit is due. After tearing Thad Matta apart in my final four preview, he coached a fantastic game against a tremendous Georgetown team. Matta stayed away from that weak 2-2-1 zone press, but still successfully utilized multiple defenses. The 2-3 zone, which they have seldom played throughout the year, was extremely effective, particularly against Jeff Green. After looking like the Big East Player of the Year and a top-10 draft pick against UNC, Green pulled off a disappearing act reminiscent of Tyler Hansbrough vs. USC. Green actually did not play a bad game, reeling in 12 rebounds, but rather he just was not the presence he needed to be. When you are the best all-around player on your team, you cannot be content with catching the ball and simply reversing it back around the perimeter every single time.
Oden and Hibbert both experienced the foul trouble that we all expected, playing only 44 minutes combined. It was actually quite disappointing considering the potential of this matchup which was being hyped as the greatest battle of bigs in the last 20 years. Hibbert impressed me despite his brief stint. In just 24 minutes, Hibbert managed to score 19 points and looked unstoppable in the post. Even when Oden, who is highly regarded as a terrific defender, had little success against Hibbert. Granted, Oden was playing tentatively at times to avoid fouls, but Hibbert's repertoire of post moves, including spins in both directions and hooks with both hand, was very impressive.
As for Oden, I am apparently the only person in the world who is skeptical about him. Keep in mind that being skeptical about Oden means I worry that he will only be an All-Star and not a Hall-of-Famer. Regardless, several things bother me about Oden. First of all, I haven't watched him stay out of foul trouble once all season. Despite Dick Vitale's cries that he is being reffed unfairly, I maintain that both Oden and Durant often get the benefit of the doubt. I swear, at least 30% of Oden's blocks are goaltending! Point is, Oden has been unable to adapt his game to avoid fouls, and I don't see it as a problem that is simply going to disappear at the next level. In addition, he still seems to lack the feel for the game offensively that a guy like Hibbert displays. Other than powerful two-handed dunks, his arsenal includes awkward moves and an ugly hook shot that he actually throws downwards at the hoop because of his length and jumping ability. The biggest shot he hit against Georgetown was a ten-foot-jumper with little arc that clanked of the back of the rim and happened to bounce up and in. Finally, and Oden said this himself, Hibbert was the first person he's ever played against that was taller than him! If I recall correctly, the NBA has a few other 7-footers. The following players' games don't compare to Oden's of course, but for the sake of argument, guys like Eric Montross and Dwayne Schinitzius looked great in college too. Oden is definitely not going to be a stiff in the NBA, I'm just not convinced that he's going to be Bill Russell either.
The Florida-UCLA game went much as expected, with Florida's depth being far too much for UCLA to handle. Then again, it was also an extremely odd game in that UCLA had only three turnovers the whole game. This would theoretically lead to a victory, but unfortunately, neither Collison nor Afflalo made a field goal in the first three quarters of the game, and three of their starters (Afflalo, Mata, and Mbah A Moute) fouled out and played less than 25 minutes. I was especially disappointed by Afflalo's performance. After picking up a foul in the first minute of the game, as an experienced player, Afflalo should have been at least a little but careful. Instead, he picked up his second foul with 18 minutes left in the first half. Honestly, the game was pretty much over then and there. He scored 17 points in the second half to save his box score, but anyone who saw the game knows that those points were utterly meaningless.
As for Florida, they continue to play great basketball and display their versatility. This game was Corey Brewer's turn to have the spotlight. Noah and Horford combined for an amazing 28 rebounds, but only 17 points. Brewer picked up that slack quite nicely, scoring a super-efficient 19 points on only 7 field goal attempts. He was 4-5 from the arc and his fantastic defense was also on display. Sometimes I forget that this kid is 6'9"--he's a classic matchup disaster. As an NBA player, I think Corey Brewer will be a similar player to Rashard Lewis, both in game-type and production.
With Humphrey continuing to knock down his shots, and Chris Richard playing beautifully off the bench (he now has 46 points for the tournament and has missed only 2 shots from the field), Florida is one of the best college teams in history. The championship game will not be a blowout like the team's first two meetings in Gainesville, I expect the result to be the same. Oden will struggle against the Florida trio of enforcers, and Conley can only carry them so far. At every position where the Buckeyes are strong, the Gators can either match them, or are stronger: Oden vs. Horford and Noah, Conley vs. Taurean Green (Conley may have a slight advantage here, but Green is much more experienced and also very talented), Ron Lewis/Daequan Cook vs. Corey Brewer, Jamar Butler vs Lee Humphrey, Othello Butler vs. Chris Richard.
Final Predictions:
Score: Florida 76, Ohio State 64
MVP: Al Horford
Other: Oden held to 12 points, Conley is bright spot for OSU, Horford and Noah combine for 30 and 20, Humphrey hits 4+ threes.
Oden and Hibbert both experienced the foul trouble that we all expected, playing only 44 minutes combined. It was actually quite disappointing considering the potential of this matchup which was being hyped as the greatest battle of bigs in the last 20 years. Hibbert impressed me despite his brief stint. In just 24 minutes, Hibbert managed to score 19 points and looked unstoppable in the post. Even when Oden, who is highly regarded as a terrific defender, had little success against Hibbert. Granted, Oden was playing tentatively at times to avoid fouls, but Hibbert's repertoire of post moves, including spins in both directions and hooks with both hand, was very impressive.
As for Oden, I am apparently the only person in the world who is skeptical about him. Keep in mind that being skeptical about Oden means I worry that he will only be an All-Star and not a Hall-of-Famer. Regardless, several things bother me about Oden. First of all, I haven't watched him stay out of foul trouble once all season. Despite Dick Vitale's cries that he is being reffed unfairly, I maintain that both Oden and Durant often get the benefit of the doubt. I swear, at least 30% of Oden's blocks are goaltending! Point is, Oden has been unable to adapt his game to avoid fouls, and I don't see it as a problem that is simply going to disappear at the next level. In addition, he still seems to lack the feel for the game offensively that a guy like Hibbert displays. Other than powerful two-handed dunks, his arsenal includes awkward moves and an ugly hook shot that he actually throws downwards at the hoop because of his length and jumping ability. The biggest shot he hit against Georgetown was a ten-foot-jumper with little arc that clanked of the back of the rim and happened to bounce up and in. Finally, and Oden said this himself, Hibbert was the first person he's ever played against that was taller than him! If I recall correctly, the NBA has a few other 7-footers. The following players' games don't compare to Oden's of course, but for the sake of argument, guys like Eric Montross and Dwayne Schinitzius looked great in college too. Oden is definitely not going to be a stiff in the NBA, I'm just not convinced that he's going to be Bill Russell either.
The Florida-UCLA game went much as expected, with Florida's depth being far too much for UCLA to handle. Then again, it was also an extremely odd game in that UCLA had only three turnovers the whole game. This would theoretically lead to a victory, but unfortunately, neither Collison nor Afflalo made a field goal in the first three quarters of the game, and three of their starters (Afflalo, Mata, and Mbah A Moute) fouled out and played less than 25 minutes. I was especially disappointed by Afflalo's performance. After picking up a foul in the first minute of the game, as an experienced player, Afflalo should have been at least a little but careful. Instead, he picked up his second foul with 18 minutes left in the first half. Honestly, the game was pretty much over then and there. He scored 17 points in the second half to save his box score, but anyone who saw the game knows that those points were utterly meaningless.
As for Florida, they continue to play great basketball and display their versatility. This game was Corey Brewer's turn to have the spotlight. Noah and Horford combined for an amazing 28 rebounds, but only 17 points. Brewer picked up that slack quite nicely, scoring a super-efficient 19 points on only 7 field goal attempts. He was 4-5 from the arc and his fantastic defense was also on display. Sometimes I forget that this kid is 6'9"--he's a classic matchup disaster. As an NBA player, I think Corey Brewer will be a similar player to Rashard Lewis, both in game-type and production.
With Humphrey continuing to knock down his shots, and Chris Richard playing beautifully off the bench (he now has 46 points for the tournament and has missed only 2 shots from the field), Florida is one of the best college teams in history. The championship game will not be a blowout like the team's first two meetings in Gainesville, I expect the result to be the same. Oden will struggle against the Florida trio of enforcers, and Conley can only carry them so far. At every position where the Buckeyes are strong, the Gators can either match them, or are stronger: Oden vs. Horford and Noah, Conley vs. Taurean Green (Conley may have a slight advantage here, but Green is much more experienced and also very talented), Ron Lewis/Daequan Cook vs. Corey Brewer, Jamar Butler vs Lee Humphrey, Othello Butler vs. Chris Richard.
Final Predictions:
Score: Florida 76, Ohio State 64
MVP: Al Horford
Other: Oden held to 12 points, Conley is bright spot for OSU, Horford and Noah combine for 30 and 20, Humphrey hits 4+ threes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)