Here it is, as much as I've put it off, I'm finally writing a post about Lebron that looks at him in a near-positive light, despite my disgust with his "Decision". However, this isn't about the off-season, this is about his play on the court. So without further waffling...
For some time now, the League has been lacking a real villain. Kobe is popular to the point of receiving MVP chants in a number of road games, and pre-Decision Lebron was so clean and wholesome that it was hard to hate him (though some of us still did!). Ron Artest was a pariah because of the Malice in the Palace, but he wasn't the megawatt star that drew the ire of every team in the League, and besides, the best villains are supervillains aren't they? Vince Carter copped a bit of hate when he crossed the Border to New Jersey, but that was only really in Toronto. The last real supervillain was Reggie Miller. He antagonised opponents, riled up the crowds - in New York in particular - and was damn proud of it too. That is really the essential difference between Reggie, a true villain, and the other names I mentioned here; he embraced the hostility and fed off the haters like a vampire (you know, a real one, that doesn't sparkle, remember those?). You just didn't see that any more, especially with the new technical rules. Until now.
Lebron made all the right noises in the off-season to prepare himself for the villain role, making a list and checking it twice (couldn't help myself haha) of all the people who had "wronged him". But, he then tried too hard to clean up with his image by making a "hard-hitting" commercial aimed at the haters, especially Charles Barkley, whom Lebron implied was fat (gasp!), which came off as desperate. It didn't help matters that when the regular season rolled around, he looked like a kid who'd been spanked for the first time and seemed increasingly frustrated with the closeness of that dreaded .500 mark as the losses stacked up for his new franchise. Then something remarkable happened.
I remember that morning vividly, I got up early to go the gym, and left early too, because it was going to be a momentous day, one way or another. It was the day of the Return (someday we'll all stop using capitals for every Lebron event, but not just yet) and with the Heat in a bit of a slump, a number of punters were tipping the Cavaliers, fuelled by the power of the worst hurt feelings in sports history, to pull an upset. It started off that way, Lebron looked upset that Mo Williams gave him the cold shoulder, and then Hickson threw down a vicious dunk, it seemed that amazing might just happen after all. But then it all started to go horribly wrong. Something snapped in Lebron, and he started hitting simply ridiculous shots. But more than that, he started taunting the Cavaliers bench, hanging around chatting at Daniel Gibson, humiliating him, and daring him to stand up to the schoolyard bully. The rest of the game was brutal, with the Heat easily closing it out for a 118-90 win, Lebron himself finishing with 38 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds in a mere 30 minutes. Ouch.
Whatever happened in Cleveland that night it had a profound effect on not just Lebron, but the Heat as a whole. They went on a vicious rip, winning 12 straight and were brought down by an extremely tough Dallas outfit. While it helps that Wade was scoring in bunches and shooting damn near 60% from the field, Lebron's adjusted attitude to hostile crowds was another big factor. I'd like to draw your attention to another game during this streak. Heat against Knicks in Madison Square Garden; Lebron returns to the place he snubbed in free agency, and is predictably met by boos. The Knicks had been on a streak of their own, and lost a nail-biting classic to the Celtics a couple of days before. Amare was playing like an MVP and the Knicks fans were more than ready to abandon any love for Lebron in favour of their new saviour; who, surprisingly, was on their team! Like the Cleveland game, it was hyped as a possible upset. Again, it seemed that way at the start. But somehow, Joel Anthony held Amare to 24 points on 11-28 shooting and Lebron once again fed on the boos. Rather than gunning for 40, Lebron opted to punish the Knicks with a 32-10-11 triple-double. The interweb was flooded with exasperated Lebron haters saying "stop booing him, you're only making him stronger!".
Finally, the transformation has occurred, and Lebron is a villain on the basketball court, not just in his commercials. It's not enough to be hated and to embrace it. You have to rise to the occasion, and silence the crowds with daggers, staring them down, taunting the opposition. Lebron is finally doing it, and understands the power of hate. While I still resent Lebron for his off the court antics, I respect his play of late in the face of hostile crowds. Lebron seems comfortable now with his role, he's chillin' like a villain. Just don't make him stronger for the love of God.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Where to now?
First off, I'd like to apologise for that last post. That was weak, I had an idea, but it's hard to expand upon "wouldn't it be great if Rose and Westbrook were 6'6?" without sounding like a twat. I'll leave that stuff to twitter from now on...
But anyways, to the present. I feel like I've reached that point in the season where that mind-numbing off-season need for NBA basketball has been sated, basketball watching shifts down a peg on the priority list and the season starts to blur into watching highlights and tracking Ws and Ls of your favourite, and least favourite (Miami... looking at you) teams. It's almost like a fugue state. When you get to that point, the best thing you can do is take a step back and ask yourself, what storylines are developing that should be followed, and what other questions are there to be answered in this stretch of the season? What can I, as an NBA fan, look for to keep myself focused?
1) Blake Griffin;
This seems obvious, but this man makes every Clippers game must-see television. However, beyond the Dominique Wilkins-like dunks, it will be interesting to watch whether his defense will progress and he can combine with Eric Gordon to lead the team to some more wins instead of just ridiculous numbers.
2) Westbrook and Durant;
Call me crazy, but I feel a momentum shift. In Durant's absence Westbrook has become the closer, lockdown defender and vocal team leader the team expected Durant to be coming off his FIBA MVP performance. However, hampered by injury and expectations, Durant's shot hasn't been falling with the same efficiency and he just doesn't seem the same. However, these kinks will eventually sort out, and the power structure when KD is back at 100% is going to be interesting. Will Russ' more powerful personality give him the role of leader with Durant just a scorer or will KD step up to the challenge and regain control of his team? Whatever happens, it'll be interesting.
3) Chemistry a real issue in LA?
Phil Jackson called this team the most talented he's ever had. I call it a team that just lost four in a row. The Lakers could always be upset on occasion, but it usually didn't budge them from their seat at top in the West. Fourth isn't a pretty place for the defending champs, because home-court advantage has always been very kind to them. I find it hard to believe that the Lakers would have gone back-to-back with four games in Boston; especially game seven. While they have scares every season around this time, four in a row hasn't happened in a long time. The West seems to have stepped up this season, and the Lakers' trip to the Finals doesn't seem as secure as it did last year.
4) Earning their Spurs;
How long can the Spurs keep it up? Barring a few aberrations, new addition Tiago Splitter, a rested Manu and the seemingly ageless Tim Duncan has helped the Spurs off to their hottest start in years to claim the best record in the NBA at this stage. However, as the Hornets found out, all things must come to an end, so how long can they keep it up? Pop seems to have found the recipe for success with this ageing squad but plenty of older teams get out to hot starts and then fizzle out as the grind of the 82 game marathon that is the NBA season wears them down. Look at the Boston Celtics last season; they went .500 after the Christmas break. However, Splitter is young enough to last all season and George Hill showed himself to be a capable starter in Tony Parker's absence last season. After last season, we all thought the young Thunder would challenge the Lakers in the West, but early signs indicate the elderly statesmen of the West in San Antonio could vie for the Western Conference title, if not the NBA championship itself. Seeing this two veteran squads going at it for seven games would be a treat, seeing the victor face off against Boston would be even better.
5) It ain't easy being green;
At least, it wasn't supposed to be. At the end of the regular season, everyone had written off my Celtics as washed up, Barkley even predicted they'd lose to Miami (think about it, this was LAST season) and now people are saying they are the team to beat. A trip to the Finals will do that to you. However, we've seen them jump out to a hot start for the past two seasons before fizzling. Will it happen again? The Celtics have dropped a few questionable games (Cavaliers anyone?) but have more or less silenced their rivals (cough*2-0 against Miami*cough) when it counted. If the Celtics can continue their strong play and nab home-court advantage they'll be in with a shot for a return trip to the Finals, assuming Shaq doesn't blow a gasket. Or Pierce. Or Allen. Or Garnett. I told you it wasn't easy being green.
6) Rose for MVP?
Rose has been scintillating this season, putting up ridiculous numbers and leading his Bulls to a +.500 record largely without the help of Carlos Boozer. He is showing increased confidence in his 3-point shot, including that nasty buzzer beater against the Rockets - did you see the lift he got? - but he now has to adjust to Boozer's presence. If Rose sees a slight dip in scoring and a big increase in assists while leading his Bulls to the top of their division then we might just see the first PG MVP since Nash. If Rose picks up his D and continues to work hard, the Bulls could challenge Miami in the East long after Boston retires into submission.
I was going to gun for ten, but these are the ones I really care about. So what have we learned? Wily vets are fun to track, and so are ridiculous athletes. I hope I've given you all something to consider during the pre-Christmas slump.
Cheers.
But anyways, to the present. I feel like I've reached that point in the season where that mind-numbing off-season need for NBA basketball has been sated, basketball watching shifts down a peg on the priority list and the season starts to blur into watching highlights and tracking Ws and Ls of your favourite, and least favourite (Miami... looking at you) teams. It's almost like a fugue state. When you get to that point, the best thing you can do is take a step back and ask yourself, what storylines are developing that should be followed, and what other questions are there to be answered in this stretch of the season? What can I, as an NBA fan, look for to keep myself focused?
1) Blake Griffin;
This seems obvious, but this man makes every Clippers game must-see television. However, beyond the Dominique Wilkins-like dunks, it will be interesting to watch whether his defense will progress and he can combine with Eric Gordon to lead the team to some more wins instead of just ridiculous numbers.
2) Westbrook and Durant;
Call me crazy, but I feel a momentum shift. In Durant's absence Westbrook has become the closer, lockdown defender and vocal team leader the team expected Durant to be coming off his FIBA MVP performance. However, hampered by injury and expectations, Durant's shot hasn't been falling with the same efficiency and he just doesn't seem the same. However, these kinks will eventually sort out, and the power structure when KD is back at 100% is going to be interesting. Will Russ' more powerful personality give him the role of leader with Durant just a scorer or will KD step up to the challenge and regain control of his team? Whatever happens, it'll be interesting.
3) Chemistry a real issue in LA?
Phil Jackson called this team the most talented he's ever had. I call it a team that just lost four in a row. The Lakers could always be upset on occasion, but it usually didn't budge them from their seat at top in the West. Fourth isn't a pretty place for the defending champs, because home-court advantage has always been very kind to them. I find it hard to believe that the Lakers would have gone back-to-back with four games in Boston; especially game seven. While they have scares every season around this time, four in a row hasn't happened in a long time. The West seems to have stepped up this season, and the Lakers' trip to the Finals doesn't seem as secure as it did last year.
4) Earning their Spurs;
How long can the Spurs keep it up? Barring a few aberrations, new addition Tiago Splitter, a rested Manu and the seemingly ageless Tim Duncan has helped the Spurs off to their hottest start in years to claim the best record in the NBA at this stage. However, as the Hornets found out, all things must come to an end, so how long can they keep it up? Pop seems to have found the recipe for success with this ageing squad but plenty of older teams get out to hot starts and then fizzle out as the grind of the 82 game marathon that is the NBA season wears them down. Look at the Boston Celtics last season; they went .500 after the Christmas break. However, Splitter is young enough to last all season and George Hill showed himself to be a capable starter in Tony Parker's absence last season. After last season, we all thought the young Thunder would challenge the Lakers in the West, but early signs indicate the elderly statesmen of the West in San Antonio could vie for the Western Conference title, if not the NBA championship itself. Seeing this two veteran squads going at it for seven games would be a treat, seeing the victor face off against Boston would be even better.
5) It ain't easy being green;
At least, it wasn't supposed to be. At the end of the regular season, everyone had written off my Celtics as washed up, Barkley even predicted they'd lose to Miami (think about it, this was LAST season) and now people are saying they are the team to beat. A trip to the Finals will do that to you. However, we've seen them jump out to a hot start for the past two seasons before fizzling. Will it happen again? The Celtics have dropped a few questionable games (Cavaliers anyone?) but have more or less silenced their rivals (cough*2-0 against Miami*cough) when it counted. If the Celtics can continue their strong play and nab home-court advantage they'll be in with a shot for a return trip to the Finals, assuming Shaq doesn't blow a gasket. Or Pierce. Or Allen. Or Garnett. I told you it wasn't easy being green.
6) Rose for MVP?
Rose has been scintillating this season, putting up ridiculous numbers and leading his Bulls to a +.500 record largely without the help of Carlos Boozer. He is showing increased confidence in his 3-point shot, including that nasty buzzer beater against the Rockets - did you see the lift he got? - but he now has to adjust to Boozer's presence. If Rose sees a slight dip in scoring and a big increase in assists while leading his Bulls to the top of their division then we might just see the first PG MVP since Nash. If Rose picks up his D and continues to work hard, the Bulls could challenge Miami in the East long after Boston retires into submission.
I was going to gun for ten, but these are the ones I really care about. So what have we learned? Wily vets are fun to track, and so are ridiculous athletes. I hope I've given you all something to consider during the pre-Christmas slump.
Cheers.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
What a difference a few inches make...
On the basketball court, of course. But allow me to explain; right now some of the most athletic players and gifted scorers are PGs ranging from 6'2" to 6'4" in some cases. Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, John Wall are all electric scorers at the PG position. I've mentioned this before, but the SG position is trending down with the number of young superstars at that position, and this is largley because of the dominance of this new breed of scoring PGs. It makes you wonder though, if Wall, Rose and Westbrook were the ideal 6'6" for SGs but retained their athleticism could they be in discussions as the best players in the game right now? Of all time?
Think about it, free from the need to create for others, Rose and Westbrook in particular could score in crazy amounts. All of these guys are capable of going for 30 on any given night already, and that is largely without a consistent jump shot at this stage. Just imagine if they were that little bit taller, able to defend opposing 2-guards, and finish easier over opposing front-courts. Picture Westbrook soaring over Joe Johnson to throw it down, Rose posting up Dwyane Wade, Wall blocking Kobe's fadeaway J.
It makes you wonder whether such a mix of size and athleticism would be possible for these players; perhaps it is their compact frames that grant them warp-speed and ridiculous hops. Call me old-fashioned, but I like my point guards to be purer playmakers. However, these three are simply that good at getting buckets it would be a crime to deny them shots. Alas, these three explosive athletes are going to cop some criticism as point guards simply because they are such great scorers they'll be taking shots instead of posting huge assist totals. Not saying this is wrong, just a shame that nature denied them that little bit extra height to really excel as scorers.
Just a short one today folks, hope it made you think a little about how much of a factor height is in determining position, scoring and others such things in the NBA.
Think about it, free from the need to create for others, Rose and Westbrook in particular could score in crazy amounts. All of these guys are capable of going for 30 on any given night already, and that is largely without a consistent jump shot at this stage. Just imagine if they were that little bit taller, able to defend opposing 2-guards, and finish easier over opposing front-courts. Picture Westbrook soaring over Joe Johnson to throw it down, Rose posting up Dwyane Wade, Wall blocking Kobe's fadeaway J.
It makes you wonder whether such a mix of size and athleticism would be possible for these players; perhaps it is their compact frames that grant them warp-speed and ridiculous hops. Call me old-fashioned, but I like my point guards to be purer playmakers. However, these three are simply that good at getting buckets it would be a crime to deny them shots. Alas, these three explosive athletes are going to cop some criticism as point guards simply because they are such great scorers they'll be taking shots instead of posting huge assist totals. Not saying this is wrong, just a shame that nature denied them that little bit extra height to really excel as scorers.
Just a short one today folks, hope it made you think a little about how much of a factor height is in determining position, scoring and others such things in the NBA.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
My five favourite NBA clips
The right pairing of music and footage can create something greater than the some of its parts. So as the title suggests, I figured I'd mix things up (no pun intended) a bit by sharing some of my collection of downloaded NBA videos. I love watching these pre-game to get psyched and they can really make you appreciate a player you never had much love for before. So without further ado...
#5: The Best of Derrick Rose; this mix is all about strength through adversity and shows off Rose's cool demeanour, meteoric rise to the top, and most of all, his ridiculous hops!
#4: Rhythm of Victory - 2010 NBA Finals recap; while it's hard for me to watch my Celtics lose over and over, this video captures the sheer intensity of this seven game series. I've watched this countless times and I still get chills every time I hear Kobe say "Til you can't breathe, go
hard!".
#3: Moment of Truth - Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan; this video is a bit different with the lack of hip-hop music, but it is very well executed, and shows some great Jordan vs Kobe highlights in addition to the usual Jordan/Kobe individual highlights. The Linkin Park song has the perfect line to highlight their respective off-court struggles too. Check it out.
#2: Kobe Bryant - All the Above; this song was made for a Kobe mix, it's all about saying fuck you to the haters and rising up. Great highlights and a great song = kick-ass mix. Well done SunToTheDeep.
#1: More Than A Game; this mix doesn't rely on flashy highlights - thought it has those - rather, it transcends individual players to get to the core of what makes this game so important. A must see for every NBA fan, if you like or play basketball, you can't not love it. I listen to it before every game, never fails to make me appreciate the best game in the world.
Hope you enjoyed my top five. I'm actually looking for a good Chris Paul mix, so if you know one or have any other cool NBA vids, link me at: itsahardwoodlife@hotmail.com
Cheers.
#5: The Best of Derrick Rose; this mix is all about strength through adversity and shows off Rose's cool demeanour, meteoric rise to the top, and most of all, his ridiculous hops!
#4: Rhythm of Victory - 2010 NBA Finals recap; while it's hard for me to watch my Celtics lose over and over, this video captures the sheer intensity of this seven game series. I've watched this countless times and I still get chills every time I hear Kobe say "Til you can't breathe, go
hard!".
#3: Moment of Truth - Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan; this video is a bit different with the lack of hip-hop music, but it is very well executed, and shows some great Jordan vs Kobe highlights in addition to the usual Jordan/Kobe individual highlights. The Linkin Park song has the perfect line to highlight their respective off-court struggles too. Check it out.
#2: Kobe Bryant - All the Above; this song was made for a Kobe mix, it's all about saying fuck you to the haters and rising up. Great highlights and a great song = kick-ass mix. Well done SunToTheDeep.
#1: More Than A Game; this mix doesn't rely on flashy highlights - thought it has those - rather, it transcends individual players to get to the core of what makes this game so important. A must see for every NBA fan, if you like or play basketball, you can't not love it. I listen to it before every game, never fails to make me appreciate the best game in the world.
Hope you enjoyed my top five. I'm actually looking for a good Chris Paul mix, so if you know one or have any other cool NBA vids, link me at: itsahardwoodlife@hotmail.com
Cheers.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Curious Case of OJ Mayo
Huzzah for being done with university, I can starting posting again with some degree of regularity. In an effort to increase my knowledge of the less televised teams I splurged on NBA League Pass for the season. However, watching 12 games on some days quickly put me over my download limit so I had to be a bit more selective in what I viewed. I tuned into the second half of the Memphis-Miami game and I was glad for a few reasons; Miami lost, Rudy Gay had an incredible game-winner over Lebron, and most interestingly, I got to see why OJ Mayo's numbers are down.
For a kid whose game was compared to Kobe Bryant's growing up, he mirrored the Black Mamba again in being very passive, not taking many shots and just looking generally disinterested tonight. This sort of attitude is at odds with a kid who was described as incredibly hard-working prior to his joining the NBA ranks and there are a couple of possible reasons; it could be that Mayo expected Rudy to leave and be given the reins to the team and when this didn't happen it took him down a peg, it could be that Rudy is increasingly establishing himself as their go-to guy and tonight's performance in comparison to Mayo's was telling. This wasn't how it was supposed to be for a guy who dominated the ball his entire career and was a scoring machine at every stop before the NBA.
Like his draft-mate Michael Beasley - who is experiencing a rejuvenation of sorts in Minnesota - a change of scenery might cure what ails him. Wherever he goes, he needs to be the Man. With sharpshooter Xavier Henry waiting in the wings, Mayo doesn't appear to be a long-term part of the Memphis organisation. So let's take a look at where Mayo might be like Mike (Beasley that is) and get a second chance at superstardom.
The primary candidate has to be the Charlotte Bobcats; they are struggling this season, and need a young star to complement their other young pieces. While Captain Jack is manning the 2-guard at the moment, he'll run out of steam sooner or later and Mayo will be given the green light when that happens. Wallace is more of a defensive, energy guy, same can be said for Tyrus Thomas. DJ is a great shooter, but struggles to create for others, so having a player like Mayo who can create his own shot would be a bonus. Being in the East, Mayo's primary threat at the 2-guard spot would be Dwyane Wade, another undersized SG, so he wouldn't be giving up any size defensively - while Joe Johnson might be a struggle, Wallace could match up with him, and Mayo could guard the less offensively gifted Marvin Williams. Henderson is clearly not the solution long term as he has struggled to be productive outside of the Summer League.
Another possible team would be the San Antonio Spurs; they are extremely well coached, and Manu is going to have an increasingly decreased role in the next few years, just as Mayo enters his prime. However, Ginobili and Mayo could form a potent back-court, with Manu handling more of the playmaking while leaving Mayo to be a scorer. Tim Duncan is on the way out and they will need someone to pair with Tiago Splitter, Tony Parker and DeJuan Blair for the Spurs to stay relevant. Mayo could be that guy to bring them into their next phase of existence. Parker is already struggling with injury before hitting 30, and George Hill is perfectly capable of playing the point, so no problems there either, and Mayo will be 25 when Manu's extension runs out.
The last team I'll mention here, though there are a number of others, is the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have always managed to find ways to pick up star players, and of all of these scenarios, this strikes me as the most likely. Kobe has a LOT of mileage on him at the moment, and I can't see him lasting more than three years or so. Shannon Brown isn't a long-term answer, and should always be a bench guy for the Lakers. Mayo would provide a running mate to Pau Gasol until he's ready to take over the team himself, and who knows, maybe Phil Jackson will retire and come back in a few years to guide the next young SG star. Mayo could even play the point in Jackson's system, as the triangle needs great shooting more than anything from the point position. Whatever the coaching staff, it's hard not to think that Mayo would be a good fit in Hell-ay.
As I said, Mayo has been compared to Kobe before, and he might just break out after a few sub-par seasons. Whether it's in LA or elsewhere, it's too late to give up on OJ Mayo.
For a kid whose game was compared to Kobe Bryant's growing up, he mirrored the Black Mamba again in being very passive, not taking many shots and just looking generally disinterested tonight. This sort of attitude is at odds with a kid who was described as incredibly hard-working prior to his joining the NBA ranks and there are a couple of possible reasons; it could be that Mayo expected Rudy to leave and be given the reins to the team and when this didn't happen it took him down a peg, it could be that Rudy is increasingly establishing himself as their go-to guy and tonight's performance in comparison to Mayo's was telling. This wasn't how it was supposed to be for a guy who dominated the ball his entire career and was a scoring machine at every stop before the NBA.
Like his draft-mate Michael Beasley - who is experiencing a rejuvenation of sorts in Minnesota - a change of scenery might cure what ails him. Wherever he goes, he needs to be the Man. With sharpshooter Xavier Henry waiting in the wings, Mayo doesn't appear to be a long-term part of the Memphis organisation. So let's take a look at where Mayo might be like Mike (Beasley that is) and get a second chance at superstardom.
The primary candidate has to be the Charlotte Bobcats; they are struggling this season, and need a young star to complement their other young pieces. While Captain Jack is manning the 2-guard at the moment, he'll run out of steam sooner or later and Mayo will be given the green light when that happens. Wallace is more of a defensive, energy guy, same can be said for Tyrus Thomas. DJ is a great shooter, but struggles to create for others, so having a player like Mayo who can create his own shot would be a bonus. Being in the East, Mayo's primary threat at the 2-guard spot would be Dwyane Wade, another undersized SG, so he wouldn't be giving up any size defensively - while Joe Johnson might be a struggle, Wallace could match up with him, and Mayo could guard the less offensively gifted Marvin Williams. Henderson is clearly not the solution long term as he has struggled to be productive outside of the Summer League.
Another possible team would be the San Antonio Spurs; they are extremely well coached, and Manu is going to have an increasingly decreased role in the next few years, just as Mayo enters his prime. However, Ginobili and Mayo could form a potent back-court, with Manu handling more of the playmaking while leaving Mayo to be a scorer. Tim Duncan is on the way out and they will need someone to pair with Tiago Splitter, Tony Parker and DeJuan Blair for the Spurs to stay relevant. Mayo could be that guy to bring them into their next phase of existence. Parker is already struggling with injury before hitting 30, and George Hill is perfectly capable of playing the point, so no problems there either, and Mayo will be 25 when Manu's extension runs out.
The last team I'll mention here, though there are a number of others, is the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have always managed to find ways to pick up star players, and of all of these scenarios, this strikes me as the most likely. Kobe has a LOT of mileage on him at the moment, and I can't see him lasting more than three years or so. Shannon Brown isn't a long-term answer, and should always be a bench guy for the Lakers. Mayo would provide a running mate to Pau Gasol until he's ready to take over the team himself, and who knows, maybe Phil Jackson will retire and come back in a few years to guide the next young SG star. Mayo could even play the point in Jackson's system, as the triangle needs great shooting more than anything from the point position. Whatever the coaching staff, it's hard not to think that Mayo would be a good fit in Hell-ay.
As I said, Mayo has been compared to Kobe before, and he might just break out after a few sub-par seasons. Whether it's in LA or elsewhere, it's too late to give up on OJ Mayo.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Great Oden's Raven!
Awesome line from Anchorman aside, Greg Oden is the focus of this one. It's been a horrible week for the Blazers with franchise player Brandon Roy found to have no meniscus left in either knee - meaning it's bone on bone - and no way to fix it, followed up more recently by Greg Oden's newfound need for microfracture surgery. Say goodbye to the 10-11 season, and suddenly the decision to allow Oden to be a RFA isn't such a bad one.
By all accounts, the fans in Portland have had enough of this immensely talented C teasing them with flashes of brilliance and with Roy never to be the same again, the best thing for the Blazers to do is to re-adjust from "win-now" mode and start again. Which means more than saying goodbye to the 10-11 season, but likely the Blazers as an organisation. While this sucks for Portland fans who were very much on the cusp of challenging for a title if they could just get healthy, what happens to Oden now? Given how few games he has played until this point he can likely be had for a bargain and he's just the sort of low-risk (money-wise), high-reward player who can alter the course of a franchise.
The first thing I'll say is that Oden could very well re-sign with the Blazers for a significantly lower price than they anticipated. However, there are enough teams desperate enough - particularly in the West - looking for that length to compete with the Lakers' size and exploit Miami's weakness inside that makes this scenario unlikely.
So let's take a look at the possible suitors...
Denver Nuggets;
Melo has made it clear that he wants to be closer to a championship than he is now or he's gone. With Lebron forming the Miami Thrice in South Beach Anthony had a knee jerk reaction, feeling he can no longer compete with the Nuggets. However, Melo doesn't want to face the same public backlash as Lebron for nothing, so if the Heat don't win this season it might be enough to convince Melo to stay. Assuming the Nuggets manage to keep Melo around they will have a go-to guy and All-World scorer, a veteran PG for at least another couple of seasons, an All-Star calibre PF/C in Nene Hilario, young defender in Arron Afflalo, and good depth off the bench with Smith, Birdman and Ty Lawson. While Nene has done a great job in Denver, he struggles to defend the bigger bodies found at C and would be better served at PF. Enter Greg Oden. He is a legitimate championship calibre C when on the court and with a number of expiring contracts coming off the books this season the Nuggets might be able to outbid other teams for his services. A starting five of Billups, Afflalo, Anthony, Nene and Oden is strong enough to contend with the Lakers, Celtics, Heat and Magic. If a lock-out eventuates, that means more rest time for Oden and hopefully a full rehabilitation once he's out of the hands of the seemingly inept Portland organisation. That team might just be worth Melo sticking around for.
Atlanta Hawks;
The Hawks are being continually abused by Dwight Howard and the Magic. They were still good for 4th in the East until Miami came along and upset their division standing, so they'll need to address their major area of weakness - size and PG play. Hopefully Jeff Teague can make some strides this season but there are enough very talented PGs available in this draft that the Hawks might be able to snag one from beyond the lottery. Cs who can go toe-to-toe with Dwight are a bit rarer, especially when you've just given Joe Johnson a max deal. Luckily, GO will likely be available for a relatively low price, and is only 22 years old, so will have a lot of playing time left in him if he can just get healthy. If it doesn't pan out, provided they don't overpay for him then no harm done. If it does, then Teague, Johnson, Smith, Horford and Oden would be a starting five capable of matching any in the L. Having Marvin Williams and Jordan Crawford (unlikely Jamal sticks around) coming off the bench means that they have the depth to compete too.
Boston Celtics;
Okay, being a Celtics fan, maybe I'm a little biased, but the Cs need to start looking past the Boston Three Party to what the team will look like in two years. Shaq and Ray Allen are almost definitely going to retire by then, Garnett might just follow, and Pierce isn't going to be capable of carrying the franchise on his back like he used to. Which leaves Rondo as their franchise player and Big Baby Davis as probably their third option. Huh. However, Avery Bradley is a lock-down defender, and he and Rondo could form the best defensive back-court in the NBA. Davis is capable of playing big minutes, and is a proven playoff performer too. Plus, Pierce will still be a competent closer and perimeter threat. The thing that doesn't add up is Kendrick Perkins. Don't get me wrong, Perk is a great fit for this current team, but he is too offensively limited to survive with the Celtics post-Big 3. Oden would provide a more offensively capable Centre who can bang inside with the opposing bigs in the East. Given that Oden won't be needed for another season or two, he won't be rushed back and should hopefully be able to fully recover. Oh, and don't worry about Perkins, he'll find a home somewhere, because defensive Cs as good as he is don't come along every day.
So there you have it, three (or four I guess) possible futures for Greg Oden. Whatever happens, let's just hope he spends a lot less time in a suit, and a lot more time in an NBA uniform.
Cheers.
By all accounts, the fans in Portland have had enough of this immensely talented C teasing them with flashes of brilliance and with Roy never to be the same again, the best thing for the Blazers to do is to re-adjust from "win-now" mode and start again. Which means more than saying goodbye to the 10-11 season, but likely the Blazers as an organisation. While this sucks for Portland fans who were very much on the cusp of challenging for a title if they could just get healthy, what happens to Oden now? Given how few games he has played until this point he can likely be had for a bargain and he's just the sort of low-risk (money-wise), high-reward player who can alter the course of a franchise.
The first thing I'll say is that Oden could very well re-sign with the Blazers for a significantly lower price than they anticipated. However, there are enough teams desperate enough - particularly in the West - looking for that length to compete with the Lakers' size and exploit Miami's weakness inside that makes this scenario unlikely.
So let's take a look at the possible suitors...
Denver Nuggets;
Melo has made it clear that he wants to be closer to a championship than he is now or he's gone. With Lebron forming the Miami Thrice in South Beach Anthony had a knee jerk reaction, feeling he can no longer compete with the Nuggets. However, Melo doesn't want to face the same public backlash as Lebron for nothing, so if the Heat don't win this season it might be enough to convince Melo to stay. Assuming the Nuggets manage to keep Melo around they will have a go-to guy and All-World scorer, a veteran PG for at least another couple of seasons, an All-Star calibre PF/C in Nene Hilario, young defender in Arron Afflalo, and good depth off the bench with Smith, Birdman and Ty Lawson. While Nene has done a great job in Denver, he struggles to defend the bigger bodies found at C and would be better served at PF. Enter Greg Oden. He is a legitimate championship calibre C when on the court and with a number of expiring contracts coming off the books this season the Nuggets might be able to outbid other teams for his services. A starting five of Billups, Afflalo, Anthony, Nene and Oden is strong enough to contend with the Lakers, Celtics, Heat and Magic. If a lock-out eventuates, that means more rest time for Oden and hopefully a full rehabilitation once he's out of the hands of the seemingly inept Portland organisation. That team might just be worth Melo sticking around for.
Atlanta Hawks;
The Hawks are being continually abused by Dwight Howard and the Magic. They were still good for 4th in the East until Miami came along and upset their division standing, so they'll need to address their major area of weakness - size and PG play. Hopefully Jeff Teague can make some strides this season but there are enough very talented PGs available in this draft that the Hawks might be able to snag one from beyond the lottery. Cs who can go toe-to-toe with Dwight are a bit rarer, especially when you've just given Joe Johnson a max deal. Luckily, GO will likely be available for a relatively low price, and is only 22 years old, so will have a lot of playing time left in him if he can just get healthy. If it doesn't pan out, provided they don't overpay for him then no harm done. If it does, then Teague, Johnson, Smith, Horford and Oden would be a starting five capable of matching any in the L. Having Marvin Williams and Jordan Crawford (unlikely Jamal sticks around) coming off the bench means that they have the depth to compete too.
Boston Celtics;
Okay, being a Celtics fan, maybe I'm a little biased, but the Cs need to start looking past the Boston Three Party to what the team will look like in two years. Shaq and Ray Allen are almost definitely going to retire by then, Garnett might just follow, and Pierce isn't going to be capable of carrying the franchise on his back like he used to. Which leaves Rondo as their franchise player and Big Baby Davis as probably their third option. Huh. However, Avery Bradley is a lock-down defender, and he and Rondo could form the best defensive back-court in the NBA. Davis is capable of playing big minutes, and is a proven playoff performer too. Plus, Pierce will still be a competent closer and perimeter threat. The thing that doesn't add up is Kendrick Perkins. Don't get me wrong, Perk is a great fit for this current team, but he is too offensively limited to survive with the Celtics post-Big 3. Oden would provide a more offensively capable Centre who can bang inside with the opposing bigs in the East. Given that Oden won't be needed for another season or two, he won't be rushed back and should hopefully be able to fully recover. Oh, and don't worry about Perkins, he'll find a home somewhere, because defensive Cs as good as he is don't come along every day.
So there you have it, three (or four I guess) possible futures for Greg Oden. Whatever happens, let's just hope he spends a lot less time in a suit, and a lot more time in an NBA uniform.
Cheers.
Monday, November 8, 2010
If it ain't broke don't fix it - why Chris Paul's Hornets beat the Heat
Going to keep this one relatively short and to the point. But before I get into it, just a quick announcement; It's a Hardwood Life is now on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/hardwoodlife and can be found on Facebook also, just search "It's a Hardwood Life" and become a fan!
Okay, so I won't waste any time with the obvious stuff about this being a huge upset and the Hornets being hot right now and all that jazz. In a nutshell, this was a clash of team-building philosophy. The Hornets' approach is the classic franchise player model, which I affectionately refer to as the Batman and Robin strategy. Essentially, you take one franchise player - Chris Paul in this case - give him a sidekick - David West - and fill the rest of the roster with role players that play to Batman's strengths. The benefits of this approach are that there is a clear leadership hierarchy, the star player can play to his full capacity and these are especially beneficial in the fourth quarters of close games where Batman traditionally takes over. While the Hornets haven't had huge success just yet, they won 56 games under this model recently and were good for number 2 seed in the West. Other teams using this model have been greatly successful in recent times though; Jordan's Bulls, Hakeem the Dream's Rockets, Shaq's Lakers, Duncan's Spurs and Kobe's Lakers. All of these teams won multiple championships. The Hornets-Heat game highlighted the strengths of the Batman and Robin strategy; they came out firing on all cylinders, knowing they couldn't rely on star-power, and Batman made the right decisions to secure the win when it got close.
Conversely, the Heat performance highlighted the problems with the fantasy team or as I call it, the Avengers approach, where a group of superheroes in their own right come together to fight evil (or win basketball games in this case); they can underestimate their opponents and expect star-power to see them through, the star players can get confused as to when to go full bore, and there was no clear green light given to any particular star which in this case lead to Eddie House taking a contested last shot. I think the best way for me to explain why the Heat approach of taking superstar players just as they are beginning to peak isn't ideal is by drawing comparisons to the Heat's immediate predecessors in Big Three land; the Boston Celtics. While the Heat will probably win a championship sooner or later, the Celtics have actually done it, so we know their way worked. What they did was assemble a trio of franchise players who were no longer capable of bearing the weight of an entire team on their backs. This might seem like a worse decision than what the Heat did, and heck, if Miami go on to win six straight titles then I'll eat these words, but I think the age of the Celtics stars played a big role in their success. There was no question of when to go 100% for these three because it took everything they had left in the tank to compete with younger, more capable franchise players they were up against. There was no question of underestimating opponents for the Boston Three Party because their careers were winding down and they couldn't take anything for granted, it was quite literally now or never. This is the problems facing the Miami Heat; how can two Batman's co-exist in Gotham City? Which one stops the Joker (or should that be Ironman after the Marvel ESPN covers)? While the Heat are going to be a smothering defensive team, the offensive end is going to remain a problem in crunch time unless Lebron takes a back-seat, because let's face it, Wade isn't going to give up his own turf to anybody, even if that anybody just so happens to be the defending two-time MVP.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Seeing Chris Paul take a team consisting of overachievers (West, Thornton, Belinelli), and underachievers (Ariza, Okafur) and elevating them beyond the sum of their parts was a special moment because it exceeded expectations. Watching a team with so much talent that the whole is actually less than the sum of its parts isn't going to be fun to watch, because they will either meet expectations or disappoint; when you have the most talented roster on paper in the Association, exceeding expectations isn't really an option.
Cheers.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Free *insert player name*!
Freedom. The word can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but like money, stress and happiness it's all relative. For some NBA players, freedom is getting a chance to show their talents, when they are stuck in a bad situation by a team. Now, being from Australia I don't have a geographical attachment to any particular team, so I support teams with players I like, and being a player's fan this sort of misuse of talented individuals frustrates me to no end. So let's take a look at some players who are trapped (on the bench in most cases), and a few success stories who made it out.
Stuck;
Any readers (I know there are a few) who've made it this far, if there's a player somewhere in the L you think should be starting or 6th man then drop a comment and tell me about it.
Cheers, Mark.
Stuck;
- Marcin Gortat:
I'll start off with a situation that has received a bit of publicity lately, with our large Polish friend demanding more minutes and an increased role in Orlando. He copped a bit of criticism because he's playing behind Dwight Howard, but Gortat tried to escape to Dallas as a restricted free agent and Orlando kept him here. Which quite frankly, sucks. He's young, versatile, can run the floor and could help a number of teams in need of a C. Ideal fits for Gortat would be Atlanta or Oklahoma City. The Hawks have Horford playing out of position at the 5 and Gortat would solve that problem. As far as OKC is concerned, Green is a great player, but is really a SF, and Gortat is better than any of the Cs currently on their roster. This would also allow Ibaka to slide over to the PF spot. A trade of Green for Gortat would actually help both players. - Xavier Henry:
Playing behind OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay in Memphis for the forseeable future, Henry isn't going to be getting a starting nod anytime soon. He was impressive in pre-season and while it is only his rookie year he is good enough to be a starting 2-guard in the L. A few teams that could use a player like Henry are Charlotte, Washington, Sacramento. He would serve under Stephen Jackson for a few years and get the starting nod afterwards. A core of Augustine, Henry, Wallace and Thomas could make noise in a few years. Henry, Cousins, Casspi, Landry and of course Evans would be a force to be reckoned with if given time to develop. For the Wizards, Henry could serve as the long-term replacement for Gilbert Arenas and given how injury prone Hibachi is would get plenty of playing time in the short term. - Rudy Fernandez:
I couldn't write an article on underused players and not mention Fernandez. His much publicized plea for freedom was denied by Portland, who instead traded Bayless to free up more playing time. While that was a nice gesture, it isn't enough for a player of Rudy's caliber. He could easily start in plenty of teams in the L, but in Portland he's playing behind one of the L's best starting back-courts in Miller and Roy. Like Henry, Fernandez would be the ideal replacement for an ageing Stephen Jackson in Charlotte, or a sharpshooting running mate for Tyreke Evans in Sactown. That said, the place most suited for Fernandez is Chicago. Fernandez would provide a ranged threat, a playmaker to let Rose be more of a scoring threat and could also back him up at the point. They are starting Keith Bogans for god's sake! While the Bulls have a shooter in Korver, he is somewhat one-dimensional, whereas Rudy is a versatile player who is also a great crunch time player. Thus far this season Rudy has been great when motivated, but all the playing time in the world won't be enough for him if it's off the bench.
- Carl Landry:
Is there a better feel-good story than Landry's? Stuck playing behind Scola in a crowded Houston frontcourt he gets shipped over to Sacramento and is rewarded with the starting spot and a chance to show off his refined post skills. He strikes me as a similar player to David West; goes under the radar but is consistently productive. The good news is Sactown don't have anyone who can push him for the starting nod for the foreseeable future, so he has plenty of time to get comfortable and serve as a veteran leader on this Kings team for the next three years at least (when he hits the dreaded 30). - Darren Collison:
The four year UCLA point guard was given an opportunity to shine when this generation's point god Chris Paul went down with a near season-ending injury and he impressed so much that Indiana traded their starting power forward to acquire him in a four-way deal. He has been given the reins of the team and along with a much improved Roy Hibbert and one-time All-Star Danny Granger has the Pacers sitting at 3rd in the East with a 2-1 record. Indiana is a dark horse to make the playoffs and Collison is in the perfect situation as the floor general of a young, improving team with a bright future. - Martell Webster/Travis Outlaw:
It's tough being a SF in Portland. The higher-ups are set on Batum as their starting 3 and Coach McMillan uses 3s as spot up shooters and not much else. Both of these players are young, talented and just escaped their bench situations. Outlaw was signed to a multi-year deal and is starting at the small forward for the Nets. Webster was traded to Minnesota and is currently injured, but will play his way into the starting shooting guard spot by season's end as a leader on a very young Timberwolves unit.
Any readers (I know there are a few) who've made it this far, if there's a player somewhere in the L you think should be starting or 6th man then drop a comment and tell me about it.
Cheers, Mark.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Give Me(lo) a break!
Blame it on Scottie Pippen. Before Pippen came along Dominique Wilkins was arguably the prototypical small forward; a tremendous scoring machine, able to dunk, drive or shoot. Then Pippen and Jordan started winning championships with Pippen playing what was called the "point-forward" position. All of a sudden, we had a new definition of a great SF. He not only had to score, but he had to defend tenaciously, and carry some of the ball-handling load as well. Sounds like a good thing right? So what are we blaming Pippen for exactly...
Well, we are blaming Pippen for the disrespect given to Carmelo Anthony simply because he's more Wilkins than Pippen. It's a known fact that Melo isn't the greatest defender, and his playmaking abilities aren't anything to write home about; which would be a big deal if he was a guard. But see here's the thing, contrary to latest trends, it's still acceptable for a small forward to simply be a scoring machine who can do other things, but doesn't excel at them. I'm not just talking about solid starters, I'm talking superstars. Which despite his recent off court dramas, is still a category Melo belongs to. Superstar, franchise player, whatever you want to call it, he's it.
Now, a recent article on SLAMonline waxed lyrical about how Melo wasn't in fact a franchise player because he wouldn't be able to lead a team to a championship in the current NBA. Before I go on, I should probably mention the other reason why Melo doesn't get the respect he deserves; he has always been in the shadow of Lebron James, who is almost Pippen 2.0; he scores, he defends and he is considered one of the best passers in the game by many (myself excluded). Now, if Lebron is the embodiment of the Pippen-inspired point-forward, he is a franchise player who could lead a team to a championship on his own back right? He has none of Carmelo's shortcomings and matches or surpasses Melo in strengths.
But wait. He didn't win that championship ring did he? In seven years he got to the Finals once in what can only be called a down year for the NBA if that Cavaliers team made it so far. Now, since that Finals appearance Lebron's team had the best record in the NBA twice in a row. Is this what it means to be a franchise player? Not according to the aforementioned SLAMonline article, because he didn't win a championship. Yet somehow, Lebron is in that class and Melo isn't. Now, this isn't a personal attack on Myles Brown, just an examination of the thought process that puts Lebron in a class where championships are the key to being a franchise player and leaves Melo out in the cold. This isn't just the thinking of Myles, many people would call Lebron a player who could lead you to a championship and say Melo doesn't have that franchise quality.
However, Melo has just hit his prime in the past couple of seasons, and finally got the running mate he needed in Chauncey Billups. In the 08-09 season he took the Nuggets to the WCF and the Lakers to Game 6. That's one more game than the Eastern Conference champs Orlando managed to squeeze out of the eventual NBA champions. The same Orlando Magic who upset the Cavaliers the year they had home court advantage and the best record in the League. It says a little something about the difference in strength between the two conferences; now pause and remember Melo has been playing there his whole career. Yes, he never made it to the Finals, but in his path have been the great Spurs teams of the 00s, the Lakers of the past couple of years and a myriad of other tough outs. Now consider what Melo did last year; he and his squad struggled with injuries, and they were up against a tough Jazz team who were extremely well coached without George Karl, the mastermind behind that WCF appearance in 08-09, who was battling cancer at the time. In those circumstances is it any surprise that Melo took a step back? Losing your head coach is no small thing, especially midway through the season. However, a lot of people have written off both Carmelo Anthony as a championship caliber first option and the Nuggets as contenders - including, it seems, Carmelo himself. Look at James' performance in the playoffs, his Cavaliers dropped a game to the severely overmatched Chicago Bulls, and when Boston got their juices flowing he couldn't dominate the game the way a franchise player is expected to. We all know what happened since then; Lebron bailed and teamed up with one of only two of the five "franchise players" to have actually won a championship. So tell me then, why is it that Lebron is still considered a franchise player, when he clearly couldn't lead a team to a championship, yet Melo, who has had similar achievements and been held back by things beyond his control (injuries to teammates, cancer) is all of a sudden out of the franchise player loop?
Here is a list of players who to my mind are without question franchise players even though they may not have won championships;
Dominique Wilkins
Patrick Ewing
Charles Barkley
Allen Iverson
Elgin Baylor
Just look at that list; we are talking first-ballot Hall of Famers here, yet none of them reached the very top. So why is it then that they can be called franchise players without winning the championship? Because here's the thing; there's only one trophy each year, and there are going to be other franchise players to beat out, every year. So when you think about who can be considered a franchise player, don't just think about who has actually won a championship, but who can get you within reach; taking the 08-09 LA Lakers to six games in the WCF is good enough for me, especially when they had the League's ultimate franchise player Kobe Bryant on their team.
So why, in spite of all this is Melo discriminated against really? Blame it on Pippen. Melo is discriminated against because like Wilkins, he is happy to leave the point to the guards.
Well, we are blaming Pippen for the disrespect given to Carmelo Anthony simply because he's more Wilkins than Pippen. It's a known fact that Melo isn't the greatest defender, and his playmaking abilities aren't anything to write home about; which would be a big deal if he was a guard. But see here's the thing, contrary to latest trends, it's still acceptable for a small forward to simply be a scoring machine who can do other things, but doesn't excel at them. I'm not just talking about solid starters, I'm talking superstars. Which despite his recent off court dramas, is still a category Melo belongs to. Superstar, franchise player, whatever you want to call it, he's it.
Now, a recent article on SLAMonline waxed lyrical about how Melo wasn't in fact a franchise player because he wouldn't be able to lead a team to a championship in the current NBA. Before I go on, I should probably mention the other reason why Melo doesn't get the respect he deserves; he has always been in the shadow of Lebron James, who is almost Pippen 2.0; he scores, he defends and he is considered one of the best passers in the game by many (myself excluded). Now, if Lebron is the embodiment of the Pippen-inspired point-forward, he is a franchise player who could lead a team to a championship on his own back right? He has none of Carmelo's shortcomings and matches or surpasses Melo in strengths.
But wait. He didn't win that championship ring did he? In seven years he got to the Finals once in what can only be called a down year for the NBA if that Cavaliers team made it so far. Now, since that Finals appearance Lebron's team had the best record in the NBA twice in a row. Is this what it means to be a franchise player? Not according to the aforementioned SLAMonline article, because he didn't win a championship. Yet somehow, Lebron is in that class and Melo isn't. Now, this isn't a personal attack on Myles Brown, just an examination of the thought process that puts Lebron in a class where championships are the key to being a franchise player and leaves Melo out in the cold. This isn't just the thinking of Myles, many people would call Lebron a player who could lead you to a championship and say Melo doesn't have that franchise quality.
However, Melo has just hit his prime in the past couple of seasons, and finally got the running mate he needed in Chauncey Billups. In the 08-09 season he took the Nuggets to the WCF and the Lakers to Game 6. That's one more game than the Eastern Conference champs Orlando managed to squeeze out of the eventual NBA champions. The same Orlando Magic who upset the Cavaliers the year they had home court advantage and the best record in the League. It says a little something about the difference in strength between the two conferences; now pause and remember Melo has been playing there his whole career. Yes, he never made it to the Finals, but in his path have been the great Spurs teams of the 00s, the Lakers of the past couple of years and a myriad of other tough outs. Now consider what Melo did last year; he and his squad struggled with injuries, and they were up against a tough Jazz team who were extremely well coached without George Karl, the mastermind behind that WCF appearance in 08-09, who was battling cancer at the time. In those circumstances is it any surprise that Melo took a step back? Losing your head coach is no small thing, especially midway through the season. However, a lot of people have written off both Carmelo Anthony as a championship caliber first option and the Nuggets as contenders - including, it seems, Carmelo himself. Look at James' performance in the playoffs, his Cavaliers dropped a game to the severely overmatched Chicago Bulls, and when Boston got their juices flowing he couldn't dominate the game the way a franchise player is expected to. We all know what happened since then; Lebron bailed and teamed up with one of only two of the five "franchise players" to have actually won a championship. So tell me then, why is it that Lebron is still considered a franchise player, when he clearly couldn't lead a team to a championship, yet Melo, who has had similar achievements and been held back by things beyond his control (injuries to teammates, cancer) is all of a sudden out of the franchise player loop?
Here is a list of players who to my mind are without question franchise players even though they may not have won championships;
Dominique Wilkins
Patrick Ewing
Charles Barkley
Allen Iverson
Elgin Baylor
Just look at that list; we are talking first-ballot Hall of Famers here, yet none of them reached the very top. So why is it then that they can be called franchise players without winning the championship? Because here's the thing; there's only one trophy each year, and there are going to be other franchise players to beat out, every year. So when you think about who can be considered a franchise player, don't just think about who has actually won a championship, but who can get you within reach; taking the 08-09 LA Lakers to six games in the WCF is good enough for me, especially when they had the League's ultimate franchise player Kobe Bryant on their team.
So why, in spite of all this is Melo discriminated against really? Blame it on Pippen. Melo is discriminated against because like Wilkins, he is happy to leave the point to the guards.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The big one... MVP
So as it turns out, pre-season predictions just aren't as fun to write as ranting about any idea that pops into my head. So let's just get the last one I'm going to do before resuming your regularly scheduled randomness.
Before I get into specifics I'll talk about how I view the MVP award. Winning it takes more than being the best player in the League when all is said and done; you need to play enough games, you need the ball in your hands enough, you need to be part of a winning team and you need to be the unquestioned best player on your own team. There are other factors like dominating both ends, but those are just bonuses really (see Steve Nash). So here I go, trying to explain why these seven players meet these criteria and could be in with a shot to win the coveted award - that's right, even the honourable mentions get an explanation!
Honourable mention: Lebron James
Now, a lot of you will probably stop reading right now and never view this little site again. By all means, go ahead, but if you stick around I might just give you something to think about. Rather than list why Lebron could win it, I'll try to explain why he drops this low. There are a number of reasons, chief amongst them is the dramatic shift in freedom from what he enjoyed in Cleveland; he will have to share the ball with Dwyane Wade at least half the time and Chris Bosh is going to want the rock a little too. But of course, that's obvious; less ball-dominance means lower stats.
Another reason is responsibility; with the Cavs, he was clearly their go-to guy, but Wade remains the guy who should be taking the shots in the closing minutes and will have the greatest influence on the outcome of close games. However, I'll talk more about this when I get to Wade.
The final reason Lebron drops this low is a combination of fatigue and scrutiny; he's already won it twice, and it can be tough to remain at the top for so long without people getting a little resentful and wanting a change of pace. It doesn't help when you've made a decision many people think will destroy the game. Which leads to increased scrutiny; the shine is off the apple and people will be picking apart the weakness in his game, and believe me, they are there; his jump-shot remains inconsistent and he doesn't play particularly well off the ball, which is something he'll have to get used to.
When you put these three things together you have a player who will take a backward step in production, combined with increased scrutiny and add learning a new system to top it all off, it really isn't such a stretch to make him an honourable mention. I hate having to write so much on Lebron, but alas, it had to be done.
Honourable Mention: Brandon Roy
Roy has always been a personal favourite of mine; hard-working player wins ROY and proves the doubters wrong by being an All-Star every season since - that's special by any definition. However, he's almost criminally underrated as a legit MVP candidate. The thing holding him back is his body, if he could just stay on the court a whole season he would make a better case. That said, if he can play 70+ games this year, he could be a real dark-horse to win it. With Dwyane Wade and Lebron James teaming up, the incumbent winner's chances have taken a big hit and we know Kobe doesn't dominate the regular season anymore.
However, I don't want to sell Roy short by making this a circumstantial season; he has an offensive game with really no weakness and is also a gifted playmaker with a reputation for excelling in crunch time. After a nightmare year last season for Portland, the Blazers are looking to bounce back in a big way. They have a real shot at a second or third seed in the West if they are healthy and Roy is a big part of that. Now take a look back at the criteria I gave at the start of this post and see how many boxes Roy checks... you'll find Roy checks all the boxes.
5. Kobe Bryant
Now, I just said that Kobe doesn't tend to dominate the regular season, but after finally getting the surgery he needed to fix lingering injuries, a fresh Kobe Byrant could be the regular season terror of old. We all know how good he is, and with a potential meeting with the Miami Heat in the Finals waiting, the Lakers should be trying to get homecourt advantage which only adds to Kobe's chances of winning the award. He won't need to dominate statistically, but if he can be in the top five in scoring and the Lakers win the West, this could be Kobe's chance to get a second award.
If not? He'll just settle for another ring and Finals MVP.
4. Chris Paul
Having just undergone six months recovery from an injury I know firsthand how much that can motivate and fuel you to make a statement when you return. In the long hours of rehab work and watching your team struggle and ultimately fail from the sidelines, you realise how much you love the game, just what it means to you. Now, imagine you also have to endure your draft class rival taking the crown of world's best point guard while you're away. Factor in the drama surrounding his toast to Carmelo this summer and his subsequent recommitment to the city which birthed his NBA career and you'll have a healthy, incredibly talented Chris Paul playing with a chip on his shoulder.
However, team success is important too, which is probably the only thing holding him back. That said, the Hornets made some good acquisitions in Trevor Ariza and Belinelli. With a new coach and a fresh outlook, the 2010-11 season could and should see big things for Paul and the Hornets. A top six seed in the West with a squad like this gives Paul a real shot at winning his first MVP.
3. Dwyane Wade
Yeah, you read correctly. Contrary to popular belief, having James on his team will help, not hinder, his chances of being regular season MVP. Last season, Wade had to take a step back in the regular season to give his teammates a chance to shine but with number 1 and 6 in a Heat uniform Wade will be free from such concerns, rather, he'll be looking to put his stamp on the team and emphatically deny any attempts by the media or others to call it Lebron's team.
Wade is an unstoppable offensive force, one of the most dynamic slashers since the guy who supplies his shoes was in the League. He's no slouch on D either, and should relish the chance to exert more energy on the defensive end without such a heavy offensive burden. As far as getting the record is concerned, I don't think that is going to be a concern.
Ever since Lebron made his decision, there has been a lot of talk about their being Jordan and Pippen 2.0. The comparison is a good one, but people are confused about who is who. If Wade can stay healthy, I predict by season's end people will realise that Wade is the Jordan of this partnership and he will remind the world why he was 2006 Finals MVP and the only member of the Miami 3 with a ring.
2. Carmelo Anthony
Last season, Melo started off on fire, but an early injury slowed him down. If he can avoid a similar fate this season he will earn this high a ranking in the MVP rankings. Already considered a better clutch player and scorer than Lebron, he is in a contract year and don't underestimate the importance of Coach Karl being back on the sidelines. Expect Melo to use basketball as his release from the off-court drama surrounding possible trades and whatever else is bugging him. I believe he'll stick around in Denver for the season and simply leave in free agency; if it weren't for injuries and illness striking Karl the Nuggets were good enough to be at least 3rd seed in the West last season, and nothing has changed except that Billups has just won a world championship and will be hunting for that same feeling again.
This season is both Melo's chance to put himself back in the conversation as Lebron's rival and also one big audition for the many teams eagerly pursuing his services.
1. Kevin Durant
You all saw it coming, and with good reason. Lebron is sharing the limelight finally, Kobe is a year older and Durant just won a world championship with Team USA. The Thunder have an impressive young core and should only improve on last year's surprise 50-win season.
But let's focus on Durant; the kid is already amongst the best shooters in the L and is a physical freak with a 7'5" wingspan and the handle of a guard. With the confidence he gained in the WC, he should improve on his fourth quarter play, having realised how important it is for a team to have a designated go-to guy.
However, despite his success he remains humble and is as hard-working as they come. That's a potent mix for a player who still hasn't reached his peak.
Unless something goes drastically wrong, Durant will be the regular season MVP. Book it.
So there you have it, a wrap up of all the pre-season predictions. Thank Christ. Just realised I wrote the most on Lebron, which is lame, but ultimately necessary. Ah well.
This will be my last post until the regular season starts. See you all then!
Before I get into specifics I'll talk about how I view the MVP award. Winning it takes more than being the best player in the League when all is said and done; you need to play enough games, you need the ball in your hands enough, you need to be part of a winning team and you need to be the unquestioned best player on your own team. There are other factors like dominating both ends, but those are just bonuses really (see Steve Nash). So here I go, trying to explain why these seven players meet these criteria and could be in with a shot to win the coveted award - that's right, even the honourable mentions get an explanation!
Honourable mention: Lebron James
Now, a lot of you will probably stop reading right now and never view this little site again. By all means, go ahead, but if you stick around I might just give you something to think about. Rather than list why Lebron could win it, I'll try to explain why he drops this low. There are a number of reasons, chief amongst them is the dramatic shift in freedom from what he enjoyed in Cleveland; he will have to share the ball with Dwyane Wade at least half the time and Chris Bosh is going to want the rock a little too. But of course, that's obvious; less ball-dominance means lower stats.
Another reason is responsibility; with the Cavs, he was clearly their go-to guy, but Wade remains the guy who should be taking the shots in the closing minutes and will have the greatest influence on the outcome of close games. However, I'll talk more about this when I get to Wade.
The final reason Lebron drops this low is a combination of fatigue and scrutiny; he's already won it twice, and it can be tough to remain at the top for so long without people getting a little resentful and wanting a change of pace. It doesn't help when you've made a decision many people think will destroy the game. Which leads to increased scrutiny; the shine is off the apple and people will be picking apart the weakness in his game, and believe me, they are there; his jump-shot remains inconsistent and he doesn't play particularly well off the ball, which is something he'll have to get used to.
When you put these three things together you have a player who will take a backward step in production, combined with increased scrutiny and add learning a new system to top it all off, it really isn't such a stretch to make him an honourable mention. I hate having to write so much on Lebron, but alas, it had to be done.
Honourable Mention: Brandon Roy
Roy has always been a personal favourite of mine; hard-working player wins ROY and proves the doubters wrong by being an All-Star every season since - that's special by any definition. However, he's almost criminally underrated as a legit MVP candidate. The thing holding him back is his body, if he could just stay on the court a whole season he would make a better case. That said, if he can play 70+ games this year, he could be a real dark-horse to win it. With Dwyane Wade and Lebron James teaming up, the incumbent winner's chances have taken a big hit and we know Kobe doesn't dominate the regular season anymore.
However, I don't want to sell Roy short by making this a circumstantial season; he has an offensive game with really no weakness and is also a gifted playmaker with a reputation for excelling in crunch time. After a nightmare year last season for Portland, the Blazers are looking to bounce back in a big way. They have a real shot at a second or third seed in the West if they are healthy and Roy is a big part of that. Now take a look back at the criteria I gave at the start of this post and see how many boxes Roy checks... you'll find Roy checks all the boxes.
5. Kobe Bryant
Now, I just said that Kobe doesn't tend to dominate the regular season, but after finally getting the surgery he needed to fix lingering injuries, a fresh Kobe Byrant could be the regular season terror of old. We all know how good he is, and with a potential meeting with the Miami Heat in the Finals waiting, the Lakers should be trying to get homecourt advantage which only adds to Kobe's chances of winning the award. He won't need to dominate statistically, but if he can be in the top five in scoring and the Lakers win the West, this could be Kobe's chance to get a second award.
If not? He'll just settle for another ring and Finals MVP.
4. Chris Paul
Having just undergone six months recovery from an injury I know firsthand how much that can motivate and fuel you to make a statement when you return. In the long hours of rehab work and watching your team struggle and ultimately fail from the sidelines, you realise how much you love the game, just what it means to you. Now, imagine you also have to endure your draft class rival taking the crown of world's best point guard while you're away. Factor in the drama surrounding his toast to Carmelo this summer and his subsequent recommitment to the city which birthed his NBA career and you'll have a healthy, incredibly talented Chris Paul playing with a chip on his shoulder.
However, team success is important too, which is probably the only thing holding him back. That said, the Hornets made some good acquisitions in Trevor Ariza and Belinelli. With a new coach and a fresh outlook, the 2010-11 season could and should see big things for Paul and the Hornets. A top six seed in the West with a squad like this gives Paul a real shot at winning his first MVP.
3. Dwyane Wade
Yeah, you read correctly. Contrary to popular belief, having James on his team will help, not hinder, his chances of being regular season MVP. Last season, Wade had to take a step back in the regular season to give his teammates a chance to shine but with number 1 and 6 in a Heat uniform Wade will be free from such concerns, rather, he'll be looking to put his stamp on the team and emphatically deny any attempts by the media or others to call it Lebron's team.
Wade is an unstoppable offensive force, one of the most dynamic slashers since the guy who supplies his shoes was in the League. He's no slouch on D either, and should relish the chance to exert more energy on the defensive end without such a heavy offensive burden. As far as getting the record is concerned, I don't think that is going to be a concern.
Ever since Lebron made his decision, there has been a lot of talk about their being Jordan and Pippen 2.0. The comparison is a good one, but people are confused about who is who. If Wade can stay healthy, I predict by season's end people will realise that Wade is the Jordan of this partnership and he will remind the world why he was 2006 Finals MVP and the only member of the Miami 3 with a ring.
2. Carmelo Anthony
Last season, Melo started off on fire, but an early injury slowed him down. If he can avoid a similar fate this season he will earn this high a ranking in the MVP rankings. Already considered a better clutch player and scorer than Lebron, he is in a contract year and don't underestimate the importance of Coach Karl being back on the sidelines. Expect Melo to use basketball as his release from the off-court drama surrounding possible trades and whatever else is bugging him. I believe he'll stick around in Denver for the season and simply leave in free agency; if it weren't for injuries and illness striking Karl the Nuggets were good enough to be at least 3rd seed in the West last season, and nothing has changed except that Billups has just won a world championship and will be hunting for that same feeling again.
This season is both Melo's chance to put himself back in the conversation as Lebron's rival and also one big audition for the many teams eagerly pursuing his services.
1. Kevin Durant
You all saw it coming, and with good reason. Lebron is sharing the limelight finally, Kobe is a year older and Durant just won a world championship with Team USA. The Thunder have an impressive young core and should only improve on last year's surprise 50-win season.
But let's focus on Durant; the kid is already amongst the best shooters in the L and is a physical freak with a 7'5" wingspan and the handle of a guard. With the confidence he gained in the WC, he should improve on his fourth quarter play, having realised how important it is for a team to have a designated go-to guy.
However, despite his success he remains humble and is as hard-working as they come. That's a potent mix for a player who still hasn't reached his peak.
Unless something goes drastically wrong, Durant will be the regular season MVP. Book it.
So there you have it, a wrap up of all the pre-season predictions. Thank Christ. Just realised I wrote the most on Lebron, which is lame, but ultimately necessary. Ah well.
This will be my last post until the regular season starts. See you all then!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
