March 23rd- Anybody that’s been paying attention to the NBA knows that it is running arm-in-arm with the economy right now. From securing money for small market teams, to ticket prices, to cutting salary for 2010 – the almighty dollar is more prevalent in today’s basketball realm than ever before. And much like the economy, when the NBA is running smoothly – people tend to overlook it. TPFS insists that we’re in the midst of a transcendent period if you are a basketball fan, and yet the first half of the year falls victim to the second half of the NFL’s season.
Then when football season ends, for some reason people insist that, “These next few months are the worst in sports,” while they count down to Pitchers and Catchers. It’s a crutch cliché used by fans that for whatever reason no longer follow the NBA, and haven’t yet begun pretending they’re college hoops heads. But as we hit the stretch run for the NBA Playoffs, and the Sweet 16 nears, all of the sudden everyone is Kenny Smith and Joe Lunardi. We see the cycles, both in the fans and in their teams. Nick NoHeart is here to tell you which teams are Bull; which teams are Bear, and everything in between.
Recession and the New Great Depression (AIG’s of the NBA)
The Mid-Atlantic Wizards: It’s the dawn of a new day in Washington D.C., and I will not let you sully that with your awful play. You can rep the capital city again when we see some more commitment. I know that “Tank Wars” are on, and that it’s only a matter of time before ‘Tawn and Caron start taking two and three game vacations. Gilbert, I know how much you love to comb the Internet, so if you’re reading this: Don’t play this season!! Nobody wants to watch you limp up and down the court and fire up long-balls like the annoying 13 year olds at the driving range. Rehab, draft Blake Griffin (and trade one of your ‘little three’), or Thabeet to protect the lane - and try again next season. Also, neither Nick Young, nor Andray Blatche look like NBA starters, so with all that down time, maybe you should be helping the front office scout, or at least suggest a few ways to package them for a pick in next year’s draft.
Clippers, Kings: As of today, you have 17 and 15 wins, -------ively*. For the Clippers, perhaps this is karma for the Baron Davis situation. Perhaps it is the price you pay when you try to build around Chris Kaman. Or maybe this is just the life of a team that has been steered by ineptitude for decades. Probably all three. Get draft picks, and start putting pieces around Eric Gordon. He’s closer to what we wanted Maggette to be anyway, a scorer with a stroke that’s willing to get to the line. Let Thornton be Eric’s Rashard Lewis + rebounds, and get a new young big man in there.
For the Kings, shame on your for forcing Kevin Martin to play in the shadows for the last three years. Nobody wanted to watch Brad Miller, so you’re forcing them to watch Rashad McCants. Let Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson get all the minutes they can handle – and then draft Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio (if he comes out), or Brandon Jennings depending on where your Top Three pick is. If Blake Griffin is there, Thompson and Hawes are a luxury you can use as bait, and if he isn’t, you can consider trading down and stockpiling picks in next year’s draft. Or just be honest with us and admit to everyone that you don’t know how to build around Kevin Martin (Turbo Rip Hamilton with range), get the best deal (with first round picks included) you can find, and start over.
* I refuse to write “Respect” and Clippers/Kings in the same paragraph.
Golden State Pacifists: First, there’s the horrid front office management: Letting Baron walk, giving a big deal to Maggette, shredding their relationship with Monta Ellis, the Bay’s version of Gossip Girl in the front office, creating a lame-duck GM, trading for Jamal Crawford… the list goes on. That’s just the last six months. Then there’s the “coaching,” with Don Nelson inexplicably ignoring defense, banning offensive sets, and refusing to make any kind of halftime adjustments. He’s ruined his relationship with Anthony Randolph, who was all but told to pack his bags; and he has zero semblance of a rotation. Writers are no longer simply printing their disapproval out in Oaktown. Lowell Cohn flat-out asked him after a recent game why it’s so hard for Anthony Randolph to find fifteen minutes a game. Don Nelson’s response? “Just let me coach my team.” - Whenever you feel like starting, go for it Don.
They’re going to take Willie Warren in this upcoming draft then ruin him, and break my heart. You just watch.
The Current Economic Climate: This summer’s free agency was going to be paltry, even without the recent fiscal collapse. Who wants to give Nate Robinson $ 10 Million per now? Takers? Going once, twice?
Joshua Jay Howard: Yes, your full government name because somebody needs to pull you aside and ask the question. “Joshua Jay, what the *%$# are you doing out there?” And I’m not even necessarily talking about basketball - where you’ve been relegated to Stackhouse/Finley status - but in your private life too. I’m not convinced he’ll even bee in the league in three years at this rate. I hope his ankle gets better, but this guy is in need of spiritual and mental healing, first. A down year across the board, coming off a true banner year off the court. Could be a free agent after next season if Dallas isn’t convinced he’s worth $11M in 2011, and he was supposed to be the X-factor that made them a contender in the West for the foreseeable future. His athleticism and ability to get to the rack was going to allow Dirk to avoid double-teams and shoot fade-aways over 6’5 defenders through the end of the decade. Couple that with with trading for Jason Kidd and his cane (thinking it would enhance Howard even more), and still having only Eric Dampier to protect the middle, and I probably could have put the whole franchise in here, plus the owner… but I needed to speak to Josh.
The Recent Play of the Celtics: Tired legs, long season, lack of depth, and reliance on aging stars is a recipe for 10-12 game ruts. In the end, they’ll still have a very good record, top three in the East, but it is a long season, and that bench is no lifeboat. I imagine that Doc will try to rest his Big Three as much as possible in preparation for the playoffs. Injuries have bitten them hard in the month of March. Oh, and did we mention that they signed that guy with the tat on his head? Strange and scary times.
Toronto and Shawn Marion: Chris Bosh is leaving, and the NBA is going to take this team from Canada. There is absolutely no reason for him to stay, even with a breakout year from Andrea Bargnani, AKA the Ill Magician; this team is getting worse. The O’Neal trade was a desperate move, and it busted out badly. The European game has many great facets, but this team’s roster is soft, and riddled with players that get beaten from wall to wall on a daily basis by the man they’re guarding. Even Bosh is seeing the writing on the wall. He came into this season fresh off of a Gold medal, and was dunking on, and blocking everything in his sight. And then a light flipped, he went back to getting 20 and 9, and now Bargnani leads the team in blocks. It’s a wrap.
Shawn Marion couldn’t get over being the third star in Phoenix, and is now realizing he wasn’t ever a star at all. I imagine that’s quite a blow to the psyche. Now he’s battling Joey Graham for minutes; in retrospect, Bobbleheads probably weren’t all that important.
Cautious Optimism and Progression
Orlando Magic: Jameer Nelson was playing the best basketball of his career until his injury, and Hedo got back on track after his awful start. And, even with their most important player (not named Dwight) misfiring from all over the court… they quietly became one of the best teams in basketball. Howard is of course physically unmatched, and Rashard Lewis has carried the scoring load for them when called upon. Though, with Skip at the point now I don’t see them having a shot at the finals. But Courtney Lee has been great when called on, and has been requesting the challenge of guarding the opposition’s best scorers. TPFSports loves that from a rookie.
Atlanta Hawks: Once considered the most moribund franchise in basketball, ridiculed for their lack of common sense in roster management; the Atlanta Hawks have put together a very talented basketball team. They have not only picked up from where they left off last season, but improved dramatically. Mike Bibby has settled into this offense, and become a dangerous sport-up shooter. The major concerns up until about a week ago were injuries, and the slowed progression of Al Horford. Horford has looked sluggish and unsure this season, disappearing for long portions of games. It had been hidden by the ever-emerging star-status of Joe Johnson, as well as Marvin Williams working toward his potential – But: With Josh Smith out-n-out dogging it on his weakside responsibilities, as well as the defensive glass – new questions have emerged. And that’s before one even mentions the recent reports of big-time fireworks between “coach” Woodson and J-Smoove. We all know he’s a headcase, will he show up for the playoffs?
Portland Trailblazers: The very definition of progression is this young Blazers team. Brandon Roy is a star, Aldridge is quietly one of the better post players in the NBA, and they may have the best second unit in basketball. Off the bench – Sergio Rodriguez and Rudy Fernandez are NBA starters on a different roster, and they all seem to really believe in their coach. They play the Lakers as tough as anybody in the NBA, and could be one hot streak away from a Top-3 record in the West. Darius Miles hurts, though. Can’t ignore Pritchard’s one folly. Though, the recent injury to Greg Oden casts a sad shadow over what deserves to be a cheery landscape – especially when you see what “the other guy” from that draft is doing.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Yes, seriously. They’ve been playing better as of late, they beat the Spurs last week and they’re playing almost everyone tough right now. No, they don’t have the talent at every position yet – but Nenad Kristic has been a tremendous addition since joining the team and being worked into the rotation, Russell Westbrook is already one of the best small guard defenders in the league, and Kevin Durant is a Full Blown Superstar. Do people realize he’s getting 27 and 7 a game, or that he’s shooting better than 50% from the floor since the break? What happens if they get Blake Griffin, package their two late picks, take Tyreke Evans and let him get his Brandon Roy on, next to Russell? What then? The list of top wings in the NBA breaks down like this: Some trio of Bron/Kobe/Wade, and then Kevin Durant. If your list is different, watch for the Thunder, and prepare for reign.
Buy! Buy! Buy!
Dwayne Wade: Playing like the Young Michael Jordan right now. The MJ we saw when he first arrived in the Association. He’s on a team with paltry talent surrounding him, and is putting up Herculean efforts both in scoring and distributing the ball. He looks better now than he did in his Finals MVP season. Beasley has been a disappointment, Shawn Marion turned into Rodney Carney, Mario Chalmers should be a back-up point guard, and he’s being forced to play with Jermaine O’Neal’s corpse… and yet somehow he is getting stronger as the season progresses. He’s an elite player, leader in the chase for the scoring title, and part of the new Golden Age of the NBA. He’s averaging 36pts, 10 assists, and 6 boards a game in March. Yes, you read that correctly. A very strong case can, and should be made for his MVP candidacy.
LeBron James: 29/8/7 a game over the course of the year. He’s the best player, on the best team in the East. Tied with the team of the player below. He has stepped up his defensive efforts, especially in transition – where his volleyball blocks get ESPN’s highlights, but his forcing speedy guards to slow down, change direction, or pull up for difficult shots - gets TPFS’s respect. What can you say about him that hasn’t already been printed? He’s the single greatest physical force on the perimeter, ever. He increased the amount of 3’s he took per game in February, and improved to 40% accuracy over the course of the month. That’s what Rashard Lewis or Ray Allen shoot in a given month. Those sentences are going to make a few clusters of fans absolutely furious. Gun-to-my-head, he is who I’d bet on to win this season’s MVP.
Kobe Bryant: 28/5/5 a game over the course of the year. He’s the best player, on the best team in the West. Tied with the team of the player above. He is again, one of the best defenders in the NBA, and is leading his team in assists. He’s having yet another absurd season, and still has us feeling like he hasn’t kicked it into that next gear yet. Kobe possesses the most complete offensive game in basketball. Pau plays well off of him, and the threat of Bryant’s offense opens up the floor for Trevor Ariza. For those that say he doesn’t make players better, would Ariza have had the opportunity to shine like this in New York? How many teams in the NBA could Derek Fisher really start for, without getting too worn down? How many teams could lose their young, talented center and still take a one seed? Mamba.
The Future of the NBA: In terms of talent, I’m not sure the NBA has ever been quite as flush as they are now. With young and budding stars at every position – there is a possibility that we may be watching the the best-ever at the positions of 1, 2/3, and 4 – and a young center more than worthy of at least carrying the crown for a while. And all of this is being down with down years (eras) in major markets like New York and Chicago. For the first time in a while, you can look toward the future and honestly say that the game is in good hands……..unless we’re talking about the impending lockout.
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