The Clippers have fired Vinny Del Negro, source tells Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 21, 2013

I should clarify: Del Negro wasn’t fired as coach. He was informed that he won’t be offered a new contract to return. His deal has expired.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 21, 2013

The Clippers, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin leading the way, had regular season success the last two seasons. They were one of the most exciting teams in basketball but never found postseason success in a tough Western Conference. Last year they fought past the Grizzlies in the first round, but were then swept by the Spurs. This year, after winning the first two games, lost four straight to the Grizzlies to bow out in the first round.

There has been speculation of Del Negro not returning for quite some time now, so the news was no surprise. It will be interesting to see who the Clippers go after. Stan Van Gundy, who was high on a number of teams lists, said today that he would not be coaching next year.

Whoever the Clippers decide on will surely have the approval of Chris Paul. The star point guard is a free agent, but is expected to return to Los Angeles.

There was no question who was getting the ball for the final possession, and Chris Paul showed us why he is the point god.

The win gave the Clippers a 2-0 series lead as the series heads to Memphis. Game 3 will be Thursday night at 9:30 ET on TNT.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzles have carved their niche this season by stopping opposing defenses dead in their tracks. With a league-best 89.3 points allowed per game, the Grizzlies have managed to shut down all comers. However, they may face their stoutest test coming up against Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers. Memphis are by far the best constructive defensive team in the lead, with perennial lockdown perimeter defender Tony Allen expected to deal with Jamal Crawford for the series and the potent combo of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol making the paint a no-fly zone.

During the stretch against the Clippers this season, the Grizzlies went 1-3. However, they’re a much more unique side coming into the playoffs as they work with a rapidly improving Tayshaun Prince and an in-form front line. What has made the Grizzlies such a strong defensive team this season has been the improvement by Marc Gasol. He very quickly went from the lesser Gasol brother, to on par, and now undeniably the better in the span of as season.

Apr 13, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) brings the ball up court during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

Gasol isn’t a maestro at one particular element of basketball. He doesn’t use extraterrestrial leaping abilities to swat basketball into the nosebleeds, nor is he merely ‘a hustle guy’. Marc Gasol is the most complete defensive big man in the NBA, bar none. Gasol’s instinct on the defensive and ability to get the first position is impressive enough, but his effort to stay with his man and then use his length to contest or alter every shot, no matter how far from the rim it’s coming up from, is what sets him apart. He was the clear leader for the Grizzlies in their single, crucial win over the Clippers in March with 21 points and 5 steals, but it was his defensive touch even then that tipped the Grizzlies over the line.

However, Gasol’s brilliance at the defensive end isn’t equated at the offensive end – if he was, he’d be the MVP – and thus, Memphis have a gaping hole at the other end to fill. With Rudy Gay’s departure midseason, the Grizzlies have been left with even bigger problems at the offensive end than they had on opening night. Zach Randolph leads the team’s scoring at a modest 15.4 a game and while the Grizzlies score deep (Conley and Gasol hover around a similar mark), they don’t score a lot – ranked 27th in the league for points per game.

The Clippers will invariably be slowed by Memphis’ grinding pace and lockdown defense but they won’t come to a standstill. As well as being the fastest and most devastating transition team not from South Beach, they do a very serviceable job of the halfcourt game. That means that while Memphis will be effective defensively, they’ll need to something at least average in order to succeed against the Clippers; and being a team three rungs from the bottom in scoring, that is quite a big ask.

One of the keys for Memphis will be the production of Jerryd Bayless. A journeyman of the NBA, Bayless has failed to perform despite the opportunities gifted to him by Coach Hollins this year. While his 9 points in 22 minutes isn’t bad by any means, he’ll need to be more spark and less simmer in his chances against the Clippers. Going further, Zach Randolph is going to need to up his scoring to keep the Grizzlies afloat. Matched up against Blake Griffin, a known enemy of his, Randolph will not need any more motivation to knuckle down and try to put up some special numbers to match his magical run against the Spurs two seasons prior.

Los Angeles Clippers

Do you want to guess what the biggest strength of the Clippers is? Maybe this will jog your memory. Or this. Or this, this or this. The Los Angeles Clippers are like the Harlem Globetrotters, except sharper, more precise and a lot more unforgiving. Taking the most springy power forward in the game, putting in the same frontcourt as DeAndre Jordan and then lining your bench with Eric Bledsoe seems like you’re specifically trying to match the Raptors’ dunking reserves. And then having Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford to dish dimes to them. This just isn’t fair.

The Clippers aren’t just strong at wowing audiences and embarrassing Detroit point guards, their high octane athleticism and transition game is pretty darn effective. While the Clippers would have to be disappointed their crosstown rival Lakers didn’t get their elderly list high enough to face them in the first round, they’ll take a Grizzlies team they went 3-1 against after knocking them out of the first round of the Playoffs.

Chris Paul has captained his squad to a brilliant 2013 that is capped by their top ten offense. Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford all averaging more points per game than Zach Randolph, the top scorer for Memphis and the Clippers run even deeper on the bench. Their offensive superiority is clear, but it is merely a question of whether its enough to surmount the Grizzlies defense.

What may get in the way of the Clippers’ march to the second round is the limited transitional opportunities that they’ll have. While they’ve proven to be good enough at the halfcourt game, it’s a shadow of their turnover-forcing, alley-oop throwing transition offense. If Memphis can ensure they remain sharp and clean with their ball handling, they’ll wipe away a lot of the Clippers’ easy scoring options and make life a lot harder for them.

The onus will fall upon the pickpocket guard duo of Eric Bledsoe and Chris Paul to make the most of the four steals they collectively snare on average. As adept passers, their steals will play crucial roles in getting the break started and finished. If the Grizzlies manage to slow the Clippers, it’ll force them to play a much more grinding game which we’ve seen before doesn’t suit L.A. Chris Paul, while a good jump shooter, takes a lot more of his shots off of drives and lay-ups, and the Clippers lack the consistent perimeter threats to make Memphis sweat a halfcourt game.

Players to watch

With Marc Gasol already the set alpha-male at the defensive end, Lionel Hollins is going to have to ask more of Zach Randolph at the offensive end. The veteran may not have another shot at a title, and he will want more than anyone else to win one as a member of the Grizzlies. A member of the notorious Jailblazers, then a part of those troubled Knicks, Randolph came into his own as a Grizzly and now has gone from a locker room disruption to a leader at the club. He thrived with Rudy Gay sidelined in the stirring upset of the top-seeded Spurs in 2011, but then looked out of sorts when his touches were split in 2012. Now, it’s back on his shoulders. Can he do it against Blake Griffin? The two had no issue getting into it during last season’s playoffs series, and then they mixed it up in a regular season encounter this year. If there’s one player sure to pick up a tech in the first round now we know neither Stephen Jackson nor Rasheed Wallace will appear, my money would be one of these two dudes.

For the Clippers, Jamal Crawford will be the key to driving them forward. Chris Paul is going to be elite, regardless of whether or not the Clippers play on their terms or Memphis’. Blake Griffin will catch alley-oops, DeAndre Jordan will be spectacularly unimportant in the scheme of things. But Jamal Crawford could either win or lose the entire series off of his sweet as candy handles. If he turns into the devastating offensive dynamo he started as at the start of season, the Grizzlies may have some issues. However, if Tony Allen can make him an absolute non-factor in the series, Vinny Del Negro would be feeling pretty nervous about his job security and the Clippers’ chances of advancing beyond the first round.

Prediction

While the Clippers go from great to good when their transition offense is forced into a halfcourt grinder, good still beats average any day of the week. The Grizzlies made a bold move trading away Rudy Gay at the deadline, and it’s going to haunt them more than ever during this series when they look for a scoring option. Zach Randolph could potentially unload upon the Clippers, but the duo of Griffin and Jordan, with Turiaf and Odom providing support from the bench, should be enough to curtail Randolph’s influence. It won’t be easy, but the Clippers will prevail in 6.

Earlier today against the New York Knicks, Jordan almost tore down the rim with an extremely powerful windmill dunk.

Check out the video below.

Tonight, DeAndre Jordan almost ended Brandon Knight’s career as he threw down a ridiculous alley-oop over the Pistons’ point guard. It was a valiant effort, but poor Brandon Knight never had a chance.

Check out the video below. (H/T to @maxamillion711)

For a team know for flashy dunks, this one was one of their best. A between-the-legs pass from Crawford leads to a windmill dunk from Griffin.

Check out the video for yourself below.

But last night, Paul and Griffin raised the bar with a 75-foot alley-oop. Late in the second quarter, after a missed Byron Mullens three (shocking, I know), the ball was batted around until finally Paul came up with it. At this point, Griffin was already streaking down court. Paul looked up and threw an inch-perfect lob from the Clippers’ three-point line that Griffin finished with ease.

Griffin finished with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Paul added 13 assists as the Clippers easily took care of business with a 106-84 victory over the lowly Bobcats.

Feb 3, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe (12) tries to keep the ball from going out of bounds against the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

The trade deadline came and went, and the results were very lackluster. As anticipation rose for potential trades of Josh Smith, Paul Millsap, and Kevin Garnett, we were fed an unhealthy dose of salary cap trades, rights to European talents, and playoff teams declining to deal their first round picks in return for proven talents. What ended up intriguing me more on trade deadline day were the rumored deals. The Josh Smith to Milwaukee rumor spoke volumes to me; pairing Josh Smith with Larry Sanders (SANDERS!) would’ve given Milwaukee an elite defensive frontcourt, but an equally as poor offensive frontcourt. Kevin Garnett to the Clippers made sense from a Clipper standpoint (acquire KG, place him in the frontcourt, and let him do his thing on defense), but talks broke when the Celtics asked for too much couldn’t come to terms on a deal, and Garnett later squashed it, stating Boston was his home.

(more…)

Feb 12, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) is congratulated by guard Steve Blake (5) in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Rajon Rondo For Dwight Howard?

Both Rondo and Howard have been mentioned in trade rumors on numerous occasions this season. In the last few weeks however, Rondo tore his ACL and Howard was supposedly told he wouldn’t be traded.

According to CBS Sports’ Ken Berger, however, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers engaged in preliminary talks involving the two stars.

“CBSSports.com has learned that the Lakers have engaged in preliminary trade discussions with an unlikely trade partner regarding Howard: their fierce rival, the Boston Celtics. The centerpieces of the possible deal, which hasn’t gained any traction, would be Howard and Rajon Rondo.”

Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak almost immediately denied the reports, saying,

“I haven’t talked to Danny Ainge in weeks.”

While the deal is unlikely, as Berger mentions, it is still surprising that the teams would discus such a swap. While Kupchak’s denial doesn’t mean much, (any GM would deny having those talks) it would be absolutely shocking to see a trade based around Rondo for Howard happening.

Kevin Garnett to the Clippers?

Late last night, another rumor involving the Celtics and a team from Los Angeles broke, this time it focused on Kevin Garnett.

Yahoo! Sports reported that the Celtics were involved in talks with the Los Angeles Clippers.

“The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have been discussing a deal to trade forward Kevin Garnett for guard Eric Bledsoe and center DeAndre Jordan, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.”

Garnett, who has a no-trade clause, is the emotional leader of the Celtics. If he were to leave Boston, it would be a tough decision for him to make, and even tougher for fans to accept.

However, from a strictly basketball perspective, this trade makes sense for the Celtics. Adding Jordan and Bledsoe for Garnett, who has only a few years left at the most, would allow them to still compete this season and build for the future.

For the Clippers, this would be a very shortsighted move, intent on winning a title immediately. Trading two young, talented players for a veteran on the verge of retirement will hurt their future. However, they may be willing to mortgage their future if they think adding Garnett would make a championship more viable.

- Stay tuned to Saving The Skyhook as we continue to follow all of the latest trade rumors across the NBA

The city of Sacramento- Those poor, poor Sacramentans. The history of the Sacramento Kings is one littered with disappointment. First, in the only draft that Sacramento had the number one overall pick, they selected Pervis Ellison. Then they struggled to a somewhat unthinkable 1-40 road record in 1991. Then they drafted Duke standout point guard Bobby Hurley, who got in a near fatal car accident two months into his rookie season. Then Dick Bavetta and the Lakers happened, derailing the best Kings team in the franchise’s history. And now, after a relatively tortured past, the Kings are most likely going to be relocating to Seattle in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. All Sacramento really has to hang its metaphorical hat on is that is the capital of California. But then again, so are Helena, Concord, Bismarck and Cheyenne.

The idea of unselfishness in Sacramento- To make this really simple for everyone and avoid having to find any statistics to back up this point, I’ll just say this: the idea of unselfishness in Sacramento is just as real as Manti Te’o’s girlfriend.

The Mike Brown Era- Poor, poor Mike Brown. I think a lot of people saw this coming from many miles away. At the first sign of struggle the Lakers were going to need a scapegoat, and coaches usually don’t make out too well in those kind of situations. Just ask Avery Johnson, Jerry Sloan, Mike D’Antoni (New York version), Stan Van Gundy (Miami and Orlando version), Mike Brown (Cleveland version) and every other notable coach who got the axe because a player wanted him out, or because the team was underperforming. Mike Brown never stood a chance. Once the Lakers started 1-4 Mike Brown was canned and there were instantly rumblings that Phil Jackson would be open to returning. But then, a funny thing happened…

January 15, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D

The Mike D’Antoni Era- After Mike Brown was fired the Lakers signed Mike D’Antoni to a three-year, $12 million contract which came as a shock to the Lakers fans who were clamoring for the return of Phil Jackson. Although D’Antoni had coached Steve Nash for many years in Phoenix during Nash’s prime and reportedly had a good relationship with Kobe Bryant, the hire was met with some skepticism. There was uncertainty as to how D’Antoni’s system would work with Pau Gasol (I continue to believe it is Pau’s lack of touches in the post that have ultimately led to his stock dropping… More on this coming up) and Dwight Howard in the line-up. There was no guarantee that the Lakers, a relatively old team, would be able to play at the “7 seconds or less” tempo D’Antoni would likely prefer to play. And my cousin Paul Clark refused to stop referring to Mike D’Antoni as a creep and shyster. D’Antoni was facing a lot of pressure and some heavy expectations, and so far the results haven’t been great. You could make the argument that the Lakers haven’t been healthy all year, particularly since D’Antoni was hired. But the record often doesn’t lie. The Lakers are 10-16 under Mike D’Antoni this year. Sure, D’Antoni has had more success than Mike Brown did this year, but clearly, Bernie Bickerstaff was the man for the job.

Pau Gasol as the best Gasol in the NBA- Pau’s run as the best Gasol in the NBA was a long and successful one. From the 2001-02 season to the 2011-12 season Pau averaged 18.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.7 blocks while also being the centerpiece of one of the biggest hijacking’s in NBA history, and winning two NBA titles after that trade. As his younger brother Marc was inching closer and closer to taking the metaphorical conch from his older brother, Pau dominated the 2012 Summer Olympics and nearly spearheaded a Spain upset in the Gold Medal Game, leaving most to believe that Pau had something left in the tank and was more than just a trade piece for the Lakers. Thanks to creaky knees, a Javale McGee elbow, Mike D’Antoni’s system and his younger brothers continuing emergence, Pau is for the moment 2^ndin the Gasol Power Rankings, and way further down on the California Power Rankings than I’m sure he’d like to see himself, and much further down that I expected him to be. Pau almost single handedly beat the United States in the Gold Medal game. This cannot be forgotten.

Jan 18, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) drives against Memphis Grizzlies forward Marreese Speights (5) at the FedEx Forum. Memphis defeated Sacramento 85-69. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

DeMarcus Cousins Potential as a member of the Kings- I can’t think of a player in the NBA who desperately needs a change of scenery more than Boogie Cousins does. I’m the kind of fan who wants to see good players playing in meaningful games. Unless there is a major overhaul or a literal change in scenery (i.e. perhaps relocation for the franchise… we’re getting there), Boogie might never reach the level that he could, and should. We’re talking about a player who averaged 26 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists his freshman year in high school; a player who could’ve possibly been the number one pick in the NBA Draft if scouts weren’t saying things like this: “To his credit he made it through the entire season without any suspensions or ejections. However, there were a few times (flagrant fouls) where he may have deserved to be.” Whoa! Congrats Boogie! You made it through a whole college season without getting suspended or ejected. A tremendous accomplishment! Instead, Cousins dropped to the 5^th pick and was slated to be the centerpiece of the in-total-shambles Sacramento Kings, where he’s been flanked by a bunch of perimeter players who care about themselves on just a slightly lower level than Lance Armstrong does. Hopefully Boogie Cousins gets his head on straight, lands on a contender, and perhaps emerges as a star player and feel-good story.

Dwight Howard- Dwight Howard is my least favorite player in the NBA and I’ve never been afraid to say that. I think he got let off the hook for what he did to Orlando. I think he gets vastly overrated historically because he is playing in an era where more and more teams are playing small ball. And from a skill-set standpoint, he’s one of the least impressive “superstars” I’ve ever seen played in person. Still, I had Dwight ranked the third best player in the NBA before the season started. Slightly hypocritical, I know. I believed that a guy built like an ancient Greek sculpture (as I knock Dwight’s basketball skill set, I will say he and LeBron James are the two most impressive physical specimens I’ve ever seen in my life) would be able to shake off back surgery and thrive in a new role with a new team and new coach. Apparently back surgery wasn’t something Dwight could just “shake off.” And apparently, the new team and coach wouldn’t be providing much help for an easy transition from Orlando to Los Angeles.

I’m firmly planted on the “Dwight isn’t totally healthy and doesn’t really want to be playing in Los Angeles” bandwagon. I don’t think Dwight is any better than 75% healthy. He certainly doesn’t look like it. And I think he still has his heart set on playing in Brooklyn, which would make all kinds of sense. Not only would Dwight walk into Brooklyn as easily the most marketable player on the team, but he and Deron Williams would have all kinds of fun getting a coach fired every month while Joe Johnson would sit there quietly not saying a word while he was still busy counting the $119 million he got in 2010. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Golden State’s Championship chances- Who would’ve thought that this conversation would be warranted in mid-January? Even as someone who picked Golden State to make the playoffs, I didn’t think it would be necessary to evaluate their title chances. Frankly, as I’m about to do so, it still feels a little weird. To sort it out, let’s go through the checklist of everything a team needs to be considered “Championship caliber.”

Scorers: Stephen Curry and David Lee have emerged as one of the best point guard/power forward duos in the league, and for people who haven’t seen the Dubs play that much, you just need to look at the stats to see where the Golden State resurgence is stemming from. Curry and Lee are both sitting in the top ten in scoring, one of three groups of teammates to be able to boast this (Durant/Westbrook and LeBron/Wade are also in the top ten). Plus, Klay Thompson is always will to take on the scoring load. He’s inching his way closer and closer to a “Brian Cook All-Stars” roster spot. CHECK.
Rebounding/Defense: I decided to combine these two sub-categories into one larger category since Golden State was 28^th in the league in both rebounding and scoring defense last year. Thanks to some personnel changes and brilliant coaching by Mark Jackson, the Warriors have improved in both categories this year. The Dubs are 4^th in rebounding (a drastic improvement) and 22^nd in scoring defense (not as big of a jump, but they are no longer playing pick-up game defense like they were last year). Also, keep this in mind: Golden State has been playing without 7-footer Andrew Bogut all season long. CHECK
Coaching: I give Mark Jackson the slight edge over Mike Woodson, Tom Thibodeau, and Frank Vogel in the Coach of the Year standings right now. The impact he’s had on this team in a year and a half has transformed the Warriors from perennial lottery team to playoff contender. And stylistically, he’s been the catalyst in changing the Warriors from a street ball team to an actual basketball team. I touched on the rebounding and defensive improvements, but he’s also changed the way Golden State plays offensively. Oddly enough, the Warriors were 28^th in assists last season. This season they’ve jumped up to 8^th. He’s engrained in them a mentality to not only look for the right pass, but to also look for the extra pass. Mark Jackson is a very good coach. CHECK
Bench: Part of what has made Mark Jackson so successful in year two is the moves Golden State made over the last 12 months. The acquisitions of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, and selection of Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, and Draymond Green have made Mark Jackson’s job much easier. Every coach would welcome that kind of talent influx. But it’s been Jackson’s decision to bring Jack and Landry off the bench that allows Golden State to get the check mark in this category. I’ll discuss Jack and Landry’s sixth man of the year candidacy in a little while. Most games Golden State won’t skip much of a beat when they start bringing the bench players in, and often times they’ll close the game with Jack and Landry on the floor. CHECK
Free Throw Shooting: Golden State sits in 2^nd behind Oklahoma City in team free throw percentage. You have to make your free throws to close out games, and the Warriors late game line-up can do just that. Stephen Curry, David Lee, Klay Thompson, Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry all shoot over 80% from the free throw line. CHECK
Home Crowd: Don’t think this can’t swing a series. Remember back in 2007 when 1 seed Dallas got upset in the 1^st round by, wait a second, what team was that again… oh that’s right, it was the Golden State Warriors who rallied behind their frenzied home crowd to become only the third 8 seed to ever upset a 1 seed. CHECK
Experience: No check mark here. The Warriors are inexperienced and haven’t been through the pain and heart ache of coming close and falling short. Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, Shaq… they all suffered heart breaking defeat before they got to the top. This is why Oklahoma City is so dangerous this year. That’s why 3 years from now Golden State, if they stay together, could be a title contender. Right now they are missing the key ingredient though.

Jarrett Jack as Sixth Man of the Year- Jack has been 0.5% better as a sixth man than Jamal Crawford, 10% better than Matt Barnes and Carl Landry, and 9,000% better than Jodie Meeks.

DeMarcus Cousins Potential on any team but the Kings- I touched on this briefly before, so instead of repeating what I said above, here are my favorite/most interesting/totally unrealistic DeMarcus Cousins fake trades thanks to ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine.

Trade #1: Sacramento receives Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith; Boston receives DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans and Jimmer Fredette; Atlanta receives Jeff Green, Jason Thompson and Aaron Brooks.

NOTE: Former high school teammates reunite as the faces of the new team out west. Boston takes on DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans, and most likely get the most out of both players. Atlanta accomplishes what seems to be a big goal of theirs by finally trading Josh Smith.

Trade #2: Sacramento receives Dwyane Wade; Miami receives DeMarcus Cousins, John Salmons and Jimmer Fredette.

NOTE: I had to.

Trade #3: Sacramento receives Dwight Howard; Los Angeles receives DeMarcus Cousins, Marcus Thornton and John Salmons.

NOTE: I asked my cousin Pauley, a Lakers fan, if he would want this trade. His response: “Man that’s really tough. If Cousins wasn’t such a dick I think I would for sure.” Ladies and gentlemen, DeMarcus Cousins!

Trade #4: Sacramento receives Kevin Love; Minnesota receives DeMarcus Cousins and Paul Millsap; Milwaukee receives Al Jefferson and John Salmons; Utah receives Monta Ellis, Ersan Ilyasova and Nikola Pekovic.

NOTE: Oddly enough, I think every team improves in this trade. The franchise formerly known as the Kings gets a marquee player to toss a ton of money at and build around. Minnesota gets two high quality pieces for Love. Milwaukee also makes out on the deal, especially if they could keep Al Jefferson around. And Utah doesn’t have to deal with the dilemma of losing Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap without getting anything back.

Trade #5: Sacramento receives Marc Gasol and Pau Gasol; Memphis receives Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace and Marcus Thornton; Los Angeles receives Rudy Gay, Brook Lopez and Francisco Garcia; Brooklyn receives Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, John Salmons, and James Johnson.

NOTE: This would go down as my favorite trade of all-time even though Memphis and Los Angeles are simply pawns. Big picture, it teams the Gasol’s up in Sacramento Seattle, AND it would result in Dwight Howard, Deron Williams and DeMarcus Cousins would be on the same team. No coach is safe!

Kobe’s homicide potential- This was at the top of the power rankings a couple of weeks ago until Kobe joined Twitter, reconciled with his wife and actually gave credit to LeBron James after a tough loss last Thursday night. Kobe Bryant isn’t a competitively homicidal maniac… maybe he’s actually a cuddly teddy bear. 

Kobe’s scoring leader potential- Roughly half way through the season Kobe (29.2 points per game) is trailing Kevin Durant (29.5) and tied with Carmelo Anthony (29.2) in the race for the scoring lead.  With the Lakers collective back against the wall, Kobe knows nothing to do besides shoot his way out of trouble. If I were a betting man, I’d have my money on Kobe to close out the season as the leading scorer in the league.

January 4, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers small forward Metta World Peace (15) and Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) during the game at the Staples Center. Clippers won 107-102. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Bad Blood amongst the California teams- I’m a huge advocate of teams not liking each other (or at least playing like it), and out west there is no such thing as California Love. The Lakers and Clippers turned into a rivalry when David Stern intervened and took Chris Paul away from the Lakers, essentially deciding that the league was better off with Paul throwing Blake Griffin a whole bunch of lobs and Kobe not winning six or more titles (just kidding, but that is what a lot of the Lakers fans will say). There are a whole bunch of big personality and hyper-competitive players that make any Clippers/Lakers game must-see TV. Not to feel left out, the Warriors made their mark this year by playing in what was probably the most entertaining game of the season against the Lakers back in December. Then they followed that up by openly mocking Blake Griffin after he horribly missed three pointer, only to be on the losing end of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul eff-you games three nights later. Last night, Golden State handed the Clippers their 10th loss of the season as Stephen Curry outplayed Chris Paul. Finally, you have the Kings who aren’t going to be relevant in this conversation unless DeMarcus Cousins decides it would be a fun idea to challenge Metta World Peace to a fist fight, which is something we can’t rule out.

The Clippers “Lob City” Moniker- Observe.

San Francisco 49ers Championship chances- The 49ers are the early four point favorites in the “Harbowl” and I have them winning by seven points. 27-20, the San Francisco 49ers are your Super Bowl Champions.

Chris Paul’s MVP credentials- If LeBron James wasn’t playing the best all-around basketball of dare I say all-time, and if Kevin Durant wasn’t “next in line” to win the MVP Award, it would already have Chris Paul’s name etched onto it. The Clippers are improbably 32-10 just three years removed from being the premier cellar-dweller in the NBA, and it wouldn’t be possible without Chris Paul. Sure, they’ve got a roster that goes ten deep, but all of the Lob City hoopla started when David Stern decided it would be fun to put Chris Paul in the mix. Did you see the YouTube video of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan after they heard about the trade? There is a reason why Blake Griffin reacted like a 7 year old kid does when he walks out of his bedroom on Christmas morning, and it’s not just because he knew he was going to be catching an exorbitant amount of alley-oops. It was because for the first time, the Clippers were going to be relevant. Chris Paul turned the Clippers into the best team in California. Every night he goes out and competes harder than anyone else. He’s fearless, and his play and attitude reflect that. More and more I think the Clippers can win the title just because of Chris Paul.

The NBA- Let’s run through this super quick since I’ve already surpassed 3,000 words: There are four NBA teams currently in California. Three are going to be making the playoffs (Yes, I hesitantly include the Lakers). On those three teams, you could make the case that there are seven top 30 players (Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, Stephen Curry, David Lee and Pau Gasol). The fourth California team is moving back to a city that is craving an NBA team, and provides a much bigger market for television ratings than Sacramento does. So to quote Charlie Sheen, the NBA is winning.

Dec 26, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat might be the best team in the NBA, but concerns about their inability to rebound seem valid (they are the league’s second worst rebounding team according to ESPN.com). Hey, that’ll happen when you’re undersized. Has an NBA club ever been more infatuated with players of 6-feet-8-inches? The bottom line is that when you jack up hasty shots and don’t, well, rebound, poor stats follow. Forward Chris Bosh said the team needed to figure out a way to fix the problem. Here’s a suggestion Chris – try rebounding.

Houston Rockets superstar, James Harden, no longer second fiddle in Oklahoma, has taken the league by storm since his relocation. Harden top scored for the Rockets in most of their December games and also dropped 20-plus points in a 14 straight contests (at the time of writing). His beard, too, continues to be the benchmark for NBA facial hair, and has moved past Bill Walton’s werewolf era fuzz on the all-time list.

Like Washington’s politicos, the city’s Wizards face an unnerving precipice, one which could see its entire future fall into disarray. Okay, let’s be honest: the Wiz haven’t cast a good spell since Harry Potter sought the Philosopher’s Stone. And yet, amid all the turmoil, the ineptitude and disgrace, rookie Bradley Beal has been a beacon of hope on The Hill. Beal led all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring (13.4 ppg) and total assists with (41) in December. He also had six games with 15-plus points during the month.

It took an unlikely opponent in the Brooklyn Nets to upend Oklahoma City’s 12-game home winning streak with a recent 110-93 victory. This was, in part, helped by the ejection of a rather conversational Kevin Durant. The other part was a combination of Joe Johnson scoring 33 points, and Deron Williams taking charge with 19 points and 13 assists. Amazing how quickly he’s adjusted to his new coach, isn’t it?

Don’t look now but the Detroit Pistons are motoring, winning five of six en route to a 12-22 overall record (as of January 4). Sure, their record is still woeful, but we’re talking about the Eastern Conference here folks, where a sub-500 record is fashionable, and making consecutive free-throws is cause for All-Star consideration.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are flat out of luck, losing four straight and dropping below .500. Most alarmingly, the Cs have lost each of these game by an average mark of 20 points. Things haven’t been this bad in Beantown since the Celtics 15-win season of 1996-97 on the back of Antoine Walker’s 33% from three-point land. Good times.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard, Damian Lillard, has fast become Rookie of the Year favorite. With the Blazers playing mid-tier ball, it was surprising to see them rattle the New York Knicks at home, let alone beat them. But Lillard is a big reason for that. He’s fearless, and plays an all-around game—scoring, rebounding, passing, you name it. For the Knicks, Amare Stoudemire returned to a standing ovation. He then proceeded to light up Madison Square Garden with 6 points, one rebound and two turnovers. Spike Lee was beside himself.

No round-up would be complete without something about Kobe Bryant. In recent days, the league’s best scorer has called his Los Angeles Laker team “old” and “slow”, and admitted that their Staples Center roomies, the once lowly Clippers, are in the mix for the NBA crown. Kobe even called the Clips, currently among the Western Conference’s elite, “one of the top contenders”. Presumably L.A. reporters are now seeking Bryant’s view on Daniel Day Lewis as an Oscar favorite, and his take on other outrageousness circling the internet.

Oct 22, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) dribbles the ball against the Golden State Warriors at the Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Warriors 88-71. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Chris Paul
Resume: 19.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.1 assists (3rd in league), 2.5 steals (1st in league), 36.4 minutes, 48% FG, 86% FT, and 37% 3PT… Team record in games played: 37-23 (3-3 without)… Playoffs: 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 43% FG, 4-7 record… All-Star, 3rd in MVP Voting, 1st Team All-Defense, 1st Team All-NBA

Rajon Rondo
Resume: 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 11.7 assists (1st in league, career best), 1.8 steals, 36.9 minutes (10th in league), 6 triple-doubles (1st in league), 45% FG, and 60% FT… Team record in games played: 31-22 (8-5 without)… Playoffs: 17.3 points (career best), 6.7 rebounds, 11.9 assists (career best), 2.4 steals, 42.6 minutes, 47% FG, 70% FT (career best), 10-9 record (1-0 without)… All-Star, 8th in MVP Voting, 2nd Team All-Defense, 3rd Team All-NBA

The hottest debate that my basketball fan friends and I engaged in during this process was “who is the undisputed champion amongst point guards in the NBA?” Really, it came down to two players: Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo. Needless to say, I was relatively shocked when Rajon Rondo entered ESPN’s NBA Rankings at #12. To me, the choice between Rondo and Chris Paul was too close to call and that was the sentiment amongst most of my friends and family too. So before I even made a decision, I had to sort it out in a similar fashion to Bill Simmons’ Dr. Jack Breakdown. Let’s do it!

Scoring Ability
We haven’t seen an entire season of Rajon Rondo as the featured scorer for Boston, however we’ve seen him shoulder that burden on plenty of occasions. Those performances usually come in the biggest moments, particularly the playoffs where Rondo’s scoring average has increased every postseason except Boston’s 2008 Championship season. Despite the fact that defenders routinely play about 5 feet off of Rondo, he still finds a way to get into the paint and finish in a variety of creative ways around the hoop. Don’t be surprised to see Rondo take on a bigger role as a scorer in 2012-13, maybe one similar to his counterpart.

Paul on the other hand is more of a natural scorer than Rondo. In his ridiculously impressive 2008-09 season, he was not only first in the league in assists and steals, but also 7^th in points per game. Paul has totally mastered the art of facilitating the action early on, and being able to close out the game as a scorer late. It’s routine at this point. Over the last few years as you watch Chris Paul you just know it’s coming. It’s like when you are watching a scary movie and the creepy music starts to play in the background, someone is about to die. When there is six minutes left in a close game Chris Paul is going to start scoring, and scoring, and scoring, and scoring.
Edge- Chris Paul

Passing
It’s hard to criticize either of the two in this category. Paul and Rondo have combined to win 3 assist titles and are both legitimately fun to watch orchestrate an offense. Since they are both so entertaining I took to YouTube to decide the winner of this critical category. Rondo’s passing mix is a joy to watch as a former point guard, but unfortunately there aren’t any good Chris Paul passing highlight mixes on YouTube. So who wins the Rajon Rondo vs. Chris Paul passing matchup? Well, I was leaning towards Rondo to begin with. I’ve gone on record saying that I believe Chris Paul plays the point guard position better than anyone else, but Rondo seems to see passing angles that other guys just can’t, even Paul.
Slight Edge- Rajon Rondo

Defensive Prowess
This is a great debate to have since in their own ways, both Paul and Rondo are elite perimeter defenders. Paul is a more typical man to man defender. He’s going to be in front of you and in your grill all game, and if you put the ball in front of him he’s going to take it from you. Plain and simple. Rondo is more of a roamer. His help defense and ability to play the passing lanes is a big reason why he is the only player not named Chris Paul to lead the league in steals per game in the last five seasons. Who has more value as a defender? Paul has been the best defensive point guard in the league basically since he got drafted in 2005. Rondo isn’t out of Paul’s league though.
Slight Edge- Chris Paul

Calling Card
Picking between the trademark moves of Rondo and Paul is like picking between 1995 Academy Award Best Picture nominees The Shawshank Redemption and Forrest Gump. You really can’t go wrong with either one. It just depends on the mood you are in, but it’s hard not to love both of them. Paul runs the high screen and roll better than just about everyone in the league. And if the defenders switch and their big guy is left out on an island guarding Chris Paul, Paul will make him look like a complete fool. That is a sure thing. Rondo uses pass fakes better than just about anyone in the league, most famously the behind the back fake that has never failed to work. He uses these fakes to not only get himself shots, but also to create space and get teammates open looks. Plus it looks as cool as Miles Davis.
Slight Edge- Rajon Rondo

Potential
There really isn’t much more that Chris Paul can improve on. He’s basically a finished product and a damn good one. But what happens when Rajon Rondo develops a consistent jump shot? Holy crap, look out.
Edge- Rajon Rondo

Teammate Help
Or lack thereof. The question here is who has done more with less? Rondo has shouldered the burden with banged up Celtics teams the last few postseasons. As the Celtics Big Three was running on fumes in the postseason this year, Rondo averaged 20.9 points, 11.3 assists and 6.9 rebounds in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, proving he is perfectly capable of taking on an expanded role. Still, Rondo was playing with three future Hall of Famers. Chris Paul turned a relatively mediocre Hornets team into a 56 win two seed in an incredibly deep Western Conference in 2008.
Edge- Chris Paul

Reputation
Neither of the two has what you’d call a squeaky clean image. Rajon Rondo is known for being moody, stubborn, and sometimes hard to deal with. He was a frequently mentioned trade chip for the Celtics, and was even discussed in a deal for Chris Paul, who at the time was basically forcing his way out of New Orleans. Apparently Rondo has matured and taken on more of a leadership role. I buy into that talk, but it still remains to be seen. I give the slight edge to Paul in this category. He was in a crap situation in New Orleans and stuck around for just about as long as he could. He was going to leave New Orleans once he became a free agent, and by demanding a trade he was actually putting the Hornets in a better situation than they could’ve been in. Plus, Paul is highly praised amongst his peers, and that holds a lot of weight in my opinion.
Slight Edge- Chris Paul

Oct 16, 2012; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) sets the play during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at TD Banknorth Garden. The Brooklyn Nets won 97-96. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Best What-If
Did you know that Rajon Rondo is directly connected to Rick Fox, Gary Payton, Chucky Atkins, Jumaine Jones, Chris Mihm, Tom Gugliotta, Michael Stewart, Antoine Walker, Boris Diaw, Robin Lopez, Joe Johnson, Brian Grant and Rudy Fernandez? How so, you ask. Well, the pick that would become Rajon Rondo originally belonged to the Lakers and was then traded to the Celtics, then to the Hawks, then to the Suns, and finally back to the Celtics. So, in theory, I’m presenting what-if’s that involve Rondo teaming with Kobe Bryant, possibly playing for one of the most lethargic crowds in the NBA in Atlanta, or being Steve Nash’s understudy in Phoenix. It’s hard to predict whether that future 2006 1^st round pick the Lakers traded back in 2004 would’ve ended up still being the 21^st pick in the draft if they hadn’t made that trade, but what is totally realistic to think about is Rondo being the predecessor to Steve Nash. The Suns drafted Rondo and then traded him to Boston for a 2007 first round pick, which turned out to be Rudy Fernandez. Essentially, the Suns traded Rondo for nothing since Rudy Fernandez turned into James Jones and James Jones wound up with Miami. It’s an interesting scenario to imagine Rondo learning under Nash, eventually cutting into those minutes, and maybe making the process of moving him a little easier than it ended up being for Phoenix. Personally, I’m glad it worked out the way it did, even if that means LeBron having to deal with Rondo year in and year out. It’s hard to imagine Rondo playing anywhere else but Boston.

There are two great what-if’s that relate to Chris Paul. The first being what if three teams didn’t stupidly pass on Chris Paul in the 2005 NBA Draft. It makes total sense to ask this since, well, Paul was the best player in that draft and anyone who watched college basketball the year before could’ve recognized this and been able to forecast that Paul would be an elite point guard. The what-if that is still somewhat fresh in everyone’s mind is “What if David Stern didn’t veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers trade?” What we know for sure is that the Lakers were going to part ways with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, and in return get Chris Paul. We don’t know if the Lakers would’ve made further moves and tried to get Dwight Howard this offseason. We don’t know how the Paul/Kobe dynamic would work, just like we aren’t sure how Kobe will work with Steve Nash (I expect that it would work since they have spent a few summers playing for Team USA together). Ultimately, I couldn’t decide which option is better if you are a Lakers fan, so I decided to ask four friends/family members who are Lakers fans if they would rather have the current Lakers team, or if they would’ve wanted the Chris Paul trade to go through with no guarantee of getting Dwight Howard over the summer. It was a 2-2 split whether they’d keep things the way they are or if they’d rather have Paul, so basically nothing was concluded. I guess that makes for a good what-if, and probably a pretty good debate.
Slight Edge- Chris Paul

2011-12 NBA Season
This one is pretty simple in my eyes. I thought that Paul had the second best regular season of anyone in the league (over Durant), but the MVP vote said otherwise.  Paul finished 3^rd in the MVP vote, nothing at all to scoff at. If you conducted a Playoffs MVP vote, Rajon Rondo would’ve finished 3^rd behind LeBron and Durant (go figure). Where do you put more stock, individual success in the regular season or postseason?
Edge- Rajon Rondo

Defining 2012 Moment
I just got done touching on how Rondo’s postseason brilliance gave him the edge when it came to the 2011-12 season. What Rondo did in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals was one of the best postseason performances I’ve ever seen in a win or a loss. With Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen all on their last legs, Rondo went all 53 minutes and was doing just about everything he could to try to steal a game in Miami. Rondo became the first player in playoff history to finish a game with 44 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds, and somehow the stats don’t even explain how great he was. Rondo had an unusually good shooting game, making 16 of his 24 field goal attempts, and even more impressively/pretty uncharacteristically, making ten jump shots, showing all non-Celtics fans that we should all be completely terrified when that jump shot becomes consistent.

Paul didn’t have a performance that were even close to being as statistically impressive as Rondo’s , but he proved in his performance why the conversation for best point guard alive usually begins and ends with him. In the Gold Medal game of the 2012 Summer Olympics, closing duties were shared between LeBron James and Chris Paul. People remember the LeBron dunk and backbreaking 3, but they tend to forget about the should have been 4-point-play Chris Paul had early in the 4^th quarter, two tough drives and finishes, and one shimmy move that dropped my jaw to the floor of the Big Room at my Grandma’s house. Paul was the general, and I felt completely comfortable with him at the reins in the game that featured the biggest stakes of 2012.
Slight Edge- Chris Paul

And there lies the biggest difference between Paul and Rondo. I hate to use international basketball as a tool in ranking the players, but there is no way Rajon Rondo takes over a game on that stage like Chris Paul did. It just wouldn’t happen.

Overall Edge: Chris Paul

May 17, 2012; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) gets fouled while shooting against San Antonio Spurs forward Tiago Splitter (22) during the first half in game two of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the AT

Blake Griffin
Resume: 20.7 points (10th in league), 10.9 rebounds (6th in league), 3.2 assists, 36.2 minutes, 41 double-doubles (4th in league), 468 free throw attempts (4th in league), 55% FG (7th in league), and 52% FT… Team record in games played: 40-26… Playoffs: 19.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 50% FG, 4-7 record… All-Star, 2nd Team All-NBA

Click here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Sorry, I just had to get the dunks out of the way. Believe it or not, Blake Griffin actually does more than jump over cars (totally overrated), put guys on posters (rated just right), and bring the Clippers crowd to their feet with those aforementioned poster creations (totally underrated and the only positive spin I will put on his dunks for the sake of getting you to realize that Griffin is a lot more than a high profile dunker). The truth about Blake Griffin is that through two years he is statistically on par with some of the most highly regarded big men of the last 30 years in their respective first two years in the league. Take a look.

Blake Griffin- 21.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, 52% FG
Tim Duncan- 21.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals, 2.5 blocks, 53% FG
Karl Malone- 18.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks, 51% FG
Charles Barkley- 17.0 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks, 56% FG
Kevin Garnett- 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.9 blocks, 50% FG
Dirk Nowitzki- 14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 45% FG
Hakeem Olajuwon- 21.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 steals, 3.0 blocks, 53% FG
Shaquille O’Neal- 26.4 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, 3.2 blocks, 58% FG
Patrick Ewing- 20.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 2.2 blocks, 49% FG
David Robinson-  25.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 3.9 blocks, 54% FG
Dwight Howard- 13.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.5 blocks, 53% FG
Kwame Brown- 6.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.8 blocks, 43% FG

Obviously, by the statistics, Blake Griffin is on the same level as many of the greats that have come before him. I’m on record as saying I don’t like to always use statistics as a way to measure how great a player is. It can be very deceiving to those who don’t understand that the era a particular player played should be considered when looking at his career numbers. For example, Wilt Chamberlain’s 1961-62 season is jaw-dropping statistically. The 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds jump right off the screen. But consider:
A.) Wilt averaged 48.5 minutes per game. Yes, 48.5 minutes, meaning that Wilt logged every regulation minute and then some.
B.) He attempted 39.5 field goals and 17.0 free throws per game, making 51% of his field goals and 61% of his free throws.
C.) The 1961-62 Philadelphia Warriors averaged a staggering 129.7 possessions per game.
D.) The average height of the league in 1962 was 6’5.

Now, let’s take a look at the 1993-94 MVP season of Hakeem Olajuwon, my choice as greatest center in NBA history. Also included are some NBA wide statistics that will make sense in a quick minute
-27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 21.2 field goal attempts per game, 53% FG, 6.8 free throw attempts per game, 72% FT, 41.0 minutes per game.
-Houston averaged 95.0 possessions per game.
-Average height of the league was 6’7

Trust me, this is getting somewhere. I’m going to adjust Olajuwon’s stats so they are reflective of the pace played in Wilt’s iconic season. Let’s first assume that Olajuwon played every single minute just like Wilt did. That means that he is playing 95 possessions per game, which means each team is getting roughly 2 possessions per minute. Without adjusting the pace, Olajuwon would now be attempting roughly 24 shots per 48 minutes, and per 95 possessions. Next, I’m going to adjust the amount of possessions per game. I won’t even adjust it to as high as Philadelphia’s was. I’ll go with the league average in 1961-62 which was 125 per game. Assuming Olajuwon shot the ball at the same rate he did in 1993-94 (roughly one shot every four possessions), that means he would be taking approximately 31 field goal attempts per game. Bump up his free throw attempts to 13 per game to account for two possessions where he was fouled on the shot, and two more “and ones.” And let’s just add 3 more shots to make up for the blatant ball hogging of Wilt.

In 1961-62 there were 71 rebounds available per game, compared to 43 in 1993-94. Olajuwon grabbed roughly 1 of every 4 available rebounds in 1993-94, so that means if he were to play in the same era as Wilt he would’ve pulled down about 18 rebounds. So what would Hakeem’s stats look like playing at the same pace Wilt did?
Hakeem- 45.4 points, 18 rebounds, 34 field goal attempts, 53% shooting, 13 free throw attempts, 72% free throw shooting, 48 minutes
Wilt- 50.4 points, 25.7 rebounds, 39.5 field goal attempts, 51% shooting, 17 free throw attempts, 61% free throw shooting, 48.5 minutes

They are pretty damn close statistically, and I didn’t even account for the fact that Wilt was playing in an era where the average height was 6’5 and 65% of the league was white, compared to 1993-94 where the average height was 6’7 and Hakeem was battling Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, etc.

You may be asking what the point of this history lesson was, besides giving you a great look at two different eras of the NBA. I’m simply trying to illustrate that in the grand scheme of things, what Blake Griffin has done in his first two years is remarkable. Remember how I said that the numbers guys put up should be evaluated along with the era he was playing in? Well consider that right now Blake Griffin is a part of arguably the most athletic era in NBA history. There are more physical freaks playing in the NBA now than there ever have been. Ultimately, Blake Griffin is far from being a polished NBA player, yet he is excelling in the NBA because of all of the freak athletes in the NBA, he may be the freakiest of them all. Griffin has a very limited offensive game. He doesn’t have an array of post moves or a consistent jump shot. Still, he has averaged 20-10 in his first two seasons in the NBA, something that only Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson have done in the last thirty years.

On top of ridiculous athleticism and the aforementioned dunks, Blake stands out for putting his body on the line way too much (which in the present is something to admire, yet down the road might be destructive to him), being a solid passer and ball-handler for his size, and for seemingly being on the genuinely good guys playing in the league. If and when Blake Griffin becomes a completely polished player he could very well find himself in the Top 3 in the league.

• 

  Mar 16, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut talks during an introductory press conference before the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

  ANDREW BOGUT, C, Golden State Warriors
  Last season: 30.3 MPG, 11.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 14.92 PER (12 games)
  It seems everyone has the Warriors on the top of their sleeper list for the upcoming season. I agree, for the most part, that they will fulfill their share of sneaking up on teams this season. But one key element in making that happen is a healthy, productive 7’0 center named Andrew Bogut. Bogut, traded to Golden State last season, never actually suited up for the Warriors due to injury, so we really don’t know what to expect of him early on. It will take time to get his game legs back and gel with his new teammates. The optimal situation would have Bogut averaging a double double with close to 2 blocks per game and being a reliable defensive anchor on a team that will surely attempt to outscore opponents every game (despite Mark Jackson’s “defense first” philosophy). After the Warriors experienced the collapse of Andris Beidrins and the growing pains of Ekpe Udoh at a high volume of minutes at center last season, they will gladly welcome an established veteran in Bogut. The hard part? He has to get on and stay on, the basketball court.

• 

  May 20, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) reacts at the end of game four of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center. The Spurs defeated the Clippers 102-99 to win the series 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

  BLAKE GRIFFIN, PF, Los Angeles Clippers
  Last season: 36.2 MPG, 20.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 23.50 PER
  Griffin claims to be 100% and ready to go for the season. He was an elite power forward last year and even though it’s only year two, he’s one of the more consistent producers in the league on a nightly basis. So why then, is Griffin the “X-Factor” on what certainly seems like a loaded Clippers squad this season? Simply, he can be EVEN better. What we see every night from Griffin isn’t even his ceiling yet. Despite the dunks and double doubles, Griffin’s growth (particularly his leadership) is what will put this Clippers team into “serious contenders” talk. His aggressive and explosive nature already give him an advantage on other 4′s, but fine-tuning things like free throw shooting, shot selection and the inept timing of some of those out of control, predictable spin moves will bring Griffin even closer to his peak. I definitely agree that the Clippers have some very nice pieces in place (although Billups, Odom and Crawford aren’t getting younger), it’s Griffin’s shoulders that will steer the direction of this franchise.

• 

  August 10, 2012; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) during a press conference held to introduce three-time Defensive Player who they acquired in a four-team trade from the Orlando Magic. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

  DWIGHT HOWARD, C, Los Angeles Lakers
  Last season: 38.3 MPG, 20.6 PPG, 14.5 RPG, 24.29 PER
  I refuse to go there. “There” being the entire summer of #Dwightmare. He’s a part of this team now and he’s THE part that will make or break the championship hopes of the Lakers. Kobe and Pau will be fine once again, Nash will be a breath of fresh air, Metta World Peace will be… well… Metta World Peace. Without Dwight, the Lakers are not a contender, it really is that simple. For the Lakers interior, he will be the hard-nosed, defensive ying to Pau Gasol’s smooth operating, jump shot taking yang. This very moment is the time for Dwight to get serious for a title run. The Lakers aren’t necessarily a deep team, so he’ll be counted on for huge minutes at “defender of the year”-like quality. Losing will not be acceptable this season, just ask Mike Brown. Reports right now are saying that he will be ready for the start of the season, so that’s already a good start.

• 

  April 21, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Goran Dragic (3) drives past Golden State Warriors guard Charles Jenkins (22) during the second quarter at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-US PRESSWIRE

  GORAN DRAGIC, PG, Phoenix Suns
  Last season: 26.5 MPG, 11.7 PPG, 5.3 APG, 18.03 PER
  I’m sure the Suns are of the mindset that Kendall Marshall is their future at the point guard position. However, we’re talking about this season and about a Goran Dragic that worked his way back to Phoenix from Houston, following the Steve Nash departure. By refusing to share time with Kyle Lowry (who also departed) in Houston, Dragic forced the hand and now has big pressure on him in Phoenix as the expected starter for a team that’s not expected to be very good. He’s running the show and it’s time to perform. I’m not quite as down on the Suns as some are (I’m expecting 30-35 wins), but a lot depends on Dragic’s ability to run this team. He’s definitely shown flashes in a starting role, but can he maintain for a full season? The question will be answered quickly, as it’s put up or shut up time for Dragic.

• 

  March 09, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings point guard Tyreke Evans (13) drives to the basket against Dallas Mavericks power forward Lamar Odom (7) during the third quarter at Power Balance Pavilion. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Dallas Mavericks 110-97. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

  TYREKE EVANS, SF, Sacramento Kings
  Last season: 34.3 MPG, 16.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 16.48 PER
  Based on projections from his rookie season, shouldn’t this guy be a superstar by now? That’s a very complicated question when it comes to Tyreke Evans. With all the potential in the world, it seems he has a bit of an identity crisis. He’s often in between positions (is he a point guard, shooting guard, small forward?) and confused about what role to play (scorer or playmaker?). With so many young pieces on this team, Evans is practically a veteran now. As the depth chart stands now, it looks like Evans will slide into the small forward spot, even though his height will suggest otherwise on certain matchup. A gifted scorer, Evans has often been heavily criticized about his shot selection and “me-first” attitude. Although their record didn’t reflect it, the Kings were one of those dangerous young teams last season. To go from dangerous to respectable (especially in the West), Evans will have to implement a better team-first approach, while working on his efficiency. Lord knows, he has the physical gifts… just ask him.

June 5, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo (9) during the first half in game five of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

14. Blake Griffin, F, Los Angeles Clippers: Griffin improved measurably in 2012, upping his PER and field goal percentage while continuing to develop his mid-range jumper and exerting more effort on the defensive end.  And he helped lead the Clippers to one of the most successful seasons in franchise history.  But somehow, Griffin’s NBA Rank dropped four spots this year.  We never said these rankings weren’t flawed.

Having said that, Griffin’s worth is difficult to value with respect to the league’s other top players because it seems he could do so much more.  He’s still finding his footing in the post, needs work on his outside shot despite improvements made last season, must improve his dreadful free throw shooting, and could definitely get better defensively, too.  Even with all those still-healing warts, Griffin was still one of the best players in the NBA in 2012.  Given it was only his first year playing with Chris Paul, one can only imagine how much better he could be this season as the two enter their second year together.

If there’s a bone to pick with this ranking – other than Griffin’s aforementioned drop form 2011 – the biggest one could be how it related to Kevin Love’s.  Minnesota’s star power forward is closer to reaching his ceiling than the Clippers’, but that doesn’t at all mean’s he’s considerably better.  It will be interesting to come back to these rankings a year from now, and see how ESPN’s NBA world relates Griffin to Love and vice versa.  For now, though, if Love is anything more than three or four spots above Griffin it’s a major stretch.

13. Andrew Bynum, C, Philadelphia 76ers: It goes without saying this is a huge year for Bynum, his first as a team’s top option on offense let alone face of a franchise.  His contract expires after this season, too, and unless his notoriously balky knees give him trouble it’s tough to imagine anything but him re-signing for the max as a Sixer.  Of course there are many, many factors at play here other than Bynum’s knees and actual effectiveness, chief among them his relationship with the demanding – but genius, it should be noted – Doug Collins.  Can a player with Bynum’s history of volatility coexist with a coach like Collins? Both have said all the right things thus far, but only time will tell.

Assuming everything breaks right and Bynum has his head on straight, though, he’s liable to justify this lofty ranking.  Maybe basketball’s best post scorer, the light came on and finally stayed on for Bynum last season in LA.  No player in the league boasts his combination of sheer size and shooting touch from the basket area, and he learned to use that size better than ever in 2012 to gain consistent position low on the block.  He has a tendency to get tunnel vision with the ball in his hands and he’ll have to mind that more than ever as Philly’s biggest scoring threat, but this is a player that’s shown development every season he’s been on the floor; he can and will get better there as the season progresses.  And while he’s not Dwight Howard defensively, Bynum still makes a big impact as a shot-blocker and general space-eater in the lane.  He’s an awesome rebounder, too.

The clear second best center in the NBA, this spot seems about right for Bynum.  It feels strange to look above him on the list and see names like Gasol, Bosh, Nash, and Garnett, but that’s just how awesome a season he had last year.  Finally out of Kobe Bryant’s looming shadow, as long as Bynum is healthy and engaged he could break the top 10 in 2013.

12. Rajon Rondo, PG, Boston Celtics: Rondo remains the most unique player in the NBA, and as he gradually grabbed the reigns from Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in Boston last season he became one of its most polarizing.  Such is life when you’re almost as bad in a few areas areas as you are great in a couple more than that.

Maybe the league’s best ball-handler, passer, perimeter defender (when engaged), and its overall most creative player, Rondo remains a very poor shooter, can go full quarters without looking at the basket, and has a tendency to over-dribble.  He’s a polarizing personality, too, often clashing with reporters and sometimes teammates and coaches.  But to focus on the negatives gleaned from Rondo’s game would be remiss, because you’d be missing all the positives that could some day make him a candidate for Springfield.

A true maestro in the mold of Chris Paul or Steve Nash, you always know when Rondo is on the floor.  He’s constantly barking orders to teammates and yapping at opposing players, and always at his best when the game or moment is biggest.  Remember his virtuoso performance in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals (a loss)? You can count the number of players capable of such brilliance on fewer than two hands, which makes his seven point outing in game 5 of the same series (a win) all the more confounding.  Until you look down the box score and see six rebounds, 13 assists, and four steals, that is.

There’s never been a player like Rondo.  He’s not a traditional point guard or one for the 21st century.  He’s not Isaiah Thomas, John Stockton, Jason Kidd, or Derrick Rose, but that hardly matters to the Celtics.  What does is his well-deserved rank as the game’s twelfth best player.

Apr 29, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) drives to the basket against Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley (11) during the first half of game one in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-US PRESSWIRE

Then Chris Paul took over, leading the Clippers on a 28-3 game-ending run, the greatest win in the organization’s woebegone history, and a classic playoff moment that will be remembered forever.  LA’s “other” team, somehow and some way, beat league darling Memphis 99-98.

Paul scored just four points during the Clippers gallant and ultimately game-winning sprint, including the go-ahead free throws with 23 seconds remaining.  But his impact, unsurprisingly, went far, far greater than that.  Paul assisted on six of his team’s last nine baskets, none bigger than the trio in successive possessions that resulted in Nick Young three pointers, cutting Memphis’ lead from twelve to three in a span of sixty seconds.

From then it seemed LA’s run was a gift of the basketball gods that could end in nothing but the best postseason comeback – the Clippers were down 27 points late in the third quarter – this league has seen in over ten years.  In a postgame interview with TNT’s Craig Sager, Paul said he always believed his team was capable of winning this game.  And when we saw him wheeling and dealing midway through the fourth quarter, getting steals, sprinting the ball up the floor, and being his extra-aggressive crunch-time self, we all should have believed, too.  Bravo, Chris.  We’ll never count you out again.

Saving the Skyhook will have more on this epic Clippers comeback tomorrow.

Take: This is an awfully topical post considering Paul’s second-half and game-winning heroics last night in Oklahoma City, but what he does in the clutch as opposed to how he plays the rest of the game merits such special attention that we’re not worried about covering such an obvious narrative.

Paul is the true point guard’s true point guard, as his first, second, and third goals are looking to get the ball to teammates in scoring opportunities where they’re most comfortable.  No matter that he could easily and efficiently rank among the game’s top scorers if that was his preferred role; but it’s not, it never has been, and Paul’s teams have enjoyed success throughout his career with him playing that way.

None of that’s changed in his first season in a Los Angeles Clippers uniform.  He still defers to players like Blake Griffin, Caron Butler, and even Randy Foye throughout the course of a game.  That is, until it’s winning time.

Paul’s New Orleans’ teams of yore were always among the most effective in crunch time, despite lacking superior individual talent.  This was mostly due to the extra and aggressive gear Paul entered when the game was close and the clock was winding down.  He took more shots, attacked the paint with more urgency, and put the team on his proverbial back time and time again down the stretch as a Hornet, and now that he’s a Clipper he’s taken it to a whole new level.

April 11, 2012; Oklahoma City OK, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena Mandatory Credit: Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Paul’s clutch numbers (again, per 36 minutes) in 2011 as a Hornet and 2012 as a Clipper:

• FGA: 14.8 / 21.1
• 3PA: 2.7 / 5.7
• FTA: 7.1 / 10.4
• AST: 7.8 / 6.6
• TOs: 2.2 / 3.3
• Usage %: 29.3 / 35.5
• PTS: 18.6 / 30.1

Paul, for reasons we can only guess, is looking for his shot in crunch time even more often this season than he did in his final season in New Orleans.  And while one might think that approach would yield even more glaringly positive results for the Clips on the scoreboard, that just hasn’t been the case.

Despite a true shooting percentage slightly better than his game-long average and almost seven points better than last season, Paul’s clutch plus/minus is -.7 this year, down from an amazing +10.9 in 2011.  Maybe more telling is the decrease in his crunch time offensive rating with regard to both the entire game in 2012 and last season; he’s down a staggering 6.7 points with regard to the former, and an even worse 7.1 points compared to the latter.

It should be stressed that there are an infinite number of extenuating factors that could be limitng LAC’s effectiveness down the stretch other than Paul’s extra shot-happy play, but the numbers still tell a less than stellar story.  This new crunch time approach obviously worked with flying colors last night against the Thunder, but the season-long analytics paint a much darker picture.  Pay attention to how Paul plays late in the fourth quarter of close games in the playoffs; if he’s aggressive but probing shots for teammates as much as himself like he did in New Orleans, the Clippers will likely be better off.

MVP – Coach of the Year – Defensive Player of the Year – Most Improved Player

2011-2012 Sixth Man of the Year Candidates:

• James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

Currently having a break-out season, Harden might even be a candidate for Most Improved. Player  His superstar teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook might get all the attention, but Harden is a hugereason why OKC is on pace to earn the league’s best record this season.  He might even be the team’s best playmaker and wing defender, often drawing the tougher assignments (e.g. guarding Kobe Bryant in their Sunday game vs. LA).

O.J. Mayo – Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

•  O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies

Here’s a guy who has been openly shopped by the Grizz for the last two seasons – and nearly traded to the Pacers last season (which wasnixed only because the trade occurred shortly after the trade deadline).  Yes, his production has slipped considerably since his first two seasons, where he averaged 18 PPG.  But this year, Mayo has accepted a lesser role, and his on-court performance suggests he holds no grudge against his team despite being in trade rumors and losing his starting role.   With Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph missing a lot of time this season, Mayo is a big reason why Memphis has stayed afloat in the loaded Western Conference.

Jason Terry – Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

•  Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks

Terry is a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate, consistently providing a spark off the Mavericks bench.  With the team acquiring several players adding to their bench, Terry was not expected to carry as much of a load this year.  However, with various injuries to several players and with Lamar Odom struggling mightily, the Mavs have had to rely on Terry’s scoring just as much as before.  We’re all grown accustomed to Terry’s consistent production and effort on a nightly basis.  But with the Mavericks still in position to make a playoff push, you still have to appreciate Terry for his off-the-bench contributions.

•  Mo Williams, Los Angeles Clippers
  

  Mo Williams – Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

With Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups coming on board, many questioned Mo Williams’ fit to this much-improved Clippers squad.  But Mo has fulfilled his lessened role extremely well, averaging a very efficient 13.6 PPG and 3.1 APG in 28.8 MPG.  With three current/former All-Stars on their roster – Paul, Billups, and Williams – the Clippers have one of the better guard rotations of the league, before an unfortunate season-ending Achilles injury to Billups.  Now out with a sprained toe, it remains to be seen whether Mo-Will can finish the season strong upon his return.  And now, with Billups out for the season, the Clippers will need Williams at his best if they are to make any noise in the playoffs.

Who Should Win:  James Harden, OKC

Who Will Win:  James Harden, OKC

James Harden – Mandatory Credit: Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

I don’t think voters will be able to ignore Harden’s indispensible presence on the league’s best regular season team.  And rightfully so.

*Coming Soon:  Most Improved Player Prediction

Take: Since a 19-9 start that had the new-look Los Angeles Clippers the talk of the NBA, the team’s settled back into the franchise’s woebegone ways.  Beginning with a tough overtime loss in San Antonio on February 18, the Clippers have lost 12 of their last 22 games to fall just 2 1/2 games ahead of ninth place, outside-looking-in Denver.

March 28, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) in the first half of the game against the Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

So what’s the problem for LA’s other team? Why the great start followed by this volatile seemingly never-ending stretch? It sounds strange to say for a squad led by a maestro like Paul and talent like Griffin, but the Clippers just can’t score.  And Paul’s advanced assist numbers help tell the story.

Since the All-Star break Los Angeles has scored just 95.6 points per game, down 1.5 points from their season average.  In that time, the Clippers have gone 9-10, adjusting to life without the injured Chauncey Billups, watching Caron Butler endure the worst slump of his career, and – perhaps as a result – playing through loud and public whispers that a coaching change was imminent.

It doesn’t make sense that Paul’s assist rate would take such a drastic fall in making the transition from Hornet to Clipper.  When players are fully healthy and playing to their career norms, LAC boasts a roster more wrought with weapons than Paul ever had in New Orleans.  That just it, though – these guys aren’t healthy and they aren’t playing the way they normally do, and it shows especially when examining the locations of Paul’s assists.

Paul’s number of assists at the rim, from fewer than 10′ out, and three point range are in line with his career averages.  Meaning, then, that Paul and his teammates struggle to create and finish offense from 10′-15′ and 16′-23′.  The numbers support this – Paul gets just .3 assists from the former distance and 1.8 from the latter, each mark a far cry from those that have been so consistent the last few seasons.

This is hardly ground-breaking stuff, but obviously the loss of Billups and rapid decline of Butler factor in big here.  Each is known as a knock-down shooter from areas the Clippers currently struggle to score, and their “presence” on the floor would no doubt help Los Angeles’ offense revert back to it’s slow but efficient ways of January.  The trade deadline acquisition of Nick Young is sure to help ease the absence of Billups, and one suspects something has to eventually give with Butler’s woes because he’s simply a better talent than he’s shown over the last month of the season.

The Clippers need to find ways to score other than in the paint, behind the three-point line, and off of isolations from their two stars, and nothing better indicates that than Paul’s falling and changing advanced assist statistics.  The premise that the majority of a team’s shots should be of the highest percentage, most worth, and from its best players is a great and successful one for most teams, but it’s not working for Los Angeles, and they need to find a way to rectify it before they find themselves sitting at home in April, May, and June.

So let’s take a closer look at some of the elite teams of the league.  Whether your team is flying under the radar, or is subject to having a longer-than-expected summer, here’s what we should pay close attention to during the second half of the season:

More Vulnerable Than You Think:

•  Los Angeles Lakers

Coming off back-to-back road losses against the Pistons and Wizards, you really have to wonder if the trade rumors are getting to this team.  Pau Gasol recently sat down with GM Mitch Kupchak to address the trade rumors concerning him, but did not get a firm answer as to what the Lakers’ intentions are.

Gasol uncertain future has him unable to focus 100% on the court

On the court, there’s some underlying issues as well.  As great as Kobe’s been, one still has to wonder if Mike Brown’s unimaginative 1-on-5 offensive schemes will work in the playoffs.  Beyond their Big 3, this team does not have many options on offense.  Metta World Peace, Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, and the rest of the Laker bench have underperformed for the most part; they are DEAD LAST in the league in bench scoring.  If they end up trading Gasol by the trade deadline, they better get some depth in return.

•  Los Angeles Clippers

The other LA team has its issues as well.  After losing Chauncey Billups for the season (which WAS a big blow; make no mistake), the once-stellar guard rotation has weakened quite a bit – especially with Randy Foye playing inconsistent basketball.   As potent as a CP3-Mo Williams backcourt is offensively, their lack of size in the backcourt is a legitimate reason why their defense has been so poor this season; they are currently 22^nd in Defensive Efficiency.  As dangerous as they are, they may struggle against teams with size.

•  Oklahoma City Thunder

To win a title, the dynamic duo of Durant and Westbrook MUST be on the same page in late-game situations

As great as their record is, I’m just not entirely sure if they are good enough to win it all yet.   I see three issues with this team preventing me from considering them favorites to win the West:  1)  they only have three players (Durant, Westbrook, Harden) capable of generating offense – and they are all jump shooters, 2) they turn the ball over at an alarming rate (ranking WORST in the league along with New York), and 3) in crunch time, it’s still not clear whether Westbrook and Durant is the go-to guy.  All three of these issues WILL pose problems in the playoffs.  In general, teams that excel in a slower, half-court offense that don’t turn the ball over and have a clear go-to scorer are most successful.  To me, OKC still has some work to do in those areas.

Still, none of their best players (Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Harden) are older than 24 years of age, so this team will contend for years to come – even if they come up short in 2012.

More Dangerous Than You Think:

•  Dallas Mavericks

This team has had its fair share of turmoil recently, but I’m still sticking with them to win the West.  Even after putting up sloppy performances – including their meltdown against OKC on Tuesday night – and even with Lamar Odom’s tumultuous personal situation keeping him from fully investing in the Mavs.

Odom’s psyche isn’t the only one in question; after winning last year’s title, it’s fair to ask if reigning Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki is motivated enough to carry his team through the playoffs this year.    After getting the gorilla off his back and winning a title, he’s been pacing himself through a condensed NBA season while nursing knee and back injuries along the way.  He’s also hoping to be healthy enough to play for his home country, Germany, in the London Olympics this summer.   You just gotta wonder if he’ll turn the switch on in time.  Based on some of his recent performances, including dropping 40 on Utah last week, I’m predicting that he will.

•  Memphis Grizzlies

Western Conference beware: Zach Randolph should be coming back soon

Quietly, this team has darted its way up to #4 in the Western Conference standings.  When Zach Randolph returns, they will officially be ‘The Team No One Wants to Face in the Playoffs.’  They peaked at the right time last year by upsetting the 1^st-seeded Spurs after squeezing into the playoff picture without Rudy Gay.  With a healthy Gay and Randolph, I think winning the West is not beyond the realm of possibility for them.

• Atlanta Hawks

Once again, the Hawks have me underestimating them.  They have been particularly impressive without their two best players – taking down the red-hot Thunder last Saturday, and giving Miami a run for their money Wednesday night.  Jeff Teague has proven to be a HUGE upgrade over Mike Bibby (which makes you wonder why he lasted so long as their starting point guard), and their bench has been making considerable contributions.  Tracy McGrady has filled the void that Jamal Crawford left – that is, when he’s healthy.

Much like the last couple years, the true test for this team will be if they can get over the hump against the East’s elite.  They looked strong in the playoffs the last two years, but flamed out in the second round.  This year, they would most likely face either Chicago or Miami in the second round.  All signs point to that trend continuing, but with the way coach Larry Drew has them playing, they can be dangerous.

Can Joe Johnson and Josh Smith take the Hawks to new heights?

While teams with the three best records in the league – Miami, Chicago, and OKC – are still considered the best in the league, there should some dangerous opponents waiting for them during May and June. Whether the teams discussed here are in a vulnerable position or pacing themselves, contending for a championship is a matter of whether they can work out the kinks by the time they face the elite contenders.   Either way, expect some juicy playoff series and don’t expect any team to just breeze through the playoffs.