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.

Apr 1, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and small forward Stephen Jackson (3) talk during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

News broke yesterday that on the eve of the playoffs the San Antonio Spurs have waived veteran forward Stephen Jackson. The move comes as a surprise despite Jackson’s steep decline in minutes due to the timing of the announcement. NBA rules stipulate that no player signed beyond March 1st can participate in the Playoffs, which means the neither anyone the Spurs sign in Jackson’s place or the man himself, can play beyond the last few games left in the regular season.

March 1, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal (3) dunks the ball against the New York Knicks in the second quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

As the NBA season reaches the end, I know many teams want to go back to the previous offseason and take back some of the contracts they offered (Beasley’s three-year, 18 million to Phoenix), or a trade (New Orleans trade of Jarrett Jack) that effected them negatively. Here, I wanted to do something similar, but with the draft. Overall, I would say that this year’s rookie class has been average at best. Portland guard Damian Lillard has been in the spotlight for most of the season, but guys like New Orleans forward Anthony Davis, Charlotte forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Washington guard Bradley Beal have also shined. The biggest surprise has to be Detroit center Andre Drummond, who went from an unknown to a fan favorite in less than two months.

After those five? It’s really been a gamble. Thomas Robinson went fifth to Sacramento, and got traded to Houston before the trade deadline, Harrison Barnes (7th overall to Golden State) has been lackluster for the past two months, Terrance Ross (8th to Toronto) is shooting just 40%, and Austin Rivers (10th to New Orleans) was having the worst rookie season ever before an injury ended his season. This draft class has the upside to be a great draft, but it’s been off to a terrible start. That being said, here is what I believe would’ve happened if the 2012 NBA draft would’ve went down today.

1. New Orleans Hornets

Original Pick: Anthony Davis | New Pick: Anthony Davis

New Orleans sticks with its original pick. The Hornets won the lottery, and the right to select Anthony Davis, and they keep with that notion. Over his rookie season, Davis has battled concussions and shoulder issues, but when he’s suited up, he’s looked impressive. After growing six inches between his high school junior and senior years, the one concern I had about Davis was how he would match up against other big men. Not only has he been able to stay in front of opposing NBA big men, but he’s also showing that he’ll contest their shot, averaging 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes. Needless to say, Davis will continue to grow into his body, and that could make him a legitimate All-Star talent for the Hor….er, Pelicans.

2. Charlotte Bobcats

Original Pick: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | New Pick: Andre Drummond

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has looked good in his rookie season, but even he wasn’t touching Drummond. Even though the collective basketball fans took to twitter for the #FreeDrummond campaign, Drummond still averaged 7.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. When you look at his PER 36 numbers, Drummond averaged 13.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.7 blocks. The two things about Drummond that stood out to me was his ability to dominate in the pick-and-roll, scoring on 37 of his 55 total attempts, but he’s been active on the defensive end as well, showing his ability to be a bit of a defensive anchor. As Drummond develops, it’ll be interesting to see if he becomes a dominant center in this league, as he has all the tools to do so.

3. Washington Wizards

Original Pick: Bradley Beal | New Pick: Bradley Beal

One of the few picks to keep the same. The Wizards took Beal as a backcourt mate with John Wall, and so far, the results were so-so. In Wall’s return to the team, Beal’s scoring has increased, and he just looks more comfortable having someone create for him. Not only has Beal’s field-goal percentage increase, but rebounding numbers jumped as well. Going into next season, Beal still has little kinks to get out of his game; he’s a respectable defender, but still gets engulfed by screens, and his jumper, while good, seems to be a bit off, Beal will rise in the ranks of shooting guards, and could become something like Hornets’ guard Eric Gordon.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

Original Pick: Dion Waiters | New Pick: Harrison Barnes

The Cavaliers shocked many on draft day, going with Syracuse guard Dion Waiters. In the re-draft, the Cavaliers go with Harrison Barnes. While Barnes’ numbers aren’t spectacular (13.1 points, 5.6 rebounds PER 36), he plays with two players who aren’t big on creating. In Cleveland, not only would Barnes get plenty of scoring opportunities, but he’d also be the perfect wing to catch-and-shoot on the wings opposite Kyrie Irving. Moving forward, I think Barnes will continue to develop into a versatile offensive player, but the defensive ability is what intrigues me. With a large wingspan, quick feet, and above-average intelligence, Barnes has the upside to become an elite defender.

5. Sacramento Kings

Original Pick: Thomas Robinson | New Pick: Damian Lillard

It’s so tough to re-draft for Sacramento because their original selection, Thomas Robinson, was trade just five months after being picked. However, there’s one guy that fits ; and his name is Damian Lillard. Going into the season, Sacramento had Jimmer Fredette, Isaiah Thomas, and a recently acquired Aaron Brooks to run the point guard position. The re-selection of Lillard gives Sacramento a point guard who can not only move the basketball, but also provides a leader on the floor. Unless someone explodes the next ten games, Lillard (19.0 points, 6.5 assists, .549 TS%) will win the award for this season’s best rookie, and moving forward, I believe Lillard could become one of the league’s top 10 point guards. While his age limits his upside a bit, Lillard looks to be a respectable guard for years to come.

6. Portland Trail Blazers

Original Pick: Damian Lillard | New Pick: Andrew Nicholson

With Lillard off to Sacramento, the biggest losers in this re-draft, the Portland Trail Blazers, has a couple of options. For this re-draft, I’m giving them Andrew Nicholson for many reasons. The first reason is it saves Blazers fans from the struggle of watching J.J. Hickson put up great numbers while not being actually good. The second reason has to do more with Nicholson’s game; he’s actually a pretty good player. For Orlando, Nicholson couldn’t find himself in the starting lineup but in those reserve minutes, Nicholson has shown the tools to be a solid offensive player. Per 36 minutes, Nicholson has averaged 17.7 points and 7.4 rebounds. When watching Nicholson play, he reminds me of Carl Landry, and if he can become an average defender, Nicholson will have a respectable NBA career.

7. Golden State Warriors

Original Pick: Harrison Barnes | New Pick: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

One of the biggest benefactors in this re-draft is Golden State. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist falls from second overall to seventh, partially because of team needs, but mainly because Andre Drummond and Andrew Nicholson. In his first season, Kidd-Gilchrist has looked good as an offensive small forward (12.7 points, 7.8 rebounds PER 36), but his ability to fit so many roles is what has me excited for his future. In his short tenure with the Bobcats, Kidd-Gilchrist has shown the ability to defend shooting guards and small forwards, battle for rebounds with power forwards, and defend point guards on the perimeter. Coming out of Kentucky, Kidd-Gilchrist has shown leadership traits, and as Charlotte rebuilds, MKG will be a valuable contributor.

8. Toronto Raptors

Original Pick: Terrance Ross | New Pick: Dion Waiters

Another tricky team. The Raptors could use a big man who could team up with Jonas Valanciunas, but with Andrea Bargnani and Amir Johnson, I think they go with Dion Waiters, who could’ve been the perfect fit for Toronto, mainly because of his ability to score like a shooting guard, and his ability to handle the ball could’ve gotten Waiters some time at point guard. Waiters has looked good at times in his rookie season, but my biggest question about him is what is his long-term role in the NBA. One of my biggest issues with Cleveland selecting him at 4 was that it seemed like he was the perfect sixth man. Regardless, Waiters has a niche in the league; his ability to score the basketball, and he shows some inkling of wanting to be an all-around shooting guard. If Waiters can become a more efficient player (.493 TS%), then Waiters will be well worth the fourth overall pick.

9. Detroit Pistons

Original Pick: Andre Drummond | New Pick: John Henson

Thanks to Drummond’s explosion, he’s not available for the Pistons at 9. However, John Henson is here, and the Pistons make him the pick. Coming out of North Carolina, Henson was the string bean power forward with the ability to defend small forwards and power forwards, and before Anthony Davis dominated college ball in his only season as a collegian, Henson was the player we seemed enamored with. While Henson’s numbers aren’t great, his advanced numbers (16.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks per game) are spectacular. Henson still has to develop, but he reminds me of Andrei Kirilenko. As Henson gets more playing time, his defensive ability should allow him to stay on the court, and that should help him figure out his offensive game as well.

10. New Orleans Hornets

Original Pick: Austin Rivers | New Pick: Meyers Leonard 

The Hornets took Austin Rivers 10th overall and within weeks, found another player to play his role in Brian Roberts. Going back, the Hornets stay in the frontcourt and go with another explosive big man in Meyers Leonard. With Anthony Davis penciled in at power forward for the next decade, why not take his counterpart in the frontcourt? Coming out of Illinois, Leonard was seen as this supreme athlete, but also a bit of a mean streak. For the Blazers this season, Leonard has seen spot minutes, but his athleticism has shined through, and he doesn’t look awful on defense. Moving forward, Leonard has to be more active on the boards, and that could make him a starting center in this league for the next 8-10 years.

11. Portland Trail Blazers

Original Pick: Meyers Leonard New Pick: Kendall Marshall

With Lillard and Leonard being off the board, the Blazers have some decisions to make. First, they took Andrew Nicholson to beef up the frontcourt, and now, Portland goes with Kendall Marshall to run the team. Coming out of North Carolina, Marshall was seen as the perfect uptempo point guard. His ability to find the open man was special; allowing many people to throw comparisons to Jason Kidd and Mark Jackson on Marshall. However, there are a few questions I need Marshall to answer. Can he become a solid defensive player in an era of great point guards, and can he become enough of an offensive threat to get his teammates open. If he can solidify both, Marshall should have a successful NBA career.

12. Houston Rockets

Original Pick: Jeremy Lamb | New Pick: Jeremy Lamb

This is the toughest and easiest pick for me. Lamb was traded to Oklahoma City, and has yet to show why he selected in the lottery. However, he was then flipped to Oklahoma City in a package for James Harden. I don’t think Houston goes with anyone else here. In his rookie season, Lamb has seen his time split between the NBA and the NBADL, primarily because of Oklahoma City’s depth in the backcourt. Between Reggie Jackson, Kevin Martin, and Derek Fisher (I wish I was kidding), Lamb has seen spot minutes at best for the Thunder. However, if Oklahoma City loses Martin this offseason, I’m curious to see what Lamb brings to the table in the bench role. Coming out of Connecticut, Lamb was a monster athlete on both sides of the ball. His jumper still needs improvement, but he seems to be a classic UConn wing player, who has the tools to offer defense and intelligence to that OKC second unit, when his minutes increase.

13. Phoenix Suns

Original Pick: Kendall Marshall | New Pick: Terrence Ross 

The Suns went after Eric Gordon last summer, so the wing position was somewhat of a need. Instead of drafting Kendall Marshall to back up Goran Dragic, the Suns add Terrance Ross to help build up a wing position that’s currently fronted by Shannon Brown, Jared Dudley, Michael Beasley, P.J. Tucker, and Wesley Johnson. Moving forward for Terrance Ross, I almost feel bad for him. With DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay ahead of him, it’s tough envisioning him leapfrogging either of them. What intrigues most about Ross is his frame and his ability to shoot the basketball. Ross is now shooting 40% from the field, but coming out of school, he seemed like a great shooter. Ross may never profile to be anything better than a role player, but I think with his shooting ability, he could be a huge asset for Rudy Gay, mainly because he could find himself open for a ton of corner threes.

14. Milwaukee Bucks

Original Pick: John Henson | New Pick: Terrence Jones

Sorry Thomas Robinson, I went with Terrence Jones here for the Bucks. While Terrence Jones is still flipping for the NBADL and NBA for the Houston Rockets, I still believe he has the tools to be a great talent for Houston in the future. At Kentucky, he showed me two things that impressed me. The first was his ability to adapt. He started as a small forward at Kentucky, moved to power forward, and still had moderate success. Not only did he do well on the offensive end, but he was solid on the defensive end at both position. The second thing that impressed me was that he just seemed tough. Battling for rebounds, fighting for loose balls, defending on the perimeter, he just seemed like a grinder, and whether he is or not, showing it was enough for me. As Jones progresses in his rookie season, I think he has the upside of an NBA starter, as long as he improves his jumper. If Jones can become a solid three-point shooter, I think he can find himself in the rotation as early as next season.

What do you think about the draft redo?

May 6, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee (34) reacts during the second half of game four against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Pepsi Center. The Lakers won 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

Javale McGee has instantly become one of my favorite players in the NBA. In addition to helping me out immensely in fantasy basketball for the past 2 seasons and having a milf for a mother (here’s a clip of her getting up close and personal with Dr. J during the 2011 slam dunk contest), he has the ability to amaze for better or worse. If Javale has seen this youtube clip chronicling 8 of his dumbest plays, I’m sure it will make him feel better at night that the individual who edited the video isn’t exactly a genius himself with some of the mistakes made but I digress.

McGee’s fortunes changed for the better as he got traded to a more competent organization, the Denver Nuggets during the 2012 trade deadline in a 3-way deal which brought Nene to Washington and Nick Young to the Los Angeles Clippers. Javale’s talent has never been in question and GM Masai Ujiri along with the rest of Denver’s organization must have experienced buyer’s remorse in signing Nene to a 5-year, 67 million dollar contract compelling him to pull the trigger on the trade. I’d also experience regrets if I signed a 29 year old big man who isn’t a particularly good defender or has never averaged 15 points or 8 rebounds in a season to a near max extension so props to Ujiri to cutting his losses quick and actually upgrading in the process.

For all the criticism about Javale McGee’s basketball acumen, the man can flat out play the game. He’s a brilliant athlete who probably should have won the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, his creative dunks nor his mother’s buttering up the judges could not change what seemed was a predetermined  decision to have Blake Griffin win as McGee ended up finishing in second place. Javale is very good at protecting the rim as he has finished 2nd in blocked shots the past two seasons and has an emerging offensive game. He is only 24 years old and is signed to a reasonable 4-year, 44 million dollar contract so Nuggets brass also thinks highly of McGee.

Statistically he has improved in each of his first three seasons and his per 36 minutes stats are very impressive since joining the Nuggets, averaging 18 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks a game while shooting 61.2 percent from the field. McGee performed strongly in the playoffs as well. Despite losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games, he averaged close to a double double putting up 8.6 points and 9.6 rebounds with 3.1 blocked shots a game in 25.9 minutes. If he can improve his horrific free throw shooting (he shot 45 percent from the stripe in 2011-2012), even greater things may be on the horizon for the young man.

Javale McGee has also shown a commitment to taking his game to higher levels as evidenced by working with NBA all time great Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon. Hakeem sees great promise in Javale and even went so far as to say McGee should dominate the league in a recent interview with FOX 26 sports. From Mark Berman for MyFoxHouston.com  (via PBT ):

“He has tremendous talent. I give him all these moves and he can finish and he’s already skilled. So now just show him how to use that skill to (get) to the next level.” [...]

“The moves that we work on are not for a stiff big guy,” Olajuwon said. “With him he’s agile. The move flows. So I’m excited to see what he’s going to do this year.”

Hopefully McGee can incorporate some of his newfound moves into his game for the 2012-2013 season. Coach George Karl does a solid job getting the most out of his players and with a very deep supporting cast including Ty Lawson and newly acquired Andre Iguodala, this Nuggets team is capable of making serious noise and should not be slept on by any means. While most of the off-season talk surrounding the Western Conference is about the new look Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, people would be making a serious mistake if they forget about the Nuggets. If Denver aspires to reach the upper crust of the Western Conference however, McGee must continue to realize his potential and perform at a high level.

January 8, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards power forward Andray Blatche (7) dunks the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half half at Verizon Center. The Timberwolves won 93-72. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

These days, thanks to London, swimming is a very hot topic. However, this particular “pool” doesn’t really include much of a deep end. NBA hardcores, aside from witnessing utter destruction in the form of 83-point wins, may be wondering about what’s left of the NBA free agent pool. Is there anyone still out there that can contribute to my team?

We’ve now reached the dog days of the NBA offseason where Summer League has come and gone, rosters are taking a more significant shape and yes, the #Dwightmare is still ongoing. Let’s have a look at some key players still on the market:

Leandro Barbosa
Since C.J. Miles officially signed with the Cavaliers yesterday, this should put any of the “Barbosa is open to signing with the Cavs” rumors to rest. As it’s very unlikely that he will be back with the Pacers, both the Lakers and Wizards could be looking his way. After his time playing for his native Brazil’s team in the Olympics concludes, we’ll likely hear more Barbosa talk. Primarily a second-team spark plug in his career, the Brazilian Blur could provide either of those teams with some depth and bench scoring, particularly the Wizards, who’ll be relying heavily on their 3rd overall draft pick, Bradley Beal for significant minutes right away. While he’s more of an undersized shooting guard, another Barbosa selling point is his ability to also back up the point guard position, which always has a spot in the league.

Andray Blatche
Blatche was a victim of the almighty amnesty clause in Washington. Blatche has had an extremely up and down past two seasons, playing like a borderline All-Star in 2010, then having trouble staying on the court and in the rotation last season. This seems like the obvious reason that there have been no serious offers come into his camp. His talent shouldn’t be discounted, as he averaged 16.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.5 spg and 0.8 bpg in 2010. A team willing to roll the dice on his healthy and character issues, may gain some high quality minutes.

Carlos Delfino
Similar to Barbosa, Delfino was being courted by the Cavs and the Miles signing likely takes him out of their pursuit, even though he can play both the shooting guard and small forward positions. The Rockets were reported to have a two-year offer on the table for him, but there’s been no movement on that front. Delfino is a versatile player that can provide outside shooting and potentially double-digit scoring on a given night. He’s really a player that could fit with any roster in the league, as he provides a quality, all-around skill set. It also may come down to who has money left, and wants to spend it on him at this point.

Jordan Farmar
Farmar was immediately waived when arriving in Atlanta via the Joe Johnson deal with Brooklyn. With the backup point guard spot being something normally coveted in the league, Farmar’s solid play with the Nets last season (he averaged a career-high 10.4 ppg) may earn him some backup minutes somewhere. Of course, because of his stint in Israel during the lockout last season, he does pose a flight risk to return to Europe instead of vying for a spot in the league, which he has said he is considering.

Josh Howard
Josh Howard is an ultimate example of a “fall from grace” type of player. Considered a steal in the draft, the swingman had some excellent years in Dallas (including a 2007 All-Star appearance), before a couple of trades and injuries hampered his career the past two seasons, split between Washington and Utah. Down from his career average of 14.5 ppg and 5.7 rpg, he averaged 8.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg in 23.0 mins per game. So essentially, he was still a contributor. From the looks of things, there are five teams currently interested in Howard’s services, one of which he will hand pick “very soon.” The Nets, Warriors, Pacers, Knicks and his team last season, the Jazz are the suitors waiting for his choice.

Jodie Meeks (Restricted)
Meeks is primarily a one-dimensional player, in that he can provide some bursts of scoring in the form of decent three-point shooting. The offers to Meeks are also effected by Miles’ signing in Cleveland, with those same teams, as in the Lakers and Wizards (and Bucks) will remain interested. He will help a team’s second unit with some shooting for what I would assume would be a reasonable salary. Though if too reasonable, the Sixers may match an offer sheet and bring him back.

Darko Milicic
The career of Darko Milicic is a tale in it’s own right. Even now, after he has bounced around a few NBA teams and not stuck, his agent Marc Cornstein claims that Darko will “be back in the NBA next season” and is giving no thought to playing overseas. Word on the street is that the Miami Heat are looking hard at him right now. Being a team without a legitimate, quality center, they seemingly don’t carry a big risk in bringing in Darko for his defensive presence and minimal post-scoring contributions. Besides, what a warm and fuzzy storyline it would be to have four of the top five players in the 2003 Draft (LeBron, Darko, Bosh, Wade) all in the same place. You couldn’t make this up, especially nine years ago.

Mickael Pietrus
Agent Bill McCandless sums up Pietrus’ free agent status rather bluntly. “MP will not play for the veteran’s minimum. It’s not happening. That’s the beginning, middle and end of that… He is not a veteran’s minimum player. There is no chance he’ll ever sign for that.” Wow. It’s pretty safe to say that Pietrus won’t be back in Boston if those are the demands. He does bring some above-average perimiter defense and streaky shooting to the table, but at it’ll be difficult to say which teams might be willing to throw money at him. Apparently he does have a “huge” offer overseas, so his backup plan is in place.

Craig Smith
I like Craig Smith’s game. Already a 6-year veteran, “The Rhino” is an undersized but banging power forward that has the potential to help a team’s interior scoring and rebounding numbers, given the opportunity and more than ten minutes per game. His numbers with the Blazers last season don’t speak to much (3.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg), but when given 20 mpg (as in 2007 and 2008 with the Timberwolves), he averaged 9.8 ppg and 4.2 rpg over those two season. That would be considered solid bench production, and it’s not like that grows on trees. I’m confident he’ll get picked up.

Shelden Williams
It just feels like Shelden Williams has been in the NBA for well over a decade, but that’s not the case. Perhaps it’s the seven teams he’s played for in his six years? That’s probably it. Regardless, he started 35 games for the Nets last season, averaging career-highs in minutes (22.0), rebounds (6.0), steals (0.8) and blocks (0.7). Still only 28 years old, he could give a team a boost in the middle for a minimal cost.

Other notables
Ivan Johnson, Dominic McGuire, Anthony Tolliver, D.J. White, Bill Walker, Ryan Gomes, Gilbert Arenas, Michael Redd.

Members of the “old-age” club
Derek Fisher, Tracy McGrady, Kenyon Martin, Troy Murphy, Joel Pryzbilla.

As NBA fans, we’re often quick to bash a player if we think they are underachieving or if they just irk our souls. When you see these guys that are multi-millionaires playing with less than stellar effort, making questionable decisions on and off the court or just having an off-night; its easy to criticize and we are entitled to that as fans who love the game. I have no problem “going in” on a favorite player or team of mine if I don’t like how they are playing. Having said that, this article is going in the opposite direction. I want to give props and due respect to 5 particular players whom are either unheralded or underappreciated in the grand scheme of things. Some of it may be lack of exposure to their games as a couple of these guys are up and coming players, some of it is players who we are quite familiar with but take for granted. We complain about their shortcomings while not acknowledging their contributions to their squads as their respective teams would be much worse if they were not playing.

All Underappreciated Team

Point Guard – Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Westbrook is the most critiqued player in the NBA west of South Beach. His supporters recognize that he needs to be an aggressive scorer in order for Oklahoma City to be at their best. On the other hand, his naysayers believe he needs to defer more to superstar teammate Kevin Durant. What his detractors don’t seem to understand is that Durant himself wants Russ to be an aggressor and look for his shot. They also don’t grasp the fact that Oklahoma City is at their worst when Kevin Durant has a higher usage rate in games than Russell Westbrook. According to advanced stats gurus Alok Pattani and Dean Oliver from ESPN, the Thunder are 38-11 with an average of 108.8 points per 100 posessions when Russell Westbrook has a higher usage rate. When Kevin Durant has a higher usage rate however, Oklahoma City is 22-12 and their average points per 100 possessions dips to 106.3, still a very efficient offense but proof enough that the Thunder are at their best when Westbrook is taking the majority of the shots.

As far as how he plays the point guard position, Russ will never be John Stockton or Magic Johnson who were perennial assists leaders in their heyday and that much has been established. Then again, Westbrook did not play point until his rookie year and it is not his natural position. As far as his positives are concerned, his freakish athleticism, yearly improvement and his youth (he will be 24 in November) are on his side. He is a 2-time All-NBA second team member and the sky is the limit for the guy, people just need to get off his back and let him play his game.

Honorable Mention – Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors

Shooting Guard – Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

Mar 28, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots against the New Orleans Hornets during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. New Orleans defeated Golden State 102-87. Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

For Golden State’s blatant tank job they committed after the All-Star break, one positive did occur in regards to the Warriors future and that is the emergence of Klay Thompson. It shouldn’t be surprising that he can play considering he has NBA lineage in his family, he is the son of former #1 overall draft pick Mychal Thompson who had a productive 13 year career playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers. Thompson falls more in the unheralded category as he is only about to enter his second year as a pro but he has immediately made his presence known. In 29 games as a starter for the Warriors, Klay averaged 18.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3 assists in 33 minutes per game. In addition, he is a threat from long distance as he shot 41.4 percent from 3. Truth be told it defies logic how he was not a participant in the 2012 All-Star Weekend 3-Point Contest (he was shooting an insane 50% from 3 point range prior to the All-Star Break). Either way, with a revamped squad including a hopefully healthy Andrew Bogut and rookie Harrison Barnes the future is looking good in Golden State and I suggest you watch this video to get familiar with Mr. Thompson as he should be a name we will be accustomed to hearing for a long time

Honorable Mention – Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies

Small Forward – Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers

July 12, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; United States forward Andre Iguodala (9) dunks to score a basket against the Dominican Republic in the second half at the Thomas and Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Maybe its because I’ve been around a bunch of Philadelphians but the overwhelming majority of the ones I have come across cannot stand Andre Iguodala. Furthermore his name is always circulating in trade rumors. I never understood why either, he isn’t a great scorer but is an elite lockdown defender who is consistently matched up against the other team’s best player on a nightly basis, creates plays for others as he has averaged close to 5 assists a game throughout his career and plays a well-rounded game, only Lebron James had more triple-doubles in the 2010-2011 season. Andre Iguodala is a big time player as evidenced by his selection to the Eastern Conference All-Star and 2012 US Olympic teams. You can argue that a guy who has never averaged 20 points a game throughout his career making 80 million in his contract may be ridiculous but even that is short-sighted. If he is the best player on your team, you may have problems but as a complementary player Andre Iguodala is a guy you can absolutely win with if he is on your side. Short of getting a bonafide superstar, the Sixers would be making a huge mistake if they trade Iguodala.

Honorable Mention – Shawn Marion, Dallas Mavericks

Power Forward – Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers

May 12, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol (16) reacts after making a shot as time expires in the second quarter of game seven of the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

I’m not going to lie, I do get incredibly frustrated with Pau at times because he does get in his own head. The rumors surrounding his relationship with his fiancee during the 2011 NBA Playoffs were a huge distraction and his game suffered tremendously as a result. Although Gasol had a solid season in 2012, averaging 17.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game, Pau was clearly distracted by trade rumors surrounding him in Lakerland. In his defense however, Mike Brown frequently had Pau in the high post in an attempt to give Andrew Bynum an expanded role in the offense and it was a difficult transition being relegated to the 3rd option offensively.

The positives far outweigh the negatives with Pau Gasol however, to put things into perspective as to how great Gasol has been as a Laker it took them two full seasons since Gasol got to Los Angeles in February 2008 for the Lakers to have a three-game losing streak. Gasol’s basketball IQ is out of this world and he is the perfect complementary player to play alongside Kobe Bryant, a guy talented to take over games if needed but knows his role in the general scheme of the Lakers offense. When a season like 2012 is considered to be average or subpar, you know you are an incredible basketball player. Gasol was the piece to put the Lakers over the top in 2009 where he outplayed Dwight Howard in the NBA Finals and again in 2010 where his Game 7 performance against the Boston Celtics (19 points, 18 rebounds, 2 blocks) led to the Lakers winning 2 championships. It still amazes me how fans take Pau Gasol for granted, he is amazingly skilled in the post, a tremendous passer, a solid defensive player and has had plenty of big game moments. With the addition of one of our generations best point guards in Steve Nash to make the game easier on all of the players in Purple and Gold, expect Gasol to have a great 2012-2013 season and be an important cog in the Los Angeles Lakers championship aspirations.

Honorable Mention – Kris Humphries, Brooklyn Nets

Center – Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons

April 17, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe (10) against the Cleveland Cavaliers at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

Monroe comes from a pedigree of great Georgetown big men, Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning and Roy Hibbert and has not disappointed in his 2 seasons in the NBA as the 7th overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft. For his 2011-2012 season, Monroe averaged 15.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists while only playing a little over 31 minutes a game for the Detroit Pistons. Expect these numbers to improve in 2012-2013 as he should assume a bigger role in the Pistons offense. Monroe also proved to be an efficient scorer as he shot 52.1 percent from the field and unlike most big men is a decent free throw shooter, shooting almost 74 percent from the stripe. Monroe’s skill set at the age of 22 is already impressive, he has an array of moves down on the block and is capable of hitting mid-range jumpers from 15-18 feet in addition to being a very good passer.  If controversial draft pick Andre Drummond pans out, a nucleus of Drummond, Monroe, Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey has the potential to make serious noise in the Motor City.

Honorable Mention – Marcin Gortat, Phoenix Suns

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots a free throw against the Miami Heat during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 41 big points, including a huge 3-pointer to break a tie with just 54.5 seconds left in regulation. Melo was one point shy of his personal playoff best, but you could argue that today was the best playoff performance of his career. With so much turmoil surrounding the game and the two teams involved, Anthony rose to the occasion and connected on 15 of his 29 field goal attempts and ensured his team would live to fight another day.

Amar’e Stoudemire returned from his infamous fire extinguisher injury to give New York a huge lift. He scored 20 points and grabbed 10 boards while playing with protective padding over his hand. He returned just in time to watch as another teammate was lost to injury. Baron Davis (Davis injured? That’s unheard of, right?) left the court on a stretcher in the third quarter after dislocating his right knee.

The Miami Heat seemed well on their way to completing their sweep of these Knicks for much of the game on Sunday. Lebron James was his usual MVP-caliber self, scoring 27 points to lead his heavily favored team. Dwayne Wade added 22 points, but I can guarantee he is thinking of nothing else besides the 3-point jump shot he missed with 1.6 seconds left that would have won the game for the visiting Heat, thus completing their four game sweep. Had that shot gone in, not only would it have given the Heat the series win, but it would have also netted them a nice, long break before they begin their second series. Instead, they will have to try and close out this series yet again on wednesday.

Apr 29, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson (25) and Paul Millsap (24) during the second half of game one in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

“I wouldn’t say it was a rude awakening,” Jazz point guard Devin Harris said. “But they did what they were supposed to do. We’ve got to respond now.”

No, Devin. “A rude awakening” is exactly what I would call it. It certainly was not a happy awakening.

Entering the game on Sunday, the Jazz were riding high atop a five game winning streak, including a crucial victory over the Phoenix Suns to nail down the eighth and final playoff spot in the last game of the regular season. Any feel-good vibes left over from their impressive end to the regular season were extinguished when the good ol’ posse from Texas lassoed them back down to earth.

The Jazz hung close for the first 3 quarters, led by 20 points and 9 rebounds from Paul Millsap. Gordon Hayward and Al Jefferson chipped in with 17 and 16 points, respectively. They will need a lot more firepower than that if they hope to win a duel with the battle hardened Spurs.

Tony Parker led the way for the top-seeded Spurs with a game-high 28 points. His 8 assists were also the high mark on Sunday. The crowds chants of “MVP! MVP! MVP!” may actually hold some merit (let’s be honest, they usually don’t) in this case. Parker has emerged as the clear leader of this San Antonio team, and he has been a very impressive force all season long. Many feel that he should be included in MVP discussions this year. He may very well end up finishing third in MVP voting if the voters have been paying close attention during this lockout-shortened season.

Utah’s frontcourt should know better than to call Tim Duncan “old,” but if they didn’t before Sunday’s game they sure do now. Duncan recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The future Hall of Famer was clearly not intimidated by the size and youth of the deep Jazz frontcourt. There is no substitute for experience, and Timmy sure knows it. His impressive performance helped the Spurs to their first series opening victory in four long years.

The score remained close for the better part of three quarters, but you would be foolish to feel any semblance of confidence while you’re on the court with the NBA’s best 3-point shooting team. The Spurs blew things open a bit towards the end of the third quarter by sinking three from long range during a two-minute span to end the 3rd and deflate this young Utah team.

Despite the Jazz’s best efforts, they would not find themselves nipping at the Spurs’ heels again in game 1. They could not cut the deficit any lower than eight points. Game 1 belonged to the Spurs, and while a fifteen point, blowout victory insinuates pure domination, the final score is rather misleading. This game was surely closer than that. To sell the Jazz short would be unfair, as they were alive and kicking in this game until midway through the fourth quarter.

Utah head coach, Tyrone Corbin, has got his work cut out for him during these next three days. He must go back to the drawing board and attempt to figure out which adjustments he must make to give his team a better chance to compete with the heavily favored San Antonio club.

The Jazz have to try and figure out a way to contain Tony Parker, or least limit his effect on the game.  It’s obviously a tall task to completely contain a player like Parker, but if you let him burn you for 28 and 8 every nihgt then this series is going to be over in the blink of an eye. In this case,  that “blink of an eye” will be on May seventh in Salt Lake City.

San Antonio had no difficulty getting into the paint and dealing some serious damage to their younger opponents. Corbin needs to utilize his roster’s depth at the power forward and center positions to give the Spurs a hard time whenever they try and take it to the rim. Even if Utah manages to correct this weakness in game 2, that would open things up for San Antonio’s sharpshooters to light up the scoreboard. Have I mentioned that they are the NBA’s top 3-point shooting club? Good, Just making sure.

Apr 29, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) drives the lane against Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors (15) during the first half of game one in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the AT

As if Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli weren’t enough of a handful already, they have to better prepare for the x-factor of game 1, recently acquired Stephen Jackson. The veteran swingman has returned to San Antonio for a second tour of duty and he has succeeded in strengthening this already-powerful roster.

I get the feeling that these Spurs are on cruise control. They know what they need to do and they are doing it. I bet they would barely miss a beat if the coaching staff went on vacation and had a randomly selected fan replace them on the sidelines. I don’t know about the later rounds but they would likely continue rolling in this opening round regardless of who is coaching this veteran squad.

Unfortunately for Utah, the Spurs coaching staff is not on vacation. The man behind the sidelines is Greg Popovich, a future Hall-of-fame coach who needs no introduction. Does he honestly need to make adjustments for his club to win game 2? Maybe not, but if you know Pop, you know he is probably making some adjustments right now as we speak.

Can Coach Corbin refocus his young team and put them in a position to score the upset in Game 2? First and foremost, he needs to address his point guard’s terrible game. Devin Harris seemed to have shed his earlier season struggles after consistently impressing with his hot play in April. He needs to brush this one off  and get back to playing well again if the Jazz are to have any chance of making some noise in this series. Game 2 is Wednesday evening in San Antonio.

So far, in what can hardly be considered the offseason, NBA news has consisted ostensibly of talk about business, economics and money. As a fan of the league, one thing that you have to accept is that the NBA is a business; your team may make a lop-sided trade or two for economic reasons, or let a key player go during free agency, but at the end of the day, despite how the business side of the game affects the basketball side, the basketball side of the game will always provide enough excitement and emotion to make you overlook what concessions may fall at the hands of the business side.

Well, that is normally the case, until the collective bargaining agreement expires and greed rears its ugly head; then all we are left with is anger and resentment and no basketball with which to wash those bitter pills down.

On the other hand, the bitterness and resentment may be more preferable than the possible alternative of apathy that will undoubtedly set in once fans start replacing the NBA with other alternatives. This is the reason why events such as otherwise meaningless exhibition games that have taken place during the lockout have become so important to writers and fans alike. (more…)

Despite meeting for about seven hours today, and a similar amount of time yesterday, the Union and the League’s representatives failed to reach an agreement with the beginning of the season on the line.

Following the meetings Stern simply stated that the “The gap is so significant that we just can’t bridge it at this time”. (more…)

Stefanski has been the general manager in Philadelphia since 2007 and has been responsible for a number of important moves for the franchise, including signing Elton Brand, hiring Doug Collins and drafting Evan Turner with the second overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

It has long been rumored that Stefanski was a possibility for the Raptors GM job; throughout the summer Bryan Colangelo has been interviewing possible candidates, including Jeff Bower of the New Orleans Hornets and Dennis Lindsey of the San Antonio Spurs. (more…)

While officiating is always an uncertainty, one thing we can be certain about in this series is that we are seeing two completely different versions of the teams that faced off in 2006, and the series should play out as such. (more…)

Personally, I like to think of it as ‘Slash leaving the wedding in the November Rain video to dominate the guitar solo in the middle of the desert’ good, but that’s probably just because I’m a nerd.

I was sent this post, which basically introduces a new stat specifically calculated to measure exactly how effective Dirk’s game was last night (Hint: it was insanely effective).

Here are some additional bits to chew on:

• Josh Hill with Pippen Ain’t Easy takes a look at last night’s Bulls loss to Miami.
• Sam McPhee from King James Gospel reviews the game from Miami’s lens.
• James Grayson from Swarm and Sting has news about Hornets Assistant Mike Malone and the Golden State Warriors.
• Charles Barkley speaks out about Rick Welts.
• Kyrie Irving elects to skip the NBA Draft Combine. His agent is reporting that he’s working out on his own, suggesting that the Cavs are already set to draft him #1 overall.

Want more NBA discussion? Be sure to follow the crew on Twitter: Blake Lovell (@theblakelovell), Steve Rivers (@TheKidSkoob), Steven Gelis (@thatsthedagger), Marco Romo (@SerenityNowDDL), Andrew Lynch (@snghoops), Dan Jepperson (@Kobesmokey).

Oh, and one of the co-creators just happens to be Saving the Skyhook’s very own, Dan Jepperson!

Dan and his friend Jason have created the “2011 Playoff Primer” app for those of you out there who want to brush up on your player profiles and learn a little more about a specific team. And even if you’re a hardcore fan, chances are, you’ll find something informative here that you can use against your buddies as well.

Here’s some specific info on the app: (more…)

Do you remember your preseason picks? I’m sure plenty of people had the Lakers to, once again, come out of the West with the best record. Most commentators and bloggers had the Lakers to have the top seed in the Western Conference. They were just the safe pick. The Lakers roster arguably got better, with the additions of Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, and Theo Ratliff for extra depth. They didn’t lose any significant pieces, so they were early favorites to do what they have done so many times; win the West. (more…)

Alright, so since none of you want to listen to me ramble on about baseball, I’ll start off by picking five stories at the start of the season, that didn’t quite pan out. Obviously I need to talk about the Miami Heat. No one has done that enough. And of course, I need to talk about Kevin Durant, since people were calling him MVP before the season started. I can’t NOT talk about the Lakers, they had a season that was unlike anyone could expect. The Spurs deserve some attention as well. And no recap list would be complete without Carmelo/Knicks/Nuggets on it. (more…)

I am admittedly much more familiar with the Eastern Conference than the West. I’m a Toronto Raptors fan, and most TV stations around here tend to play a ton of Knicks, Heat, and Celtics games. If I’m lucky, maybe I can catch a Bulls game once in a while. The Bulls and Celtics are two of my favorite teams to watch. Whether they play each other, or other teams,  I am looking forward to how these teams fare in the playoffs. Much has changed for the Celtics since last years loss in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers. Of course, the Bulls have a completely different lineup as well, but have played very well together, and under the guidance of rookie head coach Tom Thibodeau, have the best defense in the league.

The difference between these two teams heading into the playoffs, is that the Bulls are thriving going down the stretch, while the Celtics are faltering. To be honest though, I wouldn’t read too much into either event, since the Bulls have a very easy schedule headed into the playoffs, while the Celtics are a veteran team, and counting them out at any time would be stupid (remember they were the fourth seed last year). (more…)

The media has a way of spinning things out of control. Let’s face it, every team goes on winning streaks and losing streaks, and every team has ups and downs throughout the regular season. There are a million websites and newspapers that have standings in them, yet we don’t pay attention. If we did we would notice that every team goes on streaks. The media has sensationalized the Heat, and perhaps it is the team’s fault as well, but looking back at their losing streak from a week or so ago,  you will see that they lost to some very good teams. During their five game losing streak, the Heat lost to the Bulls, Blazers, Knicks, Magic and Spurs. All five are playoff teams. All are good playoff teams too, yet we jumped on the Heat. And maybe crying after the losses didn’t help, but they didn’t deserve the scrutiny they received from the media. (more…)

So, will the Heat succeed in the playoffs? I’m going to post some numbers and let you decide for yourself. Their average scoring margin is +6.71, which is second in the league. Their offensive rating is 110.5 which is 6th in the NBA. Their defensive rating is 103.2 which is 5th in the NBA. Their field goal percentage is 47.5% while opponents are scoring on 43% shooting. They have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, three players who were undisputed number one options on their teams last season. Yet, they have struggled against good teams. Does that mean anything? The main problem with the Heat is lack of depth. In the playoffs rotations tighten, which means more minutes for stars. (more…)

Now, I know the Celtics, Heat and Bulls are good teams, and I guess you can throw the Magic in there too, but look at the West. The Spurs are quietly the best team in the league. So much so, that people can’t refer to the Spurs without saying they are quietly the best team in the league. The Mavericks are pretty good as well. If Dirk Nowitzki wasn’t injured early in the year, they might have a better record than the Spurs. Even with their poor play when Dirk was out, they still have more wins than any team in the East. The Spurs and Mavericks may be the two top teams in the West, but the Lakers are still favored to reach the NBA Finals. (more…)