Mid Season Awards
Ok, to the five or six people that actually read this (that number might even be excessive), I apologize for not posting in a while. But in my absence, the 41 game mark came and went for all of the NBA teams, officially marking the middle of the season. And even though the natural break for the All Star game is still a few weeks away, here’s my take on who should take home the hardware from the first half…
Rookie of the Year- Tyreke Evans, PG Kings
I said in my first ever post, even while people were still anointing Brandon Jennings as the next Nate Archibald after his 55 point outburst, that Evans was the cream of this rookie class. Well now everyone else has come to their senses and he would be almost a unanimous selection for ROY at this point. He leads all rookies in scoring at 20.7 ppg and minutes (37 mpg) and before their recent losing streak (Kings have dropped 7 in a row, and 12 of 13), he had his team exceeding expectations. He still has a lot of areas to improve on, with first and foremost being his outside shot. At 6’6, 220 pounds with an incredibly explosive first step, he is a handful for any point guard in this league, but too often he settles for long range jumpers. It would be one thing if he were knocking them down at a consistent clip, but he is shooting an abysmal 23% from 3. He is at his best when he is slashing to the basket and either finishing, getting fouled, or finding an open teammate. I think that he has struggled a little bit with the return of Kevin Martin, and though the Maloofs are convinced the two can not only co-exist, but excel together on the court, there is a reason that Martin’s name is consistently in rumor reports. The Kings have asked a lot of their young superstar this season and he has responded quite well considering he is still just twenty years old. Bottom line, he will win the rookie of the year award this year barring a major setback or injury, and if he is willing to put in the work to develop a consistent perimeter game, he will be a future All-Star for sure.
Honorable Mention- Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings
Coach of the Year- Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets
This one was much more difficult of a decision, as there are worthy candidates all over the league. But in my mind, Adelman edges out Lionel Hollins in Memphis and Larry Brown in Charlotte simply because he is doing more with less than either of those two. I applaud Hollins for bringing Memphis back from the dead, but their core of Gay, Mayo, Randolph, and Conley is very, very good. Also Brown deserves some recognition for instilling his defensive system and getting the players to buy into it in leading the Bobcats to a surprising .500 record and the honor of being the only team to beat the Cavs twice so far this year. Adelman has been in contention for this award before, but this is his best coaching job by far. On a team without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, the Rockets were expected to be bottom feeders in the West, but instead are 24-20 and fighting for a playoff spot. The Rockets might have the least talent of any playoff hopeful in the West, but Adelman gets them to play hard every night, and puts his players in positions to excel. He understands the strengths, but more importantly the limitations of all of his players and masterfully crafts game plans to highlight the former while eradicating the latter. He brings his best player of the bench (Carl Landry), and let the reigns off point guard Aaron Brooks, allowing the little guy to talk his way into the All-Star conversation. Watching the Rockets isn’t pretty, but they are a tough, gritty, and persistent group that believe in each other and have an experienced coach leading them. I simply don’t know if they have enough talent to make the playoffs this year in the West with 11 good teams vying for 8 spots, so this award might elude Adelman in the end, but on the first half of the season he is the NBA Coach of the Year.
Honorable Mention- Larry Brown, Lionel Hollins
Sixth Man of the Year- Jamal Crawford, SG Atlanta Hawks
For the majority of his career, Jamal Crawford was known as a selfish gunslinger who put “getting his” above winning. Well now in his 9th season in the league, Crawford has shed part of that reputation. Yes, he is still on the league’s premier gunners, but now that he is finally playing for a winner he is buying into the team concept, and has embraced his role as coming off the bench. If the awards were actually given out today Crawford would split a lot of votes with Houston’s Carl Landry, who is very deserving of the award as well. But in my mind, Crawford has been just a little better. Landry has had the opportunity to start a few games this year, thus elevating his numbers a little, while Crawford has come off the bench each time. Crawford has already recorded an amazing 20 games with scoring 20+ points off the bench, and has given the Hawks a legitimate second scoring option behind Joe Johnson. He is a very streaky shooter, but when he gets hot, he can carry the Hawks for extended periods of time, including many stretches in the 4th quarter. He is among the league leaders in 4th quarter scoring, and has already won a game with a miraculous buzzer beating 3 against the Suns. Most importantly though, Crawford has helped them defeat the Celtics already 3 times this season with monster second halves in each showing. Cases can be made for both Crawford and Landry, but at the end of the day Crawford is the piece that is going to lead the Hawks a top seed in the playoffs, and so he gets the nod.
Honorable Mention- Carl Landry, Andy Varejao
Most Improved Player- Anderson Varejao, F Cleveland Cavaliers
Ok, I know this one is going to get looks and questions, and I admit that it might be a little biased, but hey it’s my blog so I can write what I want. When he came into the league he was merely an energy guy, whose sole purpose was to outwork everyone out on the court and get under the skin of the opposing team. For the last few years, he was one of the best at doing this in the league, but in the last year or two he has begun a transformation in his game. Yes, he still provides instant energy off the bench and is a nuisance to opposing teams, but now he actually looks like a basketball player out there. In a league dominated by the pick and roll, especially in late game situations, Varejao is the best in the league at defending it. He gets out to show and cut off guards so quickly that the play is often rendered useless. Also, he has developed some maturity and smarts in not trying to take charges on every drive, but now plays solid straight up defense, making it much harder for officials to bail out slashing opponents. I don’t know if I would go as far as John Hollinger in deeming him the defensive player of the first half, but he has as big an impact on that end of the floor as anyone in the league. The area of his game that has improved the most though is on the offensive end of the floor. Previously, he was a liability with the ball, but now he has developed some semblance of an inside game. His footwork is drastically improved and he now has a series of up and unders and headfakes in his arsenal. But his biggest asset on offense is his ability to find openings when his teammates are doubled. Almost every game, including twice down the stretch against Miami last night, the Heat doubled Shaq or LeBron and Varejao had the ware with all to find the opening and get two uncontested dunks. Look I know my credibility might suffer from this pick in some people’s minds, but the truth is I watch the Cavs more than any other team and his improvement is so noticeable that it had to written. He is invaluable to the best team in the league right now, and if you don’t believe me just look at the stats, as he leads the league in plus minus, as do the Cavs when he is on the floor. One of the best moves Danny Ferry made was locking him up long term after last season, because he only keeps getting better and better.
Honorable Mention- Aaron Brooks, Kevin Durant,Monta Ellis, Rajon Rondo
Defensive Player of the Year- Kendrick Perkins, C Boston Celtics
I will always maintain that Kevin Garnett forever altered the careers of Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo. Pre-Garnett, Perkins was destined to be another prep to pro bust, but then KG changed everything. Perkins got the chance of the lifetime to learn the ins and outs of the game from one of the best to ever play. Almost instantly there was a change in the play and the demeanor of Perk. He tried to imitate the intensity that Garnett exuded, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Look he is never going to have anywhere near the offensive game or explosion that Garnett possesses, but Perkins has surpassed Garnett as the best interior defender on the Celtics. In fact, in my mind, Perkins has developed into the best interior defender of the league, yep even better than Superman. He is a physical monster down there, and believe me, no one wants to have to go up against Perk in the post. He has made it his calling card to make the opposing center as uncomfortable as possible, and more times than not he succeeds. He is strong enough to keep any player from consistently getting deep position and is able to play straight up without needing double teams. He is the anchor to the Celtics stifling half court defense and he never gives up an easy basket. My one knock is that he still takes some stupid fouls that limit his minutes but he has gotten much better in that area too. He leads one of the best teams in the league in rebounds and blocks, and has many more intangibles that can’t be measured by stats. Don’t believe me? Well then watch the subtle differences in the way that Rondo especially plays defense when Perk is in the game as opposed to Big Baby or Sheldon Williams. Rondo rightly has supreme confidence in Perkins to protect the rim behind him, so he is able to take more chances reaching and going for steals because even though he is now more susceptible to blow bys, opposing drivers have to be wary of Perkins lurking in front of them. I don’t think that Perkins will actually win this award because his numbers aren’t outstanding, but from what I’ve seen this year he is the defensive player of the first half, and once again Boston fans can thank KG.
Honorable Mention- Rajon Rondo, Josh Smith, Dwight Howard
Most Valuable Player- LeBron James, F Cleveland Cavaliers
For all of the tough choices I had to make, this was the antithesis as King James has truly been otherworldly. I guarantee you that if the season ended now, the title “reining MVP” would stay with LeBron into next season. For the second straight year, LeBron isn’t even making it close, with this year again leading the Cavs to the best record in the league while now taking over the league lead in scoring. Oh and did I mention that he is recording career highs in assists (7.8), and shooting a career best in FTs (78%), field goals (50.9 %), and three pointers (35.6%). Beyond just the numbers, James already has a number of “MVP” moments this year, and as a fan I honestly would not be surprised at anything he could do. Earlier this season the Cavs were playing a late night game in Utah and after a late run by the Jazz led them to a 12 point lead with just over 3 minutes left I was disgusted and exhausted (it was 1:30 am) and about to turn the game off. But for some reason I decided against it, just from the mere hope that maybe LeBron would do something special to bring them back. And just like that, the MVP took over the game, hitting 4 threes and a traditional three point play to single handedly push the Cavs into the lead. Yes, the Cavs ended up losing that game on a Sundiata Gaines buzzer 3 pointer after some horrific clutch free throw shooting, but the take home message was clear- LeBron James is the best player in the league- no questions asked. I could write two more pages with stats and examples, but I think it would be fruitless as anyone who watches the NBA closely can see it and would agree with me. He makes his teammates so much better and has so many different facets of his game that he is becoming truly unguardable. So if I were the public relations director for the Cavaliers I would start looking for locales where LeBron could accept his second of who knows how many MVP awards some afternoon in May, but if the King has it his way, it won’t be the only hardware he takes home this year.
Honorable Mention- Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Chris Bosh
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sorry Clippers....
So that didn’t take long did it…It was almost like the basketball gods were asleep for the past week, and when they woke up and realized that there were some positives occurring in Clipper Land, they had to act with a vengeance. Don’t believe me, well just look at the past 30 hours since I dubbed the Clipper’s the team of the week and highlighted all the strides they had made in the last few days…
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
3:23 P.M.- Blog is updated with the Clipper’s as the team of the week.
8:36 P.M – Good fortune continues for the Clips, and they are rolling in Memphis. Baron Davis continues to play at a very high level, almost recording a triple double in the first half (12, 9, 9) and his team is up double digits.
9:14 P.M. – The basketball gods return from their hiatus and are astonished at the success the “other” L.A. basketball team has had in their absence. This was only the second vacation the gods have taken since the Clippers inception (the other coincidently occurred during the team’s only playoff series victory in the 25 years they have been in L.A.) Well ask anyone who follows this franchise closely, but the basketball gods are a fickle bunch, and they set out to restore their reign.
9:17 P.M.– With just under a minute left in the third quarter and the Clippers up 12 points, the gods strike first. While Baron Davis is shooting a free throw the entire arena is forced to evacuate due to an unspecified “emergency”. It later turned out to be a convenient water mane issue, but I think the real emergency was that the Clippers were about to win their fifth game in a row. The fans, workers, and even players were forced out of the arena for over a half an hour before the problem was fixed.
10:08 P.M.- After both teams re-warm up the Grizzlies come out on fire and quickly erase the Clippers lead. Memphis goes on to win 104-102, snapping the Clippers winning streak. Sadly this is just the beginning…
11: 23 P.M.- Leading scorer Chris Kaman has an MRI after aggravating his sore back during warm ups earlier in the night. He not only misses the Memphis game, but will also not be available for their game against New Orleans. Again, this is for an injury that came about from pre game warm-ups, not the game, but warm ups…Seriously, only on the Clippers.
Wednesday. January 13, 2010
12:12 P.M.- Despite reports that his recovery had been progressing nicely, and that he had been working out on a treadmill, Blake Griffin is now reportedly going to be out for the entire season. During the aforementioned workouts, Griffin experienced patella pain and after examination, was forced to undergo another surgery to repair it and will be out for a minimum of four months. Wow… I thought it was a bit ridiculous all the jokes regarding Griffin’s knees in the short time after being drafted by the apparently cursed Clippers, but now after seeing the reality, the prognostications are scary, and speak volumes about the state of this franchise and their tortured fan base.
9:53 P.M.- Playing for the second time with out Kaman, the Clippers come out flat against the Hornets. Well, I mean what did people expect? The team just found out that their number one pick, superstar power forward is out for the season. Needless to say they would not be flowing with energy considering the events of the last day. The Clippers end up losing 108-94, notching the second consecutive time surrendering 100+ plus points, and not coincidently, their second straight loss.
12:27 A.M. – Waiting to board the team flight back to California, captain Baron Davis rallies the guys and tells them to forget the last 30 hours and pull together. Sure they lost two in a row, found out their star of the present is hurt, and hope for the future is once again in limbo, but at least in their next two games they don’t have to face the two teams with the best records in the league….oh wait, that’s right they have the Lakers and Cavs waiting for them. Even writing this I can’t believe the turn of events for this team. It’s so bad that I will now always finish the oft used “hell hath no fury like…” with “the basketball gods after a recent Clipper’s winning streak,” … I owe my parents a lot in life, and am very thankful for everything they do for me, but honestly I cannot possibly thank them enough for moving me from L.A. as a kid, and sparing me from years of therapy and self inflicted torture that comes from cheering for this apparently literally “god-forsaken” team.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
3:23 P.M.- Blog is updated with the Clipper’s as the team of the week.
8:36 P.M – Good fortune continues for the Clips, and they are rolling in Memphis. Baron Davis continues to play at a very high level, almost recording a triple double in the first half (12, 9, 9) and his team is up double digits.
9:14 P.M. – The basketball gods return from their hiatus and are astonished at the success the “other” L.A. basketball team has had in their absence. This was only the second vacation the gods have taken since the Clippers inception (the other coincidently occurred during the team’s only playoff series victory in the 25 years they have been in L.A.) Well ask anyone who follows this franchise closely, but the basketball gods are a fickle bunch, and they set out to restore their reign.
9:17 P.M.– With just under a minute left in the third quarter and the Clippers up 12 points, the gods strike first. While Baron Davis is shooting a free throw the entire arena is forced to evacuate due to an unspecified “emergency”. It later turned out to be a convenient water mane issue, but I think the real emergency was that the Clippers were about to win their fifth game in a row. The fans, workers, and even players were forced out of the arena for over a half an hour before the problem was fixed.
10:08 P.M.- After both teams re-warm up the Grizzlies come out on fire and quickly erase the Clippers lead. Memphis goes on to win 104-102, snapping the Clippers winning streak. Sadly this is just the beginning…
11: 23 P.M.- Leading scorer Chris Kaman has an MRI after aggravating his sore back during warm ups earlier in the night. He not only misses the Memphis game, but will also not be available for their game against New Orleans. Again, this is for an injury that came about from pre game warm-ups, not the game, but warm ups…Seriously, only on the Clippers.
Wednesday. January 13, 2010
12:12 P.M.- Despite reports that his recovery had been progressing nicely, and that he had been working out on a treadmill, Blake Griffin is now reportedly going to be out for the entire season. During the aforementioned workouts, Griffin experienced patella pain and after examination, was forced to undergo another surgery to repair it and will be out for a minimum of four months. Wow… I thought it was a bit ridiculous all the jokes regarding Griffin’s knees in the short time after being drafted by the apparently cursed Clippers, but now after seeing the reality, the prognostications are scary, and speak volumes about the state of this franchise and their tortured fan base.
9:53 P.M.- Playing for the second time with out Kaman, the Clippers come out flat against the Hornets. Well, I mean what did people expect? The team just found out that their number one pick, superstar power forward is out for the season. Needless to say they would not be flowing with energy considering the events of the last day. The Clippers end up losing 108-94, notching the second consecutive time surrendering 100+ plus points, and not coincidently, their second straight loss.
12:27 A.M. – Waiting to board the team flight back to California, captain Baron Davis rallies the guys and tells them to forget the last 30 hours and pull together. Sure they lost two in a row, found out their star of the present is hurt, and hope for the future is once again in limbo, but at least in their next two games they don’t have to face the two teams with the best records in the league….oh wait, that’s right they have the Lakers and Cavs waiting for them. Even writing this I can’t believe the turn of events for this team. It’s so bad that I will now always finish the oft used “hell hath no fury like…” with “the basketball gods after a recent Clipper’s winning streak,” … I owe my parents a lot in life, and am very thankful for everything they do for me, but honestly I cannot possibly thank them enough for moving me from L.A. as a kid, and sparing me from years of therapy and self inflicted torture that comes from cheering for this apparently literally “god-forsaken” team.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Team of the Week- Los Angeles Clippers
Team of the Week- Los Angeles Clippers
If you would have told anyone in October that as we approach the mid way point of the season one of the hottest teams in the league would be from Los Angeles, I bet there would have been little to no disagreement. Sure, of course, I mean the Lakers were picked by many to repeat as champions, so it would be no surprise they would peaking at this time. Too bad I’m not talking about the Lakers. Instead it is the oft forgotten other L.A. team that is turning NBA heads. Now I don’t think anyone actually reads this blog fully so I’m sure I could get away with this, but I believe in full disclosure. After the Christmas Day embarrassment to the Suns, I wrote “that until Blake Griffin steps on the court I am not going to even give the Clippers a second thought.” Ok, so I was wrong. It isn’t often and usually I will vehemently deny any inaccuracies in my thoughts until proven otherwise, but simply, the facts don’t lie: the Clippers deserve to be examined, and I will just have to suck up my pride and do it.
1) In the five games since Christmas, the Clippers are 5-1, winners of four straight, and have recorded victories against some of the league’s top teams. In that stretch they have defeated Boston, Portland, the Lakers, and Miami all at home, with their lone blunder coming up at the Rose Garden in Portland. For years, the Clips have been straddling the line of mediocrity, but recently they seem to have taken some steps in the right direction.
2) The Clippers run has been first and foremost spurred on by a new commitment on the defensive end. In each of their victories, they have held their opponents to under 100 points, while in their loss they surrendered well over the century mark. The player who has been perhaps most surprising on defense in this stretch has been second year shooting guard Eric Gordon. Known for his silky jumper and offensive tendencies (second on the team in scoring at 17.3 a game), Gordon has really taken his last few defensive assignments very seriously. Facing arguably the three best shooting guards in Brandon Roy, Kobe, and D-Wade, Gordon undertook the challenge and limited the stars as best he could. He held Roy to just 12 points, made Kobe a volume scorer by forcing him into 30 shots, and pestered Wade into a sloppy 21. Each of those players are great jump shooters, but due to his protection behind him, Gordon was able to cheat up and eliminate their air space, forcing much more difficult shots. This is a recurrent theme, as the Clippers have become the 3rd best team in the league in defending the 3 pointer, holding opponents to just 32.5% shooting. This luxury is due to having two of the best shot blockers in the league behind him in Marcus Camby (2.15 bpg) and Chris Kaman (1.34). Wing defenders like Gordon are aware of the help they have behind them (the Clippers lead the league in blocks per game), and this has made life much easier in limiting some of the league’s great scorers.
Just another random thought on Gordon: In 2005, he was the starting 2 guard on possibly the best AAU team ever. The starting five for the Specie Indy Heat were Mike Conley Jr., Gordon, Daequan Cook, Josh McRoberts, and Greg Oden. As can be imagined for a team headlined with five future NBAers, the Heat rarely were challenged and raced their way to a national championship. In fact, the only team to really challenge them that year was the D1 Greyhounds led by O.J. Mayo and a pre-injury Bill Walker, who was truly something special.
3) But back to the Clippers. Like many of the teams in the league now a days, they can contribute a lot of their success to a player taken early in the 2003 draft. Sure he gets nowhere near the attention or accolades that his draft peers get, but with his recent play, Chris Kaman deserves some recognition. Taken with the 6th pick in that draft, the seven footer out of Central Michigan has always been a solid pro, but this year, he is playing at an All-Star level. On the year, he is one of only four players (along with Bosh, Duncan, and surprising Zach Randolph) to average over 20 points and 9 rebounds a game. He has been playing even better lately, and is the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week in which he averaged a double-double of 21 and 12, in leading the Clippers to a 3-0 record. Even despite some uncharacteristic mid-range jump shot struggles, Kaman has scored 20 points or more in 12 of his last 13 games. And already 5 times this year he has outscored the opposing starting center by more than 20 points, a feat he accomplished only a handful of times in his previous six seasons.
4) While the contributions of Gordon and Kaman have been incredibly important to the recent success, I think that the main catalyst for this mini resurgence lies in the play of point guard Baron Davis. After signing with the Clippers, Davis struggled through his first year last season, often looking out of shape and disinterested. He was publicly at odds with Coach Mike Dunleavy over the offense, and wanted to play a much more up-tempo pace like the one in which he excelled in with the Warriors. This year though Davis is now healthy, slimmed down, and playing with a renewed bravado. I don’t think that it is a coincidence that this Clippers run began after a Davis game winning buzzer beater over the Celtics. I think that shot helped jump start this team, and ever since, Davis has been back to his effervescent and “swaggish” personality on the court. After the Celtics game, he was the best player on the court in a show down with the Lakers, pouring in 25 points and handing out 10 assists. And though they are not scoring at the clip that Davis led Warriors used to, a compromise has seemingly been reached, and the Clippers are now taking more of their shots (36%) during the first ten seconds of the shot clock than other segment.
5) After winning the lottery in June and drafting Blake Griffin, things were supposed to turn around in Clipper land. But as we all know, Griffin hurt his knee and has yet to play a game this season. By all indication though, Griffin is healing nicely and should make his long awaited debut before the All-Star game in mid-February. Since Griffin is obviously going to be a big part of their future, they will need to find minutes for him now, and I think that it will be at the expense of Marcus Camby. At 35 years old, the ex-Minuteman is still a force on the defensive end, amongst the league leaders in blocks and rebounds. The only negative is he has a hefty contract that might deter some suitors. Still though, I feel that he his valuable enough to find his place on a contender in need of some interior defense. Barring a setback in Griffin’s recovery, and Camby keeps playing at a high level (13 rebounds a game in the last five), I fully expect him to be moved before the deadline.
6) Look, by the mere fact that I am writing about the Clippers says something about their season. They were expected to go nowhere, and with an 0-4 start were rightly fitting that bill. But now after their recent success, they stand at 17-18, and while that record would mean a playoff spot in the East, it leaves them in 12th place in the ultracompetitive West. They are currently only 3 games out of the 8th seed, and 4 games from the 6 spot though. That being said, the next few weeks will be very telling for how the rest of the season plays out for the Clippers. Each of the wins in their four game streak have come at home, but now they must play two true road games against Memphis and red hot New Orleans, before being the “away” team against the Lakers, and hosting the Cavaliers on Saturday. These are four tough games, with each increasing in difficulty according to records, and they can’t afford to go 1-3 or 0-4 and essentially undo all the good work they have done lately. And even if they make it through this stretch with a respectable split or surprisingly better results, there is an incredibly difficult eight game road trip waiting for them at the end of the month. They Clippers have struggled on the road, sporting a 5-10 record away from Staples, and I believe this could be a season making trip.
Overall, one has to be impressed by the Clippers run, but I think that they are still at least a year away from making the playoffs. They have some good young talent in Gordon and Griffin, a legit center in his prime in Kaman, and a rejuvenated point guard in Davis. This is a solid core to build upon, and one that will lead the Clippers to the playoffs in the future, but this season I don’t see them being able to win consistently enough on the road to keep pace in the West.
If you would have told anyone in October that as we approach the mid way point of the season one of the hottest teams in the league would be from Los Angeles, I bet there would have been little to no disagreement. Sure, of course, I mean the Lakers were picked by many to repeat as champions, so it would be no surprise they would peaking at this time. Too bad I’m not talking about the Lakers. Instead it is the oft forgotten other L.A. team that is turning NBA heads. Now I don’t think anyone actually reads this blog fully so I’m sure I could get away with this, but I believe in full disclosure. After the Christmas Day embarrassment to the Suns, I wrote “that until Blake Griffin steps on the court I am not going to even give the Clippers a second thought.” Ok, so I was wrong. It isn’t often and usually I will vehemently deny any inaccuracies in my thoughts until proven otherwise, but simply, the facts don’t lie: the Clippers deserve to be examined, and I will just have to suck up my pride and do it.
1) In the five games since Christmas, the Clippers are 5-1, winners of four straight, and have recorded victories against some of the league’s top teams. In that stretch they have defeated Boston, Portland, the Lakers, and Miami all at home, with their lone blunder coming up at the Rose Garden in Portland. For years, the Clips have been straddling the line of mediocrity, but recently they seem to have taken some steps in the right direction.
2) The Clippers run has been first and foremost spurred on by a new commitment on the defensive end. In each of their victories, they have held their opponents to under 100 points, while in their loss they surrendered well over the century mark. The player who has been perhaps most surprising on defense in this stretch has been second year shooting guard Eric Gordon. Known for his silky jumper and offensive tendencies (second on the team in scoring at 17.3 a game), Gordon has really taken his last few defensive assignments very seriously. Facing arguably the three best shooting guards in Brandon Roy, Kobe, and D-Wade, Gordon undertook the challenge and limited the stars as best he could. He held Roy to just 12 points, made Kobe a volume scorer by forcing him into 30 shots, and pestered Wade into a sloppy 21. Each of those players are great jump shooters, but due to his protection behind him, Gordon was able to cheat up and eliminate their air space, forcing much more difficult shots. This is a recurrent theme, as the Clippers have become the 3rd best team in the league in defending the 3 pointer, holding opponents to just 32.5% shooting. This luxury is due to having two of the best shot blockers in the league behind him in Marcus Camby (2.15 bpg) and Chris Kaman (1.34). Wing defenders like Gordon are aware of the help they have behind them (the Clippers lead the league in blocks per game), and this has made life much easier in limiting some of the league’s great scorers.
Just another random thought on Gordon: In 2005, he was the starting 2 guard on possibly the best AAU team ever. The starting five for the Specie Indy Heat were Mike Conley Jr., Gordon, Daequan Cook, Josh McRoberts, and Greg Oden. As can be imagined for a team headlined with five future NBAers, the Heat rarely were challenged and raced their way to a national championship. In fact, the only team to really challenge them that year was the D1 Greyhounds led by O.J. Mayo and a pre-injury Bill Walker, who was truly something special.
3) But back to the Clippers. Like many of the teams in the league now a days, they can contribute a lot of their success to a player taken early in the 2003 draft. Sure he gets nowhere near the attention or accolades that his draft peers get, but with his recent play, Chris Kaman deserves some recognition. Taken with the 6th pick in that draft, the seven footer out of Central Michigan has always been a solid pro, but this year, he is playing at an All-Star level. On the year, he is one of only four players (along with Bosh, Duncan, and surprising Zach Randolph) to average over 20 points and 9 rebounds a game. He has been playing even better lately, and is the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week in which he averaged a double-double of 21 and 12, in leading the Clippers to a 3-0 record. Even despite some uncharacteristic mid-range jump shot struggles, Kaman has scored 20 points or more in 12 of his last 13 games. And already 5 times this year he has outscored the opposing starting center by more than 20 points, a feat he accomplished only a handful of times in his previous six seasons.
4) While the contributions of Gordon and Kaman have been incredibly important to the recent success, I think that the main catalyst for this mini resurgence lies in the play of point guard Baron Davis. After signing with the Clippers, Davis struggled through his first year last season, often looking out of shape and disinterested. He was publicly at odds with Coach Mike Dunleavy over the offense, and wanted to play a much more up-tempo pace like the one in which he excelled in with the Warriors. This year though Davis is now healthy, slimmed down, and playing with a renewed bravado. I don’t think that it is a coincidence that this Clippers run began after a Davis game winning buzzer beater over the Celtics. I think that shot helped jump start this team, and ever since, Davis has been back to his effervescent and “swaggish” personality on the court. After the Celtics game, he was the best player on the court in a show down with the Lakers, pouring in 25 points and handing out 10 assists. And though they are not scoring at the clip that Davis led Warriors used to, a compromise has seemingly been reached, and the Clippers are now taking more of their shots (36%) during the first ten seconds of the shot clock than other segment.
5) After winning the lottery in June and drafting Blake Griffin, things were supposed to turn around in Clipper land. But as we all know, Griffin hurt his knee and has yet to play a game this season. By all indication though, Griffin is healing nicely and should make his long awaited debut before the All-Star game in mid-February. Since Griffin is obviously going to be a big part of their future, they will need to find minutes for him now, and I think that it will be at the expense of Marcus Camby. At 35 years old, the ex-Minuteman is still a force on the defensive end, amongst the league leaders in blocks and rebounds. The only negative is he has a hefty contract that might deter some suitors. Still though, I feel that he his valuable enough to find his place on a contender in need of some interior defense. Barring a setback in Griffin’s recovery, and Camby keeps playing at a high level (13 rebounds a game in the last five), I fully expect him to be moved before the deadline.
6) Look, by the mere fact that I am writing about the Clippers says something about their season. They were expected to go nowhere, and with an 0-4 start were rightly fitting that bill. But now after their recent success, they stand at 17-18, and while that record would mean a playoff spot in the East, it leaves them in 12th place in the ultracompetitive West. They are currently only 3 games out of the 8th seed, and 4 games from the 6 spot though. That being said, the next few weeks will be very telling for how the rest of the season plays out for the Clippers. Each of the wins in their four game streak have come at home, but now they must play two true road games against Memphis and red hot New Orleans, before being the “away” team against the Lakers, and hosting the Cavaliers on Saturday. These are four tough games, with each increasing in difficulty according to records, and they can’t afford to go 1-3 or 0-4 and essentially undo all the good work they have done lately. And even if they make it through this stretch with a respectable split or surprisingly better results, there is an incredibly difficult eight game road trip waiting for them at the end of the month. They Clippers have struggled on the road, sporting a 5-10 record away from Staples, and I believe this could be a season making trip.
Overall, one has to be impressed by the Clippers run, but I think that they are still at least a year away from making the playoffs. They have some good young talent in Gordon and Griffin, a legit center in his prime in Kaman, and a rejuvenated point guard in Davis. This is a solid core to build upon, and one that will lead the Clippers to the playoffs in the future, but this season I don’t see them being able to win consistently enough on the road to keep pace in the West.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Player Profile- Gilbert Arenas
Player of the Week- Gilbert Arenas
It wasn’t hard to determine the player of this week, with Gilbert Arenas stealing all the headlines and attention. We all know he has recently been suspended indefinitely by Commissioner David Stern for his gun situation and subsequent inappropriate pregame antics, but here are some things you might not have known…
As a big follower of the University of Arizona basketball, I knew about Gilbert Arenas before he burst onto the NBA and blogosphere scene. As the starting shooting guard on what I believe was one of the best NCAA teams of the past decade, his 2001 Wildcats lost to Duke in a very questionably officiated National Championship game. While in his prime, Gilbert was one the NBA’s elite, he wasn’t even the first, second, or even third option on that college team. Those fell to Richard Jefferson, Jason Gardner, and Loren Woods for those of you who were wondering. Arenas had a solid, but not spectacular stint by any means at Arizona, and was considered a bit of an enigma to many NBA GMs. He didn’t have a pure position, with scouts believing him to be too small to be a shooting guard, but also without enough passing ability and court leadership to run a team at the point. This uncertainty led more than one scout to tell Gilbert that while he most likely will not get drafted, and even if he did he would play 0 NBA minutes in his career (that false prognostication is the reason he sports the jersey number zero). Arenas entered the 2001 draft anyways, and was taken with the second pick of the second round by the Golden State Warriors, ready to prove his doubters wrong.
After a decent rookie year in which he averaged just under 11 points per game for the Warriors, Arenas really crashed the NBA party in his sophomore campaign. Starting all 82 games, Arenas averaged over 18 ppg and was named the league’s Most Improved Players. In the off season he signed with the Washington Wizards, but had a disappointing and injury plagued first year there. In the 2004-2005 season though, Arenas began the best three year run of his career. Leading the Wizards to a playoff berth and first round series victory over the Bulls, that year he was 7th in the league in scoring in averaging over 25 ppg and made his first All-Star Game. But the best was still to come for Arenas, having the best year of his professional career in 2005-2006. He recorded career highs in minutes (42.3), points (29.3), assists (6.1), and steals (2.0), leading to his second consecutive All-Star and Third Team All NBA appearance. But the season ended painfully for Arenas and his Wizards as they started what would become a trend of losing first round series to Cavaliers, with a pivotal loss coming after Arenas’ missed some clutch free throws. The following year, Arenas continued to prove he was among the NBA’s best scorers, averaging over 28 a game, but his season was cut short by the first of a series of knee injuries that have never left him the same.
Another knee injury derailed the majority of his 2008 season, and after opting out of his contract, he signed one of the largest contracts in NBA history. Despite his recent injuries, the Wizards offered him a max contract of 6 years worth 124 million dollars. But citing he wanted to make some cuts to help the Wizards build around him, he signed for only 111 million. Late owner Abe Pollin did a lot of amazing things for this organization and the entire league, but agreeing to this massive contract to a player coming off two injury hampered seasons wasn’t his finest moment. After signing the contract, Arenas’ health was still an issue to the dismay of the fans and front office. In the 2009-2009 season he played in only 2 games, and there were a lot of questions about his integrity in signing the large deal knowing that his knee just wasn’t right.
But this year was supposed to be different. Now under the leadership of proven coach Flip Saunders there was hope in Washington that the core of Arenas, Antwan Jamison, and Caron Butler with the addition of Mike Miller would finally reach new heights. As we all know though, that hasn’t exactly been the case. Jamison missed a bunch of the early part of the year with injuries and this squad never really came together. They suffered a streak of painfully close losses and now sitting at 11-22, with this latest Arenas saga and being over 8 million dollars over the luxury tax, this most likely will be the final swan song for this Wizards group.
I agree with David Stern’s decision to suspend Arenas, especially considering that Gilbert forced his hand with his pre game guns blazing routine in Philly which highlighted he still doesn’t understand the severity of his actions. I really liked J.A. Adande’s article on the issue, and agree that while there were no actual guns fired or people hurt, that Arenas’ cavalier behavior about it is frightening and needed to be addressed. Hopefully after a lengthy suspension (I’m thinking it will be between 30-50 games), Arenas can try and come back into the league. It won’t be easy, but it is not impossible to rebuild an image in this league, and make people remember the Gilbert that fans fell in love with. From the self proclaimed nicknames, to the uncensored blog entries, to the overall silliness he portrayed on and off the court, Arenas was one of the games most entertaining stars. It is this behavior that made the media love him in the past and now question him in the present. He acted immaturely and unconventionally after the revelation of his locker room gun possession, trying in typical Gilbert fashion to make a joke out it, but this time it was different. This time the stakes were too high, and what Arenas clearly didn’t get, was that this wasn’t a joking matter to anyone, especially Stern. I am interested to see how this will turn out, but I am personally wishing for the best for Gilbert, and hope he uses this suspension time to his benefit. Due to the knee injuries I am not sure that he will ever be the player or scorer he once was, but I do believe that once he gets his act together, he has the dedication and work ethic to redefine his game and once again become somebody we talk about, but for his actions on the basketball court this time.
It wasn’t hard to determine the player of this week, with Gilbert Arenas stealing all the headlines and attention. We all know he has recently been suspended indefinitely by Commissioner David Stern for his gun situation and subsequent inappropriate pregame antics, but here are some things you might not have known…
As a big follower of the University of Arizona basketball, I knew about Gilbert Arenas before he burst onto the NBA and blogosphere scene. As the starting shooting guard on what I believe was one of the best NCAA teams of the past decade, his 2001 Wildcats lost to Duke in a very questionably officiated National Championship game. While in his prime, Gilbert was one the NBA’s elite, he wasn’t even the first, second, or even third option on that college team. Those fell to Richard Jefferson, Jason Gardner, and Loren Woods for those of you who were wondering. Arenas had a solid, but not spectacular stint by any means at Arizona, and was considered a bit of an enigma to many NBA GMs. He didn’t have a pure position, with scouts believing him to be too small to be a shooting guard, but also without enough passing ability and court leadership to run a team at the point. This uncertainty led more than one scout to tell Gilbert that while he most likely will not get drafted, and even if he did he would play 0 NBA minutes in his career (that false prognostication is the reason he sports the jersey number zero). Arenas entered the 2001 draft anyways, and was taken with the second pick of the second round by the Golden State Warriors, ready to prove his doubters wrong.
After a decent rookie year in which he averaged just under 11 points per game for the Warriors, Arenas really crashed the NBA party in his sophomore campaign. Starting all 82 games, Arenas averaged over 18 ppg and was named the league’s Most Improved Players. In the off season he signed with the Washington Wizards, but had a disappointing and injury plagued first year there. In the 2004-2005 season though, Arenas began the best three year run of his career. Leading the Wizards to a playoff berth and first round series victory over the Bulls, that year he was 7th in the league in scoring in averaging over 25 ppg and made his first All-Star Game. But the best was still to come for Arenas, having the best year of his professional career in 2005-2006. He recorded career highs in minutes (42.3), points (29.3), assists (6.1), and steals (2.0), leading to his second consecutive All-Star and Third Team All NBA appearance. But the season ended painfully for Arenas and his Wizards as they started what would become a trend of losing first round series to Cavaliers, with a pivotal loss coming after Arenas’ missed some clutch free throws. The following year, Arenas continued to prove he was among the NBA’s best scorers, averaging over 28 a game, but his season was cut short by the first of a series of knee injuries that have never left him the same.
Another knee injury derailed the majority of his 2008 season, and after opting out of his contract, he signed one of the largest contracts in NBA history. Despite his recent injuries, the Wizards offered him a max contract of 6 years worth 124 million dollars. But citing he wanted to make some cuts to help the Wizards build around him, he signed for only 111 million. Late owner Abe Pollin did a lot of amazing things for this organization and the entire league, but agreeing to this massive contract to a player coming off two injury hampered seasons wasn’t his finest moment. After signing the contract, Arenas’ health was still an issue to the dismay of the fans and front office. In the 2009-2009 season he played in only 2 games, and there were a lot of questions about his integrity in signing the large deal knowing that his knee just wasn’t right.
But this year was supposed to be different. Now under the leadership of proven coach Flip Saunders there was hope in Washington that the core of Arenas, Antwan Jamison, and Caron Butler with the addition of Mike Miller would finally reach new heights. As we all know though, that hasn’t exactly been the case. Jamison missed a bunch of the early part of the year with injuries and this squad never really came together. They suffered a streak of painfully close losses and now sitting at 11-22, with this latest Arenas saga and being over 8 million dollars over the luxury tax, this most likely will be the final swan song for this Wizards group.
I agree with David Stern’s decision to suspend Arenas, especially considering that Gilbert forced his hand with his pre game guns blazing routine in Philly which highlighted he still doesn’t understand the severity of his actions. I really liked J.A. Adande’s article on the issue, and agree that while there were no actual guns fired or people hurt, that Arenas’ cavalier behavior about it is frightening and needed to be addressed. Hopefully after a lengthy suspension (I’m thinking it will be between 30-50 games), Arenas can try and come back into the league. It won’t be easy, but it is not impossible to rebuild an image in this league, and make people remember the Gilbert that fans fell in love with. From the self proclaimed nicknames, to the uncensored blog entries, to the overall silliness he portrayed on and off the court, Arenas was one of the games most entertaining stars. It is this behavior that made the media love him in the past and now question him in the present. He acted immaturely and unconventionally after the revelation of his locker room gun possession, trying in typical Gilbert fashion to make a joke out it, but this time it was different. This time the stakes were too high, and what Arenas clearly didn’t get, was that this wasn’t a joking matter to anyone, especially Stern. I am interested to see how this will turn out, but I am personally wishing for the best for Gilbert, and hope he uses this suspension time to his benefit. Due to the knee injuries I am not sure that he will ever be the player or scorer he once was, but I do believe that once he gets his act together, he has the dedication and work ethic to redefine his game and once again become somebody we talk about, but for his actions on the basketball court this time.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Week in Review
Weekly Update
So because he pays my bills I figure I should throw my dad’s company some love. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, if “you miss a day, you miss a lot.” Well after spending a week out of the loop in Mexico, I’m pretty sure the same can be said about the NBA. Here’s some of the highlights from when I was gone.
1) Celts Falter- After an impressive Christmas win without Paul Pierce, I came away thinking both less of the Magic, but more so positively about the Celtics. Then I leave the country and they lose the last three games of their road trip, two of them to bottom feeders Clippers and Warriors. Now I know it can be said that they don’t have two of their starters and it was a long West Coast trip, but those are the games that are tough to lose. Their recent setbacks opened the door for the Cavs to jump into the first seed in the East, and in a rivalry where home court advantage is a premium, the Celtics may be kicking themselves in May for that. But of course, as I am in the United States again for no more an hour and the Celtics go out and beat the streaking Raptors without 3 starters. I am sure it is just a coincidence, and one that I will be sure to monitor when I go on Spring Break, but it seems like my presence in this country is good luck for the banged up Celtics. Now I won’t claim to have super human talents to control this team, but if during a pivotal game 7 against the Cavs in late May I am nowhere to be found, then I’d check Mexico.
2) Kobe Saves the Lakers, Again- It was obvious to anyone that watched the Christmas game that the Cavs were simply the better team that day. And it seems that the Lakers haven’t really been the same since then. They got blown out again at Phoenix in their next game, and if it weren’t for number 24, would have lost their next two against those increasingly pesky Warriors and the Kings at home. It took season highs in points (44) and assists (11) from Bryant to beat the Warriors, and then Kobe’s second game winning 3 pointer to sink the Kings. These Lakers were not supposed to struggle, but like their Eastern counterpart Celtics they also have been dealing with injuries (Artest’s concussion- which he claims is from falling down the stairs, and now Pau Gasol is banged up again.) The difference between these two teams though, and the reason why I wrote the Lakers would beat Boston for the title, is that the Lakers can simply rely on Kobe to win games for them. His killer instinct is in full gear and in the last 10 games he is averaging a vintage Jordan 35+ points per game. The Lakers will be fine and will win the West as they are better than anyone else in a long series, but pay attention to how much Kobe is having to exert himself early in the season, as Phil Jackson is having to play him very long minutes because he just doesn’t trust his bench, and that might catch up to the Black Mamba at the end.
3)Gilbert’s Gun Issues- This was actually the first story that I read when I got back and I literally laughed out loud at it. By no means do I think that playing or messing around with guns is funny, but the way the story has been broke is pretty hilarious. Allegedly Arenas owed second year man Javaris Crittenton some money from a gambling debt, and this is something that no one who knows anything about Gilbert would deny is a very plausible situation (don’t believe me, check the youtube clip of him betting Deshawn Stevenson in a shooting contest). But then when the young Crittenton tried to collect, an argument broke out on the team plane and then continued into the locker room later. There have been different reports, and I am hesitant to believe anything, but one of the more ridiculous versions was that Gilbert laid out his three guns and told Crittenton to pick one, to which Javaris naturally replied well I have my own. This was brought on because they were having a competition over who “had the bigger gun.” C’mon, are you kidding me. You don’t exactly have to hold a Masters degree in English to understand the metaphor behind that comparison. It’s absolutely completely ridiculous, and again I am not sure what exactly happened, but either way guns have no place in locker rooms. I’m especially upset at the timing of this incident as just last week I wrote that the NBA superstars these days (and as of a few years ago, Gilbert could be considered one) were taking the “thug” aspect out of the league. I have followed and been a fan of Arenas since he was at Arizona, but this is uncalled for, and after an investigation I would not be surprised if heavy fines and/or suspensions followed.
4) Little Nate Returns- After being a DNP Coaches Decision for the fourteen straight games, Nate Robinson squeaked his way out of Coach Mike D’Antoni’s dog house and found himself on the floor for the first time in nearly a month. Making the most of his opportunities, Nate exploded for 41 points in leading the Knicks to the upset against the Hawks. Look no one is questioning Robinson’s ability to fill it up, and I am honestly not surprised that he got his shot again. But I am still hesitant to see how this will transpire. I initially thought that he would continue to ride the bench for a little bit longer, and then as the trade deadline began to draw closer the Knicks would showcase him selectively to try and induce suitors to trade for him. I still think that this a viable option, and that he could help a contender with some quick offensive sparks off the bench, but remember the most important thing, it’s the Knicks front office, so NOTHING is out of the question.
5) Cavs Answer the Bell- I know that they had a bad loss at home to the Bobcats last night, and I will criticize that just like I did the questionable Celtic losses, but that is the lone blemish for this team in a while. After losing to the Dirk-less Mavs, the Cavs really came together to finish their West Coast trip and then took two straight from East rival Atlanta. I know it is still early, and that they have a long way to go, and a lot of injuries to avoid, but I am starting to believe in the legitimacy of this team. The major knock on the Cavs last year was that in racing to their 66 wins they never could beat any team of consequence. And that was absolutely the case and showed itself immensely in the playoffs. The Cavs beat the bad and average teams handily last year (two early playoff sweeps), but struggled with the elite teams (Magic, Celtics, Lakers etc.) This year it’s a different story though. Apart from the opening night loss to the Celtics, which I am going to throw out because it was a team trying to incorporate three new starters and learning to play together, the Cavs passed every major test. They have beaten the Magic, Lakers, Hawks, and Suns on the road and have continued to hold home court as well. I know they have what look like a lot of bad losses on their record, but I think that this is still a better situation than last year. I think that due to their performance in big games, it should be noted that this team can compete at the highest level when called upon. And more importantly that their losses to bad teams can be attributed to a lack of focus or energy. This isn’t a habit the Cavs want to fall into too often, but I think that this Cavs group, now with each of their core players being playoff tested, have learned that they really can pick their battles in the regular season. So, maybe it’s just me justifying it to myself, but I think that when the stakes are high enough, like in the playoffs, there will be no mental breakdowns, no shortage of energy, and no team that the Cavs can’t beat.
So because he pays my bills I figure I should throw my dad’s company some love. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, if “you miss a day, you miss a lot.” Well after spending a week out of the loop in Mexico, I’m pretty sure the same can be said about the NBA. Here’s some of the highlights from when I was gone.
1) Celts Falter- After an impressive Christmas win without Paul Pierce, I came away thinking both less of the Magic, but more so positively about the Celtics. Then I leave the country and they lose the last three games of their road trip, two of them to bottom feeders Clippers and Warriors. Now I know it can be said that they don’t have two of their starters and it was a long West Coast trip, but those are the games that are tough to lose. Their recent setbacks opened the door for the Cavs to jump into the first seed in the East, and in a rivalry where home court advantage is a premium, the Celtics may be kicking themselves in May for that. But of course, as I am in the United States again for no more an hour and the Celtics go out and beat the streaking Raptors without 3 starters. I am sure it is just a coincidence, and one that I will be sure to monitor when I go on Spring Break, but it seems like my presence in this country is good luck for the banged up Celtics. Now I won’t claim to have super human talents to control this team, but if during a pivotal game 7 against the Cavs in late May I am nowhere to be found, then I’d check Mexico.
2) Kobe Saves the Lakers, Again- It was obvious to anyone that watched the Christmas game that the Cavs were simply the better team that day. And it seems that the Lakers haven’t really been the same since then. They got blown out again at Phoenix in their next game, and if it weren’t for number 24, would have lost their next two against those increasingly pesky Warriors and the Kings at home. It took season highs in points (44) and assists (11) from Bryant to beat the Warriors, and then Kobe’s second game winning 3 pointer to sink the Kings. These Lakers were not supposed to struggle, but like their Eastern counterpart Celtics they also have been dealing with injuries (Artest’s concussion- which he claims is from falling down the stairs, and now Pau Gasol is banged up again.) The difference between these two teams though, and the reason why I wrote the Lakers would beat Boston for the title, is that the Lakers can simply rely on Kobe to win games for them. His killer instinct is in full gear and in the last 10 games he is averaging a vintage Jordan 35+ points per game. The Lakers will be fine and will win the West as they are better than anyone else in a long series, but pay attention to how much Kobe is having to exert himself early in the season, as Phil Jackson is having to play him very long minutes because he just doesn’t trust his bench, and that might catch up to the Black Mamba at the end.
3)Gilbert’s Gun Issues- This was actually the first story that I read when I got back and I literally laughed out loud at it. By no means do I think that playing or messing around with guns is funny, but the way the story has been broke is pretty hilarious. Allegedly Arenas owed second year man Javaris Crittenton some money from a gambling debt, and this is something that no one who knows anything about Gilbert would deny is a very plausible situation (don’t believe me, check the youtube clip of him betting Deshawn Stevenson in a shooting contest). But then when the young Crittenton tried to collect, an argument broke out on the team plane and then continued into the locker room later. There have been different reports, and I am hesitant to believe anything, but one of the more ridiculous versions was that Gilbert laid out his three guns and told Crittenton to pick one, to which Javaris naturally replied well I have my own. This was brought on because they were having a competition over who “had the bigger gun.” C’mon, are you kidding me. You don’t exactly have to hold a Masters degree in English to understand the metaphor behind that comparison. It’s absolutely completely ridiculous, and again I am not sure what exactly happened, but either way guns have no place in locker rooms. I’m especially upset at the timing of this incident as just last week I wrote that the NBA superstars these days (and as of a few years ago, Gilbert could be considered one) were taking the “thug” aspect out of the league. I have followed and been a fan of Arenas since he was at Arizona, but this is uncalled for, and after an investigation I would not be surprised if heavy fines and/or suspensions followed.
4) Little Nate Returns- After being a DNP Coaches Decision for the fourteen straight games, Nate Robinson squeaked his way out of Coach Mike D’Antoni’s dog house and found himself on the floor for the first time in nearly a month. Making the most of his opportunities, Nate exploded for 41 points in leading the Knicks to the upset against the Hawks. Look no one is questioning Robinson’s ability to fill it up, and I am honestly not surprised that he got his shot again. But I am still hesitant to see how this will transpire. I initially thought that he would continue to ride the bench for a little bit longer, and then as the trade deadline began to draw closer the Knicks would showcase him selectively to try and induce suitors to trade for him. I still think that this a viable option, and that he could help a contender with some quick offensive sparks off the bench, but remember the most important thing, it’s the Knicks front office, so NOTHING is out of the question.
5) Cavs Answer the Bell- I know that they had a bad loss at home to the Bobcats last night, and I will criticize that just like I did the questionable Celtic losses, but that is the lone blemish for this team in a while. After losing to the Dirk-less Mavs, the Cavs really came together to finish their West Coast trip and then took two straight from East rival Atlanta. I know it is still early, and that they have a long way to go, and a lot of injuries to avoid, but I am starting to believe in the legitimacy of this team. The major knock on the Cavs last year was that in racing to their 66 wins they never could beat any team of consequence. And that was absolutely the case and showed itself immensely in the playoffs. The Cavs beat the bad and average teams handily last year (two early playoff sweeps), but struggled with the elite teams (Magic, Celtics, Lakers etc.) This year it’s a different story though. Apart from the opening night loss to the Celtics, which I am going to throw out because it was a team trying to incorporate three new starters and learning to play together, the Cavs passed every major test. They have beaten the Magic, Lakers, Hawks, and Suns on the road and have continued to hold home court as well. I know they have what look like a lot of bad losses on their record, but I think that this is still a better situation than last year. I think that due to their performance in big games, it should be noted that this team can compete at the highest level when called upon. And more importantly that their losses to bad teams can be attributed to a lack of focus or energy. This isn’t a habit the Cavs want to fall into too often, but I think that this Cavs group, now with each of their core players being playoff tested, have learned that they really can pick their battles in the regular season. So, maybe it’s just me justifying it to myself, but I think that when the stakes are high enough, like in the playoffs, there will be no mental breakdowns, no shortage of energy, and no team that the Cavs can’t beat.
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