By MC
The L.A. Lakers have returned to the NBA Finals. It's the 30th time that half of the NBA Finals banner has been clad in purple and gold.
Meanwhile, out East, as this piece is being written, the Orlando Magic, who hold a 3-2 series lead over the Lebron-led Cleveland Cavaliers, are inching closer and closer to their 2nd ever NBA Finals appearance. A double digit margin currently seperates the Magic and the Cavs, with the former being in the lead. Dwight Howard's been unstoppable thus far in Game 6, and Orlando's 3-point shooting has been sensational.
Let's look ahead, shall we?
Assuming the Magic fend off King James and his court tonight, the Lakers will be meeting Orlando for the NBA crown for the first time. One would, in this case, typically assume the following things:
-Dwight Howard will not make his free throws. The Lakers should use the Hack-A-Dwight method extensively to neutralize his effectivity.
*Answer: Hey, Howard isn't Mark Price (nice pun there...Price was a Cavalier...hehe), but then, Dwight's made free throws, so far, when they've counted. So, before one assumes that Howard is the second coming of Ben Wallace (another Cavalier pun) at the 4.5 meter line, watch some game footage, then reset your strategy.
-Pau Gasol will be eaten alive inside by Dwight Howard.
*Answer: Not necessarily. Gasol does have the tendency to seem a bit disinterested at times, but when he's locked on to playing hard, and aggressive, Pau's a bonafide All-Star. Just ask the Denver Nuggets. The Spanish phenom's shake n' bake moves and timely midrange jumpers helped solidify the Lakers' dominance of the upstart Colorado kids.
-Orlando's 3 point shooting will kill the Lakers.
*Answer: To assume this would be foolhardy. LA is a formidable defensive team on the perimeter, with stoppers like Odom, Ariza, and Kobe leading the charge. If the Andrew Bynum that the Lakers believe Bynum can be shows up on defense to somehow quell Dwight Howard's effectivity, alongside having the Magic's perimeter personnel covered by the Lakers' wingmen, then Los Angeles will have a chance. Believe it.
-Kobe Bryant will have the whole world in his hands.
*Answer: Yes, but whether his team wins or loses ultimately depends on whether those around him play motivated or otherwise. The jury is still out on this one.
-An LA-Orlando series will be too close to call.
*Answer: Although it's no guarantee, I think that this will be a tight matchup. Orlando's youth and athleticism, when pitted against the Lakers' veteran savvy, should make for intriguing basketball. While there are vagaries that surround how the young Magic will handle NBA Finals-level pressure and whether the Lakers will find enough toughness as a unit to survive the grittier games, this series, I think, should draw the best out of both squads. They're both hungry, pretty evenly matched in all positions, and have deep benches. Prepare for a great hoops fiesta over the next 7 games, ballers.
-Marcin Gortat will hit someone with his patented, "Polish Hammer".
*Answer: Maybe once or twice, perhaps on Pau Gasol.
-Trevor Ariza will intercept a crucial pass or two.
*Answer: Nuggets, Nuggets, where art thou?
-Shaquille O'Neal will suddenly want to join his former team.
*Answer: You betcha. :)
(Update: The Magic have beaten Lebron and co. to earn their first trip to the finals since '95. Do Nick Anderson one better by not choking under pressure this time, okay? Congratulations, Orlando!)
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
NBA Today- 5/10/2009
by Migs
Bad to worse, say I.
In Houston, the Rockets have lost all-star center Yao Ming to a hairline fracture in his right foot. For those who did not get to catch the tail end of the 3rd game of the Lakers and Rockets series, Yao persisted in playing through obvious pain in his foot in an effort to try and get to cut into the Lakers' lead. The big man grimaced each time down the court as Kobe and co. dismantled the home team towards taking a 2-1 series lead.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Texas, the Dallas Mavericks suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets, 106-105. Denver now leads the series, 3-0.
The catch here? The Mavericks felt that they were cheated, but then, had they managed to pull away, Carmelo Anthony's final 3 wouldn't have meant as much, but that's another story.
With a couple of seconds left, 'Melo drove to right cornercourt, while being bumped around by Dallas swingman Antoine Wright, and consequently, swished in a go-ahead trey. The Mavs had a foul to give at that juncture, a foul which the referees refused to call despite Wright's physical defense. With a second left, Dirk and the Mavericks got the ball back, with one final chance to take the lead. Desperation heave. Airball. Nuggets win.
That's when chaos ensued.
Mark Cuban runs over to the scorers table and shares some expletives with NBA officials. Mavericks cagers exchange words with Nuggets players, and Lord knows fellows like Kenyon Martin won't back down once the chips are down in this case. Point is, Dallas lost a heartbreaker, and while Cuban will probably be fined and reviews will probably be done, the Nuggets will still be up, 3-0, with 4 to play.
One school of thought in this case would suggest that:
-Wright should have sold his foul better without it looking flagrant. He should have not stopped on the move until he heard a whistle blown.
-The Playoffs are the Playoffs. No ticky tack fouls here. As with baskets, fouls, too, must be earned- especially during the endgame.
Another perspective on the matter, meanwhile, would say:
-A foul is a foul. The referees could have given Carmelo Anthony the "superstar treatment" in this case.
-Rick Carlisle and Mark Cuban said it best: "Foul shooting should be a science, not an art."
"What could have been" is something which, in this case, can only be left to speculation, even if Joel Litvin, President of League and Basketball Operations, stated two hours after the Denver-Dallas tiff that, “At the end of the Dallas-Denver game this evening, the officials missed an intentional foul committed by Antoine Wright on Carmelo Anthony, just prior to Anthony’s three-point basket."
What good will that do anyone now? Maybe they could do a Miami-Atlanta and replay the last few seconds of regulation a few days from now.
Or not.
Speaking of the woebegone Hawks, Lebron James and the Cavaliers joined the Nuggets as members of the 3-0 series league club when the beat the said Hawks, 97-82 earlier today. Number 23 scored 47 points, grabbed 12 caroms, and dished out 8 dimes- giving out a performance worthy of legend. Atlanta kept it reasonably close early, but then, the Hawks' offensive anemia cost them. Tempers flared in the 3rd period, too, which led to the ejection of Zaza Pachulia. From that point forward, it was downhill for the Georgians who barely got into the 2nd round to begin with.
And oh, Josh Smith missed another dunk.
I suppose that based on what we've witnessed in the NBA world today, we can safely say that indeed, some things never do change.
**God bless Chuck Daly, the former Pistons and Team USA coach who passed away today due to pancreatic cancer. Yours truly has lost a relative to pancreatic cancer, and knows how traumatic an experience having such an ailment can be, an yours truly also knows how to appreciate basketball genius, ergo, it is only fitting that Mr. Daly be given ample tributes by his peers and fans alike. Thanks for being a good influence on the game, Chuck- even if you did give the NBA the "Bad Boys". Rest in peace.
+++
Bad to worse, say I.
In Houston, the Rockets have lost all-star center Yao Ming to a hairline fracture in his right foot. For those who did not get to catch the tail end of the 3rd game of the Lakers and Rockets series, Yao persisted in playing through obvious pain in his foot in an effort to try and get to cut into the Lakers' lead. The big man grimaced each time down the court as Kobe and co. dismantled the home team towards taking a 2-1 series lead.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Texas, the Dallas Mavericks suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets, 106-105. Denver now leads the series, 3-0.
The catch here? The Mavericks felt that they were cheated, but then, had they managed to pull away, Carmelo Anthony's final 3 wouldn't have meant as much, but that's another story.
With a couple of seconds left, 'Melo drove to right cornercourt, while being bumped around by Dallas swingman Antoine Wright, and consequently, swished in a go-ahead trey. The Mavs had a foul to give at that juncture, a foul which the referees refused to call despite Wright's physical defense. With a second left, Dirk and the Mavericks got the ball back, with one final chance to take the lead. Desperation heave. Airball. Nuggets win.
That's when chaos ensued.
Mark Cuban runs over to the scorers table and shares some expletives with NBA officials. Mavericks cagers exchange words with Nuggets players, and Lord knows fellows like Kenyon Martin won't back down once the chips are down in this case. Point is, Dallas lost a heartbreaker, and while Cuban will probably be fined and reviews will probably be done, the Nuggets will still be up, 3-0, with 4 to play.
One school of thought in this case would suggest that:
-Wright should have sold his foul better without it looking flagrant. He should have not stopped on the move until he heard a whistle blown.
-The Playoffs are the Playoffs. No ticky tack fouls here. As with baskets, fouls, too, must be earned- especially during the endgame.
Another perspective on the matter, meanwhile, would say:
-A foul is a foul. The referees could have given Carmelo Anthony the "superstar treatment" in this case.
-Rick Carlisle and Mark Cuban said it best: "Foul shooting should be a science, not an art."
"What could have been" is something which, in this case, can only be left to speculation, even if Joel Litvin, President of League and Basketball Operations, stated two hours after the Denver-Dallas tiff that, “At the end of the Dallas-Denver game this evening, the officials missed an intentional foul committed by Antoine Wright on Carmelo Anthony, just prior to Anthony’s three-point basket."
What good will that do anyone now? Maybe they could do a Miami-Atlanta and replay the last few seconds of regulation a few days from now.
Or not.
Speaking of the woebegone Hawks, Lebron James and the Cavaliers joined the Nuggets as members of the 3-0 series league club when the beat the said Hawks, 97-82 earlier today. Number 23 scored 47 points, grabbed 12 caroms, and dished out 8 dimes- giving out a performance worthy of legend. Atlanta kept it reasonably close early, but then, the Hawks' offensive anemia cost them. Tempers flared in the 3rd period, too, which led to the ejection of Zaza Pachulia. From that point forward, it was downhill for the Georgians who barely got into the 2nd round to begin with.
And oh, Josh Smith missed another dunk.
I suppose that based on what we've witnessed in the NBA world today, we can safely say that indeed, some things never do change.
**God bless Chuck Daly, the former Pistons and Team USA coach who passed away today due to pancreatic cancer. Yours truly has lost a relative to pancreatic cancer, and knows how traumatic an experience having such an ailment can be, an yours truly also knows how to appreciate basketball genius, ergo, it is only fitting that Mr. Daly be given ample tributes by his peers and fans alike. Thanks for being a good influence on the game, Chuck- even if you did give the NBA the "Bad Boys". Rest in peace.
+++
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Pacman and Winter Wonderland.
(Photo from CBSSports.Com)
by Migs
Manny Pacquiao has won- again.
But no one expected things to be this easy- not even his trainer, Freddie Roach.
After all of the verbal jabs thrown by Pacquiao's camp to that of Hatton and vice-versa, one would have anticipated that behind that, one would have already studied the other's strategy thoroughly, so as to make for a fight that would last, say, 5-8 rounds. That wasn't the case here, evidently.
Hatton's always been known to be an "offense-first" fighter, and Manny, under the tutelage of Roach, has evolved into a thinking man's fighter- a far cry from the Pacquiao of the late nineties and of early this decade who would burst out of the box, guns blazing, each and every time, irregardless of the circumstances.
At the 2:59 mark of the second round, the fight was done. A left hook did the Brit in. Pacquiao, the native of General Santos City in the Philippines, was, humself "Surprised that the fight was so easy."
After watching replays from the fight, I was stunned at how open Hatton was at times, and why Floyd Mayweather, Sr. didn't see this coming. Hatton could have done a little more shaking-and-baking, could have moved his head more to create potential diversions, and could have thrown fewer errant punches which inevitably left him off balance. Maybe Mayweather did see this coming, but simply refused to believe it. Whatever the case, the more well-rounded pugilist won this battle, and with the final verse of "Winter Wonderland" came a swan song for the cocky Hatton.
When it snows, ain't it thrilling
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way
Walking in a winter wonderland
Is Floyd Mayweather, Jr. next on Pacman's list? That remains to be seen, but for now, I think, pundits would be better served to redefine what can happen in a blink of an eye. Someone's nose got a "chilling" indeed, and at least for today, the English have to chew on that, as the those on the side of the adversaries of the "People's Champion" have had to do repeatedly over the last few years.
He's my kind of boxing champion, no question about it. Is he my kind of politician, though? That, kids, is a whole other issue which I'd rather not get into.
+++
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Celtic Pride.
By Migs
After seven death-defying contests, the defending champion Boston Celtics have prevailed over he pesky Chicago Bulls.
This victory couldn't have come a moment too soon for either team.
The Bulls' youth showed in Game 7. The Bulls failed to adjust during pick and roll situations which made bigs like Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins seem like Shaq and Duncan in their prime. Paul Pierce still managed to get to wherever he wanted, and instead of doing single coverage on him, the Bulls doubled him constantly, leaving then sizziling shooters like Ray Allen and Eddie House (who didn't miss a free throw or field goal) to shoot daggers into the hearts of the visitors from Chi-town. Derrick Rose and Brad Miller dribbled way too much, and Joakim Noah's energy worked against him, as evidenced by the number of ill-advised fouls he committed. All in all, Boston ran an offensive clinic aganist a Bulls team that, in truth, "got lucky".
Ben Gordon scored 33 points for the Bulls, but only shot 7-23 from the floor, with 4-12 coming from behind the arc. While Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose scored 18 on 9-18 shooting, his lack of consistency made it hard for Chicago establish a good offensive flow. The Celtics amped up their defense in this game, too, forcing the young Bulls to take way too many jumpshots.
To me, the real X-Factors in this 7th game for the defending champions were Perkins and Davis, who combined for 29 points and 15 boards on 50% shooting. I realize that such sounds like a Dwight Howard statline, but with Kevin Garnett out, and with most eyes being on Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo, the contributions of the Celtics' "big trees" proved to be invaluable in securing a ticket to the Eastern Conference semis.
The Bulls enter an offseason, still, defined by promise. Tyrus Thomas has developed himself into a more than serviceable energy player off the bench, and his newly-found 17 foot jumper has made him that much more dangerous. Joakim Noah- assuming he finds a way to mellow down when he has to- will become an even better player than the one we see today. Ben Gordon will be a free agent, and whether or not the Bulls re-sign him or not, Chicago's savvy top brass, led by GM John Paxson, should be able to bring someone back who can match- or surpass- Gordon's scoring prowess. John Salmons has proven himself to be one of the top pickups of the season, and with a little more playoff seasoning, he could potentially blossom into a Josh Howard-ish type of cager. Derrick Rose is star, and with more experience, he should help continue to redefine the point guard position for this generation- and the next.
7 games, a lot of extra TV time, and a whole lot of close calls later, we'd expect that we'd have time to catch our breath. Not so.
Things should only get more thrilling from hereon in.
After seven death-defying contests, the defending champion Boston Celtics have prevailed over he pesky Chicago Bulls.
This victory couldn't have come a moment too soon for either team.
The Bulls' youth showed in Game 7. The Bulls failed to adjust during pick and roll situations which made bigs like Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins seem like Shaq and Duncan in their prime. Paul Pierce still managed to get to wherever he wanted, and instead of doing single coverage on him, the Bulls doubled him constantly, leaving then sizziling shooters like Ray Allen and Eddie House (who didn't miss a free throw or field goal) to shoot daggers into the hearts of the visitors from Chi-town. Derrick Rose and Brad Miller dribbled way too much, and Joakim Noah's energy worked against him, as evidenced by the number of ill-advised fouls he committed. All in all, Boston ran an offensive clinic aganist a Bulls team that, in truth, "got lucky".
Ben Gordon scored 33 points for the Bulls, but only shot 7-23 from the floor, with 4-12 coming from behind the arc. While Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose scored 18 on 9-18 shooting, his lack of consistency made it hard for Chicago establish a good offensive flow. The Celtics amped up their defense in this game, too, forcing the young Bulls to take way too many jumpshots.
To me, the real X-Factors in this 7th game for the defending champions were Perkins and Davis, who combined for 29 points and 15 boards on 50% shooting. I realize that such sounds like a Dwight Howard statline, but with Kevin Garnett out, and with most eyes being on Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo, the contributions of the Celtics' "big trees" proved to be invaluable in securing a ticket to the Eastern Conference semis.
The Bulls enter an offseason, still, defined by promise. Tyrus Thomas has developed himself into a more than serviceable energy player off the bench, and his newly-found 17 foot jumper has made him that much more dangerous. Joakim Noah- assuming he finds a way to mellow down when he has to- will become an even better player than the one we see today. Ben Gordon will be a free agent, and whether or not the Bulls re-sign him or not, Chicago's savvy top brass, led by GM John Paxson, should be able to bring someone back who can match- or surpass- Gordon's scoring prowess. John Salmons has proven himself to be one of the top pickups of the season, and with a little more playoff seasoning, he could potentially blossom into a Josh Howard-ish type of cager. Derrick Rose is star, and with more experience, he should help continue to redefine the point guard position for this generation- and the next.
7 games, a lot of extra TV time, and a whole lot of close calls later, we'd expect that we'd have time to catch our breath. Not so.
Things should only get more thrilling from hereon in.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Baton Rouge Disaster.
By Migs
Isn't it ironic that a Byron Scott team's fallen apart in the playoffs- again?
Back when was the head man in the Meadowlands, the former Lakers star became part of a highly publicized feud with then Nets guard Jason Kidd. The tiff led to Scott being expelled from the Swamp, and the eventual fall from grace of a team that was a perennial Eastern power early this decade.
The 2009 edition of the Scott soap opera features a team with postseason potential, the coach in question, and a star floor director ala-Kidd. This picture, we've seen before.
With the Hornets having been blown out for a second night in a row by the sizzling Nuggets, the boys in teal have an offseason full of pressing questions ahead of him. Are two playoff appearances by the Paul-lead squad smokescreens for behind-the-scenes bloodletting? Can George Shinn afford to continue to scrimp of dollars in spite of having a less than stellar bench? Especially since the summer of 2010 is less than a stone's throw away? After such a dramatic postseason ouster, will Chris Paul want out? Will David West follow suit? And have we seen the last of Tyson Chandler in Cajun Nation both due to financial reasons and due to him getting his spirit shattered along with the rest of the Hornets?
Lots of question marks, yes? See, I wasn't kidding.
This year's Blazers are the Hornets from 2007-2008. This year's Hornets are, well, just like the next dysfunctional playoff squad who sneaked in as much due to one player's otherworldly skills as a whole heap of luck.
______
Isn't it ironic that a Byron Scott team's fallen apart in the playoffs- again?
Back when was the head man in the Meadowlands, the former Lakers star became part of a highly publicized feud with then Nets guard Jason Kidd. The tiff led to Scott being expelled from the Swamp, and the eventual fall from grace of a team that was a perennial Eastern power early this decade.
The 2009 edition of the Scott soap opera features a team with postseason potential, the coach in question, and a star floor director ala-Kidd. This picture, we've seen before.
With the Hornets having been blown out for a second night in a row by the sizzling Nuggets, the boys in teal have an offseason full of pressing questions ahead of him. Are two playoff appearances by the Paul-lead squad smokescreens for behind-the-scenes bloodletting? Can George Shinn afford to continue to scrimp of dollars in spite of having a less than stellar bench? Especially since the summer of 2010 is less than a stone's throw away? After such a dramatic postseason ouster, will Chris Paul want out? Will David West follow suit? And have we seen the last of Tyson Chandler in Cajun Nation both due to financial reasons and due to him getting his spirit shattered along with the rest of the Hornets?
Lots of question marks, yes? See, I wasn't kidding.
This year's Blazers are the Hornets from 2007-2008. This year's Hornets are, well, just like the next dysfunctional playoff squad who sneaked in as much due to one player's otherworldly skills as a whole heap of luck.
______
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Playoff Plunkers.
By Migs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs began over a week ago. As with any edition of the NBA Postseason, there come plunkers, and klunkers.
Here are some which I've noticed.
1) The San Antonio Spurs knew that they were in knee deep trouble when they lost Manu Ginobili to an ankle injury, but no one expect them to be shredded like they have been by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
After being held to a season low 67 points in game 3, the Spurs have looked a tad one dimensional, with anything and everything on offense going through Tony Parker. More glaringly, is the 2007 NBA titlist's lackadaisical defense. Maybe it's their age, but whatever the reason, the Spurs had better get their act together quick. As of this morning, Manila time, they had fallen behind 3 games to 1 in their first round series against their inter-state rivals, the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs have just looked more athletic, motivated, and downright nasty. It hasn't been all Dirk, and rightfully so. They've looked less predictable that way. Kudos to Josh Howard, JJ Barea, and JET for good support play.
2) The Utah Jazz got the short end of the stick when they drew the Lakers as opening round pugilists. Hey, it could have been New Orleans, or Dallas, at the eighth spot, but the Jazz did stumble into the playoffs on an ugly losing skid, and now they're paying the price. Kobe's been running circles around competent defenders such as Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer, and while Deron Williams is an all-star, Carlos Boozer has seemed a bit lackluster for most of the series, and Mehmet Okur has not provided that much additional support. The Lakers' chemistry- and the Jazz's lack thereof- will prove to be the pivotal factor in determine the winner, and the loser, in this matchup.
3) The Orlando Magic, for all the hype surrounding them, have faltered against the Philadelphia 76ers thus far because, despite having Dwight Howard, have failed to put up much defense against Andre Iguodala and the Sixers' other fleet-footed youngsters. Hedo Turkoglu has had a horrible series, and Rashard Lewis, while has been decent, hasn't quite been the player who made the Eastern Conference All-Star team back in February. Maybe they've been lucky at times, but Philly's uptempo style has seemed to fluster the Magic, and help keep D-Ho out of position on offense. The team with an interim coach, no all-stars, and a lot of pride has a shot at winning this series, contrary to what many pundits predicted coming into the postseason. Boy, does Orlando miss Jameer Nelson now. Rafer Alston has filled in nicely, but Jameer was, overall, just a more explosive innovator on offense, and could be, if he put his mind to it, a lock down, muscle-you-aside defender. Andre Miller's looked like a schoolyard bully at times because of Nelson's absence.
4) The Boston Celtics are the defending NBA champions- but for how much longer?
From Kevin Garnett's shaky health, to the recent injury to forward Leon Powe, to a totally bizaare security situation surrounding guard Tony Allen, the Celtics have had a lot on their plate- maybe more than they had bargained for. They will most probably get past the Chicago Bulls in round 1 (barring a Derrick Rose fireworks display that can last 3 more games), but once Cleveland comes around, I wouldn't expect green to reign supreme. The Cavs simply have more firepower from top to bottom, and the Celtics, despite being one of the most cohesive units in the league, have a bench that can tend to be shallower than a boring conversationalist on a date you find yourself forced into by a conniving friend. Boston will have a chance if Garnett can come back at even 60% strength. Otherwise, the kings will have to cede their lofty throne to another would-be basketball monarch.
5) Twitter is all the rage now amongst NBA players, and if we were to lump up all the Twitter messages that the Detroit Piston cagers were to send out, we may end up with a litany of bad vibes. The Motor City kids have been so severely outclassed by LBJ and the Cavs that viewers have been led to ask, "Is it over yet?"
Would this 1:8 tiff have been different if Allen Iverson hadn't gotten a lobotomy, uhm, I mean, advice to rest his back and potentially prepare for surgery? Who knows. All I'm aware of right now is the fact that Joe Dumars, who doesn't necessarily believe in rebuilding might have to change his views on the said topic. This team looks old, vulnerable, and scattered. Time to shell out some dough, fire Michael Curry, and get serious about winning again.
6) The New Orleans Hornets were stellar in the playoffs in 2008, but everyone then knew what we all know now more than ever- this team has NO bench. CP3 can get 50 and 20 every night and still not win because a supporting cast of guys like Hilton Armstrong, Melvin Ely, and a seemingly over-the-hill Mo Pete just won't cut it. Add a Leandro Barbosa type and a cager in the mold of a Nene to your reserves' list and things might turn out different. Too bad they'll have to wait until Chauncey Billups and the Nuggets beat them black and blue before they can do a personnel revamp.
and finally...
7) I think the Atlanta Hawks are beginning to look like the Hawks of the late 80's and 1990's more than they'd like. Back in the day, Michael Jordan routinely torched them with amazing all-around performances.
In this era of basketball, it's Dwyane Wade whose picked up the blowtorch and singed feathers.
After being held to 19 points in Game 1, Wade's looked more Jordanesque than ever, making fadeaway 3-balls and letting his 'mates in on the show for good measure. Can anyone say "upset?".
I wouldn't necessarily consider the Heat winning over the Hawks an upset, but I do know that after working so hard to grab the 4th seed in the East, and after showing such promise in stretches over the past season, the word, "upset" ought to still apply to those in Atlanta- in more ways than one. While the series isn't over, their confidence has been shattered, and fear resides in these Hawks' psyches now more than ever.
++++++++++
The 2009 NBA Playoffs began over a week ago. As with any edition of the NBA Postseason, there come plunkers, and klunkers.
Here are some which I've noticed.
1) The San Antonio Spurs knew that they were in knee deep trouble when they lost Manu Ginobili to an ankle injury, but no one expect them to be shredded like they have been by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
After being held to a season low 67 points in game 3, the Spurs have looked a tad one dimensional, with anything and everything on offense going through Tony Parker. More glaringly, is the 2007 NBA titlist's lackadaisical defense. Maybe it's their age, but whatever the reason, the Spurs had better get their act together quick. As of this morning, Manila time, they had fallen behind 3 games to 1 in their first round series against their inter-state rivals, the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs have just looked more athletic, motivated, and downright nasty. It hasn't been all Dirk, and rightfully so. They've looked less predictable that way. Kudos to Josh Howard, JJ Barea, and JET for good support play.
2) The Utah Jazz got the short end of the stick when they drew the Lakers as opening round pugilists. Hey, it could have been New Orleans, or Dallas, at the eighth spot, but the Jazz did stumble into the playoffs on an ugly losing skid, and now they're paying the price. Kobe's been running circles around competent defenders such as Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer, and while Deron Williams is an all-star, Carlos Boozer has seemed a bit lackluster for most of the series, and Mehmet Okur has not provided that much additional support. The Lakers' chemistry- and the Jazz's lack thereof- will prove to be the pivotal factor in determine the winner, and the loser, in this matchup.
3) The Orlando Magic, for all the hype surrounding them, have faltered against the Philadelphia 76ers thus far because, despite having Dwight Howard, have failed to put up much defense against Andre Iguodala and the Sixers' other fleet-footed youngsters. Hedo Turkoglu has had a horrible series, and Rashard Lewis, while has been decent, hasn't quite been the player who made the Eastern Conference All-Star team back in February. Maybe they've been lucky at times, but Philly's uptempo style has seemed to fluster the Magic, and help keep D-Ho out of position on offense. The team with an interim coach, no all-stars, and a lot of pride has a shot at winning this series, contrary to what many pundits predicted coming into the postseason. Boy, does Orlando miss Jameer Nelson now. Rafer Alston has filled in nicely, but Jameer was, overall, just a more explosive innovator on offense, and could be, if he put his mind to it, a lock down, muscle-you-aside defender. Andre Miller's looked like a schoolyard bully at times because of Nelson's absence.
4) The Boston Celtics are the defending NBA champions- but for how much longer?
From Kevin Garnett's shaky health, to the recent injury to forward Leon Powe, to a totally bizaare security situation surrounding guard Tony Allen, the Celtics have had a lot on their plate- maybe more than they had bargained for. They will most probably get past the Chicago Bulls in round 1 (barring a Derrick Rose fireworks display that can last 3 more games), but once Cleveland comes around, I wouldn't expect green to reign supreme. The Cavs simply have more firepower from top to bottom, and the Celtics, despite being one of the most cohesive units in the league, have a bench that can tend to be shallower than a boring conversationalist on a date you find yourself forced into by a conniving friend. Boston will have a chance if Garnett can come back at even 60% strength. Otherwise, the kings will have to cede their lofty throne to another would-be basketball monarch.
5) Twitter is all the rage now amongst NBA players, and if we were to lump up all the Twitter messages that the Detroit Piston cagers were to send out, we may end up with a litany of bad vibes. The Motor City kids have been so severely outclassed by LBJ and the Cavs that viewers have been led to ask, "Is it over yet?"
Would this 1:8 tiff have been different if Allen Iverson hadn't gotten a lobotomy, uhm, I mean, advice to rest his back and potentially prepare for surgery? Who knows. All I'm aware of right now is the fact that Joe Dumars, who doesn't necessarily believe in rebuilding might have to change his views on the said topic. This team looks old, vulnerable, and scattered. Time to shell out some dough, fire Michael Curry, and get serious about winning again.
6) The New Orleans Hornets were stellar in the playoffs in 2008, but everyone then knew what we all know now more than ever- this team has NO bench. CP3 can get 50 and 20 every night and still not win because a supporting cast of guys like Hilton Armstrong, Melvin Ely, and a seemingly over-the-hill Mo Pete just won't cut it. Add a Leandro Barbosa type and a cager in the mold of a Nene to your reserves' list and things might turn out different. Too bad they'll have to wait until Chauncey Billups and the Nuggets beat them black and blue before they can do a personnel revamp.
and finally...
7) I think the Atlanta Hawks are beginning to look like the Hawks of the late 80's and 1990's more than they'd like. Back in the day, Michael Jordan routinely torched them with amazing all-around performances.
In this era of basketball, it's Dwyane Wade whose picked up the blowtorch and singed feathers.
After being held to 19 points in Game 1, Wade's looked more Jordanesque than ever, making fadeaway 3-balls and letting his 'mates in on the show for good measure. Can anyone say "upset?".
I wouldn't necessarily consider the Heat winning over the Hawks an upset, but I do know that after working so hard to grab the 4th seed in the East, and after showing such promise in stretches over the past season, the word, "upset" ought to still apply to those in Atlanta- in more ways than one. While the series isn't over, their confidence has been shattered, and fear resides in these Hawks' psyches now more than ever.
++++++++++
Monday, February 23, 2009
One of Those Years.
By MC
First off all, it's great to be back in this bubble in cyberspace after so long. Now, onto today's order of business.
In the NBA, there are some years when, no matter who's in the running for a title, no matter how high up in the stratosphere the league is in terms of notoriety, and no matter how invincible the purported, "world's greatest athletes" seem to be, the injury bug seems to creep up on everyone and unabashedly wipe some of the luster off of an otherwise stellar NBA fascade.
2008-2009 seems to be one of those cycles of 365.
Look at who's gone down with major injuries this year- Tracy McGrady (like we didn't see this coming), Al Jefferson, Amare Stoudemire, Michael Redd, Gilbert Arenas (like we didn't see this coming either), Carlos Boozer, Kevin Garnett, and Elton Brand, just to name a few.
Talk about sucking the league dry of its star power.
On the upside of this plague exists an opportunity for lesser known players (i.e. Paul Millsap, Ryan Gomes) to nab some of the spotlight from their more noteworthy compatriots towards having career years. The downside of losing this much starpower, though, is that, not only does the league tend to fill fewer seats, but, that the outcomes of certain matchups become more and more predictable.
For example...
Could you imagine Dallas getting past a San Antonio or LA should its Bird-esque star Dirk Nowitzki go down? Or, could you imagine Orlando being a lock for playoff glory sans Dwight Howard? Of course not. And while there are more compelling storylines in the NBA that a pundit like me could focus on, this seems to be something that has become more and more unnoticed, especially now that it seems so entrenched in both the Eastern and Western Conference power struggles already (there's LA and San Antonio, and everybody else in the West, and Boston, Orlando, and Cleveland, and everybody else, in the East). It's unavoidable for some teams to move ahead of the pack during any NBA season, however, the discrepancies are so glaring at this point that fans of lower wrung teams could very well be in for a "teen slasher flick" type ending to their season rather than one befitting a fit and fab Oscar winning picture.
Scenarios, like Kobe going down, or Paul Pierce and Ray Allen showing their ages, though, is a whole other ballgame. That would be having the injury bug's polarity getting reversed so as foster more balance rather than the fragmenting of Pangaea.
If this goes on, as it has been, we may even see Charlie Villanueva get into the running for MVP and Kevin Love become Rookie of the Year.
Stay tuned for the next set of casts coming on, and the next few coming off, over the next few weeks. The run up to the 2009 postseason could be the most thrilling, or predictable, denouements we're going to see in a very long time.
++++++++
First off all, it's great to be back in this bubble in cyberspace after so long. Now, onto today's order of business.
In the NBA, there are some years when, no matter who's in the running for a title, no matter how high up in the stratosphere the league is in terms of notoriety, and no matter how invincible the purported, "world's greatest athletes" seem to be, the injury bug seems to creep up on everyone and unabashedly wipe some of the luster off of an otherwise stellar NBA fascade.
2008-2009 seems to be one of those cycles of 365.
Look at who's gone down with major injuries this year- Tracy McGrady (like we didn't see this coming), Al Jefferson, Amare Stoudemire, Michael Redd, Gilbert Arenas (like we didn't see this coming either), Carlos Boozer, Kevin Garnett, and Elton Brand, just to name a few.
Talk about sucking the league dry of its star power.
On the upside of this plague exists an opportunity for lesser known players (i.e. Paul Millsap, Ryan Gomes) to nab some of the spotlight from their more noteworthy compatriots towards having career years. The downside of losing this much starpower, though, is that, not only does the league tend to fill fewer seats, but, that the outcomes of certain matchups become more and more predictable.
For example...
Could you imagine Dallas getting past a San Antonio or LA should its Bird-esque star Dirk Nowitzki go down? Or, could you imagine Orlando being a lock for playoff glory sans Dwight Howard? Of course not. And while there are more compelling storylines in the NBA that a pundit like me could focus on, this seems to be something that has become more and more unnoticed, especially now that it seems so entrenched in both the Eastern and Western Conference power struggles already (there's LA and San Antonio, and everybody else in the West, and Boston, Orlando, and Cleveland, and everybody else, in the East). It's unavoidable for some teams to move ahead of the pack during any NBA season, however, the discrepancies are so glaring at this point that fans of lower wrung teams could very well be in for a "teen slasher flick" type ending to their season rather than one befitting a fit and fab Oscar winning picture.
Scenarios, like Kobe going down, or Paul Pierce and Ray Allen showing their ages, though, is a whole other ballgame. That would be having the injury bug's polarity getting reversed so as foster more balance rather than the fragmenting of Pangaea.
If this goes on, as it has been, we may even see Charlie Villanueva get into the running for MVP and Kevin Love become Rookie of the Year.
Stay tuned for the next set of casts coming on, and the next few coming off, over the next few weeks. The run up to the 2009 postseason could be the most thrilling, or predictable, denouements we're going to see in a very long time.
++++++++
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