Apr 24, 2011

Easter Sunday Thoughts...

Disappointing Knicks
After playing two down to the wire games in Boston, the results of Friday night's game three was an absolute nightmare for the Knicks. The first meaningful playoff game at Madison Square Garden in almost a decade, a game where the stars could own their court, and they got owned instead. There are enough excuses for why the Knicks didn't show up for game three, but after the effort that C-team gave on the road to open the series, it didn't seem impossible for the Knicks to still be in the series come Sunday...instead they couldn't be any further away.

Maybe the Knicks get lucky and squeeze out a win today, but with Amar'e talking about possibly not playing, and the real Knicks showing up Friday night, it just seems like the Knicks never really stood a shot in this series. For all of the hustle and effort and defense they gave in game two, they gave two times less effort and defense in game three. Ray Allen is unquestionably one of if not the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA, but for him to knock down eight of 11 from three, after going seven for nine in the first two games, shows a complete lack of attention to detail on the defensive end...and it really got them burned. Allen posted 32 points in the win, while Rajon Rondo notched a triple-double and Paul Pierce went for a game-high 38. The Knicks have shown that they can play defense and not just try to outscore another team to win games, and on a night when they were undermanned but playing with the home court behind them they really just didn't play the right game.

As disappointed as I am in guys like Landry Fields and Toney Douglas, this is why Mike D'Antoni makes the money he makes, to coach big games. With these being the first big games of his three year tenure I'm just so infuriated that he's not getting his team to come up bigger. Maybe my expectations are too high and I should be content with only losing by five combined points in the first two games, but the Knicks have shown that they can hang with the best teams in the league, with the talent they have they should really be finding ways to win some of these games. Celtics coach Doc Rivers is coaching the pants off of D'Antoni, who isn't a stranger to playoff basketball mind you. I'm not calling for D'Antoni's head yet, but he either needs a defensive minded assistant coach added to his staff for next season or the Knicks better go out and get Steve Nash or Stephen Curry so they can continue to try and outscore their opponents and play minimal defense.

Bottom line is the Knicks can't pick and choose when they're going to play defense against a team like the Celtics, especially if the Knicks are undermanned, which they very blatantly are. The Celtics still have four players who can have their way with the Knicks defense whenever they want to, and the Knicks seem to have one guy who can do the same if he doesn't shoot his team out of the game, which he at times does. It's hard to say this but this series looks over. Better luck next year Knicks.

Same ole Mavs
I don't mean to dig at the Mavericks as much as I want to celebrate Brandon Roy, but bylines digging at the Mavs sell more papers than Blazermania. Back to my agenda, B Roy has been one of my favorite players in the NBA the last few seasons, and to see him struggle with injuries and really seem to not be able to stay healthy has really been one of the sadder stories in the league. Well I'm not going to say he's back, but to see Roy go for 18 points in the fourth, bringing the Blazers back from down 23 points to win game four and tie the series at two was one of more amazing feats of the season. Roy dropped 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field, his highest output since December 10th, 2010. Roy has been very emotional about his role in the playoffs, but if he can continue to play the one he did in game four the Blazers could have an extended trip in the playoffs. I'm rooting for the Blazers but get it together Mavs.

More Playoff Thoughts
Heat look good, Bulls look good, Thunder look good. What's the deal with the Magic? It's gotta be Stan Van...honestly. To have as much talent as they've had over the past couple of years and just never be able to pull it together? Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson...none of those guys can throw Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson a bone? I think there's a chance they don't rally and overcome the Hawks. The talents there Orlando. The Lakers don't look overly impressive but they'll probably pull this one out in five or six. Grizzlies are looking like the popular upset pick, but don't be fooled, the Spurs are one of these teams that can just flip a switch...right? Nuggets where you at? See, they're not any better than the Knicks! Pacers are playing the Bulls hard, Frank Vogel's doing a heck of a job in Indy, Tom Thibodeaux, slightly better one in Chicago. And lastly, it would be awesome if the MVP race was decided at the end of the playoffs....you have to figure your five finalists are Kobe, LeBron, D. Rose, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul/Kevin Durant....oddly enough those are the guys that are absolutely dominating the first week of the playoffs. Semi-finals are going to be insane.

A Little Baseball, with even less Law of Average
Remember when the Red Sox started the season 2-10 (hell yea!)? Well they're now 9-11 and playing as well as just about any team in baseball not named the Yankees (and Rangers, Rockies, and Phillies to be fair). After giving up ten earned runs and striking out four in his first two starts, Daisuke Matsuzaka has come back to give up zero earned runs and strike out 12 in his last two. The Rays started the season 1-8 and are now 10-11...in the same respect the Orioles started the season 6-1 and are now plummeting down back to the bottom of the AL East at 8-11. My point is that baseball (not just the AL East) is a game of averages. That's why a young, provenly talented player needs a chance to slump before they're benched with the fear that they've lost it. Dice-K looked like the worst pitcher in baseball to start the season, he's clearly bounced back. As rocky as Phil Hughes and Madison Bumgarner have looked, you can't give up on them just yet, especially when you have a terrific bullpen and a pretty sturdy looking staff behind him. People get off to slow starts in baseball...but as the Red Sox and Rays have already proven this season, it's not how slow you start, it's how well you turn it on. The baseball season is the biggest example of a marathon not a sprint...be patient. Unless you're a Mets fan, then be pessimistic.

Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays...

Apr 18, 2011

What We've Seen Through Game One...

It's currently day three of the NBA Playoffs and here's what we know...

- Dwight Howard is unquestionably the most dominant big man in the NBA
- Chris Paul may still be the best point guard in the league
- The Heat are really good
- And so is Derrick Rose

Eight incredible games in two days, this is the NBA Playoffs people! Lakers and Spurs both lose home openers? The Bulls down ten with under four minutes to go in the game, and they come back to win? Dwight Howard drops 46 points and 19 boards and the Magic don't win? And how about a ticky-tack offensive foul called in the final minute of a neck-and-neck game to turn the tides in the Celtics favor? If this is just a glimpse into the first round of the playoffs then I'm sold, but I suspect the best is still in front of us.

With that said I just wanted to recap each series and share my thoughts on what kind of series we have in front of us.

Eastern Conference
1. Bulls vs 8. Pacers
How could the Pacers not have won Game 1? Derrick Rose's 39 points and 6 assists probably had a lot to do with it, but I think Chicago's sense of urgency really clicked in the final 4 minutes of the game. After Indiana pulled ahead 98-88 with 3:38 left in the game, the Bulls rallied to score 16 of the games final 17 points en route to a 104-99 victory. Rose got to the free throw line 21 times in game 1 proving his dominance on the offensive end. The Pacers played almost 45 minutes of fantastic basketball, and after their showing in game 1, you have to figure they have it in them to rattle off a couple of wins and possibly make this a series. The Bulls, and Rose's urgency really were impressive and this comeback victory was definitely a statement by the league's best team.

4. Magic vs 5. Hawks
I'm sorry to not break the trend of Hawks hate, but the Hawks really aren't overly impressive, which means the Magic are in some serious trouble if they can't even win a home game behind 46 and 19 from Dwight Howard. Atlanta committed less turnovers and shot at a higher field goal percentage than the Magic, who struggled to score getting only twenty points from the entire team outside of Howard and Jameer Nelson. It appears to be the case of the same old Magic (or lack thereof) in Orlando, Howard needs help from the likes of Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu if the Magic plan on actually getting the Bulls in the second round. This series has full potential to go seven games.

3. Celtics vs 6. Knicks
It's called swallowing your whistle and letting the players play the damn game! Okay, now that I got that out of my system, it's also called learning how to close out a game. The Knicks went into halftime up twelve on the defending Eastern Conference champs, only for the Celtics to climb back into the game and take the lead back for good with 11.6 seconds to go in regulation. I'm not going to talk about officiating, I'm not going to talk about should've, would've, could've...I'm going to gloat in how well the Knicks played defensively as well as without Carmelo Anthony ever really getting involved, but I'm also going to express my disappointment in the fact that the Knicks couldn't hold on to win this game. This was the third game this season that the Knicks were very much in against the Celtics, and the third game that the Celtics ended up winning because ultimately...they are the better team. This game was incredibly close which makes me believe the series will either go 6 or 7 games, but as the Celtics have proven over and over again, they aren't losing any close ones to the Knicks.

2. Heat vs 7. Sixers
The Sixers jumped all over the Heat early on Saturday, going up 14 points in the first quarter even. Well, the Heat eventually caught up to them, and then began to pounce on them, and they may not look back again. LeBron James did his usual damage pouring in 21 points with 14 boards and 5 assists, while Chris Bosh added 25 and 12 of his own. Sixers star Andre Iguodala scored only four points in Game 1 (his lowest since scoring just 1 on January 11th this year), which as the leader of this Philadelphia team is just completely unacceptable. Miami stifled the Sixers with their zone defense and if Game 1 is any indicator of how the rest of this series will be, it'll be a quick one.

Western Conference
1. Spurs vs 8. Grizzlies
I think all hoops fans knew this Grizzlies team was for real, but I don't know that anyone expected them to give the Spurs a legit challenge. Keep in mind Manu Ginobili sat this one out, but Tim Duncan looked like he was in his prime still...unfortunately Timmy D couldn't handle Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol as the Grizzlies looked like a real force to be reckoned with. Controlling the post and connecting on 60% from beyond the arc gave the Grizz the advantage in Game 1, and unless the Spurs can get another body on either Gasol or Randolph, this series could very well result in an upset. Memphis didn't look rattled by the pressure of playing in the big game, and winning the first playoff game (first win in franchise history) is aways the hardest. This series is intriguing but I honestly can't pick against the Spurs (in 6).

4. Thunder vs 5. Nuggets
Another game with officiating controversy, this game was very back and forth (as I'm sure the series will be) but ultimately the team with more talent and the better players won. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 72 points for the Thunder, but unless the bench (I'm talking about YOU James Harden) can start to make up for the points the teams not getting from Jeff Green this one could go either way. The Nuggets had five guys in double figures and keep in mind, a lot of these guys (Knicks) have zero playoff experience. This series is a lot of athleticism, a lot of talent, and a lot of hungry players fighting tooth and nail every possession. I don't imagine Nene will have his way with the Thunder again like he did in Game 1, and I can't see Denver stretching this one past six games.

3. Mavericks vs 6. Blazers
Brandon oh Brandon, oh where art thou Brandon Roy? It kills me to see one of my favorite players of the last decade be reduced (diminished) to a bench player but I guess B. Roy just doesn't have the body to be an NBA superstar anymore, especially not at this point. I'm hoping he can regain his physical composure at some point again in his career, but it's so clear that the Blazers are a healthy Brandon Roy away from legitimately competing, not scrapping, but competing. Andre Miller's got a ton of heart and is one of the league's more underrated players, but having him and LaMarcus Aldridge as your two main scoring options just isn't going to cut it. With that said, Jason Kidd had a tremendous game and Dirk did what Dirk does as the Mavs took game one. I can see this series being a whoever's at home wins that night series, which ultimately will result in the Mavs moving on. I'm still pulling for you Portland.

2. Lakers vs 7. Hornets
I hate to admit that this is the one series out West that I thought had the potential to be a sweep...and no I wasn't thinking that the Hornets would be the ones with the brooms in their hands. Chris Paul made it seem as if the Lakers size wouldn't be an issue this series, or maybe that was Pau Gasol's 8 and 6 on 2-of-9 shooting that would make one arrive at that conclusion. The Hornets ran all over the Lakers as Paul went for 33 points, 14 assists and 7 boards...despite that ridiculous line, his performance can best be summed up in one number...three, the amount of turnovers his Hornets had on the day. When you don't turn the ball over it's hard to lose, even if it's against the two-time defending champs. While I very much do believe in Chris Paul, I personally believe this game was an aberration and that the Lakers will take this series in five, six games max.

I hope you all are enjoying the games (objectively at least) as I am and hopefully it only gets more exciting. Stay tuned...

Apr 14, 2011

NBA Season's Over! Awards Time! And Jared has a Rooting Interest in the Playoffs!

It seems like just yesterday that I came up with my NBA Preview...and while the Thunder took another step towards the elite, Carmelo Anthony got traded to the Knicks, and the Grizzlies found their way back to the playoffs...Gilbert Arenas didn't get a chance to revive the Wizards, Yao Ming went down (again), and the Bucks never got the ball rolling. Either way, it's now mid-April and the regular season is over.

If you're like me and six months of professional basketball is nowhere near enough, it looks like we have a very exciting post season ahead of us. While the Lakers, Celtics, and LeBron are still very much relevant in terms of top contenders for the chip, the Spurs won the West, the Bulls won the East, and the Knicks have STAT and Melo (STAT and Melo, STAT and Melo). What I'm trying to say is that the playoffs are absolutely wide open this Spring, but let me tell you who I think the regular season award-winners should be...

MVP: Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

When the Heat acquired Chris Bosh and LeBron James in July of 2010, NBA fans worldwide thought to themselves "how can anybody stop this trifecta of omnipotence?" But what they really thought was "uh-oh, Chris Bosh finally got the help he needs to be the greatest player in the world! His dominance in the post mixed with his deadly touch from outside will remind people of Wilt!"

Ok, so now that you know I'm totally kidding...I think the real MVP of the 2010-2011 NBA Season has to be...

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls

Regardless of how far this team goes beyond this point, one thing will always be remembered about the 2010-2011 season: the Bulls finished the season with the best record in the league and nobody was even close to as responsible for their teams success as Derrick Rose was. LeBron may be the best player in the league, and the Lakers may very well three-peat come June, but the Bulls won 62 games with Carlos Boozer missing 23 games, and Joakim Noah missing 34 games.

Rose finished the season in the top-10 in points (25 ppg) and assists (7.7 apg), and was the fuel behind the league's hottest fire (no Dylan). With offseason controversy surrounding Derrick Rose possibly not wanting a LeBron or Dwyane Wade to play next to him, Rose showed that he has what it takes to be the man and lead a team that really lacks another go-to guy. The Bulls went 8-3 against Boston, Miami, and Orlando this season and Rose really took a huge step towards greatness as he deserves to take the LeBron James award home this season.

Next in line (In order): Dwight Howard, Magic, LeBron James, Heat, Kobe Bryant, Lakers

Coach of the Year: Tom Thibodeau

A ton of credit for the Bulls success has been given to Derrick Rose, but realistically, we already knew how good D. Rose was. We did not however know what kind of a head coach rookie Tom Thibodeau would be, and although we (and John Paxson) suspected that he had what it took to make it in the league, I don't think anyone expected his Bulls to post the best record in the league in his first season at the helm. The Bulls improved by 21 wins since last season, easily the best improvement in the league this season. And aside from the addition of Boozer, who we mentioned missed 23 games this season, this Bulls team wasn't all that different from last seasons team...just with a new coach. You add all of those factors up and I don't see how anyone other than Thibodeau is named Coach of the Year.

Next in Line: Nate McMillan, Blazers, Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies, George Karl, Nuggets

Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin, Clippers

I can't remember the last time this award was as big of a runaway as it is with Blake Griffin. Keep in mind that most years a season like either John Wall or DeMarcus Cousins had would be good enough to win the award, but Blake Griffin may even be named to an All-NBA team this season. After missing the entire season after being drafted, The Blake Show played in all 82 games his rookie season and averaged 22.5 ppg (12th in NBA) and 12.1 rpg (4th). Griffin recorded 63 double-doubles, good for third in the NBA (just three shy of the league high), and is the first rookie since Elton Brand back in the 99-00 season to average 20 points and 10 rebounds in a season. Griffin was named to the All-Star team and won the Dunk Contest, and had the best rookie season since Tim Duncan back in 97-98. Griffin was one of the most entertaining aspects of the NBA this season and is one of professional sports most up-and-coming athletes.

Next in Line: John Wall, Wizards, DeMarcus Cousins, Kings, Landry Fields, Knicks (told you!)

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Magic

Come on, if the Magic and Bulls finished with the same record this might've been the year that Dwight Howard was named league's most valuable...however it was another year of less than greatness in Orlando despite Superman's attempts. Howard's nickname is fitting for the man is just an unbelievable specimen. Howard averaged 14.1 rebounds per game (2nd in the NBA) and 2.38 blocks per game (4th) this season and is probably the most dominant player in the league on the defensive end. He's one of maybe a handful of guys that deters opposing offenses from even thinking about entering the paint, and in today's offense heavy NBA, hardwood is deserved for that kind of ability on the effort end of the floor.

Next in Line: Rajon Rondo, Celtics, Chris Paul, Hornets, Tony Allen, Grizzlies

Most Improved Player of the Year: Kevin Love, Timberwolves

This one was tough, but some kind of recognition has to be given to Kevin Love for the incredible season he had. Love finished second in the league with 64 double-doubles, but first in the league in rebounds (a Rodman-esque 15.2!!!), while averaging over 20 points per game and shooting almost 42% from downtown. It's incredible how overlooked a remarkable season can be in Minnesota. While guys like Kris Humphries, Love's teammate Michael Beasley, and even D. Rose really stepped their games up this season, Love would probably be a First Team All-NBA'er if he would have put those stats up on a winning team. After starting only 22 games last season, Love's increase in playing time really worked out for the lowly Timberwolves (worst record in the league aside).

Next in Line: Kris Humphries, Nets, Eric Gordon, Clippers, Marcin Gortat, Suns

Comeback Player of the Year: Andrew Bogut, Bucks

Most of you probably saw (and cringed at) Andrew Bogut's season ending injury back in April of 2010, but in case you missed it, Bogut broke his his right hand, sprained his right wrist, and dislocated his right elbow...also if you didn't know, Bogut's a righty. The timetable for Bogut's return wasn't anywhere near the amount of time it actually took Bogut to heal up and get back into playing shape. Bogut played in 65 games this season, leading the league in blocked shots per game and finishing fifth in rebounds per game. There must be something in that Australian water, because not many guys would be able to return and be so efficient (not to mention physical) after an injury like that.

Next in Line: I got nothing. No one holds a candle to Bogut's feat.

Executive of the Year: Donnie Walsh

Ok, little bit of a homer pick, but the Knicks aren't the Thunder. They're not a team that has had some awesome pieces who have developed nicely with some other pretty good additions to that core. The Knicks have undergone a complete overhaul and have gone from the ugly chick with glasses and paint on her overalls to a legit contender for Prom Queen (Not Another Teen Movie reference). If you would have looked me in the eyes a year ago and told me "one year from now the Knicks will be in the playoffs being led by Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, and Amar'e Stoudemire" I probably would have been pissed off because I didn't hear you mention LeBron James name. Then I quickly would have gotten over that and been in disbelief. To go from Chris Duhon, Al Harrington and David Lee to the trio of stars currently rocking the orange and blue is like Extreme Makeover Home Edition meets NBA Trade Machine. Over the course of a few years Walsh has turned water into wine, and although the wine isn't fine yet, it's a lot better than the contaminated water Knicks fans were forced to drink for the last decade. Get the guy a new contract, a key to the city, and an NBA Executive of the Year award.

Next in Line: Sam Presti, Thunder, Pat Riley (he deserves the credit), Heat, Danny Ferry, Spurs

Sixth Man Award: Lamar Odom, Lakers

The NBA's Sixth Man Award usually goes to a player who gives his team a spark coming off of the bench and is probably good enough to start if given a chance with a different team. Enter Lamar Odom. Odom's good enough to start for the two-time defending champs, has almost as many double-doubles as he does games started (28-35), but plays his role off the bench probably better than any player in the league. Odom's versatile enough to run the point-forward or be a post presence on both sides of the court, and considering he's most comfortable scoring outside of the paint, Odom's career best 53% field goal shooting helped make up for the 28 games the Lakers were without Andrew Bynum. Bynum is such a unique player in today's NBA in the sense that he's a dinosaur amongst men, but the Lakers don't skip a beat without him as Odom (and obviously Pau Gasol) still give the Lake Show the size and efficiency it takes to be the powerhouse that they've been for almost four seasons now. No bench player has as big of an impact on his teams success as Odom, so he's my clear choice for this award.

Next in Line: Toney Douglas, Knicks, Jason Terry, Mavericks, Shawn Marion, Mavericks

First Team All-NBA
G - Derrick Rose
G - Kobe Bryant
F - LeBron James
F - Kevin Durant
C - Dwight Howard

Second Team All-NBA
G - Dwyane Wade
G - Chris Paul
F - Dirk Nowitzki
F - Blake Griffin
C - Pau Gasol

Third Team All-NBA
G - Rajon Rondo
G - Steve Nash
F - Carmelo Anthony
F - Kevin Love
C - Andrew Bogut

First Team All-Defense
G - Rajon Rondo
G - Chris Paul
F - Tony Allen
F - LeBron James
C - Dwight Howard

All-Rookie Team
G - John Wall
G - Landry Fields
F - Blake Griffin
F - Greg Monroe
C - DeMarcus Cousins

Those are my picks for the 2010-2011 season...let me know what you guys think and enjoy the playoffs!



Go New York Go New York Go!