The topic of the day is numbers
Jersey love I was happy to see Antoine Walker go back to the Celtics, because I always thought he played his best there, and since he spent his first 7 seasons there, that`s where my mind placed him. So when he returned to the Celtics wearing #88, it seemed a bit funny (his old number was 8, but the rookie Al Jefferson had taken it in his absence). Then, in a game against the Lakers this week, `Toine came on the court wearing his old #8! Apparently Al Jefferson gave him his number back. It`s not unheard of for players to do that, but they usually ask for money or gifts in return, but Jefferson did it just as a nice welcome-back gesture. I thought that was pretty cool.
Shaq makes numbers meaningless I think lots of sports fans tend to overstate the importance of statistics. Yes, statistics are an easy way to get a general picture of somebody`s game. You can tell at a glance if somebody is a scorer, a rebounder, or an unselfish player (to an extent... maybe you are a good passer, but if your teammates suck, your assist numbers won`t reflect your passing skills). But I was watching a game with Shaq in it, and I realized that Shaq`s impact on a game really can`t be measured in numbers. There is no statistic that reflects the various ways he affects games. For example: Shaq draws a ton of fowls. Yes, this is measured a bit in the `Free throws attempted` stat, but it doesn`t really illustrate the effect that has: in the 4th quarter, opposing teams run out of bodies to throw at Shaq, and then he can just dominate the paint. Or how about this: Shaq`s ability to give his teammates way way easier shots. Shaq draws so much attention from double and triple teams, that his teammates get a lot more space to get off shots. I guess you could compare their field goal percentage to last year, but that`s not that accurate.
The number 8 Last year I wasn`t that interested to see who would get the last seed in the West (congrats Denver), but this year is different. Nobody expected the Sonics and Phoenix to dominate this year. So that`s 2 teams that are guaranteed playoff spots, that nobody figured would make it. So what that means, is that 2 teams who most people figured would make the playoffs this year, won`t. Will it be the Lakers? The TWolves? I can`t believe I can ask these questions... those teams were in the West finals last year!
The East should be interesting too. Specifically, I am very curious to see who will make it out of the Atlantic division, now that the Celtics and Philly have reloaded. I have a feeling that the Celts will make it out of the division, but I`m rooting for Philly myself. I really like C-Webb`s game, and I love AI, so I hope they start clicking soon.
RIP The Kings It`s weird when you see teams completely change personality, but I`ve seen it happen a lot. The last few years I grudgingly admired the Kings, because I loved their passing-style of basketball, always at the top of the league in assists. The only thing that kept me from really liking them was that I was a Mavs fan. You know how it is. But yeah, last year I thought it was so cool that they had 3 big men who averaged like 5 assists a piece. Letting go of Vlade I understood, because of age, but when they lost C-Webb... it no longer was the same team. I always enjoyed watching them before when they had at least 2 big men on the court, because you never knew where the ball would end up.
What number would you wear? I always think its interesting to see what number players choose to wear. Like, LeBron James wears #23 because Jorden was his hero. Kobe Bryant wears number 8, in honor of Mike D`Antoni (who is now coach of the Suns, but used to be the best player in the Italian leagues, which Kobe grew up watching when he was a little boy in Italy). I usually wore #13 in high school.
Ken talks to himself about the NBA
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slapdash21
- Futureless
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- Joined: 29 Sep 2004 14:50
- Location: Beantown, kidd
I don't have anything new to say at the moment, so here's the ESPN power rankings:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerrank ... 05&week=18
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerrank ... 05&week=18
-connor campbell
prosers-pros of the posers-
I like my sugar with coffee and cream.
prosers-pros of the posers-
I like my sugar with coffee and cream.
I was just messing around online, and came across this:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerrank ... 05&week=-1
Those are ESPN`s power rankings for the NBA before the season started. Check out Seattle at the 2nd worst spot, and the Wizards at the 4th worst spot. They are respectively in the 3rd and 4th spots in their conferences. It`s also sad to see Minnesota so high... I also thought they would be really good this year.
Some other random thoughts:
Webber not meshing in Philly The fans are already restless, and I will admit that Webber hasn`t adjusted to the new system too well. But I still think that Webber and Iverson could be a real potent force if they get some more time to mesh. Granted, with only 20 some odd games to go in the season, and Philly barely out of the 8th (last) playoff spot in the East, time is of the essence. But I just don`t get all these fanboys dismissing Webber so quickly... he`s such a good player, you can`t do that to him so early.
Boston has a great shot at winning the Atlantic. If Webber is having trouble adjusting to the Sixers, just the opposite is true of Toine. What are they, 5-1 since Toine came back? Before the trade deadline, I though Boston had the best shot at winning the Atlantic, even though I`m rooting for Philly. Now that the trades have gone through, I think the Celts have an even better shot at winning the division. The real question is: even if the Celts win the division, will their record be better than whoever gets the 6th seed in the East? Because if not, the other team gets homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
Nets won`t make the playoffs. Doomed by their bad start. Jefferson had to carry the team for the first third of the season, then Carter came which helped, but Jefferson went out. I think they will do very well next season if Kidd, Jefferson, and Carter are all healthy (and in that order of importance).
Suns vs. Spurs They played each other last night, and the Suns won. BUT, Duncan and Ginobili didn`t play, and it was still a fairly close game. That should have Suns fans a bit worried. Still, I can`t complain when Stoudemire gets 40+ points, Nash gets 15 assists, and Marion gets 17 rebounds. I`m still a little concerned about the Suns`s depth, but I will admit that their trades for Jackson and McCarty helped out a lot. After yeserday`s game, the Suns and Spurs are tied for the best record in the NBA, but the Spurs have the series tie-breaker if they meet in the playoffs.
The Bulls are STILL over .500 This late in the season, that`s incredible. Yeah, the Sonics were a big surprise this year. But I think that the Bulls still qualify as the biggest, and nicest surprise of the year. They managed to get 30+ victories for the first time since Jordan left. Okafor will probably get the Rookie of the Year trophy, but personally I think they should just give that trophy collectively to the Bulls team.
Lakers miss the playoffs? Personally, I hope so. Wow, the Lakers and the Knicks missing the playoffs in the same year... that`s like my dream come true. If Miami won the championship this year, and the Lakers didn`t make the playoffs, and Kobe didn`t win the scoring title...
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerrank ... 05&week=-1
Those are ESPN`s power rankings for the NBA before the season started. Check out Seattle at the 2nd worst spot, and the Wizards at the 4th worst spot. They are respectively in the 3rd and 4th spots in their conferences. It`s also sad to see Minnesota so high... I also thought they would be really good this year.
Some other random thoughts:
Webber not meshing in Philly The fans are already restless, and I will admit that Webber hasn`t adjusted to the new system too well. But I still think that Webber and Iverson could be a real potent force if they get some more time to mesh. Granted, with only 20 some odd games to go in the season, and Philly barely out of the 8th (last) playoff spot in the East, time is of the essence. But I just don`t get all these fanboys dismissing Webber so quickly... he`s such a good player, you can`t do that to him so early.
Boston has a great shot at winning the Atlantic. If Webber is having trouble adjusting to the Sixers, just the opposite is true of Toine. What are they, 5-1 since Toine came back? Before the trade deadline, I though Boston had the best shot at winning the Atlantic, even though I`m rooting for Philly. Now that the trades have gone through, I think the Celts have an even better shot at winning the division. The real question is: even if the Celts win the division, will their record be better than whoever gets the 6th seed in the East? Because if not, the other team gets homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
Nets won`t make the playoffs. Doomed by their bad start. Jefferson had to carry the team for the first third of the season, then Carter came which helped, but Jefferson went out. I think they will do very well next season if Kidd, Jefferson, and Carter are all healthy (and in that order of importance).
Suns vs. Spurs They played each other last night, and the Suns won. BUT, Duncan and Ginobili didn`t play, and it was still a fairly close game. That should have Suns fans a bit worried. Still, I can`t complain when Stoudemire gets 40+ points, Nash gets 15 assists, and Marion gets 17 rebounds. I`m still a little concerned about the Suns`s depth, but I will admit that their trades for Jackson and McCarty helped out a lot. After yeserday`s game, the Suns and Spurs are tied for the best record in the NBA, but the Spurs have the series tie-breaker if they meet in the playoffs.
The Bulls are STILL over .500 This late in the season, that`s incredible. Yeah, the Sonics were a big surprise this year. But I think that the Bulls still qualify as the biggest, and nicest surprise of the year. They managed to get 30+ victories for the first time since Jordan left. Okafor will probably get the Rookie of the Year trophy, but personally I think they should just give that trophy collectively to the Bulls team.
Lakers miss the playoffs? Personally, I hope so. Wow, the Lakers and the Knicks missing the playoffs in the same year... that`s like my dream come true. If Miami won the championship this year, and the Lakers didn`t make the playoffs, and Kobe didn`t win the scoring title...
Ken`s NBA pop quiz. Answer the following questions, then check the answers at the bottom of this post. Cut and paste it into a new window and change the font so you can read them better.
1. Who has won the most games in the NBA so far?
2. How many teams in the Atlantic division are above .500?
3. How many teams in the Southwest Division are under .500?
4. Roughly how many assists per game is Nash averaging this year? Who is the all-time leader for assists-per-game?
5. Why is David Stern opposed to an NBA franchise in Las Vegas?
6. Who scores more points in the paint per game, LeBron or Tim Duncan?
7. Who has the most triple doubles this season?
8. Who set an NBA record this season for most points scored in an overtime period?
9. Before retiring last year, John Stockton had the most career assists of any NBA player still playing in the league. Actually, once he retired he still had more assists than anybody. Now, of all the active players (people still playing in the NBA today) in the league, Jason Kidd has the most career assists. Who has the second most?
10. What did Shaquille O`Neal`s mom have to bring with her when riding the bus with Shaq when he was 8?
1. For the last 3 months or so, everybody`s been talking about the Spurs and the Suns, including me. But check it: the Heat have won 9 games in a row. Spurs and Suns are tied for the best percentage at .762, but the Heat have won the most games so far this season. So yeah, trick question. The Heat have a very very good chance at finishing with the best record in the league this year.
2. One. The Boston Celtics. The second closest team are the Sixers, who are still 3 games below .500. I can`t believe the winner of this division gets the 3rd seed in the East.
3. One, the Hornets, at .226. After that, the next worst team in the division is at .571: the Grizz. For those of you keeping score at home, the Celtics have a .547 percentage.
4. Nash is averaging an incredible (by today`s standards) 11.4 assists a game. The alltime leader is Magic Johnson, who averaged 11.2 assists per game... for his career. I was surprised Stockton didn`t have the highest assist average.
5. In Vegas it is legal to bet on NBA games, so having a franchise in Vegas is asking for trouble.
6. Incredibly, LeBron does! He`s something like 4th in points-in-the-paint per game, and everybody else on that list is a center or power forward who is way taller.
7. Jason Kidd. This kinda surprised me. If he had been healthy all season, then yeah, he would be my first choice to lead the league in triple ds. Looks like he made up for lost time. Oh well, the Nets still don`t make the playoffs.
8. Earl Boykins scored 15 pts in an overtime period to help the Nuggets beat the Sonics. He had only had 3 pts going into overtime. The Sonics! So he set the NBA record for points scored in an overtime period (the previous record was 14 pts, and that was back in 1984) against one of the best teams in the league. And for those who don`t know who Boykins is, he is famous for being the shortest NBA player. He is listed at 5 foot 5, but is really 5 foot four.
9. Gary Payton has the second most career assists of any active player in the league. Nick Van Exel is number 3.
10. His birth certificate. At age 8 Shaq was already big enough that people thought he must be a high schooler.
1. Who has won the most games in the NBA so far?
2. How many teams in the Atlantic division are above .500?
3. How many teams in the Southwest Division are under .500?
4. Roughly how many assists per game is Nash averaging this year? Who is the all-time leader for assists-per-game?
5. Why is David Stern opposed to an NBA franchise in Las Vegas?
6. Who scores more points in the paint per game, LeBron or Tim Duncan?
7. Who has the most triple doubles this season?
8. Who set an NBA record this season for most points scored in an overtime period?
9. Before retiring last year, John Stockton had the most career assists of any NBA player still playing in the league. Actually, once he retired he still had more assists than anybody. Now, of all the active players (people still playing in the NBA today) in the league, Jason Kidd has the most career assists. Who has the second most?
10. What did Shaquille O`Neal`s mom have to bring with her when riding the bus with Shaq when he was 8?
1. For the last 3 months or so, everybody`s been talking about the Spurs and the Suns, including me. But check it: the Heat have won 9 games in a row. Spurs and Suns are tied for the best percentage at .762, but the Heat have won the most games so far this season. So yeah, trick question. The Heat have a very very good chance at finishing with the best record in the league this year.
2. One. The Boston Celtics. The second closest team are the Sixers, who are still 3 games below .500. I can`t believe the winner of this division gets the 3rd seed in the East.
3. One, the Hornets, at .226. After that, the next worst team in the division is at .571: the Grizz. For those of you keeping score at home, the Celtics have a .547 percentage.
4. Nash is averaging an incredible (by today`s standards) 11.4 assists a game. The alltime leader is Magic Johnson, who averaged 11.2 assists per game... for his career. I was surprised Stockton didn`t have the highest assist average.
5. In Vegas it is legal to bet on NBA games, so having a franchise in Vegas is asking for trouble.
6. Incredibly, LeBron does! He`s something like 4th in points-in-the-paint per game, and everybody else on that list is a center or power forward who is way taller.
7. Jason Kidd. This kinda surprised me. If he had been healthy all season, then yeah, he would be my first choice to lead the league in triple ds. Looks like he made up for lost time. Oh well, the Nets still don`t make the playoffs.
8. Earl Boykins scored 15 pts in an overtime period to help the Nuggets beat the Sonics. He had only had 3 pts going into overtime. The Sonics! So he set the NBA record for points scored in an overtime period (the previous record was 14 pts, and that was back in 1984) against one of the best teams in the league. And for those who don`t know who Boykins is, he is famous for being the shortest NBA player. He is listed at 5 foot 5, but is really 5 foot four.
9. Gary Payton has the second most career assists of any active player in the league. Nick Van Exel is number 3.
10. His birth certificate. At age 8 Shaq was already big enough that people thought he must be a high schooler.
No way, dog. Payton has more career assists than Kidd. Kidd is actually number two on the active list and Payton is number one. Rod Strickland was number one, but I think he officially retired about a week ago.C-Fan wrote: Now, of all the active players (people still playing in the NBA today) in the league, Jason Kidd has the most career assists. Who has the second most?
edit: Strickland was number *2* on the active list, not number one, but again, I think he officially retired. Can anyone verify this?
Last edited by mattkain on 15 Mar 2005 10:53, edited 1 time in total.
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blackcrown
- Multidex Master
- Posts: 316
- Joined: 23 Apr 2003 13:09
- Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Huh, you guys are right. I remember seeing a graphic in a game last season where they listed the top 3 active assists leaders, and it was Payton, Kidd and Van Exel. It stuck in my head because I`m a big fan of Van Exel, but never thought of him as much of an assist man. But I guess I in all my surprise/excitment of Nick being #3, I mixed up who was #1 and #2. I think Strickland wasn`t on the graphic because he wasn`t playing at the time. The last couple years he seems to drift in and out of the League on 10 day contracts.
But yeah, I just looked it up, and Payton has like 8,300 career assists, and Jason Kidd is somwhere in the 7,000s. NVE is in the middle of the 5,000s.
Thanks for clarifying that up. I`m always happy to learn something new about basketball. And it`s also nice to get the occasional non-Ken post in this thread too.
But yeah, I just looked it up, and Payton has like 8,300 career assists, and Jason Kidd is somwhere in the 7,000s. NVE is in the middle of the 5,000s.
Thanks for clarifying that up. I`m always happy to learn something new about basketball. And it`s also nice to get the occasional non-Ken post in this thread too.
I'd be a bigger Van Exel fan if he hadn't betrayed his Wisco roots and stuck with an in-state school (Marquette or UW-Madison). Man, I had to suffer through too many Marquette/Cincinnati games watching a local boy put the smack down all over the Warriors (I think they were still the Warriors back in the Van Excel days, now they're the Golden Eagles). And if it wasn't Van Excel at Cinci, it was Penny Hardaway at Memphis. Too bad some of those great Conference USA rivalries are going to disappear with so many C-USA teams defecting for the Big East next year. Sigh. Anyway, I digress. This is an NBA thread, not a college hoops thread.C-Fan wrote: It stuck in my head because I`m a big fan of Van Exel, but never thought of him as much of an assist man.
Coaches
Oh yeah, he`s from Kenosha isn`t he? What do you think of Devin Harris?
Anyway, a lot has been going down in the NBA lately, even if nobody has been watching. But that`s March Madness for you. I read online somewhere somebody`s opinion that the Bobcats are really happy it`s March, because the success of all the Carolina teams distracts all the hoops fans from how suck the Bobcats are.
Right, without further ado, here`s another installment of me talking to myself about the NBA. You know, I bet there`s a better forum for me to do this on, but I live here, so hey.
Today`s topic will be Coaches.
1. Max salaries are bad for the NBA. Too many team owners fuck their teams over by giving out max contracts to players who don`t deserve them. When you give a player like, Darius Miles a guaranteed maximum salary, he effectively becomes untradable (the attitude doesn`t help). So a player like that has no reason to listen to his coach, because he knows that coaches (and their salaries) are expendable, whereas a player with a guaranteed max contract will stay. Management (and coaching) effectively cede any leverage they have to the player, who then becomes uncontrollable. It just bothers me that Darius Miles can be an a$$ to Maurice Cheeks, telling him he doesn`t have to listen to him because he (MC) is going to be fired first anyway. And he`s right.
2. Coaching list. Here`s the current list of available coaches out there: Phil Jackson, Flip Saunders, Paul Silas, Johnny Davis, Maurice Cheeks, Jeff Bzdelik, Lenny Wilkens and... well, don`t be surprised if O`Brien joins that list soon. There have been something like 9 coaching changes all season.
3. Did Paul Silas deserve to be fired? I don`t really know. But he didn`t seem to have a very good relationship with Eric Snow or McInnis, and it`s pretty damn important to have a good relationship between the coach and the point guard. On the floor, the point guard pretty much IS the coach. Still, part of me feels like Silas was the victim of bloated expectations. I think the first half of the season made people overestimate how good the Cavs were. Yeah, they had the 5th seed in the East, but they got there at least in part due to a very easy and favorable schedule to the first half. They played the Hornets, Hawks, and Warriors how many times? I think their losing streak after the ASG had more to do with their harder schedule than with any coaching problems.
4. Don Nelson bows out. I`m sad to see him step down, but I thought it was well-timed. Better to do so now, than in the playoffs. The Mavs were my favorite team for a few years (Nash, NVE, Finley, Nowitzki together was my favorite season) because they were so entertaining. Seeing a 7 footer do the things Dirk does is entertaining. Seeing Nash push the ball is entertaining. Van Exel killing 3s and snarling at people...hell yeah. And at the time, there was definitely no coach more entertaining to me than Don Nelson. I loved watching him get technicals to pump up his team. My friends and I used to joke (half seriously) that if the Mavs were down enough, Don Nelson would have a heart attack to galvanize his team. Nelson also epitomized creative strategies. His small ball lineups, his creation of the point-forward position, etc. all endeared him to me. Good luck Avery Johnson.
5. Does race matter? Check out nytimes.com. In the sports section, there is an interesting article about black coaches having shorter tenures in the NBA than white coaches. Interesting.
6. Coach of the Year I feel bad for Jerry Sloan... he should have gotten it last year. This year he will have his first losing season. So who is Coach of the Year for this season? George Karl and Mike Fratello haven`t been coaching for the full season, so I don`t know if they qualify. Still, their impact has been undeniable on their teams. I`ve been very impressed with the turnarounds since those coaches took over.
I think Nate MacMillan and Mike D`Antoni also deserve consideration. D`Antoni in particular should be commended for taking such a hands-off approach. I think NBA coaches tend to micro-manage too much. Yeah, in NFL football the coach is really key, because when you have so many guys running around on a field, you need direction. In basketball you don`t need to micro-manage every play, and D`Antoni is reminding people of this. I also like the fact that after so many years of coaches slowing down games to a grinding defensive pace, D`Antoni is trying to show the league you can win by running, and playing a faster (and more entertaining) style of ball.
And while personally I`d like D`Antoni to win COY, I think that if the Pacers make it past the first round of the playoffs, or go to game 7 of the first round in the playoffs, then Rick Carlisle should get the award. What other coach has had to deal with as many injuries and bad luck? The Pacers are currently 7th in the East, and they`ve managed that despite having their 2 best players out for significant chunks of the season. There is a very strong case to be made for Carlisle getting Coach of the Year.
Anyway, a lot has been going down in the NBA lately, even if nobody has been watching. But that`s March Madness for you. I read online somewhere somebody`s opinion that the Bobcats are really happy it`s March, because the success of all the Carolina teams distracts all the hoops fans from how suck the Bobcats are.
Right, without further ado, here`s another installment of me talking to myself about the NBA. You know, I bet there`s a better forum for me to do this on, but I live here, so hey.
Today`s topic will be Coaches.
1. Max salaries are bad for the NBA. Too many team owners fuck their teams over by giving out max contracts to players who don`t deserve them. When you give a player like, Darius Miles a guaranteed maximum salary, he effectively becomes untradable (the attitude doesn`t help). So a player like that has no reason to listen to his coach, because he knows that coaches (and their salaries) are expendable, whereas a player with a guaranteed max contract will stay. Management (and coaching) effectively cede any leverage they have to the player, who then becomes uncontrollable. It just bothers me that Darius Miles can be an a$$ to Maurice Cheeks, telling him he doesn`t have to listen to him because he (MC) is going to be fired first anyway. And he`s right.
2. Coaching list. Here`s the current list of available coaches out there: Phil Jackson, Flip Saunders, Paul Silas, Johnny Davis, Maurice Cheeks, Jeff Bzdelik, Lenny Wilkens and... well, don`t be surprised if O`Brien joins that list soon. There have been something like 9 coaching changes all season.
3. Did Paul Silas deserve to be fired? I don`t really know. But he didn`t seem to have a very good relationship with Eric Snow or McInnis, and it`s pretty damn important to have a good relationship between the coach and the point guard. On the floor, the point guard pretty much IS the coach. Still, part of me feels like Silas was the victim of bloated expectations. I think the first half of the season made people overestimate how good the Cavs were. Yeah, they had the 5th seed in the East, but they got there at least in part due to a very easy and favorable schedule to the first half. They played the Hornets, Hawks, and Warriors how many times? I think their losing streak after the ASG had more to do with their harder schedule than with any coaching problems.
4. Don Nelson bows out. I`m sad to see him step down, but I thought it was well-timed. Better to do so now, than in the playoffs. The Mavs were my favorite team for a few years (Nash, NVE, Finley, Nowitzki together was my favorite season) because they were so entertaining. Seeing a 7 footer do the things Dirk does is entertaining. Seeing Nash push the ball is entertaining. Van Exel killing 3s and snarling at people...hell yeah. And at the time, there was definitely no coach more entertaining to me than Don Nelson. I loved watching him get technicals to pump up his team. My friends and I used to joke (half seriously) that if the Mavs were down enough, Don Nelson would have a heart attack to galvanize his team. Nelson also epitomized creative strategies. His small ball lineups, his creation of the point-forward position, etc. all endeared him to me. Good luck Avery Johnson.
5. Does race matter? Check out nytimes.com. In the sports section, there is an interesting article about black coaches having shorter tenures in the NBA than white coaches. Interesting.
6. Coach of the Year I feel bad for Jerry Sloan... he should have gotten it last year. This year he will have his first losing season. So who is Coach of the Year for this season? George Karl and Mike Fratello haven`t been coaching for the full season, so I don`t know if they qualify. Still, their impact has been undeniable on their teams. I`ve been very impressed with the turnarounds since those coaches took over.
I think Nate MacMillan and Mike D`Antoni also deserve consideration. D`Antoni in particular should be commended for taking such a hands-off approach. I think NBA coaches tend to micro-manage too much. Yeah, in NFL football the coach is really key, because when you have so many guys running around on a field, you need direction. In basketball you don`t need to micro-manage every play, and D`Antoni is reminding people of this. I also like the fact that after so many years of coaches slowing down games to a grinding defensive pace, D`Antoni is trying to show the league you can win by running, and playing a faster (and more entertaining) style of ball.
And while personally I`d like D`Antoni to win COY, I think that if the Pacers make it past the first round of the playoffs, or go to game 7 of the first round in the playoffs, then Rick Carlisle should get the award. What other coach has had to deal with as many injuries and bad luck? The Pacers are currently 7th in the East, and they`ve managed that despite having their 2 best players out for significant chunks of the season. There is a very strong case to be made for Carlisle getting Coach of the Year.
Countdown to the playoffs
This week`s post will deal with the countdown to the playoffs, as well as some of my thoughts and predictions for the year-end awards.
Let`s start off with who I don`t think will make the playoffs.
In the West While LA and Minnesota aren`t mathematically out of it yet, I really can`t see either of these teams rallying enough to catch Denver. Even if LA made the first round, there`s no way they could win a series against the Spurs or Suns, even if the Spurs play without Duncan. If Minnesota put together a good run and Cassell stayed healthy, they could be a wild card. But probably wouldn`t go farther than the semis. But my prediction is that neither the Lakers or Wolves will make the playoffs. This would be historic, as it would mark the first time that 2 teams that met in the conference finals would both fail to make the playoffs the next year. LA has an excuse for missing the playoffs: they lost the most dominant player in the game over the summer, and Kobe was out with injuries for a long stretch. The Wolves can also point to an injured Cassell as a major reason why they will miss the playoffs, but really, this years Wolves team is essentially the same as last year`s squad, minus the chemistry. They underachieved, and the fans should be disappointed.
Who will not make it out of the East The Nets, Knicks, and Magic will all not make the playoffs. That`s in increasing order of certainty. Why are the Magic doomed? 2 reasons: bad chemistry, and schedule of doom. The Magic have been on a bad losing streak the last month, and nothing has really changed... they appear to have already given up on the season. But equally important, is the fact that the last 13 games on their schedule are nasty: they play Miami, Dallas, and the Pistons twice. The Knicks have a relatively easy remaining schedule, but too much of it is on the road, where the Knicks blow. The Nets have an outside shot, considering half their remaining games are at home, and Philly has a hard schedule. If the Nets snuck into the playoffs, I would be surprised. Not shocked, but definitely surprised.
Who will make it to the Western Finals? Before Duncan`s injury, I would have put San Antonio there almost for sure. But here`s where things get interesting. Will Tim Duncan make it back to full strength in time for the playoffs? That`s the thing about the Western Conference. Every team that makes the playoffs is strong. It is entirely possible for the Nuggets or Grizzlies to knock SA out of the first round, especially if Duncan plays limited minutes, or not at all. If Duncan is back at full strength when the playoffs start, then I think SA will likely make the Western Finals. If the Suns stay healthy, I can see them there as well. But if the Sonics or Rockets (yes, I said Rockets) make the West Finals, I wouldn`t be that surprised either. Pretty exciting... the main thing to keep your eye on is Duncan`s health.
Who wil make it to the Eastern Finals? Unlike the West, the East has 2 clear favorites to make the Eastern Finals. If anybody other than Miami and Detroit make it to the Eastern Finals, I will be shocked. These 2 teams are clearly the best teams in the East. Next year Indiana will be included in the elite echelon of Eastern powers, but this year Indiana will likely get knocked out in the first round. No Artest, no O`Neal, vs. Detroit or Miami? No chance. Miami and Detroit are expected to make the East Finals, period. As for who will win that series... I`ll get to that in a future post.
Who will get knocked out in the first round in the West? The Sacramento Kings. No Webber, no Miller, no Bobby Jackson. Mike Bibby needs to carry his team, but I just don`t see the Kings making it out of the first round. I can easily see them slipping to #6 or even #7 before the playoffs start, which wouldn`t make things easier either. All the other teams thay look to be in the West playoffs have legit shots at making the semis. Pretty balanced conference.
Who will get knocked out in the first round in the East? Probably whoever faces Miami or Detroit. The Pacers look most likely to lose in the first round. Even at full strength, facing Miami or Detroit would be a challenge. No Artest or JO, forget it. I also think the Cavaliers look weak, and would be surprised if they made it past Round1. Washington`s success depends on the health of their big 3, and Philly has a fighting chance, but also aren`t likely to go past the semis. I think that Boston and Chicago will put up very good fights in the first round.
Let`s start off with who I don`t think will make the playoffs.
In the West While LA and Minnesota aren`t mathematically out of it yet, I really can`t see either of these teams rallying enough to catch Denver. Even if LA made the first round, there`s no way they could win a series against the Spurs or Suns, even if the Spurs play without Duncan. If Minnesota put together a good run and Cassell stayed healthy, they could be a wild card. But probably wouldn`t go farther than the semis. But my prediction is that neither the Lakers or Wolves will make the playoffs. This would be historic, as it would mark the first time that 2 teams that met in the conference finals would both fail to make the playoffs the next year. LA has an excuse for missing the playoffs: they lost the most dominant player in the game over the summer, and Kobe was out with injuries for a long stretch. The Wolves can also point to an injured Cassell as a major reason why they will miss the playoffs, but really, this years Wolves team is essentially the same as last year`s squad, minus the chemistry. They underachieved, and the fans should be disappointed.
Who will not make it out of the East The Nets, Knicks, and Magic will all not make the playoffs. That`s in increasing order of certainty. Why are the Magic doomed? 2 reasons: bad chemistry, and schedule of doom. The Magic have been on a bad losing streak the last month, and nothing has really changed... they appear to have already given up on the season. But equally important, is the fact that the last 13 games on their schedule are nasty: they play Miami, Dallas, and the Pistons twice. The Knicks have a relatively easy remaining schedule, but too much of it is on the road, where the Knicks blow. The Nets have an outside shot, considering half their remaining games are at home, and Philly has a hard schedule. If the Nets snuck into the playoffs, I would be surprised. Not shocked, but definitely surprised.
Who will make it to the Western Finals? Before Duncan`s injury, I would have put San Antonio there almost for sure. But here`s where things get interesting. Will Tim Duncan make it back to full strength in time for the playoffs? That`s the thing about the Western Conference. Every team that makes the playoffs is strong. It is entirely possible for the Nuggets or Grizzlies to knock SA out of the first round, especially if Duncan plays limited minutes, or not at all. If Duncan is back at full strength when the playoffs start, then I think SA will likely make the Western Finals. If the Suns stay healthy, I can see them there as well. But if the Sonics or Rockets (yes, I said Rockets) make the West Finals, I wouldn`t be that surprised either. Pretty exciting... the main thing to keep your eye on is Duncan`s health.
Who wil make it to the Eastern Finals? Unlike the West, the East has 2 clear favorites to make the Eastern Finals. If anybody other than Miami and Detroit make it to the Eastern Finals, I will be shocked. These 2 teams are clearly the best teams in the East. Next year Indiana will be included in the elite echelon of Eastern powers, but this year Indiana will likely get knocked out in the first round. No Artest, no O`Neal, vs. Detroit or Miami? No chance. Miami and Detroit are expected to make the East Finals, period. As for who will win that series... I`ll get to that in a future post.
Who will get knocked out in the first round in the West? The Sacramento Kings. No Webber, no Miller, no Bobby Jackson. Mike Bibby needs to carry his team, but I just don`t see the Kings making it out of the first round. I can easily see them slipping to #6 or even #7 before the playoffs start, which wouldn`t make things easier either. All the other teams thay look to be in the West playoffs have legit shots at making the semis. Pretty balanced conference.
Who will get knocked out in the first round in the East? Probably whoever faces Miami or Detroit. The Pacers look most likely to lose in the first round. Even at full strength, facing Miami or Detroit would be a challenge. No Artest or JO, forget it. I also think the Cavaliers look weak, and would be surprised if they made it past Round1. Washington`s success depends on the health of their big 3, and Philly has a fighting chance, but also aren`t likely to go past the semis. I think that Boston and Chicago will put up very good fights in the first round.
Still shamed by the Payton trivia mess up
So yeah, I still feel kinda ashamed I goofed on the Payton/assist trivia question before. So here`s my make-up, Gary Payton active career leader question.
As was pointed out, Gary Payton is the active player with the most career assists. Gary Payton is also the active player who leads the NBA in 2 more career categories. What are they?
As was pointed out, Gary Payton is the active player with the most career assists. Gary Payton is also the active player who leads the NBA in 2 more career categories. What are they?
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BainbridgeShred
- Post Master General
- Posts: 2352
- Joined: 10 Nov 2004 23:22
Steals are the only thing that come to mind?
And why do you prefer the NBA to NCAAB? I find college much more interesting... Pro's don't even play defense, the offense is just to dominant. I find a good defensive game much more enjoyable that seeing guys take shots from the outside all the time. Besides, in NCAAB when shots are taken and made from the outside, they're more rare and thus more exciting. It's all personal preference of course, just stating my case.
And why do you prefer the NBA to NCAAB? I find college much more interesting... Pro's don't even play defense, the offense is just to dominant. I find a good defensive game much more enjoyable that seeing guys take shots from the outside all the time. Besides, in NCAAB when shots are taken and made from the outside, they're more rare and thus more exciting. It's all personal preference of course, just stating my case.
edit: moved from my blog to here.
Dude, where have you been for the last 2 years? OK, Danny Ainge became GM of the Celtics almost 2 years back, and traded Toine to the Mavericks. Ainge thought that Toine shot too many 3s, was taking over the lockerroom, and his contract was going to expire in like 2 years, so he dumped him to the Mavs. Toine called Ainge a `snake` and there was bad blood. Toine stuck with the Mavs for all of last season, but didn`t like it much (he likes the ball in his hands, and being on a team with Nowitzki, Nash, Finley, and Antawn Jamison, that wasn`t happening much), so he got traded to the Hawks, where he`d only have to share the ball with Al Harrington. This year, the Hawks were pretty much the worst team in the league, but right at the trading deadline... wait for it.... Danny Ainge traded Gary Payton and some other throw-ins to Atlanta, to get: Toine! The Hawks waived Payton, who promptly re-signed with the Celtics. So Ainge dumped Toine a couple years back because his huge contract was nearing its end, then he picks him up again in the final year of that huge contract. We`ll see how the trade works out. After getting Toine back, the Celts won something like 10 of 11, but now have dropped like 5 of the last 6.
HenryG wrote:Sorry to get all up in your grill homey, but i got confused 2 nights ago. I was watching a celtics game and i saw 'Toine on the court! I was fucking confused. I thought he was on the mavericks? Did he get traded back? Celtics are back together?
Dude, where have you been for the last 2 years? OK, Danny Ainge became GM of the Celtics almost 2 years back, and traded Toine to the Mavericks. Ainge thought that Toine shot too many 3s, was taking over the lockerroom, and his contract was going to expire in like 2 years, so he dumped him to the Mavs. Toine called Ainge a `snake` and there was bad blood. Toine stuck with the Mavs for all of last season, but didn`t like it much (he likes the ball in his hands, and being on a team with Nowitzki, Nash, Finley, and Antawn Jamison, that wasn`t happening much), so he got traded to the Hawks, where he`d only have to share the ball with Al Harrington. This year, the Hawks were pretty much the worst team in the league, but right at the trading deadline... wait for it.... Danny Ainge traded Gary Payton and some other throw-ins to Atlanta, to get: Toine! The Hawks waived Payton, who promptly re-signed with the Celtics. So Ainge dumped Toine a couple years back because his huge contract was nearing its end, then he picks him up again in the final year of that huge contract. We`ll see how the trade works out. After getting Toine back, the Celts won something like 10 of 11, but now have dropped like 5 of the last 6.Steals is correct, but that`s only half the question answered!BainbridgeShred wrote:Steals are the only thing that come to mind?
And why do you prefer the NBA to NCAAB? I find college much more interesting... Pro's don't even play defense, the offense is just to dominant. I find a good defensive game much more enjoyable that seeing guys take shots from the outside all the time.
As for the NBA vs College thing, that`s just the result of my upbringing. As a kid I used to watch NBA games all the time with my dad, so thats what I grew up enjoying. It was a good time to watch games too... I remember seeing McHale, Parrish and Bird on the Celtics, MJ`s emerging dominance, cursing at the Bad Boys (oddly enough, I hated Mark Aguirre the most, not Laimbeer. Laimbeer was dirty, but Aguirre was so good, he had a worse effect).
I`m sure I`d enjoy college basketball if I watched it, but its hard to come by in Japan, and because college is just 4 years, its hard to develop a fan-following for favorite players. In the NBA, you can cheer on the same players for a good 10 years or more. As for defense... have you watched any Detroit or Bulls games lately?
End of the season thoughts.
Lakers are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs! As of tonight, they are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Can anybody tell me when was the last time a team that went to the finals one year, failed to make the playoffs the next year? The Knicks also look like they won`t make the playoffs. This is very likely the first time in my NBA fan-life that neither the Knicks or Lakers made the playoffs, which makes my inner-fanboy really happy. I wonder how Kobe feels about getting eliminated from the playoffs on the same night that Shaq`s team clinched 1st place in the East?
Baron D! Has anybody seen the Warriors play since Baron got traded there? Holy crap! Though I`m guessing part of their success is everybody underestimating them due to their record. Baron Davis has always kinda teased me. He has such potential to be an incredible point guard, but he keeps having injuries, or putting on weight, or not bringing the right attitude to situations. Hopefully the Warriors can score something nice in the lottery (like Andy Bogut!) and come back and finally make it to the post-season again. They have been out of the playoffs longer than any other team in the league I think. Anyway, props to Baron D for winning player of the week honors this deep into the season. As I am typing this, Baron has 40 points, 13 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 steals in what looks to be shaping up as a win over Houston. Next year could be much better than this year was.
Reggie Miller played his last game at MSG tonight. No, he didn`t put on a huge show and win the game in the 4th quarter. But the Pacers did win, so I`m happy for him for that. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I became a fan of Reggie Miller (even though he`s almost as notorious a flopper as Vlade) because I never liked the Knicks, and nobody was a bigger thorn in the Knicks side than Reggie. I still think its incredible that at 39 years of age, playing the 2 position, Reggie is still playing as well as he is. The Pacers are still in the playoffs largely due to him. He scored over 30 points 5 times this season!
Cleveland will lose its first round playoff series. Guaranteed. I`ll also go on record guaranteeing that the Magic will not make the playoffs.
Next post: my votes for Coach of the Year,MVP, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man, and Most Improved Player.
Lakers are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs! As of tonight, they are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Can anybody tell me when was the last time a team that went to the finals one year, failed to make the playoffs the next year? The Knicks also look like they won`t make the playoffs. This is very likely the first time in my NBA fan-life that neither the Knicks or Lakers made the playoffs, which makes my inner-fanboy really happy. I wonder how Kobe feels about getting eliminated from the playoffs on the same night that Shaq`s team clinched 1st place in the East?
Baron D! Has anybody seen the Warriors play since Baron got traded there? Holy crap! Though I`m guessing part of their success is everybody underestimating them due to their record. Baron Davis has always kinda teased me. He has such potential to be an incredible point guard, but he keeps having injuries, or putting on weight, or not bringing the right attitude to situations. Hopefully the Warriors can score something nice in the lottery (like Andy Bogut!) and come back and finally make it to the post-season again. They have been out of the playoffs longer than any other team in the league I think. Anyway, props to Baron D for winning player of the week honors this deep into the season. As I am typing this, Baron has 40 points, 13 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 steals in what looks to be shaping up as a win over Houston. Next year could be much better than this year was.
Reggie Miller played his last game at MSG tonight. No, he didn`t put on a huge show and win the game in the 4th quarter. But the Pacers did win, so I`m happy for him for that. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I became a fan of Reggie Miller (even though he`s almost as notorious a flopper as Vlade) because I never liked the Knicks, and nobody was a bigger thorn in the Knicks side than Reggie. I still think its incredible that at 39 years of age, playing the 2 position, Reggie is still playing as well as he is. The Pacers are still in the playoffs largely due to him. He scored over 30 points 5 times this season!
Cleveland will lose its first round playoff series. Guaranteed. I`ll also go on record guaranteeing that the Magic will not make the playoffs.
Next post: my votes for Coach of the Year,MVP, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man, and Most Improved Player.
This is a good page to check every couple days to see how the playoff matchups are shaping up: http://www.nba.com/statistics/playoff_picture.html
Wow, the Cavs are really falling off. It`d be kinda cool if the Nets could knock them out and sneak into the playoffs. Personally, I`m happy that Philly has moved up. Out west, it looks like injuries will determine a lot of what will happen. Sonics and Spurs especially.
I also gotta say that I`m real happy to see Baron Davis playing so hard again, even if they are meaningless games. I wrote on this blog a while back that I thought he is one of the best point guards in the game when healthy, and its cool to see him show that again.
Wow, the Cavs are really falling off. It`d be kinda cool if the Nets could knock them out and sneak into the playoffs. Personally, I`m happy that Philly has moved up. Out west, it looks like injuries will determine a lot of what will happen. Sonics and Spurs especially.
I also gotta say that I`m real happy to see Baron Davis playing so hard again, even if they are meaningless games. I wrote on this blog a while back that I thought he is one of the best point guards in the game when healthy, and its cool to see him show that again.
End of the Year Awards
OK, I was wrong. I did end up being shocked by the Nets making the playoffs, but moreso because of who they knocked out of the playoffs: The Cavs. The Cavs are definitely one of the only teams to ever be .500 at the all-star break, and not make the playoffs. I expected the Cavs to drop off, but I didn`t expect them to fall off so fast! Back when their slide started, I thought they would make the playoffs with the 7th or 8th seed, then get peaced out in the first round. But damn, that`s gotta be hard for LeBron, not making the playoffs 2 years in a row. Especially when Carmelo is rocking out with the Nuggets, making the playoffs again! Not like LeBron didn`t try... homie was one rebound short of a triple double in his last game.... by halftime! He had a triple double within the first 30 seconds of the second half.C-Fan wrote: If the Nets snuck into the playoffs, I would be surprised. Not shocked, but definitely surprised.
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Anyway, the year-end awards will be announced shortly, so I thought I`d give my thoughts as to who-should-win-what. I`ve also thrown in some of my own awards in the mix just for fun.
Coach of the Year. Rick Carlisle, quite easily. D`Antoni deserves some credit, but he`d have to split the award with Steve Nash anyway, cause the Point guard is the coach on the floor, and so you could argue that Nash did more coaching than D`Antoni.
But yeah, I can`t see anybody else getting more out of his players than Carlisle did. Shout out to George Karl (the award name is Coach of the Year, not half year) and to Lawrence Frank. Yes, Lawrence Frank. You probably won`t hear that name from other people, but I thought he did real well.Best crossover dribble Allen Iverson still picks up this award, but he definitely has competition with Dwyane Wade`s emergence. Honorable mention after him would be Stephon Marbury.
MVP Steve Nash. Shaq is incredible, but seriously, would you rather face a Shaq-less Heat or a Nash-less Suns? Without Shaq, the Heat made the playoffs last year, and they still have Wade, who can play well without Shaq. But without Nash, the Suns really slow down, and everybody is less effective. With Nash, they have the best record this year. Steve Nash definitely deserves to win it over Shaq.
Most Improved Player This was a real tough one. Bobby Simmons definitely deserves some love, for going from a nobody to a star on his team. But look at LeBron James. His shooting percentage went up dramatically, his assists went up dramatically, points, rebounds, everything. He had 4 triple doubles this season, and just plain seemed to grasp the game better than last year. Yeah, he`s really hyped, so this may not be a popular choice, but I really think that as good as he was last year, he made the most improvements of any player since last year. Shout out to Dirk Nowitzki too.
Best name Zarko Cabarkapa of the Phoenix Suns. Narrowly beats out Chauncey Billups.
Sixth Man I really really really want to give this award to Jerry Stackhouse, but I don`t know if he is eligible considering his recent injuries. Ricky Davis scores a lot, but I don`t think he deserves it. Vlad Radmanovic deserves a mention. Most likely, Ben Gordon will win it, because people don`t want to split votes for ROY with Emeka and him. I would be comfortable seeing either Ben Gordon or Stack win this.
Best victory celebration after a made shot Shaquille O`Neal. That little sauntering dance he does as he moseys back up court. Runner up would be Quentin Richardson`s head-pounding. At least these guys have things to cheer about. Chris Anderson`s birdman stuff? Please, celebrate when you have something to celebrate about.
Rookie of the Year This is definitely hard. Its between Emeka and Ben in my mind, but an argument could be made for Dwight Howard. It`s just so hard to compare peoples seasons when they are in such different situations. Ben Gordon plays way less minutes, but you could argue that he does more with those minutes, and those minutes are more important (4th quarter situations). On the other hand, Emeka has no help, whereas Ben does. If I had to pick just one person to take the trophy, I would pick Ben Gordon over Emeka. But a split would be cool.
Ugliest jumper Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns. Uuuuuuuugly. It goes in, but it makes me cringe. Runner up: Tayshaun Prince.
General Manager This is an award that should be given 2 years later. Because frankly, its hard to really know the impact of a trade until a year or two later. I remember when Phoenix traded away Stephon and Penny to clear cap space. People booed, but they eventaully got Nash and Q for that money. That said, I think the best trade executed this season was the Celtics getting Toine back. And the fact that Ainge managed to keep Payton for free, means I`d vote for him. Geoff Petrie of the Kings did some good stuff dishing off Christie for Mobley, but it remains to be seen what impact the Webber trade will have.
Defensive Player of the Year Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns. Top 5 in steals and rebounds? Yeah, thats impressive. But considering his size, the fact that he is in the top 5 in rebounds by itself is notable. He`s also a great one-on-one defender, and he does those crazy random double teams too, which throw off the opposition. Too bad Kirilenko got injured, because he would have been a lock for this award otherwise.
Next installment: playoff round one predictions and analysis.