NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Portland Trail Blazers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)

Point guard: Steve Blake vs. Aaron Brooks
Both play well within their systems, but neither are accounted on being the X-factor for their teams. Advantage: none.

Shooting guard: Brandon Roy vs. Ron Artest
It could also be Roy vs., Battier, but for the sake of argument we’ll keep it at Roy vs. Artest. We all know that Roy is a star, and if he continues to play like this, he will be one of the best players in Blazer history. A great ball-handler and he can score against anyone. But can Roy also do it against Artest? And if Artest takes a break, Houston will switch Battier on to him. Tiring. Besides being a great defender, Artest is now the main scoring option next to Yao Ming. Artest will still have some bad shooting nights, but is one of the few stars in this League playing at a high level on both ends of the court. However, I’m a big fan of Roy, and I believe that this match-up will bring out the best of him. Advantage: Blazers.

Small forward: Nicolas Batum vs. Shane Battier
Batum doesn’t play a whole lot of minutes before either Fernandez or Outlaw being subbed in, but the young guy can learn some tricks from the veteran. Advantage: Rockets.

Power forward: LaMarcus Aldridge vs. Luis Scola
Aldridge keeps getting better and better, and will have to bring it all out against Scola, a talented and physical player who just won’t give up. Aldridge has some inches over Scola, and is well-rounded offensively so I believe he’s able to deal with the constant pressure. Advantage: Blazers.

Center: Joel Przybilla vs. Yao Ming
There are only a handful of legitimate seven-foot centers in the NBA nowadays, and there are three of them in this series. Obviously Yao is by far the better player here, but at least Przybilla can make it Yao a little bit more difficult, being the long defensive player that he is. Advantage: Rockets.

Bench:
Travis Outlaw and Rudy Fernandez often play starter minutes, and when Przybilla comes out, Greg Oden comes in. As a back-up point guard you can insert Sergio Rodriguez. Not much of a defender, but a superb passer. I hope to see Jerryd Bayless getting some playing time too. And if all of that doesn’t work, they even have Channing Frye at the end of the bench. There aren’t many teams who are this deep. Von Wafer won’t make Houston feel safer. Advantage: Blazers.

Coaching: Nate McMillan vs. Rick Adelman
Adelman has done a splendid job with the Rockets this season, but I’m even more impressed with what McMillan has done with the Blazers. They’re a loose bunch in the locker room, but these young guys are all business on the floor. They are confident and play at both ends of the floor, while sharing the ball on offense instead of padding up their own numbers. A joy to watch. Advantage: Blazers.

What I’d say:
Blazers in seven. The Rockets are strong defensively, but don’t have a ten-man roster like the Blazers do. I think Houston is one player away from being a serious contender, but it’s not that one player who’s injured right now.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: San Antonio Spurs (3) vs. Dallas Mavericks (6)

Point guard: Tony Parker vs. Jason Kidd
As a Nets fan I always enjoy watching Kidd on the court. But I also know that Kidd isn’t a kid anymore, and lost some of his quickness on D. And “quickness” is exactly what Parker does have. A lot. A whole lot. Advantage: Spurs

Shooting guard: Roger Mason jr. vs. Antoine Wright
When Wright was with the Nets, I didn’t envision him being a starting shooting guard for a playoff team, but that shows you what I know. He’s a good defender and will have to stay close to Roger Mason jr.. With Ginobili out, Mason jr. is expected to score more, and being the deadly 3-point shooter that he is, he has to take the burden off Parker and Duncan’s shoulders and become that efficient third scorer which he showed during the regular season he can be. Advantage: Spurs

Small forward: Michael Finley vs. Josh Howard
Finley turned 35 last month, played in 81 games this season, and started 77 of ‘em. He hit some buzzer-beaters too, so you couldn’t ask anything more of him. And now he has to go up against Josh Howard, who showed his importance when he came back from injury at the end of the season. Howard’s versatility gave Dallas the boost it so desperately needed. Advantage: Mavericks.

Power forward: Tim Duncan vs. Dirk Nowitzki
You have to wonder how much trouble Duncan’s knees are causing him. San Antonio needs him to be able to play at his usual high level, especially dealing with such a great scorer like Nowitzki. Duncan is one of the best power forwards the League has ever seen, but Dirk will always get his points, even though he’s shooting less 3’s this season. Interesting match-up. Advantage: Spurs.

Center: Matt Bonner vs. Erick Dampier
Who could’ve guessed that The Red Rocket would be starting center of the Spurs this season? Bonner can shoot, Damp can rebound. Advantage: none.

Bench:
No Manu, but certainly enough big men on the bench of San Antonio, with Kurt Thomas, Drew Gooden and Fabricio Oberto all capable of putting up some quality minutes. It also opened up some playing time for Bruce Bowen, who’s probably in his fifties by now, but still wouldn’t complain if he has to run after Josh Howard all night. Expect to see Ime Udoka getting some minutes too. The Mavs have some firepower in J.J. Barea and even more important, Jason Terry. James Singleton and Brandon Bass both bring some extra energy off the bench, whether it’s by a dunk or by a hustle play. Advantage: Mavericks.

Coaching: Gregg Popovich vs. Rick Carlisle
Pop has won four championships, and still makes sure his team stays competitive. He’s been doing that for the last dozen years, so expect no difference in that. Carlisle had a pretty decent season with Dallas, and throughout his career he always got the most out of teams who you might not expect to go really far. But this time he has to do it against the Spurs. Advantage: Spurs.

What I’d say:
Spurs in seven. The loss of Ginobili is a big one, and like I already wrote: how is Duncan feeling? But you can never count the Spurs out. This will be a long series, with the San Antonio winning it in the deciding game.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Denver Nuggets (2) vs. New Orleans Hornets (7)

Point guard: Chauncey Billups vs. Chris Paul
Now this is a match-up I’d like to see. The arrival of Chauncey Billups is the primary reason that the Nuggets finished second in the West. And now they’re meeting a Hornets team with a season behind them that was kind of a letdown. Now a lot can be said about Billups, but Chris Paul has had a season which could land him a top 3 spot in the MVP race. Even with all the injuries happening to the Hornets this season, CP3 carried them from beginning to end. Advantage: Hornets.

Shooting guard: Dahntay Jones vs. Rasual Butler
Jones is athletic, a pretty good defensive player, but plays less than 20 mpg. Rasual Butler is a 3-point shooter who accidentally took the starting spot by surprise, and had a great season appearing in all 82 games. A perfect complimentary player next to Paul. Advantage: Hornets.

Small forward: Carmelo Anthony vs. Peja Stojakovic
Stojakovic has had a difficult season, and isn’t the shooter he once was. Anthony on the other hand might not have had his best season statistically, but from his team’s point of view, he performed better than ever. Melo remains one of the most dangerous small forwards in the L, and since Peja isn’t the best defender out there, the Hornets will have a difficult time containing him. Advantage: Nuggets.

Power forward: Kenyon Martin vs. David West
West has been playing through nagging injuries, and Martin had his usual fair share of pains and aches too. Now going into the playoffs, Martin will have his hands full with West. David West is a power forward who can score from the inside, but also takes the jumpshot if his man gives him that room. Advantage: Hornets.

Center: Nene vs. Tyson Chandler
Two totally different players. Nene is a banger, who has dunked on more grills than George Foreman could ever sell. Chandler is a shot blocker, rebounder and scores about 99% of his points as the receiving end when Paul throws him a lob. Nene had a strong season, and I don’t believe he will stop now. Advantage: Nuggets.

Bench:
J.R. Smith, Birdman Anderson. That sums it up. Advantage: Nuggets.

Coaching: George Karl vs. Byron Scott
Both did a fine job this year. Karl’s team finally defends but that also has a lot to do with the arrival of hometown hero Chauncey Billups. Scott kept his team in the running all season long despite all the injuries and a weak bench. Advantage: none.

What I’d say:
Nuggets in six. The Hornets have a great starting five, but that’s not enough.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (1) vs. Utah Jazz (8)

Point guard: Derek Fisher vs. Deron Williams
The mentor vs. the student. They’ve played together during Fisher’s brief time in Utah, but since then Williams has become one of the top point guards in the nation. There’s not much Williams can’t do offensively. He’s strong, can shoot from range, but going to the rim will be somewhat more of an adventure with Gasol and Bynum waiting for him. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Kobe or Trevor Ariza are asked to defend Williams on some plays. Williams must find a way to get it done, because he’s the Miles Davis of this Jazz ensemble. Advantage: Jazz.

Shooting guard: Kobe Bryant vs. Ronnie Brewer
Good luck, Ronnie. Advantage: Lakers.

Small forward: Trevor Ariza vs. C.J. Miles
Actually, Miles is listed day-to-day because of a dislocated finger. Miles doesn’t give the Jazz all that much on either end of the floor, while Ariza is mostly known for his defensive prowess. Ariza can shoot the 3-pointer if he’s open and is a strong finisher around the rim. Advantage: Lakers.

Power forward: Pau Gasol vs. Carlos Boozer
Boozer isn’t entirely back. He’s not 100% healthy and Pau Gasol is. Both are very skilled players, but Gasol’s height could cause some problems for Boozer on both ends of the floor. Advantage: Lakers.

Center: Andrew Bynum vs. Mehmet Okur
Bynum is back, still huge and already has put up some impressive numbers during the final games of the regular season. Phil Jackson still is critical of Bynum’s defense, but his presence alone changes a lot. Okur’s shooting touch will lure Bynum out of the paint, widening up the lane for Utah’s guards or wings to penetrate. It’s a tough choice. Advantage: Lakers.

Bench:
The Jazz have in Paul Millsap a power forward on the bench who proved that he could start on most teams, probably as early as next season for his current team. Then you have Kyle Korver, a 3-point gunner, and the do-everything Andrei Kirilenko, who could see a lot of minutes against Kobe. The Lakers can bring in Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, and recently Shannon Brown got some more minutes over Jordan Farmar. And let’s not forget about The Machine, Sasha Vujacic. Aside from Brown, these guys were all here last season, so they know what it takes to win. Advantage: Lakers.

Coaching: Phil Jackson vs. Jerry Sloan
This seems unfair to Sloan, but if I have to choose between coaches and one of them has won nine championships, who do you think I would choose? That’s right. Advantage: Lakers.

What I’d Say:
Lakers is five. Utah will give them a brief scare, but the Lakers won’t flinch. The Jazz aren’t adept defensively to contain all of L.A.’s fire power.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Atlanta Hawks (4) vs. Miami Heat (5)

Point guard: Mike Bibby vs. Mario Chalmers
The Heat finally solved their point guard problem by drafting Mario Chalmers, the perfect running mate alongside Dwyane Wade. Mike Bibby is a seasoned veteran with a lot of playoff experience during his days as a King. He loves the 3-pointer, but isn’t only a trigger-happy point guard. With a player like Josh Smith on the break, be sure Bibby gets his assists too. Bibby does have to work on defense though. Chalmers might have quickness, but Bibby is far from done. Advantage: Hawks.

Shooting guard: Joe Johnson vs. Dwyane Wade
You have one of the leading candidates for the MVP award against another top five shooting guard, because Johnson certainly is no slouch either. But despite his height advantage, his deft 3-point shooting and more than decent ball-handling skills, Johnson won’t be able to keep Wade from getting what he wants. It will be interesting to see how the Hawks will stop him. Advantage: Heat.

Small forward: Maurice Evans vs. Jamario Moon
Marvin Williams is back, but from what I know he’s coming off the bench, so it’s Moon against Evans I suppose. Evans is known as a strong guard / forward and will be asked to help out on Wade. Moon is a somewhat skinny über-athletic forward which gives the Heat another player to run with on the break. But still: Advantage: Hawks.

Power forward: Josh Smith vs. Udonis Haslem
Haslem returns from his thumb injury and is the ideal power forward for the Heat. He can shoot, he can rebound and is a good defender, which sorely is needed against the talented Josh Smith. My problem with Smith is that he thinks he’s a shooter sometimes, something that must drive coach Mike Woodson crazy. Smith actually took a step back since last season, but for this series: Advantage: Hawks.

Center: Al Horford vs. Jermaine O’Neal
Some time ago I said about Horford that as he goes, the Hawks go. A good rebounder who also can score, to me has the edge over Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal has showed some flashes of his former self this past season, but his health remains a concern. I’m going with the young buck. Advantage: Hawks.

Bench:
Flip Murray has played a lot this season, and earned it too. Marvin Williams is finally back from injury, so when it comes to scoring the Hawks don’t really have letdown by putting them in. When it comes to big men on this roster, all you have is Al Horford, because I don’t expect Zaza Pachulia to have a huge impact coming in (stating the obvious here). The Heat’s Daequan Cook is a shooter but doing that under 40%. Luckily they also have James Jones who can hit the trey, and Jamaal Magloire to make the hard foul. But the key player here is of course Michael Beasley. The rookie is having a fine season, and the Heat made a great decision bringing him off the bench. The Hawks don’t have answer for that. Advantage: Heat.

Coaching: Mike Woodson vs. Eric Spoelstra
For a rookie coach, Spoelstra got the most out of his team this season. The Heat kept playing well despite a young roster, injuries and mid-season trades. That’s not to take away credit from Woodson, but I’m going with the rook here: Advantage: Heat

What I’d Say:
Heat in seven. The Hawks are a good team, and they will push the Heat to the brink of elimination, like they did with the Celtics last season. But with Wade’s flair for the dramatic, I expect some huge games of him in the first round.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Orlando Magic (3) vs. Philadelphia 76’ers (6)

Point guard: Rafer Alston vs. Andre Miller
Alston has done well in Orlando since he was brought over from Houston, replacing the injured Jameer Nelson in the starting line-up. But Andre Miller is just one of the better point guards in the League. He and Andre Iguodala are Philly’s most important players. His ability to score, but most of all his crisp passing to his relatively young teammates, really benefits players like Thaddeus Young or Marreese Speights. Advantage: Sixers.

Shooting guard: Courtney Lee vs. Willie Green
With these two I think they’re starters by default. If you would look at their numbers, there’s nothing that stands out and will blow you away. Lee is primarily used as a defender, while Green…. I just don’t know. He isn’t a great shooter, so that explains why he only plays 22 mpg. Both will not be the difference maker anyway. Advantage: Magic.

Small forward: Hedo Turkoglu vs. Andre Iguodala
They have a different playing style, but Turk and Iguodala can do it all. Turkoglu might the better shooter, and Iguodala is a better finisher on the break and far more athletic. They can defend, can make the pass, but there’s one huge difference: for Philly to have a chance, Andre must be the best player on the court. Advantage: Sixers

Power forward: Rashard Lewis vs. Thaddeus Young
Both aren’t power forwards, who are we kidding here? But both work well in the current make-up of their respective teams. Young is a slasher, and you could say the same for Lewis, but he’s even more of a true scorer. Lewis is one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA, and let’s not forget he almost shoots at a 40% clip from 3-point territory. Advantage: Magic.

Center: Dwight Howard vs. Samuel Dalembert
Dalembert has seems to have lost the trust of his coach, and isn’t seeing too much playing time at the moment. It will get increasingly more difficult to stay on the floor trying to stop Flight Howard. Howard is so athletic and such a ferocious rebounder, the Sixers just won’t have an answer for him. Howard will dominate this series from the start, on both ends of the floor. Advantage: Magic.

Bench:
This won’t matter in the first round, but whoever advances to the second round (Orlando), this will be a problem. Both of them have a bench that lacks depth. The Magic have Michael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat, No-Neck Johnson, Tony Battie and J.J. Redick who all get some minutes most of the time. But aside from Pietrus, there isn’t much of a difference maker in that group. This also applies to the Sixers. They have Lou Williams who one day could shine in this League, but other than that? The athletic Marreese Speights had a decent rookie season, but is not always reliable. Reggie Evans is Reggie Evans. He gets you some rebounds, and has a nasty-looking beard. That’s it. So who else has to defend Howard when Dalembert is out? Theo Ratliff? This isn’t 2001 anymore. Advantage: Magic.

Coaching: Stan Van Gundy vs. Tony DiLeo
SVG is one of the frontrunners for the Coach-of-the-Year award, and made it a magical (lame, can’t help myself) season with a team that performed better on defense than it should (much credit to Howard), but we also we also saw progress in Jameer Nelson as a true floor leader. Van Gundy keeps them levelled and if health allows it (since Turk and Lewis both missed some games at the end of the season), it will be interesting to see how far they can come. Advantage: Magic.

What I’d Say:
Magic in five. I like the Sixers, but again, what can they do against Howard? Turkoglu and Lewis are back, so you have three legitimate 20-point scorers out there. Good lucking stopping that.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Boston Celtics (2) vs. Chicago Bulls (7)

Point guard: Rajon Rondo vs. Derrick Rose
Two young, very exciting point guards are going at it. Rondo might be better defensively, Rose better offensively, but the one thing they have in common is blazing’ speed. This will be an interesting match-up, and especially great for Rose to experience the playoffs as a rookie against the reigning champions. But which team has the advantage at this position? Rondo has seen it all last year, but Rose is so damn talented. You tell me, because I’m going with: Advantage: none.

Shooting guard: Ray Allen vs. Ben Gordon
If we know one thing for sure it will be that we’ll have no short in 3-pointers made / attempted. Allen and Gordon aren’t the best defenders either, so expect big numbers from the both of them. But you can’t hate on me for picking the veteran. Allen is such a smart and experienced player, with Gordon on him as an undersized shooting guard, you see where I’m getting at: Advantage: Celtics.

Small forward: Paul Pierce vs. John Salmons
Throughout his career, I always kept my eye on John Salmons. A talented but to me, sometimes unhappy player (not uncommon in Sacramento these days). Now that he’s in the Windy City, we really see what he can do. Besides the obvious fact that this guy can shoot from every range, he’s also a capable defender. I must admit that Paul Pierce on the other hand has stepped up his defense since the arrival of Kevin Garnett last season, so I can’t wait to see them go at each other. And like I said with Ray Allen, experience weighs in on this too. I don’t think a confident player like Pierce will lose any sleep because of Salmons. Advantage: Celtics.

Power forward: Leon Powe vs. Tyrus Thomas
No KG. Sigh. As a fan of the game you hate to see injuries to any player, especially such a vital piece of the Celtics, an anchor on defense, a leader and a man who screams himself to victory. But I’m also a fan of Leon Powe, who is by no means comparable to Garnett, but sure knows how to put the ball in the basket. But if Tyrus Thomas keeps on playing without too many errors in this series, altering shots, rebounding and just catching Rose’s oops, then I can only say: Advantage: Bulls.

Center: Kendrick Perkins vs. Joakim Noah
It’s a crapshoot really. Both can be clumsy on offense, but at least they rebound and defend; just don’t expect too many buckets from either of them. Perk takes up so much space though, and without KG he really has to hold the fort down in paint. And since he’s built like a fort too, let’s just say: Advantage: Celtics.

Bench:
Kirk Hinrich, Tim Thomas, and a player who will see a lot of court action: Brad Miller. I like Eddie House, Mikki Moore, Starbury, Big Baby and Tony Allen (who isn’t 100% yet), and you could argue that the Celtics have more depth than the Bulls. However, Hinrich and Miller are starter material who could both have a great impact on this series. Luol Deng is out for the season, but still: Advantage: Bulls

Coaching: Doc Rivers vs. Vinny Del Negro
I’ve stated it often on this blog: I’m not a fan of Vinny Del Negro, but apparently he’s doing something right because the Bulls a back in the playoffs, Noah is more active than he ever was, and Tyrus Thomas finally matured this season into a full-time starting power forward. Doc Rivers was in the Finals last season, and came back to coach his team to 62 wins, 25 of them without Kevin Garnett. Advantage: Celtics.

What I’d Say:
Celtics in six. The Celtics still played great after Garnett was out, but I think they will really miss him against Chicago. I can’t imagine it being a sweep, five is possible, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Bulls pull out a second win somehow along the way. But that’s about it; they won’t be last year’s Hawks pushing the Celtics to seven games.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (1) vs. Detroit Pistons (8)

Point guard: Mo Williams vs. Rodney Stuckey
If would’ve asked me to choose between these two during the first half of the season, Stuckey would be my pick. I’m not sure what happened, but he didn’t finish the season strong, while Mo Williams has been quite consistent throughout the year. Williams will often be used as a spot-up shooter feeding off LeBron’s creativity. Stuckey will be asked to push the ball up front, either creating for his teammates, or creating for himself. If the Pistons want to have any chance against the Cavs, Stuckey must play his best basketball of the season. But to choose between these two, I’ll take the easy route: Advantage: none.

Shooting guard: Delonte West vs. Richard Hamilton
West is a perfect fit in Cleveland’s system, but he will have a tough time defending Hamilton. West can do it all: shoot, pass, bring up the ball, but his focus in this series shouldn’t be on offense, but trying to contain to the always moving Rip Hamilton. Whether the masked man has the ball or not, he’s dangerous every second that he’s on the court and a master of the mid-range game. Advantage: Pistons.

Small forward: LeBron James vs. Tayshaun Prince
Prince with his long limbs is a great defender, but we’re talking about LeBron here. James is unstoppable, but if LeBron decides to pull up for the J every now and then, Prince could make it a bit more difficult for him because of his Doc Ock arms. Other than that, there isn’t much more you can do. Advantage: Cavaliers.

Power Forward: Antonio McDyess vs. Anderson Varejao
One player that has really impressed me this season was Antonio McDyess. The man has been in the League for quite a while now, but is still scoring and especially rebounding with the best of them (had a career-high 22 boards last month). “Chosen 2” Andy has put up a decent season, showing that he is more than just an energy guy, by providing points and always being active on the boards and on defense. But skill-wise, I think the old man could still beat the young guy. Dice still knows his ways around the basket, and can also shoot the rock if the opportunity presents itself. Advantage: Pistons.

Center: Zydrunas Ilgauskas vs. Rasheed Wallace
Big Z vs. Mr. T. Wallace can’t have games with 9 points and 6 rebounds during the playoffs. Ilgauskas is a skilled big man, not very fast, but knows how to score with baby hooks and his little jumper. He also has a height advantage over Wallace, yet Sheed is the better defender, so he could still cause some problems for Ilgauskas. Another important thing for Detroit is that Wallace stays as long on the court as possible. He must find a way to stay out of foul trouble, and you know that’s a difficult thing when you’re a big man and LeBron is on the other team. Advantage: Cavaliers (but a very, very slight advantage).

Bench:
No Allen Iverson for the Pistons, and I’m wondering which player off Detroit’s bench can give them some buckets. Will Bynum? In fact, when you look at the roster, he’s one of the few guys who actually did that in the last couple of weeks. The Cavs have former Piston Ben Wallace, but as far as I know it’s not sure yet whether he’s playing or not, but it would be nice to have him around. Daniel Gibson can be streaky sometimes, but when he’s open to shoot the three, you know the Pistons will collectively hold their breath. But the x-factor for the Cavs is Joe Smith. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a lot of minutes in the fourth quarter, and that makes it easy for me: Advantage: Cavaliers.

Coaching: Mike Brown vs. Michael Curry
Brown has playoff and finals experience, and Curry is having tough first season as a head coach. Advantage: Cavaliers.

What I’d say:
Cavs in five. This just isn’t Detroit’s season, and the Cavs won 66 games with something the Pistons used to excel in: defense. And their offense isn’t too shabby either. Just eleven months ago the Pistons were battling the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the run is over, which was obvious when Billups boarded a plane with Denver as his destination.

Rating the Nets, 2009 Edition

The first couple of months of the season made me into a believer, gave me hope for the future, and to be honest: it’s still there. I’m still moderately happy about the future of my team, but something’s gotta give. Rod Thorn was right when he said that the team needs a “moose”. A rugged power forward that brings defense and rebounding to the team. Someone like Udonis Haslem or Luis Scola. Not that they are available, but they need players like them. Anyway, the final post about the Nets this season:

Lawrence Frank: C

If you’re players are not giving the effort, do not have that sense of urgency, can you blame it all on Lawrence Frank? Is it that the players have tuned him out, can’t he motivate them anymore, or is this an easy cop-out and should we blame the guys on the court? The Nets decide whenever they choose to come out and play, and if this means Frank gets axed, that’s the business side of it. Maybe it is his fault, I don’t know. I do know that he’s under contract for another year for 4,5 million, so if there would be a new coach hopefully named Eddie Jordan, this could cripple the franchise even more. Frank did well in developing Brook Lopez and Devin Harris, and you could make an argument that the material he had to work with can’t bring you to the playoffs. And it’s true, but the lackluster play against teams like the Timberwolves or Bucks when your season in on the line, is something to worry about. In the past couple of days Bruce Ratner openly backed Frank, and as far as we can tell, Rod Thorn does too. But if the defense doesn’t improve by the end of this year, it wouldn’t surprise me if Frank doesn’t make 2010 as a Nets head coach.

Maurice Ager / Eduardo Najera:

Can’t rate these guys, they hardly played this season.

Ryan Anderson: B-

It’s hard to rate a guy who’s been in and out of the line-up so much this season. He’s a hard worker with a long career ahead of him, and his numbers will be more consistent if his playing time would be more consistent. But when Yi went out injured, the rookie came in from DNP’s to being the starting power forward, and maybe should’ve gotten the nod way earlier.

Josh Boone: D

Last season Boone averaged about 8 and 7 as the designated starting center of the Nets, and through the first five games of this season, his numbers were the same. But he hurt his ankle in the sixth game, prompting rookie Brook Lopez to start for the Nets. Boone came back, but his confidence was shattered. Boone can be a serviceable player for the Nets, but has to get stronger mentally.

Vince Carter: B+

Almost 21 ppg, 5 boards and 4,5 assists per game. Great numbers, but he’ll never be a great defender, and those fade-away 3’s are still so frustrating to watch, I’m starting to believe that VC’s the reason that I’m balding while I’m not even 30 yet. But he only has missed two games this season, is well-respected around the team, and does everything that has been asked from him To (most recently) switch over to the small forward spot, or being the primary ball-handler when Devin Harris was out, Carter will do it all without ever complaining about it. He’s a pro’s pro, and you couldn’t ask for a better leader on a team filled with young guys.

Keyon Dooling: A+

What more can you ask from him? A ball hawking point guard, shooting the 3 at a high percentage while playing a great deal of minutes behind Harris, or even with Harris. It doesn’t matter: put Dooling in and something will happen. Great off-season acquisition.
Chris Douglas-Roberts: B. The emergence, if we may call it that, of CDR came recently when Harris was injured for a couple of games. The guy is a scorer, and is no way a finished product. But like Anderson, I wish he got some minutes way earlier into the season. He showed that he can play, so it’s a safe bet we will see plenty more of him next year.

Devin Harris: B+

I’m afraid what’s happening to Devin Harris is what we could call the “RJ-effect”. Being a primary offensive weapon on this team made defense merely optional for the face of the franchise. When he came in from Dallas last season he was known as a feisty on-ball defender, but like the rest of the Nets, the effort isn’t always there. He was a great player the first half of the season, but slightly more inconsistent in the second half. He started settling for jumpshots instead of using his brilliant speed to get to the rim, which gives him easily 20 to 25 points on a nightly basis, half of them coming from the free throw line. Tony Parker has been using that speed for years to get easy buckets, and is having a career year by doing so. Devin Harris should watch some tape of Spurs guard this summer and learn from it. If he does, who knows how good Harris can be.

Trenton Hassell: C

He doesn’t give you much offense, but when he does play, he’s one of the few Nets who always will play some D. Can shoot the 3 too if necessary.

Jarvis Hayes: B+

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Hayes when the Nets signed him, but he proved to be a great addition to this team playing extended minutes. And when his jumper is falling, he proves to be a valuable weapon being out there with the starters more often than not. We shouldn’t forget that he’s been playing with basically one hand since he torn the ligaments in his left thumb in mid-February. The guy can’t even lace his own shoes at the moment, yet he kept on playing, even when the Nets were mathematically out of the playoff contention.

Yi Jianlian: F

When something is not there, you can keep on looking but you will never find it. The problem is that Yi plays twelve months a year because of his demanding home country, which might be one of the reasons why his young NBA career has been nothing less of a disappointment. He had exactly one stretch this season where he had three good games in a row, showing flashes of brilliance of what the promising player he can be. He got injured, and when he returned he had just three games where he scored in double figures. Maybe it’s not entirely his fault. Again, he’s young, he’s not very strong physically as well as mentally, but for a guy heralded as a good shooting big man, 39% is not enough. Lawrence Frank should’ve brought Yi off the bench throughout the season, let him play about 20 minutes a game, and work from there. Yi wasn’t starter material from the beginning, he one day might be, but not now. It took the Nets brass more than 70 games to find that out. Well done.

Brook Lopez: A

Sure, like any first-year player he makes those typical rookie mistakes. Yes, he doesn’t always finish strong. When the “Dwyane Wade Highlights DVD ’08-‘09” comes out, they will include the game in early January where Flash blocked Lopez twice, both dunk attempts, both were deciding for the outcome of the game. But next to the point guard position, the center position is the hardest one to master for a rookie, and we can say without any doubts that Brook Lopez has embraced the task at hand, and is it’s not more than fair that his name is being mentioned among the Rookie of the Year candidates. True old-school NBA centers are dying breed in the L, but the Nets have one for years to come. If the kid keeps playing like this, keeps improving, he’s an All-Star within two years.

Bobby Simmons: D

The Nets hoped to have the Bobby Simmons of ’04-’05, yet they got the regular Bobby Simmons: a small forward who rebound a little, defend a little, knows how to shoot the ball with great range, but in not a starter by any means. If you would combine his and Yi’s numbers, which would make 17 and 9, I would be impressed. But no, that kind of production is coming from two starting forwards (for a great part of the season), which unlikely brings fear into any opponent.

Sean Williams: F

I wish I could give this guy a better grade. When he came back from the D-League, he seemed to be a changed man. He did what he knows how to do best: block shots and rebound. A player who seems to be so calm during interviews, loses his cool which ended up in throwing a computer monitor in a cell phone store. You just don’t know what’s going on in his head. Being a distraction to a team during a time when they need you the most just can’t happen. A likeable guy, who, to me, deserves one more chance. Hopefully with the Nets.

No Breaks Allowed, Part 8

The “No Breaks Allowed” posts are my way to write about all the stuff that happens around the League which finds a place in my peanut-sized gray mass (also known as my brain), and sometimes it has to come out. Why are these posts numbered? I don’t know, but might as well keep it going.

-Biggest news? Manu not coming back until next season. But I still believe that with a healthy Tim Duncan (let’s hope his knees will hold up) the Spurs are still able to make the Western Conference Finals. If you don’t believe it, Pop will make you do push-ups ‘til you do.

-I wish I saw more of the Blazers this season. What a fun team. I’m impressed by how this group of players is really working well together; everybody knows their role, everybody is happy to be there. I really hope that their season will go on for a while. They’re probably playing the Rockets in the first round, who are obviously a tough match-up. But who knows, maybe the Blazers can impress me even more.

-What’s the deal with the Nets? My team’s season is almost over, and what happens? Two good games: beating the Pistons and demolishing the Sixers. By the way, I don’t know why, but the Nets are 4-0 against Philadelphia this season, including the incredible half-court heave by Harris, and Sunday’s 29-point bashing. But they also lost against the Bulls between those two wins, yet I try to remain optimistic.

-The channel that’s airing NBA games in The Netherlands has three NBA broadcasts a week. As far as I know, they’ll bring it back to two during the playoffs, and trust me, I’m pissed. Now I have to find low-quality streams, and even if they’re alright, my laptop doesn’t like it when I watch streaming videos on the internet very much, so that means a lot of lagging. Horrible.

-Shaq to the Mavs? If that happens, and Jason Kidd stays, these are two players who could bring Dallas its first NBA title ever. If it was 2002.

-Speaking of Shaq: I might be one of the few people in the world who doesn’t give a damn about twittering. I don’t twitter, I don’t follow any, and am not planning to. I’m the Jerry Sloan of twitter. Players claim it to be a wonderful thing, communicating with the fans in a direct way, saying things you want to say instead of using a reporter to do that. Isn’t that why they invented blogs a couple of years ago? What’s even worse is that people like me and you are on twitter. Who the hell wants to read that? “Doing groceries” “Got a haircut!” etc. So what?

-I miss Leon Powe. And KG of course, but Powe really is my kind of player. Hope they’re both healthy in a week or so.

-The Kings gave up 120 ppg in the last eight games (winning only one of them). That’s a sad thing if you’re a Kings fan, because I doubt there will be huge changes this summer. Unless they have the first pick in the Draft.

-I gave it a lot of thought, but I can’t see a single team being a good fit for AI at this point in his career. I love Iverson for everything he has done, especially when he was a Sixer, but what should he do now? Post comments below if you’ve got a great idea.

One Month Left! Western Conference Standings

Records and standings are through March 17

1. Los Angeles Lakers (53-14): Watching the Lakers play is a joy for the basketball-loving eye. Besides the loss against the Sixers the other night, they are playing so well right now, I wonder what will happen when Mountain Drew Bynum comes back. At least it’s nice to have him in there during the Finals this time (coughbarringinjurycough)

2. San Antonio Spurs (45-22): I read that Tim Duncan is still bothered by his achy right knee, which should concern some. Manu Ginobili will probably be back in two weeks, but if the Spurs are healthy come playoff time, I think they can make life for the other contenders very, very difficult.

3. Houston Rockets (44-25): Losing Tracy McGrady for the season might have been the best thing that happened to the Rockets these last couple of months. It seems like everybody’s role is more defined, and Ron Artest is probably not coincidentally shooting at a better percentage. Von Wafer has been one of the most surprising players this season. But if they would have to play the Hornets in the first round, will it be another early exit?

4. Denver Nuggets (43-25): Renaldo Balkman!

5. Portland Trail Blazers (42-25): Let’s just hope Greg Oden can return and have a strong finish to end his otherwise disappointing season. But man, wish I saw more Blazers games this season, what a fun team.

6. New Orleans Hornets (41-25): They wouldn’t be in sixth place if Tyson Chandler was playing in OKC, but I still have the feeling that this team can play better than they have shown so far. What’s wrong with the Hornets this season?

7. Utah Jazz (42-26): I think they are one of the teams you don’t want to meet in the first round. They might be in seventh place, but are more than a decent team with one of the best point guards in the League in Deron Williams.

8. Dallas Mavericks (41-27): They have a solid lead over the Suns right now, so the Mavericks have nothing to fear. Except for a first-round playoff exit next month.

9. Phoenix Suns (36-31): I root for the Suns to make the playoffs, but my mind tells me otherwise. I just don’t think they can put a nice string of wins together, which means for the first time in his career, Shaq will miss the playoffs.

10. Golden State Warriors (24-43): I wrote a piece about Don Nelson last month, and I still stand by that. There’s nothing more I can say about it.

11. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-47): Sure, they will lose over 50 games this season, but a healthy Al Jefferson combined with Kevin Love covers the rebound department next season. It’s a start.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (19-48): Playoffs 2010?

13. Memphis Grizzlies (17-49): Great young nucleus in Mayo, the other brother Gasol, Gay, Warrick and Conley. It’s interesting to see how Mike Conley will develop if he still is in Memphis next season.

14. Los Angeles Clippers (16-51): Something needs to happen in Clipperland. The coach, the owner, several players, it just is one big mess. There are too many guys who need shots to be successful. They shouldn’t overhaul the roster just for the sake of it, but define roles for the players who are on that roster. A different coach would help too. And a different owner maybe?

15. Sacramento Kings (14-53): Are the Kings still in Sacramento within the next couple of years?

One Month Left! Eastern Conference Standings

Records and standings are through March 17

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (54-13): Besides Ben Wallace, everyone is healthy, LeBron is still playing at such a high level you might wonder what can stop this team. As cliché as it might be, the Cavs can only stop themselves, especially in the fourth quarter when LeBron is sometimes is forcing shots while three-point gunners Delonte West and Mo Williams are wide open.

2. Boston Celtics (50-18): Still in second place, but they have to watch out for the Magic. Leon Powe has played really well in KG’s absence, who could return as early as Friday, when the Celtics play the Spurs. That might be a good idea, since Powe is now out for two weeks with a sprained right knee.

3. Orlando Magic (49-18): “I want a championship for Patrick Ewing” – Dwight Howard, in a Q & A with Cleveland.com. You gotta love this guy.

4. Atlanta Hawks (40-28): I expected a little bit more from Al Horford this season, because it often seems like that when he is playing well, the Hawks are playing well. He had four double-doubles in the last six straight wins for the Hawks, and all they need from him is a little consistency.

5. Miami Heat (36-30): The Jermaine O’Neal experiment seems to be working out quite nicely, but stay healthy big man. Let’s hope that Dwyane Wade has enough energy left come playoff time.

6. Philadelphia 76’ers (34-31): Andre Iguodala made a huge game-winning three at the buzzer against the Lakers last night, which gave the Sixers a four-game winning streak. They need to keep on rising in the standings to avoid the Cavs, Celtics and Magic in the first round.

7. Detroit Pistons (33-33): With injuries to Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace and more recently Richard Hamilton, the Pistons now face their toughest task of the season: maintaining that seventh spot and not fall into the frenzy that we call the eighth spot, competing with three or four teams to get into the playoffs.

8. Chicago Bulls (31-37): John Paxson made a great trade, because John Salmons (38 points in a win against the Celtics last night) and Brad Miller (21 and 14) are proving to be very valuable assets for the Bulls. If I had to pick who will be in the playoffs next month, and my options are the Bulls, Bucks, Bobcats, Knicks or Nets, I’d say Chicago.

9. Milwaukee Bucks (31-38): I’m impressed with how this team has performed in the last couple of weeks, especially Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva. Losing two starters in Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut could’ve easily broken them down to the bottom the Eastern Conference, yet they’re still there, not giving up on their season.

10. Charlotte Bobcats (29-38): I am not a Larry Brown fan, but I didn’t expect to see the Bobcats making a late run for the playoffs. When Gerald Wallace doesn’t have a concussion, he’s such a joy to watch. Raymond Felton has been playing very well since the All-Star break, and Raja Bell and Boris Diaw are proving much-needed veteran leadership to this team. Not bad, not bad at all.

11. New York Knicks (28-38): If David Lee and Nate Robinson aren’t back next season, how can Donnie Walsh justify that to the Knicks’ fanbase? Everybody is talking about 2010, but the Knicks have a pretty decent team right now, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they could reach the playoffs next year with the same roster. Next month? I doubt it.

12. New Jersey Nets (28-39): Losses against the Warriors and Clippers certainly didn’t improve New Jersey’s playoff chances. Losing Devin Harris to injury doesn’t help at all. And if disaster week wasn’t over yet, Sean Williams might be suspended.

13. Indiana Pacers (24-44): You’ve got to give them at least this: they’re scrappy. Every time when someone goes down, another player steps up. Whether it was Stephen Graham earlier this season, or Marquis Daniels more recently, the Pacers aren’t tanking it and fight for every game.

14. Toronto Raptors (24-44): Without a doubt the most disappointing team of the ’08-’09 season. Wow.

15. Washington Wizards (16-52): Even the President cheers for the visiting team.

If Knowledge is the Key….

….Then just show me the lock.

I went to see Q-Tip performing live with his band for the first time in sixteen years in my country, and had a great night. His set list contained every song of his brilliant album The Renaissance, but also classics from the Tribe we all used to love (and still do, who am I kidding?). “Scenario”, “Find a Way” and “Check the Rhyme” were all included, just to name a few. But don’t forget about “Award Tour”, which made it clear to me who should win the individual awards this NBA season. Yeah, we’ve still got about five weeks to go, and not every pick was as easy as others. But like Tip, I’m on point.

Most Valuable Player: Dwyane Wade. He’s eighteenth in blocks per game. The next guard on that list? Rasual Butler at number 54. He’s second in steals, and also leads the League in scoring. Oh, and he adds 7,6 assists per game too. Some say the Heat’s record isn’t good enough for him to win it, but if you look where they were last year and where they are now, that’s one hell of an improvement. Sure, he has a better supporting cast than last season, but a healthy Wade is leading them back to the playoffs, no matter on what end of the court he is. I have to give props to him and fellow superstar LeBron James for finally playing some D. For all the Kobe haters: at least he did that his whole career. But yeah, Wade is my pick this year.

Sixth Man of the Year: If the Mavs go to the playoffs and the Knicks don’t, it’s Jason Terry. If the Knicks go the playoffs and the Mavericks don’t, Nate Robinson has been making a case for himself with his play since the All-Star break (I know they’re not in the same conference, I’m not an idiot. Well, I am actually, but let’s try to stay on topic, which means handing out awards).

Most Improved Player: I have to go with Devin Harris. Fine, call me biased, I don’t care. I can understand that people don’t think he should win it for the simple fact that he is a product of the system (I use that term a lot nowadays) coach Lawrence Frank is running. Harris is a free man like Morgan, within an offense that maximizes his abilities to penetrate and create off the dribble. So it’s not surprising he’s a better player now than he was when he played in Dallas. But as a Maverick he was basically nothing more than a role player; as a Net he’s the face of the franchise.

Rookie of the Year: Speaking of the Nets…. nah, I know Brook Lopez won’t get it, because Derrick Rose is singlehandedly making the Bulls interesting again. I’m not a fan of his coach, Vinny Del Negro, but I like where the Bulls are heading, and with Rose Chicago has its first true star in years.

Executive of the Year: Maybe not the most interesting award for some fans, but it had to be named, since one man is very deserving. And that man is the general manager of the San Antonio Spurs: R.C. Buford. Drafting George Hill with the 26th pick should be considered as one of the steals of the Draft, and signing Roger Mason jr., and more recently Drew Gooden is clearly a case of the rich getting richer. A perfect example that small market teams in the NBA can survive when upper management is interested in winning while keeping the organization healthy and balanced at the same time. The Spurs don’t play panic ball on the court, but neither play panic ball off the court. They stick to what they know and it has served them well in the past ten years.

Coach of the Year: Gregg Popovich, but if Phil Jackson wins it, I’m fine with that too. Pop played without Manu Ginobili in the beginning of the season, and lost Tony Parker too. But newly acquired Roger Mason jr. showed why the Wizards could have used him this season now more than ever, and has been the starting shooting guard for the larger part of the season. Popovich handed the point guard duties to rookie George Hill while Parker was out, and made Matt Bonner the starting center of this contending team, getting away with it too. 37-year old Bruce Bowen (still a willing and capable defender) is coming off the bench his season, while former NBA iron man Michael Finley is the starting small forward at 36 years old. So many people wrote the Spurs off, yet they’re the second-best team in the West, so that really says something.

Defensive Player of the Year: You make the call. It’s the only award I’m indecisive about.

No Breaks Allowed, Part 7

The “No Breaks Allowed” posts are my way to write about all the stuff that happens around the League which finds a place in my peanut-sized gray mass (also known as my brain), and sometimes has to come out. And why are these posts numbered? I don’t know, but might as well keep it going.

All-Star thoughts

-I will never, ever forget about Shaq’s entrance with him and those jibba jabba dudes.

-What I am trying to forget though is the rest of the All-Star Weekend. Almost every event was somewhat disappointing. I checked the highlights of the D-League All-Star events the other day, and at least those guys have the balls (?) to actually try something creative while playing H-O-R-S-E, instead of changing it into a three-point shootout. Oh, and the D-League has James White. Can’t the Warriors sign this guy next season? I’m actually pondering if the “D” in D-League stands for “Don” instead of Development. We need him in the Dunk Contest in Dallas next year. Now if only some rich guy can arrange this. Mental note: e-mail Mark Cuban.

-The Finals MVP award will now be named after Bill Russell. Best idea the NBA had since…. Hm…. Well, the last good idea the League had was switching back to the good ol’ Spalding basketballs instead of using those toy store balls. If there were any other good ideas I left out in recent years, let me know in the comment section.

-The game itself on Sunday Night wasn’t all that bad. But like KG said to Craig Sager in an interview, it was weird to see the West play a zone defense a couple of times. At least let guys get into the paint for the first three quarters. I also saw the East grab Shaq by the arm twice in the third quarter when he had a wide open lane to go in for the dunk. That was a lame move by the defense.

-Speaking of Shaq: if he is still playing in 2012, averaging 3,6 point and 2,1 boards in about 10 minutes per game, I will still try to do my best to get him in the All-Star Game, maybe as a write-in vote or something. TNT should sign this guy already, even though he’s still playing, just to have his rights before he actually retires. You know, ABA style like they did back in the days with someone like Moses Malone. Get him before someone else can.

-Enough about Shaq, let’s give Kobe some attention. Funny that he said before the game that he wouldn’t play too many minutes, giving the young guys a chance. Noble statement, but in the end Kobe had 27 points, 4 boards, 4 assists and 4 steals in 27 minutes. You could see it in the opening minutes that he was completely focused, there was no doubt in his mind he would win the game, and the MVP award. You could just see it. And four quarters later, it happened. Maybe this doesn’t even surprise me anymore.

-If Kevin Durant made one point (or 46) during the All-Star Weekend it was that we can’t deny him anymore. Next year he must play on Sunday.

-One final note: the Dutch commentary during the All-Star Weekend was horrible as usual. Ronald van Dam, who was in the booth most of the weekend, saw Shaq sitting with a lady next to him. Van Dam: “Shaq with…. Is that Halle Berry? I didn’t know they were a couple?” Uhm, yeah, Ronald: did it ever occur to you that it might just be Shaq’s wife? Van Dam also wants to change the rules: if the East wins, they will have home court advantage in the Finals, if the West wins, then they will have it. His –air colleagues didn’t agree, but Van Dam didn’t give in. It almost makes those 82 games we like to call “regular season” a waste. Sigh. Another idea: he would like it if the fans could just vote who they want to see in the Dunk Contest every year. If the fans want to see Kobe in it, Kobe should just do it. They want LeBron? James has nothing to say about it, he should lace them up and dunk. According to Ronald: if you’re in the NBA, that’s part of the job. So then what? Vince Carter at age 32 still has to show up every year because fans have fond memories of 2000? Yao and Yi would be in it because, you know, China is big? Sigh. Way to ruin 58 years of All-Star history, you idiot. To all the people in U.S. complaining about Reggie Miller: you ain’t heard nothing yet.

Trade thoughts

-Vince Carter is still a Net. As a fan of the team, I’m really happy about that. I still have faith in Rod and Kiki. Post the obligatory “Vince will be gone this summer” below; I don’t care, because I’m happy with my team.

-Alvin Gentry is now the head coach of the Suns, and Phoenix had three straight victories scoring at least 140 points in each game. But happiness can’t last forever, because Amar’e Stoudemire will be out for the next two months. Should’ve kept those goggles, man. Let’s keep an eye on this team, because they’re down to three bigs now: Shaq, and Louis “Rock the Pony” Admunson. And Robin “The Other Brother” Lopez if he can get some minutes.

-About the Bulls-Kings trade: Does this means John Salmons will come off the bench? You know Salmons won’t be happy about that, and isn’t one to shy away about those things. It seems that it is always an upstream battle for Salmons. If I were Del Negro I would two things: 1) Get a haircut. 2) Start Salmons instead of Ben Gordon. Salmons is bigger, and definitely an upgrade defensively compared to Gordon. I know Brad Miller shed a tear or two talking about leaving Sacramento, which just shows that for some people, the NBA is not all about business. I hope he does well in Chicago, and regains some of his old form. When Miller was with the Bulls earlier in his career, I only remember him for one thing: he got lucky because the haymaker Shaq (as a Laker) once threw at him barely missed the back of his head. Nocioni could be a fan favorite in Sacramento, and a healthy Drew Gooden can certainly provide some scoring and rebounds, but this trade doesn’t make the Kings better. They needed to do something though, and there’s no other team in the NBA is more in need of a high draft pick than the Kings.

-About the Magic-Rockets trade: And the rich get richer. The Magic lost their starting point guard for the season, and what is their reaction? They trade for another starting point guard. You could argue that Rafer Alston isn’t exactly All-Star material; he’s certainly no slouch either. Smart move by Otis Smith, keeping his team competitive and didn’t have to give up too much for it. And although I had some doubts why Houston traded Alston, Aaron Brooks showed me Friday night against the Mavericks that he is running the show now (19 points, 6 boards, 8 assists and 2 steals).

-Larry Hughes wants minutes, but he’s now a member of the Knicks who have plenty of guards as it is. Wilson Chandler is actually starting at shooting guard, and you also have Q-Rich and Nate playing behind (or with) Chandler and Duhon. So where does that leave Hughes? I really don’t get it.

-Oh, and I like the Chris Wilcox trade. In his previous three seasons as a Sonic he averaged about 13,5 ppg and 7,5 rpg, and he could be effective in Mike D’Antoni’s system.

One final note:

-R.I.P. mr. Larry Miller. 64 is way too young….

Half Nelson

I pride myself in being an NBA fan, not just a Nets fan. That’s why basketball message boards are sometimes even scarier than Madonna’s upper arms. It’s full of people typing so-called statements in capital letters, such as: “trade VC for Wally!” or “omgz the Raptors will win it all this year!1!1!!” Whatever they need to convince themselves, I suppose. I digress (as usual). My point is that I enjoy watching the up-tempo style of the Knicks as much as I like watching the complete basketball game played by the Spurs. Sometimes there’s an exciting game on and suddenly you remember why you’re a fan in the first place. For all those dreadful games where both teams shoot a combined 40% from the field, for all those 48-minute games that last 2,5 hours because the refs blow their whistle on every damn play, there’s a moment in the season which makes you stand up and cheer out loud in front of your television at 4 in the morning (remember, I’m Dutch, games which are aired at 10 pm ET in the U.S. – add six hours and you know at what time I’m watching it).

May 2007 made me feel what I just described. And I think over 90% of all basketball fans felt the same. The remaining 10% either lived in Texas or Germany. The Warriors were an overachieving crew from a state that’s untouchable like Elliot Ness, and it hit the Dallas Mavericks like slug to your chest. Rumors are that Avery Johnson still has trouble sleeping for more than fours hours a night, and while Dirk is still Dirk, the best shooting big man in the League, he will always be linked with the ultimate collapse during that playoff series, with Captain Jack giving him fits. The head coach of Golden State was the likeable and immensely successful coach Don Nelson. A man living by his own rules, whether they’re right or wrong, and never one to shy away from an interesting quote to amuse whoever is willing to hear it. But his status as the Oakland’s cuddly (intoxicated) teddy bear has worn off this season. To me, it almost looks like he doesn’t have the passion or the energy to do what he has to do seven months a year. The media always bashes on players when it looks like they aren’t caring anymore. You’ve got to play with a lot of heart and effort to win in the NBA, but the same rule applies for coaches. You can’t motivate your team when you have problems motivating yourself. You can’t do that job half-assed. Players expect their coaches to lead, to get a T when necessary to instigate some sort of fire, to come up with solutions in troubled times. That doesn’t mean I want to see coaches to stand along the sideline for the whole game, wild gesturing when someone messed up, screaming at everything that moves (I’m looking at you Vinny Del Negro), but at least don’t start off the season by saying that you don’t expect to make the playoffs. True, Monta Ellis was out, and Baron Davis has moved onto the Clippers, but it’s not like the Warriors had such a bad team and would be unable to steal some games during the season. Their roster has a lot of flaws, but also some tools to work with. How you handle those tools as a coach, that’s the main challenge, that’s why you make five million to figure it out.

Early in the season Don Nelson said he identified “one of my weaknesses”, meaning implementing some sort of defensive scheme into the Warriors plans, and let his assistant coaches Keith Smart and Sidney Moncrief handle that assignment during the course of the season. All great coaches in this League have (or had) great assistants who help them out when it comes to defense (Tom Thibodeau with Doc Rivers) or offense (Tex Winter advised Phil Jackson for years), that’s the way it works. “I’m not as tough anymore” was cited as reason of Nelson’s defensive liabilities as a coach, because he was “getting soft” as he got older. If that is his actual reason, could it actually be that that Nelson has lost some of his desire to lead this young Warriors bunch through a long 82-game schedule? Is it me or do we see Nellie walking less and less along the sidelines, hands on his hips, beer belly angrily aimed at a referee who just happened to make a call that the Don didn’t like? Why is it that Al Harrington was unhappy and not playing well with the run-and-gun style Warriors, but after being traded he has scored thirty or more points for the run-and-gun style New York Knicks multiple times? Why is it that Mike Dunleavy jr. turned out to be a very effective small forward after he was traded to the Pacers? We can blame it on a team’s system, but what that really the case? Why is it that early in the season when Brendan Wright was starting, and it was obvious to the world that they needed this guy’s length and athleticism next to Andris Biedrins, was reduced to a limited role for no apparent reason? Why is Anthony Randolph unhappy? The rookie from Louisiana State was supposed to be one of the most talented players in the Draft, but apparently he’s on a short leash, because rumors are that Nelson wanted Jason Thompson, but Chris Mullin still picked Randolph. We still can’t decide whether that’s right or wrong, because the guy hardly plays. Does the kid really have attitude or adjustment problems? Or is Nellie being childish in managing this situation? It’s not the first time that for a first-year player it’s Nelson’s way or the highway (remember Chris Webber?).

I’m still indifferent whether Don Nelson has lacked the skills to develop young players, or whether he’s better at it than I give him credit for? After all, there a lot of D-League guys who flourish in his system, and let’s not forget about rebounding machine Andris Biedrins. But realistically speaking: Biedrins is also a product of the system. That’s not a knock against his talent, but more often than not he plays with four shooting guards who are trigger-happy from every range imaginable. And since he’s the only dude in a Warriors jersey on the court over 6’7 most of the time, of course he’s going to get some boards.

The Warriors might regret signing Maggette to a 50 million dollar contract, they might regret not having their bearded point guard with more handles than your underground subway, but it’s not about making more deals. While too many coaches have been fired early into the season, for the Warriors’ sake the best thing that can happen to the team is that Don Nelson resigns this summer and leaves the organization. In a time where all we talk about is “change”, I wonder what Eddie Jordan can do with this team. But it’s not up to me, it’s Nellie’s world; he decides, he makes the rules.

I Voted

You know what annoys me? A lot of things. Rude people, that curling is an Olympic "sport", going out with friends but then there's always one friend who just left five minutes ago when it was his turn to buy drinks, Nickelback, VC-for-Wally trade rumors (because that just won't happen, folks!), the Eurovision Song Festival, Don Nelson, and I could go on and on. But what really annoys me is that a few weeks into the new NBA season, I can already vote for the All-Star Game which doesn't happen until three months later. So there's always one rule when it comes to voting for the All-Stars: I’m going to wait 'til January. Then I'll decide. I also vote for the guys who I think deserve it. I try to be objective, but I must admit that two of my picks are more subjective than objective.

East:

Guards:

Dwyane Wade: We all know him for what he does on the offensive side, but let's not forget he's the only guard in the top 25 amongst league leaders in blocks per game. I was watching him during the Olympics, where he looked like the healthy Wade who led the Heat to the Finals in '06. And this season is his best in the NBA so far, because he is more committed to defense.

Vince Carter: As I said earlier, I had two players who I just had to vote for, regardless if there are better players at their positions. One of them is VC. If I didn't vote for Carter, Joe Johnson would've had my vote, but since I am a Nets fan, and since Carter is truly leading this team to a record which is better than everybody imagined, while taking young players under his wing (Lopez), and giving Harris enough space to shine, there's no doubt in my mind that Vince should be in Phoenix next month.

Forwards:

LeBron James: With him it's the same thing as with Wade. He got way better defensively, and while he’s so young and there is still room left for improvement, but he’s dominating the League, scoring at will and filling the NBA.com Daily Top Ten with his tomahawk jams and come-from-behind blocks. Dude is made for the All-Star Game.

Danny Granger: What? I should've voted for Kevin Garnett? KG always puts up great numbers, but Granger…. Man…. That's just ridiculous what he's doing to opponents this season. He's such a prolific scorer and a good rebounder too. He is the prototype of a small forward (along with Caron Butler). The Pacers don’t have a winning record, and like Barkley always said: "you should reward players who are winning". That's true, but you just can't ignore what Granger is doing this season. At least I can’t.

Center:

Dwight Howard: Who else?

West:

Guards:

Chris Paul: The Hornets aren't the team I expected them to be this season, at least not yet, but you can't blame it on Chris Paul. Still putting up the numbers: first in assists per game, first in steals per game, second in assist-to-turnover ratio, third in double-doubles (behind Dwight Howard and David Lee, and the only guard in the top ten); all of this means that's he's once again the best point guard in the NBA, and a warranted starter for the West. We all know that, but T-Mac will start in place of him. That’s how it goes.

Kobe Bryant: Maybe not scoring in a dominate way as we've seen so many times in recent years, but there are few superstars in this League blessed with so many talented teammates. There's no one in the NBA who plays as good as Kobe at both ends of the floor. And the eerie thing is: I think Kobe enjoys physical pain. What does it take for this guy to not play? I’m going to do a first in the blogosphere: is Kobe the new Mailman?

Forwards:

Tim Duncan: In the beginning of the season I read some negative articles about the Spurs. The usual: too old, the glory years are behind them, etc. But good ol' Timmy wasn't having any of that, and led his Spurs to the second-best record in the West.

Dirk Nowitzki: His Mavericks are 24-17, tied for the eight spot in the West along with Utah. But if it wasn't for Dirk, the Mavs would be a below .500 team, and even that might be an understatement.

Center:

Shaquille O'Neal: Along with Vince Carter, this is my second player who just needed to vote for. I understand Yao Ming has better numbers, and without a doubt Yao is the starter for the Western All-Stars, but Shaq seems rejuvenated this season, a legend who has entertained us for so many seasons and now showing that when his body finally agrees with his mind again, he's one of the best centers of the NBA. One who turns 37 three weeks after the All-Star Game.

Write-in vote:

David Lee: I did this without giving it much thought, but I do know this: if the Knicks trade him, they are still morons. They should build around him, Duhon and Chandler (and maybe Harrington), and that’s it.

Dunk participant:

Joe Alexander: The sad thing is, Alexander hardly played this season, but when I saw his nose against the rim during a promo video on NBA.com, I was convinced. Russell Westbrook has showed us he has hops, but I still think Alexander could be better. Rudy Fernandez had some nice alley-oops, but does that make him a creative dunker? I think it will be embarrassing to watch, but I hope I'm wrong. The fans wanted him in, and they got their wish.

Role call:

To all the players that went through my mind but didn’t vote for: Devin Harris, Chauncey Billups, Joe Johnson, Al Jefferson, Rashard Lewis, KG, Pierce, Ray Allen, Tony Parker, Yao, CB4, Marcus Camby, Deron Williams, LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison , and last but certainly not least: Brandon Roy. I could name more for the sake of naming names, but all these guys actually went through my head at a certain point.

The First Day of 2009 – Reflections on the Western Conference

Happy New Year everybody. May all your hopes and dreams come true. Now we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about something more significant, at least on this blog: basketball. With the season already into the new year, time goes by faster than a Chris Paul bullet pass on the break. So without further ado, take a look at the Western Conference and see who’s doing great, and who’s doing…. Not so great.

Records and standings are through December 31.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (25-5): The scary thing is that this team isn’t even playing at its best right now. Their defense could be better, Odom and Bynum aren’t performing up-to-par, and Derek Fisher doesn’t have a real back-up anymore with Jordan Farmar out, yet the Lakers still lead the West. Trevor Ariza is quietly emerging as one of the best sixth men in the NBA.

2. New Orleans Hornets (19-9): Just like the Lakers, the Hornets also could be slightly better than they are right now. Peja Stojakovic is shooting at only 40%, and both he and Tyson Chandler have missed some games due to injury. The Hornets have now the fifth best record in the League, while I was expecting them to be in the top three.

3. San Antonio Spurs (20-11): Like always, so-called journalists are so quick to write somebody off, so when in November the Spurs were struggling to stay around the .500 mark, people wrote that this was finally the year that the Spurs were getting too old. Remember, this was without Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. And now? They are third in the West, and by the way: getting Roger Mason might be one of the best off-season signings last summer.

4. Denver Nuggets (21-12): Speaking of writing teams off, I really thought the Nuggets had no chance of being a top team in the West, especially after the Camby “trade”. But since the arrival of Chauncey Billups the whole team went through a transformation into something I haven’t seen in years in Denver: they play defense. In a League where Steve Nash won the MVP two years in a row, Billups should at least be considered at the end of the season.

5. Houston Rockets (21-12): Why is it that I still don’t believe this team? Why is it that I still think that they, once again, won’t do a whole lot in the playoffs, although it’s still very far away? Maybe it’s because T-Mac will never be 100% healthy this season. Maybe it’s because Ron Artest is shooting only at 37%. Maybe it’s because their 7’6 center isn’t rebounding in double figures. Only time will tell if I’m right or wrong.

6. Portland Trail Blazers (20-12): It must be fun to be a fan of this team. Rudy Fernandez is a true player, Brandon Roy is someone we must see next month in Phoenix, and Greg Oden shouldn’t worry so much. There are rumors that they might trade Travis Outlaw to Memphis in exchange for Mike Conley. That would be fun for Oden, but guys like Outlaw are great to have on your bench, since he can do a little bit of everything. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t change a thing and see how far they can go with this roster.

7. Dallas Mavericks (19-12): A team without a starting shooting guard, that’s the first thing I notice when I look at the Mavs’ roster. Josh Howard is manning that position right now, but only by default. Jason Terry should already receive the Sixth Man of the Year award, but Dallas has to watch out. Utah, currently ninth in the West, will only get better, and it’s weird to think that either the Mavs, Jazz or Suns might miss the playoffs this year (unless the Blazers or Rockets totally collapse in the next couple of months),

8. Phoenix Suns (18-12): In two months, Shaq will turn 36. I am in disgust by the many websites, even the ones I hold in high regard, who are so overly negative of O’Neal, a living legend and still a top five center in today’s NBA. Shooting at 60%, scoring 17 points and grabbing nine boards along the way in less than 30 minutes per game in the winter of his career is something that hopefully will bring him back into the All-Star Game when February comes around.

9. Utah Jazz (19-14): How good could this team be if Carlos Boozer was healthy? Paul Millsap is playing great in his absence, and recently Deron Williams said that he was finally playing pain-free for the first time this season. Expect the Jazz to climb up in the standings.

10. Memphis Grizzlies (10-22): A huge leap from the ninth, to the tenth team in the West. When Memphis traded Pau Gasol to the Lakers last season, everybody thought it was a joke, a case of bad management, not knowing his “little” brother Marc Gasol would turn out to be such a fine player. He, Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo will find some ways to win some more games this season.

11. Golden State Warriors (10-24): Don Nelson shouldn’t be in this League anymore. Embarrassing to see what he puts his team through this season.

12. Los Angeles Clippers (8-23): I hope that Baron Davis is right when he says this is a transition year, and I also hope that management acknowledges that. I still believe with this roster the Clippers are way better then what their record shows, despite the fact that they have no bench. Never expected Zach Randolph to fit in so well before he got injured.

13. Sacramento Kings (8-24): At least Reggie Miller 2.0 is finally back, but other than Kevin Martin and the rookies Thompson and Hawes, damn near everybody is on the trading block for Sacramento.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-25): Kevin McHale shouldn’t be in this League anymore. Without Al Jefferson the Wolves wouldn’t have won a single game this season.

15. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-29): There are some bright spots with this team that make me wonder why they are this bad. The roster isn’t that awful (Durant and Green are playing great), and if newly acquired center Nenad Krstic is somewhat healthy, they finally get some scoring from a big guy other than the erratic Chris Wilcox. Expect some trades within now and six weeks involving either Wilcox, Nick Collison, Joe Smith or Earl Watson.