This has been
by far one of the worst NBA regular seasons that I have ever seen. Due to the
lockout, the NBA was forced to compress its season and squeeze 66 games into a
four-month time span. As a result, teams have been forced to sometimes play
three games in three nights. This has had an adverse affect on the quality of
play. Injuries have increased due to the lack of recovery time between games,
which forced a lot of players to miss a significant number of games. Coaches
have also been resting star players more than usual in order to have them fresh
and healthy going into the playoffs. This year the top teams have used the
regular season to simply get in shape and fine tune their games for a playoff
run. The general feeling coming into the season was that playoff seeding wasn’t
important, teams simply wanted to get there in one piece. Once the playoffs
begin they will be willing to take their chances on the road as long as they
are equipped with a full complement of healthy players.
As we enter
the month of May, it is time to see which team will peak at the right time and
make a run at the championship. As we know, 16 teams make the playoffs in the
NBA (8 in the East and 8 in the West). This is definitely too many teams, but
that isn’t the point of this entry. (However, I did write a column about that
for www.dailyshootout.com that will be available for you to enjoy some time this
weekend. I will tweet the link once it’s available.) This season, of the 16
teams that qualified, I would say that six or seven are legitimate title
contenders. The rest are simply increasing their cardio in preparation for next
season. Looking at the playoff field, we all have our favorites to make it to
the Finals. However, no team is perfect entering the playoffs.
**Before I get started discussing the
legitimate playoff teams, I would like to make one blanket statement that will
upset and/or offend the fans of several teams at once.**
This goes out to the fans in Orlando,
Philadelphia, and Utah. Your teams have absolutely no chance of winning a
playoff series this year. There is really no reason to go to the arena or tune
in on television, unless you want to watch their opponents skillfully dissect
them and extract them fro mthe postseason. To the players on those teams, I’m
OK with you mailing it in; playing hard will only delay the inevitable. Just
think, if you play hard and catch your opponent on an off night, you will do
nothing more than tease you fans with a meaningless victory that will lead to
absolutely nothing. So go ahead and give a half-hearted effort and go through
the motions. Don’t worry, if the fans start to get mad at you, just tell them I
said it was OK.
Now that we’ve
gotten that out of the way, let’s take a look at the other thirteen teams that
actually have a chance to win a series or two, or three, or possibly four:
Although they all look great on paper and in the eyes of their fans, every team
entering the playoffs has a flaw that if exploited will bring their season to
an abrupt end. Let’s take a look at them:
Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose please give me a call,
I want to introduce you to this dude that plays in Miami. His name is LeBron
James, you may have heard of him. He’s the guy that will be guarding you if you
so happen to face off in the Eastern Conference Finals. That my friend, will be
a bad matchup for you. The Bulls are a team that plays hard every night. They
finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA simply because they
are a talented team that never takes a night off, which is rare in today’s NBA.
However, the playoffs are not the regular season. The Bulls simply don’t have
enough cumulative talent to win a title. They will easily win their first round
series, but they will have a tough matchup in the second round if they face the
Celtics. If they happen to get past them, the Heat will be waiting. Derrick
Rose is great, and several of their other players are good. But they simply
will not match up well against the other top teams in the East in a series
where there are days off between games and they can focus all of their efforts
and energy into stopping Derrick Rose. The Bulls have had a great season, and
they will make a nice little playoff run, but they really don’t have a chance
at winning the championship this year.
San Antonio Spurs: Somehow, someway, the old guys that
meet every Thursday at 10am to play pickup basketball have managed to have the
best record in the West. However, the experience that they used to navigate the
regular season successfully can quickly turn into the age that will get them
eliminated by a younger and more athletic team. Teams like the Lakers and
Clippers will pose all types of problems for the Spurs with their young and
athletic front lines. Seeing as how this is 2012 and not 2005, I think Blake
Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum are salivating at the
opportunity to potentially face the undersized DuJuan Blair and a 36 year old
Tim Duncan.
Miami Heat: Players one through three on Miami’s
roster may be the best trio in the NBA, but players four through 12 aren’t much
better than the Toronto Raptors. If Bosh, Wade, and James dominate, Miami will
be the prohibitive favorite entering the playoffs. On the other hand, if James
disappears and Bosh doesn’t play tougher than a 12 year old girl holding a
baby-doll, Wade alone will not be enough to will them to a title. It’s put up
or shut up time for the Heat, meaning that this is about the time that LeBron
James starts playing like Marvin Williams and the Heat solidify themselves as
the NBA version of the New York Jets—all talk.
Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder are a terrific team that
many feel should win the West. They have a very good chance of winning the
West, as long as their one glaring flaw is not exploited by an intelligent and
capable opponent. The Thunder are strictly a jump shooting team. They do not
have any thing that could potentially pass for a low post scorer. They run all
of their plays to get jump shots for Durant, Westbrook, or Harden. This is a
great strategy when their shots are falling. However, when their shots are off,
things can get about as ugly as Sam Cassell. Playoff games are played at a
slower pace than regular season games and a lot of focus is put on defense and
half-court offense. At some point during the playoffs, a team is going to slow
the game down and defend their jumpers very well. At that point OKC will be
forced to manufacture points in the paint. Don’t get me wrong, Kendrick Perkins
and Serge Ibaka are both very effective in their roles. Ibaka is the help side
post defender and Perkins is the designated poster boy (shoutout to Blake
Griffin). However their post games are about as developed as Waka Flaka Flame’s
lyrical skills. The bottom line is that it’s hard to win a championship
shooting jumpers; whether OKC can do it remains to be seen.
Indiana Pacers: The Pacers have a nice collection of
talent. They are good at all five positions, but aren’t great anywhere on the
floor. They are a very well coached team that gives maximum effort. However,
you need a superstar to win in the playoffs, and they simply don’t have one.Paul
George, Danny Grainger, and David West are all very good players. However,
after they sweep the Howard-less Magic in the first round, they will be matched
up against Wade, Bosh, and James. That’s where their lack of superior
individual talent will become evident. It’s been a nice season but they simply
don’t have the alpha male needed to win big in the playoffs.
LA Lakers: The Lakers have two concerns
entering the playoffs. Kobe Bryant’s health and Mike Brown’s offensive
playbook. We don’t know if Kobe is healthy, but even if he isn’t we all know that
he will play well. Now to Brown, whose offensive playbook is about as thick as
the “Clifford the Big Red Dog” books that I used to enjoy as a kid. Come to
think of it, it’s so simpe that I wouldn’t be surprised if it was illustrated
by the same person. For those of you that haven’t been paying attention, Mike
Brown is the guy who coached Cleveland and called “LeBron top of the key
isolation” about 937 consecutive times in a playoff series. I’m sure Kobe can’t
wait to play the LeBron position on that play. If that happens, the Lakers will
have the opportunity to watch the more innovative offenses in the league advance
in the playoffs from the comfort of their homes.
Boston Celtics: This season Doc Rivers has proven
that he can flat out coach his a$$ off. He has somehow turned this oft-injured
team of senior citizens into legitimate championship contenders. As a matter of
fact, the C’s are peaking at the right time. They have the best record in the
entire NBA since the All-star break. The way the playoffs are setting up they
will face Chicago in the second round instead of Miami. That is, if they get
past the Hawks. Rajon Rondo is by far their best player, and the best point
guard in the entire league. Moving Ray Allen to the sixth man role and Kevin
Garnett to center have also proved to be brilliant moves. However, they are
still OLD and lack a consistent clutch playoff scorer outside of the biggest
crybaby in the NBA (Paul Pierce). Ray Allen’s health is also a bit of a
concern. In order to win the title this year, Allen has to be completely
healthy and on his game. Can the Celtics defy their age and make another title
run? Yes! That is, if they can stay healthy.
Memphis Grizzlies: This team’s post-season chances will
be determined by team chemistry. Zach Randolph returned from injury late in the
season and Gilbert Arenas was a late season acquisition. If they can blend into
a team that was good without them, they will definitely play a big part in
taking the Grizzlies to the next level. This is a really good team that is good
enough to win the West, provided that they prove to be alchemists and their
chemistry experiment turns to gold instead of spontaneously combusting.
Atlanta Hawks: For my money, Jeff Teague should win
the Most Improved Player award this season. He has developed into a mid-level
starting point guard and he is still getting better. He even has an outside
chance of developing into an All-star one day. Josh Smith has played like a man
possessed this season. Truthfully, the team really hasn’t missed Al Horford at
all, at least in the regular season. But now the playoffs start, where half
court basketball and post-play is at a premium. The Hawks will definitely miss
Horford if he is unable to play in the playoffs. The Hawks are a good team, but
they have too many flaws to be a serious contender. Like LeBron James, Joe
Johnson runs and hides when he has to make important plays on the big stage.
The get-along gang that have been used at center (Zaza Pachulia, Jason Collins,
and Eric Dampier) in Horford’s absence simply aren’t good enough. Then there’s
the bench. When Teague, Johnson, and Smith need a breather they will be
replaced with the likes of Jerry Stackhouse, Willie Green, Tracy McGrady, and
Jannero Pargo. Need I say more?
Los Angeles Clippers: The loss of Chauncey Billups really
hurt the Clippers. However, this is still a very good team. Chris Paul is
almost as good as it gets at the point. Then there’s Blake Griffin, aka
Kendrick Perkins Sr. (Yes I’m calling him Kendrick’s daddy). This is a young
athletic team that is going to be a problem in the playoffs. However they have
two glaring holes. Their bench is less than spectacular, and they are a REALLY
BAD free throw shooting team. As a team, they only make 68% of their free
throws. Their inside duo of Blake Griffin & DeAndre Jordan are each
shooting 52% from the foul line. At this point, Shaq could probably help them
improve their free throws. As I mentioned earlier, in the playoffs, the game slows
down and teams generally don’t allow easy dunks and layups. This means that
Griffin and Jordan will probably be attempting quite a few foul shots. Therefore,
Habitat for Humanity should have someone at the games to catch all of their
bricks and put them to good use by building homes for deserving families.
New York Knicks: It feels like this team has played
three different seasons in this short 66 game schedule. First there was the
season in which they sucked, then there was the season of “Linsanity,” and they
just finished the Carmelo Anthony is an unstoppable offensive force season.
Mike D’Antoni has been replaced by Mike Woodson; under Woodson they have played
a lot better and would be a real threat in the playoffs if they didn’t have to
open with Miami. Entering the playoffs, the Knicks have one glaring hole that
will be exploited by any team that they face. They will start either Baron
Davis or Mike Bibby at point guard. These guys have taken robbery to a whole
new level. These are two players who have no business still being in the NBA.
They are both offensive and defensive liabilities primarily due to health and
laziness in Davis’ case and age in the case of Bibby. My only question is, “Do
they show up in a mask and gloves to pick up their paychecks?” Since they have
stolen a couple of million dollars hanging out with the team and contributing
virtually nothing during the regular season, conventional wisdom would say that
they feel obligated to repay the Knicks with great playoff performances. But
guess what boys and girls, sense is not common and wisdom is not conventional.
Bibby and Davis will give the team nothing and Miami will give them a quick
exit. That being said, the LeBron-Carmelo matchup is sure to be a good one
(remember LeBron doesn’t morph into Marvin Williams until they get deeper into
the playoffs).
Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets are the very definition
of a team. The sum of their parts is much better than their individual pieces.
They may even give the Lakers a run for their money in the opening round,
especially if Kobe isn’t completely healthy and Bynum decides to shoot threes.
They will be fun to watch and are a team that is easy to root for. However,
like the Pacers, they lack the superstar that is necessary to win big games in
the playoffs. When the game is on the line, they need a guy to step up and make
the big play. Unfortunately, that player isn’t on their roster. So
unfortunately, they won’t be winning the title this year. Let’s look at the
bright side of things, at least they get to wear their really cool uniforms a
little while longer. Things could be worse. They could lose in the playoffs and
dress like the expansion Raptors. You remember those jerseys. They’re the ones
that had the caricature of Chris Bosh on them (during the Vince Carter era).
Dallas Mavericks: What a difference a year makes. The
defending champions blazed through the regular season last year, and they are
simply using it to prepare for the playoffs this year. I’ve got bad news for
the Mavericks and their fans. Last year you were experienced but this year you
are just OLD. Yes, the Spurs and Celtics are also old. But they have youth at
key positions that will allow them to compete. The Mavericks on the other hand
are a year older everywhere. The Mavericks will open the playoffs against the
Thunder and I’m guessing that Russell Westbrook will run Jason Kidd directly
into retirement.
The bottom
line is that no NBA team is perfect. Entering the playoffs, they all have
flaws. The key to success is the ability to hide your flaws while exploiting
those of your opponents. Sixteen teams are entering the playoffs. Three of them
have absolutely no shot. They may as well go chill out and watch the games with
Metta World Peace (since he has some time on his hands). The other thirteen
will fight like hell for that gold trophy. In the end, the Thunder, Grizzlies,
Heat, and Celtics will probably be left fighting for the right to go to the NBA
Finals. Like all of the other teams, they have flaws, but I feel as though they
will be able to mask them well enough to make it to the conference finals.
No matter who
you root for, you will surely want to tune in and enjoy these playoffs. For a
basketball fan, this is truly the best time of the year. March Madness is
alright, and the NBA regular season provides lots of entertainment. But for a
person who loves watching basketball played at its highest level, the NBA
playoffs are heaven on earth. Will LeBron finally get his first ring? Will the
pride and heart of the Celtics will them to another title? Will Joe Johnson
finally live up to his contract? Will Carmelo Anthony carry the Knicks to
places that no one could imagine? Will Amare Stodamire’s hair suddenly get long
enough to justify having braids? We may not know the answer to these questions
now, but we will by the end of the playoffs. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week!
Baller: The
Minnesota Vikings – Somehow the Vikings convinced the idiots that run the
Cleveland Browns to give them a 4th, 5th, and 7th
round pick to move up from the fourth spot to the third spot so that they could
draft Trent Richardson. Don’t get me wrong, Richardson was a GREAT college
player, and will probably be a GREAT NFL running back. He is by far the best
back to enter the league since Adrian Peterson. But to give away three picks to
move up one spot to take a player that there was a 0% chance of the team ahead
of you taking is flat out STUPID! The Vikings somehow had convinced the Browns
that another team was trying to move up into their spot to get Richardson. I
seriously doubt that another team was willing to pay to get into the top three
to draft a running back, but the Browns believed it. All in all it worked out
for everyone. The Browns got the player that they coveted all along and the Vikings
had a good laugh in their draft war room at the Browns’ expense.
Scrub: Michael
Jordan – I know that it may seem blasphemous to some to call Michael Jordan
a SCRUB, but I don’t care. I’m calling a spade a spade. AS AN OWNER MICHAEL
JORDAN IS A SCRUB! I’m not going to go into detail about all of the moronic
moves that he has made as the owner of the Bobcats (i.e. using a 1st
round draft pick on Adam Morrison) because that would make this already long
entry about four pages longer. However, let’s just say that either he doesn’t
care or he is incredibly stupid when it comes to making basketball decisions
that don’t involve determining his next move while running the triangle
offense. The Bobcats are bad, I’m sorry, that’s an understatement. THE BOBCATS ARE
HISTORICALLY BAD! (that seems about right). The 2011-2012 Charlotte Bobcats are
officially the worst team in NBA history, and they are led by the best player
in NBA history. Go Figure! I understand that Jordan isn’t Jerry West or Pat
Riley when it comes to making personnel decisions. I could live with the
Bobcats not being an elite team, but the WORST EVER?! What happened to Jordan’s
competitive fire? There was a time when Michael Jordan would trip up his mother
to ensure that he won a race, but now he is simply content to fail. This is
unlike Jordan. He is the man that made the NBA what it is today. He is the man
that won 6 NBA Championships, 6 NBA Finals MVP’s, and 5 NBA MVP awards. He is
also the only person that can force kids to skip school and adults to skip work
to buy $200 basketball shoes. He has been successful at everything that he’s
done (except hitting a curveball) prior to entering the management side of
basketball. What is disturbing is that Jordan actually believes that he is
doing a good job, and is committed to the plan that he has in place.
I hate to
speak out of turn here, I mean I am just an engineer that enjoys writing about
sports in his spare time. I am aware of the fact that Jordan has probably
forgotten more about the game of basketball than I may ever actually know about
the game of basketball. I get that, but I feel as though I must break the news
to him, since no one else will. MIKE, YOUR PLAN IS NOT WORKING! IT’S TIME TO
SCRAP IT AND TRY A DIFFERENT ONE! The definition of insanity is to keep doing
the same thing while expecting different results. I hope Jordan realizes that
if he sticks to whatever plan he is currently operating under, that he will
officially be considered insane.
If
someone told me that I had to either have Gucci Mane perform at my next
birthday party or have Michael Jordan own and operate my favorite NBA team, I
would honestly ride with Gucci. That’s right, Gucci Mane is a better rapper
than Michael Jordan is an owner. That pretty much sums up why I am calling
Michael Jordan a SCRUB!
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
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