Monthly Archives: May 2010

by | May 31, 2010 · 10:51 AM

‘Party Machine’ wants out in Toronto

Long gone are the smiles

In a top secret location somewhere on the globe, Chris Bosh is having a meeting of the minds with the other max free agents. Really, though, it is just a meeting of the moneyed. Together they are devising a sinister plot to take over one NBA franchise in order to rule them all. If this seems like tampering, something that David Stern apparently takes seriously, it is because it is. Yet, do not expect any fine to be levied against any of the participants of this new incarnation of the Super Friends. While Bosh is away and the Toronto Raptors begin mulling their Bosh-less future the last thing they need is more turmoil especially with so many uncertainties surrounding the franchise. Apparently, Hedo Turkoglu did not get the message.

Turkoglu recently announced, in a Turkish television interview, that he no longer wants to remain in the city of Toronto and play for the Raptors. The Raptors’ management can be nothing but thrilled that their biggest free agent acquisition from last summer now wants nothing to do with the organization. You more than likely will not hear a peep out of Bryan Colangelo or the organization as whole as they have decided to deal with the situation internally. It is understandable why they would want to keep quiet on the matter because it was their idea to award him with a $53 million contract and now they are looking to take a severe hit because of it. However, this decision by Turkoglu should not come as any particular surprise. He has had conflicts with the organization for much of the season.

On 28 March this year, he was benched, as healthy scratch, and fined for missing the previous game with a stomach bug but then being reportedly seen out that night at a Toronto club. It was his first benching in four years. The nightclub incident awarded him the nickname “Party Machine.” This is probably the most widely reported grievance between the two camps but Turkoglu’s play on the court this season is an indicator that he has had absolutely no interest in playing for the Raptors. Across the board, except in three-point shooting percentage, his numbers are down from last season’s when he was with the Orlando Magic. (If you look at his bio on NBA.com his profile picture is of him in a Magic jersey. Clearly the NBA has no respect for the Raptors organization either otherwise they would have changed this early on in the season. Getty Images could surely provide them with a picture or two could they not?) To refer to Turkoglu’s play as uninspired this season would be an overstatement. Sure, he had flashes of why the team and Colangelo thought he was worth the contract they gave him but nothing was ever consistent.

The Raptors have a crisis on their hands this summer. There is little question that Bosh will leave to go play somewhere else, especially since he was invited to LeBron Con. Now they face the prospect of suspending Turkoglu, trying to move him and his approximate remaining $42.2 million contract in a trade, or buying him out. None of these options is a favorable one as the Raptors will come up on what will be considered the losing side. Turkoglu will not be in a Raptors jersey next year; that much is certain. If the Raptors decide to take the hit financially and buyout Turkoglu’s contract it will serve as yet another embarrassment, and will be the biggest, on a disastrous season where the team fell apart during a playoff push. A buyout may also set a precedent across the league allowing disgruntled players to demand to leave their teams. With the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement talks slowly getting underway, this is the last thing that the league and David Stern want to see happen.

Turkoglu’s desire to bounce on Toronto is yet another damning condemnation of what Colangelo has tried to establish. Losing his two big name players this summer will leave Colangelo with a shell of his former team. This could end up being a good thing for the franchise, however, as it gives the organization a chance to rebuild using a different model. Perhaps this time they will choose to build a team without such a strong European style influence. The European model has been shown time and again to not work in the NBA. They at least need to do something to do something to please the fans who are deservedly distraught. Toronto may be in the toughest situation of any team in the league right now. Turkoglu is just another reminder of the team’s inadequacies and failures. They have difficult choices ahead and no matter what they choose to do questions will abound about the integrity and legitimacy of the franchise and its future.

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by | May 28, 2010 · 9:33 AM

Toast of Tinseltown

Tru-est of Wariers

Reputation has gotten in the way of many players over their careers. It follows them, hounds them, where ever they play. For some players this can be a good thing, they might have a reputation of being a clutch performer or a positive and upbeat teammate that is a credit to all the community work that the NBA so proudly shows us in commercials. Not every player has such a sparkling clean reputation, however. There are those with baggage. Baggage is the most pervasive kind of disease for a player, it not only follows them it confronts them around every corner. A player may spend years changing their image for the better and turning their life around but it still sits there across the room staring right back at them. One outburst, one off color remark and the media is quick to pounce. Since being acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers this past summer, Ron Artest has had to confront this baggage (some would say demons in his case) head on in the blazing lights and sun of Southern California.

The Lakers are Kobe Bryant’s team, everybody knows that. Every player that puts on a purple and gold uniform knows that. Their most recent championship, last season, is Kobe’s championship. If they win again this year it will be Kobe’s second championship. He has won before but it was with Shaquille O’Neal. Kobe was, according to the media, living in Shaq’s shadow until he won a ring sans Shaq. He has done so and solidified himself as “Mr. Laker.” Adding Pau Gasol to the team did help the Lakers return to the top of the mountain but it was Kobe, with his demand for a trade, which forced the hand of ownership to trade for help. Bryant knows what is best for his team and for his jewelry box. Acquiring Artest was also a move that Kobe had his hand in. He wanted a player who could defend the other team’s best player for much of the game allowing him to rest some on defense so he could focus on the offensive side of the ball. Artest may no longer be the same defender that won the Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 but he is still a tenacious and physical presence to be reckoned with.

Now, more than ever this season, as the Lakers are in the Western Conference Finals, Kobe is doing what Spike Lee simply refers to as work. Kobe deserves a promotion for the work he is doing in this series. He is averaging 33 points per game, 7.4 rebounds, and 9.6 assists all while shooting an astounding 53.5 percent. If any other player was having a series quite like this it would be front page news. Since it is Kobe, though, it is simply what we have come to expected based on unbelievable skewed perceptions. He has set the bar so high for himself that these numbers have, for the most part, fallen by the way side. Despite these gaudy statistics the series, going into game five last night, was all knotted up at two games apiece.

It has been stated time and again, and will continue to be until proven false, that the Lakers, despite all their talent, cannot win when Kobe does all the work for them. The more he shoots the worse the chances are for the Lakers to find themselves in the win column. This series was tied at two games a piece because of this. In game five Kobe’s numbers were again nearing the stratosphere with 30 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, and four blocks but the Lakers could never get and hold onto any sort of commanding lead. History was repeating itself yet again, especially in the eyes of the skeptics. To quiet them and the Suns, Kobe called on his bailout “Kobama” powers and pulled up for what would be a game winning three-pointer. It missed and the rebound came into the lane and into the hands of Ron Artest.

Artest was having, by all accounts, a terrible offensive game. He was 1-8 from the floor and had missed all three of his three-point attempts. In the fourth quarter, with the Suns rallying, he bricked to consecutive open shot attempts. To make matters worse, these shots occurred in the final minute of the game. The fans at the Staples center let him hear it with a cavalcade of groans and boos. This is what the Lakers spent their money on over the summer? We let Trevor Ariza go for this guy? Artest’s baggage took center court once again. It is never in the shadows, no, in L.A. it sits courtside next to Jack. In Hollywood, though, fortunes and fame can change in the blink of an eye.

Ron Artest had been 1-8 for the game but that was about to change. Lamar Odom in bounded the ball to Kobe who came back towards Odom off a slight curl at the top of the key after starting in the far post. Kobe hoisted a three with two defenders near him for the win. As the ball was in the air, Artest made his way from the opposite side of the court behind the arc into the paint. Kobe missed. The ball came down into the lane. Artest boxed out Jason Richardson while pursing the rebound and came up with the ball with only 1.7 seconds remaining in the game. He turned and put up and awkward, if not downright ugly, shot while slightly fading away. The ball banked off the glass and fell through the net as time expired. “RON ARTEST!” Marv Albert exclaimed with a heavy dose of surprise in his voice. Artest was now 2-9 from the field, but the second he made shot was all that mattered.

The Lakers now holds a three game to two series lead over the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals. More importantly, however, is that all the baggage that Artest may have brought with him to L.A. is, for the moment, forgotten. Where are his demons now? They are out partying on the Sunset Strip; right now they have no need to confront him. Los Angeles is notorious for the fickle nature of fame and for short memories. Hopefully though, when Lakers fans and fans in general think about Ron Artest, his game winner against Phoenix will become the predominant and lasting image. Today Artest has one less bag to carry.

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by | May 27, 2010 · 8:00 AM

Bench Press

Pheonix has finally learned how to use its bench

The Los Suns (Los Soles?) were looking like Los Losers as this series began as Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were started to show that both defense and experience are needed to get past the Western Conference Finals.  However, those characteristics are starting to come under considerable question after last night’s performance by a bench that has been slowly turning heads over the last few weeks.

Even with the fall of Robin Lopez, this team is still competing despite a tough playoff schedule with series against Portland, San Antonio and now the Lakers.  With the lack of a serious big-man threat with Lopez out, the Suns lucked out against a beat-up Marcus Camby and an old Tim Duncan but the Lakers were suppose to offer more of a threat when it comes to size.  The signing of Ron Artest would allow the big men in Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol to drift away from any sort of serious roll in the defense.  However, last night, they were out-rebounded by 15.  The basic premise is that they will become more predominant in the offense when they don’t have too much to worry about on the other end of the ball with both Artest and Bryant being defensive pests.  However, only Bynum has seen an increase in scoring and yet Jackson has become unhappy with his play.  Dallas’ front court averaged 11 more points per game on the season than the Lakers.

Then comes the Lakers’ bench (Something we have been criticizing for some time).  This group of losers scored only 20 points last night while Pheonix’s scored 54.  Louis Amundson, Goran Dragic, Jared Dudley and Channing Frye are all making names for themselves as of late.  Together, the four have only played in a total of 68 playoff games including last night’s.  To put this in perspective, Kobe has played in 123 since the 2000-01 Season.  Yet, their swagger is untouchable and Alvin Gentry’s trust in them is unfathomable.  Gentry kept all five reserves, including Leandro Barbosa, in during the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter.  They produced an 18-3 run.  The subs had turned an 87-85 deficit into a 103-94 lead.

Frye broke out of a terrible shooting slump by making four 3-pointers.  Barbosa had 14 points on 8-11 shooting.  Dudley had 11 points and Dragic ran the point perfectly with eight points and eight assists in only 18 minutes.  It shouldn’t be any news to anyone that this bench is actually producing.  They have been putting up solid numbers since the All-Star break averaging 34 points, 15.3 rebounds, 7.6 assists and shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arch.  The Lakers’ bench has only been putting up 24 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists per game in that same amount of time.

To be honest though, it all comes down to a matter of will.  Steve Nash says that he has gotten more rest than ever these playoffs and a lot of that can be traced back to Dragic.  He’s healthy and at the cusp of playing in his first finals ever.  Amar’e Stoudemire was let down by not being traded but is showing that he may be worth picking up come July due to his increased hustle.  He seems to care more now than ever now that he knows he has to prove something in order to get the big deal he wants. Having a good bench to utilize is something this team has never really had or really cared to have.  Mike D’Antoni’s system of full-court with a six-man rotation just doesn’t work well in a lengthy postseason.  Gentry and the Suns understand that you can’t run your way through the Western Conference Playoffs with an aging point guard and an extremely small rotation.

On the other end, Kobe has to pick this team up if they plan on finishing this series.  He’s scoring all he can but to be honest, that has not proven to be enough in seasons past.  Just because he wants it doesn’t mean the Lakers get it.  Same goes for Artest.  He has been the black sheep on this squad from day one and players usually don’t turn it around by the playoffs must less the Western Conference Finals.  Ron, if you haven’t figured it out by now, then it isn’t meant to be.

Phoenix needs to stay physical and get to the line.  The refs have shown that they are going to call personal fouls against both Odom and Bynum in this series.  Attack the basket while they are in the game and that will easily open up the 3-point shooting.  Gentry has to realize this and take advantage of it.  The bench is going to offer the matchup problems once personal fouls start adding up and the series gets lengthened.  Time is on Phoenix’s side but only if used right.  Crash and draw fouls or crash and kick out to Dudley, Nash or Frye.  It’s a simple plan that will have the Lakers playing full-court.  This will continue to wear down the LA’s starters and there you have it, Jackson will call on his dismal bench.  If you see Jordan Farmer and Luke Walton being difference makers in this serious, wake up.

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by | May 22, 2010 · 1:16 PM

Party of Five

Decisions, decisions

Yesterday, Chris Bosh’s agent set the Toronto Raptors a list of where Bosh would like to play next season and the foreseeable future. Toronto knew this day was coming, with Bosh’s contract expiring and the Raptors having failed to make the postseason yet again it was inevitable. The product in Toronto is clearly tainted with the dreams of Bryan Colangelo and his aspirations of a Eurocentric style of basketball. Toronto may be a culturally diverse and international city but this does not mean that this should translate into an international flare on the court. This is the NBA and physical defense, and a superstar or two, are what win and this has not changed. Most Euro and street ball inspired teams only achieve the heights of mediocrity. The Raptors are that mediocrity.

Bosh has chosen five teams for which he would like to play for in the coming years. Luckily for the Raptors Bosh decided to include the franchise on his short list. However, their inclusion may just be a matter of semantics, so do not get your hopes of retaining him up, Toronto. They are likely listed because of, in an ideal situation for both Bosh and the Raptors, the potential for a sign and trade agreement which would not leave the Raptors high and dry. Bosh is a Texan and therefore is considerate of the plight of Toronto if they are to lose him. In reality, a sign and trade agreement would allow Bosh to have another year on his contract and allow him earn more money than he would if he simply departed via free agency.

The four other destinations which Bosh has concluded would be a good fit for his skills set are the Chicago Bull, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks. Including the Lakers in this list is for show rather than for serious consideration. Los Angeles would love to get Bosh, but not even a sign and trade would work in this situation. Who, outside of the Lakers top six players, would the Raptors take for Bosh? No one. The Lakers are rather unlikely to give up any one of their top six players to go after Bosh because of their depth in the frontcourt. If this was baseball, Bosh would be a Laker next season. Luckily for the NBA the Steinbrenner’s have no sway in the house of hoops, oh and that whole salary cap thing would be an issue too. If Bosh does land in Los Angeles he would be suiting up in the blue and red instead of the purple and gold.

So that leaves Chicago, Miami, and New York. Two of these cities are petitioning heavily for a certain player this offseason and if that player lands in one of these cities it will make Bosh’s decision on where he wants to play that much easier. For practical purposes, let us assume that New York is only on the short list because of that one player that is out there on the market right now mulling over his summer choices. If “Player X” goes to the Big Apple, Bosh will follow, if he does not then Bosh will likely only play in Madison Square Garden aka Mecca anywhere from one to two games a season.

Miami made the short list also. Much like the situation surrounding Bosh’s potential sojourn to New York, his potential move to South Beach is predicated on the Heat either retaining or losing their star player. Only the Bulls are not dealing with the possibility of losing a star and are simply looking to add star player to play alongside Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Bosh has to strongly consider the Bulls because they are the team that won out down the stretch in the regular season and kept the Raptors from making the playoffs. Chicago also has a good young core that can only get better; Bosh is only 26 and is just now hitting his prime. From the list of cities that he has selected the Bulls are the most well put together team in the group that have the possibility of landing him.

Bosh has seemingly stated with his list that his decision to move cities relies solely on where other max free agents decide to go. He has chosen to follow, not to lead. That is a shame and does reflect on his character but who can really blame him? He is simply choosing not to choose. He wants to play alongside a signature player with the opportunity to compete for a championship. Bosh will not get that opportunity if he remains in Toronto. No matter where he ends up going he has set himself up to succeed. His list of five is really just built around what the media has perceived to be the frontrunners in the summer sweepstakes. Maybe his list will help other players on the market this summer narrow their lists of potential suitors. In the end though Bosh must make a choice for himself and not rely on the movement of others.

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by | May 21, 2010 · 11:19 AM

Hitting the Jackpot

Grand Prize: John Wall

Change had come to Washington D.C. in 2009. Barack Obama was sworn into office as the 44th president of the United States of America. The country’s spirits were up for the first time since 2000 (unless you are one of the many ill-informed who feel that the current president is an avid reader of Engels and sings the Internationale before going to bed each evening…but I digress). Spirits were even high for the Washington’s sole professional basketball team as they looked to improve on their dismal 19-63 record from the previous season.

New head coach, Flip Saunders, was brought in to hopefully breathe some offensive life into the team once more. Saunders is widely known throughout the league for his offensive schemes and rotations. However, off the court issues would steal the headlines. It would prove to be a season marred with player ineptitude and unintelligence. This is, of course, referring to the incident where Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton decided that personal gambling debts needed to be remedied and the only way to do that, logically, was to brandish firearms in the Wizards locker room at the Verizon Center. At the start of the season the Wizards were projected to be in the middle of the pack in terms of playoff teams in the East. This was not to be the case early on and the season quickly spiraled out of control. With Arenas suspended indefinitely by David Stern the Wizards’ season collapsed in on itself and the management quickly went into restructuring and cost cutting mode. Basically, they panicked. In financially motivated and blockbusters trades at the trade deadline they let former All Stars Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler go as well as Brendan Haywood and defensive specialist/Abraham Lincoln enthusiast DeShawn Stevenson. They had gutted their roster leaving JaVale McGee to be a break out but almost universally unknown leader on the Wizards. At season’s end their record stood at 26-56 and they were the only team in their division not to make the playoffs.

Hope, however, was on the horizon. For the Washington Wizards there was finally some light at the end of the very dark tunnel that was the 2009-2010 NBA season. This hope came in the form of the NBA Draft Lottery. With the New Jersey Nets having had the worst record set by any team in the NBA this season they were the heavy favorites to get the number one overall pick and they had a 25 percent chance of doing so. But as a capper to the Nets’ futile season, they essentially lost the draft lottery. There was only a 10.3 chance for the Wizards to move from their fifth place ranking in the draft to number one. That was all they needed though. Analysts should have guessed that the Nets would lose yet again as they fell to the third pick.

John Wall, the standout freshman point guard from Kentucky, is widely acknowledged as the best prospect in the draft and therefore is to be taken with the first pick. A close second to Wall is Ohio State’s Evan Turner who was the national player of the year. Outside of these two players there is quite a bit of promising talent but these are the two that the Wizards will be concerned with. In fact it would be foolish to even look at other options. (This author like the game of DeMarcus Cousins a whole lot but even I do not think that he is a first or second pick.) The Wizards must now ask themselves what is best for their franchise as they hope to rebuild and make it back to the post season.

Obviously, there is an elephant in the room for the Wizards and that is the $111 million contract that they inked with Gilbert Arenas two seasons ago. Arenas is still on the books for $80.2 million coming into next season. Ernie Grunfeld, team president of the Wizards, has continually reaffirmed that Arenas will be a Wizard going forward and getting the number one pick in the draft will not change that. Of course it won’t. No team in their right mind is going to pick up Arena’s remaining contract especially when it is that of a perennially injured player. Arenas and the Wizards are joined at the hip until further notice no matter how disappointed or disenfranchised one might be with the behavior of the other.

Wall seemed generally enthused that the Wizards got the first overall pick in the draft, but honestly what 19 year old kid would not be? He gets to play in the NBA and has been projected to be the number one pick in the 2010 draft since he was a freshman in high school. Endorsements alone will have him set for life (that is unless he has some MC Hammer-esque tendencies). Any team would have been a good fit for Wall. So what will happen if he is taken by the Wizards?

Here comes the elephant again, though this time it is not in the form of money. How will Arenas and Wall play together? They are both point guards so who starts? It would be unwise for a number one overall pick to sit on the bench and for that matter most of the lottery picks to ride pine their rookie seasons. (Look at Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings.) Therefore they must start side by side to give the Wizards the best chance of winning. Putting Wall at one and Arenas at two would seem to be the likely solution. It has been said numerous times that Arenas is not a true point guard as his tendency is to score and therefore he is a smaller shooting guard or off guard. In reality it is a very rare thing to find what purists consider a true point guard in the league anymore. It would force them to play small but this would hopefully not mean that they play in the same fashion of Don Nelson’s Warriors.  With Wall at the point this could be a very potent and quick offense.

Everything, however, is mere speculation for now. All we know is that the Wizards have the first pick in the NBA Draft. What they do with it has yet to be seen. The team is at a crossroads as if they continue to put together losing records and hemorrhage money they will no longer be a viable asset in David Stern’s shopping mall structured and revenue first NBA. The last time that the Wizards had the first overall pick they wasted it on Kwame Brown. This year’s crop of top prospects appears to be much more bust-proof. For the Wizards this will be their second, and unquestionably, most important step in the rebuilding processes. Whether they chose Wall or not it is up to them to make the right choice for the franchise. Hopefully for the sake of their franchise and their loyal fans they choose wisely on June 24th.

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by | May 15, 2010 · 12:05 PM

Eastern and Western Conference Finals Predictions

Should the Magic keep the brooms handy?

The matchups are now set for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals. In the West the Los Angeles Lakers will play host the white hot Phoenix Suns and out East the Celtics, coming off their upset of the Cavaliers, will travel to Orlando to face the Magic. Many are already writing off the series in the West as Lakers manifest destiny grips many and blinds them to how well the Suns are actually playing. Orlando has seemingly not had a challenge at all during the playoffs as they have decimated each opponent they have faced. So how will the two series play out? Obviously we here at the Beef have no idea. (Look at all my previous predictions, I have been far from perfect.)  However, it is obligatory to predict a winner in each series and since these are the last two predictions before the Finals we might as well have a little fun with it. So here they are: The Kobe Beef’s Eastern and Western Conference Finals Predictions.

Western Conference Finals

1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 3. Phoenix Suns

Phil Jackson is at it again. Just like he did to start the playoffs he is complaining about the play of an opponent to try and soften up the referees. Instead of Durant’s parade to the foul line it is now Steve Nash’s tendency to carry the ball. Yeah, OK, Zen Master. Play your little outdated game. Honestly, have you ever seen Nash carry the ball on a consistent basis? I have not. Whatever, though, Kobe Bryant kicks his legs out to draw fouls, every veteran player does something to gain the advantage. If you want the game called more closely go coach in college. I am fairly certain that Kentucky is about to have an opening. Yeah, that’s what I thought.

With their drubbing of the Jazz in the second round the Lakers and the press that fawns over them recently moved up to cloud ten. Nine just was not good enough for them. They are from Hollywood, remember. Yet, the Jazz team that they swept was depleted and each player seemed to have a myriad of injuries. They were a walking infirmary. It would have seemed comical to attach I.V.’s to them and wrap them in white bandages but that is basically what it boils down to in terms of injuries. The Jazz were sitting ducks.

Phoenix’s second round sweep of the San Antonio Spurs was the more impressive victory. They demolished a Spurs team that was in the midst of trying to recapture their old glory. San Antonio looked to be heavy favorites to challenge the Lakers for a trip to the NBA Finals. The Suns made quick work of them and sent them back to the retirement home.

So just how well do the Suns match up with the Lakers. A look at the regular season meetings between the two clubs would show that the Lakers have an advantage having won three of the four meetings. However, this is not the regular season. Inside the Lakers are too big for Phoenix and should dominate the glass and the paint. Yet, that will not necessarily be what happens. The Lakers’ big men are lazy on the defensive side of the ball. They rely purely on their size and strength to overpower opponents. It is a proven, albeit haphazard, tactic. Their laziness on the defensive end of the floor will only play into the hands of Black Jesus. Expect early and frequent foul trouble for Andrew Bynum (what’s new there) and Pau Gasol. If the Lakers have to turn to their bench for extended minutes at any point during the series things could get ugly for them and quick.

Derek Fisher has been a constant source of defensive ineptitude for the Lakers in the playoffs. Opposing point guards have torched Fisher constantly forcing Kobe Bryant to shift over to guard the one. Now the Lakers will face the best point guard they have seen yet in Steve Nash, the former two-time MVP. Do you think Fisher can keep up with Nash and his constant probing of the defense and the dribble penetration he brings to the opposing paint? No, me either.

Phoenix is the matchup nightmare that Los Angeles has not prepared for. Essentially, the Lakers are just a different incarnation of the Spurs. Los Angeles’ defense will be spread out so that Nash and Black Jesus can work the pick and roll to perfection. Will Phil Jackson have a counter? He may, but no matter what it is, it is unlikely to work every time down the floor. However, there is always the Kobe factor. Grant Hill and whoever else is assigned to guard him will have their hands full.

Series Prediction: The Phoenix Suns will not be a cake walk for the Lakers. No, they will be their toughest opponent yet. This series will be about depth: the Suns have it and the Lakers do not. Their lightning attack along with improved defense will give the Lakers fits. Expect Kobe to get a technical foul in the first game. The Lakers are accustomed to being the royalty of the NBA and dining on cuisine fit for kings however at the close of the series it will be them who are dining on cake with the huddled masses. Phoenix will win in six games.

Eastern Conference Finals

2. Orlando Magic vs. 4. Boston Celtics

Boston has been on some magical carpet ride after stumbling backwards into the playoffs, but now they appear to have recaptured their old form as when they won the NBA championship two years ago. They just did the improbable by knocking off the overall number one seed, Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James. Just who do these Celtics think they are? Simply put, they are Rajon Rondo. Forget the big three, they should now be referred to as the four horsemen. Rondo is the white horse. He is the leader of the team now. Kevin Garnett inherited the title of leader when he came to Boston but it is clear that Rondo has usurped that position. It is his play that has got the team his far.

Cleveland may have been a gut check for the Celtics but they have not faced a juggernaut like the Orlando Magic. The Magic have plowed their way through the competition with ease and a ferocity that is unfound in any other team that is playing currently. Atlanta and Charlotte were mere sideshows and they expect Boston to be no different. Why should they? They have the number one ranked defense and their offense has looked unstoppable. One look at their scores and one would assume they were looking at the final score of a Harlem Globetrotters game.

On paper each team matches up well with the other. They are both strong at point, guard, forward, and center. Yet it is the intangibles that will dictate how the series will play out. Kevin Garnett completely shutdown Antawn Jamison in the series with Cleveland and will therefore naturally feel entitles to do the same to Rashard Lewis. They are not the same player, KG. Lewis prefers to operate around the perimeter and his will force Garnett out of his defensive comfort zone. He is not a wing defender. Forcing Garnett further from the paint opens up the lane so that Dwight Howard can operate in the post. If a double team drops down on Howard it opens up Orlando’s perimeter shooting, that is if Howard does not turn the ball over.

Boston will have to stay at home on the players they are guarding. There will be little, if no room for error as the Magic will capitalize on every open opportunity. If Boston switches on picks they will be in trouble, if they leave a man open they will be in trouble. The only legitimate depth off the bench that the Celtics have is in the frontcourt. (No, I am not talking about Rasheed Wallace.) They will need Kendrick Perkins and Glen “Big Baby” Davis to play well if they have any hopes of getting Howard into foul trouble. However, the Magic have shown that they are still unbeatable even with Howard on the bench. They are just too good from every angle.

Series Prediction: The matchup between Rondo and Jameer Nelson should go down as one of the better point guard duels in NBA playoff history. Rondo will likely get the better of Nelson in one on one situations. Boston is riding high on their magic carpet for now but it is the Magic themselves who will turn the Celtic’s carpet into a doormat. Orlando is too good at every position and has yet to even look like they could falter. Certainly, this will be a tougher challenge for the Magic than their previous two series but how much tougher we have yet to see. The fresh legs of the Magic will be key in the first game of the series and will be a catalyst for the rest of the series. Orlando will continue to play at an unmatched level and they will win the series in five games. (I’ll call it now; the game the Magic lose will be game four in Boston.)

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by | · 9:35 AM

Disrespecting James

No love

Anarchy; Anarchy presently exists in an environment that is ripe for unrest and quick trigger ‘democracy.’ It has become the present state of the internet where sports are concerned and especially that of the future of LeBron James. It seems that everyone with access to the internet feels compelled to weigh in on the subject including an Inuit wearing mukluks blogging from his igloo in a northern Canadian province. (Despite this writer’s epicurean and elitist tendencies this issue is too potent not to write about.) Much has been made about James’ game five performance in the series with the Celtics. This showing bought the detractors raining down from the rafters to join the cavalcade of haters lined up simply waiting for one misstep from LeBron. He gave them one; they did not need much to set them into frenzy. One turnover is all it takes for them to attack his game with the ferocity of a lion protecting her cubs. James will always have cynics who are going to loathe him because they are blind to the beauty of the way he plays the game and resentful of the skill set he naturally possesses. These skeptics live for what happened in game five.

Immediately the reaction to and fallout from James’ lackluster game five performance was shock, disgust, panic, and a general air of ‘I told you so’-ness from those who do not believe that James deserves recognition at all. It was certainly not his best game but it was not the end of the world. Cleveland’s playoff aspirations were clearly hampered because of it but with the roster that the Cavaliers have they should have been able to be more competitive. Yet, because it was LeBron James the reaction, overreaction rather, was amplified one hundred fold. Who does LeBron think he is? What is wrong with the king? Has James given up? Is he done as a Cavalier? The media circus was running wild making a meager amount of questions concerning a player’s personal decisions about his future seem like Jeopardy. It was, and continues to be a childish showing by the media in a petty ratings grab. Boston eventually eliminated the Cavs in six games and that is when the sky fell. Anarchy broke loose on the internet as questions about this summer’s free agency abounded and the detractors made their single-mindedness known. Why do some people have such distaste for LeBron James? What has he done to personally offend them?

If you recall, you probably do not, LeBron James said that he would not guarantee a championship for the Cavaliers just before he entered the league. All he promised was that he would continue to get better and make the teammates around him better. Unquestionably, he has done just that. He is better than he was when he entered the league as a young eighteen year old fresh out of St. Vincent/St. Mary’s and has two consecutive MVP awards to show for it. The Cavaliers and their players are a better team because of LeBron James. He singlehandedly took his team to the NBA Finals. Jordan never did that, Kobe never did that. Players that surround James are better because of it. Mo Williams was a good player when he was on the Bucks but he was asked to do it all for them. Now he has a defined role with a player who can create and dish to when he is open. Antawn Jamison was a superb player with the Wizards and is still a top tier player; however, he was just not able to click in a shortened season with the Cavs after coming over in a trade. These are players who were previously well known though. Players such as Jamario Moon, Delonte West, Anthony Parker, and Daniel Gibson are better players now because of James. Hell, unless you are a basketball fanatic you probably do not remember that Moon and Parker played in Toronto or that Gibson went to the University of Texas or that West used to play for the Celtics and the Supersonics. LeBron gave them names. He gave them opportunities to excel. He has done exactly what he said he would.

This pedestal that the image, marketability, product, and personality that James sits upon is not one that he created. No, it was created by us, all of us. The media is especially to blame for anointing James the boy king who would propel the NBA to new heights and bring a championship to the beleaguered city of Cleveland. David Stern was quick to eat up the hype and promote the NBA’s newest and most marketable player. He later changed the admittance age of the league to nineteen but, honestly, he would still love for young players with superstar potential to join the league as quickly as possible. It is a business after all. James has been smart enough and savvy enough to cash in on the notoriety and celebrity that has been cast upon him since long before he joined the league. He sold t-shirts with his likeness on them at his high school games. As an NBA player he has various sponsorships and endorsements such as doing the Kid ‘N Play dance from House Party in a commercial. It cannot be said that he relishes all the attention, certainly now, that his natural abilities have given him but he definitely cannot escape it. (He seems to enjoy it at times though, but who would not? Celebrity is the new American dream.) The media and the fans will not allow him to escape the limelight. (As I write this I feel bad for doing so but it seems necessary because of his importance to the sport.) It must be remembered that we are the ones who singled him out, we proclaimed him the present and the future. We placed the target squarely on his back and the burden of champion on his shoulders. Nothing needed to be earned; we gave him everything on a silver platter for the taking.

That target and burden continue to grow and with it the detractors continue to climb aboard the negativity and hate bandwagon. LeBron cannot do it, he is not good enough, some king he is, where are LeBron’s rings, overrated, overhyped, baby, failure, choker, and not clutch are just a few of the words and phrases used by skeptics to describe his game. More simply than that people say that they just detest him, they hate him. They are jealous; to a man each one of them would love to have LeBron on their team. To hate LeBron James is to hate the game of basketball, period. Are there players in the league who are better than James? Yes, but that is debatable. Are there players in the league with more complete skill sets and more drive to win and compete than James? Yes. Are there players in the league with better natural gifts suited to play the game at the level which LeBron does? No, there is no one. James makes no excuses for who he is; people just want to say anything they can to bring him down because he is perceived to sit so high. How high does he really sit though?

The highest pinnacle of achievement in the NBA is to win a championship. Naysayers will be quick to point out that James does not have a championship to his credit. They are right. He does not; in fact most players do not have a championship to their credit. Only seven teams have won championships in the past twenty-five years. If you care to do the math that means that seven franchises have won the championship since LeBron James has been alive, seven teams have won championships since David Stern became commissioner. In fact the number of teams that have won has made the NBA disgustingly homogenous. There are thirty teams in the Association, thirty, yet only twenty-three percent of the teams have won it all this generation. Some say that a player’s greatness is defined by championships alone. Ok, so by that standard Nazr Mohammed, Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, Rick Fox, and Michael Finley are great players. Again, by the same standard that means that John Stockton, Karl Malone, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing, and Charles Barkley are not great players. Sound reasoning is it not? Championships may define the greatness of a season for a team but they have no basis in determining the greatness of an individual career alone no matter how badly great players want to win them.

James is a great player. There is no questioning that, none. To do so is to immediately render your points as biased tripe and pure folly. For such a young player, LeBron has established himself as one of the greats in league history. His numbers are simply astounding over the course of his seven years in the league. He has averaged 27.8 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists while shooting .475 from the floor. If he were to retire now he would end up in the Hall of Fame. Detractors will always find something negative to say about his game, they will focus on the tiniest of details and point to it as being the reason that he is not great and does not deserve the accolades which he receives. These critics must be borderline angelic because they could surely have no flaws themselves. No player is perfect. The attention that the detractors pay to James only serves to raise the created pedestal, which they seek to topple, even higher. Trajan should be so lucky.

Despite having come up short in his quest to return to the Finals, LeBron James is still a great player and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still a good team. James is certainly disappointed with the results and this summer has much more to mull about than usual. It would be unwise to speculate about the choices that he faces this off season as only James truly knows what is best for him. (We here at the Beef will, however, continue to keep you apprised if any relevant news concerning James’ future.) Because one player had one bad game in the playoffs the world ended and a foul taste was left in the mouth of those who already likened James to chewing on gristle. They are quick to forget that every player is prone to an off night. It happens. Hopefully, as time progresses and the remainder of the playoffs unfold, LeBron’s boo-birds will return to their nests letting the anarchy subside. LeBron James is not the problem in Cleveland. He never has been, yet he is the heart of the team and city and a heart can only be burdened by so much before it stops beating.

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by | May 11, 2010 · 2:51 PM

A Sweep: In Three Acts

All's well that ends well

“Any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

-John Donne

Prologue

The second round of the playoffs and the effort put forth by some of the teams was far from inspiring after the opening salvos that we saw in the first round. One glance at the second round series leads and it is apparent that they were, aside from the Boston Cleveland series, very lopsided. In fact they are shockingly lopsided. It was only the fourth time in league history that three of the four series started 3-0 and was the first time since 1999. So far the first round far out shadows the lack of competition that has occurred in the second round, again Celtics Cavaliers series aside. Brooms were out in full force and spring cleaning ended earlier than expected while the chimes sounded for three teams. These three teams landed hits, very palpable hits on route to victory.

Act I

The bells have sounded for the final time; the San Antonio Spurs have heard the chimes at midnight. They have been swept by the Phoenix Suns. San Antonio began the playoffs as a bunch of unruly mutts that had no business wagging their tails in the post season but they were not so quietly whispered to by their head coach. Within the span of a game the Spurs seemed to channel their lost essence of championship runs past but time was not on their side. Facing two bitter rivals in the first two rounds of the playoffs took its toll on the aching joints and legs of the aging cast. They were still a determined team, however. San Antonio would not go down without a fight but it was not enough.

For Phoenix, the series could have been commandeered by outside agendas. The passing of a recent bill in the state of Arizona which, in every conceivable way, sanctions the practice of racial profiling stole headlines across the nation. In an effort to show their displeasure with the bill and to show solidarity with the large Latino fan base that the Suns have the team wore their Los Suns jerseys which are generally reserved for Noche Latinas occasions. Well, there was an occasion to wear them, it was Cinco de Mayo. But, of course, that was not the real reason. The jersey selection sparked further debate across the country but did little more than show another symbol of discontent with the bill. It was, however, a grand gesture on the part of a sports franchise in reaffirming their personal connections with their own fans and fans of the NBA.

Yet, it was the play of the Suns that spoke loudest during the series. In recent years when the Suns have faced the San Antonio Spurs it was the Spurs who had the edge in toughness, grit, and the ability to close out the game. That Spurs team can only be found in the history books now. The series took on a completely different tone after the first game was played. In four of their previous postseason meetings the Spurs had taken the first game against the Suns on route to a series victory. It was not to be this time around as the Spurs found themselves on the wrong side of 111-102 score. It would not get much better for them as the series progressed. (Tim Duncan shot 16-34 from the charity stripe for the series. This statistic alone explains the futility of San Antonio’s chances.)

Phoenix took on the characteristics of its floor general, Steve Nash. Coming into the series, Nash had been resting a sore hip and there were questions about his effectiveness. San Antonio had just beat the Dallas Mavericks and looked to be in old form (well they always look old) and the concerns over Nash’s hip caused many, including us here at the Beef, to assume that history would repeat itself in the series. In the first game, however, Nash silenced all talk of his age and his injury as he paced the Suns with 33 points and ten assists. 17 of these points came in the first quarter alone. It was this floor leadership and toughness that would be adopted by his teammates throughout the series.

Amare Stoudemire was the Suns irresistible force thrown against what seemed to be an immovable object in the Spurs rejuvenated defense. However, the Spurs moved; they had not drunk from the waters of Bimini. Where the Mavericks did not have a low post scoring threat the Suns certainly did. Stoudemire exploited the lack of (mobile) depth on the Spurs as he averaged 20.5 points and 9.25 rebounds in the series. His worst game came in the first game in San Antonio where he only scored seven points and grabbed eight rebounds. However, his poor play would not adversely affect the Suns because roll players were able to step up for the team in crucial situations.

In game three that player was Goran Dragic. Stoudemire’s impact on the game might have been greater had he played in the fourth quarter but he was not needed. Dragic scored 23 of his 26 in the fourth quarter pacing the Suns to a 110-96 blowout of the Spurs. In game four Jared Dudley filled the shoes of role player scoring 16 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out four dimes all while coming off the bench. Oh, and Channing Frye was quite serviceable off the bench as well. Who was good for the Spurs off the bench? Tony Parker. The only reason he was even on the bench in the first place is because Greg Popovich knew how thin his bench actually was. One team had the players who were able to contribute when it mattered.

It was the Suns two-time MVP who wanted to return to the Western Conference Finals and would not even think of giving the Spurs life no matter what they threw at him and his team. Steve Nash epitomized what toughness is. San Antonio has done its best to keep Nash bruised, bloody, and battered in recent playoff history. Remember the bloody nose last year? Nash does. Game four took the cake, though. Nash played the fourth quarter with one eye swollen shut. He could not see out of his right eye and was able to drop ten points and hold at bay a late Spurs rally. He wanted it more, he got what he wanted. The Suns are not who we thought they were.

San Antonio now joins the oh so lauded crowd of teams that have been swept out of the playoffs. After glimpses of brilliance in the first round they returned to be the team that would have been the eighth seed had it not been for a collapse by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs were a legitimate seventh seed and Phoenix showed it. They exacted vengeance on the team that had pestered and plagued them over the past decade. Nash wanted it, Stoudemire wanted it, and the Suns’ fans wanted it. The wait was long and arduous. Phoenix swept the lowly Spurs out of the playoffs in four quick games with cold precision. They had their revenge and revenge is a dish that is best served cold.

Act II

For Atlanta, their series with the Milwaukee Bucks took longer than they expected and showed a sign of things to come. What was to come was the Orlando Magic. Would the Magic be rusty with all their time off? The Hawks quickly discovered the answer as the Magic clipped their wings and sent them down the road of the Passenger Pigeon. It was an embarrassing showing for the birds as all the respected they had worked for in the East was quickly squandered as they resembled an Archaeopteryx rather than a modern raptor. Orlando has cast a spell over the playoffs this year as they continue their quest to get back to the Finals.

Orlando has yet to lose in the post season as they have swept both the Charlotte Bobcats and the Hawks. Charlotte put up a better fight than Atlanta did because they are a more defensive minded group and did not allow the Magic to score at will. The Hawks, however, were sitting ducks with their high flying and high octane style of play as they played right into the three point attack of the Magic. No game was close outside of the opening minutes, and even they were lopsided. Orlando outscored the Hawks 119-91 in the first quarters of the series. They hit them squarely in the beak and did not let up. Atlanta was dazed and stunned thinking that fair is foul, and foul is fair as their minds hovered through the fog and filthy air caused by the Magic’s blow.

After being muddled by foul trouble and general basketball ineptitude in the first round, Dwight Howard exploded against the undersized Hawks. Howard averaged 21 points, 13.25 rebounds, and 2.75 blocks per game in the short series. The word ‘unstoppable’ does not even begin to do Howard justice in his domination of the frontcourt. Al Horford did his best to slow Howard but it was not nearly enough. In game two, Howard became just the fourth player in the last 40 years to score 25 points, grab 18 rebounds, and shoot 85 percent in a playoff game. (Shaquille O’Neal, Wes Unseld, and Wilt Chamberlain are the others on this list.) It was not just Dwight Howard that dominated the Hawks; it was the defense of the Magic.

The Magic completely shut down the Hawks highest scorer, Joe Johnson. In fact they made him look old, haggard, and useless. He was 17-57 from the field for the series which equates to roughly 30 percent shooting. He shot much better from the free throw line hitting at about a 74 percent clip but he only went to the line 19 times during the series. Johnson is a free agent this summer and his play in this series has certainly burned bridges with the fans and likely the front office too. Not only that, but it has hurt any kind of chances for a big contract that he may have been afforded prior to his playoffs performance. However, there are enough foolish general managers in the league that will gladly pay him James Posey money to come to their team.

Four seems to be the lucky number for the Magic this postseason. Dwight Howard entered an elite realm of four players, they had the fourth highest scoring differential in the opening two games of a series with a +57 against the Hawks (this was on pace to the highest margin of victory in any four game sweep in NBA playoff history), and they have swept both their playoff series’. Whatever dark spells and voodoo that Stan Van Gundy and the Magic have cast over their opponent appears to be working. Their concoction of eye of newt and toe of frog is a hell-broth that renders their rivals impotent and feeble allowing the Magic to take full advantage of their matchups. They are a scary team that now has all the time in the world to plot and strategize while resting.

Act III

Point guards had tortured the Lakers in the playoffs and Deron Williams would be their latest challenge to stop. They could not stop him but it would not matter. Los Angeles found their stride in a series that was far less competitive than their opening round matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In that series they were forced to play at a quicker tempo as the young players of the Thunder streaked and sprinted around the aging Lakers to take two games. The Jazz, however, were more interested in half-court sets than they were in running. This strategy played right into the hands of the Lakers and their size. Utah kept it close but was unable to slow their fate as they could all the while hear the crack of doom.

There was no answer for the tandem of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. The pair simply decimated the Jazz and carried the otherwise hapless Lakers to victory. Gasol averaged 23.5 points per game while shooting nearly 61 percent from the floor. Production such as this is exactly what the Lakers needed from a player other than Kobe Bryant. Bryant cannot carry the team alone but sure does try to place the entire burden of winning on his shoulders. For the series he averaged 32 points per game and shot 52 percent from the floor. To even speak of another Laker in this series would be a travesty as these are the only two players worth mentioning for on their on court performances with both having completely leveled Utah’s defense in the half-court. (Off the court Ron Artest publicly criticized Phil Jackson via Twitter.) However, there is another.

Utah is not a team to go silently into the night and they proved that in the series despite being swept. Only in the final game did they capitulate to the dominant play of the Lakers and lose by double digits. In the third game of the series the Jazz limited the Lakers’ inside scoring threats and looked to capture a home game. Williams and Kyle Korver led the assault, with 28 and 23 points respectively, for the Jazz with Carlos Boozer pulling down 14 rebounds and scoring 14 points in a game which they held a thirteen point lead at one point. But all that vanished in a frenetic fourth quarter. There were twelve lead changes in the fourth which all led to one shot.

Derek Fisher, the Lakers’ liability at the point position, showed why he is still around. During an 8-2 run by the Lakers in the final minute of the game, Fisher hit a three-pointer at the end of the run to seal the 111-110 victory. O happy dagger. The jazz had thrown their best shot and had come up short. Fisher had called up all his spirits, and those of Lakers teams past, from the vasty deep in his blow to the heart of the Jazz. Limiting the Lakers inside opportunities had only opened up the threat from outside. Utah was simply fortune’s fool.

Los Angeles was able to rely on their two most potent offensive weapons throughout the series as role players only stuck their heads out of the ground in game three. Surely this will serve to make the public even blinder to the faults that this team has. For now, however, the Lakers shall rest and wait. Their series with the Phoenix Suns begins on Monday. Rest is exactly what they need because, despite losing, the Jazz subjected the Lakers to a rather physical series. Kobe Bryant will surely be ready as he remembers that the Suns ousted the Lakers in their previous two playoff meetings and will seek some form of vengeance. However, this vengeance is misplaced as this is not the same Lakers team that was ousted in 2006 and 2007. Yet, despite what is written here the Lakers and Kobe have yet to be done to death by this author’s slanderous tongue.

Epilogue

Only one series remains to be decided in the semifinals and as the two teams involved in it slug it out the rest must only wait and watch. The Celtics and the Cavaliers shall become the main focus for the remainder of the second round. It is rightly so that this should be the case as the best basketball is being played in this series and center stage should have been handed to them after game one. The rest of the round has been but mere folly and circumstance. For now though, each team that rests thinks itself every inch a king, but where are their crowns?

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by | May 4, 2010 · 12:56 PM

Dirk for Bosh: A Rebuttal

A swap? Only in a fools world.

(This article is a beefed up version of a comment I left on a Slam Online piece this morning which stated that a straight up trade of Dirk and Bosh is what is needed to solve the Mavericks’ playoff problems.)

For some reason there has been a lot of internet chatter surround the subject of a Dirk Nowitzki for Chris Bosh trade. (The above mentioned article and here, as well as various message boards are what are fueling much of the malarkey.) After Dallas’ recent exit from the post season it would seem that the Mavericks have problems on their team. They do, but so does every team in the Association. No team is perfect. Much of the blame, after Rick Carlisle became the initial scapegoat, has now been shifted to Dallas’ perennial All Star. Logically, it has been concluded, that Nowitzki must be shipped elsewhere for the team to start fresh. He has been labeled as soft, not clutch, and a player who consistently chokes. Those that have levied these slanderous remarks clearly have not watched Nowitzki play basketball in recent years and perpetually harp on notions that have been put to rest long ago.

It pains me to know that people will actually agree with the notion that a trade involving Bosh and Nowitzki is a good idea. This is the sort of knee-jerk reaction that many have after a team exits the playoffs early in consistent years but for one second replace Dirk’s name with Carmelo Anthony’s. Go ahead, do it. Denver has not been to the finals recently and until last year were bumped from the playoff in the first round regularly. They were again sent home in round one this year by an undermanned Utah squad. Is it then time for the Denver Nuggets to part ways with Melo? Honestly, what team would willingly give up their best player for little in return? (Remember that when the Memphis Grizzlies traded Pau Gasol they gained valuable draft picks and have subsequently built a good young team with them.) This is not to say that Bosh is a bad player, he is far from it. However, he is nowhere near the caliber of player that Nowitzki is. Nowitzki is a former MVP winner and has continually led his team to the playoffs.

That being said, what about the claims that Nowitzki is a soft player. Let us take a look at Dirk’s “soft” playoff numbers over the past three years. This year he averaged 26.7 points and 8.2 rebounds against the Spurs. I do not know if you watched the series, but Dirk was not the issue when it came to the Spurs winning in six games. He was the best player on the floor and in game one he only missed two field goals. San Antonio had no defensive option other than shutting down the players around Nowitzki, which they did, because he could not be stopped by any one man on their roster and even beat their double-teams. In 08-09 Dirk averaged 26.8 points in the playoffs and 10.1 boards. The year before that he averaged the same amount of points (26.8) and 12 rebounds per game. If these are soft numbers then what are hard physical numbers? He has averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds in his career during the playoffs. Dirk is not the problem. The problem this year was that other key players were shut down or didn’t perform as they should have (Terry, Kidd, and Marion).

His reliance on an indefensible jump shot has also been a target of attack by some who continue to throw the soft label around. So Dirk has a one-legged jumper, what’s your point? Kobe Bryant has a legs kicked out jumper that he relies on. Carmelo Anthony has perfected a jumper from all areas of the floor. The jump shot is the most basic building block in basketball and it is also an essential element, if not the most important, to any player’s game. If an unstoppable jumper was not such a crucial piece in a player’s offensive arsenal then the NBA would be filled with Darius Miles-esque players and it would be called the And 1 Mix Tape Tour.

Still convinced that Bosh would be a fit in Dallas? Well, it must be because of his defensive prowess since Dirk is such a soft player and looks lost defensively on almost every possession. It is a silly notion that Bosh is a better defender than Dirk. Take a look at their regular season defensive ratings from the past three years. Dirk has had ratings of 104 in 07-08, 108 in 08-09, and 105 this season. Fairly solid numbers for a soft player who is never recognized for his improvements on defense which he has worked hard on are they not? So what are Bosh’s numbers over the same time span? In 07-08 he had a rating of 105, in 08-09 it was 108, this year it was 111. If I read that correctly it looks like his defense is getting worse by the year. Hmm, so that makes him a better defender, right? Over that same amount of time Dirk’s defensive rebounding averages are 7.3 in 2007-08, 7.3 in 08-09, and 6.7 this season. He also averaged a block and a steal during these seasons. Bosh’s defensive rebounding averages most recently are slightly better than Nowitzki’s but they are certainly nothing monumental. In the 2007-08 season he averaged 6.1 defensive boards, 7.2 in 08-09, and 7.9 this past season (these are all down from the 8 he averaged in 2006-07).

I do like the idea of bring Bosh back home to Dallas but it will not happen. It especially will not happen in a straight up trade between these two All Stars. Do you think that either one would like to go into a situation where they were the lone best player on a team again? No, they would rather be teamed up with other star players. Another big man is not what the Mavericks need. They need a real two guard, not a converted small forward. Therefore that rules out the possibility of Bosh coming home. What are Bosh’s options then? He recently tweeted for suggestions as to where he should play next season so it seems as though his time with Bryan Colangelo is coming to a close. Chicago would be a good destination for him. A frontcourt that includes Joakim Noah and Bosh would be formidable in the East and with Derrick Rose in the backcourt the Bulls would have a nucleus for success now and for the future. Many have also speculated that a pairing in Miami with Dwyane Wade would also be a good fit for Bosh but first Miami must try and resign Wade before any other free agents will pack their bags for South Beach.

Dirk is not the problem in Dallas. The problem for the Mavericks has been getting other players to consistently play at the level that Nowitzki does when it matters most. He might not be a vocal enough leader for all his detractors but in their eyes he can never do enough. Leaders lead by example and the way they play. Nowitzki’s play during his tenure with Dallas has been a loud and clear example of leadership. It is time to stop referring to him as soft because to do so only groups one into the majority of sports writers that still think it is 2003. Wake up Rip Van Winkle.

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by | May 1, 2010 · 2:29 PM

East and West Semifinals Predictions

Can the Lakers hold off another potent point guard?

Today marks the first day that the second round begins in earnest. All but one series has been locked in entirely and will be decided tomorrow afternoon. In the Least three of the four opening round series were wrapped up within five games. Boring, right? Last night the Hawks were able to hold off a late push by the Bucks in the Bradley Center to extend the series to a game seven. At least this series has made the East first round watchable. Out in the Wild West there have been two “upsets” (seriously, the West is so stacked that nothing can legitimately be called an upset), and one big sigh of relief from a paper tiger. It has been wild indeed. So, with the first second round series tipping off at 7 pm (CDT) now is as good a time as ever to give you the Kobe Beef’s second round NBA playoff predictions.

Eastern Conference

1. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 4. Boston Celtics

Cleveland handily took to task the undersized Bulls in the first round in a quick five game series in which we found out that Joakim Noah does not think that Cleveland rocks. Noah and Derrick Rose played brilliantly for the outmatched Bulls but their efforts were not enough. Shaquille O’Neal returned to action for the first round series and quickly reestablished himself as the inside force that he is known to be. In fact, he came back in better shape than when he went out with a thumb injury. It showed early on that the “Big Witness Protection” was channeling the Shaq of years past with the way he dominated the paint.

The Cavaliers have another player on their team that performed well in the first round. You may have heard of him. LeBron James is on a mission. It would take a force of nature bigger than the Haiti earthquake, volcanic eruption in Iceland, Hurricane Katrina, and the great tsunami combined to slow him down. (Please note that I mean only to refer to the scope of sheer awesome natural power that is behind these events and do not in any way intend to make light of the situations of people affected by these natural disasters.) LeBron had himself a little business trip in the first round, looks like he sealed the deal.

Boston used its entire arsenal to douse the Miami Heat. Their frontcourt completely outplayed their counterparts in black jerseys. Miami was hot coming into the playoffs but reverted back to their old selves once the series began. It seemed as though the four other players who were on the floor with Dwyane Wade were just there for the show. Wade certainly put on a show. Boston could not stop him; they did not need to though. They shut down every other player that Miami had. The Celtic’s defense looked like it was the caliber of their recent championship team. Defenses have a tendency to look good when playing against a sputtering offense.

So, these two bitter Eastern Conference rivals meet again in the playoffs. How do they match up?  Both teams’ frontcourts are deep. (How deep? Deeper than Sage Francis.) Boston has four players that they can rotate in and out of the four and five spots while the Cavs have five. As of right now, however, the edge must go to Cleveland. Kevin Garnett will more than likely neutralize any of the fours he guards and this is especially true of Antawn Jamison. However, Shaq’s presence in the middle and the tenacity and hustle wrapped up beneath floppy curls that are Anderson Varejao give Cleveland the advantage.

In the backcourt is where Boston has the advantage. Rajon Rondo will not be slowed down by any of the Cavaliers’ guards. He is likely to penetrate and dish at will. Finishing at the rim may be a problem for him in this series, however. Whoever the Cavaliers play at the two guard will need to stick to Jesus Shuttlesworth like glue. He does not move or rotate with the ability that he once could but he is deadly on curls off screens and you had better not think about leaving him standing outside the arc unless you like NBA Jam commentary playing in your head. Tony Allen will also play a factor in this series; if Mo Williams starts to heat up expect Doc Rivers to send in Allen to be the cooler.

What this series will ultimately come down to is a matchup between two men. (I am six months older than one of these men.) Paul Pierce and LeBron James will draw the assignments of guarding one another. In the past, Pierce has been a serviceable LeBron stopper. Well, “stopper” might not be the appropriate term, more like Pierce is able to slow LeBron for a moment at times. The fates of both these teams rest in the abilities of these two players. It will come down to who wants it more. Pierce and the Celtics have what James wants, they are in his way. LeBron is hungry but the Celtics will not go quietly into the night. Oh, and do not for one second believe that this phantom elbow injury that James sustained will slow him down.

The Cavaliers will win in seven games.

2. Orlando Magic vs. 3. Atlanta Hawks/6. Milwaukee Bucks

Orlando’s opponent will be known after the Hawks and Bucks meet Sunday afternoon for a game seven. A seven game series only gives the Magic more time to rest. As has been seen in the past, this could either be a good thing or a bad thing as the players might get stiff or out of rhythm. However, Orlando is by no means a seasoned or old team so the effects of down time should not be too adverse.

Since the series between the Hawks and Bucks has yet to be decided the focus here will be on the Orlando Magic. Hey, do you remember Jameer Nelson? I bet you do now. Nelson exploded during the series sweep of the Bobcats. Poor Raymond Felton had no chance of containing Nelson. He dropped 32, 13, 32, and 18 respectively in games one through four. If Mark Jackson was writing this piece he would surely follow those numbers up with the over used phrase, “Mama, there goes that man.” Nelson had seemed to disappear, this season, in Orlando’s offensive scheme but he has come storming back with vengeance. He paced the team in scoring in the first round and is surely looking forward to continuing his production in the second round.

Defensive stopper and defensive liability, Dwight Howard will continue to be plagued by foul trouble no matter the opponent the Magic face in the second round. (He brings the fouls on himself, it is not a vast referee conspiracy against him he just does not have good defensive positioning. He never has. If you want likely true referee conspiracies talk to a Mavericks fan about Dan Crawford.) The leagues wallet will likely become fatter because Howard will get slapped with at least one more $35,000 fine for criticizing the officials either publicly or on his blog. Emperor Stern does not like when people say mean things about his refs. The biggest challenge to Howard would be if the Hawks were to win their series. Al Horford, Josh Smith, and at times Zaza Pachulia battling Howard for boards is likely to get him into foul trouble early and often.

The Magic will continue to live and die by the three-pointer. It’s Stan Van Gundy’s way. If they keep connecting from downtown and their team defense remains as stifling as it has been there will be little threat to their aspirations of moving on in the playoffs. Expect a high scoring affair in the second round for the Magic as the Bobcats were ranked number one or two in virtually every defensive category.

Whoever their opponent ends up being, the Orlando Magic will win in six games.

Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 5. Utah Jazz

Whew! If you are a Lakers fan you sure are glad to finally be rid of those pesky kids from Oklahoma City aren’t you? You bet. Any notions of the invincibility of the Lakers should be gone by now too. Who said they would sweep the Thunder? Not us here at the Beef. OK, Lakers fans, take a deep breath, exhale. Feel better? Well, you shouldn’t.

The Lakers have advanced to the second round of the playoffs after witnessing the birth of a future power house. (I wonder if they played Tribe’s “Jazz (We’ve Got)” when Utah knocked out Denver.) Los Angeles survived but was certainly given the shock of its life. Good news for the Lakers is that they will not have to see the likes of Russell Westbrook until next season. Kobe Bryant is happy he does not have to guard him anymore having told both Kevin Durant and Westbrook after the game, “You all are two bad motherfuckers and I’m glad to be done with you.” In all reality it is hard to guard a player when you are two to four steps behind them. Do not look now, Kobe, but just as you get done with Westbrook, who torched the Lakers all series, you get to play against Deron Williams.

This post season is turning into the domain of the point guard. Williams just may be the best point guard of the bunch in the playoffs. In game one against Denver he scored 26 point and dished 11 dimes, game two: 33 points 14 assists, game three: 24 points 10 assists, game four: 24 points 13 assists, game five: 34 points 10 assists, game six: 14 points 10 assists. What that translates to is that Williams averaged 25.8 points and 11.3 assists per game. The kid from The Colony is doin’ it, and doin’ it, and doin’ it well. If Derek Fisher could not keep up with Westbrook well then he…well, the English language has no word to describe what Fisher is about to experience. Basically it will appear as if Fisher is a ghost, invisible and with no mass. A vaporous apparition if you will. Williams will start his drive and all you will see is an odd hazy purple and yellow cloud where a defender once stood. Kobe will have to try and stop Williams, if Deron can be stopped.

Another area of concern for the Lakers will be the play of the frontcourt. Unlike the Thunder, the Jazz have size and strength in the post. Oh, but Pau Gasol and Carlos Boozer will cancel each other out, right? In what universe have you been watching basketball? Boozer is a superior defender and has a larger offensive repertoire than Gasol. One on one in the post Boozer will win the majority of the time. If the Jazz are on offense and Boozer gets the ball with Gasol guarding him Boozer will score or go to the line. Gasol is in for a long series, his defense or lack thereof is in for a serious test. The Lakers frontcourt depth is in for a rude awakening. Coming off the bench for the Jazz is one Paul Milsap. Pitted against the Lakers’ second unit, Milsap will dominate the game. Denver’s bigs off the bench could not contain him and Denver has quality players coming off the bench. The Lakers have Lamar Odom and that is it. Expect Andrew Bynum to be a non factor outside of the first quarter in each game.

Los Angeles does have one thing going for them: Kobe Bryant. Since the Jazz shipped off Ronnie Brewer in a money saving move at the trade deadline they have had no real perimeter defender. The absence of Brewer will be felt by the Jazz in this series. Rookie Wesley Matthews and C.J. Miles will likely draw the duty of defending Kobe. (Having not seen the Jazz play much recently I cannot make a projection as to which is a better defender.) Kobe is likely to transform into Kobama for the Lakers again as this will be another tough, and much more physical matchup. Is Kobama mad that Gasol won game six in Oklahoma City? Probably not, a bailout is a bailout.

This series will be a rematch between old rivals. Jerry Sloan has coached the Jazz since before time itself existed it seems and once more he will face a team coached by Phil Jackson. Their most epic show downs came in the late 1990s when Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls. They met in the finals for two consecutive years with Jackson coming out on top each time. Having Michael Jordan on his team certainly helped the Zen Master achieve victory. Now he has Kobe and the odds are still in his favor. The Jazz will not be able to escape their injury issues forever. The series will be close and at times ugly. More than one on court altercation with fines following it should be expected.

Battered and bruised, the Los Angeles Lakers will win the series in six games.

3. Phoenix Suns vs. 7. San Antonio Spurs

The Portland Trailblazers showed the greatest mettle and character of any team in the playoffs so far. Brandon Roy channeled the emotion and resolve of Willis Reed as he returned from surgery just eight days after it was performed. Alas, it was not enough as the Suns were able to bounce the Blazers from the playoffs in six games. To the surprise of many the injury to Robin Lopez has not tremendously hurt the Suns as Amare Stoudemire continues to be a force to be reckoned with. Alvin Gentry is even doing his best Mike D’Antoni impression as the seven seconds or less mantra is still very much alive and well in the valley of the sun.

San Antonio has time to rest the old legs of Tim Duncan as the series with Phoenix does not start until Monday. (If you wonder how and why the Mavericks lost read Team Hate and The Nelly Curse.) The Spurs defense looks better than it has in some time. It must have been Greg Popovich’s plan to play every team that downright hates the Spurs in the playoffs; first the Mavericks, now the Suns, and then possibly (if we go by our own prediction) the Lakers. This band of dogs must be masochistic. Generally the smart route is to get the easiest path to the top. I guess dogs are not smart.

Phoenix likes to run, San Antonio likes to walk. Let the battle for game pace begin. The Suns will have their way in at least two games of the series as no matter what is happening on the court they will simply not stop running. However, it would be wise to think that the Spurs will put backcourt pressure on Steve Nash, like they did to Jason Kidd, in an effort to force the ball out of his hands and thereby slow the pace of the game. Dallas never adjusted for it and they lost, Phoenix must adjust for it if they hope to even be in this series. San Antonio will also try and shut down all the three point shooters on Phoenix and chase them off the arc. Their attention to defending against the three will free up Amare to run wild in the middle. The Spurs have to suitable defender to stop him but they do have a lot of bodies to throw at him. Amare should have a monster series, which is what Popovich wants as long as everyone else on the Suns contributes little to nothing. Do not expect to see Duncan defending Amare one on one much; foul trouble does not suit Timmy well.

The biggest problem for Phoenix is the fact that they still do not play defense consistently. Sure they are better at it now, but it is still not in their nature. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and George Hill will eat the Suns backcourt alive. Each will undoubtedly end up on the floor after each drive because they think that basketball is soccer and dives make sense. Hill is less prone to do this as he is not foreign but is picking up on the bad habit. (Note to all foreign players: Offensive flopping is just as embarrassing as defensive flopping. Please stop. You are only giving Americans more reasons to feel superior to whatever country you are from.) Good thing for the Suns that Robert Horry is not around to cross check anyone this time.

San Antonio is on a roll. The Spurs will win in six games.

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