Tag Archives: NBA

by | June 30, 2011 · 2:59 PM

The NBA Lockout is Official

National Planking Association

Today marked the beginning of the NBA lockout as owners chose to lockout the players over their ongoing labor dispute concerning the details of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. We all knew it was coming. The league and owners have insisted all along that the teams have been hemorrhaging money for some time and could not maintain profitability is the status quo continued. Rest assured that Mark Cuban, Jerry Buss, and Rich DeVos were not among those crying wolf. Their respective teams have been over the salary cap for years.

While the players can pass time in a continuing planking battle and tweeting uncontrollably and without repercussion, what is there for the rest of us to do? It kinda feels like your first girlfriend just broke up with you, doesn’t it? What are all the bloggers going to write about now? Here is some footage of NBA fans after news of the lockout reached them:

It is a sad day. Why must billionaires and millionaires squabble? Can I have some of that money? I have student loans to pay off.

Do I just cover planking now? Can the NPA fill the void left by the lockout? How are the NPA’s playoffs structured? These are all questions to be answered in due time.

Image via @DwightHoward

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by | May 10, 2011 · 4:43 PM

Washington Wizards unveil new Jerseys, Logos

New look

Take that homogeneity. The Washington Wizards have unveiled their new logo, color scheme, and jerseys. They are a stark contrast to the silly little wizard logo of the past and have completely broken away from the hideous font that was used before.

Instead of the blue palate that has plagued teams since the turn of the millennium, the Wizards instead went with a look fitting of the Washington Bullets featuring red, white, and blue. Much like what the Golden State Warriors have done, Washington has updated a retro look for the 21st century.It looks as though the ghastly gold and black uniforms are gone forever.

Complete with the retrofitted jerseys are two new secondary logos. One is a lower case “dc” with a hand extending out from the “d” reaching for a basketball. This is a direct commentary on the original Bullets logo in which the double “l’s” formed hands surrounding a ball. The second of the two new logo’s is of a basketball itself. One of the seams in the ball is the Washington Monument and above that is a star.

It is nice to see teams embracing their design roots when they choose to revamp a team’s image. The contemporary design used in a team’s identity no longer reflects that of original creativity as they have grown homogeneous and monochromatic. Identity is lost. Much of the design and logo work that was prevalent over the past decade is of this ilk. For a while it seemed as if every team wore royal blue. Now, those days seem to be over as teams reaffirm their individuality to their fans. Aesthetics and nostalgia have won the day.

Unfortunately, there is little to no chance of the Wizards ever changing their name back to the Bullets based on recent troubles the team has had with certain players and what they choose to bring into the locker room. That is too bad because the name Bullets was merely a reference to bullet trains. Way to ruin everything for us, gang violence.

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by | April 5, 2011 · 5:58 PM

Southwest Turning Sour

Some ugly moments from the Southwest Division's season.

The mighty Southwest Division looked like the powerhouse group of teams going into the All-Star Break but a bit of wind has been knocked out of the division since.

Dallas, New Orleans and San Antonio were the teams to beat with impressive win streaks and records against the NBA’s elite teams.  Now, it’s looking like the trio is falling into the playoffs rather than rushing in full steam ahead.

Together they amassed a 51-34 record against teams set to make the post season in both conferences before the All Star Game.  The Spurs built the best record in the league.  Dallas could beat anyone in the NBA and New Orleans had experienced two of this season’s best winning streaks.

Things were going well in the South but things have changed in the last few weeks.

New Orleans has fallen to seventh in the West and is set to square off against the hot Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs. Defense is still their game but no offense has marred their play since they have fallen to 27th in the league in scoring with only 95 points a night.  They have only scored 100 points or more five times since the break and are 6-20 this season when their opponents score 100 or more.

Ouch.

Essentially, it’s a case of too little depth down in the big easy, which is a problem that can infect every aspect of a team’s play.  Their bench is ranked 19th in the league with only 16 minutes of play a night and are only putting up 28 points a game (17th in the league).

It doesn’t help that David West tore his ACL against the Jazz on March 24th.  He was the leading scorer for the Hornets at the time and that’s not saying a lot.  It’s really been a case of Monty Williams opting to start a more defensive lineup there in New Orleans but regardless of what your system is, you need scorers.

Chris Paul is averaging fewer minutes per game than most of his previous seasons but they really lost a lot when Darren Collison left for Indiana and when they shipped Marcus Thornton to Sacramento.

Jarrett Jack is the only other point guard on the squad but to call that depth is a serious overstatement since the rest of the guard core is garbage (Marco Belinelli and Willie Green).

Now, it appears that Paul has tweaked something in his knee and hopefully it won’t turn out to be something serious.

Luckily, Carl Landry is finding his place in NO.  He started his time there scoring in the single digits against some of the NBA’s elite teams but is starting to get comfortable in the offense.

Trevor Ariza is having a very forgettable season in his first year playing for the Hornets.  He has only scored 20 or more points once this season and that was a mere 21 against the Knicks back on December 3rd (they lost that game).  Call him adjusting or  just call him an overrated player.  Whatever he is, he isn’t helping New Orleans win with his offensive game.

They started the season off 8-0 and on top of every pundit’s power rankings.  Since, they have essentially fallen off the face of the Earth outside of a few impressive stretches.  Don’t expect them to cause an upset in the first round.

They are set to face off against the Lakers who are on fire right now and it’s mainly due to the heightened play of their big men.  Andrew Bynum looks confident and Lamar Odom is providing increased depth for the defending champions.  Emeka Okafor and the rest of the frontcourt will have their hands full defending the big guys in LA.

Let’s move to San Antonio who has the best record in the NBA at 58-19.  Regardless, they have won one of their last seven games.  That just so happened to come against the struggling Suns on Sunday where they entered a must-win situation having lost their previous six.

Yes, Tim Duncan did go down with an ankle sprain and the Spurs were due for their annual injury.  They really lucked out when Tony Parker missed two games instead of two weeks at the beginning of March but their luck really ran out when they lost the four games that Duncan missed and the first two he returned for.

However, Duncan is getting old and it shows.  He is playing fewer minutes than ever before in his career and the season has dragged on for him.   He has only been the top scorer for them once this season and that was only 21 against the Thunder on New Years Day.  This new run and gun San Antonio team has incorporated the big guy well but it’s obvious that they are moving in a different direction that can sometimes leave the NBA veteran huffing and puffing up the court.

It’s interesting to see a team such as the Spurs change the way they play in such a short amount of time and it’s fared well for them so far.  Regardless, it has been shown that this style of play really doesn’t work for an 82 game season and playoffs.  Just look at the team they ended their losing streak against.

The Phoenix Suns faded every season under Mike D’antoni and that was with a team that was in much better shape.  Amar’e Stoudemire and Steve Nash were in their prime.  They had good depth with Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw and Shawn Marion as well.

The Spurs have the depth with Richard Jefferson finally finding his stroke, DeJaun Blair getting more comfortable and George Hill developing into a well-rounded scorer.  They are known for building and even rebuilding quickly down there in San Antonio but this one may be too soon.

If the playoffs started today, they would be matched up against Memphis that is experiencing a resurgence of their own.  They split their four games against the Spurs this season by losing the first two in San Antonio before winning the rest at home.

Surprisingly, they are playing very well without their lead man Rudy Gay and it’s mainly due to the heightened play of Zach Randolph and Tony Allen.  Shane Battier’s return to the Grizzlies is helping out a lot as well.

We aren’t saying that the Spurs are going to lose in the first round but the Griz will give them a good run that will further wear them down.  The second round wont be easy at all with possible matchups against the hot Lakers and a Mavericks team that might develop a strong taste for blood.

Additionally, there is a slight chance that they will loose that No. 1 seed to the Lakers that are only two and half games behind them.  The Spurs still have to play the Hawks at home, the Lakers in LA and even face the Suns in Phoenix.  Things could get interesting for this perennial playoff contender.

Next, we have the Mavs.

They look bombed out and depleted.

Injuries have plagued the boys from Dallas and that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.  Caron Butler was looking to have a full season in Mavs to really contribute on a contending team.  Tough luck when he tore his patella tendon against the Bucks on New Years Day.

It was very untimely since Dirk Nowitzki was already missing games at the time with a sprained knee that he suffered against the Thunder on December 27th.  They lost seven of the nine games he missed and the Mavs lost a key opportunity to catch up with the Spurs by losing to them twice in that time span.  They began the All-Star break without the same determination and energy they had entering the season.

Since, they are 3-7 against teams set to make the playoffs and all of those loses are against teams set to make it in the West.  The Mavs have slipped to the third spot in the conference and they look tired as head coach Rick Carlisle is trying his hardest to get them pumped up.

It isn’t working.

Jason Kidd is looking older and older as his minutes are staying in the 30s per game.  He went 0 for 10 in their last two games from beyond the arc and just can’t keep up at times.  The team has even opted to rest him as much as two of their remaining five games.

Jason Terry is set to play in all 82 games this season but even he is beginning to fade.  His fourth quarter game has slumped and his frustration sparked last week when the Lakers completely embarrassed the Mavs.  A fourth quarter shove by Terry against LA’s Steve Blake attracted a bit of unwanted attention from both Matt Barnes and the media in general.  Since, Dallas has been called soft, a term that shouldn’t be new to anyone on the team.

Even Tyson Chandler himself admitted that the Mavericks were a team that could easily be pushed around and he knows it from his days as a Hornet.  All the fight did was draw criticism and ignite the feud between Dallas and LA, which could carry on into the playoffs if the Mavs even make it to the second round

Right now, they are poised to start the playoffs againstthe Trail Blazers.  An unlikely hero has emerged in Portland with LaMarcus Aldridge making a strong case for most improved player.  He’s averaging 27 points against Dallas this season and we don’t expect that to let up once the playoffs begin.

Dallas will have their hands full against a surprisingly deep Portland squad.  Outside of Aldridge, they will have to game plan against Nate McMillan’s myriad of options.  Wesley Matthews and Andre Miller form a dynamic duo in the backcourt while Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace offer their own set of problems up front.

Every player on the Mavs will have their hands full come playoffs and their wont be any room to be tired.

Butler has stated that he will be ready for the playoffs but we need not look any further than Portland to see how players with injured knees do once the postseason begins.

Brandon Roy underwent surgery on his right meniscus after he tore it towards the end of the regular season last year.  He returned to Portland’s lineup for game four against the Suns in the first round but was essentially ineffective as Phoenix won the series 4-2.

With Butler, he is returning to a team that has changed a lot since his departure.  His minutes have been shared amongst Peja Stojakovic, Rodrigue Beaubois and Marion.  It might take more time than is available for him to find his place back in the Mavs’ offense.

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by | December 8, 2010 · 4:28 PM

Age limits come into question

 

Sebastian Telfair and LeBron James only have one thing in common.

 

While the NBA is looking at proposals to end the soft salary cap, do away with guaranteed contracts and even cut players’ salaries, the players themselves are lobbying their own war that raises a few eyebrows.

A source from the NBA Players Association has stated that they would like to see basketball return to “the way it was.”  This return would include ending the age restrictions enforced by the NBA.

Since the 2005-06 Season, players have been required to be 19 during the year of that specific draft and be one year removed from their high school graduation year.

The league did not address the age requirements in the collective bargaining agreement sent to the players in February and commissioner David Stern has shown that he prefers to raise the required age to 20.

Names such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant come to mind when the age argument is brought up.  However, we do forget the ever-becoming more forgettable careers of Sebastian Telfair and Shaun Livingston who both also entered the league straight out of high school.  Simply put, more players that came out of high school are trash than those who are actually making names for themselves.

However, it has been estimated that the interest in lowering the age is more of a deal that the union put into the agreement as a bargaining chip.  Stern and the league will refuse that part of the deal and the players may be able to adjust another part of the proposed changes in contract money.

Right now, the players are guaranteed a 57 percent in basketball-related revenues.  The union is willing to remove that guarantee.  The disagreement between the players and owners is on the hard cap, the $800 million dollar cut in salaries, an end to guaranteed contracts and contract lengths.

The union also would like to change the way trades occur.  Right now, any two players that are traded for one another must have contracts that are within 125 percent of each other.  They would like to double this figure which would allow teams to dump players with large contracts more easily.

In addition, the players would like to see revenue sharing come more from the owners’ pocket books.  They are seeking more money to come from national and local television revenue to go to the teams in smaller markets.

Their proposal to do away with age restrictions is simply hot smoke.  Such talk will freak out owners and more importantly Stern.  Could lend them a small amount of leverage in the talks that are continuing to raise alarm of an impending lockout next season.

The NBA has no use for it’s players to get any younger or richer and both sides seem to be deadlocked in which is better for the league.

Anytime we talk about Livinston, this video instantly comes to mind.  Enjoy.

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by | November 18, 2010 · 3:32 PM

NBA All Star 2010-11 Ballot Released

The NBA has released its ballot for the 2010-11 All Star game which will take place in Los Angeles at the Staples Center February 20, 2011. It contains 60 players from each conference: 24 guards, 24 forwards, and 12 centers. Go vote, wisely, at NBA.com.

Eastern Conference

Guards:

Ray Allen, Celtics

Gilbert Arenas, Wizards

Mike Bibby, Hawks

Vince Carter, Magic

Mario Chalmers, Heat

Darren Collison, Pacers

Jamal Crawford, Hawks

DeMar DeRozan, Raptors

Raymond Felton, Knicks

Ben Gordon, Pistons

Richard Hamilton, Pistons

Devin Harris, Nets

Jrue Holiday, Sixers

Stephen Jackson, Bobcats

Brandon Jennings, Bucks

Joe Johnson, Hawks

Jameer Nelson, Magic

Rajon Rondo, Celtics

Derrick Rose, Bulls

John Salmons, Bucks

Rodney Stuckey, Pistons

Dwyane Wade, Heat

John Wall, Wizards

Mo Williams. Cavaliers

Forwards:

Carlos Boozer, Bulls

Chris Bosh, Heat

Elton Brand, Sixers

Luol Deng, Bulls

Boris Diaw, Bobcats

Danilo Gallinari, Knicks

Kevin Garnett, Celtics

Drew Gooden, Bucks

Danny Granger, Pacers

J.J. Hickson, Cavaliers

Andre Iguodala, Sixers

LeBron James, Heat

Antawn Jamison, Cavaliers

Linas Kleiza, Raptors

Rashard Lewis, Magic

Corey Maggette, Bucks

Troy Murphy, Nets

Paul Pierce, Celtics

Tayshaun Prince, Pistons

Josh Smith, Hawks

Amar’e Stoudemire, Knicks

Gerald Wallace, Bobcats

Marvin Williams, Hawks

Thaddeus Young, Sixers

Centers:

Andrea Bargnani, Raptors

Andrew Bogut, Bucks

Roy Hibbert, Pacers

Al Horford, Hawks

Dwight Howard, Magic

Brook Lopez, Nets

JaVale McGee, Wizards

Nazr Mohammed, Bobcats

Joakim Noah, Bulls

Shaquille O’Neal, Celtics

Anderson Varejao, Cavaliers

Ben Wallace, Pistons


Western Conference

Guards:

Chauncey Billups, Nuggets

Corey Brewer, Timberwolves

Aaron Brooks, Rockets

Kobe Bryant, Lakers

Mike Conley, Grizzlies

Stephen Curry, Warriors

Baron Davis, Clippers

Monta Ellis, Warriors

Tyreke Evans, Kings

Derek Fisher, Lakers

Manu Ginobili, Spurs

Eric Gordon, Clippers

Jason Kidd, Mavericks

Kevin Martin, Rockets

O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies

Andre Miller, Trail Blazers

Steve Nash, Suns

Tony Parker, Spurs

Chris Paul, Hornets

Jason Richardson, Suns

Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers

Thabo Sefolosha, Thunder

Russell Westbrook, Thunder

Deron Williams, Jazz


Forwards:

LaMarcus Aldridge, Trail Blazers

Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets

Trevor Ariza, Hornets

Ron Artest, Lakers

Michael Beasley, Timberwolves

Caron Butler, Mavericks

Tim Duncan, Spurs

Kevin Durant, Thunder

Pau Gasol, Lakers

Rudy Gay, Grizzlies

Jeff Green, Thunder

Blake Griffin, Clippers

Grant Hill, Suns

Al Jefferson, Jazz

Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz

Carl Landry, Kings

David Lee, Warriors

Kevin Love, Timberwolves

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks

Lamar Odom, Lakers

Zach Randolph, Grizzlies

Luis Scola, Rockets

Hedo Turkoglu, Suns

David West, Hornets

Centers:

Andris Biedrins, Warriors

Andrew Bynum, Lakers

Marcus Camby Trail, Blazers

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings

Marc Gasol, Grizzlies

Brendan Haywood, Mavericks

Chris Kaman, Clippers

Robin Lopez, Suns

Nene, Nuggets

Emeka Okafor, Hornets

Mehmet Okur, Jazz

Yao Ming, Rockets

We already know that Yao Ming will be the starting center for the Western All Stars, over one billion Chinese will make sure of that, unless he remains injured in February. Lakers fans should consider themselves lucky that Pau Gasol was not listed as a center because of the Yao factor, even though Gasol IS the Lakers’ starting center. The big question, where the Lakers’ center is concerned, is why Andrew Bynum is even on the ballot. He will not even play a game until at least Christmas.

Paul Millsap has been snubbed on the ballot so be sure to write him in. What is a shame this year is that Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady were left of the list. It is too bad. They need to be on there to prove that fan voting is, for the most part, a complete joke.

Ray Allen Celtics
Gilbert Arenas Wizards
Mike Bibby Hawks
Vince Carter Magic
Mario Chalmers Heat
Darren Collison Pacers
Jamal Crawford Hawks
DeMar DeRozan Raptors
Raymond Felton Knicks
Ben Gordon Pistons
Richard Hamilton Pistons
Devin Harris Nets
Jrue Holiday Sixers
Stephen Jackson Bobcats
Brandon Jennings Bucks
Joe Johnson Hawks
Jameer Nelson Magic
Rajon Rondo Celtics
Derrick Rose Bulls
John Salmons Bucks
Rodney Stuckey Pistons
Dwyane Wade Heat
John Wall Wizards
Mo Williams Cavaliers

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by | November 3, 2010 · 3:31 PM

Household names… of the future: J.J. Hickson

J.J. Hickson will be turning some heads this season.

With the exodus of you know who from Cleveland earlier in the summer, the Cavs had a big hole to fill and not much to fill it with.  However, it’s looking like they may not have to look very far or hard to find the future face of the franchise.

J.J. Hickson showed signs of improvement last year in his second season in the NBA.  His minutes were limited to just 20 minutes a game while LeBron James did most of the leg work at the forward position.  Although he had 73 starts alongside James’ side, it’s looking like the departure of the “King” is going to pay off for this young man.

Born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Hickson went on to attend Joseph Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia.  He was ranked as the 10th overall recruit of 2007 and No. 2 for forwards by Rivals.com.  He was named a 2007 McDonald’s All-American and went on to play at North Carolina State. In his first game as a freshman, he scored 31 points against William & Mary.

The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him No. 19 overall in the 2008 draft and he went on to having a mediocre rookie season.  He showed some promising signs with good outings against Oklahoma City, Chicago, Charlotte and even Orlando but only played in five of the Cavs 18 final games of the season.

He saw his first start his second season in the league at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks on November 6, 2009.  With Anderson Varajoa, Jamario Moon, Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas all on the roster along with James, Hickson’s minutes were limited and so was his team output.  He finished the season with just five rebounds and eight points a game.

However, in his second season he showed that he had a great deal of physical endurance and strength.  He was a forward that could muscle his way into the lane but still needed a jumper.   To improve this, he worked out with former NBA player Chris Jent who now serves as the Cavs’ director of player development.  His efforts seem to be paying off and he was able to work on his jump shot in the last NBA Summer League.

Last night against the Atlanta Hawks, Hickson scored a career high 31 points hitting all 6 of his jump shots from outside the 16-foot mark.  Despite his impressive showing, the Cavs lost the game 100-88 mainly due to turnovers and their sheer lack of depth.  Hickson gave the ball up five times and three of their five starters only scored a combined 15 points.

However, he is leading the team with over 18 points a game and he actually mirrors the hustle and play that James gave to Cleveland.  The third-year forward is showing signs that he is improving greatly.  He still needs to work on his rebounding with only five a game but that number will go up as long as he gets his minutes.  Right now he is at 27 and if he can develop a jumper, he can build on getting his boards as well.

Hickson may be on the cusp of NBA stardom but he still has a lot of headway to make.  His development shouldn’t be questioned because it will happen but when is still to be determined.  He has the ability to be both a household name of the future and the future face of a franchise.

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by | October 31, 2010 · 8:28 AM

Brandon Jennings’ First Triple-Double

A career milestone

It came just five days into the season and it came against the team that lead the NBA in team defense last season and it was also the first in the players young career. Last night the Milwaukee Bucks hosted the Charlotte Bobcats in what will be a night that Brandon Jennings will not soon forget, if he ever forgets it at all.

Early last season, Jennings wowed the NBA world when he dropped 55 points as a rookie in just his seventh game. Even he admits that his first career triple-double trumps that effort. “This is my best game since I’ve been in the NBA just the fact that I had a nose for the ball and I was being unselfish and I was everywhere. I was being a floor general tonight.” Jennings finished the game with 20 points on 6-8 shooting including all three three-pointers he attempted, ten rebounds, and ten assists helping the Bucks to their first win of the season 98-88.

It was the first triple-double recorded by a Milwaukee player since Ramon Sessions (one of the Beef’s players to watch this season) did so on April 1, 2009.

Jennings’ most productive quarters were the first and third. He tallied five points, three rebounds, and five dimes in the first quarter as the Bucks posted a lead of 27-18. In the third quarter he scored seven points, pulled down three rebounds, and dished out three assists. Milwaukee led 73-62 after three.The Bobcats would get within six points of the Bucks in the fourth quarter but not any closer than that.

Charlotte took the lead only once during the game coming mid way through the second quarter on a D.J. Augustin three-pointer making the score 34-33. It was simply not in the cards for the Bobcats last night as Jennings was the main attraction. He had four points in the second quarter to go along with two rebounds and one assist. These statistics were identical to the ones he recorded in the fourth quarter.

One thing is certain this year, with Brandon Jennings continuing to improve his game along with the rest of the sophomores it will be certainly be difficult for the rookies to win this year’s rookie sophomore challenge. Milwaukee’s playoff aspirations are in good hands with Jennings holding the reins.

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by | April 11, 2010 · 1:48 PM

Most Valuable Player

Duh

The award season here at the Beef is drawing to a close and we have but one award left to dish out. Unlike our other awards, the race for MVP, it should not surprise you, was not up for debate and there were never really any other viable candidates. This season, however, to make things slightly more interesting the NBA has opened up fan voting for the MVP to make the awards more accessible to the average viewer. It seems like a decent idea but when you look back at this year’s All Star game voting, major flaws could always occur. China will surely try to hack the NBA servers to get Yao Ming the MVP. Despite China’s best efforts they will be trumped. (Emperor Stern probably had something to do with T-Mac suddenly falling out of the All Star balloting race.) MVP is a lock this year. Sure there were other players who have had remarkable seasons this year but none has realistically encroached on the award.

LeBron James gets our nod for MVP. It was an astoundingly difficult choice as you can imagine. (After watching More than a Game last night this award was locked up ten times over.)In our other award winner articles, my counterpart and I ran down a bevy of potential winners and provided a number of statistics to narrow down and ultimately select a winner. For MVP it is not necessary. Yet, it feels wrong to not do so (especially after all the statistical analysis that went into the DPOY award selection). King James has averaged 29.7 points per game this season to go along with 8.6 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 1 block, 1.6 steals, 3.4 turnovers, while shooting .503 from the field, .767 from the charity stripe, and .333 from downtown. That should say it all and, well, it does. Game over. His statistics in the three major categories (points, rebounds, assists) are at Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan levels. What more is there to say? He has not played the previous two games and did not play against the Orlando Magic today. LeBron may sit out for the rest of the regular season but that has little effect on his stranglehold MVP.

So LeBron won the award easily but who else was in “contention?” Well, no one really but there is a list of players who at least deserve to be acknowledged. Kevin Durant worked his way into the conversation this season by carrying the wildly surprising and successful Oklahoma City Thunder to their first ever winning record and into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. (All ties with Seattle must be severed.) He also has duked it out with the LeBron for the scoring title this season averaging 30 points per game. If LeBron remains on the bench for the rest of the season the scoring title will be Durant’s. LeBron did say that he could win the scoring easily if he wanted to every season and I believe him.

Other than Durant, there is no discernable order to the remaining Mr. Congenialities. Dwyane Wade is the Miami Heat. He is averaging 26.4 points per game and has the Heat at 44-35 and sixth in the East. Where would the Heat be without Wade? We shall likely find out next season. Kobe Bryant has played with a bum finger for much of the season and has still performed at Kobe levels despite the up and down nature of the Lakers’ performance. Dirk Nowitzki has simply been lights out of late and has performed at a high level all season. The Mavericks currently hold the number two seed in the stacked Western Conference and according to Byron Scott and this writer the Mavericks are playing the best basketball in the West and pose the biggest threat to the Lakers even though each team in the West is a nightmare matchup. Steve Nash is having another remarkable season in Phoenix as is Carmelo Anthony in Denver but like the rest of the players mentioned here their names are not LeBron James.

Let us recap the award recipients this season as selected by the committee of two here at the Kobe Beef:

MVP: LeBron James

ROY: Tyreke Evans

COY: Scott Skiles

Sixth Man: Jamal Crawford

MIP: Aaron Brooks

DPOY: Gerald Wallace

Now it is up to the members of the league and press that submit ballots, which are due into the league office by Thursday, to vindicate our picks. Our choices for MVP, Sixth Man, and ROY will undoubtedly be synonymous with the actual awards handed out by the league. As for the rest it has yet to be seen if voters have the guts to turn away from trendy picks and big name players. We did our research and so should they. It might behoove the NBA to open up fan voting for the other awards as it has the potential to bring votes for non household name players that deserve to be recognized. Until then, the Beef will continue to bring you educated selections.

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by | April 6, 2010 · 6:24 PM

The Beginning of the End: Seeding Projections 2.0

King James stands tall in his Eastern kingdom but in the West turmoil and uncertainty rule the land

The NBA begins its last two remaining weeks of the regular season tonight after taking the night off yesterday for the NCAA Men’s Finals (the officiating was rather reminiscent of the 2006 NBA Finals in its quality, don’t you think). In all reality, little is actually decided when it comes seeding in either conference as game play starts anew. These races have mere days to play out with playoff implications, matchups, and potential upsets, especially in the West, abundant. Now that real professional basketball has retaken the round-ball stage (we at the Beef love opening day in baseball but that’s not what we are here to write about) let us take a look at the standings and potential first round matchups.

In the Leastern conference the top four seeds are decided with the only position jockeying going on between the Atlanta Hawks (who have just lost Joe Johnson for at least two games with a sprained right thumb) and the geriatric Boston Celtics, who looked ready to call it day on Easter and give in to the Boy King because they had reservations at Luby’s, for the third and fourth seeds. The bottom four seeds (which have been discussed here) are the interesting stories of the East. Much has to be revised about what I previously wrote due to the injury sustained to Milwaukee Bucks’ center Andrew Bogut. He has undergone successful surgery and is expected to miss six weeks for recovery. This is a shame because the Bucks were playing at the highest level that they have in years and were poised to scare any team they faced in the first round. The phrase “fear the dear” that has been prevalent over the past few weeks no longer carries the same resonance. Without Bogut they do not pack the same punch as they once did. A completely healthy, sans Michael Redd of course, Milwaukee team would have, if matched up against the aforementioned Luby’s loving, fiber consuming Celtics, posed quite a threat and possibly, no, more than likely, advance to the second round. The Bucks have dropped to sixth in the east just a half game back of the Heat.

The Miami Heat have been the most surprising team in the East over the past month. They started the month of March in the ninth seed in the East and are, tonight, sitting comfortably in the fifth seed. With the injury to Andrew Bogut in Milwaukee, expect the Heat to comfortably hold onto this spot as it is unlikely that the undermanned Bucks and especially the Charlotte Bobcats, Toronto Raptors, or Chicago Bulls should catch them. I must revise my Eastern conference playoff projections from last week accounting for Bogut’s untimely injury:

  1. Cleveland Cavaliers
  2. Orlando Magic
  3. Atlanta Hawks
  4. Boston Celtics
  5. Miami Heat
  6. Charlotte Bobcats
  7. Milwaukee Bucks
  8. Chicago Bulls

Yes, I still consider the Raptors a non playoff team. They have been playing better of late but the loss to Golden State has really hurt their chances especially entering the tough stretch of games that they are and with their showdown with Chicago looming on Sunday. Unfortunately this means that the matchups in the east are not as desirable as they could be.

The Bobcats and the Hawks matchup rather favorably in the first round. In all reality this series, as hypothetically depicted here, will depend on the play of the Bobcats, and more specifically that of Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace. These two players are the catalyst that propel and drive the ambitions of the team. However, this is just the first step of many that the Bobcats. Atlanta has been to the playoffs and will more than likely go farther this year as the addition of Jamal Crawford, our Sixth Man recipient, has given them the extra firepower that they need, as well as the improved and outstanding play of Josh Smith, for a deep playoff run.

Miami and Boston may have been a good series several years ago, but alas, it simply is not to be this year. What this series will turn into is Dwyane Wade’s audition tape for free agency. Expect him to slice through Boston’s feeble and aging defenders, scoring frequently and at will. Rajon Rondo is too small and lacks the strength to guard Wade; Jesus Shuttlesworth has never been known for his defensive capabilities and will likely see little time guarding him. The task of defending Wade will fall to Paul Pierce. Pierce has somehow molded himself into a serviceable defender since the acquisition of Kevin Garnett but will remain a step behind the slashing Wade who I expect will make mincemeat of the Celtics lethargic frontcourt. Eventually the Celtics will win the series.

Outside of these two series there will be little to get worked up for. The Cavaliers will easily sweep the Bulls (or Raptors, yes I am counting them out but on the off chance they make the playoffs they will be just as easily brushed aside) and the Magic will defeat the Bucks in five, closer than comfortable, games. So that is just one of many hypothetical scenarios the Eastern conference faces. What about the West? Is anything actually decided in the most Wild West? (The Western conference has, over the past several years, seen its parity reach remarkable status.) This season it looks as though all eight teams that reach the playoffs will have 50 or more wins. 50 or more! Think about that for a second. When was the last time a conference sent eight 50 win teams into the playoffs? I honestly do not know it that has ever happened (if someone does know please comment on this post). The West promises a dogfight each round with each team having the same chance as the other. Oh, but isn’t that exactly what the playoffs stand for? Anything can happen, right? Hey, look at the East and tell me the Cavs will lose in the first round, do it. You’d be wise not to. (All references and comments concerning to my 2007 Mavericks should be forwarded to Avery Johnson and Don Nelson personally. This writer is still bitter and does not want to hear it.) What does the West look like today? It will look different tomorrow.

  1. Los Angeles Lakers
  2. Dallas Mavericks
  3. Denver Nuggets
  4. Utah Jazz
  5. Phoenix Suns
  6. Oklahoma City Thunder
  7. San Antonio Spurs
  8. Portland Trailblazers

Compare these teams to those of the East. That’s right, you cannot. This lineup is insane in the overall talent of the teams. The Mavericks, Nuggets, Jazz, and Suns each have 50-27 records which should lead to quite a spectacular finish to the regular season. If the Mavericks, Nuggets, and Jazz all end the season with the same record the Jazz would hold the overall tiebreaker over the other two teams. What makes the West even wilder are the fates of the other teams. The Lakers continue to look absolutely incompetent against quality opponents down the stretch while the Spurs seem to think they are currently on their annual rodeo road trip only a couple months later than it actually occurred. Portland and Oklahoma City are the true enigmas in the West. But we shall discuss Phoenix first.

Phoenix will likely remain in the fifth seed, for the time being, but with Robin Lopez out for the foreseeable future Amare Stoudemire will not be as productive as he has been this season as his minutes at the center position will undoubtedly spike. They just picked up Dwayne Jones, the top rebounder from the D-League to replace Lopez. Jones was scouted several times this year by other teams but eventually passed on because his scoring mostly comes because of offensive rebound put backs and not based on his own shot creation. Until Lopez’s return the shorthanded rotation (which is quite shallow from the bench already) will have its hands full. In the fifth position the Suns could be matched up against either Dallas, Denver, or Utah. Not a desirable draw for any team as it would seem. What is least desirable for the Suns are their remaining five regular season games. They host San Antonio, play at Oklahoma City, then host both Houston and Denver, and finish the regular season in Salt Lake City. Everything I previously wrote about staying in the fifth seed should be completely tossed aside. The Suns will have to muster every available ounce of will they possess to win more than two of these games. This should be a fine test of Phoenix’s mettle heading into the playoffs and will likely show the team’s true character and whether they can actually contend in the NBA’s second season.

Back to the enigmas. What are the Portland Trailblazers and Oklahoma City Thunder capable of in the playoffs? I hesitate to even speculate because anything I can write will quickly be proved as folly once these two teams set foot onto the floor of big stage with its bright lights. What do we know then? The Blazers scare everyone, everyone that is except the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. These are the only two Western conference playoff teams that have winning records against the Blazers. They have swept the season series with Dallas making the Mavericks hopeful that they do not encounter this Blazer team in the post season. At this point, however, it seems unlikely that they will meet as Portland cannot find a way to move up from the eighth seed with the Spurs surging like they are. The Lakers and Blazers meet on Sunday in LA for what is a potential first round matchup. How will the Lakers fair, sans young Bynum, against a deep, lengthy, and tall team with the ability to switch on every pick and roll and not be at a disadvantage? If their play of late is any indication, the Lakers shall falter yet again and the paper tiger shall whimper as its paw has been pricked once again. This could likely become the story we are faced with if these two teams were to meet in the first round. The Blazers are not an advantageous draw.

Toby Keith has a restaurant just down the street from the Ford Center in downtown Oklahoma City that takes up an entire city block, if not more. This used to be the biggest attraction in town which is why I rather enjoyed passing it while scoffing on the highway riding a Greyhound out of there to return to Texas my Texas. If this is all they have, well then, good riddance. As a Texan I cannot help but despise everything about the Indian Territory north of the Red River. This will never change. The transplanted Supersonics, however, are trying to make me eat some of my words, they never will though. In no way does this mean that the Thunder are not an exciting team to watch. Seeing a young team make the playoffs for the first time in their franchise’s history (yes, Seattle made the playoffs multiple times and has a championship title to its credit but the two must be severed at the hip) is always rewarding because maybe someday that team will help to break up the homogeneity that is the NBA Championship since the 1980s. Their core is young, very young. In fact it is disturbing how young they actually are. Do not let their youth and playoff inexperience lull your senses. They have been playing at a high level all season. Like the Blazers, they will not be an easy out especially if matched up against the Dallas Mavericks. The two teams split the season series at two games apiece and the Thunder seem to have the Mavericks number and matchup well with them up and down their roster. Will the playoff immaturity of the Thunder be their Achilles heel in the playoffs or will the team continue to surprise and overachieve as it has already done to get this far? Only the Thunder and their young cast of players will be able to honestly answer that question.

What about projections for the embattled West then? It seems only fair that I do so despite my inclination to the contrary. The West is too good and my personal bias for it leads me to not want to attempt to predict it. I judge the East with contempt so it is not hard to make estimated projections as to where teams will be seeded. It is easy because there is only one serious contender in the East (as there has been for my entire life) and it will take a feat of the purest will to overcome that team. In the West it is different, the paper tiger leads the pack but its pursuers are around every corner, nipping at its heels as it grows tired and weak from a long season. Here they are:

  1. Los Angeles Lakers (Yes, they barely hold on due to the weak quality of opponents they face to close out the regular season.)
  2. Utah Jazz
  3. Dallas Mavericks
  4. Denver Nuggets
  5. San Antonio Spurs
  6. Phoenix Suns
  7. Oklahoma City Thunder
  8. Portland Trailblazers

These projections are based on nothing but assumption. The West is unpredictable. What is predictable is that 1) there will be more predictions before the season’s end and 2) the first round of the Western conference playoffs should be the most memorable in recent history. I honestly expect each series to go a minimum of six games. In the East, the same cannot be said. Hopefully the lights of the playoffs will inspire the lower seeded teams to perform at a higher level than they did all season to keep the Leastern conference first round from being the lackluster sideshow of the West’s main attraction. Whatever the case, the playoffs are less than two weeks away and the real spectacle is about to begin once more.

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